The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2 · Chapter 8 · Commandment 8
The eyghte Commaundement.
Thou shalte not steale.
The ende of thys commaundemente is, bycause God abhorreth vnrighteousnesse, yt eueryevery man may hauehave hys owne renred vntounto hym. The summe therefore shall bee, that wee are forbidden to gape for other mens goodes, and that therefore we are commaunded eueryevery man to employ hys faythfull trauaile to preserue to eche manne hys owne goodes. For thus we ought to thinke, that what eueryevery man possesseth is not happened vntounto hym by chaunce of fortune, but by the distribution of the soueraigne Lorde of all thinges, and therfore no mans goods can be gotten from hym by euell meanes, but y• wronge be done to the disposition of God. But of theftes there be many kyndes: one standeth in Uiolence, when the goodes of an other are by any manner of force and robbing licenciousnesse bereued. The other kynde consisteth in malicious deceite, where they are guylefully conueyed awaye. An other sorte there is that standeth in a more hidden sutteltie, when they are wroonge from the owner by coloure of law. An other sorte in flatterie, where they are sucked awaye by pretense of gifte. But, leaste we sholde tarry to longe vponupon rentinge of all the seuerall kyndes of thefte, lette vsus knowe, that all crafty meanes whereby the possessions and money of oure neyghboures are conueyed vntounto vsus, when they ones goe by croked wayes from syncerenesse of hearte, to a desire to beguile, or by any meane to do hurte, are to be accompted for theftes. Althoughe by pleadinge the lawe, they maye preuayle, yet God doth not otherwyse way thē. For he seeth ye long captious suttleties, wherwith ye guilefulman beginneth to entangle the simpler minde, till at length he drawe him into his nettes. He seethe the harde and vngentle lawes, wherewyth the myghtier oppresseth and throweth downe the weaker. Hee seeth yt allurementes, wherwith as with baiteth hookes, yt crastier taketh thee vnware. All whyche thinges are hidden from the iudgement of man, and come not in his knoweledge. And thys manner of wronge is not onelyonly in money, in wares, or in landes, but in eueryevery mans ryght. For we defraude oure neighboure of his goodes, if we denye him those dueties whiche wee are bounde to doe for hym. If any idle factore o… baylye do deuoure his masters substance, & is not heedefull to the care of this thrifte, if he either do wrongfully spoyle, or doe ryoutously waste the substance committed vntounto him, if a seruant do mocke his master, yf he disclose his secretes by any meanes, if hee betraye his life and hys goodes: agayne if the Lorde doe cruelty oppresse his householde, they are before God gylty of thefte. For he both withholdeth and conueieth an other mans goodes, which perfourmeth not that whiche by the office of his callinge he oweth to other.
We shall therfore ryghtly obey thys commaundement, if being contented with oure owne estate, we seeke to get no gaine but honest and lawefull, if we couet not to waxe riche with wroong, nor goe aboute to spoyle oure neighboure of hys goodes that oure owne substance maye encrease, if we laboure not to heape vp cruell riches & wroonge oute of other mens bloode, if wee do not immeasurably scrape together eueryevery way, by right and by wronge, that either oure couetousnesse maye bee filled, or oure prodigalitie satisfied. But on the other side, lette this bee our perpetuall marke, to ayde all men faithfully by counsell: and helpe to kepe their owne so farre as we may: but if we hauehave to do with false and deceytful men, let vsus rather be redy to yelde vp some of our owne, then to striue with them. And not that onelyonly, butte lette vsus communicate to their necessities, & with our store releue their nede, whome we see to be oppressed with harde and poore estate. Fynally, lette eueryevery man loke howe muche he is by duety bounde vntounto other, and lette him faithfully paye it. For this reason lette the people hauehave in honoure all those that are sette ouer them, let them paciently beare their gouernement, obey their lawes and commaundementes, refuse nothinge that they maye beare, still kepinge God fauorable vntounto them. Againe, lette them take care of their people, preserue cōmon peace, defende the good, restraine the euell, and so ordre all thinges, as redy to geue accompte of their office to the soueraigne iudge. Lette the Ministers of Churches …aithfully applye their ministerie, and not corrupt the doctrine of saluation, but deliuer it pure and syncere to the people of God, and let them instructe them not onelyonly with learning, but also wyth example of lyfe: fynally, let them so be ouer them, as good sheperdes be ouer the shepe. Let the people lykewise receiue them for the messingers and Apostles of God, geue them that honoure whereof the hyest maister hath voutsaued them, and minister vntounto them suche thinges as are necessarie for their life. Lette parentes take on them to feede, rule and teache their children, as committed to them of God, and greue not, nor turne away their mindes from them with crueltie, but rather cheryshe and embrace them with suche lenitie and tendernesse, as becommeth there person. After whiche manner, we hauehave allredy sayde, that children owe to their parentes their obedience. Let yonge men reuerence olde age, euen as the Lorde willed that age to be honorable. Let olde men also gouerne the weakenesse of youth with their wisedome and experience, wherein thei excell yonge men, not ratinge them with rough and loude brawlinges, but temperinge seueritie with mildenesse and gentlenesse. Lette seruantes shewe them selues diligent and seruisable to obey: and that not to the eye, but from the hearte, as seruinge God himselfe. Also lette maisters shewe them selues not testie and harde to please, nor oppresse them with to much sharpenesse, not reprochefully vse them, but rather acknowledge that thei are their brothren and their felowe seruantes vnderunder ye heauenly Lord, whom thei ought mutually to louelove & gently to entreat. After this māner, I sai, let eueryevery mā cōsider what in his degre and place he oweth to his neighboures, & let him paie that he oweth. Moreouer oure mynde oughte alwayes to hauehave respecte to the lawemaker, that wee maye knowe that this lawe is made as well for oure myndes, as for oure handes, that men shoulde studie to defende & further the commodities and profite of other.