Abridgment of the Whole Body of Divinity, Part 2 · Subpart 18
The eight Commandment.Eight Commandment.
Thou shalt not steal.
The Affirmative part of this CommandmentAffirmative part. is this.
Here every man is commanded to imploy the gift that God hath given him, and the temporal blessings which he hath bestowed upon him. 1. For Gods glory. 2. For his own good. 3. To his Neighbours good, 1 Cor. 7. 24. 1 Pet. 4. 10. Gal. 5. 13.
In the use of the things of this World is required contentation, and thriftiness amongst all men; And a common enjoyment of all worldly things amongst the faithfull, and true believers, as Act. 2. 45.
Contentation in every man is a virtue,Contentation. whereby he is well pleased with that estate wherein he is placed, 1 Tim. 6. 6, 7. Phil. 4. 11. Heb. 13. 5.
Thriftiness,Thriftiness. or frugality is a virtue, whereby a man doth chearfully, and without prodigality and profuseness, and riotousness use, and employ temporal, and worldly blessings freely, both for his own refreshing and commodity; and likewise to the refreshing, and commodity of others, Prov. 5. 15, 16. Joh. 6. 11, 12.
Here we are commanded to speak the truth from our heart, and to use harmless simplicity in all our ways; Psal. 15. 2. Genes. 23. 15, 18.
And to deal justly with all men, … Thes. 4. 6.
Those that buy, or sell, or lett, or hire Farms, Tenements, or Lands, or that use marchandize, must not rack, but must keep a just, and true price.
1. Such as these must keep an equality, and a proportion in all contracts; and in the valuing of things, they must not onelyonly consider their own pains, but the buyers profite also; Levit. 25. 14. to 16.
They must square their dealings according to the Law of Nature, as Christ teacheth; Matth. 7. 12.
Those that are enrich'd by the lawfull gain of another mans goods have a naturall tie, or Obligation upon them, to make recompence in some proportion above the principal.
For Nature commandeth to do good for good.
Goods, or temporal things ought to be imployed for the good of others; 2 Cor. 8 13.
In sale, wholesom things, substanstial things, and things fit for use are to be sold.
Here are commanded just weights, and just measures; Deut. 25. 13. Ezek 45. 16. Mich 6. 11.
He that hireth must not onelyonly pay the appointed hire, but also make good that which is hired if that any evil come to it through his default; Exod. 22. 15.
But if … come to it, and he be in no … …ringing the evil, he is to be … and it must go for its hire; Exod. 22. 15.
A pledge, or pawn, is to be restored, if he that borroweth standeth in need of it, and that presently; Exod. 22. 26. Deut. 24 6.
Pledges in those that are to receive them are not to be exacted,Pledges are not to be exacted. but are to be such as the person borrowing offereth; Deut. 24. 10. to the 13.
A man is bound largely, and freely, to the utmost of his power to help all, but not to make himself a surerety for any; Deut. 15. 7, 8. Prov. 11. 15. and 17. 18. and 22. 26. and 6. 1. to the 5.
Just Covenants and promises,Just Covenants must be performed. though they be to our hinderance, must be performed; all promises binde, if they be lawfull, so far forth as he will, to whom we make the promise; Psal. 15. 4. Prov. 25. 14. Judge 1. 24, 25.
He that lendeth must do it freely, and chearfully; … 5.
He that borroweth … be carefull to make restitution, if need be, with the sale of his goods, 2 Kings 4. 2. to the 7.
Here we are commanded to restore that, which is committed to our custody, without delay; Matth. 21. 41.
But if the thing committed to our custody be not lost by any default of ours, we are not to be urged to repay it, nor is there any binding of us at all to repay, Exod. 22. 7. 8.
That which a man findeth he may keep in his own hands, if the true owner cannot be heard of: but if he be, he must restore it, Deut. 22. 1, 2, 3.
In all injuries done unto men, they must ever have respect to the law of charity, and not so much endeavour to maintain their own right, as to recall an erring brother into the right way; Matth. 5. 39. 40. Jam. 5. 20.
The Negative part of this CommandmentThe Negative part. is this.
Here we are forbidden stealing.
To steal is to conveigh any thing from another closely, unawares, or by fraud; Genes. 31. 20.
Here is also forbidden inordinate living, or idle living; 2 Thes. 3. 11. Gen 3. 19. 1 Tim 5. 8.
And unjust dealing, either in heart, or deed.
Unjust dealing in heart is covetousness;Of unjust dealing in heart. Matth. 15. 19.
Covetousness is Idolatry, Ephes. 5. 5.
It is the root of all evil, and that which nourisheth all kinde of sin, 1 Tim. 6. 10.
Unjust dealing indeed, is either in bargaining, or out of bargaining.
1. Unjust dealing in bargaining,Of unjust dealing in deed. is to sell that which is not saleable, 1 Thes. 4. 6. as what ever is unprofitable, or pernitious, either to the Church, or Common-wealth.
Or to think to buy the gift of the holy Ghost for money, Act. 8. 18. to the 20.
2. It is unjust dealing in bargaining, to use coloured forgery.
As forged cavillation, Luke 19. 8.
Or to sell that which is counterfeit for good, as Copper for Gold, or to mingle bad with good, Amos 8. 4. to the 6.
Or to falsifie measures, and weights, Deut. 25. 13. Levit. 19. 35 Amos 8. 4.
3. It is unjust dealing in bargaining to conceal the goodness, or fault of a thing.
Or to blindfold the truth with counterfeit speeches, Matth. 7. 12. Prov 20. 14.
4. It is unjust dealing in bargaining.
To oppress in buying & selling,The oppressions in bargaining their kindes, as by raising the just price of things; it is not lawfull in bargaining to purse a penny, without giving a penny worth, Matth. 7. 12.
Or by sale upon a set day, which is, when a day is given that the price may be inhanced, for this is to sell time, and to take more of a mans Neighbour than is right.
Or by engrossing, which is, when a man buyeth all commodities into his own hands, that he may sell it at his own price, when as no man hath any of it but himself.
Or by breaking, or becoming bankrupt, that thou mayest enrich thy self by the damages, and goods of others.
It is unlawfull also to oppress, by not restoring that which was lent, pledged, or pawned; Or that which is found, if the owner can be heard of; Ezek. 18. 7.
Or to oppress by delaying any kinde of restitution from one day to another; Prov. 3. 28. Ps. 37. 21. Deut. 24. 14, 15. Levit. 19. 13.
Or to oppress by practising usury;Oppression by usury. Exod. 22. 25. Deut. 23. 19. Levit. 25. 36.
Usury is again exacted by Covenant above the principal, onelyonly in Lieu and recompence of the lending of it; Usury is quite contrary to Gods word; Exod 22 14, 15. Ezek. 18. 8. Psal. 15. 2 Cor. 8. 13. This usury is altogether unlawfull, and disallowed.
Cautions in Lawfull Use.Cautions in use, if it be at all lawfull.
1. A man must exact nothing, but that which his debter can get by good and lawfull means.
2. A man must not take more than the gain; nay, not all the gain, nor that part of the gain, which drinketh up the living of him that useth the money.
3. Sometimes a man that lendeth must neither take gain nor principal, as when his debtour is by just and inevitable casualties brought behinde hand, Deut. 5. 2. And when it is apparent that he could not make any advantage of the money borrowed.
Here we are also forbidden to oppress, by detaining the Labourers wages; Deut. 23. 14. Jam. 5. 4.
Unjust dealing out of bargaining is to pronounce false sentence for a reward, either proffered, or promised. This is a grievous sin, which Lawyers and Judges must beware of; Isai 1. 23.
It is also unjust dealing out of bargaining to feed men that are stout, and lusty, and are offered employment, and yet will take no pains at all, 2 Thes. 3. 10.
Socrates, In the Tripatite History, saith, that the Monk which laboureth not with his hands, is no better than a Thief.
It is also unjust dealing out of bargaining not to employ him, who is knowing and able for employments, and desireth to be employed; yea, and also not to further and assist those who do employ themselves in employments lawfull, and warrantable by the word of God, that so they may improve their labours and endeavours both for publick good, and also for their own particular good, and for the glory of God.
Gaming for Money is here also unlawfull; For we may not enrich our selves by impoverishing our brethren in any kinde.
Here also is unlawfull, The use of unlawfull Arts, thereby to get money, whither it be Magick, Judicial Astrology, or Juglings, or Stageplays, as is evident, by these Scriptures, Eph. 4. 28. Deut. 18. 11 Eph. 5. 3. 1 Thes. 5 22
Here is also forbidden stealing; yea, though great good be intended by it; Mark 10. 19. Rom. 3. 8.
And all removing of bounds, or Land-marks; Prov. 22. 28. Deut. 27. 17.
And all stealing of servants, or Children, or to rob, or commit Sacriledge; 1 Tim. 1. 10. Josh. 7. 19. 1 Cor. 6. 10.
And to conspire with Robbers, or Thieves, either in advising them, or countenancing of them for this purpose, Prov. 29. 24.
Theft by the law of God was not to be otherwise punish'd,Punishment of Theft. but by enlarging the restitution; Exod. 22. 1. 2 Sam. 12. 6.