A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 23
CHAP. 23.
Of the eighth Commandement.
The duties to our neighbour in other regards, viz.
Of his goods. The ſin forbidding the hurt of our neighbour, or his goods, is theft:
Inward, of the heart.
Outward, the
Inſtruments.
Kindes
Priuate, by abuſe of our
Owne, by
Prodigality.
Auarice.
Neighbors,
With colour.
Without colour.
Publike in
Church ſacriledge,
Temporall.
Spirituall.
Common-wealth.
Good name. Command. 9. Ch. 24.
EXOD. 20. 15. Thou ſhalt not ſteale.
SO much of the ſeuenth Commandement, and of thoſe duties we owe to our neighbour in regard of his wife: now follow thoſe which we owe in other regards; and that, 1. of his goods: 2. of his name. The dutie we owe him in regard of his goods, is contained in the eighth Commandement.
Q. What is that?
A. Thou ſhalt not ſteale.
Q. What is the ſumme of it?
A. To giuegive to eueryevery one that which is his, and not onelyonly not to diminiſh (by any meanes) another mans goods, but to doe our beſt (as farre as our callings and meanes will ſuffer) to preſerue them, and (as occaſion ſerueth) to helpe to encreaſe them.
Q. What are the things forbidden in this Commandement, and therein the duties required to our neighbours in reſpect of their goods?
A. They are either inward, or outward.
Q. What are the inward?
A. When a mans eye is ſo ſet vponupon his neighbours Mat. 15. 19. 1. Tim. 6. 9. 10. Epheſ. 5. 3.goods, that hee deſireth them, with reſolution to hauehave them if he can. So that not onelyonly mens hands, but alſo their hearts are here bound to the good abearing, not ſo to deſire their neighbours goods, as is aforeſaid.
Q. What is contrary to this deſire?
A. A minde contented with their owne, and with Heb. 13. 5. 1. Tim. 6. 6. Phil. 4. 11.that which is preſent.
Q. So much of the inward things forbidden: what are the outward?
A. Firſt, the inſtruments of theft; ſecondly, the theft it ſelfe, in all kindes thereof.
Q. What are the inſtruments of theft here charged?
A. Firſt, the tongue, that it profeſſe not the deſire Prou. 1. 11. 12. Prou. 20. 14. Ioſh. 7. 21.of our neighbours goods, nor practice the diuerting thereof: ſecondly, the eye, and hand.
Q. What kindes of theft are there?
A. Either priuate, or publike.
Q. Wherein is priuate theft occupied?
A. It is either in abuſe of our owne, or in purſuit of our neighbours goods.
Q. How doe we abuſe our owne goods?
A. Either in lauiſhing and laſhing them out, or in couetous holding of them.
Q. What is the abuſe of our goods in lauiſhing them out?
A. When men in their diet, apparell, furniture of Deut. 12. 15. Prou. 11. 15. & 21. 17. 2. Theſſ. 3.houſes, building, or otherwiſe exceed either their eſtate and ability, or the vſe and cuſtome of their countrey: whither refer ſuretiſhip vnneceſſarie and cauſeleſſe; alſo giuing reliefe to ſtout and luſtie rogues.
Q. How are our goods abuſed by niggardly ſparing of them?
A. When wee withhold thoſe things from the Prou. 3. 28.poore, which we ought in duty to beſtow vponupon them, or delay to giuegive in due time.
Q. What is priuate theft in purſuit of our neighbours goods?
A. It is either with colour, or without colour; the firſt being oftentimes more hainous then the ſecond.
Q. What is the theft with colour?
A. When in buying and ſelling, battering, chapping, ſcorcing & changing, the buyer concealeth the goodneſſe, or the ſeller the faults, and blindfoldeth the truth with coloured ſpeeches. Likewiſe when in borrowing Leuit. 25. 14. Prou. 20. 14. Luk. 19. 8. Exod. 22. 26. Deut. 24. 6. Deut. 25. 13. 14. Amos 8. 4. Prou 22. 18. Hoſ. 4. 8. 1. Cor. 6. 7.and lending, ſetting and taking, gaging and waging, men either make no conſcience, or hauehave no skill to doe that which is equall and profitable, as well for others they trade with, as for themſelues; where falſe meaſures come to bee conſidered. Hitherto belongeth foreſtalling, engroſſing, monopolies, oppreſſing vſurie (or encreaſe exacted meerely in reſpect of the loane), bankerupts, that to enrich themſelues, endamage others; remouing of ancient bounds: hitherto referre ſuits in Law for light matters.
Q. How is it without colour?
A. Theft is committed without colour, either priuately Deut. 22. 1, Iam. 5. 4, Rom. 13. Luk. 3. 4.without the knowledge of the owner, as by theeues and pickers; whither referre the not reſtoring of things found: or violently, he knowing it, and ſomtimes beholding it, as by pyrats, and robbers. Hither is referred oppreſſion; as when the rich withhold the hire of the labourer, or when due debt is withholden; and when Souldiers are not content with their pay, but goe a free-booting, &c.
Q. What is contrary to this?
A. The right vſe of that which is our owne.
Q. Wherein conſiſts the right vſe of our owne?
A. Frugality, and good husbanding of it.Prou. 21. 5. 17. & 12. 27. 2. Cor. 8. 13. Prou. 13. 11.
Q. What is further contrary?
A. Labour, in ſome lawfull vocation.
Q. How may we know the bounds of a lawfull vocation?
A. When it is occupied, either in the information 1. Cor. 7. 14. 1. Pet. 4. 10. Eccleſ. 5. 8.and inſtruction of the minde with good knowledge, which is the calling of them that teach, and learne; or in exerciſing ciuill gouernment, and (where it is needfull and iuſt) in making warre: or in the defence of the body, which is the calling of the Magiſtrate, both in peace and warre: or in prouiding for the neceſſarie helpes of this life, which is the calling of Merchants, and Husbandmen, &c.
Q. What manner of men are here condemned?
A. All idle perſons, or thoſe which are occupied in hurtfull or vnprofitable trades, as the Romiſh merchants, Image-makers, Bead-makers, aAct. 19. 19. & 24. 25. Reu. 18. 11. 12.and the ſellers of ſuch traſh: Iuglers, wandring and roguing Minſtrels, Magicians, Stage-players, ſtewes, common dicers, and ſuch like.
Q. Is there any thing elſe required to a lawfull Calling?
A. Yes verily, as that it be lawfull to him that vſeth it; which is, when he is able to diſcharge it: ſecondly, when being lawfully called thereunto, hee diligently, and duly exerciſeth himſelfe in it.
Q. Is there no intermiſsion or recreation, granted vntounto a Chriſtian man from his labours in the ſixe daies?
A. There is, to the end he may the better continue his labour, … ſame bee honeſt and profitable, for the exerciſe of the mind, or of the body; but hurtfull and dangerous paſtimes are to bee auoided: for as recreation belongs to the ſixth Commandement, ſo far as health is maintained thereby: ſo it belongeth to this Commandement, ſo farre forth as we may be the better able to labour thereby.
Q. What ſorts of publike theft are there?
A. Two, either in Church, or Common-wealth.
Q. VVhat is Church theft?Malach. 2.
A. It is called Sacriledge, conſiſting partly in things ſpirituall, and partly in things temporall.
Q. What is the ſacriledge that conſiſts in things ſpirituall?
A. When the Church is depriued of found doctrine, Jer. 23. 30.through the inſufficiency, or negligence, or corruption of he Paſtors and Teachers.
Q. VVho are they that ſinne in this kind of ſacriledge?
A. Either Miniſters, or people.
Q. What Miniſters doe ſinne therein?
A. Firſt, the ignorant, inſufficient, and dumb Miniſters, which take wages, & cannot do their dutie; with the makers & maintainers of them. 2. The idle negligēt Miniſters; whither refer Monks, Friers, Nuns, &c.
Q. How doe the people ſinne herein?
A. When they not onelyonly are content to bee vnderunder ſuch Miniſters, as either cannot, or will not reproue Ier. 5. 31.them of their ſins, but alſo deſire and ſeeke for them.
Q. VVhat is that Sacriledge which conſiſts in things temporall?
A. When the goods of the Church are taken from them to whom they belong; or when men make ſale or merchandize of Benefices and Church-liuings.
Q. What is the theft in the Common-wealth?
A. When the common goods are either taken away, or applied to any priuate vſe; or when rewards are giuen, or taken, to corrupt Iudgement; or when men become falſe coiners of money, waſhers, or clippers, or the like.
Q. Hitherto of the Commandement: what ſpeciall matter doe you learne from hence?
A. The groſſe errour of the Anabaptiſts, that hold communitie of goods.
Q. Are there any ſpeciall iudgements, that follow the breache of this Commandement?
A. Yea: firſt, euill gotten goods are vſually ſoone, and ill ſpent, as experience teacheth, and the common Prou. 20. 21.prouerbe; Of euill gotten goods, there is rarely a third heire: alſo the Scripture ſaith, He that ſpoileth, ſhall himſelfe bee ſpoyled; either himſelfe while hee liueth, or his Eſay 33. Iob. 20. 15. 10 18. Deut. 25. 15.poſterity after his death. Secondly, pouerty often followeth. Thirdly, Shortneſſe of life: for as to thoſe that liue iuſtly, long life is promiſed; ſo to him that doth otherwiſe, ſhortneſſe of life is threatned.