preserved from fulfilling the lusts | of the flesh, Gal. v. 16; keeping a strict watch over our hearts, Pro.iv. 23; studying to shun all occasions of this sin by the external senses, Job xxxi. 1; and fervent prayer to God, to be kept from it, and all temptations to it. Psal. cxix. 37. QUEST. 73. Which is the eighth commandment? ANSW. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal. QUEST. 74. What is required in the eighth commandment? ANSW. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others. Q. 1. What is the subject matter of this commandment? A. [The wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others]. Q. 2. What doth it require with reference to these? A. [The procuring and furthering] of them. Q. 3. In what manner doth it enjoin us to procure and further them? A. Only in a [lawful] manner; for it requires the LAWFUL procuring and furthering of them. Q. 4. Whose wealth is it we should procure and further? A. Our own wealth, and that of others. Q. 5. By what lawful means should we procure and further our own wealth? A. By labour and industry in some honest calling, Eph. iv. 28. Q. 6. What is included in the labour and industry we should exercise in our respective stations and callings? A. Frugality in managing the affairs of our calling, and a moderate endeavour to recover our own when wrongfully detained from us. Q. 7. What is to be understood by frugality in managing the affairs of our calling? Q. 8. Is it warrantable to go to law, for recovering our own, when wrongfully detained? A. Yes surely: providing other means have been previously tried without success. Q. 9. How do you prove that it is warrantable for Christians to go to the law with one another, when necessitated thereunto? A. From the lawfulness of magistracy, which is the ordinance of God, Rom. xiii. 2. for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well, 1 Pet. ii. 14. Q. 10. Doth not our Lord find fault with this method, when he says, "If any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also,' Matt. v. 40? A. The meaning is, that we should rather part with a little of our right, than run ourselves into unnecessary charges at law, perhaps vastly beyond the value of what we are seeking to regain; and thereby discover a contentious and quarrelsome spirit, unbecoming Christianity. Q.11. Doth not the apostle also blame Christians for this practice, when he says, "Ye go to law one A. Prudence and moderation in with another; why do ye not raour expenses, so as to be sure al-ther take wrong?" 1 Cor. vi. ways to spend within our in- 7? comes, Prov. xxxi. 16. A. The apostle is there speaking of bringing pleas unnecessarily before Heathen magistrates; and his meaning is, that Christians should make up differences among themselves, by submitting to arbitration; or even by suffering some wrong, rather than by vexatious law-suits (especially about lesser matters) bringing a scandal upon the religion which they profess. never do that to another, which, if we were in that other's place or circumstances, we would reckon to be unjust, Matt. vii. 12. Q. 17. In what cases is this rule to be particularly applied, according to the scope of this commandment? A. In all contracts, or matters of traffic and commerce between Q. 12. How is the necessity of man and man; and likewise in labouring in an honest calling en-making satisfaction for injuries. forced in scripture? A. From the necessity of eating: the apostle argues from the natural necessity of the one, to the moral necessity of the other, 2 Thess. iii. 10. "This we commanded you, that if any one would not work, neither should he eat." Q. 13. Can we procure and further our wealth and outward estate, merely by our own labour and industry? A. Our own industry is necessary, but without the Lord's blessing thereupon, it will not be successful; for it is the blessing of the Lord that maketh rich, Prov. x. 22. Q. 14. What ends should we propose to ourselves, in endeavouring to further, or increase, our own outward estate? A. That we may honour the Lord with our substance, Prov. iii. 9; live comfortably ourselves, Eccl. v. 19; and be useful to others, Eph. iv. 28. Q. 15. By what means should we procure and further the wealth and outward estate of others? A. By exercising justice and righteousness towards all, Psal. xv. 2; and by relieving the wants and necessities of those who stand in need of our charity, 1John iii. 17. Q. 16. What is the rule and standard of that justice and righteousness we should exercise towards all men? A. That we so deal with others, as we would have them to deal with us, if we were in their place or condition; or, that we should Q. 18. How is it to be applied in contracts, or matters of traffic between man and man? A. It is to be applied thus: that in buying and selling, there be always a just proportion between the price and the thing sold; or, that the sale be according to the worth or value of the goods, without taking the advantage of ignorance or poverty on either side, Gen. xxiii. 15, 16. Q. 19. How may the worth and value of goods be known? A. By this general maxim, That every thing is worth as much, as it may be currently sold for. Q. 20. May not the price of the same commodity vary and change at different times? A. Yes; according to the plenty or scarcity of the commodity at the time of sale. Q. 21. What satisfaction should be made to others, for taking or detaining what belongs to them, or any manner of way defrauding them? A. No other satisfaction is agreeable to God's will of precept, or will gain the approbation of men, but restitution, if the injuring party is ever capable to make it, Lev. vi. 2-6. 1 Sam. xii. 3. Q. 22. What if the person to whom the restitution should be made, or his nearest of kin, cannot be found? A. In that case, what has been unjustly detained ought to be given to the poor, or some pious use, Num. v. 8. Q. 23. Is relieving the necessities of the poor a duty required in this commandment? Q. 26. How should our acts of charity be managed? A. They should be conducted prudence, namely, as our own circumstances will permit, and the necessity of the object requires, 1 John iii. 17. A. Yes; because it is a further-with ing the outward estate of our neighbour who is in want. Q. 24. Why should we relieve the necessities of the poor? A. Because," he that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth to the Lord; and that which he hath given, will he pay him again," Prov. xix. 17. Q. 25. Who are the proper objects of charity? A. All who are in real poverty and want, and are not able to work; especially these "who are of the household of faith," Gal.vi. 10. Q. 27. When should we perform acts of charity? A. Presently, if the necessities of those whom we are bound to relieve, call for present assistance, Prov. iii. 28. Q. 28. What should we shun or avoid, in our acts of charity? A. All ostentation, or a desire to be seen of men, and commended by them, Matt. vi. 2—5. QUEST. 75. mandment? What is forbidden in the eighth com ANSW. The eighth commandment forbiddeth, whatsoever doth, or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbour's wealth or outward estate. Q. 1. What doth the forbidding of THEFT necessarily suppose? A. That there are distinct rights and properties among men, which cannot be justly invaded or encroached upon, Lev. vi. 4. Q. 2. What would be the necessary consequences of a community of goods among men? A. It would destroy traffic and commerce; abolish all acts of charity; encourage sloth and idleness; and if there were no right and property, there could be no encroachment upon. it by theft or stealing. Q. 5. How do we steal from ourselves, or impair our own estates, by idleness? A. When we either live without a lawful calling, Prov. xix. 15; or neglect it, if we have any, chap. xviii. 9. Q. 6. How may a person be said to steal from himself by niggardliness? A. When he defrauds himself of the due use and comfort of that estate which God hath given him, Eccl. vi. 2. Q. 7. How do persons, on the other hand, steal from them Q. 3. From whom are we for-selves, by prodigality? bidden to steal? A. Both from ourselves and others. Q. 4. How may we be said to steal from OURSELVES? A. By idleness, niggardliness, and prodigality. A. By being lavish and profuse in spending above their income, Prov. xxiii. 20, 21. Q. 8. What is the sin which is more directly pointed at in this commandment? A. It is stealing from OTHERS; Or laying hands upon, and taking away unjustly, that which is the right and property of another. Q. 18. Wherein consists public theft, as committed against the commonwealth? Q 9. How many ways may per- A. In embezzling the current sons be said to steal from others; coin, or doing detriment to the or, [unjustly hinder their neigh-public for private advantage, Rom. bour's wealth, or outward estate]? xiii. 7. Phil. ii. 4. A. Several ways; particularly, by theft, robbery, resetting, defruading, monopolizing, and taking unlawful usury. Q. 10. What is theft? A. It is the taking away clandestinely, or privily from another, that which is his, Lev. xix. 12. Q. 11. How is theft commonly distinguished? A. Into private and public. Q. 12. What is private theft? A. It is the taking away less or more of any private person's property, without their knowledge or consent, Obad, ver. 5. Q. 13. Against whom is public theft committed? A. Both against the church and commonwealth. Q. 14.How is public theft called, as committed against the church? A. Either simony or sacrilege. Q. 15. What is simony? Q. 19. What is robbery, or ra pine? A. It is the taking away the goods of another by violence and open force, Job xx. 19. Q. 20. Wherein lies the aggravation of this crime? A. In its being an avowed pillaging or plundering of our neighbour: and, for ordinary, accompanied with a threatening to take away his life, if he adventures to make the least resistance, Judges ix. 25. Q. 21. What is the evil of resetting of what is taken away, whether by stealth or violence? A. It is a manifest encouraging of and partaking with thieves and robbers in their sin, Psal. 1. 18: and consequently a coming under the same guilt and condemnation with them. Prov. xxix. 24. Q. 22. How do men commonly defraud one another? A. In buying, selling, and borrowing. Q. 23. How do they defraud in buying? A. It is the buying and selling of ecclesiastical places and offices for money or other good deeds: so called from the wicked practice of Simon Magus, who offered the "apostles money, saying, Give A. By depreciating and vilify. me also this power, that on whom-ing what they intend to buy, that soever I lay hands, he may receive they may have it cheaper than the Holy Ghost," Acts viii. 18, 19. the value, Prov. xx. 14. Q. 16. What is sacrilege? A. It is the taking away or alienating of any thing which hath been dedicated to a sacred use, Prov. xx. 25. Mal. iii. 8. Q. 17. Why are these called public theft, when for most part, they are privately committed? Q. 24. How do they defraud one another in selling? A. By taking an unreasonable price, 1 Thess. iv. 6; or cheating by false weights and measures, Deut. xxv. 13, 14, 15, Q. 25. How do they defraud in borrowing? A. Because they very much af- A. When they borrow or take fect the public interest and wel-on, what they know they can nefare of the church; in regard, no- ver be able, in the ordinary course thing has a greater tendency to of providence, to pay, Psal. xxxvii. her ruin, than simonaical compacts 21. and sacrilegious usurpations. Q. 26. If a man's creditors, com pound with him, for less than he is owing, is he therefore discharged of the whole debt? A. Though his creditors, for fear of losing all, may compound and discharge for a part, so as that there can be no action in law for the remainder; yet in the court of conscience, and before God, he is bound, if ever he is able, to pay every farthing: and if he is an honest man, he will never reckon his substance his own, till he do it, Rom. xiii. 8. Q. 27. How may servants defraud their masters? A. By wasting their master's goods, which they may have among their hands; and not working faithfully for their wages, Tit. ii. 9, 10. Q. 33. What kind of usury is lawful? A. That which is moderate, easy, and no way oppressive, Deut. xxiij. 20. compared with Exod. xxii. 21. Q. 34. How do you prove that moderate usury is lawful? A. From the very light of nature, which teaches, that since the borrower proposes to gain by the loan, the lender should have a reasonable share of his profit, as a recompense for the use of his money, which he might otherwise have disposed of to his own advantage, 1 Corinthians viii. 13. Q. 35. What is the usury condemned in scripture, and by right reason? Q. 28. How may masters de- A. It is the exacting of more infraud their servants? terest or gain for the loan of moA. By detaining from, or trick-ney, than is settled by universal ing them out of their wages, Lev. consent, and the laws of the land, xix. 13; or by exacting of them Prov. xxviii. 8. "He that by usutoo rigorous labour, Exod. v. 9. ry, and unjust gain, increaseth his substance, shall gather it for him that will pity the poor," Q. 29. What is it to monopolize? A. It is to engross commodities in order to enhance the price of them. Q. 30. What is the worst kind of monopolizing or forestalling? A. It is the buying up corns and provisions in large quantities, in order to exact a higher price for them afterwards. Q. 31. Wherein consists the evil of this sin? A. They who are guilty of it enrich themselves upon the spoils of others, Ezek. xxii. 29; they grind the faces of the poor, Isa. iii. 15; and bring upon themselves the curse of the people, Prov. xi. 26. "He that withholdeth corn, the people shall CURSE him; but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it." Q. 32. What is it to take usURY, according to the proper signification of the word? A. It is to take gain, profit, or interest for the loan of money. Q. 36. How do you prove from scripture, that moderate usury, or common interest, is not oppression in itself? A. From the express command laid upon the Israelites not to oppress a stranger, Exod. xxiii. 9; and yet their being allowed to take usury from him, Deut. xxiii. 29; which they would not have been permitted to do, if there had been an intrinsic evil in the thing itself. Q. 37. Is it warrantable to take interest from the poor? A. By no means; for if such as are honest, and in needy circumstances, shall borrow a small sum towards a livelihood, and repay it in due time, it is all that can be expected of them: and therefore the demanding of any profit or interest, or even taking any of their necessaries of life in pledge, for the sum, seems to be plainly |