large catechism-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


princes　keep　company；　who　daily　plunder　not　only　a　city　or　two；　but　all
Germany。　Yea；　where　should　we　place　the　head　and　supreme　protector　of
all　thieves；　the　Holy　Chair　at　Rome　with　all　its　retinue；　which　has
grabbed　by　theft　the　wealth　of　all　the　world；　and　holds　it　to　this　day？


This　is；　in　short；　the　course　of　the　world：　whoever　can　steal　and　rob
openly　goes　free　and　secure；　unmolested　by　any　one；　and　even　demands
that　he　be　honored。　Meanwhile　the　little　sneak…thieves；　who　have　once
trespassed；　must　bear　the　shame　and　punishment　to　render　the　former
godly　and　honorable。　But　let　them　know　that　in　the　sight　of　God　they
are　the　greatest　thieves；　and　that　He　will　punish　them　as　they　are
worthy　and　deserve。　

Now；　since　this　commandment　is　so　far…reaching　＇and　comprehensive＇；　as
just　indicated；　it　is　necessary　to　urge　it　well　and　to　explain　it　to
the　common　people；　not　to　let　them　go　on　in　their　wantonness　and
security；　but　always　to　place　before　their　eyes　the　wrath　of　God；　and
inculcate　the　same。　For　we　have　to　preach　this　not　to　Christians；　but
chiefly　to　knaves　and　scoundrels；　to　whom　it　would　be　more　fitting　for
judges；　jailers；　or　Master　Hannes　＇the　executioner＇　to　preach。
Therefore　let　every　one　know　that　it　is　his　duty；　at　the　risk　of　God's
displeasure；　not　only　to　do　no　injury　to　his　neighbor；　nor　to　deprive
him　of　gain；　nor　to　perpetrate　any　act　of　unfaithfulness　or　malice　in
any　bargain　or　trade；　but　faithfully　to　preserve　his　property　for　him；
to　secure　and　promote　his　advantage；　especially　when　one　accepts　money；
wages；　and　one's　livelihood　for　such　service。　

He　now　who　wantonly　despises　this　may　indeed　pass　along　and　escape　the
hangman；　but　he　shall　not　escape　the　wrath　and　punishment　of　God；　and
when　he　has　long　practiced　his　defiance　and　arrogance；　he　shall　yet
remain　a　tramp　and　beggar；　and；　in　addition；　have　all　plagues　and
misfortune。　Now　you　are　going　your　way　＇wherever　your　heart's　pleasure
calls　you＇　while　you　ought　to　preserve　the　property　of　your　master　and
mistress；　for　which　service　you　fill　your　crop　and　maw；　take　your　wages
like　a　thief；　have　people　treat　you　as　a　nobleman；　for　there　are　many
that　are　even　insolent　towards　their　masters　and　mistresses；　and　are
unwilling　to　do　them　a　favor　or　service　by　which　to　protect　them　from
loss。　

But　reflect　what　you　will　gain　when；　having　come　into　your　own
property　and　being　set　up　in　your　home　（to　which　God　will　help　with　all
misfortunes）；　it　＇your　perfidy＇　will　bob　up　again　and　come　home　to　you；
and　you　will　find　that　where　you　have　cheated　or　done　injury　to　the
value　of　one　mite；　you　will　have　to　pay　thirty　again。　

Such　shall　be　the　lot　also　of　mechanics　and　day…laborers　of　whom　we　are
now　obliged　to　hear　and　suffer　such　intolerable　maliciousness；　as
though　they　were　noblemen　in　another's　possessions；　and　every　one　were
obliged　to　give　them　what　they　demand。　Just　let　them　continue
practicing　their　exactions　as　long　as　they　can；　but　God　will　not　forget
His　commandment；　and　will　reward　them　according　as　they　have　served；
and　will　hang　them；　not　upon　a　green　gallows；　but　upon　a　dry　one　so
that　all　their　life　they　shall　neither　prosper　nor　accumulate　anything。
And　indeed；　if　there　were　a　well…ordered　government　in　the　land；　such
wantonness　might　soon　be　checked　and　prevented；　as　was　the　custom　in
ancient　times　among　the　Romans；　where　such　characters　were　promptly
seized　by　the　pate　in　a　way　that　others　took　warning。　

No　more　shall　all　the　rest　prosper　who　change　the　open　free　market　into
a　carrion…pit　of　extortion　and　a　den　of　robbery；　where　the　poor　are
daily　overcharged；　new　burdens　and　high　prices　are　imposed；　and　every
one　uses　the　market　according　to　his　caprice；　and　is　even　defiant　and
brags　as　though　it　were　his　fair　privilege　and　right　to　sell　his　goods
for　as　high　a　price　as　he　please；　and　no　one　had　a　right　to　say　a　word
against　it。　We　will　indeed　look　on　and　let　these　people　skin；　pinch；
and　hoard；　but　we　will　trust　in　God　　who　will；　however；　do　this　of
His　own　accord；　　that；　after　you　have　been　skinning　and　scraping　for
a　long　time；　He　will　pronounce　such　a　blessing　on　your　gains　that　your
grain　in　the　garner；　your　beer　in　the　cellar；　your　cattle　in　the　stalls
shall　perish；　yea；　where　you　have　cheated　and　overcharged　any　one　to
the　amount　of　a　florin；　your　entire　pile　shall　be　consumed　with　rust；
so　that　you　shall　never　enjoy　it。　

And　indeed；　we　see　and　experience　this　being　fulfilled　daily　before　our
eyes；　that　no　stolen　or　dishonestly　acquired　possession　thrives。　How
many　there　are　who　rake　and　scrape　day　and　night；　and　yet　grow　not　a
farthing　richer！　And　though　they　gather　much；　they　must　suffer　so　many
plagues　and　misfortunes　that　they　cannot　relish　it　with　cheerfulness
nor　transmit　it　to　their　children。　But　as　no　one　minds　it；　and　we　go　on
as　though　it　did　not　concern　us；　God　must　visit　us　in　a　different　way
and　teach　us　manners　by　imposing　one　taxation　after　another；　or
billeting　a　troop　of　soldiers　upon　us；　who　in　one　hour　empty　our
coffers　and　purses；　and　do　not　quit　as　long　as　we　have　a　farthing
left；　and　in　addition；　by　way　of　thanks；　burn　and　devastate　house　and
home；　and　outrage　and　kill　wife　and　children。　

And；　in　short；　if　you　steal　much；　depend　upon　it　that　again　as　much
will　be　stolen　from　you；　and　he　who　robs　and　acquires　with　violence　and
wrong　will　submit　to　one　who　shall　deal　after　the　same　fashion　with
him。　For　God　is　master　of　this　art；　that　since　every　one　robs　and
steals　from　the　other；　He　punishes　one　thief　by　means　of　another。　Else
where　should　we　find　enough　gallows　and　ropes？　

Now；　whoever　is　willing　to　be　instructed　let　him　know　that　this　is　the
commandment　of　God；　and　that　it　must　not　be　treated　as　a　jest。　For
although　you　despise　us；　defraud；　steal；　and　rob；　we　will　indeed　manage
to　endure　your　haughtiness；　suffer；　and；　according　to　the　Lord's
Prayer；　forgive　and　show　pity；　for　we　know　that　the　godly　shall
nevertheless　have　enough；　and　you　injure　yourself　more　than　another。　

But　beware　of　this：　When　the　poor　man　comes　to　you　（of　whom　there　are
so　many　now）　who　must　buy　with　the　penny　of　his　daily　wages　and　live
upon　it；　and　you　are　harsh　to　him；　as　though　every　one　lived　by　your
favor；　and　you　skin　and　scrape　to　the　bone；　and；　besides；　with　pride
and　haughtiness　turn　him　off　to　whom　you　ought　to　give　for　nothing；　he
will　go　away　wretched　and　sorrowful；　and　since　he　can　complain　to　no
one　he　will　cry　and　call　to　heaven；　　then　beware　（I　say　again）　as　of
the　devil　himself。　For　such　groaning　and　calling　will　be　no　jest；　but
will　have　a　weight　that　will　prove　too　heavy　for　you　and　all　the
world。　For　it　will　reach　Him　who　takes　care　of　the　poor　sorrowful
hearts；　and　will　not　allow　them　to　go　unavenged。　But　if　you　despise
this　and　become　defiant；　see　whom　you　have　brought　upon　you：　if　you
succeed　and　prosper；　you　may　before　all　the　world　call　God　and　me　a
liar。　

We　have　exhorted；　warned；　and　protested　enough；　he　who　will　not　heed　or
believe　it　may　go　on　until　he　learns　this　by　experience　Yet　it　must　be
impressed　upon　the　young　that　they　may　be　careful　not　to　follow　the　old
lawless　crowd；　but　keep　their　eyes　fixed　upon　God's　commandment；　lest
His　wrath　and　punishment　come　upon　them　too。　It　behooves　us　to　do　no
more　than　to　instruct　and　reprove　with　God's　Word；　but　to　check　such
open　wantonness　there　is　need　of　the　princes　and　government；　who
themselves　would　have　eyes　and　the　courage　to　establish　and　maintain
order　in　all　manner　of　trade　and　commerce；　lest　the　poor　be　burdened
and　oppressed　nor　they　themselves　be　loaded　with　other　men's　sins。　

Let　this　suffice　as　an　explanation　of　what　stealing　is；　that　it　be　not
taken　too　narrowly　but　made　to　extend　as　far　as　we　have　to　do　with　our
neighbors。　And　briefly；　in　a　summary；　as　in　the　former　commandments；　it
is　herewith　forbidden；　in　the　first　place；　to　do　our　neighbor　any
injury　or　wrong　（in　whatever　manner　supposable；　by　curtailing；
forestalling；　and　withholding　his　possessions　and　property）；　or　even　to
consent　or　allow　such　a　thing；　but　to　interpose　and　prevent　it。　And；　on
the　other　hand；　it　is　commanded　that　we　advance　and　improve　his
posses