large catechism-第17章

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cattle；　nor　anything　that　is　his。　

These　two　commandments　are　given　quite　exclusively　to　the　Jews；
nevertheless；　in　part　they　also　concern　us。　For　they　do　not　interpret
them　as　referring　to　unchastity　or　theft；　because　these　are
sufficiently　forbidden　above。　They　also　thought　that　they　had　kept　all
those　when　they　had　done　or　not　done　the　external　act。　Therefore　God
has　added　these　two　commandments　in　order　that　it　be　esteemed　as　sin
and　forbidden　to　desire　or　in　any　way　to　aim　at　getting　our　neighbor's
wife　or　possessions；　and　especially　because　under　the　Jewish　government
man…servants　and　maid…servants　were　not　free　as　now　to　serve　for　wages
as　long　as　they　pleased；　but　were　their　master's　property　with　their
body　and　all　they　had；　as　cattle　and　other　possessions。　Moreover；
every　man　had　power　over　his　wife　to　put　her　away　publicly　by　giving
her　a　bill　of　divorce；　and　to　take　another。　Therefore　they　were　in
constant　danger　among　each　other　that　if　one　took　a　fancy　to　another's
wife；　he　might　allege　any　reason　both　to　dismiss　his　own　wife　and　to
estrange　the　other's　wife　from　him；　that　he　might　obtain　her　under
pretext　of　right。　That　was　not　considered　a　sin　nor　disgrace　with　them；
as　little　as　now　with　hired　help；　when　a　proprietor　dismisses　his
man…servant　or　maid…servant；　or　takes　another's　servants　from　him　in
any　way。　

Therefore　（I　say）　they　thus　interpreted　these　commandments；　and　that
rightly　（although　their　scope　reaches　somewhat　farther　and　higher）；
that　no　one　think　or　purpose　to　obtain　what　belongs　to　another；　such　as
his　wife；　servants；　house　and　estate；　land　meadows；　cattle；　even　with　a
show　of　right　or　by　a　subterfuge；　yet　with　injury　to　his　neighbor。　For
above；　in　the　Seventh　Commandment；　the　vice　is　forbidden　where　one
wrests　to　himself　the　possessions　of　others；　or　withholds　them　from　his
neighbor；　which　he　cannot　do　by　right。　But　here　it　is　also　forbidden　to
alienate　anything　from　your　neighbor；　even　though　you　could　do　so　with
honor　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　so　that　no　one　could　accuse　or　blame
you　as　though　you　had　obtained　it　wrongfully。　

For　we　are　so　inclined　by　nature　that　no　one　desires　to　see　another
have　as　much　as　himself；　and　each　one　acquires　as　much　as　he　can；　the
other　may　fare　as　best　he　can。　And　yet　we　pretend　to　be　godly；　know　how
to　adorn　ourselves　most　finely　and　conceal　our　rascality；　resort　to　and
invent　adroit　devices　and　deceitful　artifices　（such　as　now　are　daily
most　ingeniously　contrived）　as　though　they　were　derived　from　the　law
codes；　yea；　we　even　dare　impertinently　to　refer　to　it；　and　boast　of　it；
and　will　not　have　it　called　rascality；　but　shrewdness　and　caution。　In
this　lawyers　and　jurists　assist；　who　twist　and　stretch　the　law　to　suit
it　to　their　cause；　stress　words　and　use　them　for　a　subterfuge；
irrespective　of　equity　or　their　neighbor's　necessity。　And；　in　short；
whoever　is　the　most　expert　and　cunning　in　these　affairs　finds　most　help
in　law；　as　they　themselves　say：　Vigilantibus　iura　subveniunt　＇that　is；
The　laws　favor　the　watchful＇。　

This　last　commandment　therefore　is　given　not　for　rogues　in　the　eyes　of
the　world；　but　just　for　the　most　pious；　who　wish　to　be　praised　and　be
called　honest　and　upright　people；　since　they　have　not　offended　against
the　former　commandments；　as　especially　the　Jews　claimed　to　be；　and　even
now　many　great　noblemen；　gentlemen；　and　princes。　For　the　other　common
masses　belong　yet　farther　down；　under　the　Seventh　Commandment；　as　those
who　are　not　much　concerned　whether　they　acquire　their　possessions　with
honor　and　right。　

Now；　this　occurs　most　frequently　in　cases　that　are　brought　into　court；
where　it　is　the　purpose　to　get　something　from　our　neighbor　and　to　force
him　out　of　his　own。　As　（to　give　examples）；　when　people　quarrel　and
wrangle　about　a　large　inheritance；　real　estate；　etc。；　they　avail
themselves　of；　and　resort　to；　whatever　has　the　appearance　of　right；　so
dressing　and　adorning　everything　that　the　law　must　favor　their　side；
and　they　keep　the　property　with　such　title　that　no　one　can　make
complaint　or　lay　claim　thereto。　In　like　manner；　if　any　one　desire　to
have　a　castle；　city；　duchy；　or　any　other　great　thing；　he　practices　so
much　financiering　through　relationships；　and　by　any　means　he　can；　that
the　other　is　judicially　deprived　of　it；　and　it　is　adjudicated　to　him；
and　confirmed　with　deed　and　seal　and　declared　to　have　been　acquired　by
princely　title　and　honestly。　

Likewise　also　in　common　trade　where　one　dexterously　slips　something　out
of　another's　hand；　so　that　he　must　look　after　it；　or　surprises　and
defrauds　him　in　a　matter　in　which　he　sees　advantage　and　benefit　for
himself；　so　that　the　latter；　perhaps　on　account　of　distress　or　debt；
cannot　regain　or　redeem　it　without　injury；　and　the　former　gains　the
half　or　even　more；　and　yet　this　must　not　be　considered　as　acquired　by
fraud　or　stolen；　but　honestly　bought。　Here　they　say：　First　come；　first
served；　and　every　one　must　look　to　his　own　interest；　let　another　get
what　he　can。　And　who　can　be　so　smart　as　to　think　of　all　the　ways　in
which　one　can　get　many　things　into　his　possession　by　such　specious
pretexts？　This　the　world　does　not　consider　wrong　＇nor　is　it　punished　by
laws＇；　and　will　not　see　that　the　neighbor　is　thereby　placed　at　a
disadvantage；　and　must　sacrifice　what　he　cannot　spare　without　injury。
Yet　there　is　no　one　who　wishes　this　to　be　done　to　him；　from　which　we
can　easily　perceive　that　such　devices　and　pretexts　are　false。　

Thus　it　was　done　formerly　also　with　respect　to　wives：　they　knew　such
devices　that　if　one　were　pleased　with　another　woman；　he　personally　or
through　others　（as　there　were　many　ways　and　means　to　be　invented）
caused　her　husband　to　conceive　a　displeasure　toward　her；　or　had　her
resist　him　and　so　conduct　herself　that　he　was　obliged　to　dismiss　her
and　leave　her　to　the　other。　That　sort　of　thing　undoubtedly　prevailed
much　under　the　Law；　as　also　we　read　in　the　（Gospel　of　King　Herod　that
he　took　his　brother's　wife　while　he　was　yet　living；　and　yet　wished　to
be　thought　an　honorable；　pious　man；　as　St。　Mark　also　testifies　of　him。
But　such　an　example；　I　trust；　will　not　occur　among　us；　because　in　the
New　Testament　those　who　are　married　are　forbidden　to　be　divorced；
except　in　such　a　case　where　one　＇shrewdly＇　by　some　stratagem　takes　away
a　rich　bride　from　another。　But　it　is　not　a　rare　thing　with　us　that　one
estranges　or　alienates　another's　man…servant　or　maid…servant；　or
entices　them　away　by　flattering　words。　

In　whatever　way　such　things　happen；　we　must　know　that　God　does　not　wish
that　you　deprive　your　neighbor　of　anything　that　belongs　to　him　so　that
he　suffer　the　loss　and　you　gratify　your　avarice　with　it；　even　if　you
could　keep　it　honorably　before　the　world；　for　it　is　a　secret　and
insidious　imposition　practiced　under　the　hat；　as　we　say；　that　it　may
not　be　observed。　For　although　you　go　your　way　as　if　you　had　done　no　one
any　wrong；　you　have　nevertheless　injured　your　neighbor；　and　if　it　is
not　called　stealing　and　cheating；　yet　it　is　called　coveting　your
neighbor's　property；　that　is；　aiming　at　possession　of　it；　enticing　it
away　from　him　without　his　will；　and　being　unwilling　to　see　him　enjoy
what　God　has　granted　him。　And　although　the　judge　and　every　one　must
leave　you　in　possession　of　it；　yet　God　will　not　leave　you　therein；　for
He　sees　the　deceitful　heart　and　the　malice　of　the　world；　which　is　sure
to　take　an　ell　in　addition　wherever　you　yield　to　her　a　finger's
breadth；　and　at　length　public　wrong　and　violence　follow。　

Therefore　we　allow　these　commandments　to　remain　in　their　ordinary
meaning；　that　it　is　commanded；　first；　that　we　do　not　desire　our
neighbor's　damage；　nor　even　assist；　nor　give　occasion　for　it；　but
gladly　wish　and　leave　him　what　he　has；　and；　besides；　advance　and
preserve　for　him　what　may　be　for　his　profit　and　service；　as　we　should
wish　to　be　treated。　Thus　these　commandments　are　especially　directed
against　envy　and　miserable　avarice；　God　wishing　to　remove　all　causes
and　sources　whence　arises　everything　by　which　we　do　injury　to　our
neighbor；　and　therefore　He　expresses　it　in　plain　words：　Thou　shalt　not
covet；　etc。　For　He　would　especially　have　the　heart　pure；　although　we
shall　neve