Exodus 20:15 You shall not steal. I. WHENCE DOTH THEFT ARISE? 1. The internal causes are:(1) Unbelief. A man hath an high distrust of God's providence: "can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" So saith the unbeliever, "can God spread a table for me? no, He cannot." Therefore he is resolved he will spread a table for himself, but it shall be at other men's cost, and both first and second course shall be served in with stolen goods. (2) Covetousness. The Greek word for covetousness signifies "an immoderate desire of getting"; this is the root of theft. A man covets more than his own, and this itch of covetousness makes him scratch what he can from another. 2. The external cause of theft is, Satan's solicitation: Judas was a thief; how came he to be a thief? "Satan entered into him." The devil is the great master-thief, he robbed us of our coat of innocency, and he persuades men to take up his trade; he tells men how bravely they shall live by thieving, and how they may catch an estate. II. HOW MANY SORTS OF THEFTS ARE THERE? 1. There is stealing from God; and so they are thieves, who rob any part of God's day from Him. 2. There is a stealing from others. (1) A stealing away their souls; and so heretics are thieves, by robbing men of the truth, they rob them of their souls. (2) A stealing away their money and goods from them; and under this head of stealing away other's money, there may be several arraigned for thieves. The highway thief who takes a purse contrary to the letter of this Commandment. The house-thief, who purloins and filches out of his master's cash, or steals his wares and drugs. The house-thief is a hypocrite, as well as a thief; he hath demure looks, and pretends he is helping his master, when he only helps to rob him. The thief that shrouds himself under law, as the unjust attorney or lawgiver, who prevaricates and deals falsely with his client. This is to steal from the client. The church-thief or pluralist, who holds several benefices, but seldom or never preacheth to the people; he gets the golden fleece, but lets his flock starve. The shop-thief; he steals in selling, who useth false weights and measures, and so steals from others what is their due. The usurer who takes of others even to extortion; he seems to help another by letting him have money in his necessity, but gets him into bonds, and sucks out his very blood and marrow. The feoffe in trust, who hath the orphan's estate committed to him; he is deputed to be his guardian, and manage his estate for him, and he curtails the estate, and gets a fleece out of it for himself, and wrongs the orphan. This is a thief; this is worse than taking a purse, because he betrays his trust, which is the highest piece of treachery and injustice. The borrower, who borrows money from others, with an intention never to pay them again. The receiver of stolen goods. The root would die if it were not watered, and thievery would cease if it were not encouraged by the receiver. III. WHAT ARE THE AGGRAVATIONS OF THIS SIN OF STEALING? 1. To steal when one has no need. To be a rich thief. 2. To steal sacrilegiously. To devour things set apart to holy uses. 3. To commit the sin of theft against checks of conscience, and examples of God's justice: this is like the dye to the wool, it doth dye the sin of a crimson colour. 4. To rob the widow and orphan; "ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child"; it is a crying sin; "if they cry unto Me, I will surely hear them." 5. To rob the poor. ( T. Watson.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou shalt not steal. |
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