Andrewes - Heaven Collection BV4655 .A6 1675b

Com; 8. The lawful walesof Acquiring. Chap.S, 471 2. Of the like nature to fpiritual things (which cannot be valued for mony, and therefore cannot be fold) are alto thofe which are annexed to fpiritual things, and therefore cannot he transferred but to thole which have thofe fpiritual things, as cure of fouls, right of receiving zither, &c. which arc annexed to the order of Priel hood, and therefore cannot be fold. To this Head may be referred the converting of things to a common or propane ufe, for gain, &c. which are confecrated and appropriated to facred and fpiritual u- fes. Suchtheft was committed by them that bought and fold in the Temple (a .place appointed for prayer and divine worfhip)whom our Saviour drove out of the Tem- ple, and tells them , they made the houfe of God a den of thieves. For though it were lawful for Come to fell , and others to buy what they needed for facrifices or offerings in the Temple, yet tobuy and fell in that place, confecrated to God (which they did, thereby to get the greater price) was unlawful, and therefore Chriff calls it theft. And as Simony is committed thus, in re(acre, infelling of holy things, fo there is a kind of Simony in felling of 7uJfice, which is a facred thing : and therefore S. Au- gufineand St.Ambrofe fay, that ,Q._uid dabitis mihi, ut faciam juftitiam? what will you give me to do juflice? is all one with quid dabis mibi ut vendam tibi Deans ? what will you give me to fell God to you ? Therefore the Prophets cry out againi Et-ay y. 23 theft, that juffifie the wickedfor a reward, and againfi Judges that askreward. And MAicoh7.3 we fee this (min the Apofilestimes, Felix hoped for mony from St. Paul , to acquit Aa .24.a7 him. A third thing to be comprehended under, Selling that which cannot be fold, is the felling of gratuita beneficentia, what ought tobe freely and liberallygivenwithout reward. Thus for an Winer to fell the loanof mony, is Vitiofus contratdus,an unlaw- ful contrail. The Pfalmi f makes it a noteof a good man to lend freely , andour Pfal.112. Saviour bidsus lend freely, áaso, assts loo n or nothingagain; and that we and 37.2 may not think we than belooters, he aads,your reardjhall begreat, andye (hall be Luke 6.35 the children of the high*. Gratuitum & mutuum, loan, and no hope of recompence, mull go together. He that doth inferiberepretium liberalitati, let a price upon his liberality, corrupts the vertue. For as Doaatio liberals, eft alienatio, fineomni mer- cede in sternum; Giving is a free alienationof our right to a thing for ever,without recompence : fo Mutuatio eft liberalis alienatio,fineomni mercedead tempus, Lending is a free alienation of a thing fora time without any recompence: both lendingand giving ought to be free. A good man is merciful, and lendeth. If his lending be with Pfalt 12.5 expedfance of reward, the vertue of mercy is utterly loft. 2. In things that may be bought and fold, becaufe two things are required in 2 zn labour, . contragfs. s. In forne there is Labor & merces, the labour and the reward, 2. In and the re- others lies apprstiata&pretium,the thing prized,and theprice : therefore there may wardof it, be theft committed in all thefe. r. About the labourand reward,when eitherof their is wanting, or where an equality between them is not obferved. The Magifirate bath tribute paid him for his care of thepublick, and the Levites portion is due for his fervice at the Altar. Now if they kill the fat , and cloath themfelveswith the wool, and intlead of feeding the flock. care only for feeding .themfelves, they are as the Prophetcalls them, Companions of thieves and robbers : Fures officii, thieves in Ezek.34.3 their office. So when a Scholar bath Pretiumfapientis 5 the price of wifdom, the reward of Prov.17.16 fludy ; if he hath not curam fapientis,a care to attain wifdom, by taking pains inhis ífudies, he is Fur, a thief in fiudy, becaufe there is not an equality between the re- ward and his labour. So on the contrary, if any of theft do labourin their place,they mull have their reward, and it is theft to defraud them of it, for the labourer. is woe- Deuo24.15 thy of his hire : yea, the labourerin Gods Vineyard muff have Decorum pretiuso ,.;a goodly price, or a rich reward ( as may be gathered by the contrary fromthat in Zach.t r. t 3.) there muff be a proportion between the labour and the reward:, He mutt have a reward, andthat a liberal reward. God required that a fervant, which after fix yearsfervice wasfet free in the year of Jubile, Mould befurni(lit liberally at Deur.i5. r.I his departure: and if for bodily fervice fach a free and liberal reward be due, much more for the fervice of mensfouls: to defraud fuels thereforeoftheir reward, or to pinch them in it, is theft. 2. As

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