474. Chap.& Of theft committed out of Contra& . Goni.8. 2 Chron,24.7 and took the things that were dedicated to .God , and gave them to Baalim," the was 23'5 drawn but of the Temple (the place the had robbed) and then (lain and her fons `4'7 had' nobetter end. Thealienating of the fatted veffels of the Temple, and apply- ing them to prophane tires by Belfhazzar at his fear( in Babylon, caufed that terrible hand-writingon the wall, which made alibis joyntsto (hake, and foretold him, that Dan.5.2 the Kingdom Mg tranflated to the Merles andPerfzans which hapned prefently after, Verlade, forhe wasPin that fame night. Pábthkzbeft. , 2. Theft of thingsprophane or common, iseither, s. Of fuch thingsas are pub- lick. Or 2.private. Peculate,. ' a. Publick;. when things belonging to the Publick State or . Common-wealth , are floln ; as if one rob the Exchequer, &c. And this is called Peculotm when the King is robbed, or any thing hold out of a publick place ; fuch alto were thofe Bal- nearei fures, that fioleout of the Bath ( a publick place) the cloathsof them that . were bathing. And to theft may be added, fuch as receive monies out of the Pub- lick Treafury, and convertit to other private ufe. Such were thePriefis in the time 2 Hings r2. 15 of joafb, who receivedevery. mans half fhekel, brought in upon the Kings Com- mandement for the repair of the Temple, but negleéted the reparation: whereupon another conrfe was fain to be taken ; a Cheft wasprovided with a hole in it, into which every man put his mony for that ufe. Private theft, yesfana 1 and real. perfonale , of living things, as i. Men, 2. Private theft is either Furtum a. Beads. reale, of things inanimate. a, The dealingof men, is called Plagium, and fuch thieves Plagiarii. This fn Exod.2 r, r6 was punifhed with death, by the Law, He thatftealetb a Man and killetb him,(hall Deut.24.7 die the death ; yea, if he wereonely about fuch a thing, he was to die for it. Saint r Tino.l.10 Paul accounts it fogreat a fin, that he reckons MaxHealers among Whoremongers; Gen. 40, Buggerers, PerjuredPerron, andothers the mofigrievous finners. This was part of Matt.26.1 5 Judashis Im, who fold his Matter for thirty pieces of flitter , though withal there was hereina betraying him into the hands of his enemies who he knew would put him to death. 2. The ftealingof beads is called Abiegatus,and the menAbigei,ftealers ofcattel Job 1,15,17 Inch were the Sabeans and Chaldaans that took away ,Jobs Oxen,his Adis, and Ca- mels. Againft this we have an exprefs Law,wherein the offender is to redore in force Exod.22.1 cafes fourfold, and in force fivefold. 2. Real theft, is the flealingof things inanimate, that have no life, as of Mony, Exod.2u., Stuff, Apparel, &c. for which the offender by the Law was to redo= two- fold. ii,l,88r;,,. Thus wefee the feveral forts of theft. Now all thefeare aggravated, in regard chus of all. of the perfon againftwhom they arecommitted ; as to rob the ((ranger, the poor, the fatherlefs, or widow: this brings a greater curfe upon the fin , and makes it be-. come peccatum clamons, a crying fin ; If they cry untome (faith God) I willfurely Ex0d.22.z r, hear them. Therefore there is a fpecial prohibition againfi fakinga pledgeof the Deat.2 zr 3 Widow, and gob mentions it as . an ad. of men tranfcendently wicked , They drive Job 24.3 away the of eof thefatherlefl, and takethe. voidows oxefor apledge. And Solomon`ad- vifes,Not toenter into the fieldof the fatherlefl, for their Redeemer is mighty,andhewill Prov.23 lc, plead their cauf, with thee. And here, partly under this Head and partlybefore, cotneth in the Enclo- Again/f encta P Y ; P Y fr a if Con- fires of Commons which may well be reckoned among thofe peccata clamantia , mew. crying fins : For this theft is aggravatedby this circumfiance, that it is againfi the poor. For as when Countries were úríì feized upon, and poffefi , and the firti Partition was made , each man had his own peculiar difiinEt from other mens; (as Caleb Jof.!4.13,14 had Hebron.allotted him by.Jofhua) which became their inheritance. So there was confìderation had of thatprotetìation of God , That there fhould alwaies be force pooramong their brethren , as objects . of their charity and mercy , and therefore there was left for them a divifion of Lands in Common , whereupon they might liv
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