.An Expofition upon- the whereby h~ bath made over all fubl~nary Things unto Men, referving. unto himfelf the Soveretgnty and Supream Lordfhtp of all, and requiring on ly from Man the Homage and Payment ofObedience. Yet, · Tbiril!y, This large Charter and Donation gave no particular Propriety unro any. neither Jt Man had continued in his happy and innocent Eftate would there have bee~ any need of Meum or Tuum, ~r any. Partition of thofe Eanhly Poffeffions, but th'e common Bleflings bad been enjoyed m common; and all Thing s which Coveroufnefs and Corruption now ravine after would have been as promifcuouf ly enjoyed and ufed as the common Light and Air; and each particular Man's Sha re in thofe Blc!Hngs would have been fofficient and latisfaE\ory. But, · Fourthly, Sin enuiog into the World, their Ddires grew immoderate afi:er thefe Earthly E~joymcnts, and their Attempts to attain thetn injurious unto others ; fo that it became ncceffary to prefcribe Bourtds and Limits to them, an d to divide atnong them what before lay in common among all, that each Man knowing his afligned Portion, might reft fatisfied with it, and be re!ltaioed from th e unjlift lDv~fion and Ufurparion ofanother's Right. And, . .· . Fijtlfly, and La!lly, This could no otberwife be effeEled hut by Human e Laws, by .-mutual Compa£t: and Agreemc:nr, d(t:laring what lhould be acco unted as everr Man's Rigbt and Propriety: So thar it is Law which is the great Determiner of Propriety; and there is nothing Minr or Tbinr farther than tbisa:lligns it unto us: Indeed Equiry mu!llometimes interpofeto mnderate the Letter of the Law; for in . fome Cafes fhould we rigoroufly profc:cure our Right, and infift upon every Punai lio that we may call our Due, this, although it would not be unjuft, ye:t it would be !u.ftite turned into · Gall and Wormwood; it would be a Breach and Violation of rh e Law of Cbrift, and of Charity, which requires us rather to part with our own in imall Mauers, than to · be vex·arious or contentious in recovering or defending it. · . Thus you fee how all Right and Property fll(l came into the World' A general Right by the Donation of God, a particular Right by rhe San E\ion of Laws, allot· · ting to each Man his Portion, which to Invade or Ufurp fro m him is lnjuftice or Theft. . , Whence it follows, That wltere there is no Society in Occupation of any Part of the Earth the Right accrues ro the fir(! Polfelfor 1 and ·where Things are found which appertain to none they fall to the firft Seizor; for there can be no Theft committed where there is no precedent Title. IfanJ the<efore !hould prov identially he cafi inro fome Defart, and Uninhabited Part of the World, that general Charter ihat God batl1 given unto Mankind ofpoffeffing the Earth empowers them to f eize on it as tbeirs; and they may lawfully make ufe of the Bleflings of ir in common, . rill by murual Confc:nt they lball divide ro each othci their Parr and Portion : But after fuch a Partition made, to ufe the fame Liberry, is no longer Lawful, but Theft and Rob-. befhus you fee wbatThefi is; and that this Law of God, ·prohibiting us to.ilealwhit is another's, doth prefuppofe a Law of Man, which makes Property, and caufetfi Things to become either our$ or another's. · Now there are many KindsofThefr. firj/, The highe!l a~ cbiefe!l is !hat which is comf!!itted againft Gnd by. SacrF ledge. Now Sacriledge!S an aheoanb& from God wbarloever h e hathappro~uated to himfelf or is upon good Grounds Ded1cated to the Encouragement and Ma mtenance cnis Honour and Service. Indeed, the alienating of what bath been given to Superflitious or Idolatrous Ufes cannot be ju!lly branded with this Black Mar~ ofSacriledge· for it was not fo machglvc:n unto God as umo lgooranccandSupedhnon : And therefore our'Anceflors have ·done·well and pioufly in dilfolving thofe Ncfls and Ca· ges of unclean Birds that were fo Numerous and Bunhenfome in thefe Kingdoms; but withal in my Judgment, would have done much better tf they bad convened their Reve~ues to fome Publlck Ute, either for the Benefit of rbe Church. or Corn· monwealth rather rhan to their own private and particular Gai n. Bur where any Thing is indeed Confecratc:d unto God, aod fet apart for the Maintenance and En· coutagemenr of his Worfhip and Service, it is no lefs than Sacriledge, and robbin~ of God to alienate any Part of this to any Secular Ufes, or ro de tain it from that life unt~ which it was feparated . And of this God himfelfgrievocfiy complains, l!lal. J. ll, 9 . Will a l!!an rob G od? As lf it were a Sin fo heinous as that it is hardly to be fuppofed any Man would be guilty of it • Whar' Not. to allow tha t God hts Share · a!llons
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=