The principles of Christian Religion necessary to be knowen of all the faythful: set forth to the great profite in trayning vp of all youth, by Tho. Becon.

¶The eight Commaundement.

THou shalt not steale.* 1.1

☞The confirmations.

Ye shal not steale,* 1.2 neither lie, nei∣ther deale falsly one with an other.

Thou shalt not do thy neighbour wrong, neither rob him violently, neither shall thy workmans labour abide with thee till the morning.

Ye shall do no vnrighteousnes in iudgement, in metyard, in weight, or in measure. True balances, and true waight shall ye haue. I am the Lorde.

If thou sellest ought vnto thy neighbour,* 1.3 or byest of thy neigh∣bors hand, ye shall not deceaue one an other. If thy brother bee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 poore, and fallen into decay with thee, thou shalt relieue hym, that he may liue with thee. Thou shalt not geue hym thy money vppon 〈◊〉〈◊〉, nor lend him thy corne for increase. Thou shalt not take vsury of hym, or vauntage.

If one of thy brethrē among you,* 1.4 be poore within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lorde God geueth thee, thou shalt not ha••den thy hart, nor shut thy••e 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from thy poore brother, but ••pen thine hand vnto him, 〈…〉〈…〉

The land shall neuer be without poore, and therefore I commaund thee saying: Thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother that is nee∣die and poore in thy land.

Who so keepeth company with a theefe,* 1.5 hateth hys owne soule.

Wo be to thee y^• spoylest,* 1.6 for thou thy selfe shalt be spoyled.

Breake thy bread to the hungry,* 1.7 and bring the poore waudring, in∣to thine house. When thou seest a naked man ••ouer him, and so shalt thou not despise thy fleshe.

The theefe is cursed of God,* 1.8 & all that he hath, shall come to nought.

Shame and sorow goeth ouer the theefe.* 1.9

Anna olde Tobies wife,* 1.10 went dayly to the weauing worke, and looke what liuing she coulde gette with the labour of her handes, she brought it home. And it happened that she tooke a kid, and brought it home: and whē her husbād heard

it cry, he said: looke that it bee not stollen, if it bee, restore it agayne to the owners: for it is not lawfull for vs to eate or touch any thing that is stollen.

Geue almes of thy goods,* 1.11 and turne neuer thy fare frō the poore: so shall it come to passe, that the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee. Be mercifull af∣ter thy power. If thou hast much, geue plentiously: if thou hast little, doe thy diligence, gladly to geue of that little. For so gatherest thou thy selfe a good reward in the day of necessitie. For mercy deliuereth from all sinne, and from death, and suffereth not the soule to come in darkenes.

Beholde Lorde,* 1.12 sayd Zacheus, the halfe of my goods do I geue to the poore: & if I haue done any mā wrong, I restore him foure folde.

Neither theeues,* 1.13 neither pillers, shall inherite y^e kingdome of God.

Let hym y^t stole,* 1.14 steale no more, but let hym rather labour with his hādes y^e thyng which is good, that he may geue vnto him that nedeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exod. xx.
• * 1.2

  Leuit. xix
• * 1.3

  Leuit. 25.
• * 1.4

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.5

  Pro. xxi••.
• * 1.6

  Esa. 33.
• * 1.7

  Esa. lviij.
• * 1.8

  Zach. v.
• * 1.9

  Eccle. v.
• * 1.10

  Tob. ij.
• * 1.11

  Tob. iiij.
• * 1.12

  Luke. xix.
• * 1.13

  j. Cor. vj.
• * 1.14

  Ephe. iiij.