The summe of Christian religion: deliuered by Zacharias Vrsinus in his lectures vpon the Catechism autorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolued the questions of whatsoeuer points of moment, which haue beene or are controuersed in diuinitie. Translated into English by Henrie Parrie, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supplie of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of diuinitie, and with correction of sundrie faults & imperfections, which ar [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latine.

The vertues of this eight commaundement, together with their extremes or contrarie vices.

1 COmmutatiue Justice, which is a vertue in pur∣chasing of goods, not coueting after an other mans goods, and keeping an equalitie by number in bar∣gaines, and in the common trade of life, in the purchasing and exchaunging of thinges, according to iust lawes be∣tween the ware and the price, the desert and the reward, whether it bee in purchase and buying, or in exchaunge of thinges. All thinges either are no mans, or some mans. There∣fore those things are translated to another Owner, which are either no mans, or are belonging to other men: Those thinges that are no mans, become theirs who get them: And if thou sease vpon that which is no mans, thou shalt iniurie no man. Those thinges that belong to another man, are passed from him, either by violence, the Owner beeing vnwilling thereto; or by grant, according to the Owners wil & liking.

Those things are passed from the Owner against his wil, which are either by right of warre, or by captiuity taken away from an enimie. Those thinges are passed awaie with the owners liking, which are passed vnto another either by enheritance, or by contract & bargain. By inheritance things are passed ouer to another, either by Testament, or without any Testamēt. A contract or bargaine is a consent and agreement betweene any of passing ouer any things, or of the communicating or exchanging of them, according to iust & honest Lawes. Al contractes are comprehended vnder commutatiue iustice.

Now there are tenne sortes of contractes. 1. Bying and selling; when a thing is passed from the buier vnto the seller, so that the buier pay the seller a iust equiualent price for it. This is sometimes either with a condition of selling it a∣gaine, or with a condition of not selling it againe, so that the buier cannot sell that, which hee bought, vnto others. Vnto buying belongeth the buying of reuennues; for that is no vsury; as neither is the setting out of ground to farme at a certainey rate yearelie to bee paed. 2. Loane, which is a contract, wherin the vse of a thing is passed to another, so that there bee repaired as much againe. In loane a thing is giuen, not that the same thing shoulde bee restored, but the like, or that which is of the same value. 3. There is ano∣ther loane, which is called Commodation, when the vse of a thing is graunted a man for a certaine time, so that with∣out anie price or valuation the selfe same thing be precise∣lie restored whole and sound. 4. Donation, or by deed of gift, when a thing is passed from the right owner, who hath the right of giuing it, by free grant and wil vnto another, with∣out anie recompence conditioned. Obiection. Justice re∣quireth that wee giue like for like: but this is not doone in donati∣on: Therefore this is repugnaunt vnto iustice. Aunswere. Iustice requireth it, if they be giuen with that mind and purpose, as to haue recompence. 5. Exchange, when a thing is exchaun∣ged by the lawefull owners consent, or when one thing of like value is giuen for another. 6. A letting to hire, which is a contract, whereby the vse, not the right or possession, of a thing, is passed by the right owners to another vpon a cer∣taine price, and for a certaine time, so that the same thing be restored safe & sound. 7. Pledging or gaging, when a thing

passed to another, as being bound to be his for vse, till such time as other thinges which are owed him, are repaied vn∣to him: or when a thing is deliuered a man for a certaine time, that if in the meane season it be not redeemed, the o∣ther maie haue the right of vsing it at his pleasure. 8. Com∣mitting on trust, when a thing is deliuered to another to keepe, so that neither the vse, nor the possession, but only the keeping & cu∣stodie of the thing is committed vnto him. 9. Partnership, which is a certaine contract vsed by them who trafique together, wherein one emploieth his mony, the other his woorke, or labour with this condition, that part of the gain may come to each of them. 10. A certaine contract, wherein the vse of a ground, or the possession of a ground to vse is passed by the owner vnto an husbandman, with a certaine condition, as namely, that hee til and labour the ground deliuered vnto him, and be bound vnto the Master to performe certaine dutie, or some certaine seruice. These diuerse kinds of con∣tracts are to bee obserued, for the better vnderstanding of commutatiue iustice.

The extremes or vices contrarie to commutatiue iustice are these, 1. Vnto commutatiue iustice are repugnaunt all vnlawfull conueiaunces of things, which are done either by violence, as rob∣beries; or by guile and deceite, as thefts. Theft is the taking away of that which belongeth vnto another besides the owners knowledge, and wil, with mind and purpose to depriue him thereof. The special sorts of theft are, Robbery of a common trea∣surie: Counterfeiting of merchandize, when one vseth sleights and guiles in contractes: Sacrilege, cousinages, and al corrup∣tions of contractes, among which vsury hath not the low∣est place. Vsurie is that which is taken aboue the principall in regarde of the loane onely. From vsurie are exempted iust contracts, Partnership, Buying, contractes of paying rents, iust recompence of any dammage or losse. There are many Questions of vsury concerning which wee maie iudge ac∣cording to that saying; Doe as thou wilt be done vnto, and what thou wilt not haue done vnto thee, that doe not thou vnto another.

2 Autarchie, or Contentednesse, which is a vertue where∣by we are contented with those things which we presentlie enioy, and haue iustlie gotten, and meeklie suffer pouertie and other discommodities, neither are broken through

want and penury, nor gape after other mens goods or sub∣stance, nor couet things needlesse and vnnecessary. The ex∣tremes of this vertue, In the defect, are Theft and Couetous∣nes; In the Excesse, a faigned refusall, when one maketh wise as if he were vnwilling to receiue such things, which yet he could and greatlie would receiue. Likewise, Inhumanitie, which is, to refuse all things.

3 Fidelitie or faithfulnes, which is a vertue that heedeth anothers harmes, and endeuoureth to auert them, & glad∣lie and diligentlie perfourmeth all the partes of his calling in doing his duty, to this end, that God may be honoured, and we susteine our life, and that there may bee sufficient of things necessarie for vs, and ours, and also that we may yeeld succor and make supplie of necessaries vnto others. He that vndergoeth not those labours, which he is able & ought to vndergoe, committeth theft. Obiection. There is mention made of fidelitie in the fift commaundement; Therefore it hath no place here. Answere. It is no absurd thing, that one and the same vertue should be placed in diuerse comman∣dements for diuerse ends & respectes. For the ends of acti∣ons make the actions differ. Fidelitie is placed in this comman∣dement, as it is a diligence and endeuour employed in the with-standing of others discommodities, and in doing such works and labousr, whereby we may get vs food, raiment, and things necessarie. Fidelitie is placed in the fift commaunde∣ment, as it is an obedience shewed in doing our dutie. The extremes hereof are, Vnfaithfulnes, not respecting or heeding any harmes and dammages, neither diligently performing the dueties of his calling and vocation, Likewise, Rechlesnes and Slothfulnes, which onely taketh part and fruition of publique commodities, but it selfe conferreth nothing to the common societie of men.

4 Liberalitie, which is a vertue giuing to them that want, according to the rule of vpright reason: that is, which imparteth vnto others his owne goods, not by any due bond or obligation, but according to the lawe of God and nature, or for godlinesse & charitie sake, with a liberal hart, according to his owne ability, & the necessity of others; as well knowing where, when, to whom, & howe much hee may giue, & obseruing a mediocritie & meane betweene

base niggardlinesse and riotous prodigality. The Extremes hereof in the defect are, Illiberalitie, Couetousnesse, Basenesse. Couetousnesse is a desire of encreasing our substance by right & wrong, & a restraint of iust & lawfull giuing. In the Excesse, Ouerlashing, Prodigalitie, which giueth beyond rea∣son, and without need, with a reioycing in such excessiue largis. Of this vice it is said, Sicke art thou who takest delight in lauishing.

5 Hospitalitie, which is one kind of liberalitie, name∣lie liberalitie and bountfulnesse towardes trauailers and strangers, especially towardes those that are exiles for the profession of the gospell, entertaining them with all duties of hospitalitie, and Christian charitie. The Extremes are, Inhospitalitie, and prodigality towardes strangers.

6 Parsimonie, which is a vertue eschewing & shunning riot, & all vnnecessary expences or giftes, keeping those things which are his owne & well gotten, & profitably em∣ploying them to his owne vse and theirs, that belong vnto him, neither spending more, than he seeth to be needefull. This vertue is referred to this commandment; because, if in this commandment Liberalitie be commanded, the contrarie thereof then is also here forbidden, namely Ouerlashing, whereunto is opposed Sparingnesse & Parsimonie. Libera∣litie hath Parsimonie accompanying it; & they both are two meanes betweene the same extremes; that is between Co∣uetousnes & Prodigality; because Liberality without Par∣simonie degenerateth into Prodigalitie; & Parsimonie without Liberalitie degenerateth into Couetousnesse & Basenesse. And therefore hee is not liberall, who is not sparing; neither is he sparing, who is not liberall; Libera∣litie enlargeth our giuing according to ruled reason. Parsi∣monie restraineth the same according to ruled reason, & spareth so much, as is requisite for necessary vses. So then these two vertues are exercised in the same matter, & be∣tweene the same extremes, & therefore the same vices which are contrary to Liberality, are repugnaunt also to Parsimony.

7 Frugality, which is an oecumenicall, or household vertue, disposing of things wel gotten, honestly, wisely, & profitably, for matters profitable and necessary, or defray∣ing

charges vpon such things euer as are necessary, & fruit∣full. This vertue is of neere affinity with parsimony. Frugalitie or thriftinesse consisteth and dependeth on ruled reason. The extremes are the same both of frugality, & of parsimony, to wit, Prodigality and couetousnes, or niggardlinesse.