3. There must be no wrong to their goods, no invading of right and property : Eph. iv. 28, ' Let him that stole steal no more.' Every one is against a gross thief ; but the more plausible and secret ways of wrong, and getting estates into your hands, or abusing trusts, is theft. The apostle there writes to the Ephesians that lived in the city, and by iniquity of traffic were likely to heap up an estate to themselves.
I shall here take occasion to handle a question or two about property.
VOL. XVL K
146 SERMOXS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. [SeR. IX.
[1.] Is there any property, yea or nay ? or must all goods lie in com- mon ? This was Plato's fancy. Some men think that if all were levelled and reduced to a parity, and we did live as fishes in the sea, there would be less confusion in the world. But this is contrary to God's appointment, who by his wisdom hath cast the world into hills and valleys. God is the maker of rich and poor : Prov, xxii. 2, ' The rich and the poor meet together ; the Lord is the maker of them all.' And Christ saith, Mat. xxii. 11, ' Ye have the poor always with you.' A world of mischief would follow otherwise ; if there were no property, there would be no justice, whose chief property is to give every man his own. There could be no charity. How can we give, if we have no- thing that we can call our own ? It would hinder diligence and prudent administration ; the idle would have as great a share as the industrious and diligent ; rewards of special eminency and virtue would be taken away. Who would undertake the hardest labours and the condition of servants ? Superiority and inferiority is the bond of human society. It is God's wisdom to dispose of the conditions and estates of men that one should need another, and supply each other's wants and defects. The poor need the bounty of the rich, and the rich the labour and service of the poor. Object. But what shall we say to the example of the primitive times ? Acts iv. 32, ' And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul ; neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common.' Ans. This was extraordinary, and it was done freely, and not by virtue of any precept, as appears by what Peter said to Ananias, chap. v. 4, ' Whilst it remainecl, was it not thy own ? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power ? ' still they kept a property to dispose of it as they saw cause. And pray mark, it is not said that they did equally divide among them all the things that were sold ; but. Acts ii. 44, 45, ' All that believed were together, and had all things common ; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.' Here was no level- ling, but an orderly charity ; there was great necessity, and they believed the destruction and desolation of Judea, and therefore in wise foresight took this course. And therefore it is notable that it is not said that they sold all they had, but only their possessions and inheritances : Acts iv. 34, 35, ' As many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet,' &c. And still it was free ; yet it was not taken from them, but freely given by them ; it was not catch who catch can, but ' distribution was made unto every man according as he had need,' ver. 35. Some good people kept their houses still, as Mary had her house : Acts xii. 12, ' He came to the house of Mary.'
[2.] Have wicked men any right in what they do possess ? or may they be spoiled as the Canaanites were, and ousted of all their posses- sions ? I answer — Wicked men have a civil right, and that is bank enough against violence and invasion of property ; or suppose there were no other title but grace, and a man that had not grace were an usurper, what a world of inconveniences and confusions would follow ! If one man were made judge of another man's grace, how should we know who had a right ? Give unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's.
VeR. 12.] SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. 147
If it were so, we could not trade with tliem ; but Abraham bought the field of Mamre. Wicked men have a civil right ; but that is not all, they have a right before God, a common right of providence, so that they are not usurpers of what they do possess ; it is their portion : Ps. xvii. 14, ' From men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure.' It is true they have made a forfeiture as to God, and deserve to lose all, but the sentence of the law is not executed upon them ; and therefore by the gift and indulgence of God they have a just and free use of such things as fall to their share and portion. There cannot be a better title than God's own gift. Now God in the general course of his providence giveth wicked men many things, as he gave Tyrus to Nebuchadnezzar. He that giveth them their lives giveth them meat and drink ; they do him common service, and God rewardeth them with common mercies. But they have not such a right as God's children, a right from the covenant of grace, from God's love, and for their good, but their bless- ings are salted with a curse.