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ARTICLE XXXVIII.

Of Christian men's Goods, which are not

common.

THE Riches and Goods of Christians are not common, as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as certain Anabaptists do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.

Are not common] The very precepts about communicating to, and relieving, the poor, shew that it is every man's own property, out of which he is thus obliged to relieve them. For he, who thus communicates to them, communicates out of his own proper possessions; and if all things were common, then as no one would be rich, so neither would any one be poor.-See Acts v. 4. While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold was it not in thine own power? And Rom. xiii. 7. Render to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom. And 2 Thess. iii. 12. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.-See Quis dives also Clement of Alexandria. "How much better is it, on salv. c. 13. "the contrary, for a man, by possessing a competency, "to be free from the hardships of want, and to be able "to relieve those whom it is proper to relieve? For what means would there be left for any one to communicate "to others, if no one possessed any thing of his own? How manifestly would this doctrine be found to contradict "several of our Lord's excellent precepts, and particularly this, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of un"righteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations? How shall any one give meat "to the hungry, or give drink to the thirsty, or clothe the "naked, or take the stranger in, (against those who neg"lect to do which, he denounces hell fire, and outer darkness) if every one was first to be deprived of the

Luke xvi. 9.

Matt. xxv. 35, &c.

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"means of doing all these things."-See also the Homily of Alms-deeds.

Certain Anabaptists] Especially those of Germany, of See Steidant whom Thomas Muncer was the ring-leader.

Ought to give alms, &c.] See 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.

Comment.

1. 5. & 10.

ARTICLE XXXIX.

Of a Christian man's Oath.

As we confess that vain and rash Swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ, and James his Apostle, so we judge that Christian Religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the Magistrate requireth, in a Cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the Prophet's teaching, in justice, Judgment and truth.

That only vain and rash oaths are unlawful, is evident from hence, because Christ himself being adjured or called upon to answer upon oath, before the High-Priest's judgment-seat, refused not to do it, Matth. xxvi. 63, 64. See also Jer. iv. 2. to which the last sentence of this Article refers: And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness. And therefore it is only that vain and rash swearing, which is meant in Matth. v. 34. But I say unto you, Swear not at all. And in James v. 12. But above all things, my brethren, swear not.

See Clement of Alexandria. "The Christian, indeed, re- Strom. l. 7. "ligiously observes an oath; but he is not subject to swear, "as being seldom prevailed upon to swear at all." And Tertullian. "But God also is represented in Scripture as swearing. Do you therefore tax him with perjury, or Ad Mar"with vain swearing?" We see, then, that in Tertullian's cion 1.2. judgment, only perjury and vain swearing are to be accounted sinful.

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c. 26.

Ad Hillar.
Epist.

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And agreeable to the sentiments of these two Fathers are the words of St. Augustin, which contain a great deal of good advice. "Avoid swearing as much as you can. "For it is better not to swear even to what is true, than "to accustom one's self to swearing, by which men "often fall into perjury, and are always in danger of so doing. But there are some persons, who, as far as I can "perceive by their talk, are entirely ignorant of what an "oath is. For they imagine that they do not swear, when "they use such expressions as these: God knoweth; or, "God is my witness; or, I call God for a record upon my "soul. Because as they allege in these cases, they do "not say, By God, and because such expressions as I "just now mentioned are found in the writings of St. "Paul. But even such words as they confess to be swearing are found there too. For thus the Apostle "saith, I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ "Jesus our Lord, I die daily. In the original Greek "this sentence is manifestly expressed in the form of an "oath. This I observe, that no one may imagine that the "words, By your rejoicing, are like these, By my coming again to you, and the like, in which we say By a Thing, "without swearing. But we must not therefore trifle "with oaths, because St. Paul, a man of unshaken veracity, swore in his epistles. For, as I said before, it "is much safer for us, not to swear at all; and, as our "Lord advises us, to let our communication be Yea, yea, Nay, nay: not because it is a sin to swear to what is true, but because it is a most grievous sin to swear falsely, which that man is most likely to be guilty of, "who is accustomed to swear."

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See also Hammond's Pract. Cat. B. 11. Sect. 8. Nowelli Cat. p. 20, 21. Homily against Swearing, Part I. Sanderson de Oblig. Juram. Prælect. I.

THE END.

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