His　own　accord；　　that；　after　you　have　been　skinning　and　scraping　for
  a　long　time；　He　will　pronounce　such　a　blessing　on　your　gains　that　your
  grain　in　the　garner；　your　beer　in　the　cellar；　your　cattle　in　the　stalls
  shall　perish；　yea；　where　you　have　cheated　and　overcharged　any　one　to
  the　amount　of　a　florin；　your　entire　pile　shall　be　consumed　with　rust；
  so　that　you　shall　never　enjoy　it。
  And　indeed；　we　see　and　experience　this　being　fulfilled　daily　before　our
  eyes；　that　no　stolen　or　dishonestly　acquired　possession　thrives。　How
  many　there　are　who　rake　and　scrape　day　and　night；　and　yet　grow　not　a
  farthing　richer！　And　though　they　gather　much；　they　must　suffer　so　many
  plagues　and　misfortunes　that　they　cannot　relish　it　with　cheerfulness
  nor　transmit　it　to　their　children。　But　as　no　one　minds　it；　and　we　go　on
  as　though　it　did　not　concern　us；　God　must　visit　us　in　a　different　way
  and　teach　us　manners　by　imposing　one　taxation　after　another；　or
  billeting　a　troop　of　soldiers　upon　us；　who　in　one　hour　empty　our
  coffers　and　purses；　and　do　not　quit　as　long　as　we　have　a　farthing
  left；　and　in　addition；　by　way　of　thanks；　burn　and　devastate　house　and
  home；　and　outrage　and　kill　wife　and　children。
  And；　in　short；　if　you　steal　much；　depend　upon　it　that　again　as　much
  will　be　stolen　from　you；　and　he　who　robs　and　acquires　with　violence　and
  wrong　will　submit　to　one　who　shall　deal　after　the　same　fashion　with
  him。　For　God　is　master　of　this　art；　that　since　every　one　robs　and
  steals　from　the　other；　He　punishes　one　thief　by　means　of　another。　Else
  where　should　we　find　enough　gallows　and　ropes？
  Now；　whoever　is　willing　to　be　instructed　let　him　know　that　this　is　the
  commandment　of　God；　and　that　it　must　not　be　treated　as　a　jest。　For
  although　you　despise　us；　defraud；　steal；　and　rob；　we　will　indeed　manage
  to　endure　your　haughtiness；　suffer；　and；　according　to　the　Lord's
  Prayer；　forgive　and　show　pity；　for　we　know　that　the　godly　shall
  nevertheless　have　enough；　and　you　injure　yourself　more　than　another。
  But　beware　of　this：　When　the　poor　man　comes　to　you　（of　whom　there　are
  so　many　now）　who　must　buy　with　the　penny　of　his　daily　wages　and　live
  upon　it；　and　you　are　harsh　to　him；　as　though　every　one　lived　by　your
  favor；　and　you　skin　and　scrape　to　the　bone；　and；　besides；　with　pride
  and　haughtiness　turn　him　off　to　whom　you　ought　to　give　for　nothing；　he
  will　go　away　wretched　and　sorrowful；　and　since　he　can　complain　to　no
  one　he　will　cry　and　call　to　heaven；　　then　beware　（I　say　again）　as　of
  the　devil　himself。　For　such　groaning　and　calling　will　be　no　jest；　but
  will　have　a　weight　that　will　prove　too　heavy　for　you　and　all　the
  world。　For　it　will　reach　Him　who　takes　care　of　the　poor　sorrowful
  hearts；　and　will　not　allow　them　to　go　unavenged。　But　if　you　despise
  this　and　become　defiant；　see　whom　you　have　brought　upon　you：　if　you
  succeed　and　prosper；　you　may　before　all　the　world　call　God　and　me　a
  liar。
  We　have　exhorted；　warned；　and　protested　enough；　he　who　will　not　heed　or
  believe　it　may　go　on　until　he　learns　this　by　experience　Yet　it　must　be
  impressed　upon　the　young　that　they　may　be　careful　not　to　follow　the　old
  lawless　crowd；　but　keep　their　eyes　fixed　upon　God's　commandment；　lest
  His　wrath　and　punishment　come　upon　them　too。　It　behooves　us　to　do　no
  more　than　to　instruct　and　reprove　with　God's　Word；　but　to　check　such
  open　wantonness　there　is　need　of　the　princes　and　government；　who
  themselves　would　have　eyes　and　the　courage　to　establish　and　maintain
  order　in　all　manner　of　trade　and　commerce；　lest　the　poor　be　burdened
  and　oppressed　nor　they　themselves　be　loaded　with　other　men's　sins。
  Let　this　suffice　as　an　explanation　of　what　stealing　is；　that　it　be　not
  taken　too　narrowly　but　made　to　extend　as　far　as　we　have　to　do　with　our
  neighbors。　And　briefly；　in　a　summary；　as　in　the　former　commandments；　it
  is　herewith　forbidden；　in　the　first　place；　to　do　our　neighbor　any
  injury　or　wrong　（in　whatever　manner　supposable；　by　curtailing；
  forestalling；　and　withholding　his　possessions　and　property）；　or　even　to
  consent　or　allow　such　a　thing；　but　to　interpose　and　prevent　it。　And；　on
  the　other　hand；　it　is　commanded　that　we　advance　and　improve　his
  possessions；　and　in　case　he　suffers　want；　that　we　help；　communicate；
  and　lend　both　to　friends　and　foes。
  Whoever　now　seeks　and　desires　good　works　will　find　here　more　than
  enough　such　as　are　heartily　acceptable　and　pleasing　to　God；　and　in
  addition　are　favored　and　crowned　with　excellent　blessings；　that　we　are
  to　be　richly　compensated　for　all　that　we　do　for　our　neighbor's　good　and
  from　friendship；　as　King　Solomon　also　teaches　Prov。　19；　17：　He　that
  hath　pity　upon　the　poor　lendeth　unto　the　Lord；　and　that　which　he　hath
  given　will　He　pay　him　again。　Here；　then　you　have　a　rich　Lord；　who　is
  certainly　sufficient　for　you；　and　who　will　not　suffer　you　to　come　short
  in　anything　or　to　want；　thus　you　can　with　a　joyful　conscience　enjoy　a
  hundred　times　more　than　you　could　scrape　together　with　unfaithfulness
  and　wrong。　Now；　whoever　does　not　desire　the　blessing　will　find　wrath
  and　misfortune　enough。
  The　Eighth　Commandment。
  Thou　shalt　not　bear　false　witness　against　thy　neighbor。
  Over　and　above　our　own　body；　spouse；　and　temporal　possessions；　we　have
  yet　another　treasure；　namely；　honor　and　good　report　＇the　illustrious
  testimony　of　an　upright　and　unsullied　name　and　reputation＇；　with　which
  we　cannot　dispense。　For　it　is　intolerable　to　live　among　men　in　open
  shame　and　general　contempt。　Therefore　God　wishes　the　reputation；　good
  name；　and　upright　character　of　our　neighbor　to　be　taken　away　or
  diminished　as　little　as　his　money　and　possessions；　that　every　one　may
  stand　in　his　integrity　before　wife；　children；　servants；　and　neighbors。
  And　in　the　first　place；　we　take　the　plainest　meaning　of　this
  commandment　according　to　the　words　（Thou　shalt　not　bear　false　witness）；
  as　pertaining　to　the　public　courts　of　justice；　where　a　poor　innocent
  man　is　accused　and　oppressed　by　false　witnesses　in　order　to　be　punished
  in　his　body；　property；　or　honor。
  Now；　this　appears　as　if　it　were　of　little　concern　to　us　at　present；　but
  with　the　Jews　it　was　quite　a　common　and　ordinary　matter。　For　the　people
  were　organized　under　an　excellent　and　regular　government；　and　where
  there　is　still　such　a　government；　instances　of　this　sin　will　not　be
  wanting。　The　cause　of　it　is　that　where　judges；　burgomasters；　princes；
  or　others　in　authority　sit　in　judgment；　things　never　fail　to　go
  according　to　the　course　of　the　world；　namely；　men　do　not　like　to　offend
  anybody；　flatter；　and　speak　to　gain　favor；　money；　prospects；　or
  friendship；　and　in　consequence　a　poor　man　and　his　cause　must　be
  oppressed；　denounced　as　wrong；　and　suffer　punishment。　And　it　is　a
  common　calamity　in　the　world　that　in　courts　of　justice　there　seldom
  preside　godly　men。
  For　to　be　a　judge　requires　above　all　things　a　godly　man；　and　not　only　a
  godly；　but　also　a　wise；　modest；　yea；　a　brave　and　bold　man；　likewise；　to
  be　a　witness　requires　a　fearless　and　especially　a　godly　man。　For　a
  person　who　is　to　judge　all　matters　rightly　and　carry　them　through　with
  his　decision　will　often　offend　good　friends；　relatives；　neighbors；　and
  the　rich　and　powerful；　who　can　greatly　serve　or　injure　him。　Therefore
  he　must　be　quite　blind；　have　his　eyes　and　ears　closed；　neither　see　nor
  hear；　but　go　straight　forward　in　everything　that　comes　before　him；　and
  decide　accordingly。
  Therefore　this　commandment　is　given　first　of　all　that　every　one　shall
  help　his　neighbor　to　secure　his　rights；　and　not　allow　them　to　be
  hindered　or　twisted；　but　shall　promote　and　strictly　maintain　them；　no
  matter　whether　he　be　judge　or　witness；　and　let　it　pertain　to　whatsoever
  it　will。　And　especially　is　a　goal　set　up　here　for　our　jurists　that　they
  be　careful　to　deal　truly　and　uprightly　with　every　case；　allowing　right
  to　remain　right；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　not　perverting　anything　＇by
  their　tricks　and　technical　points　turning　black　into　white　and　making
  wrong　out　to　be　right＇；　nor　glossing　it　over　or　keeping　silent
  concerning　it；　irrespective　of　a　person's　money；　possession；　honor；　or
  power。　This　is　one　part　and　the　plainest　sense　of　this　commandment
  concerning　all　that　takes　place　in　court。
  Next；　it　extends　very　much　further；　if　we　are　to　apply　it　to　spiritual
  jurisdiction　or　administration；　here　it　is　a　common　occurrence　that
  every　one　bears　false　witness　against　his　neighbor。　For　wherever　there
  are　godly　preachers　and　Christians；　they　must　bear　the　sentence　before
  the　world　that　they　are　called　heretics；　apostates；　yea；　seditious　and
  desperately　wicked　miscreants。　Besides　the　Word　of　God　must　suffer　in
  the　most　shameful　and　malicious　manner；　being　persecuted　blasphemed；
  contradicted；　perverted　and　falsely　cited　and　interpreted。　But　let　this
  pass；　for　it　is　the　way　of　the　blind　world　that　she　condemns　and
  persecutes　the　truth　and　the　children　of　God；　and　yet　esteems　it　no
  sin。
  In　the　third　place；　what　concerns　us　all；　this　commandment　forbids　all
  sins　of　the　tongue　whereby　we　may　injure　or　approach　too　closely　to　our
  neighbor。　For　to　bear　false　witness　is　nothing　else　than　a　work　of　the
  tongue。　Now；　whatever　is　done　with　the　tongue　against　a　fellow…man　God
  would　have　prohibited；　whether