which was answered by asking, "What is murder?" The reason why it was thus characterized is, that he who lends at usury sells the same thing twice, or sells that which has no real existence. [1]
Corrupt judges, whose decisions are venal, and who, bought over by money or other bribes, decide against the poor and the necessitous, however good their cause, also commit rapine. Those who defraud their creditors, who deny their just debts, and, also, those who purchase goods on their own, or on an other's credit, with an engagement to pay for them at a certain time, and do not redeem their pledge, are guilty of the same crime of rapine; and it is an aggravation of their guilt, that, in consequence of their want of punctuality and their fraud, prices are raised, to the no small injury of the public. To such per sons David alludes, when he says, " The sinner shall borrow and not pay again." [2]
But, in what language of abhorrence shall we speak of those, who, themselves abounding in wealth, exact with rigour what they lend to the poor, who have not wherewithal to pay them; and who take as pledges even the necessary covering of their wretched applicants, in defiance of the divine prohibition; "If thou take of thy neighbour a garment in pledge, thou shall give it him again before sunset, for that same is the only thing wherewith he is covered, the clothing of his body, neither hath he any other to sleep in: if he cry to me I will hear him, be cause I am compassionate." [3] Their rigorous exaction is justly termed "rapacity," and is therefore rapine. [4]
Amongst those whom the Holy Fathers pronounced guilty of rapine are persons who, in times of scarcity, store up their corn, thus producing a dearth; and this also holds good with regard to all necessaries for food, and the purposes of life. These are they against whom Soloman hurls this execration, " He that hideth up corn, shall be cursed among the people." [5] Such persons the pastor will admonish of their guilt, and will reprove with more than ordinary freedom; and to them he will explain at large the punishments which await such delinquency.
So far for the negative part of the precept We now come to the positive part, in which the first thing to be considered is satisfaction or restitution; for without satisfaction or restitution the sin is not forgiven. But, as the law of restitution is binding not only on the person who commits theft, but also on the person who is a party to its commission, to determine who are indispensably bound to this satisfaction or restitution is a matter which demands explanation. These form a variety of classes. The first ("imperantes") consists of those who order others to steal, and who are not only the authors and accomplices of theft,
