but also the most criminal in its commission. Another class ("suasores") embraces those, who, like the former in will, but unlike them in power, are equally culpable; who, when they cannot command, persuade and encourage others to commit theft. A third class ("consentientes") is composed of those who are a consenting party to the theft committed by others. The fourth class (" participantes") is that of those who are accomplices in and derive gain from theft; if that can be called gain, which, unless they repent, consigns them to everlasting torments. Of them David says: "If thou didst see a thief, thou didst run with him." [1] The fifth class of thieves (" non prohibentes") are those who, having it in their power to prohibit theft, so far from opposing or preventing it, fully and freely suffer and sanction its commission. The sixth class (" non indicantes") is constituted of those who are well aware that the theft was committed, and when it was committed; and yet so far from discovering it, are as silent on the subject as if it had never occurred. The seventh, and last ("custodes") comprises all who assist in the accomplishment of theft, who guard, patronise, receive or harbour thieves; all of whom are bound to make restitution to those from whom any thing has been stolen, and are to be earnestly exhorted to the discharge of so necessary a duty. Neither are those who approve (" approbantes") and commend thefts entirely innocent of this crime: children also and wives who steal from their parents and husbands are not guiltless of theft.
This commandment also implies an obligation to sympathize with the poor and the necessitous, and to relieve them under their difficulties and distresses from the means with which we have been blessed, and by rendering them the good offices which charity inculcates. On this subject, which cannot be urged too frequently or copiously, the pastor will find abundant matter to enrich his discourses in the works of those very holy men, St. Cyprian, [2] St. Chrysostome, [3] St. Gregory Nazianzen, [4] and other eminent writers on alms-deeds. It is theirs to inspire the faithful with an anxious desire and a cheerful willingness to succour the distresses of those, who depend for a precarious subsistence on the bounteous compassion of others.
The necessity of alms-deeds should also form the subject matter of the pastor's instructions: the faithful are to be strongly impressed with the obligation imposed on them of being really and practically liberal to the poor; and to this effect the pastor will urge the overwhelming argument that, on the day of final retribution, the Judge of the living and the dead will hurl against the uncharitable man the indignant sentence of irrevocable condemnation; and will invite in the language of eulogy, and intro-
