_Quest._ XX. What if a change of powers or laws do overthrow the title, almost as soon as it is sold, (as it oft falls out about offices and lands,) who must bear the loss? _Answ._ The case is near the same with that in quest. xvii. It is supposed that the seller should have lost it himself if he had kept it but a little longer; and that neither of them foresaw the change; and therefore that the seller hath all his money, rather for his good hap, than for his lands or office (which the buyer hath not). Therefore except it be to a rich man that feeleth not the loss, or one that expressly undertook to stand to all hazards, foreseeing a possibility of them, charity and humanity will teach the seller to divide the loss. The same is the case of London now consumed by fire; where thousands of suits are like to rise between the landlords and the tenants. Where the providence of God (permitting the burning zeal of some papists) hath deprived men of the houses which they had hired or taken leases of, humanity and charity requireth the rich to bear most of the loss, and not to exact their rents or rebuilding from the poor, whatever the law saith, which could not be supposed to foresee such accidents. Love your neighbours as yourselves; do as you would be done by; and oppress not your poor brethren; and then by these three rules you will yourselves decide a multitude of such doubts and difficulties, which the uncharitable only cannot understand. _Tit. 4. Cases of Conscience about Lending and Borrowing._ _Quest._ I. May a poor man borrow money, who knoweth that he is unable to repay it, and hath no rational proof that he is very likely to be able hereafter? _Answ._ No: unless it be when he telleth the lender truly of his case, and he is willing to run the hazard; else it is mere thievery covered with the cheat of borrowing; for the borrower desireth that of another, which he would not lend him, if he expected it not again; and to take a man's money or goods against his will is robbery. _Object._ But I am in great necessity. _Answ._ Begging in necessity is lawful; but stealing or cheating is not, though you call it borrowing. _Object._ But it is a shame to beg. _Answ._ The sin of thievish borrowing is worse than shame. _Object._ But none will give me if I beg. _Answ._ If they will give but to save your life at the present, you must take it, though they give you not what you would have: the poorest beggar's life is better than the thief's. _Object._ But I hope God may enable me to pay hereafter. _Answ._ If you have no rational way to manifest the soundness of that hope to another, it is but to pretend faith and hope for thievery and deceit. _Object._ God hath promised, that those that fear him shall want no good thing. And therefore I hope I may be able to repay it.