Commonweales destruction to mankind the wrath of God and maketh them subiect to the tyranny of Sathan and eternall miserie and destruction is greatly to bee reprehended and to be forbidden Which my exhortation how it hath been taken is so wel knowen to al your honours or at least to the moste of you that I neede not at this tyme to mention the same In the defence of which confession whiche when tyme shall serue we will giue out this matter shall more copiously be handled And that all wise godly learned meÌ„ may perceiue that in the reprouing and condemnyng of the moste filthy shamefull and pestilent exactions of Vsurie I shun not the light howsoeuer the iudgementes of men wil be of this libertie therefore as once I published my opinion of Vsurie in the Germane tongue so now I doe the same in another language in the whiche either Germane or as it is if any find whiche doeth mislike him let it onely be shewed and we will aunswere him truelie and with Scripture To reprehende or more truely to speake to cauill is no harde thing but to shewe the error that is troublesome And for that both we ought to profit our country and the rumor spread of the Confession is well knowen vnto your honours I haue supposed it most expedient to publish the same vnder your mightie protection that it may bee knowen vnto you both vppon what foundations I stande in this cause of dispraising Vsurie and that I feare neither the authoritie neither the subtilty of arguments For the holy Scripture serues me better to victory than the plausible sentences of all the world I trust this my dedication wil be gratefully accepted of you all because it was first begon and is now finished for the profit of my countrie and for the propagation and defence of the trueth The discourse of barganing I haue therfore pretermitted which I would haue the discrete reader to vnderstande especially because this matter of Vsurie toucheth our profession whiche I would take vppon mee to handle with wisedome deliberation and iudgement For as the learned knowe to entreate of bargaining is peculier to another facultie Notwithstanding I allowe all lawfull contractes agreable to the worde of God according to the lawes written and of nature instituted ordained profitable and necessarie to the conseruation and maintenance of this present life And who shall defende the contrarie thereunto hym let all the wise and godly accuse of filthy and damnable heresie Now if I shall perceiue this my doing to be gratefull to your wisedomes as I hope it will if by any meanes when opportunitie shall serue I may pleasure or profit your honours nothing of my part God willyng shal bee wanting to the doing of the same And I doe counsaile and beeseech you in the feare of God that you haue the trueth alwaies in greate estimation and that ye abhor and punish all falshod and lying euen for his sake which is the author of trueth and the hater and reuenger of lies and opprobrious talke Here I commend your Lordships into the protection of almightie God whom I beseeche to graunt you so to repent and to gouerne in this life that hereafter you may raigne for euer with Christ in the world to come At Gotingham in Saxonie Anno. 1569. Your honors continuallie at commaundment M. Philip Caesar Faultes escaped in the booke of Vsurie Fol. Pag. Fault Correction 1 1 Sustantiallie Substantiallie 3 2 Encrease Exercise 4 1 Brigelt Briget 4 2 Goodlinesse Godlines 5 2 Greate synne Greate some 6  Arist. Solit. Arist. polit 9 in contents of the 5. capter Estimation Opinion 10 2 Soueraintie Societie 14 1 Reape the Reape not then the 21 1 Pronowne Pronounce 22 1 I am sure I aunswere 23 1 Gayne rising Gayne-cessyng 26  For differing Farre differing Same Page  Deuour the father Deuour the fattest IN THE BOOKE OF THE lawfull vse of Ritches Fol. Pag. Fault Correction 6 1 as one question as any question 9 1 to knowe somewhat of thee to borrowe somwhat of thee THE PRINCIPALL Chapters of my Doctrine and Confession concernyng Vsurie 1. ARecityng of the causes vvherefore Vsurie is founde fault vvithall and condemned 2. A methodicall declaration of Vsurie 3. VVhether Usurie be lavvfull 4. Usurie vvhat kinde of sinne 5. A confirmation of the true opinion that Vsurie as à deadly synne is iustly misliked and condemned 6. The iudgement of the Doctors of the pure Church in all ages concerning Usurie 7. Of restitution 8. Of Interest 9. A refutation of certaine obiections 10. An exhortation to auoyde Vsurie TO PROVE THAT Vsurie is vnlawfull a learned discourse ¶ The 1. Chapter ¶ A recitall of the causes vvherfore Vsurie is founde faulte withall and condemned FOr as muche as this case is burdened with greate preiudice and many both ouercome with custome pricked with the spech of the froward people and bewitched with the glorious colours of Vsurie doe iudge sinisterlie and wickedly report of suche as set them selues against this Idoll of the worlde it is both good and necessarie afore wee enter into this discourse to recite the true and weightie causes whereby plainly and sustantially it may bee proued and showen that Preachers through a godly and commendable zeale haue coÌ„demned Vsury instructed their auditors earnestly to auoyde it adhorted vsurers to repentance and with seueritie of suspension yea with the Thunderbolt of excommunication thereby to bring them to the acknowledging of their wickednes and to the doing of penance haue terrefied suche as either wickedly doe vse or wilfully defende vsurie And although the vanitie of these backbiters bee sufficiently knowen and manifest vnto the godly yet the honour of our profession is to bee defended and our fame must bee deliuered from the eger inuasions of these pestiferous sycophants lest otherwise the simple be offended and withdrawen from the truthe fall into their opinion The firste is the glory of GOD wherunto as Paule doth admonishe all our actions are to bee directed For God wil be acknowledged and glorified of vs euen as he is And therefore did he make vs accordyng to his owne likenes therefore would he haue vs to be redeemed with the precious bloud of his onely begotten sunne and therfore with his holy spirite through the preachyng of the word and administration of the Sacramentes doth hee illuminate our myndes and cogitations that due and true glorie may be ascribed to hym alone Now they whiche put no aâ—â—iance in the giuer and bestower of euery good thyng but by their owne forecaste and wisedome yea by vnlawfull trades neglectyng the meanes whiche bee ordained of God prouide for themselues attribute that glorie whiche is due vnto God vnto themselues and their vsurie And so contumeliously they deale with God for whiche thing because he should not so much as in worde be abused we reprehende and condemne vsurie that the glorie of God by acknowledgyng of his benefites and obedience vnto
And againe saith Melancthon is it a true rule sinne is not remitted except the thing stolen be restored I aunswere This rule is generallie true in all sutche as of set purpose wilfully detaine anothers goodes and yet haue wherewith to repaie or may restore as Paule doth say he whiche hath stolen hereafter let him steale no more But he which hath stolen is so long a theefe as he willinglie and wittingly doth detaine that which is another mans Therfore when Paule doth forbid hereafter not to steale hee will that restitution bee made that so hee whiche had the goodes of anothers cease to be a theefe This general rule is to be obserued but the impossibilitie hath an excuse Contrariwise Satisfaction is not necessarie Restitution is satisfaction Therefore restitution is not necessarie I am sure the Minor is false because restitution properlie and in deede is à parte of contrition and is not that canonicall satisfaction whiche they define to be woorkes not commaunded An example as not to forgiue him which keepeth anothers wife belongeth to contrition so to restore anothers goodes is à part of contrition because contrition is à greefe and sorrowe for sinne with à purpose afterwarde not to commit any thing against conscience and the commaundement of God. That excellent and learned man of famous memorie my Master Erhardus Schenpfius sometime in a Sermon of his did proue that Vsurers were worser than IVDAS the traitor For Iudas did acknowledge his fault and restored the Money but Vsurers cannot bee perswaded that vsury is à deadly sinne and to shew themselues that they giue credite to the testimonies of holy Scripture no wordes can moue them to make restitution and yet as he did plainly affirme restitution is à parte of repentaunce And therefore in that much worser than Iudas the traitor Of these his woordes I haue many witnesses and those of the better sorte Now let these detestable Vsurers and their fauorers of what estate dignitie or condition soeuer they be let them I say crie out with wicked king Achab that wee the ministers of God in condemning Vsurie and deniyng to Vsurers absolution for their sinnes the Sacramentes of the Lordes supper and other offices of a Christian man doe trouble Israell but wee with Elias the Prophete will aunswere We are not the troublers of Israell but Usurers and their Patrons are they for that they forsake the Commaundementes of God violate the lawe of Nature and of Countries departe from the faith of the whole Churche and in à wicked boldnes seeke after another God whiche is Mammon ¶ The 8. Chapter Of Interest INterest is called à gaine cessing and a damage rising Now what the iudgements of diuers is about Interest out of the wrightynges of Luther and Melancthon it may easelie be seen Luthers opiâ—â—on of Interest I would haue to be read either in his owne Tomes or in my Confession in the Germane tongue to bring it in here I haue not thought good at this tyme. Melancthon in Philoso morali aedita Anno. 1557. May any thing aboue that which is lent be demaunded saith Melancthon in consideration of the hinderance had by the leÌ„dyng of the same I auÌ„swere that is called interest which is due to a man either because he is endamaged â–ª or because some gaine is indeede loste by the lendyng Therefore is interest distinguished for it riseth either from damage coÌ„myng â–ª or from gaine risyng For example if one is bounde to paie me twentie crounes at the Calendes of Maye and doth not if I through his disapointing mee runne into any daunger as if I should haue paied the same to another at that very tyme here is it meete that equalitie be obserued in that he gained by mine but equalitie is not obserued if he by my lending be made ritche and I by his breaking daie bee made poore that is called Interest for the damage arising Also this difference is necessarilie to bee noted One damage happeneth before the day appointed for paiment another chaunceth when the debtor breaketh daie Therfore let this be the first aunswere The true and verie Interest indeede whiche cometh to the lender is when damage ariseth through not keeping daie As if one should paie me twentie Crownes at the Calendes of Maye and by reason he doth not so I am damnified Here the reason of equalitie doth require that recompence be made In such à case we pronounce that besides the principall as much is due as the creditor hath lost through the damage arising although no couenaunt haue passed aboute the Interest that is agreable to the lawe written and to naturall equity For he which giueth à cause of losse ought to make a recompence And therefore is it equitie that sutch Interest be paide By this case it may bee seen what is true and good Interest which the lender may take because it is due though no couenauntes bee made For it is manifest that equalitie is not there obserued where gaine is gotten by lending CoÌ„cerning gaine cessing after delaie that is wheÌ„ the debtor doth not pay at his tyme appointed the same sentence is giuen â–ª that Interest is due as we saide it was by damage arising But yet in this seconde case the same is graunted onely to occupiers whiche is good reason for to hinder the trade of occuping is to giue à greate cause of hinderance This doth Melancthon say And let there be sutch Interest For as Luther saieth To recompence à damage is not to giue or take more than the principall but it is an hurt whiche cometh to the lender contrarie to his will whereby hee is compelled to aske à recompence Here do I recite and condemne all vaine exactions of Vsurers with what title soeuer they be cloaked or coloured ouer and besides the aboue mentioned case ¶ The. 9. Chapter A refutation of certaine obiections NOw because in this matter of Vsurie many thynges are obiected of the vngodlie Vsurers ignoraunte in the Scripture before I make an ende hereof I will by euidente and stronge reasons confute certaine obiections Not that I more waie the refutation of these foolishe Vsurers than the defence of the cause I haue taken in hande but that the vanitie of the dotyng worlde beeyng laied open and the iuglynges of Vsurers full of all impietie and couetousnesse detected and reueled the godlie with greater care maie abhorre this monstrous vice and by the plausible and flatering talke of some maie take heede to come from à godlie and commendable kind of liuing to these wicked and horrible exactions of Vsurie and the mouth of others may be stopped and haue nothyng wherwith their impietie maie bee excused The firste obiection Whatsoeuer pollicies doe permit is lawfull for à Christian Pollicies or Common weales permit Vsurie Therefore Vsury is lawfull and allowed to Christians The Maior they proue thus because the Gospell doth not abolishe Ciuile gouernment but rather confirme the
If thou lendest to my people beeyng in pouertie whiche dwelleth with you thou shalte not trouble hym with exaction nor oppresse hym with Vsurie Leuit. 25. Thou shalte not giue hym thy money vppon Vsury nor lende hym fruite for encrease The cause of this commaundemente goeth before That thy brother maâ—â— liue with thee to witte not oppressed with Vsurie Deut. 23. Thou shalte not exacte of thy brother Vsurie either of Money â–ª or of Meate oâ— of any thyng els c. Ezech 18. Hee that hath not giuen forth vppon Vsurie neither hath taken encrease is iuste and shall surely liue Hereupâ—on it followeth in the contrarie sense that hee is vniust and shall die whiche hath giuen vppon Vsurie and taken encrease And it is saide in the 15. Psalm That he shall not dwell in the tabernacle of the Lorde whiche giueth out his money vpon Vsurie The third prohibition is Politicall The auncient Romans neither vsed nor allowed but altogether abhorred and punished Vsurie But in processe of tyme their couetousnes encreasyng with their good successe by little and little vsurie crept in and so grewe on till aâ— length it raised sedition in the Common-weale For whiche cause Vsurie though it could not bee vtterlie abolished yet was it by lawes repressed The cittie of Athens gaue Solon in commission to moderate the Vsurie wherewith the Athenians were greeuously oppressed â–ª For sedition did arise because of the crueltie of Vsurers whiche compelled the sonnes and daughters of their detters either to be solde or become their slaues to satisfie the Vsurie Solon at the request of the people made à lawe that from that tyme no free man shoulde become a slaue either for Debt or Vsurie And appointed this measure vnto Vsurie that for an hundred crownes lent for à moneth but one crowne should be paid The Emperours haue appointed to aduenturers but twelue in the hundred to other lawfull occupiers but eight to noble men â—oure and to the common people â—â—xe in the hundred The laste is Ecclesiasticall I call the Ecclesiasticall prohibition not by the decrees of the Pope whom we acknowledge to be neither the head nor taile nor any parte of the Churche but by Statutes of holie Synodes and by the saiynges of godlie Fathers whiche vehemently forbid Vsurie In the 47. Decrees there is mention made of the Canons of the Apostles whiche condemne Vsurie The Counsaile at Nice at whiche were â—18 Fathers did also condemne Vsurie And Gratian againste the Vsurie among Clergie men dooeth alledge this out of the Decrees of the Niceâ—e Counsaile Because many Churchemen through couetousnesse folloyng filthie lucre haue vtterly forgotten the commaundement of God whiche saieth he whiche hath not giuen his money vppon vsurie this holie Counsaile hath sâ—â— dounâ— â–ª that if any manne after this determination bee founde to take Vsurie or by any suche trade to seeke filthy gain c. he shal be caste out of the Clergie and remoued from all Ecclesiasticall liuyng Hierome saieth â–ª To lende vppon Vsurie to cousine and to steale doe nothyng differ Lende to thy brother and receiue that which thou gauest but take no ouerplus because to take ouerplus is Usurie Augustine saieth What shall I speake of Vsury whiche euen the verie Lawes and Iudges them selues commaunde to bee restored Who is the worser man he whiche taketh somethyng from à riche man by thefte or he whiche taketh à poore mannes life froâ— hym by Vsurie These and suche like are ill possessed And I would they should bee restored c. Ambrose saieth Why doest thou conuert the industrie of Nature into deceipt Why doest thou desire to make men miserable Why doest thou make à dearth to be wished for of the poore and dooest lamente the common plentie â–ª Thou doest enquire where searâ—itiâ— iâ— â–ª Thou callest that industrie whiche is the subteltie of Sathan and that whiche thou callest à remedie is the pollicie of mischief Maie I call Vsurie Theuerie the tymes of Thefte is sought for whereby like a crâ—â—ll deceiuer thou creepest into the bowels of men whiche maketh Corne laide vp in store to encrease by Vsurie Why dost thou wish euill vnto all men Thy priuate gaine is the publike hinderance And in another place He â—ighteth without à sword which exâ—ctâ—th vsuriâ—â— he doth reuenge hymself without à sword â–ª whiche iâ— an Vsurer Chrysostome saieth Lende take Vsurie lende to receiue againe where no enuie is no accusation no snares no terror Lende not vpon Usurie to the poore but to Christ whiche for thy sake was in pâ—uertie â–ª hungrie nourisheth all men This Usurie prepareth à kingdome but the other â–ª bringeth to hell this doth proceede from godlines and pitty the other cometh from coâ—etousnes and crueltiâ— Hethero wee haue shewen how many waies Vsurie is forbidden and wherefore the somme where of is that Vsurie is therefore prohibited because our neighbour should not bee damnified charitie among men not quenched humane societie violated the gooddes of priuate men deuoured bothe to the destruction of good houses and the decaie of Common-weales As often therefore as wee reade that Vsurie is forbidden let vs looke vppon these endes of the prohibition leaste otherwise vnder the pretence of vnlawfull Vsurie wee iudge vnwisely of lawfull contractes ¶ The 9. Chapter The punishement of Vsurers I Finde that the punishementes of Vsurers is of three kindes that is to saie Politicall Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall The Politicall punishmente for Vsurers among the Romans as Cato witnesseth was that Theeues should make à double restitution but Vsurers should restore four times as muche By whiche sentence no doubte the aunciente Romans did sufficientlie enough declare that thei conceiued woorser of Vsurers than of common Theeues And for that cause thei barred them from honour and publike offices in the Common-weale But alas so corrupt are the maners of Christians at this presence daie that suche as prophane people accounted odrous and more to bee detested than Theeues thei among Christians are preferred too honour and sitto beare auctoritie The Spirituall punishement of Vsurers although in deede it bee moste intolerable yet many doe but laugh thereat For he whiche exerciseth Vsurie is no doubte excluded from the familie of God and congregation of true Christians For howe can he bee à member of Christe whiche is à killer of Christe in his members How can he bee of the housholde of God whiche is à slaue to Sathan Which maketh à scoffe at the woorde of God Now thei whiche are not of the body of Christ shall haue no portion in the treasure of Sainctes which is more pretious than al the riches of this worlde What treasure more excellent than to possesse Christe What riches better than the enheritance of heauen This treasure and these riches hath poore Lazarus full of soares yet the seruant of God but the riche glutton shall lacke them for euer and with hym as many as castyng of
mercifull Let euery one beare this in minde whiche thinketh God to bee his father ¶ The 15. Chapter The causes mouing to mercifulnes THE causes whiche may incense the godlie to pittâ—c towardes the poore bee many especially these The firste is Christianitie it selfe or the profession of Christian religion For this doth require that wee excell in all good woorkes and that we make of and cherish one another as the members of one bodie whose head is Christe When this is doen through faith in Christ we studie for Christianitie in the feare of God that is to imitate the nature of God in deede For because God whom by our profession we are bound to imitate is ritche in mercy we imitatyng his mercie are said after à sorte to bee the imitaters of God himself But as many as are not exercised in this imitation they are Christians onelie in name Bastardes and no sonnes of god For none are the sonnes of God but sutch as imitate the vertues of their father Hetherto belongeth that saying of the Prophet If I be a father where is myne honour But the chefest parte of honour whiche children can doe to their Parentes is to imitate their vertues Whosoeuer desireth to be glorified with the honour of à Christian let him place beefore his eyes this cause of mercifulnes and liberalitie and take heede that he bee not carried awaie through examples of wicked men from this necessarie and due seruice of God. The second is the commaundement of God whereunto all creatures must be obedient Iesus the sonne of Sirach maketh mention of this cause saying Helpe the poore for the commaundemente sake and turne hym not awaie because of his pouertie And à little after Bestowe thy treasure accordyng to the commaundemente of the highest and it shall profit thee more than Golde All the testimonies of scripture which commende vnto vs the loue of our neighbour doe aboue all require liberality towardes the needie For this is the cheifest part of true charitie Hetherto belongeth that of the Lorde I commaunde thee that thou open thy hande vnto thy needie brother He which contemneth this commaundement how can he loue God how can he feare hym For so saieth Iohn whosoeuer hath the goodes of this world and seeth his needy brother and shutteth his compassion from hym how abideth the loue of God in hym And Iob Hee whiche taketh away compassion from his neighbour hath cast awaie the feare of the Lorde Whosoeuer therefore doth purpose from his harte to serue and feare God let him think that he oweth obedience to God commaunding Of the whiche Micheas spake after this manner I will shewe thee ô man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thee namely to deale iustly and to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God. The thirde maie bee the examples bothe of Christ and his men bers Christe became poore too make vs riche And then againe what doe we owe to the members of Christ especiallie when he doth witnes hymselfe that what soeuer is doen to the least of his members is doen to hymselfe The holie fathers delighted in nothing so muche as in cherishing the sainctes of god Abraham doth humblie entreate straungers to abide the better to extende forthe his liberalitie Lot inuiteth Angels supposing them to be poore traueilers Cornelius the Courtier is said to haue spente his tyme in praier and giuing of almes whiche ascended into the heauens as the Scripture witnesseth The fourth is the dignitie and account whiche God maketh of our almes deuoutly conferred Prouerb 21. To doe mercie and iudgement is more gratefull to the Lorde than sacrifice Christ hymselfe saieth I will mercie and not sacrifice The Apostle adhorteth that we forget not to be liberall and beneficiall for in sutch sacrifices he saieth God delighteth Sutch is the excellencie sutche is the account before God of almes godly bestowed It is preferred afore sacrifice God is said to be singularly delighted therewith This account whiche God maketh of our almes ought mutche to moue the ritche men of this world that they endeuour according to the counsaile of sainct Paule too bee ritche in good woorkes The fifte is our neighbour hymselfe Euerie man as well the wicked as the godly is my neighbour and that firste by reason of creation secondlie because of likenesse thirdlie in respecte of humane societie And although this triple bonde whereby all men are tied together is à greate cause why one should benefite an other yet is there a greater couplyng together of Christians For there is a common callyng of all Christians whereby we are called to the vnitie of the spirite in the bonde of peace Secondlie by the same Spirite of Christ wee are regenerate into the sonnes of God whereby wee haue all one Father whiche is God and therefore are all brethren Thirdlie wee are members of the same misticall bodie whose head is Christe Laste of all wee haue one and the same hope of euerlastyng life and are all heires of eternall happinesse in Christe our Lorde I saie nothyng of that bonde whereby all men in this worlde are debters one to an other If this cause of liberalitie and mercifulnesse were considered of many as it should bee thei would vse lesse cousenyng and vnlawfull gaine thei would not so muche spoyle the poore members of Christe but make of and cherishe their owne fleshe And therefore as often as wee see any through miserie crauyng our aide let vs I beseche you remember that saiyng of Esaie Despise not thyne owne fleshe The sixte cause is the sondrie punishementes for suche as bee harde harted The firste is the wrathe of God Turne not awaie thyne eyes from the poore because of displeasure The seconde is cursyng In the same chapter of Ecclesi it is thus written The praier of hym whiâ—hâ— curseth thee in the bitternesse of his barte shal bee heard and he will heare hym that made hym The third is to bee reiected when thou praiest beeyng in neede thy self He that stoppeth his eares at the crye of the poore shall crie hymself and not be heardâ— An horrible punishment truely as maie bee and no maruell though God heare not hym because hee heareth not the sunne of God criyng in his members The fourth is to leese that wherewith God hath blessed thee For it is written From hym whiche hath not shal be taken awaie euen that whiche he hath And he is said not to haue which vseth not his giftes and ritches to the glorie of God and reliefe of the poore Hetherto belongeth that saying He whiche despiseth the praier of the poore shall suffer pouertie The fifte is the beggerie whiche the children of the couetous come vnto or their filthie and wicked life whiche is more miserable than beggerie ¶ The 16. Chapter Of the minde of
are moste common to wit Daneismos and Tokos the later of whiche deriued froÌ„ the verbe Tâ—kto whiche signifieth to beget or to bryng foorthe doeth plainlie shewe foorthe the nature and force of Vsurie that contrarie to the nature of money whiche is à thyng barren and frutelesse it bringeth forthe à child Thence is it called in Hebrue Tarbis and in Latine Foenus as it were Foetus the frute of the wombe Now consider how greate is the blindenesse or rather the madnesse of men in these dotyng daies of this worlde that to à thyng frutlesse barren without seede without life will ascribe generation and contrary too nature and common sense will make that to engender whiche beeyng without life by no waie can encrease And therefore Aristotle an Ethnike and without all knowledge of Christianitie for this cause dooeth pronounce Vsurie to bee à thing detestable and to bee abhorred His wordes are these By good reason hath Vsurie come into the hatred of man because money is onely reaped and is not referred to the exchange of thynges for whiche cause it was firste inuented For contrarie to the course of nature Vsurie doeth augment and encrease money from whiche it is so called Wherefore in this so excellente and wounderfull clearenesse of the Gospell let Christians bee ashamed to iudge that allowable whiche à prophane Philosopher so highly did condeÌ„ne Hetherto of the definition of the â—ame Vsurie For I thought to vtter and shewe for the suche names which the Prophetes and Apostles haue especially ascribed vnto the same Vsurie what Exodus 22. If thou lendest thy money to my people whiche are among you in miserie doe not oppresse them neither put Vsurie vpon them Luke 6. Lende looking for nothyng againe By these testimonies out of the old and newe Testament this definition of Vsurie may bee gathered Vsurie is à gaine aboue the principall exacted onely in consideration of the loane Many sortes accordyng to the sundrie kindes of thynges vsed might be declared of Vsurie but I thinke it needelesse to make any subtile distinction when as in that one whereof the scripture dooeth speake all maie bee easely included When to wit in the loane of anythyng either of money or of corne c. wee are contente for the lendyng to receiue more than wee gaue that couenaunte is called Vsurie and is condemned in many places of holie Scripture as hereafter shal bee shewed Whereof Bernard saieth notablie Usurie is à legal thèfe foretellyng afore what he doth mynde afterward to steale The efficient cause of Vsurie is the forcerie and bewitchyng of Sathan For euen humane reason not altogether quenched by the Diuell dooeth detest and abhorre all suche thynges as destroye nature as Vsurie doeth The materiall is money corne wine and any other thyng whiche wee maie consume The formall is the filthie snares whiche are laied for temporall goodes The finall or the ende therof is that Vsurers maie enriche themselues by impouerishing of others and that thei may spend their daies pleasantly in idlenesse without paine that such as stand in neede maie be brought into extreme pouerty miserie yea that multitudes hauing so vndoen themselues may in greif hunger and wretchednes coÌ„sume their daies in this miserable world Vsurie offendeth God and without repentaunce purchaseth his heauie wrathe and eternall damnation it quencheth charitie diminisheth substaunce maketh accursed bryngeth into the greeuous slauery of the vngodlie it is the deuourer of good men the destroyer of all humane societie And therefore Vsurers bee rightly called Noschim that is Oppressors And hence it is that Cato likened Vsurie to à sworde made for the destruction and decaye of life For so beeyng asked What it was to bee an Usurer as reporteth Cicero aunswered That whiche is to bee à Murtherer It is greatly to bee lamented and with vnfained teares to bee bewailed that wee to whom the will of GOD through his vnspeakeable mercie is opened and reueiled wee Christians should bee surpassed of the verie Pagans in godlinesse but without all controuersie in his tyme God by the greeuousnesse of paines will reuenge this impietie The thynges whiche are contrary to Vsurie is the commaundemente of God the duetie and obedience whiche by an immutable order the creature oweth to his creatour the threatnynges of punishemente bothe temporall and eternall the loue of our neighbour the equitie and equalitie ordained for conseruation of humane societie The law of Nature the positiue lawes ¶ The 3. Chapter whether Vsurie be lawfull NOwe beecause the matter doth so require wee will encounter with Vsurers and deale with this questioÌ„ whether Vsurie be lawfull or no Seeyng that Vsurie by the expresse worde of GOD is plainly forbidden there is no question but it is vnlawfull For man is accordyng to the likenes and similitude of God created by the Sunne redeemed and sanctified by the holy ghost that in him the knowledge and glorie of God may shine and bee seen that obediently he should serue God that he should declare and manifest the gratefulnes whiche hee oweth to his maker for all the benefites whiche he hath receiued That God most straightly and seuerely hath forbidden the same it is apparent by these testimonies which follow collected out of holy scripture Thou shall not steale If thou lendest thy mony to my people which are among you in miserie doe not oppresse them neither put Usurie vppon them If thy brother bee waxed poore and fallen into decaye with thee thou shalt releeue hym both the straunger and the soiorner that hee may liue with thee And thou shalt take no Vsurie of hym or vantage but thou shalt feare thy God that thy brother may liue with thee Thou shalt not giue hym thy Money vppon Vsurie nor lende hym thy corne for encrease Thou shalt not hurt thy brother by vsurie of Money nor by vsurie of Corne nor by vsury of any thing that he may be hurt withall He that lendeth vpon vsurie and taketh ouerplus shall this man liue He shall not liue He that hath giuen his money to Vsurie shall not dwell in the tabernacle of the Lorde nor rest vpon his holie hill Lend looking for nothyng therby When he saith lend he biddeth not to giue but hee would haue the principall to bee restored But he doth forbid that any thyng should be exacted more than was lent And yet borowyng in extreme necessitie the thyng borrowed should be repaied Let not couetousnes bee once named among you as it becometh sainctes Couetousnes of Money is the roote of all euill These euident and plaine testimonies not onely of the olde but also of the new Testament drawen out of the most cleare fountaines of Israell and witnisyng of the pleasure of God doe approue to all men that Vsurie is forbidden of God and therefore vnlawfull ¶ The 4. Chapter What kinde of synne Vsurie is
same The Aunswere Vsurie is not à thing politike but diuilish Therefore we must distinguish betweene pollicies They whiche remaine in the ordinaunce of God of them I graunte but they which swarue from the ordinance of God in them I vtterlie denie the Maior For the inferior hath no auctoritie ouer the superiour Now the magistrate is inferior to God because he is the minister of God Ro. 13. Therefore he can ordaine allowe or appointe nothing contrarie to God neither is any lawe of his contrary to God or his woorde of any auctoritie as Symachus the Pope said very well It is not lawfull for the Emperour or for anie godlie man to presume any thing against the commaundements of God neither to doe any thing which may repugne to the rules of the Euangelistes Prophetes or Apostles And in the Actes cap. 5. It is better to obeie God than man. Now I denie the Minor Because the allowyng by Ciuile magistrates is not to bee vnderstoode of Vsurie which all lawes doe finde fault withall but of the contract of redemption If any are not satisfied with this our aunswere those I refer to the reading of Sessions of the Empire where no Vsurie in bare lending for bare curtesie of lendyng can be proued and to the Centuries of the famous Lawier Hierome Schurffius in them à notable confirmation of this our opinion may easely be founde Therefore haue I thought good to mention the Centuries of so excellent à man lest Vsurers might thinke vs altogether ignoraunt of the Lawe though we haue in this our booke alledged but little out of the Lawes whiche is doen vpon singular consideration not for lacke of habilitie For to what ende should testimonies of another facultie be brought forth when our owne hath both their and mutche stronger proofe 2. Obiection Whatsoeuer by custome à long tyme hath been confirmed that is to be counted for à lawe The exaction of Usurie by custome à greate space of tyme hath been receiued and vsed Therefore it is to be accounted for à lawe The Aunswere This is à fallacie called according to no cause as à cause For custome though it be verie olde if it be contrarie to Gods worde cannot be the cause of a lawfull action For as à law not agreable to the worde of God or lawe of nature is to be taken away and condemned so wicked custome contrarie to the lawe of nature and word of God may and ought to bee counted not for à law but for á destruction ouerthrowe and infection of honest lawes And therefore with good cause to be taken awaie and abolished for custome cannot ouerthrowe the eternall and immutable will of God. Hetherto doth that of Augustine belong In vaine sayth hee do some being ouercome by reason obiect custome vnto vs as though custome were greater than the truth or that in spirituall thinges that should not bee followed whiche is better reuealed by the holy ghost This is also repeated in the decrees 3. Obiection Whosoeuer for the bare curtesie of lending doth exact more than the principall they are subiect to the wrathe of God and eternall damnation The greater parte of men for the bare curtesie of lending exact more than they lent Therefore the greater parte of men is subiect to the wrath of God and eternall damnation The Aunswere I graunt the whole argument Because the multitude of heretikes is no defence for the errour Whiche thing the Ethnikes also did vnderstande as Plato saide Wee must iudge by the truth and not by the multitude For as in building the Rule is not to bee laide to the stone but the stone to the Rule so the woorde of God is not to bee brought to the corrupt opinions of man in excusation of synne but rather all our actions are to be directed according to the rule of Gods word thereby to retaine a good conscience and to escape punishment A learned man saith We must not respect what the multitude or the world doth but rather what is right and what the multitude should doe 4. Obiection Perils are to be auoided Lending is ioined with daunger of leasing the principall Therefore if I lend not I shall auoide that perill The Aunswere I aūswere to the Maior Perils are to be distinguished For some be rashe which may and ought to be auoided with a good conscience For God will haue vs to flie and to feare them Others are necessarie which God wil haue vs to come into and with à good conscience cannot be auoided as are the perils of our callinges and religion c. And such is this daunger by lending and therefore neither ought the same neither can bee altogether shunned For although Ciuile ordinances compell no man to lend yet the commaundement of God the loue of our neighbour the rewarde whiche God hath promised for the same both ought and can driue euery honest man to lende to the needy and to succour the oppressed and that cherefully and freelie without hope of gaine or condition of recompence But if anie be such an atheist that he waieth not the commaundementes of God so hard harted that no sparkle of the lawe of nature or of Christian Charitie or of brotherly affection can appeare in hym or at à worde so frantitike by à diuilish madnes that he imagineth the promises of God to be but à vaine word him without many wordes we commit to the iuste iudgement of God. 5. Obiection Ingratitude is to be shunned He which borroweth gaineth by the money which is lente hym Therefore is he bounde to giue Vsury for the declaration of his gratefull minde towarde the lender if he will auoyd the odious name of an vngratefull person The Aunswere The minor is not generallie or alwaies true For certaine it is that in all dealinges commonlie gaine is ioyned with losse Now if you desire to participate of the gaine it is necessarie that you take an equall parte of the losse if any thing hath been or is receiued vppon your selfe But for that you onelie desire to get and will sustaine no losse if any be receiued neither yet will forgiue any of the principall though the borrower come to extreme pouertie you may perceaue that your wordes haue a poysoned purpose though they be adorned with a faire shewe A gaine what kinde of loue is it not to pleasure thy neighbour frankely without gaines because thereby hee reapeth some commoditie when certainlie thou oughtest to helpe thy neighbour not thereby to augment but to aswage his miserie 6. Obiection Those thinges whiche God hath not forbidden we may salfely doe without hurt of conscience To take Usurie of ritche men God hath not forbidden Therfore of them lawfullie without hurt of conscience we may exact Vsurie for our lending The Aunswere I denic the minor For it is plainly said Luke 6. Lend looking for nothing thereby If they be ritch
idlenes vnto vs. But lest any man should through ignorance doubt whether his calling be good or no I will in fewe wordes declare what is necessarie to à lawfull calling Two thinges generally are to be considered to wit the kynd of calling and the discharge of the same Touchyng the kinde of callyng this rule is to be kept in minde Euerie calling or office making to the maintenaunce or furnishing of the states ordained of God as are the state of à Commonweale of an Householde and of the Church are commaunded in the first and fourth Commaundement as is the calling of Ministers of Magistrates of Officers vnder Magistrates of Householders of Artificers of Merchauntes breefly all callinges whiche serue to the good ordering of the Churche of an householde or Commonweale are both in themselues good and also commendable in sutch as lawfullie are in them And although it be free for euerie man to chuse the kinde of life whereunto he feeleth hymself inclined yet ought we to make à difference betweene à callyng priuate and à publike calling Vnto a publike office we must come by ordinarie calling For no man should take vpon him à publike office either in the Churche or Commonweale vnlesse he be called thereunto by ordinarie auctority he which doth otherwise sinneth against God and is without all comforte of the holy spirite in tyme of persecution Wherfore let euery good man beware that he rush not into any publike office without lawfull callyng The priuate callyng any man as him liketh may chuse although in thys also the good counsaile of Parentes ought not to be contemned He may be à Merchaunt an Husbandman an Artificer accordyng to his fancie idle he may not be if he be à Christian. In the discharge of the office or callyng many thinges are to be considered Firste faith and charitie should be the rules of all our dealinges Faith is wary of displeasing God and doth referre all thinges to his glory charitie warneth that no man bee iniuried but profited Faith defireth God to be an assister charitie maketh vs to loue our neighbour in the Lorde Faithe keepeth à worker in the feare of God Charitie keepeth the same man in the loue of his neighbour Thus if a man labouring vprightly in his lawfull calling beecome ritche through the blessyng of God he ought singularlie too foresee that his ritches become not snares and thornes vnto him through his owne sinne For welthy mē haue instrumentes both to vertue and wickednes according to their disposition Wherfore à godly man should first of all knowe how his minde should bee affected in his welth And this may notably be learned out of the wordes of Dauid and of Paule Dauid saieth If ritches abound set not your hartes thereon ▪ and Paule saieth Charge the ritch men in this world that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine ritches but in the liuyng Lorde These two sentences put vs in mynd both of the mind of the ritch and of the vse of ritches The mind should not be altogether giuen to ritches to couetousnes neither ought à Christian to measure his happines by the deceiptfull measure of ritches but ought to vse them rightly lest he lay snares for his owne destruction Now when the minde is thus affected towardes ritches it will haue à care by and by how to vse the ritches wel which God hath giuen Wherfore I will adioine hereunto somwhat of the lawful vse of ritches ¶ The 2. Chapter Of the lawfull vse of ritches Ischomachus as it is 〈…〉 Xenophon being asked what was the lawfull vse of Ritches aunswered on this manner I ought with my Ritches to honour the Gods mightelie to succour my friendes in extremitie and not too suffer the glory of my countrey to be defaced if I may aduaunce the same This man ignorant of true religiun maketh à threefolde vse of ritches One parte he ascribeth to the seruice of God another to the succurring of his freindes in pouertie and the thirde to the setting forth and adornyng of his countrie And although this aunswere of the prophane Philosopher be good and commendable yet somewhat more distinctly I will shewe the true vse of ritches which is fourfold The firste and principall vse of ritches should bee to maintaine religion and to set forthe the glorie of god This vse is confirmed by the ende of mans creation For man was at the first made and afterwarde regenerated by the holy ghoste to glorifie god And therfore whatsoeuer giftes we haue we should refer them especiallie to this ende of our creation Here many beyng miserably seduced offend For some there be which giue nothing at al to the maintenance of the ministerie Others doe wickedly plucke away that whiche deuoutly was giuen to the seruice of god And others with their ritches encrease the power of tyrans to the oppressyng of the Churche and abolishyng of Religion Which men had been in muche better case if they had neuer been borne For their portion shal be with Sathan whose members they are Therefore à godly man which is blessed with ritches in this world should consider the ende of his creation and bestowe a parte of his goodes to this ende that God may be glorified and true religion maintained Let hym set before his eyes the examples of godly men as of Dauid Iosias Ezechias Constantinus Theodosius c. and other good princes godly men whose desire was in nothing so muche as in aduauncing the glorie of God helping preachers and religious men maintainyng scholes and good priuileges defendyng the teachers of godlines against the crueltie of the wicked The seconde vse of ritches ought to bee to adorne the Commonweales wherein wee are accordyng to our habilitie For this cause tributes are appointed that by them as it were by senewes the bodie of the whole state maie bee strengthened But here twoo sortes of men doe greatly offende One sorte are some greate men whiche in the tyme of peace when any thyng is to be paied for the vse of the Common-weale craftily slippe their owne neckes out of the collor make the poorer sorte to smarte for it by paiyng more than oftentymes they well can spare The other bee suche as not contente with ordinarie paiementes put newe exactions vppon their Subiectes which are condemned by the testimonie of Ihon Baptist because they brynge not forthe the fruites of repentance Christ saieth Geue vnto Caesar the thinges whiche are Caesars and giue vnto GOD those thynges whiche are Gods. But let Caesar knowe that there is a certaine rule whiche the Lawes doe prescribe vnto hym Which if he shall breake he is subiecte to the wrath of god But you will saie is it not lawfull therefore for à Magistrate sometyme to exacte somethyng of his people besides the ordinarie taxe Wee must put a difference betwene the tyme of warre and
the seruice of God addicte them selues wholie to synfull gaine For what is it I beseche you if by Vsurie you attaine to the riches of Cresus and yet loose your soules O peruerse opinion Thou haste a marueilous care of this life whiche God knoweth is but shorte but of the life to come whiche is euerlastyng thou haste no care at all I therefore if myne admonition maie dooe any good earnestly beseeche you and as many as thinke there is a righteous God and beleue that a daie of iudgement will come and certainlie perswade themselues of an other life after the leauyng of this that thei will with speede repente that when the Lorde shall come on the sodaine beefore they are aware he maie finde them apparailed with the weddyng garment not with a Diuels weede procured by Vsurie The Ecclesiasticall punishement of Vsurers in olde tyme was this Firste thei were reiected from the solemne Ceremonie of the offeryng Secondlie thei were barred from receiuyng the holie Communion Thirdlie they were excluded out of Christian buriall Which penalties though thei seemed verie greeuous yet were thei verie necessarie For firste as touchyng the Ceremonie of the offeryng or almes to the vse of the Ministers of the Gospell and relief of the poore it is to be knowen that almes receiued of Vsurers is abhominable before god For no Sacrifice and liberalitie rightlie conferred vppon the poore is à kinde of sacrifice can please God but suche as are well gotten and procede from à pure mynde and liuelie saithe For this is moste true that no woorke of man can please God before the mynde dooeth please hym And the mynde cannot please excepte firste by the Spirite of Faithe it humble it self before god And this is confirmed by the saiyng of Esaie To hym will I looke saieth the Lorde whiche is humble and of à lowlie spirite and doeth tremble at my woordes To kill an Oxe without humilitie of spirite is no better than to slaie a man To sacrifice à Sheepe as to cutte à Dogges throate By these to speake in à woord the Prophet doeth signifie that all thinges are vncleane to the vncleane and that nothyng can please God whiche proceadeth not from the feare of hym and is iustly doen of à righteous man. Secondlie the barryng of Vsurers from the holie Supper of the Lorde was grounded vppoÌ„ good reason For what portion haue swine in the body and blod of Christ what haue they to do with the bread of sonnes whiche are bondslaues to Sathan Giue not saieth the Lord that which is holy vnto dogs Cast not Pearls afore swine What I pray you haue they to doe at the table of the Lorde whiche beyng fat with the foode of Sathan that is with Vsurie are euer lustie And therefore these Ministers of God whiche knowing them to bee Vsurers will giue the most blessed bodie and blood of the Lord vnto them doe not only wickedly communicate in their synnes and thereby shall receiue sutch punishment as they doe but also as much as in them is they cast the bodie and blood of our sauiour into à most filthy and detestable sinke for which let them bee assured they shall receiue eternall tormentes in hell Finally the punishment of buriall was verie wisely appointed by our forefathers And that shal he perceiue that will consider the cause wherefore we honour the bodies of good menne with an honest pompe at their buriall But what is that cause The hope of à glorious resurrection For it is meete that suche bodies bee in semelie maner buried which in tyme we hope shall be conformed after the glorious bodie of our Sauiour Christe For in beholdyng the bodies of good men committed too the graue wee lifte vp our myndes too hym whiche one daie after the sounde of the Archangel shall saie Arise ye deade And beeyng risen shall beautifie them with immortall glorie But now seeyng the vngodlie among whom are Vsurers as cheefe and the stipendaries of Sathan firste of all shall rise againe as Daniel witnesseth to shame and eâ—erlastyng confusion what good-man can iudge them worthie to haue buriall like the Sainctes of God In the 15. Psalme hee is noÌ„bred amoÌ„g the godly â–ª Whom his eyes despâ—seth a vile persone and honoureth them that feare the Lorde How therefore can be cause hym to bee buried in à christian and honourable buriall whom he doeth abhoâ—re Iereâ—te foretelleth that à Tyran shal bee buried with the buriall of an Asse and that by the iuste iudgement of God What shall wee decree by the same woorde of God concernyng Vsurers whiche are more cruell than any Tyrannes ¶ The 10. Chapter The obiections whiche Vsurers alledge for them selues BVT what haue I doen what enemies haue I gotten Who will not speake against this seuere discipline of the Churche Who will not find gloses to colour their vsury Many will saie through the suggestion of Sathan their Schoolemaister whiche deceiued our firste parentes that the Lawe of Moses hath long since by the commyng of Christe been cut of abrogated and put awaie and doeth nothyng at all pertaine to the people of God whiche are at libertie and discharged quite from the commaundementes of Moses These maie seme to bee plausible woordes but sure thei are horrible to à good conscience For thei whiche paint their couetuousnesse vnder this colour beeyng deceiued by their domestical Eue their corrupt Nature whiche was miserablie seduced by Sathan wilfully destroy them selues and by their owne Sophistrie are deceiued For thei doe not rightlie consider the commauÌ„dement of Moses neither doe thei as it would beseme them reduce the prohibition of Vsurie to the Lawe of Charitie whiche if thei would thei should plainly perceiue that if Vsurie be established Charity is banished whiche God will haue to continue for euer Now therfore in asmuche as Charitie neither in this life nor hereafter shal bee put awaie as muche as pertaineth too the precept and will of God and obedience euermore due to the same who seeth not that Vsurie whiche is cleane contrarie to Charitie is condemned But for aunswere this shall suffice and the rather because aboue Cap. 8. entreatyng of the causes wherefore Vsurie is vnlawfull wee handeled this matter And therefore without all controuersie thei shal be verie naked whiche bring this leafe to hide their filthinesse But they will perhaps except againe and saye No iniurie is doen to hym that is willing Hee whiche humblie doth request to borrowe mony of an Vsurer doth promise to paye Vsurie not compelled thereunto but of his owne accorde and therefore the Vsurer whiche helpeth sutche à man can not bee saide too violate the Lawe of Charitie The principle from whence this reason is taken is doubtfull because it respecteth two meaninges whereof one is true and the other falle For euerie will is not voluntarie and of it selfe as it may be easely confirmed by examples A