in the day of judgement shall say Lord Lord haue not we prophecied in thy name and cast our diuels in thy name and done many great workes in thy name to whom the Lord shall answere I neuer knew you depart from mee you workers of iniquitie Call to mind the fiue foolish virgins who hauing lampes but no oyle were excluded If therefore we would not depart ashamed from our Sauiour Christ at his comming wishing the mountaines to fall vpon vs and to couer vs from his sight but would stand before the sonne of man with comfort let vs endeuour to approoue our selues in the meane time to Christ our judge walking before him in vprightnesse of heart and so demeaning our selues as those who thinke that of their most secret thoughts words and deeds there must an account be giuen to God who searcheth the heart and trieth the reines that he may giue euery man according to his waies and according to the fruit of his workes Fourthly and lastly let vs follow the aduise of Salomon Prou. 4. Aboue all obseruation to keepe our heart For the heart as it is the fountaine of life so of liuing well or ill from whence all our speeches and actions as it were streames doe flow and proceed Those things which come out of the mouth sayth our Sauiour Christ come from the heart For out of the heart come euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefâ—s false testimonies slaunders And againe The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth â—oorth good things and the euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and also the hand worketh If therefore we desire that our actions and speeches may bee good and pure wee must first haue our hearts purified by a true faith that so our loue and obedience may flow from a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained For it cannot be that the streames of our actions should be good and sincere if the fountaine of our heart be corrupt Wherefore in reforming our liues our first and chiefe care must be for the purging of our hearts as our Sauior Christ admonisheth Mat. 23. Cleanse first saith he the inside of the cup and platter that the outside of them may be cleane also And Iames Purge your heart you double minded saith he and not your hands onely For what will it auaile vs to drie vp the streames whiles the fountaine springeth or to lop off the boughs whiles the body and root doe remaine vntouched Surely if with Amaziah we shall doe those things which be right but not with an vpright heart we shall fall away as he did If with Simon Magus we professe our selues to beleeue and joyne our selues to the Saints of God notwithstanding we may be as he was in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie if our heart be not vpright within vs. This neglect of the heart is the cause of all hypocrisie making men double minded bearing as wee say two faces vnder a hood Wherby it commeth to passe that the most glorious professours sometimes become like to Summer fruit which many times being faire and mellow on the outside is rotten at the core Now that we may the rather be stirred vp to a diligent obseruation of our heart we are briefely to consider these two things First that the heart of man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things and therefore cannot sufficiently be watched And secondly that such as is the qualitie of the heart such is the qualitie of the man in the estimation of God Hetherto we haue spoken of integritie as it is referred vnto God it followeth now that wee should intreat thereof as it hath reference vnto men For as wee must walke before God in truth and sinceritie without hypocrisie so must we haue our conuersation among men in simplicitie and singlenesse of heart without dissembling or guile For euen in our conuersation among men wee are to haue God alwayes before our eyes that as in his presence and sight wee may in singlenesse of heart performe such duties as we owe vnto men For howsoeuer simplicitie is accounted folly in the world and worldly wisedome consisting of dissimulation and deceit be euery where extolled yet if we would be esteemed citisens of heauen and pilgrims on earth it behooueth vs to bee fooles in the world that we may become truly wise as the Apostle exhorteth 1. Cor. 3. Let no man deceiue himselfe If any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God Not that I would haue simple men to be fooles but that wise men ought to be simple For true wisdome is tempered with the simplicitie of doues And that wisedome which is from aboue is pure and without hypocrisie Whereas on the other side the wisedome of the world consisting of dissimulation and deceit is by the censure of S. Iames earthly carnall and diuellisâ— It is true indeed that in the world simplicitie is deemed folly and simple men are accounted as idiots and innocent men esteemed fools For such a generall wickednesse hath possessed the minds of most men that now adayes no man is called innocent but such as want wit to doe euill And contrariwise that mixed prudence is commended in the world which is â—oyned with hâ—pocrisie and deceit Which notwithstanding it were easie for any man to attain vnto who makes no conscience of dissembling lying facing sweaâ—ing forswearing But in the Scriptures simplicitie is both commended and commaunded as a note of the citisen of heauen without which there is no entrance for a man into the kingdome of God Christ commaundeth his followers to be wise indeed as serpents but withall to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is simple or sincere without any mixture of guile as doues are without gall And likewise Paule would haue vs wise vnto that which is good but simple vnto euill In regard hereof the primitiue Church Act. 2. is highly commended that they conuersed together in singlenesse of heart and herein especially the Apostle glorieth 2. Cor. 1. That in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in flesâ—ly wisedome he had had his conuersation in the world And no maruell for it is the note of a true Israelite to be without guile and such the holy ghost pronounceth blessed Christ our Sauiour in respect of this simplicitie is called a lambe and those that will be his followers must not be foxes or wolues but as they are called in the Scriptures sheepe following the steps of our Sauiour Christ who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth And hereunto let vs adde the testimonie of the holy ghost in this place affirming That those which shall
person or by a more ciuill honest man who is void of faith of religion of the loue and feare of God although materially they be good yet are they euill as they proceed from him For whiles the tree is euill the fruit cannot be good whiles the person is not accepted as just in Christ as none but the faithfull are his actions cannot be acceptable for without faith it is impossible to please God And this is that which the Apostle saith that the end and consummation of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnsained In respect of the manner our good workes must be performed vprightly not in hypocrisie and dissimulation otherwise it is vnfained and counterfeit For though we doe that which is right yet if we doe it not with an vpright heart we doe it not rightly neither can we be sayd to worke righteousnesse In respect of the end we are to perfome good workes that by the discharge of our duty God may be glorified But if our end be to be seene of men if to win praise and glorie to our selues if to merit of God and as it were to bridle him by our good deed all our workes though neuer so glorious in the eyes of the world yet are they splendida peccata that is to say glorious sinnes To this purpose we are to remember that we are to worship God not onely in holinesse but in righteousnesse also and we worship him in righteousnesse when as in a sincere obedience to God we seeke by performing the duties of righteousnesse to our brother to glorifie God From this note therefore of Gods children we distinguish the seeming good workes first of infidels without the Church or of more naturall men within because there can be no true righteousnesse or loue of men without faith pietie and loue of God Secondly of hypocrâ—tes and dissemblers who do no good but for sinister and by-respects and therefore their righteousnesse being hypocrisie is double injustice Lastly of all Pharisaicall and Popish justiciaries who by their good workes thinke such is their Satanicall pride to make God beholding vnto them and to merit heauen to themselues most sacrilegiously injuriously vnto Christ our Sauiour placing the matter of their justification and the merit of their saluation in themselues In a word that is no true righteousnesse which is seuered from holinesse neither is that a worke of righteousnesse which is not a righteous worke rightly done as that is not which is done in hypocrisie or to an ill end He therefore vndoubtedly is the sonne and heire of God who professing the true faith laboureth to demonstrat his faith by good works his faith working by loue and his loue proceeding from faith vnfained who in vpright obedience towards God seeketh by the exercise of righteousnesse and discharge of his dutie towards his neighbour to glorifie God The third note of the child God is Truth which the holy ghost expresseth in these words and speaketh the truth in his heart Which words sayth Augustine are not thus to be vnderstood as though keeping the truth in the heart we should vtter vntruth with our mouth But the holy ghost vseth this phrase of speech because a man may with his mouth vtter the truth which will nothing auaile him if he hold not the same in his heart Wherefore although this phrase of speaking the truth in his heart seeme somewhat harsh notwithstanding if it be rightly vnderstood it doth more fully expresse the disposition of a man which is addicted to the truth than if it had been said from the heart Thus therefore I read who speaketh the truth which is in his hâ—rt that is who vttereth with his tongue the truth which he hath conceiued in his mind For that we may be vcraces that is speakers of the truth there is a double conformitie or agreement required which is here expressed the one of the speech with the mind namely that we should speak as we thinke the other of the mind with the thing it selfe namely that wee should conceiue in our mind according to the truth of the matter For as the rule and measure of truth in words is the agreement of them with our thoughts so the rule and measure of truth in our thoughts is the agreement thereof with the things themselues It is true indeed that in some sciences either agreement alone sufficeth vnto the truth as in morall philosophy he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speaker of the truth who speaketh as he thinketh although perhaps he thinketh otherwise than the thing it selfe is And in Logicke he is said to speake the truth who speaketh as the thing is although perhaps he thinketh otherwise But in diuinitie both as I said is required Neither can we be said if either be wanting to be veraces that is such as speake the truth which is in our heart for he which deliuereth an vntruth supposing it to bee true howsoeuer hee bee free from the vanitie of lying yet he cannot be said to bee a speaker of the truth for in his mouth he vttereth an vntruth though in his heart he be well affected to the truth Contrariwise he that speaketh the truth which he thinketh to be false he is a lyar though he speake the truth because he hath truth in his mouth but not in his heart Such a one therefore because hee speaketh with an heart and an heart may not vnworthily be said to lie For mentâ—ri est contra mentemire to lie is to speake otherwise than a man thinketh Wherefore that a man may bee said to speake the truth which is in heart there is a double agreement required the one of the tongue with the mind the other of the mind with the things themselues And to this double conformitie in speaking the truth there is opposed a double falshood namely when a man speaketh either that which is false or falsely He speaketh that which is false who speaketh otherwise than the thing is whether he thinkes it to be so or otherwise He speaketh falsely who speaketh otherwise than hee thinketh He which speaketh a falshood supposing it to be true is not so much to be blamed for lying as for vnaduifednesse and rashnesse For we ought to be sure of those things which we affirme But he which either speaketh that which hee knoweth to bee false or speaketh that which is true falsely that is animo fallendi with a purpose to deceiue as the diuell sometimes doth he is a lyar neither can you easily determine whether is in the greater fault for as the one hath lesse truth in his mouth so the other hath more deceit in his heart Now that the loue of the truth and likewise the detestation of falshood is to be reckoned among the notes of Gods children it is testified not onely in this place but also elsewhere in the Scriptures Zeph. 3. The remnant of Israell that is
not commaund diuorces for so he should haue bene contrarie to himselfe but to such as could not bee got to retaine their wiues hee commaunded them to giue their wiues a bill of diuorcement that prouision might be made for them against their husbands crueltie and yet for all that they which put away their wiues ceassed not to be adulterers before God So say I againe The lawes of men do not commaund nor allow vsurie For so should they be contrarie to the lawes of God and yet to them who cannot be got to lend freely they permit to lend vpon vsurie so as they do not exceed such a stint that prouision might be made for men that be in need both that they might borrow and also that when they must needs borrow they should not be too much oppreâ—â—ed And yet for all this as he was an adulterer that put away his wife vnlesse it were for the crime of adulterie as our Sauior there proueth so is he guiltie of theft before God who practiseth vsurie though it be permitted by men But as I sayd our law doth not permit vsury as men commonly imagine but is as well contriued considering the iniquitie of the times as could almost be wished Onely these two things I desire may be now considered of in parliament First whether it were not more behoofefull for the common weale if vsurie were stinted at six rather than at ten in the hundred or rather that all vsurie being forbidden men should be allowed to vse in steed thereof the contract of redemption in that manner which before I approued buying a rent after fiue as in Germanie or because of our greater vse of money in traffique by reason of our more commodious nauigation after six in the hundred or more if more be thought more equall with a couenant of redemption in the behalfe of the borrower or rather seller if he desire it For first it may seeme vnreasonable that wheras of an hundred pounds worth of land which is fruitfull by nature a man can hardly raise a rent of fiue or six pounds a yeare an hundred pounds in money which hath in it selfe no fruitfull vse should without his paines cost or hazard yeeld him ten pounds a yeare Secondly it would in mine opinion be a notable meanes to diminish the number of vsurers and also to ease both the borrowers in particuler of oppression and the common wealth in generall of that great burden of vsurie whereof I spake before And thirdly it would be a meanes to preuent both the vsuall committing of this sinne and also the punishment which God hath threatned for the same The second thing which I desire may be considered of is the permission of vsurie in the behalfe of orphanes For if it be simply euill it cannot bee good in them neither can the respect had of them make it good in others And it is a principle in Diuinitie Euill may not be done that good may come thereof Augustine giueth this charge which afterwards was placed among the canons of the law That men should not lend vpon vsurie though they would giue that which is gotten by vsurie as almes to the poore And Chrysostome when some made this excuse I lent indeed vpon vsurie but that which I gained thereby I gaue to the poore he sayth plainely that God doth not accept such sacrifices and addeth that it were better not to giue to the poore than so to giue It is a good rule in the Canon law if one cannot be relieued without another be hurt it were better neither should be holpen than either wronged Charitie as it rejoyceth in the truth so also in justice and therefore whatsoeuer is vnjust and against the law of God it cannot be charitable Neither doth charitie require that I should sinne to do another man good or to cast away my soule by sinne though it were to saue another mans life For he that shall be saued doth not put forth his money to vsurie and he that doth shall he liue saith the Lord he shall not liue but he shal die the death Wherefore vsurie being simply euill and generally forbidden in the word of God it cannot in any case be exercised with a good conscience You will say then What shall become of Orphanes if they may not be maintained with the increase of their stocke but be forced to liue vpon their stocke and so to spend it Answer You might better aske what shall become of those Orphanes who haue no stocke for whom notwithstanding the Lord doth graciously prouide according to his mercifull promises I answer therefore that orphanes and widowes haue a notable priuiledge of diuerse gracious promises peculiarly made to them Let them therfore or their friends for them depend vpon the gracious prouidence and promises of God in the vse of lawfull meanes Let them either imploy their goods in some honest trade or negotiation wherein they haue as good cause to expect a blessing from God as any other or let them deale by partnership or if other meanes faile let annuities be bought for their liues or lands or rents purchased for euer or let some other honest course be tataken which wise men can easily deuise if they list how orphanes may be maintained without impairing of their stocke Againe if any man to make good the former objection concerning the profitablenesse of vsurie to common weales shall alledge as some haue done that the ciuile law alloweth thereof and doth not onely permit but authorise vsurie according to the rates aforesaid I answer that by the law it selfe it euidently appeareth that it doth not allow it as good but permit it as euill for the auoiding of greater inconueniences and permit it with a threefold restraint The first in respect of the quantitie for the law stinteth the merchants vsurie at eight the gentlemens and noblemens vsurie at foure and the vsury of other men at six in the hundred The second restraint is in respect of the continuance For the ciuile law prouideth that when the vsurie which in the continuance of the loane hath bene paid already doth amount to as great a summe as the principall it selfe that then it shall ceasse and whatsoeuer is paid afterwards should be reckoned in the principall As for example ten in the hundred do match the principall in ten yeares after which time no more vse is to be payd or if any be payd it is to be abated in the principall The third restraint is in respect of the compound vsurie which is called vsurie of vsurie for that is absolutely forbidden by the ciuile law Which two latter restraints doe also prooue that vsurie by the ciuile law is judged a thing euill in it selfe For if vsurie of ten in the hundred be lawfull for ten years together why not for the eleuenth and twelfth c. the principall being still forborne and if the vsurie of the principall be lawfull the
worthie and learned men in this age the testimonies of all the learned in former ages both Christian and heathen the censures of Councels the authoritie of the word of God Now if the conscience of any be not clearly conuicted by the euidence of truth which I haue deliuered concerning the vnlawfulnesse of vsurie I will for their sakes add a further consideration whereby it shall appeare that although we were not sure that vsurie is vnlawfull yet it cannot be practised with a good conscience First because it cannot be done in faith that is to say in a sound persuasion out of the word of God that it is lawfull and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Wherefore if thou doest but doubt of the lawfulnesse of vsurie thou art to abstaine from it being well assured that this is the safer course for men are not to doe that which they doubt of but euer in doubtfull things they must chuse the safer way But it is to be feared that many vsurers do not only doubt of the lawfulnesse of vsurie but euen in their own consciences condemne it and yet against their conscience doe practise it for they had rather be vsurers than seeme so Yea they account it a reproch to be called an vsurer and although they practise the thing yet they auoid the name and in stead of vsurie vse these names vse vsance consideration interest and as they auoid the name so many times they cloke the thing it selfe with diuerse other pretences as hath beene shewed Againe vsurie is a very odious thing and of ill report the very heathen by the light of nature detest it Tully sayth such gaines are to be misliked which are odious as namely that of vsurers Columella sayth That vsurie is odious euen to those whom it seemeth to helpe Aristotle saith it is hated most worthily for as Plautus well saith There is no worse kind of men this day or that deale with lesse right than the vsurers Alexander ab Alexandro reporteth in detestation of vsurie that very many nations did so abhorre it that whereas they punished a theefe twofold they punished an vsurer fourefold As for Christians vsurie in auntient time was so odious among them that if any were but suspected to be an vsurer his house was counted the house of the diuell no neighbour would fetch fire at his house or haue any thing to doe with him children would point at him in the streets yea by the laws of Christians they are diffamed persons The scriptures as you haue heard censure vsurie as an abhomination that is as a sinne to be abhorred And Psal. 109. 11 the holy ghost vseth this interpretation against the wicked Let the exactour meaning thereby the vsurer as all translations almost besides some English doe read ensnare all that he hath Whereby it may be gathered both that to be an vsurer is an odious thing and that it is a curse to fall into his snare Now the Scriptures teach vs that we should doe such things as are honest and of good report prouiding for honest things not onely before God but also before men abstaining from all shewes of euill Seeing therefore vsurie is and alwayes hath beene a thing so odious and of so bad report no Christian can practise it with a good conscience And thus I hope this question of vsurie is sufficiently decided Now let vs consider what vse this doctrine affordeth which briefely is thus much that seeing vsurie is so detestable a sinne as hath beene shewed we should therefore take great heed that we be not guiltie thereof either as principals or as accessaries The former vse concerneth either those who haue not as yet beene attainted with this sinne or those that haue practised it Those who haue not defiled themselues with this vnjust gaine are taught to confirme their resolution of abstaining from vsurie and the rather seeing the holy ghost in this place maketh it a note of a sound Christian and citisen of heauen As for those who haue practised this sinne their dutie is to repent thereof whereunto they may be mooued by this argument Those that shall dwell in the mountaine Gods holinesse are such as doe not put forth their money to vsurie Thou say I to him that is an vsurer puttest forth thy money to vsurie therefore thou shalt not dwell in the mountaine of Gods holinesse namely vnlesse thou repent And againe Ezech. 18 He that putteth foorth to vsurie and taketh increase he shall not liue but die the death viz. vnlesse he repent and turne from his wickednesse for that condition is to be vnderstood by warrant of the Lords owne exposition Ezech. 35. 14 15 When I shall say to the wicked as he sayth to the vsurer chap. 18. 13 Thou shalt die the death if he turne from his sinne and doe that which is lawfull and right to wit if the wicked restore the pledge and giue againe that he had robbed and walke in the statutes of life without committing iniquitie he shall surely liue and not die Now vnto repentance besides the inward loathing of the sinne and sorrow conceiued for it is required as that testimonie out of Ezech. 33. 14 15 plainely sheweth both a desisting from the practise of vsurie and a restitution of that which hath beene gotten by vsurie with the harme of others For the first it is the expresse commaundement of God by the Apostle Eph. 4. 28 Let him that stole steale no more and by Nehemiah more particularly in this case of vsurie chap. 5. 10 Let vs cease from this burthen meaning vsurie forsaking of sinne accompanieth forgiuing of sinne He that confesseth his sinne and forsaketh it shall haue mercie Prou. 28. 13. Neither may we thinke that God remitteth those sinnes which we our selues retaine But this point needeth no proofe If vsurie be a sinne and we guiltie of it our conscience telling vs that it is a sinne we cannot be saued except this sinne be forgiuen vs and it will neuer be forgiuen of God vnlesse also it be forsaken of vs. Now vpon this forsaking of sinne will follow the second dutie of repentance namely restitution as a necessarie consequent thereof Which restitution whosoeuer maketh not being able to restore he neither hath vnfained repentance for this sinne nor any sound assurance of the forgiuenesse thereof He hath not repentance for he doth not forsake the sinne of theft and vsurie that continueth in it and he continueth therein that doth not make restitution For so oft as a man remembreth that whatsoeuer he hath vnjustly gotten by vsurie or any other kind of theft to the damnifying of others is not his owne but theirs whom he hath wronged and yet refuseth being able to restore the same so often he committeth theft Therefore Augustine sayth That men doe repent indeed but counterfeit repentance if when they are able to restore other mens goods wherein they haue offended
the Lord hath ordained the judgement seat to be a rocke of defence and refuge for the innocent and guiltlesse they haue made it an hill of robbers Thirdly because they haue not onely set judgement and justice to sale which is an abhominable practise but also as the Prophet Amos speaketh They sell the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes Such judges Demosthenes compared to a paire of scoles which alwaies incline on that side whence they haue receiued any thing And surely a small weight many times will make them to incline to the wicked who seeketh to corrupt them and to decline from right Prou. 28. 21 To haue respect of persons it is not good for that man will transgresse for a piece of bread It were therefore to be wished that justice and judges now adaies were such as they were wont to be painted for justice was blindfolded and judges were pictured without hands whereby was signified that judges should not receiue rewards nor respect persons which is commonly a consequent of rewards Vpon the greatnesse of this offence followeth the third thing namely that is is pernicious to them that vse it for therefore doth the holy ghost denounce a feareful woe against such persons Esay 5. 23. Woe be to them which iustiâ—ie the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him therefore as the flame of fire deuoureth the stubble and as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so their root shall be as rottenness c. But it is onely pernicious to themselues but also to the countrey wherein they liue as I haue in generall shewed Ezek. 22. 12. and thereunto wee may adde the testimonie of the Prophet Micah chap. 3. 11 12. for when as hee had said that the heads or princes of Ierusalem did judge for rewards and the priests did teach for hire he inferreth Therefore shall Sion for your sake be ploughed as a field and Ierusalem shall be an â—eape and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the forrest I come to corrupt lawyers and aduocats who so often take reward against the innocent as they doe take vpon them the defence of such causes as they in their owne conscience are persuaded to be euill and vnjust Which being so common a fault among lawyers as that very few which plead causes either in ciuile or ecclesiasticall courts doe seeme to make any conscience thereof to whom all is fish that commeth to their nets therefore all lawyers are to be exhorted to apply this note vnto themselues For if those which shall be saued are such as doe not take a reward against the innocent as the holy ghost here witnesseth how then can they be saued whose vsuall practise is to take rewards against the innocent And that they may the more effectually be dissuaded from this sinne let them a little consider with me how fearefully they sinne against God their neighbour and themselues Against God whiles they seeke to ouerthrow the truth and to peruert the Judgement which is the Lords Secondly against their neighbour And in this regard euery corrupt lawyer is as Salomon sayth of euery false witnesse an hammer a sword and a sharpe â—rrow an hammer or mallet to the judge a sword to his client and an arrow to his adursarie For whiles our lawyers doe their indeuours as the Greeke sophisters were wont 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to make the worse cause the better they doe as it were knocke the judge on the head amasing him so and dazeling his eyes that he may not see and pronounce the truth To their client they are as two edged swords wounding him two wayes to wit in body and soule As touching his bodie and outward estate they notably impouerish him to enrich themselues and plucke off his feathers to feather their owne nest for as the fowlers â—age is full of birds so the houses of these faulconers are full of riches gotten by deceit as Ieremie speaketh The soule also of their client they wouâ—d when they animate him to goe on in offering wrong to his neighbour and cause him to sinne against his owne soule To the aduersarie being indeed the innocent partie euery Tertullus is a sharpe arrow wounding him either in bodie goods or good name against all or any whereof they care not what vntruths and slaunderous calumniations they vtter so their cause may therby be aduantaged Lastly they sinne against themselues and their owne soules first because they aid the wicked vnto euill which is forbidden Exod. 23. 1. and is reprooued 2. Chron. 19. 2 as also Psal. 50. 18. When thou sawest a theefe thou consentedst vnto him and is condemned Rom. 1. 31. Secondly because they haue sold their tongues to speake likes for an euill cause cannot be maintained but by manifold vntruths Now riches or treasures gotten by a deceitfull or lying tongue is vanitie tossed too and fro of them that seeke death Prou. 21. 6. And therefore it is greatly to be feared least these men as they haue set their tongues so also their â—oules to sale for that is truly affirmed of all couetous persons Eccles. 10. 9. The like is to be said of euery false witnesse who for reward is suborned to testifie vntruths That hee sinneth against God whose judgement he seeketh to peruert against the judge whom he endeuoureth to auert from justice and truth against the parties who suborneth him to whom he consenteth vnto euill against the innocent partie whom by his false testimonie he hurteth and sometimes killeth him with a word against his owne soule for seeing a false witnesse is an abbomination vnto the Lord Prou. 6. 18 therefore he shall not escape but surely perish Prou. 19. 5. 9. And yet this is not all that may be said in detestation of false witnesse bearing For seeing witnesses in places of judgement doe not deliuer their testimonies but vpon an oath therefore euery false witnesse is guiltie not onely of false witnesse bearing but also of perjurie whereby he polluteth the holy name of God wrongeth the innocent abuseth the judge and all that are present and that vnder the religion of an oath hee citeth the Lord himselfe and that in the place of judgement to testifie an vntruth and which is most fearfull he tempteth the Lord and as it were dareth him in the audience of allthat are present to execute his fierce wrath and indignation vpon him For in othes wee call vpon God not onely to be our witnesse that we sweare truly but also to be a reuenger of vs if we sweare falsely therefore he which sweareth that which he knoweth to be vntrue he prouoketh the Lord and as it were dareth him to take vengeance vpon him Thus then we see by these two last notes what the sound Christian and citizen of heauen doth not to wit that neither priuatly in contracts nor publickely in place of
against them to straine out gnats and to swallow cammels to tythe mint and cummin and to neglect the weightier duties of the law judgement mercie and faith Consider to this purpose two examples of the Pharisies and Priests When Iudas brought them backe the money which they gaue him to betray Christ they would not put in into the treasurie because it was the price of bloud but the precious bloud of Christ himselfe they were not afraid to spill and to draw the guilt thereof vpon their consciences They were not afraid to be defiled by giuing Christ the immaculat lambe of God through enuie vnto death but they were at the same time afraid to goe into the common hall least they should be defiled 8. Another note of an vpright man is Humilitie For when a man is indued therewith it is a plaine signe that he hath humbled himselfe to walke with his God As contrariwise pride is the companion of hypocrisie as the Prophet Habacuc saith Behold he that lifteth vp himselfe his soule is not vpright in him For he that walketh with God as the vpright man doth cannot lightly be lifted vp with pride Indeed whiles we looke vpon the earth and behold other men whom we conceiue to be any way our inferiours we may perhaps take some occasion to be lifted vp in a conceit of our owne excellencie but hee that hath God before his eyes and setteth himselfe alwayes in his presence he will be readie with Abraham although an excellent Patriarch standing before the Lord to confesse his owne vilenesse with Esay that eloquent and zealous Prophet to crie out That he is a man of polluted lips with Iob the patterne of patience when he seeth God to abhorre himselfe and to repent in dust and ashes with Peter being in the presence of Christ whom he perceiued to be God to acknowledge himselfe a sinfull man 9. Againe the vpright man being indued with a good conscience is confident in good causes and couragious in time of perill as Salomon saith He that walketh vprightly walketh boldly And againe The righteous are bold as a Lyon but the hypocrite contrariwise by reason of his bad conscience is ouertaken with feare as the Prophet Esay speaketh and such doe flie when none pursueth 10. It is the priuiledge of an vpright man to bee constant in good things and to perseuere to the end keeping also a continued course of pietie for the vpright man is he which hath built vpon the rocke and therefore cannot vtterly be ouerthrown by any blasts or tempests of temptations it is he which receiueth the seed into good groūd and therefore taketh root downward and bringeth forth fruit vpward with patience he being not only in the church but also of it shall surely remaine in the Communion of the Church and as the Psalmist here saith shall neuer be remooued But contrariwise the double minded man is vnconstant in all his wayes his religion and goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the morning dew it goeth away his profession is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a time for hauing receiued the seed among stones and wanting root when the Sunne of temptation ariseth he fadeth away hauing built vpon the sand whē the blasts of temptations arise his building falleth to the ground Hereunto we are to referre patience in affliction as a note of the vpright wherupon affliction is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the trial of our faith or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are found and approued are knowne from those which be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnsound 11. And to conclude it is the propertie of the sound and vpright to joyne together pietie towards God and charietie towards our neighbour the loue of God and the loue of our brother for it cannot be that a man should loue the Lord truly whom he hath not seene and loueth not his brother whom he hath seene neither do we loue our neighbour aright vnlesse we loue him in and for the Lord. And therefore no man can loue his neighbour as he ought vnlesse he loue the Lord much more The loue of God therefore or pietie if it be sound will shew it selfe in the loue of our brother or in the duties of righteousnesse and the loue of our brother or righteousnesse if it be sincere must be deriued from the fountaine of pietie Contrariwise it is the hypocrits guise to seuer these two which the holy ghost hath joyned together holinesse and righteousnesse the obedience of the first and second Table of the law For there are many as glorious professors among vs as the Pharisies were among the Iewes who making profession of religion and pietie towards God doe altogether neglect the duties of charitie and righteousnesse towards men And againe many there are among vs as famous for ciuile vertues as Aristides or Socrates among the heathen who resting in a ciuile conuersation and outward honestie among men are void of all religion and of the feare of God Both sorts are hypocrits the righteousnesse of the former not exceeding the righteousnesse of the Phariseyes who notwithstanding their glorious profession were notorious hypocrits the righteousnesse of the latter professing themselues to be Christians not exceeding the righteousnesse of the heathen who knew not God Now I come to the fourth point namely to consider by what arguments we may be stirred vp to embrace this vertue if we want it or to continue and increase therein if we haue it The arguments may be reduced to three heads the excellency the profit the necessitie of vprightnesse The excellency of it is so great that the Lord accepteth of the vpright indeuour of his children as perfect performance insomuch that vprightnesse as I haue said goeth in the Scripture vnder the name of perfection Neither are we otherwise to vnderstand the duties which in the word of God are said to bee done with the whole heart but that they are performed with an entire or vpright heart Therfore those that are vpright though they be subject to many infirmities yet they are esteemed as just and that before the Lord the Lord accepting in his vpright seruants the will for the deed Againe wheras Christ the bridegrome is said to be delighted with the beautie of his spouse this may not be vnderstood of the outward apperance for so she is something blacke and browne by reason of affliction and the cause thereof which is sinne but of the inward beauty in respect wherof she is sayd to be all glorious and beautifull within which is that vprightnesse or truth in the inward parts wherewith the Lord is delighted For this we are also to adde that vprightnesse is that wherewith the Lord is especially delighted insomuch that to be vpright and to please God in the Scriptures do signifie the same
is vaine Againe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie not onely against thy neighbour but also for him For the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both to wit both against as Esay 59 Our sinnes do testifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against vs and also for as Gen. 30 My righteousnesse shall answere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for me or shall testifie in my behalf In the ninth commaundement therefore is forbidden not onely false speech as euery lie is but also vaine speech as the jeasting lie commonly is and not onely that false or vaine speech which is against our neighbour but also that which is for him whether it be for his delight as the jeasting lie or for his profit as the officious lie Augustine out of the words of the Apostle I. Cor. 15. where the Apostle confesseth That if Christ be not risen againe then he and other the Apostles should be false witnesses of God For saith he we haue testified of or as the word may signifie against God that he hath raised vp Christ c. he gathereth that that is said to be a false testimonie against any which is falsely said in his praise Seeing therefore these two sorts of lies are forbidden in the decalogue it is euident by the confession of the Schoolemen themselues that they are not onely sinnes but also mortall sinnes 2. Againe a lie is euill in generall and is generally forbidden in the Scriptures Apoc. 21. to all yers without exception eternall death is denounced And agreeably to the Scriptures the sonne of Syrach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doe not thou make no manner of lie The Hebrew word which signifieth a lie signifieth iniquitie that wee might vnderstand euery lie to be a sinne 3. Euery lie is against nature For seeing words naturally are the notes of our thoughts as the Philosopher saith it is against nature and against dutie that a man should signifie in words that which he doth not thinke in his heart or that the will should direct the tongue to vtter that which is contrarie to the illumination of the mind Whereupon the Philosopher sayth That euery lie is in it owne nature euill and to be auoided 4. Augustine reasoneth thus The truth teacheth not that we may lie at any time for no lie is of the truth Therefore it is not true that we may lie at any time 5. We can doe nothing sayth the Apostle against the truth but for the truth 2. Cor. 13 but euery lie is against the truth yea vpon euery lie followeth the losse of truth which to God is most deere 6. Againe sayth Augustine the law is the truth Psal. 119. yea God is the truth therefore that which is against truth is against the law yea and against God 7. And hereunto wee may adde the testimonies of Augustine No lies are iust for all are sinnes 8. And of Gregorie Euery lie is iniquitie for so much it dissenteth from equitie as it discordeth from veritie For whatsoâ—uer is opposed to vertue is sinne euery lie is opposed to truth which is a vertue therefore euery lie is a sinne 9. Euery lie is of the diuell therefore euill Iohn 8. 44. 10. The conscience of euery man when he lieth accuseth him of sinne But let vs consider them seuerally And first as touching the merry lie we are to hold a distinction namely that there is a merry lie which vnproperly is called a lie when as in shew of words a false thing is vttered but yet by the jesture or pronuntiation of him that so jeasteth it may appeare that something else which is true is signified by him and that such a jeast as vnder the shew of an vntruth doth hide a truth may sometimes be vsed of a Christian man I dare not denie But that which properly and in the meaning of the speaker is a lie may in no sort be vsed of a Christian. First because it is not onely false but also vaine and idle and if of idle words an account must be giuen how much more of lies Secondly the Prophet Hoseas inueigheth against those who with their lies make princes merry Now if princes to whom being oppressed with great cares mirth is most needfull may not be made merry with lies who then may Thirdly a lie may not be vttered to helpe a man or to deliuer him out of danger as shall straightwaies be shewed mueh lesse may it be told to delight him For as the schoolemen truly say Bonum utile prefertur delectabili a profitable good is preferred before a delightfull nay the truth it selfe is not spoken to the end to delight men as Augustine sayth much lesse may a lie Fourthly Epaminondas the heathen man shall rise in judgement against those who make no conscience of speaking merry lies for he was so strict an obseruer and louer of the truth that hee could not abide that a lie should be spoken no not in jeast And to these reasons you may adde those arguments which before were produced to prooue a lie generally to be euill But the chiefe controuersie is concerning the officious lie for therein now adayes the policie of worldly men especially consisteth But let vs see by what arguments they commend this office forsooth of lying First because it is not against Christian charitie say they to help our brother with a lie yea but Christian charitie say I abhorreth lying and rejoyceth in the truth and those which are Christians so long as they keepe a good conscience they can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2. Yea the honest friendship of Heathen men was contained within the limits of truth The Philosopher in his Morals professeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be a godly thing to prefer the truth before his friends And those which were of the better sort among them were wont to professe themselues friends one to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto the altars to which they vsually came when they were to testifie a truth that it may be a shame for Christian men in respect of friendship to goe beyond the bonds of truth 3. Christian Charitie requireth not onely that wee should do good but also that we should do it well and by good means For this a rule in Diuinity that Euill is not to be done that Good may come thereof Those things only which are good and lawfull are to be done of vs committing the euent to God 4. Christian charitie doth not require that for another mans commodity thou shouldest cast away thy selfe But God will destroy those which speake lies and as the wise man saith The lying mouth destroyeth the soule Secondly they proue this kind of lying to be lawfull by the examples of the godly For first say they Abraham the father of the faithfull that he might escape danger said that his wife
vsurie vnderstand to be forbidden in the law is biting vsurie and excessiue increase Therefore the vsurie which the patrones of vsurie themselues vnderstand to be forbidden in the law is forbidden in the morall law of God 5. Whereupon followeth another consequent That seeing the same vsurie which is forbidden in the law is permitted towards a stranger therefore this permission of vsurie is prooued to be judiciall and the prohibition morall But for the better vnderstanding of this law we are to consider who is meant by stranger in this place The Hebrew word vsed here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherby is meant not euery stranger which is not an Israelite by birth For on him that was either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is aduena a proselite dwelling among them who though he were a stranger by birth was a brother in religion or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquilinus a stranger by birth but not by dwelling or affection but such an one as dwelled friendly among them though not circumcised as appeareth Exod. 12. 43 45 48. vsurie was not to be imposed Leu. 25. 35 Thou shalt relieue him viz. the brother the stranger also and sojourner that he may liue with thee but onely on him that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extraneus or histis as the word histi was wont to signifie an aliant as by birth so also in dwelling in religion in affection See Obad. vers 11. and Lament 5. 2. Now in this sence the word may signifie either more generally any one that was a meere aliant from the commonwealth of Israel or more specially such aliants as were the remnants of the Canaanits If we vnderstand this permission of vsurie to be extended towards all aliants there might be two causes rendered why the Lord permitted the same the one the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts the other the vnjustice of the Gentiles For the Lord as a wise law giuer in his judiciall lawes permitteth in a ciuile respect some things euill in themselues for the auoiding of a greater mischiefe not to allow or justifie the same from the guilt of sinne as before him in the court of conscience but to exempt the same from ciuile punishment in the externall court before the magistrate as for example the hardnesse of the Iews hearts being such that when they set their affections on other women and waxed wearie of their wiues they would either put them away to their shame and vtter vndoing or else tyrannize ouer them if they continued with them the Lord therfore by a ciuile or judiciall law permitted men to put away their wiues without the crime of adulterie so as they could giue them a bill of diuorcement wherein they should giue testimonie to their wiues chastitie And yet whosoeuer did put away his wife without the crime of fornication howsoeuer he were by this ciuile permission free from punishment of the magistrat notwithstanding he was guiltie of adulterie before God as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Matth. 19. So the hardnesse of the Iewes harts and couetousnesse being such that if they were not permitted to practise vsurie towards strangers they would exercise it against their brethren and likewise the injustice of the Gentiles with whom they did traffique being such as they would be sure to exact vsurie of the Iews therefore that neither the Gentiles by inequalitie of negotiation should eat vp the Iewes nor yet the Iewes should oppresse one another by vsurie it might be that in these ciuile respects the Lord permitted it towards the Gentiles And therefore as the permission which gaue leaue to the Iews to put away their innocent wiues with a bill of diuorcement doth not disprooue the law forbidding adulterie to be morall but prooueth it selfe to be judiciall so the permission of vsurie towards strangers doth not prooue the law forbidding vsurie to be morall but it selfe is euidently prooued to be judiciall And as he which without the crime of adulterie putteth away his wife is notwithstanding that ciuile permission an adulterer before God so hee which practiseth vsurie as permitted to him either by the law of Moses against any stranger or by the ciuile lawes of men is notwithstanding a theefe before God But in my judgement we shall more rightly expound this place if by stranger wee doe not vnderstand any stranger but that stranger that is to say the remnants of the Canaanites by whose impouerishing the L. would haue the Iewes enriched For first the words are not Lenokri as Dent. 14. 21 but Lanokri that is extraneo ifti as Tremellius and Iâ—nius translate adding this exposition extraneo ifti to this stranger that is to the reliques or remnants of the Canaanits whom the Lord had appointed to destruction and would haue by little and little consumed And to the like purpose Ambroâ—e expoundeth this place But perhaps sayth he you will say it is written thou shalt lend vpon vsurie to a stranger c. Who then was the stranger but the Amalekite but the Amorrhite but the enemies of the people of God there sayth he exact vsuric whom thou desirest to hurt worthily against whom thou goest to warre lawfully on him thou mayest lawfully impose vsurie whom thou canst not easily ouercome by warre on him thou mayest easily wreakethy selfe by vsurie Ab hoc 〈◊〉 am exige quem noâ— sit crimen occidere Take vsurie of him whom thou mayest lawfully kill therefore vbiius belli ibietiam ius vsurarum against whom there is right to wage warre against them there is right to practise vsurie And this exposition seemeth therefore the rather to be embraced because when these remnants of the Canaanites were rooted out all vsurie afterwards is generally and absolutely forbidden without exception of any as Psal. 15. Prou. 28. 8. Eze. 18. and 22. Rabbi Salomo as Lyranus reporteth in Exod. 22. 25. denieth it to be lawfull for a Iew to take vsurie of a stranger And the Hebrew glosse so vnderstandeth this text That hath not giuen his money to vsurie no not to a Gentile sayth he Which P. Galatinus also doth note to haue bin the judgemeÌ„t of the Rabbines And this progresse Ierome well obserued Vide profectum See the proceeding sayth he of the holy ghost In the beginning of the law vsurie is forbidden onely towards brethren but in the Prophet it is forbidden towards all without limitation But this permission or if you will allowance of vsurie towards the Canaanite doth no more prooue the law against vsurie not to be morall than the allowance of manslaughter in warre doth prooue the law forbidding murther to be judiciall For although the law condemning vsurie be neuer so perpetual or morall yet notwithstanding as all other commaundements of God so is it to be vnderstood with this limitation and restraint namely vnlesse God otherwise appoint It is a morall law which forbiddeth other theft as well as vsurie but if the Lord by speciall warrant allow the Israelites to spoyle the
hath obserued and that Duilia rogatione it was reduced ad semuncias saith Tacitus that is to halfe a pound in an hundred and the next yeare after that also was abolished Genucia rogatione saith Bodin whereby it was enacted Ne vllo modo foenerari liceret that it should not be lawfull at all to lend vpon vsurie as Alexander ab Alexandro reporteth Afterwards when vsurie grew to an head again it was sometimes stinted at six and sometimes at foure in the hundred and sometimes altogether prohibited At length Iustinian so accommodated the limitation of vsurie to the diuerse estates and conditions of men that to them which could better forbeare their money lesse vsurie should bee permitted and to them which could worse forbeare it more To Noblemen therefore and Gentlemen who vse not to occupie their mony for gaine he permitted Trientes that is foure in the hundred To merchants and tradsemen who liue by the imployment of money in negotiation he permitted besses that is eight in the hundred And to all other men semisses that is six in the hundred And in traiectitijs pecunijs that is in money sent beyond sea at the creditors perill and in two other cases he granted centesimas that is twelue in the hundred But in these latter times the ciuile Law hath beene corrected according to the canon Law For in the Diet held at Augusta by Charles the fift all vsurie is condemned and in steed thereof a contract of buying rents after fiue in the hundred which is after twentie yeares purchase allowed with a couenant of releasing or selling backe the same when the seller shall tender the principall And not the Popes onely by their canon law but euen Maâ—omet also in his Alcoron hath forbidden all vsurie But forasmuch as some patrons of vsurie haue taught that a Christian man may with a good conscience take so much vsurie as the lawes of the countrey wherein he dwelleth do permit and withall confesse that he cannot with a good conscience take aboue that rate which is limited by the lawes it behoueth vs therefore to enquire what our lawes haue determined concerning vsurie And to omit the lawes of former times wherein vsurie hath bene sometimes restrained and stinted as in the time of Henry the eight sometimes altogether forbidden as in the time of Edward the sixt and to come to those lawes which now are in force which are as concerning this matter and other criminall causes of two sorts the canon Law wherein it is not disagreeable to the word of God and the penall statute made in the 13 yeare of Queene Elizabeth The canons of the ancient councels do wholly and absolutly forbid and condemne all vsurie and the ancient Bishops of Rome were of the same judgement but as I noted before and as Bodin also hath obserued the latter Bishops de via deflexerunt are turned out of the way For although according to the rest of their Antichristian hypocrisie they do in word and in shew condemne all vsury permitting not so much as Christian buriall to him that dieth an vsurer yet indeed they haue allowed yea as Bodin saith brought in a contract of redeeming rents which as it is practised by their leaue and allowance is worse than the vsurie allowed any where else But as in other things so in this point where the Canon law swarueth from the word of God we do forsake it and where it agreeth therewith we embrace it And as touching the statute made in the thirteenth yeare of Queene Elizabeth howsoeuer the most looking to the practise of vsurers and conniuencie of magistrats and not to the act of Parliament it selfe do imagine that vsurie after the rate of ten in the hundred is thereby allowed yet the truth is that it is not so much as permitted thereby Not allowed for it is an act against vsurie as being a sinne yea and a detestable sinne as the statute it selfe doth call it wherein also it is acknowledged that all vsurie is forbidded by the Law of God Not permitted for as all vsurie aboue ten in the hundred is thereby to be punished with the forfeiture of the triple value of the principall so all vsurie whether it be after the rate of ten in the hundred or vnder though it were but of one in the hundred is to be punished with the forfeiture of the vsurie or increase From hence therefore the argument of the patrons of vsurie in England may easily be returned vpon themselues So much vsurie and no more say they may with good conscience be taken as the laws of the land do allow and permit But now say I the laws of the land do not allow no nor yet permit ten nor fiue nor yet one in the hundred therefore in England a man cannot with a good conscience take after ten nor fiue nor yet one in the hundred But suppose that humane lawes did permit vsurie as our statute doth in the case of orphanes only doth not the permission sufficiently argue the thing in it selfe to bee euill and if the thing be euill in it selfe can the permission justifie the practise of it before God No the law of man may cleere thee from ciuile penalties in the outward court and before the magistrat but it cannot cleere thee from the guilt of sin in the court of conscience and from the penalties that are due to the same by the morall law of God Neither is the law of man but the law of God the rule of thy conscience and therefore though man had nothing to punish in thee for thy vsurie yet the Lord hath more than ynough to condemne thee for the same But you will say May humane lawes permit such things as be euill For answer I will set downe the true and learned sentence of reuerend Beza in his Annotations vpon Mathew Chapter 19. verse 8. The morall law saith he because it respecteth the conscience it simply commaundeth good things and forbiddeth euill But ciuile lawes if they be well ordained they do indeed commaund nothing which God hath forbidden and they forbid nothing that God hath commaunded but by the wickednesse of men they are forced onely to moderat many things which they cannot wholly abolish and these are the things which are sayd to be permitted by lawes As for example Christian charitie forbiddeth to lend vpon vsurie notwithstanding many magistrats do see that in respect of traffique and dealings among men they cannot simply forbid vsurie Therefore which is the onely thing which remaineth for them to do they stint vsurie But may a man therefore with a good conscience lend vpon vsurie No surely For the rule of our conscience is to be fetched not from the ciuile lawes of men but from the word of God Nay the ciuile lawes themselues doe not allow but rather condemne that which they doe onely tolerat forced thereto by the wickednesse of men Thus also the Lord by Moses making ciuile lawes doth
apparrell of person as when a man wanteth necessaries for his familie charge depending on him of state as when a man wanteth present meanes for the maintenance of his credit and estate in that calling wherein God hath placed him and consequently for auoiding of discredit or of some notable impairing of his estate The third that it be not a sleight but an vrgent necessitie The fourth that the partie who is to borrow haue no present meanes of his owne to supply his want For he that hath meanes of his owne to supply his need though it be by selling of any thing which he may spare hath no vrgent necessitie to cause him to borrow The fift and last is that being by vrgent necessitie forced to borrow he cannot borrow freely and therefore for auoiding of a greater inconuenience is faine to yeeld to a losse Without necessitie men do borrow vpon vsurie when there is no necessitie that they should borrow either first because they cannot borrow without sinne as when they cannot persuade themselues that they shall be able to repay or secondly because they be not in want and therefore borrow not for need but either for pride for ryot or for couetousnesse for the satisfying of any wherof there is no necessitie or thirdly because it is no vrgent but a sleight necessitie which may easily be either auoided or vndergone or fourthly because they haue present means of their owne whereby their want may better be supplied or fiftly and lastly when they may if they will be so much beholden to others borrow freely 2. The second distinction which after a fort is implied in the former is that men borrow either for good and lawfull causes or for bad and vnlawfull purposes For there is no necessitie of borrowing for wicked and sinfull respects 3. The third that vsurie is either offered by the borrower or imposed by the lender And that it is offered either at the first or after the lenders plaine deniall or pretended excuses 4. The fourth that men borrow vpon vsurie either with assurance of future means to heale the biting of vsurie without the injurie of others or impouerishing of themselues or without any such assurance 5. The fift that the necessitie whereupon men borrow is either contracted and drawne vpon themselues by their own default or else it is a blamelesse necessitie By helpe of these distinctions it will not be hard to cleare this controuersie which otherwise is very intricat For hereby it wil appeare that neither all borrowing vpon vsurie is to be allowed nor all generally to be condemned For against the former assertion which alloweth all borrowing vpon vsurie we are to hold that the borrower vpon vsurie offendeth either first when he borroweth without necessitie or secondly to ill purposes or thirdly when he induceth the lender to lend vpon vsurie or fourthly when in respect either of the time to come he shall not haue meanes to cure the wound which vsurie hath made without doing wrong to others or impouerishing himselfe or fiftly of the time past when as through his owne former default he hath brought himselfe into this necessitie For although his necessity when he is once in it may excuse his borrowing being rightly qualified according to the foure former distinctions yet his fault in drawing vpon himselfe wilfully or negligently this necessitie cannot be excused But these fiue points need further explication First therefore I say the borrower offendeth who borroweth vpon vsurie without necessitie in any of those fiue respects before mentioned that is if either he find himselfe vnlike to repay that which he borroweth or if he be not in want or if his necessitie be not vrgent or because he hath sufficient meanes of his owne or if he might borrow freely if he would For as touching the first On those who haue no good hope or assurance that they shall be able to repay the Lord hath not laid a necessitie to borrow and much lesse vpon vsurie but to seeke releefe by other lawfull means for although the vsurer deserue to be deceiued and by the auncient lawes of this land it hath bene decreed that it should be no fault to deceiue an vsurer to which purpose Plato prouided also by law that it should be lawfull for the debtour when the creditor hath lent vpon vsurie to pay neither the vsurie nor the det yet I do not see how a man can with a good cōscience borrow in borrowing promise the repayment of that which he purposeth not to repay especially seeing the holy Ghost maketh it a note of the wicked to borrow that which they neuer meane to restore As touching the second and third they offend as accessarie to the sinne of the vsurer who borrow vpon vsurie without necessitie yea without vrgent necessitie for such hauing no vrgent necessitie to compel them to borrow do willingly borrow vpon vsurie and voluntarily consent to the vsurers sinne Now this is the sentence of the holy Ghost that they are worthie of death not onely who commit sinne themselues but also willingly consent to the sinne of others Rom. 1 and therefore he hath giuen vs in charge to haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather to reprooue them Ephesians 5. Such are they who borrow not for any great need but for pride riot or couetousnesse For pride and ostentation as those who desiring to seeme better and wealthier than they are refuse to containe themselues within the compasse of their calling and estate but desiring to beare an higher saile in respect of their diet apparell familie and port take vp money vpon vsurie but such persons sinne first in respect of the vsurer to whose sinne they make themselues accessarie seeing there is no necessitie why their pride and vanitie should be satisfied Secondly in respect of themselues offending against the rules of frugalitie and thrift for whiles they desire to seeme rich they become poore vsurie conuerting their substance into debt For riot as those who being addicted to gaming or to other pleasures as whoredome drunkennesse belly-cheare and such like take vp money vpon vsurie that there may not want matter either to maintaine their gaming or nourish their pleasures for such men so they may haue present money to satisfie their lust they care not vpon what conditions they procure it But as these are of all borrowers vpon vsurie the most foolish so those which lend vnto them to these vses are of all vsurers the most wicked and either of them is accessarie to the others sinne The riotous person to the sinne of the vsurer wherunto he voluntarily and without any necessitie consenteth at the least if also he doe not mooue and induce the lender thereunto The vsurer not only to the borrowers riot whereunto he affoordeth matter but also to his vtter vndoing which he furthereth not onely as an accessarie but as a principall also Wherefore these two sorts of men I