for the benefit of lending and the vse of the money require that which is reasonable that is according to the limitation of the magistrate fiue of the hundred euery yeare This kind of dealing is not to be counted vsurie For neyther Gardians are bound to lende of that which is another mans neither they which borow when as neyther diuine nor naturall bond or dette went before can iustly refuse to be thankfull for a benefite receiued The obseruation which pertayneth to the interest doth also hinder the maner of vsurie For if by deferring the payment of that which is borowed the creditour be endamaged equitie doth require that the dettour make a recompence for the damage And this they cal the interest which they say doth arise eyther because of the losse that commeth or because of the gaine that ceaseth For if the dettour shall not paye that which he borrowed at the time appoynted for the payment naturall equitie requireth that the dettour make recompence for the losse that came to the creditour thereby The like is to be sayde of the gayne ceasing But here let the lender beware that he vse not deceytfull ballances Wherefore charitie is to be added which is the most iust rule of all contractes and bargaynes This if it be syncere will easilye finde equalitie If other sortes of men be offered beside those that are rehearsed it shall not be harde by the former rules to iudge what is to be determined concerning them For there shal easily be founde some likenesse in them with the former kyndes which may dissolue the question Of the fourth IT followeth that we speake of the fourth member of our partition which shall contayne certayne admonitions which may be vnto the godly as certayne consultations not only in this trade concerning vsurie whereof we haue spoken now sufficiently but also in euery kinde of contract or bargayne shall kepe vs in our dutie so that we will giue godly eares vnto them The first Paule 1. Tim. 1. fayth The ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of fayth vnfayned We sayde before that vsurie is therfore forbidden by the worde of God that charitie may not be hurt among men Nowe this rule of Paul willeth that charitie proceede from a pure fountayne of the heart Thou must take heede therefore least that while thou doest outwardly pretende charitie towarde thy neighbour thy heart be vncleane with the filthines wherof the dutie is defiled which thou seemest to perfourme to thy neyghbour Charitie moreouer requireth a good conscience to wit that thou mayst truly witnes before God that in all thy actions thou seekest the glorie of God and the profite of thy neighbour without falshoode or dissimulation For whereas falshoode and dissimulation is there charitie is banished the conscience is spoyled and fayth perisheth Whereupon it followeth that nothing is well done Let this rule therefore of Paule be alwayes in our sight whereby we may trie all our doings as examined with a touchstone The seconde Abstayne sayth the Apostle 1. Thess 5. from all appearance of euill This rule is exceeding necessarye For it admonisheth that we doe flie not onely those thinges that are euill in very deede but also that we abstaine altogither from the appearance of euil that is that we auoyde whatsoeuer pretendeth any outward shewe of euill Let this rule admonish the godly that they doe abstaine not onely from those bargaines which are in deede euill and vnlawfull but also from those which haue anye appearance of euill The third Paule Hebr. 13. sayth Let your conuersation be without couetousnes This precept doth not belong only to the mind to wit that the minde be not prophaned with the most filthy idol of couetousnes but also to outward maners For he will haue vs so to liue that no man may lay vpon vs the fault of couetousnes For when the conuersation beareth witnes of the couetousnesse of the heart godlynes and fayth without all dout are banished Wherefore it is not without good aduisement which Dauid prayeth when he sayth Encline my heart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnes Here Dauid setteth obedience toward God and couetousnes one agaynst the other signifying that their condition is such that where the one is the other cannot be If therefore the heart bee infected with the vice of couetousnes sincere religion toward God can in no wise be there If a couetous mā doth sometime pretend some obedience toward God it is mere hypocrisie But contrariwise if the hearte be seruent in the loue of God and in his religion couetousnes hath no place there For what agreement hath the idoll of auarice with the temple of God Furthermore because the most holy King Dauid desireth of the Lord that his heart may be inclined to the testimonyes of God and not vnto couetousnes he doth manifestly shew that the heart of it owne accord is caried to couetousnes and cannot deliuer it selfe from couetousnes except God putteth to his hand The precept therefore of Paule Let your conuersation be without couetousnes I would haue the godly to haue alwaye before their eyes and this prayer of Dauid Incline my heart to thy testimonies and not to couetousnes I woulde haue earnestly to be made which if it were done there would be lesse striuing amōg the godly about vsury The fourth Paule will haue Christians so to liue that our commoditie be not euil spoken of among the heathen Now it is certaine y t the trade of vsury is infamous amōg the Turks and all prophane nations What therfore will they say of Christians if they shall heare that we doe contend with the most prophane nations and exceede them in vniust bargaines These thinges trulye ought worthely to admonish all godly men that they would rather liue after a meaner sort then that they woulde giue occasion that the name of God and the Gospell of Christ should be euill spoken of among prophane men We ought with all examples of godlines honesty to allure and prouoke them that they woulde togither with vs worship Christ and be saued but O good God what is done vnder a Christian name in manye lurketh a Turkish heart The fift Paule commaundeth vs to auoyde offence least that the weake being offended at our doings doe stumble And he will not haue this only that we absteine from thinges that are euill by them selues but also from thinges lawfull It was lawfull for Paule by christian libertie to eate flesh but what sayth he before I will offend my brother I will not eate fleshe while the worlde standeth So farre doth the dutie of those which are godly in deede extend not onely to beware that they doe not defile themselues with any spot of sinne but also that they be not by any meanes a cause to other of falling whereby they may haue occasion not to
almost ouervvhelmed vvith diuers tentations of heretikes and deuels For as invvardly they vvere molested by false brethren so outvvardly by tyranes they vvere prouoked to forsake their professiō sometime vvith threatninges sometime vvith promises Hypocrisie also did not a litle offend them For many did professe Christ and acknovvledging him to be a sauiour did extoll his benefites but they liued vvithout a liuely fayth and repentance VVith these troubles vvas the Church then tossed vvith these vexations vvas the spouse of Christ then afflicted vvhich vvhen Iames did see he tooke therupon occasion to vvrite that by some meanes he might remedy these euils Of this occasion the scope and purpose of Iames in this Epistle may be easily vnderstande For all which he here sayth tendeth vnto this ende not onely to confirme and strengthen Christians and those that be godly in deede agaynst the offence of affliction vvhom he exhorteth vnto patience that they should not being ouercome vvith tētations giue ouer their confession but rather looke to the euent and end of affliction but also that he may call backe hypocrites from their errour whom as he teacheth hovv vayne the bosting of fayth is vvithout a liuely confidence in God and the true fruites of faith so he exhorteth them vnto maners vvorthy of a Christian profession and dehorteth them from the vices contrarie thereunto except they had rather suffer iust punishment for their stubburnnesse and disobedience The maner or order of handling is somevvhat free and bold as is vvont to be in exhorting and reprouing vvhich I vvill diligently shevv in the exposition of euerie chapter But hovv necessarie this Epistle is in our churches at this daye he may easily vnderstand vvhich seeth that the most part that vvil be called Christians doe bost of a vayne and a dead faith VVhich foolishnesse our Apostle doth discouer and most iustly condemne Agayne he vvhich dayly beholdeth vvith hovv many and sundry vices discipline more and more decaying christian people are polluted and defiled will without all dout confesse that there is neede of some Iames who may freely and boldly reprehend and condemne these sins which are so common and rife among vs. Besides all this the author of this Epistle deserueth to be called a glasse of godlinesse For whether thou considerest his office eyther beholdest his life eyther thinkest vpon the constancie in his confession or weyest the ende of his life thou hast both whereat greatly to maruell and also vvhich thou mayest desire to imitate and follow if thou wilt be counted a true Christian Thus much concerning the argument profit and vse of this Epistle Now it remaineth to declare why it is called Generall The Epistles of the Apostles of Peter two of Iohn the first one of Iude and this of Iames are called Generall bicause they were not appoynted and written to certayne cities and persons as all the Epistles of Paule and the second and third of Iohn were but were giuen to all the godly indifferently dispersed in diuers places through the whole world Some doe call these Epistles Canonicall thereby to put a difference betweene them and the Epistles of Paule who are in a manifest errour For the Epistles of Paule are no lesse Canonicall then the Epistles of Iames the Epistles of Peter or of Iohn bicause that whatsoeuer we read in the Epistles of the Apostles we ought to embrace it as a canon or rule of the truth CHAP. 1. ¶ The summe of the fyrst Chapter HE exhorteth Christians that they faynte not vnder the heauie burden of tentations and that by shewing the rewarde of ouercomming tentation And least any impute the beginning of tentation to God he teacheth both from whēce tentation proceedeth and also that all good thinges are of God who hath begotten vs agayne by his word The order and partes of the first Chapter THe first part of this chapter is an inscription The second a proposition wherin he perswadeth Christians not to be ouercome with tentations In the third bicause it may sometime be that some being seduced with errour doe yeelde vnto tentation he admonisheth that wisedome is to be asked of God by fayth without wauering In the fourth least anye being discouraged with pouertie and contempt doe yeeld vnto tentations he exhorteth both rich and poore vnto true humilitie In the fift is set forth the reward of ouercomming tentation and the beginning thereof is also shewed that the deceites of it may be the better auoyded The sixt is an admonition taken of contraries that God is not the author of tentation but rather of all goodnesse which he confirmeth as it were by a testimony of the goodnesse of God setting forth the benefite of our regeneration And so this chapter tendeth to one ende and purpose to wit that we suffer not our selues to be ouerwhelmed with the heauy burden of tentations To this ende also serue the rest The exposition of the fyrst chapter with an obseruation of the Doctrine 1 Iames a seruant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ to the tvvelue tribes vvhich are scattered abroade salutation THis inscription conteyneth three thinges For first it hath the name of the author of this Epistle with a description thereof and also his office Secondly the Apostle maketh mention of them to whom he writeth Lastly he addeth a salutation The author of the Epistle is Iames who by profession was the seruant of God but by office the seruant of Iesus Christe that is an Apostle He did write to the twelue tribes scattered abroade and as Peter hath mentioned dispersed through the world In histories mention is made of the manifolde scattering abroade of the Iewes For first the ten tribes were dispersed through the kingdome of Babylon then the two that remained were leade away into Babylonicall captiuitie and the captiuitie being ended onely the least part of the tribe of Iuda and Beniamin did returne To these Iewes therefore dwelling here and there and conuerted to the fayth of Christe Iames doth write and in the beginning saluteth them or as it is in the Greeke biddeth them reioyce signifying that the surest way vnto true ioye is fayth in Christe The scattering abroad of the Iewes declareth an exceeding great differēce betweene the kingdome of Christ and the kingdomes of the worlde The kingdome of Christe is not inclosed or compassed with certaine boundes in this worlde but it consisteth in a good conscience in righteousnesse and ioye in the holy Ghost as Paule saith In this kingdome are all euen as many as truely beleeue in Christ whether they be nere at hande or far of Againe this scattering abroade doth admonish vs that the Church of Christ in this world is not tyed as the Pope thinketh to any certaine place or succession but rather to the word of God to the sacramentes and to obedience toward the Gospell 2 My brethren count it all ioy vvhen ye fall into diuers tentations The
proposition of the first exhortation to witte that the beleeuing Iewes be not ouercome of tentations This exhortation is worthely made first vnto them who being driuen out of their countrye were oppressed with diuers iniuries of their neighbours Whereas he saith not simply be not ouercome of tentatiōs or some such like thing but count it all that is full ioye when you fall into diuers tentations he putteth a difference betweene the effectes of the tentation of the godly and of the vngodly For as the ende of the tentation of the vngodly is sorrowfulnes and desperation so the ende of the tentation of the godly is ioye and victorie ouer tentation When he sayth diuers he signifieth that the beleuers are not tried with one kinde of tentation but with many and diuers wherefore it becommeth Christians to watch least that they being compassed about with diuersitie of tentations doe fall into the handes of the aduersarie 3 Knovving that the trying of your fayth bringeth forth patience A reason of the proposition taken of the effectes of the tentations of the godly For first tentation is as it were a touchstone whereby the faith of Christians is tryed we haue an example in Abraham For they whose faithe is not true in the time of tentation doe depart according to the parable in the Gospell Matth. 15. Contrariwise they whose faith is firme and sure are made stronger throughe tentations for they are vphelde by the spirite of God Moreouer fayth being tryed worketh patience that is maketh that we doe patiently suffer affliction for hope of our deliuerance Wherupon Paule saith that experience bringeth forth hope and hope maketh not ashamed that is faileth vs not that at the length we shoulde be ashamed in the sight of the sonne of God 4 And let patience haue her perfect vvorke This is an exhortation to perseuerance in suffering for the Apostle will haue the godly to continue constant in patience euen vnto the ende bicause he is blessed that indureth to the ende The word patience in this place signifieth constancie and perseuerance in patience The effecte therefore of patience is constant perseuerance That ye may be perfect and entire lacking nothing The ende and effect of the affliction of the godly is here declared which is the perfecting of vs in Christ For all our life time we ought to endeuour to come vnto this perfection which is dayly polished and fined with affliction as with the instrument of God vntill suche time as it be fully finished This place doth admonish vs to speake some what of Christian perfection which Iames defineth here to be entirenes But bicause the Papists doe but trifle and dally concerning Christian perfection it is expedient rightly to instruct the godly that they may know what they ought to thinke concerning the same We must vnderstand therefore that there is a double perfection commended to vs in the Scripture whereof the one is absolute and is an imputation of the perfect righteousnesse and obedience of our Lorde Iesus Christe For as Christ by his obedience on the Crosse doth make a full satisfaction for sinnes so his obedience to the law imputeth righteousnesse so that euerie one that beleeueth may appeare perfect and righteous in the sighte of God through the perfection and righteousnesse of Christ We hauing confidence in this perfection doe looke for the glory of immortalitie An other perfectiō there is in the regenerate which the word of God commendeth to all the godlye walke before me saithe the Lorde vnto our father Abraham and be thou perfect Christ saith ye shall therefore be perfect as your father which is in heauen is perfect There is no doubt thou wilt say concerning the commaundement but it is demaunded wherin that perfection doth consist We must vnderstand that Paule Philip. 3. vseth the word of perfection after two sortes For he sayth thus Not as though I had already attained to it neyther were alredy perfect but I follow if I may comprehend that for whose sake also I am comprehended of Christ Iesus Brethren I count not my selfe that I haue attained to it but one thing I doe I forget that which is behind and endeuor my selfe vnto that which is before and follow hard towarde the marke for the price of the hie calling of God in Christe Iesus Let vs therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded In these wordes of Paule there is a most manifest contradiction vnlesse we will admitte that there be more kindes of perfection then one First he saith that he is not perfecte afterwarde hee numbreth him selfe among them that be perfect There is therefore a double vse of this worde for sometime one is sayd to be perfect in substance as we say that a childe is a perfect man that is in substance Sometimie one is said to be perfect in quantitie or degrees as when we say no man hath perfect obedience according to the lawe of God After the first maner Abraham Dauid Paule the theefe on the crosse c. were perfect According to the latter maner no man in this life hath bin found perfect beside Christ Iesus alone but that perfection we shal obtaine in the lyfe euerlasting where we shall be made like vnto Christe But that the state of grace in this life is perfection after a sorte it may be taught partly by descriptions partly by examples Of the wordes of Paule which I haue rehearsed this definition may be gathered that Christian perfection is to forsake sinne to rest vpon Christ by fayth and to prease toward the marke for the price of the hie calling of God in Christ Iesus Or as Paul defineth it in the Epistle to Timothe Christian perfection is to fight a good fight to haue faith and a good conscience Whosoeuer therefore forsaketh sinne renounceth lewd and wycked desires comforteth himselfe with confidence trust in the mediatour and endeuoureth to approue his whole lyfe before God y t his conscience be not defiled according to the vse of the Scripture he is called perfect and that in substance not in degrees For Christ onely was perfect both in substance and in degrees But this may more euidentlye be perceiued by examples It was sayd vnto Abraham Genes 17. walke before me and be thou perfect How Abraham obeyed this precept and how he walked before God and was perfect it is playnely declared Genes 22. by the commaundement of God and the obedience of Abraham But that this may be the better vnderstande let vs annex the wordes of Moses Behold therfore saith the Lord to Abraham take now thine onely sonne Isaac whom thou louest and gette thee vnto the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offring vpon one of the mountains which I will shew thee Here thou hast the precept the obedience followeth Then Abraham rose vp early in the morning and sadled his Asse and tooke
which haue not obeyed him calling by his Gospell This is confirmed by the saying of y e Lord in Matthew many be called but few be chosen Of this saying there are two parts the first commendeth vnto vs the goodnes of God which calleth many by his Gospel that they may be saued For we must not thinke that God calleth them whom he will not haue saued The latter part is a complaint of the greatest parte of men which contemne the Gospell and will not liue worthy of so noble a calling Wherof Christ complayneth in Matthew where he is reprehended which had not a wedding garment to the which reprehension afterward is ioyned this complaynt of Christe few are chosen This complaynt he also sheweth with teares Matth. 23. whē he saith How often would I haue gathered thy children togither as the hen gathereth the chickens vnder her wings and ye would not Behold Christ will Hierusalē will not The meaning therefore of the saying of the Lord is many be called to wit to obtayne saluation by Christ so that they will beleeue the Gospell But fewe be chosen that is fewe haue the wedding garment that is fewe doe beleeue and are godly in deede That this is the signification of the word election it is manifest out of the psalme where elect and peruerse or frowarde are set one against the other for he sayth thus with the elect thou shalt be elect and with the froward thou shalt be froward Therefore he is sayd to be elect which is in deede a godly and sincere worshipper of God keeping fayth and a good conscience Wherefore there is no cause that any man should be troubled with thinking of his election as though God had appoynted some certayne men to saluation and the greatest part of men to certaine damnation but rather let him thinke that this is the vnmoueable will of God that as he will saue without difference all that be penitent so on the contrarie he will condemne all that be impenitent And these are saide not to be elect because of the euent or ende For they haue shutte from them selues the way of saluation Let vs therefore obey the Gospell let vs liue in true repentance let vs not suffer our selues to be caried away from Christ with the cares of this world But rather let vs preferre obedience toward the Gospell before al things of the world whereby we may obtayne the saluation promised through our Lorde Iesus Christ in whom God hath chosen the beleuers before y e foūdations of the world 6 But ye haue despised the poore By this setting of one contrarie against the other he sheweth the grieuousnesse of the sinne God doth honour the poore that beleeue but you do despise the poore Your sinne therefore is grieuous and vnworthie of the heires of the kingdome of God Doe not the rich oppresse you by tyrannie and doe they not dravve you before the iudgement seates 7 Doe not they blaspheme the vvorthye name after vvhich ye be named In these wordes are conteyned two plaine arguments It is a foolish thing for men to honor them of whom they are oppressed and tormented and to contemne them that excell in true godlynesse You doe that when you doe honour your rich men which are tyrannes with the reproche and disdayne of the pore The vngodly rich men do blaspheme that worthy name of Christ whereby you will be named and whereof you are called Christians therefore it is an vnworthie thing that you shoulde honour them with the contempt of the poore 8 But if ye fulfill the royall lavve according to the Scripture vvhich sayth Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe ye doe vvell 9 But if ye regarde the persons ye commit sinne and are rebuked of the lavve as transgressours This is a preuenting of an obiection For he preuenteth the obiection of hypocrites by the which they might excuse themselues that they did well in honouring rich men seeing that honour is included in the loue which the lawe doth require toward our neighbour He aunswereth by a double condition If you fulfill that is if you endeuer by true fayth and integritie of mynde to performe it without colouring or hypocrisie For here the worde of fufilling is to be referred not to the degrees but to the substance of obedience or to the parts therof the royall lavve that is the lawe which is like the kings hie way that is streight and playne which leadeth the wayfaring man without turnings to the place appointed But that kings hie way is to loue our neighbour and to consider this only in him that he is our neighbour and to haue respect to no other things in him ye doe vvell that is your defence is iust But if ye regarde the person ye commit sinne but that you regarde the person it is manifest by your deede For you honor wicked rich men and despise godly poore men which truly is not to go in the kings hie way to the loue of your neighbour 10 For vvhosoeuer shall keepe the vvhole lavv and yet faileth in one poynt he is giltie of all 11 For he that sayd thou shalt not commit adulterie sayd also Thou shalt not kill Novv though thou doest none adulterie yet if thou killest thou art a transgressour of the lavve He doth more forcibly vrge the hypocrites which did flatter them selues when as in one poynt of the law they had done their duty well whose hypocrisie he reprehendeth by this argument he which breaketh some one point of the law is a transgressor of the lawe and giltie by the iudgement of the lawe For he hath broken the whole law This is declared by propounding an example of the fift and sixe commaundement He which of this place doth contend either that all sins are alike or that the giltines of euery transgression is equale doth wrongfully vnderstande and take the wordes of the Apostle who in this place doth deale only with hypocrites which did iudge the perfection of the lawe in part agaynst whome the Apostle setteth transgression in part But that sinnes be not alike or equall as the Stoickes woulde haue them first it is euident by the causes For who doth not perceyue that it is more grieuous to sinne of maliciousnes than of infirmitie or ignorance Secondly the euent proueth the same He which sinneth wittingly and willingly doth as it were shake of the holy ghost but he that falleth through weakenesse doth not so Thirdly the vnequalitie of the punishment wherewith God the iust iudge punisheth doth conclude the vnequalitie of sinnes That seruant that knewe his maisters will and prepared not himselfe neyther did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Fourthly euery mans owne conscience doth naturally vnderstande the degrees of sinnes for they are vexed with some more with some lesse Fiftly the lawe of God and all ciuill lawes doe acknowledge degrees of sinnes according to
the righteousnes of God For Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerye one that beleeueth Here Paule maketh this to be the cause of the casting of of the Iewes for that they woulde ioyne their owne righteousnesse with the righteousnesse of God which is by fayth and of both ioyned togither make one forme of righteousnesse Also Rom. 11. he reasoneth thus If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of works it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Paule here first setteth downe two contrarie propositions without any meane betwene them If election and saluation be of workes it is not of grace If it be of grace it is not of workes bicause that debt and gift are so contrarie that neither of them may rightly be sayde one of the other or both of them of any thirde Eyther therefore we are iustified and saued by fayth alone or by workes but the testimonies before alledged doe proue that no man is iustified by workes Agayne if christian righteousnesse did consist of fayth and works togither the reasoning of Paule were fonde and vayne Rom. 4. To him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is counted for righteousnesse Here Paule maketh two sortes of righteousnesse which differ the one from the other For they haue contrarie causes For the righteousnesse of fayth by which he that beleeueth is iustified is imputed and giuen freely but the righteousnesse of works is not free Furthermore if one part is to be attributed to fayth the other part to workes in the iustification of man two absurdities should followe thereof one that the promise shoulde be made vncertaine which ought to be certaine Another that the satisfaction of Christ coulde not suffice except it were stablished by our workes Wherefore we embrace the saying of Augustine which sayth It is grace in no poynt except it be free in all poyntes But the occasion of the errour of the Papistes was a Philosophicall imagination which knoweth no righteousnesse except it be a certayne qualitie in vs. For it vnderstandeth not that a man may be iustified by the imputation of the righteousnesse of another Nowe let vs come to essentiall righteousnesse concerning which first it is to be vnderstand y t we are in no wise righteous before God by y e essential righteousnes of God but in respect of the principall efficient cause For the formall righteousnesse by which we are righteous before God is no other than the obedience of Christ as Paule plainly teacheth Rom. 5. By the obedience of one many shall be made righteous But the obedience of Christ is of two sortes of the crosse and of the lawe By the obedience of the crosse whereby he humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Philip. 3. the Lorde doth make a full satisfaction for our sinne The obedience of the lawe he imputeth vnto vs that beleeue that by it we maye appeare righteous in the sight of God Paule sayth that this righteousnesse or obedience of Christ is imputed to them that beleeue therfore it is neyther substance nor qualitie abyding in them whereby a man is made righteous formally Wherefore this affirmance is surely to be helde that christian righteousnes is the obedience of the sonne of God imputed to him that beleeueth But in the meane season we must also vnderstande this that the Scripture maketh mention of three kindes of righteousnesse of man whereof one is of fayth by which we stande before God and this is perfect as the obedience of Christ is perfect neyther is it diminished or increased by the diminishing or increasing of fayth For the Publicane had this full and perfect as well as Peter although the fayth of Peter was much more manifest and knowne Another is the beginning of obedience which is also called the righteousnesse of a good conscience This is not set agaynst the wrath of God bicause it is not perfect obedience of the lawe yet it is necessary in as much as it is the proper fruite of fayth An other there is which is as yet looked for whereof Paule speaketh Galat. 5. For we through the spirite wayte for the hope of righteousnesse through fayth And 1. Iohn 3. Dearly beloued nowe are we the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be and we knowe that when we shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure This righteousnesse therefore is a making of vs lyke vnto God a dwelling of God in vs a full fruition of God an absolute and perfect loue And although we must confesse that the heartes of them that beleeue are the temples of the holy ghost and Christ sayth Iohn 14. If any man loue me he will keepe my worde and my father will loue him and we will come vnto him and wil dwell with him yet it doth not followe that this dwelling of God in vs is the righteousnesse whereby we stande before God but it is a diuine presence in vs by which we are renued doe feele comfort and begyn to approch to eternall life Furthermore if men were iustified here by essentiall righteousnesse there shoulde be no difference betweene the righteousnesse by which we are righteous in this lyfe and that by which we shall be like vnto God in all eternitie But Paule putteth a manifest difference betweene these two For he sayth that we haue the righteousnesse of fayth nowe here in this lyfe but that we doe looke for another righteousnesse which Iohn defineth to be a framing or fashioning whereby we shall be fashioned lyke vnto God which fashioning shall proceede from hence in that we shall see him as he is Newe obedience is necessarily ioyned with fayth For regeneration which cannot be absent from a iustifying fayth doth necessarily bring forth it fruites which are seene in newe obedience For after that a man through the grace of regeneration is made a newe tree he ought to bring forth newe that is good fruites which Paule in his Epistle to the Philip. calleth the frutes of y e righteousnes of fayth Iames pronounceth in his own peculiar and proper phrase that men are iustified by the same that is acknowledged and declared iust This newe obedience is sometime called sanctification which consisteth of the mortifying of the fleshe and of the quickening of the spirit For Paule sayth thus Christ is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption He is made our wisedome in the preaching of the Gospell He is made our righteousnesse by the attonement for sinne and imputation of righteousnesse He is made our
demaunded what are the causes of good workes by which men ought to be stirred vp and pricked forward to worke well There are numbred three most weyghty causes necessitie dignitie and reward Necessitie may be made to be of fiue sorts of y e cōmāndemēt of worship of det of holding fast y e fayth of auoyding punishmēt of cōuersion or regeueratiō Necessitie of the commaundemēt is bicause God doth seriously and seuerely commaund obedience toward his lawe Keepe mine ordinances sayth he and walke therein Paul sayth This is the will of God euen your sanctification Necessity of dette or dutie that we owe is declared Rom. 8. We are detters not to the flesh but to the spirite for we are not our owne but his that hath redemed vs with his bloud Necessitie of holding fast the fayth is commaunded to vs of Paule If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his housholde he denieth the fayth and is worse than an infidel And agayne Fight a good fight hauing fayth and a good conscience neyther of which is kept while we giue our selues to sinne Necessitie of auoyding punishment is confirmed by the testimonie of Dauid For iniquitie sayth he thou doest chastice the children of men Necessitie of conuersion is affirmed in this saying As I liue sayth the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his waye and liue When therefore conuersion is made man is also quickened by fayth through the holy Ghost Moreouer vnto conuersion is ioined regeneration which is a beginning of a newe lyfe a newe light wisedome righteousnesse and a renuing of the image of God in vs. The seconde cause is dignitie which consisteth in this that the man conuerted or regenerate is nowe the sonne of God according to that saying He gaue power to be the sonnes of God to them that beleeue in his name Howe great a dignitie is it that they which beleeue are the temple of the holy ghost liuing that Christ dwelleth in them by fayth that the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost doe come vnto them and will dwell with them that they are the members of Christ On the contrarie wey what a wickednes it is for the children of God to resemble the image of the enimie howe great a daunger it is that the temple of God shoulde be polluted with the filthinesse of Satan what a cruell thing it is to driue God out of his dwelling place Wherefore it becommeth the children of God to imitate their heauenly father which sayth Be ye holy for I am holy Herevpon Paule sayeth that we are called to sanctification and not to vncleannes The thirde cause is a rewarde that is a recompence of the pacience and obedience of them that beleeue This rewarde is not giuen for the worthinesse of the worke but for the promise of grace Seing that the good workes that are done of the godly are the bounden duties of seruants and vnperfect and defiled it may be demaunded why God hath added promises to good workes And there may be numbred fiue causes hereof The first that they may be testimonies of the prouidence of God For God will haue it knowne that good things pertayning to the bodye are created of him and are not spreade abroade by chaunce but are of him giuen to the Church and preserued according to the saying He is thy life and the length of thy dayes in the dayes of hunger they shall be satisfied the rich haue suffred hunger but no good thing shall be wanting to him that feareth the Lorde The seconde that they may be testimonies that God will yea euen in this lyfe keepe and preserue his Church Wherefore Paule sayth 1. Tim. 4. Godlynesse hath the promise of the lyfe present and of that that is to come Bicause God will of his infinite goodnesse gather his Church for his sonnes sake the mediatour he keepeth this order of nature he maketh the earth fruitefull that he may feede and nourishe his Church euen in this life and bicause for his Churches sake he doth feede also the rest it becommeth vs especially to be thankfull The thirde bicause God will haue corporall necessitie to be a monishment warning concerning fayth prayer hope giuing of thankes therefore hath he set forth his promises wil haue these good things to be asked loked for by fayth by this asking and looking for he will haue fayth hope and pacience to increase The fourth that they may be warnings of the promise of grace bicause that fayth which acknowledgeth the sonne and receyueth reconciliation ought alwayes to go before in the asking of corporall things and for the sonnes sake the other promises were set forth and ratified All these things are comprehended in the saying Whatsoeuer he shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you The fift bicause God will haue both these things to be knowne both that the Church is subiect to the crosse and yet nowithstanding that it is marueylously preserued in this lyfe euen among perils and daungers that all the maruaylous preseruations of the Church and al the wonderfull deliuerances of the same may be testimonies of the presence of God in his Church as it is sayde Num. 14. That the Egyptians maye knowe that thou O Lorde art among this people Iosu 3. Ye shall knowe that the Lorde God is in the middest of you 1. Kings 17. That all the earth may knowe that there is a God in Israel Esay 37. Nowe O Lorde our God saue thou vs out of the hande of Zenacherib that all the kingdomes of the earth may knowe that thou onely art the Lorde Seing that al men haue sinne it is rightly demaunded whose obedience doth please and whose doth not please To this question I doe aunswere thus Sinnes are of two sorts some are committed of them which know and are willing agaynst their conscience such sinnes are not in them that beleeue For if he that beleueth doth fall agaynst his conscience he doth as it were shake of the holy ghost renounce the fayth and is made guiltie of the wrath of God and except he repenteth he falleth headlong into eternal punishment Moreouer they which being deceyued by the delusions of the deuill doe reuolt from the foundation that is doe renounce and forsake any article of the fayth whether they vnderstande it or vnderstande it not doe cease to be holy doe shake of the holy ghost and become guiltie of eternal wrath and displeasure as Cherinthus Ebion Arius Fotinus and such lyke heretikes Other some sinnes are not committed agaynst the conscience as blindnesse and ignorance doubting many omittings of our dutie and vicious affections agaynst which euilles the godlye doe striue and doe beleeue that they are put away for the mediators sake Although this vncleannesse is in
stirred vp the poore vnto patience so he requireth pardoning of one anothers offences praying one for another and diligence in calling backe their brethren from going astray The order and partes of the fift Chapter OF this Chapter there are fiue partes The first is a sharpe rebuking of the rich The seconde an encouraging of the poore vnto patience The third a forbidding of a rash othe The fourth an instruction what is to be done in diuers cases The fift a commendation of mutuall duties The exposition of the fift Chapter with an obseruation of the doctrine 1 Go to novve ye rich men vveepe and hovvle for your miseries that shall come vpon you HE speaketh not vnto all rich men but only vnto them which were vnmercifull towarde the poore and eyther abused their riches couetously or else spent them lewdly vpon delites and pleasures When he biddeth them weepe he will haue them call to mynde the miseries which in time to come they shall suffer for their crueltie and couetousnesse In these wordes therfore this proposition is contayned Let not rich men abuse their riches vnto their own destructiō 2 Your riches are corrupt and your garmentes are moth eaten 3 Your golde and siluerss cankred and the rust of thē shall be a vvitnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it vvere fire Ye haue heaped vp treasure for the last dayes These wordes of the Apostle containe three things First he sheweth by a signe the vnsatiable couetousnesse of rich men which had rather that their treasures shoulde be corrupt and perish in their coffers and chestes than that they woulde bestowe any whit of them to supplie the neede of them that be in miserie Secondly he declareth their crueltie towards the poore whom they ought with their riches to cherishe and helpe Thirdly he threatneth punishment vnto them in as much as they gather vnto them selues the treasure of iniquitie couetousnesse and crueltie against the day of wrath who in time to come shall be so eaten of hell fire that is they shall be tormented with euerlasting flames as nowe their treasure is eaten of the rust 4 Behold the hire of the labourers vvhich haue reaped your feeldes vvhich is of you kept back by fraude crieth and the cries of them vvhich haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lorde of hostes He accuseth the vniustice of rich men denying labourers their due hire and threatneth punishment vnto them For by the worde of crying he signifieth that this iniurie doth as it were sounde in the eares of the Lord and cal for vengeance 5 Ye haue liued in pleasure on the earth and in vvantonnesse Ye haue nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter He reprehendeth the pleasures lasciuiousnes and wantonnes wherein the riche men did delicately pamper vp themselues He calleth the day appoynted for sumptuous and delicate bankets the day of slaughter 6 Ye haue condemned and haue killed the iust and he hath not resisted you This may be referred both vnto crueltie against the pore whom the rich men are sayde to haue condemned and killed when as they did not relieue their neede with their abundance whereof is that saying of Augustine If thou hast not fed thou hast killed And also to the rigorous extortion whereby they haue in iudgementes exacted their debts of their debtors and haue oppressed them with seruitude that did not pay Of riches and contracts or bargaines SEing that Iames seemeth in this place to deale somewhat hardly agaynst the rich men of this world it seemeth vnto me a thing worthie the labour to adde something herevnto concerning riches and contractes or bargaines which serue to increase our substance and that vnto this ende that the godly may be admonished how farre it is lawfull for them to vse such stayes of their life Forasmuch therfore as some godly men doe get riches by the blessing of the Lorde and also the societie of man cannot want bargaines it appeareth sufficiently that neither to haue riches neyther to bargayne by it selfe is sin For we must not thinke that the Gospell doth eyther breake the lawfull bonds of humane societie or take away those things which are necessarie to the maintayning of the life of man But bicause it is often times offended in the getting of riches likewise in the possession and vse of them and also many faults are incident in bargaynes it is needefull that the godly minde be rightly instructed whereby it may know both how to get riches without offence to God how to vse them being gotten and also how farre it may exercise vsuall bargaines with a good conscience Wherefore first of all let this rule of Christe be moste surely kept Seeke ye fyrst the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and other thinges shall be ministred vnto you Matth. 6. This rule of Christ conteyneth two thinges to wit a commaundement of Christ and a promise ioyned with obedience toward the commaundement The commaundement is Seeke fyrst the kingdome of God and his righteousnes He which will not obey this commaundement as he is not partaker of the grace of Christ so he abideth in the kingdome of sinne and serueth Satan to whom euerlasting death is reserued for his stipend Let therfore obedience toward this commandement of Christ haue the principall place that is let the care of our saluation be first and chiefe The promise is And other thinges shall be ministred vnto you This promise will both haue fayth to wit that we doe assure our selues that Christe is true and will haue a care of vs if we will obey his commaundement and also it secretly requireth that euery one by fayth doe diligently in the feare of God those thinges which are agreable to his calling Heathenish and prophane carefulnes being excluded For we must not thinke that the promise of Christ doth commend slouthfulnes vnto vs. Wherefore let him that is endued with the faith of Christ know that it is a part of godlynes without which fayth cannot be sound diligently to doe that dutie to the which euerie man is called To this pertayneth that saying of the Apostle He that prouideth not for his owne namely for them of his houshold denieth the fayth and is worse then an infidel The promise therefore of Christ requireth a holy diligence and an earnest labour of euerye man in his calling But least that any man doth here by and by as it were in the entrie stumble and doubt whether his calling be lawfull or no I will briefly touch what is required to a lawfull calling or function Two thinges generally are to be considered to wit the kind of office and the execution thereof Concerning the kinde this rule is to be obserued Euery office that maketh for the maintayning and furnishing of the states ordained of God as are the ciuil state the state concerning the gouerning of an house the ecclesiasticall state is commaunded in the
God and maintayne true religion Let him set before himselfe the examples of godlye men as of Dauid Iosias Ezechias Constantine Theodosius Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie Christierne the thirde king of Denmarke and other Princes and godly men which desired nothing more than according to their abilitie to set forth the glorie of God to helpe them which taught and learned religion to maintaine schooles and honest priuileges of schooles to defende the teachers of godlynesse agaynst the crueltie and iniurie of wicked men to whom nothing was more pleasant than to inuent diuers craftes and wayes whereby they might oppresse both teachers and learners the case of which men I do with all my heart lament For by their reprobate mynde they doe more and more plunge themselues in hell The seconde true and lawfull vse of riches ought to be that we helpe and adorne the common weales in which we liue according to the measure of our riches For this cause tributes are inioyned that by them as by sinewes the cōmon weale may be kept and preserued that is that they may be ornaments of peace helpes of lawfull warre the rewardes of them which gouerne the common weale But here two kyndes of men doe not a little offende For there are some which although they abounde with wealth renoume and glorie in the time of peace yet when anye thing is to be layde out to the vse of the common weale this they craftily put of from them selues to the silly and simple people who are compelled beyonde their strength and abilitie to bestowe those things which are required Here although the simple people doe rightly obey yet these inuentors of mischiefes are reserued for their iudgement There are also perhappes some who being not content with their ordinarie rents doe lay newe exactions vppon the subiects which are condemned by the testimonie of Iohn the Baptist in as much as they doe not bring forth the fruites of repentance Christ sayth Giue to Caesar the things which are Caesars and giue vnto God those things which are Gods But let Caesar knowe that there is a certaine rule which the lawes doe prescribe vnto him If he shall offende against this he is made guiltie of the wrath of God But thou wilt say is it neuer therefore lawfull for the magistrate to exact of his subiectes anye thing beside the ordinarie taxe We must put a difference betweene the times of peace and warre In the time of peace let him be content with his ordinarie reuenues least that he sinne agaynst God In the time of warre the subiectes doe owe not only their goods but also their bodies to the magistrate making iust warre and the godly magistrate may exact vnaccustomed tributes and require the helpe of the Citizens against the enimies There may also necessities be incident in the time of peace that ordinarie stipendes are not sufficient for the magistrate When this commeth to passe godly subiectes ought to helpe the present necessities and the godly magistrate may require so much increase as shall be needefull But they which do therevpon by litle and litle bring in a custome to oppresse subiects shall as insidels looke for their punishment at the handes of the iust Iudge which knoweth howe to bowe downe the neckes of the proude and tyrannes The thirde right and lawfull vse of riches is that euery man finde himselfe things necessarie do maintayne his familie according to the state of his calling But here two vices are to be taken heede of couetousnesse or vile fashions prodigalitie Couetousnesse or filthie behauiour is vnworthie of a mā Prodigalitie doth rashly waste riches oftē times vpon brauerie altogither vnmete for that state or calling Wherefore a meane which in euery thing is commended is here also to be kept An honest citizen therfore may with his goodes maintayne that which becommeth his estate let him beware that he take not vpon him that honour that belongeth vnto another let him leaue to the nobilitie their noblenesse and reputation so let an honest noble man maintayne his state and leaue vnto the Princes their magnificence and sumptuousnesse After the same sort let teachers of godlynes in scholes and temples modestly maintayne their state Brieflye let euerye one thinke what is agreeable to his person and condition The fourth and last right and lawful vse of riches ought to be that we should be moued also with the calamitie of the needy and hold this for most certayne that God doth suffer the poore and needy to be in the mydst of vs that he may trie of what redines we are to obey his commaundement for he doth commaund vs that we shoulde reach forth our hande to the needy and how mercifull we are toward the members of the sonne of God which if we doe contemne we doe despise also the head For it cannot be that he should loue the head which causeth paine griefe to the members But of this vse more hereafter Of contractes or bargaines FOrasmuch therefore as men are so created that they must of necessitie liue in societie and their condition is such that they cannot mayntayne their state without mutual labour and duties the life of man truly hath neede of contractes or bargaines by which is made a certayne interchangeable course of laboures and offices And the societie of men among them selues can no more want the commoditie of bargaynes then water and fire Wherfore seing that the godly and vngodly are wont to bargayne one with an other and there is oftentimes no small offence made in bargayning through the naughtines of men it is a thing necessary that the godly be instructed whereby they may knowe how farre it is lawfull to bargaine with a good conscience and without offence to God that they doe not attempt to doe any thing their conscience eyther douting eyther being deceiued eyther striuing agaynst them And although a full and absolute doctrine concerning bargayning doth pertayne to the lawyers who of purpose doe very often teach of bargaynes yet because ciuil rules often times doe not satisfie mens consciences I will gather a certayne briefe aduertisement which the godly minde may safely follow in bargaining First therefore I will laye two foundations vpon which all those things which I am about to speake shall depend Secondly I will declare the chiefe kindes of bargaynes and will shewe how they agree with the foundation The first foundation shalbe this taken from the lawe of nature That which thou wilt not haue done to thy selfe doe not thou to another and contrarywise that which thou wilt haue rightly done to thy selfe thou mayst doe to another Nazianzenus vttereth this foundation after this sort To doe those things to other men see that thou doe refraine Which thou thy selfe vnwilling art to take of them agayne Vpon this foundation Christ will haue all duties among men yea and all actions and bargaynes to be buylded For
there be any such howe farre the godly man maye vse it with a good conscience and without offence to God Moreouer we will gather certaine admonitions vnto which as vnto certaine consultations and rules to take counsell by it shalbe profitable to haue regard in euery kinde of bargaines and businesse Finally we will admonish how the stewards of the mysteryes of God that is the preachers of the Gospel maye behaue themselues in the matter of vsurie that they do neyther communicate with other mens offences nor attempt any thing that may turne to their destruction Of the first THe prohibitions or forbiddings of vsurie are foure into which if we will godlye and earnestly looke we shall perceyue more clearely than the daye what is to be iudged concerning this whole trade of vsurie Wherefore I will rehearse them distinctly and in order The first is sayde to be naturall For Aristotle without controuersie the chiefe of Philosophers doth teach that vsurie is agaynst nature being moued by this argument Mony by nature cannot bring forth therefore to take vsurie of mony is contrary to nature And for this cause vsurie is thought to be called of the Grecians Tocos of bringing forth as though there were a certaine birth of mony that euen by the very name it may be infamous Aristophanes calleth vsurie a beast which in processe of time doth bring forth mony in more abundant increase Plato also doth cast vsurie out of his common weale For thus he sayth in his fift booke of lawes Let it be lawful if any taketh mony vpō interest to rēder neither the interest nor the principall This prohibition of Plato is grounded vppon a naturall principle to wit that that is in no case to be suffred in a citie whatsoeuer it be which is agaynst the lawe of nature and mutuall charitie and is the cause of the ruine of families and common weales which nature biddeth to be preserued and maintayned Plutarch concludeth that vsurie is contrary to nature by this principle Of nothing nothing is made Cicero compareth vsurie to man slaughter Wherefore it is manifest that as manslaughter is contrarye to nature so also vsurie is contrarie therevnto Moreouer inequalitie in bargaining is agaynst nature For the worke thereof is the destruction of nature Gayne therfore that is giuen for the bounden dutie of lending is agaynst nature For it doth manifestly bring inequalitie Finally seing that the ciuill societie is especially according to nature trulye it must be that vsurie is an enimie to nature inasmuch as it doth appayre and diminishe humane societie The seconde prohibition is diuine For Moses the Prophetes and the Psalmes doe forbid and condemne vsurie The cause of this forbidding is expressely added in many places to wit that our neighbour be not oppressed with vsurie Exod. 22. If thou lend mony to my people that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an vsurer vnto him thou shalt not oppresse him with vsurie Leuit. 25. Thou shalt not giue him thy monie to vsurie nor lende him thy vittayles for increase The cause of the precept goeth before that thy brother may liue with thee to wit not oppressed with vsurie Deut. 23. Thou shalt not giue to vsurie to thy brother as vsurie of mony vsurie of meat vsurie of any thing that is put to vsurie Vnto a straunger thou mayst lende vpon vsurie but thou shalt not lende vpon vsurie vnto thy brother that the Lorde thy God may blesse thee in all that thou settest thine hande to Moses speaketh here also of the vsurie that oppresseth our neighbour For out of the Hebrue text it may thus be translated Thou mayst byte a straunger with vsurie but thy brother thou shalt not byte Ezech. 18. He that hath not giuen forth vpon vsurie neyther hath taken any increase is iust and shall surely liue Herevpon it followeth in the contrarie sense that he is vniust and shall die which hath giuen vpon vsurie and taken increase In the 15. Psalme it is sayde that he shall dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord which giueth not his mony vpon vsurie And that this Psalme also speaketh of vsurie which byteth and oppresseth our neyghbour it is manifest For the Psalmist vseth the worde Nesec which hath it name of biting Agayne there is no doubt but that vsurie is here prohibited which before was forbidden in Moses to wit that which biteth and oppresseth our neighbour For the Prophetes bring no newe doctrine but only are interpreters of Moses The thirde prohibition is politike or ciuill For among the most auncient Romanes there was no maner no permission of vsurie but publike cursing and punishing therof But in processe of time when togither with rule and riches couetousnesse and riot did increase vsurie began by little little and was oftentimes more more increased vntill the matter of vsurie came vnto sedicion and discord for which cause the gouernours of cōmon weales bicause they coulde not vtterly abolishe vsurie did with lawes represse it as much as they coulde The citie of Athens did commit wholy vnto Solon that he shoulde moderate the vsurie by which the Athenians were almost oppressed For when there was a sedition risen for the crueltie of vsurers which did compell the sonnes and daughters of their debters to be brought into bondage and to be solde that the interest might be payde Solon the Citizens requesting him made the first lawe that it shoulde not afterward be lawfull that any free bodie shoulde be brought into seruitude for debtes or vsury And this measure of vsury did Solon ordayne that no more shoulde be demaunded than the hundreth part that is so much as did counteruayle the principall in the hundreth moueth that is of an hundreth crownes euery moneth one crowne But the Emperours did forbid the hundreth part to be receyued for interest except it were in things caried ouer the sea but in other lawfull trades they did permit the eyght part of the hundreth that is of an hundred crownes euery yere eyght crownes But to the Noble men in euery contract or bargaine they did not permit aboue the fourth part of the hundreth that is euery yeare of an hundreth crownes foure crownes but to the cōmon people the sixt part of the hundreth was permitted that is euery yeare of an hundreth crownes sixe crownes This moderation of the Emperours was highly to be praysed which did both represse the vniust exaction of vsurie and also prouided that the goodes of priuate men were not wasted by vnmeasurable vsurie The fourth prohibition is ecclesiasticall Now I call an ecclesiasticall prohibition not the decrees of the Pope whom we doe acknowledge neither the head nor the taile of the Church but of holy Synodes by which vsurie was streightly prohibited Also the sayings of holy fathers against vsurie In the 47. decrees there is mention made of the canons of the Apostle in which vsurie
that families common weales are maintained doth it come of Vsurie no truly For no good thing can come of Vsurie by it self but rather a sea of euils Now if perhaps any good seeme to come of Vsury that is not to be attributed to vsurie but to the lending which lending if it were done w tout Vsurie it would more profit families common weales But thou wilt say thou losest labour in speaking which goest about to call Vsurers being Idolaters for Vsurers in steede of God do worship riches as God into the right way But be it so inasmuch as they as adders are deafe at y e word of y e Lord. For they heare nothing with so great indignatiō of mind as that their Vsurie is condemned That most filthie lucre is more pleasant vnto them then that they would want it euen with any perill set before them And surely hereupon it is that not a few which might liue welthily enough for the maner of their calling of the profites of their owne land doe sell their inheritance that a certaine sūme of money being scraped togither and put out to Vsurie they may liue idlely vpon their Vsurie and inuent diuers subtile deuises by which they may hold their detters not without vsurie vpon vsurie vntil they haue vtterly vndone them not without the exceding great losse of families and common weales But although these perhaps will not allow of our sentence yet it is our duty to admonish them that at the least they thinke that the day will come vnlooked for in which they shall render an account to the iust iudge who as he is corrupted with no accepting of persons so is he deceiued with no sophistrie or subtiltie And then at the length Vsurers shall perceiue that we did aduertise them of good and profitable things and that that heathen Poet Hesiodus did say true who being no vaine Poet writeth after this sorte Vse not ill meanes to gaine for gaine ill got from verie losse and damage diffreth not From whence had Hesiodus this had he it out of the word of God which Vsurers doe contemne no truly For that sillie man did not see at any time the writinges eyther of the Prophets or of the Apostles From whence therefore had he it experience and nature being his teachers he set forth in writing this most true oracle verye well agreeing with the voyce of the Prophets and Apostles With Hesiodus agreeth Pindarus that most auncient Poet of y e Thebans whom for his singular wisedome Alexander the great is sayde to haue embraced for he saith thus much in effect The mindes of men are redier to praise deceitfull gaine Then iustice to embrace and eke true dealing to maintayne Although they creepe to that sharpe daye their life being nigh spent When for vniustice done they shall receiue due punishment That day which shal follow the delightes and pleasurs that the vngodly take of their vniust gaine Pindarus calleth a day appoynted for punishment For as in the next day after the festiuall dayes in which the most part doe more freely without consideration giue ouer themselues to all kind of pleasures and delites men are wont to call to remembrance wherin they did offend more licentiously through drunkennes so the day of death and of the last iudgement shall be to Vsurers as the next day after festiual dayes in which they doe at the last repent them of their sinnes but in vaine For he is by no meanes thought truly to repent which abstaineth from sin against his will These thinges I thought good to write somwhat more at large that I might aduertise Vsurers of the wrath of God and of the punishment that hangeth ouer their heades which they shall no way escape except they doe repent in time and for a testimony of their repentance do iustly restore againe if they shall be able that which they haue vniustly taken But if they shall not be able let them at the least doe what they can let them craue of God pardon of their fault let them aske them whom they haue hurt with their vsurie forgiuenes of the iniurie that they haue done and let them be reconciled to the Churche by publicke satisfaction least that their portion be with Iudas But if any shall contemne and deride these our counsels and admonitions which I dout not but it will come to passe it maketh no matter to me I seeke the saluation of wretched men I tell out the truth which he that will not obey shall in his time finde a iust iudge who will most iustly punish both his contempt and the contempt of his fauourers Of the third AFter we haue now spoken of the prohibitions of Vsurie and of the causes thereof and also of the punishments of them who despising the law both of God and of man doe practise Vsurie which is prohibited the place requireth that we see whether there be any contract or bargaine like vnto Vsurie in part yet not disagreeing with the charitie toward our neighbour and if there be anye such how farre a godly man may vse the same with a good conscience and without offence to God First of all this is to be helde as most certayne that Vsurie condemned by the worde of God is therfore vnlawfull prohibited and condemned because it is contrarie to the foundation which proceedeth from the lawe of charitie that which thou wilt not haue done to thy selfe doe not thou to an other But that this our foundatiō is vnmoueable we haue declared before where we haue layde the foundations of contracts and bargaines For there we shewed that charitie is the scope and end of all duties in this humane societie Of this foundation an vnmoueable consequent is concluded that no contract is condemned which is not repugnant to the charitie toward our neyghbour Wherefore if any such can be shewed it shalbe without doubt accounted lawfull although it shall appeare much like vnto Vsurie For it is not iust and meete that we doe condemne al profitable contractes and bargaines in a common weale vnder a pretence of Vsurie because of the likenes And although many such contracts are wisely condemned of the lawyers yet we will speake of them of which the greatest controuersie is especially in this realme But that we may iudge of these contracts without errour and find out that which with a good conscience and without offending God it is lawfull to follow it shall be needeful to speake of diuers sortes of men that it may be vnderstād to whom we are bound to lend and to whom we are not for there Vsurie is properly committed Here the lawes of magistrates may determine of those thinges which they shall wisely know to be good and profitable for their common weale For this is to be marked as a profitable rule in the societie of man that bargaynes allowed by the lawes and by the authoritie of the magistrate that is of a good and wise
barren fields did make them better by planting and graffing that is by good ordering and vsage and did pay to the owners a certayne yerely rent for the vse of the fields the right neuertheles of the possession remayning in the letter of them out This particular was afterwarde translated to a generall that is to the letting out of all fieldes and houses This contract therefore concerning tilling and planting consisteth in the dealing with the grounde and lande only wherin fruite commeth to him that hyreth by tilling and due ordering but the letter of it out doth remayne the true owner of the lande and therefore according to the lawes and customes of countries he doth iustly receyue part of the fruite by the bargayne Of the contract of societie IN that which they call the contract of societie that is whereas one bestoweth money only and another onely labour or one bestoweth money and labour another only money or labour or both bestow money and labour but not equally we must follow the foundation without deceite doe not that to an other which thou wilt not haue done to thy selfe He which contrarie to this foundation shall deceiue his felow is vniust and hath broken the lawes of brotherly societie These things I thought good to adde concerning contracts and bargaines that I might herein haue consideration of the consciences of the godly A full and perfect doctrine of bargaines may be taken out of the writinges of the lawyers who of purpose as cunning and skilfull in these matters doe write of them most copiously neither is there any cause that any man should thinke that the ordinances or decrees of wise gouernoures concerning bargaines or other offices profitable in the life of man are against the Gospell For as before we haue witnessed the Gospell doth not abolish ciuill ordinances For the Lorde sayth My kingdome is not of this worlde The Gospell therfore leaueth to euery nation the lawes therof which varying not from the tenne commaundements do tend to the mayntayning of commō weales and families Wherfore the godly may most safely follow this rule All bargaynes approued of the lawfull magistrate which hath the chiefe gouernment are lawfull vnto Christians so as they doe not playnely disagree with the lawe of nature and the ten commaundements And therefore the godly may vse them freely with a good conscience without offending God no otherwise then these elements which are common both to the godly and vngodly A Question concerning the goods of the Church Whether it be lawfull for heires to require againe the goods which their forefathers haue bestowed vpon the Church for the celebrating of Masses the Masses nowe ceasing ye being quite abolished The Aunswere A Difference must be put betweene the next ende of the giuing and the last ende The next ende of the giuing was the celebrating of the Masse which seeing it is vngodlye they doe well which abolishe the custome thereof The last ende was the mayntaining of the worshippe and seruice of God To this ende bicause it is good and holye ought all the goodes to be referred which in time past were giuen to the celebrating of Masses An obiection They obiect that in many of their deedes of gift this clause is expressed If such custome of celebrating Masse or of singing shall cease let the heires haue power to receyue againe those goods which their forefathers haue giuen to the celebrating of Masses c. The Aunswere THey that bestowed those goods vpon the Church did erre in the particular and not in the general The particular is the celebration of the Masse The generall is the worship and seruice of God The heyres therefore being better instructed ought to correct the faultes of their forefathers and conuert that to the true worship of God which was appoynted for the prophaning of the supper of the Lorde Yea I thinke that this is rather the office of the godly magistrate that these goodes be not suffered to serue the auarice of priuate men Flora an harlot of Rome bestowed the substance that she had which was verye great to the maintayning of a yearely pageant or play at Rome When the most graue censor Cato thought good that this play should be abolished for the dishonestie thereof and for the filthie gestures and behauiour of harlots the heires of Flora the playes of Flora being abolished do require againe the goods that Flora had giuen But the Senate of Rome did most wisely iudge that these goods ought not to returne to the heires but that the purpose of Flora which gaue them was to be considered whose last will was that the goods which she had giuen should serue the common weale of Rome For Flora although shee erred in the particular yet did she not erre in the generall Wherefore that the generall might be kept the Senate of Rome did most rightly iudge that those goods which Flora had giuen should not be restored to the heires which required them bicause the playes of Flora were abolished After the same maner those goods that are giuen to the maintayning of masses ought not to be restored to the heires the masses ceassing but are to be conuerted to the generall end that they may serue the Church of God that is that they may be giuen to them that teach to them that learne to them that haue deserued to them that are keepers and defenders of the Church They ought not to serue the pleasures of men but the necessities of y e Church So also dooth Bartolus a most excellent lawyer iudge which toucheth this very case concerning masses in his commentaries vpon the law Of that which is giuen to the citie The wordes of Bartolus are these If he that maketh his last will and testament hath left an hundred poundes for singing masses which masses cannot be song because of the commaundement to the contrarye that which was left ought to be conuerted to an other vse The same Bartolus doth a little before set downe the generall sentence If sayth he he that maketh his last will addeth a maner or condition which is vnpossible to wit by reason of the prohibition for some lawfull and honest ende then if it can not be fulfilled after that sort which he hath fayd it is conuerted to some other lawfull vse The grieuousnes of the sinne of them which couetously and greedily get into their handes the goods of the Church THey which couetouslye and greedilye get into theyr handes the goods of the Church doe violate both tables For they are both vngodly against God and also cruell toward the Church and the members thereof Inasmuch as they doe both with sacriledge vsurpe vnto them selues those things that are giuen to the worship of God also doe spoyle the needie members of the Church of their liuing Cicero affirmeth that he doth more grieuouslye offend which wrongfully taketh any thing out of the common treasurie then he which stealeth the treasure of
true fayth is not destitute of good workes Hypocrites fayth is vaine The Gospell is the preaching of repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes The first foundation of the preaching of repentance Matth. 3.2 Ierem. 36.3 Ezech. 33.11 Ierem. 3.22 Matth. 9.13 Two thinges ther be which hinder repentance in vs wherunto the Lord addeth remedies A remedie agaynst our ignorance Rom. 3.20 How the Lord driueth away our sluggishnesse Luke 13.3 A liuely example VVhat true repentance is Howe Adam by little and little came vnto true repentance Dauid an example wherin the partes of true repentance are liuely set forth Psal 38.3 2. Sam. 12.13 Psal 51.1 vers 15. vers 13. The parts of true repentance Contrition the first part of repentance what it is What fayth is which is the seconde part of true repentance The definition of iustification Fayth Rom. 3.28 Deliuerance from sinne 1. Iohn 1.7 Psal 32.1.2 Iohn 3.36 Imputation of righteousnesse Howe we are righteous before God Accepting of vs vnto eternall lyfe Diuers errours in the doctrine of iustification The first errour of them which saye that we are iustified by works with a confutation thereof Psal 143.2 Gal. 3.10 Gal. 2.21 The seconde error of them which affirme that wee are iustified by sayth and workes togither and the same cōfuted Verse 6. Two kindes of righteousnesse The errour concerning iustification by fayth and workes togither from whence it proceeded The thirde errour in the doctrine of iustification confuted The obedience of Christ is double Christian righteousnes Three kindes of righteousnes of man Perfect righteousnesse in this lyfe Vnperfect righteousnes Righteousnes perfect and absolute in the lyfe to come Newe obedience doth necessarily accompanye saith 1. Cor. 1.30 Howe Christ is made our wisedome righteousnes sanctification c. Howe good workes are necessarie to saluation Sixe questions to be handled concerning good works The first question what good workes are to bee taught and done Such workes are to bee taught and done as God hath commended to vs in his worde The seconde question Howe those works which God hath prescribed may be done Heb. 11.6 Iohn 15.5 Zach. 12.10 Iohn 14.23 The thirde question how good workes which are done of vs do please God How our obedience pleaseth God Three speciall causes which ought to moue vs to doe good workes Fiue kindes of necessitie which oughte much to stirre vs vp vnto the doing of good workes Leuit. 18.4 1. Thess 4.3 1. Timo. 5.8 ◠Timo. 1.18.29 Ezech. 33.11 The second speciall cause which ought so moue vs to worke well Iohn 1.12 ◠Pet. 1.16 The third speciall cause which ought to stirre vs vp to good workes Fiue causes wherefore God hath added promises to good workes The first The second The third The fourth Ioh. 15.16 The fift Two generall sorts of sinnes VVhat followeth sinne agaynst the conscience The sinnes of the godly Psal 32. ◠Rom. 8.13 What the Apostle condemneth in the former wordes The names maisters and teachers are not taken away by the words of Iames. The greatest causes which moue men to sinne so often as they doe The tongue is compared to the bit of a bridle and to the rudder of a ship The discommodities which arise of an vnruly and an vntemperate tongue A hard thing to rule the tongue and therefore it must be bridled in time Vnpossible it is for a tongue accustomed to speake yll to vtter that which is good vndefiled True vvisdom will shewe it selfe by honest conuersation A man cannot be full of enuy and strife and also wise Contention and true wisedome can not stande togither Enuie strife open the gate to sedition wickednesse An excellent comparing togither of earthly and heauenly wisdom wherein is shewed howe the one differeth from the other The vse of wisedom and all other good gifts receyued of God The fourth Chapter consisteth of four Partes How men are led to sinne through the lustes of their own mindes Rom. 6.12 The inordinate carefulnesse of couetous men described We can not serue tvvo maisters we can not please both God and the worlde Math. 6.24 Spirituall adulterie The heart and thoughts of the vnregenerate are euill continually To whome God giueth his grace VVhat it is to submit himselfe to God To resist the deuill VVho is sayde to draw nere vnto God and who to drawe nere vnto the deuel VVe must not reioyce in our owne lustes but be ashamed for our sinne Though the godly be long cast downe yet the Lorde at length will raise them vp and comfort them VVe must not be rash to reproue and condemne our brethren To condemne the law what it is The office of the law All iudging of our brethren is not condemned of the Apostle Another reason against rash iudgers of their brethren Two necessarie conditions to be obserued in determining and purposing to doe thinges To sinne of will is farre more grieuous then to sinne of ignorance To what rich men the Apostle speaketh The exceding couetousnes of many rich men Vngodly richmen at the last shall not escape vnpunished Pay the true labourer his peny for his payne The rule of Christ consisteth of two principall poynts the first whereof is a commandement The prōise annexed to the commandement 1 Tim. 5 8. A lawfull calling VVhat offices are lawful to be allowed Howe euery man may take a priuate office vpon him selfe Most excellent rules to be obserued of euery man in perfourming his office and dutie VVhat wee must doe if God blesse vs with increase of riches Math. 19.23 How the rich of the worlde ought to be affected Psal 62.10 1. Tim. 6.17 The minde of the godlye concerning riches Howe the wicked and couetous are affected towarde riches How the godly man must behaue himselfe concerning his riches The vse of riches diuided into three parts The chiefe principall vse whervnto riches ought to serue How the first and principall vse of riches is vtterly neglected of many Examples of such as haue vsed their riches chiefly to the glorie of God The seconde right lawfull vse of riches Two sorts of men do chiefly offende in the seconde right vse of riches Matth. 22.11 A question The answere The thirde lawfull vse of riches wherein are twoo things especially to be taken heede of The fourth last lawful vse of riches VVhy God will haue the poore to be among vs. Mutuall societie and bargaines are very necessarie among men The first foundation of all contracts and bargaynes The confirmation of the first foundation of bargaynes Rom. 13. ◠1. Tim. 1.5 The effects of true loue Bargaines grounded vppon the foundation aforesayd are both equall and lawfull The seconde foundation of contracts and bargaynes He purposeth to speake of sixe seuerall kindes of bargaines How exchang of thinges is made and when it is lawfull In changing of thinges chiefly three kindes of deceit may be vsed Bying and selling neyther very auncient nor yet common among all nations A seller A byer 1.