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
and cruell toward his fellowseruants and that which before he forgaue him when he humbly besought him nowe he requireth agayne of him being stubborne and cruel toward his fellowes So God after he hath receiued vs being sorie for our sinne into fauour will haue vs imitate his example in liberalitie and goodnes toward our neighbour This the Lord teacheth Luke 7. propounding an example of two detters the one whereof ought vnto the lender fiue hundred pence and the other fiftie who when they had nothing to pay he forgaue them both Here the Lord asked the Pharises whether of them will loue the lender most to whom when the Pharise had made aunswere he to whom he forgaue most the Lorde sayd thou hast truly iudged signifying that God doth require thankfulnesse of them whom he hath freely receiued into fauour Hereof are gathered two thinges to wit both that forgiuenesse is free and also that they which haue obtayned forgiuenesse doe owe thankfulnes vnto God 14 VVhat auayleth it my brethren though a man sayth he hath fayth vvhen he hath no vvorkes can that faith saue him Bicause there were among them to whom the Apostles did write hypocrites which when they were touched with no true repentance yet they did boast that they were saued by faith when as they had no true and liuely faith in dede he maketh a confutation of their erroneous opinion and teacheth that that faith is vayne which doth not bring forth it true fruites This proposition is diligently to be marked faith which hath not workes is vneffectuall and vayne or as Iames speaketh cannot saue This onely proposition is confirmed euen vnto the end of the chapter Wherefore they are fowly deceiued which compare Iames with Paule when as Iames disputeth onely of the vayne boasting of hypocrites Paule of a liuely fayth And therfore let vs diligently marke in this place what faith the Apostle calleth vayne to wit that which hath no obedience toward God accompanying it in asmuch as it neither worshippeth God nor dooth wel to it neighboure wherevpon it manifestly followeth that Iames doth not speake of a liuely and a right fayth from which the spirit of Christ cā not be separate For where the spirit of Christ is there are newe actions of the newe man although not perfect yet vnperfect by which the force and vertue of fayth is acknowledged and brought forth What therfore is that vaine faith is it altogither vneffectuall It bringeth forth no good fruites for it is voyde of life but it bringeth forth the bitter fruites of hell and death For it is a most fruitefull mother of vanitie superstition and hypocrisie it is a foolish boasting it is but an image of faith it is a stoppe or let from saluation it is a guider or leader vnto death briefly it hath it portion with hypocrites and deuels 15 For if a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of dayly foode 16 And one of you saye vnto them depart in peace vvarme your selues and fil your bellies notvvithstanding ye giue them not those thinges vvhich are needeful to the body vvhat helpeth it 17 Euen so the faith if it haue no vvorkes is dead in it selfe He maketh manifest the proposition by a most apt similitude Euen as that speech is vayne wherein it is sayde to the needy warme your selues and fill your bellies when as helping handes are not also put to so that fayth is vayne and dead which is in the mouth without the fruite of works Note here the name of faith which he calleth vaine for when it is called deade it is compared to a carkas wherefore it deserueth no better to be called faith thē a carkas deserueth to be called a liuing creature This vsing of one word for another doth sufficiently shew y t Iames doth dispute of a vayne opiniō which of y e hypocrites was called faith according therfore to the opinion y t they had of fayth y e Apostle speaketh by a licence of rhetoricke 18 But some man might say thou hast the faith and I haue vvorkes shevv me thy faith out of thy vvorks and I vvill shevve thee my faith by my vvorkes An other reason that faith which is voyde of it fruites is vayne as if he sayde some godly man O thou hypocrite may represse thy vanitie by obiecting thus vnto thee thou hypocrite hast faith as thou sayest for it is a licence of scorning I haue workes thou if thou can shew me thy faith by thy works which truly thou canst not doe bicause thou hast none I will shewe thee my fayth by my works Wherefore it is manifest that thy faith is like vnto a dead carkas but that myne is liuely which appeareth by the fruites and liuely motion therof For euen as the spirite which is inwardly in a liuing creature quicke and lusty doth bewray it selfe by mouing and feeling and by the outward actions so a liuely fayth doth shewe it selfe by good workes The word faith is here vsed in diuers significations For in the first place it signifieth a boasting of fayth but in the latter place a liuely faith 19 Thou beleeuest that there is one God thou doest vvell the deuils also beleeue it and tremble He teacheth both what the fayth of hyprocrites is also how vaine it is yea and that it doth not saue He affirmeth therefore that there fayth is only a knowledge of the hystory For they beleeue that there is a God That this is vaine he proueth by this reason the faith of the deuils doth not saue For the deuils are not saued The boasting of hypocrites is the fayth of the deuils for it hath nothing in it which the fayth of the deuils hath not Therefore the boasting of the hypocrites which they falsly cal fayth doth not saue and therefore is vayne Whereas the Apostle in this place doth acknowledge no other fayth in hypocrites then is in the deuils it is no meruaile because he taketh from it the power of iustifying But of what sort fayth is in the disputations of Paule it is taught Rom. 4. by a manifest example propounded to wit that it is not onely a knowledge of the mercy promised but also a trust and confidence whereby a man determineth with himselfe that the promes doth appertaine vnto him wherwith is ioyned as an vnseparable companion thankfulnesse of mind toward God prayer patience mortifying of the olde man stirring vp of the newe man and other fruites of the righteousnes of fayth which frutes although they doe not iustifie yet that is the nature of a iustifying fayth that it alwayes bringeth foorth those fruites sometime more sometime lesse euen as it hath receiued increase 20 But vvilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith vvhich is vvithout vvorkes is dead 21 VVas not Abraham our father iustified through vvorks vvhen he offred Isaac his son vpō the alter 22 Seest thou not that the faith vvrought vvith his
can be more grieuous and it is no maruel that he is not heard of God which doth not heare the Sonne of God crying in his members The fourth is a depriuing them of their giftes For it is written From him that hath not euen that he hath shalbe taken away But he is sayde not to haue which doth not vse his giftes and goods to the glorie of God and the relieuing of them that be in miserie To this pertaineth that saying Prouerb 3. He that despiseth the prayer of the poore shall suffer pouertie The fift is the begging of their children or their most wicked life which is farre more grieuous then all neede and pouertie I haue spoken of the punishments of them that are cruell toward the poore and that not out of philosophie which may erre but out of the verye oracles of God which cannot deceiue or lye He that shall contemne these shall in short time finde a iust iudge Now we will speake of affection of what sort we require it to be in him which hath purposed to giue almes and of the due and conuenient maner of almes Christ will haue two vices to be excluded from almes Matth. 6. which are hypocrisie and vaine glorie For these two doe as pernicious poysons infect whatsoeuer they touch Neyther is that any maruel For where hypocrisie is there is no fayth where vaine glorie is there is no loue of God no feare of God Let therefore pharisaicall Hypocrisie and foolish boasting be farre of from our almes What affections then do you require in almes loue of God charitie of our neighbour syncere gentlenesse and cherefulnesse For with these affections as with a certaine heauenly salt our almes ought to be sprinkled whereby it ought to be a sacrifice acceptable to God Furthermore with almes fayth is to be ioyned by which we doe not only assure our selues that our almes doth please God but also that he hath a care ouer our whole lyfe that he doth furnishe vs with necessary defence and liuing And bicause he requireth that we should helpe others and hath promised rewardes we shall for Gods sake bestowe benefites and agayne by fayth looke for the help of God In y e maner of our almes we shall consider the quantitie according to the counsel of Tobias who sayth If thou hast much giue plenteously if thou hast little doe thy diligence gladly to giue of that little Equalitie that thou of bounden dutie doe bestowe thy almes on the needy and he againe with a thankful minde receyue it and wishe well vnto thee Readynes of mynde according to that saying of Paule 2. Cor. 8. If there be a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Difference of strangers and them that be of the housholde of fayth according to the counsell of Paul Gal. 6. While we haue time let vs do good vnto all men but especially vnto them which are of the housholde of fayth that is them which by fayth are in the same familie of God that we be Possession according to the saying of Salomon Let thy fountaines flow forth but be thou maister of them Nowe it remayneth that we speake of the endes of godly almes and of the fruite thereof And although both the endes and also the fruite of holy almes may easily be gathered of those things which go before yet that I maye the more stirre vp the godly reader to this necessarie holy and dutifull office I will adde somewhat of the endes and fruites of almes godly bestowed The ends are foure The first the relieuing of our needy neighbour and the refreshing of the members of Christ The seconde the prouoking of others to liberalitie toward the poore according to that saying 2. Cor. 9. Your zeale hath prouoked many The thirde the witnessing of our fayth and of the feare of God For the duties of charitie are directed vnto this ende that by them we doe witnes that we feare God whose commaundement we obey The fourth the glorie of God Diuers and manifolde fruites do followe liberalitie towardes the poore Paule witnesseth that it wyll come to passe that they which haue bene liberall and bountifull towarde the poore shall abounde in euerye good worke For so it pleaseth the Lorde to recompence obedience towarde him with newe graces And this is it which y e Lord sayth Matth. 6. The Lord shal reward thee openly And Psal Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lorde shall deliuer him in the time of trouble Salomon He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lorde Paule sayth He that soweth liberally shall reape also liberally Esay 58. If thou poure out thy soule to the hungry and refresh the troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in the darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the noone day Ecclesiasticus 29. Lay vp thine almes in thy secret chambers and it shall keepe thee from all affliction it shall fight for thee against thine enimie better than the shielde of a strong man or speare of the mightie Here the wise man calleth the necessities of our neighbours secret chambers in which benefites are to be layde vp and kept wherevpon one of the holy fathers hath sayde elegantlye and well the hande of the poore is a treasure house of Christ Then the wyse man addeth the exceeding great fruite of the bounteousnesse layde vp in those secret chambers to be deliuerance from euils and a most strong fortresse and defence agaynst our enimies For a man can by nothing be more defended protected against perils than by bounteousnes mercie But I speak of y e almes which proceedeth of fayth as it sufficiently appeareth by those things that I haue before spoken least that any man think that I agree with the Papistes which value their almes without Christ and without fayth These things concerning liberall and godly almes I thought therfore to adde that I might admonishe especially them that are of the richer sort of their dutie that they may vnderstande that they are bounde by the law of God to bestow part of their substance vpon the poore and that freely for the commandements sake of God and for many other causes which I haue rehearsed Furthermore that if they shall refuse to obey the commaundement of God they may know that they are giltie of disobedience towarde God Of these thinges that is playnly concluded which I propounded to wit that none may without great sacrilege take gaine of this first kind of men In the second order or state of men I place artificers and those which get their liuing with the labour of their handes To these according to the precept of Christ we must lend and looke for nothing agayne For as the Apostle forbiddeth to giue vnto these freely when he sayth He that laboureth let him eate As charitie dooth not require that