either of the poore as though it were committed against them alone or of the detaining of a pledge as though vsurie were to be matched therewith for it is matched with murther idolatrie incest and other such abhominations neither that it is in this place so subjected to oppression as a species thereof but generally and simply it is condemned as a grieuous abhomination whereby the vsurer prouoketh the vengeance of God not onely against himselfe but also against the societie wherein he doth liue And thus we see all vsurie or lending for gaine by diuerse testimonies of Scripture to be plainely and manifestly condemned Of which doctrine the couetous worldlings are apt to make this vse If it be so that we may not by the word of God lend vpon vsurie then surely we will not lend at all Answer it is a greater sinne not to lend at all to a man who is in great need than to lend vnto him vpon vsurie Euen as it were a greater offence altogether to denie food to him that is almost famished than to sell it vnto him at an vnreasonable rate And therefore manie commonweales do tollerate such vsurie as is not immoderat for the good both of the borrower and also of the lender Of the borrower because his necessitie manie times is such that it is farre better for him to borrow vpon vsurie than not to borrow at all Of the lender because to lend vpon moderat vsurie to them that must needs borrow is a lesse sinne than not to lend at all But as the afore cited places condemne the negatiue and forbid lending for gain so there are diuerse manifest testimonies of Scripture injoyning the affirmatiue and commaunding vs to lend freely And therefore as we are to abstaine from vsurie because God forbiddeth it so must we practise free loane because God commaundeth it These places because they are so manie euidences against vsurie I will the rather recite And first that in Deut. 15 where the Lord hauing prouided by law that in the seuenth yeare no debt should be demaunded and foreseeing that hereby the couetous would take occasion when the seuenth yeare should draw neere to refuse to lend to them that were in need therefore vers 7. and 8. the Lord straitly chargeth them not only at other times to lend freely to their needie brother but euen then also when the seuenth yeare was at hand His words are these If any one of thy brethren with thee be poore and needie within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother but thou shalt liberally open thine hand vnto him and thou shalt in lending lend that is freely lend him sufficient for his need which he hath Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thine heart to say the seuenth yeare the yeare of freedome wherein debts were not to be required is at hand nor that thine eie be euill towards thy needie brother so that thou wilt not giue vnto him and so he crie vnto the Lord against thee and it be sinne vnto thee Thou shalt freely giue vnto him and let not thine heart be euill when thou giuest vnto him for because of this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thine hand to In which words the Lord not onely commandeth them straightly to lend freely to their brethren being in need not onely at other times but euen immediatly before the yeare of remission wherein no debts were to be demaunded but also vseth two effectuall reasons to persuade them to the voluntary and cheerefull performance of this dutie The former because if they should refuse to lend to their brother in his need it should be a sinne vnto them and good reason for we are not absolut Lords of that which we haue but onely the Lords stewards who must one day giue an account of our stewardship and therefore we are bound in conscience so to imploy those goods which hee hath committed to our trust as he appointeth And therfore seeing the Lord commaundeth those which be of ability as his stewards to lend to them that are in need it is a sinne vnto them if they shall refuse to lend freely vnto them The second reason to persuade men cheerfully to lend to them which are in need is the gracious promise of God For because of this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes c. Now if this promise with some others in the word of God doe not preuaile with vs in this behalfe we shall bewray notable infidelitie If a poore man bring vnto thee a rich man to be his suretie thou wilt not feare to lend vnto him but when the Lord becommeth a poore mans suretie nay promiseth himselfe to be thy paymaister and to make thee full recompence thou wilt not take his word no not his written word Prou. 19. 17 He that dealeth graciously with the poore whether it bee by free giuing or free lending lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen But lest any should alledge though falsly that this is a judiciall law and therfore bindeth not them I will therfore produce two testimonies out of the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ. The former Mat. 5. 42 Giue to him that asketh and from him that would borrow of thee turne not away What then will you say is euerie one bound to lend to euerie one that asketh I answer respect is to be had of thine abilitie and of his necessitie and also if it be not a case of vrgent and present necessitie of his honestie If his necessitie vrge him to borrow and thine estate enable thee to lend thou art bound to lend vnto him especially if his honestie deserue to be respected The other testimonie is Luke 6. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lend looking for nothing thence which words though they be diuersly read and expounded yet in euerie sence they commaund the dutie of free lending The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admitteth diuerse significations as first to bring into despaire according to which sence thus much is insinuated that those which refuse to lend vnto men in their need cause them to despaire But this sence is not incident vnto this place vnlesse we read as indeed the Syriacke interpreter doth insteed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lend causing no man to despaire For they that go on borrowing they go on sorrowing and when others will not lend when they must needs borrow they are out of heart and do as it were sinke vnder the burden of their want When as therfore thy brother commeth to borrow of thee for the supply of his want turne not thy face from him neither harden thy hart towards him nor shut thine hand from him but when his hand doth shake stay him and hold him
Catholicke or vniuersall Church For the Tabernacle signifieth the Church militant vpon earth the holy Mountaine the Church triumphant in heauen By sojourning in the Tabernacle is vnderstood the short and transitorie abode of Christians as it were pilgrims in the earth as in a strange land by dwelling in the Mountain of God is signified their perpetuall eternall rest in heauen as in their owne countrey Wherein the Prophet alludeth vnto that materiall Tabernacle which was called the Tabernacle of the assembly or congregation and to the mount Moriah where the Temple was placed the one whereof was a type of the Church militant vpon earth the other was a figure of the Church triumphant in heauen I am not ignorant that both members are by some expounded of the Church militant and by others of the Church triumphant but I follow that exposition which seemeth best to agree with the words and meaning of the holy ghost For the varietie of phrase plainely argueth diuersitie of matter sojourning in Gods Tabernacle being much different from dwelling in the Mountaine of his holinesse And the conclusion of the answere in the last words of the Psalme which without doubt doth render the true meaning of the question belongeth both to this life and to that which is to come He that doth these things shall not beremooued for euer that is he shall neither fall away from the grace of God in this life nor be excluded out of Gods glorious presence in the life to come The sence therefore and meaning of the question is this Lord thou searcher and trier of the hearts and reines of men who art acquainted with all secrets and best knowest who are thine for as much as there is so much vnsoundnesse and hipocrisie among them that professe thy name and frequent the places of thy worship that many deceiue others with a counterfeit shew and some beguile themselues with a false opinion of religion declare I beseech thee vnto thy Church some tokens and cognisances of a true and sound Christian whereby the sheepe may be discerned from the goats and the wheat from tares shew vs Lord who is a sound member of the Church militant here on earth and shal be an inheritor of glorie in the Church triumphant in heauen who is a true subject of thy kingdome of grace and shall be an heire of the kingdome of glory And this was the meaning of the question Now let vs come to the words of this text Wherein wee are to consider two things the parts of the question and the partie to whom it is propounded Of the parts wee are to speake first seuerally of either and then joyntly of both together The former part Lord who shall soiourne in thy Tabernacle By Tabernacle some as I said vnderstand heauen which elsewhere in the Scriptures is called Gods Tabernacle and not vnsitly seeing the Lord stretcheth out the heauens as a curtaine and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in But howsoeuer the name Tabernacles is sometimes figuratiuely vsed to signifie heauenly and euerlasting habitations Notwithstanding it more properly signifieth tents in warre and the flitting habitations of warfaring men And that by Tabernacle is here meant the Church militant the other word of soiourning doth import For heauenly Tabernacles are not tents to sojourne in but mansions of perpetuall habitation and euerlasting rest Basill by Tabernacle vnderstandeth our flesh which the Apostle calleth the â—arthly house of our Tabernacle for our bodies are not onely Tabernacles but Temples also of God As if this were the sence Lord who is he who hauing sojourned as a stranger in this flesh of ours shal at the length rest with thee in thine heauenly kingdome And surely the sence which he giueth is godly for it teacheth that those which shall for euer rest in the mountaine of Gods holinesse do liue in this flesh as pilgrims and strangers mortifying their earthly members Notwithstanding his exposition is not fit For according to this interpretation the former part of the question containeth the answere to the latter for so hee sayth He that hath soiourned as a pilgrim in the flesh he shall dwell in the holy mountaine Most fitly therefore by Tabernacle we may vnderstand the Church militant which elsewhere is called the Tabernacle of God and sometimes the house sometimes the Temple of God For a Tabernacle is a militarie mansion and as it were a portable house which hath no fixed seat or setled place Now whereas the holy ghost calleth the Church of God a Tabernacle we learn first that the life of a Christian is a warfare as Iob saith wherein we are to fight against the enemies of our saluation which fight against our soules namely the flesh the world and the diuell Whereupon the Church of God vpon earth is called the Church militant It behooueth therefore euery one of vs that would bee esteemed a true member of the Church to behaue our selues as Christian souldiours fighting vnder the banner of Christ. And for as much as our aduersarie the Diuell goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuour and seeing the flesh lusteth against the spirit sending out of the heart as it were a furnace the sparkles of foolish and noisome lusts which fight against our soules and the world likewise partly by the desires thereof partly by bad examples carrieth vs away to embrace the world to mind earthly things to serue Mammon and to place our paradise here on the earth It behooueth vs therfore both to prepare our selues to this combat and therefore not to bee secure or to sleepe as others but to stand vpon our guard to be sober and vigilant and to arme our selues with that complete armour of God described Eph. 6. and also in the fight valiantly to encounter and constantly to withstand our spirituall enemies to resist the diuell and hee shall flie from vs with the shield of faith to quench his fierie darts and with the sword of the spirit which is the word of God to refell his assertions and repell his assentations So to vse the world that we doe not ouer-vse it so to possesse worldly things that we be not possessed of them but rather renouncing worldly lusts and being wained from worldly desires to meditate and mind heauenly things To crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof and to mortifie our members which are on the earth liuing not according to the flesh but according to the spirit This warfare is to be entertained this warre is to be maintained of vs if we would be esteemed sound members of the Church militant who sojourning in the Tabernacle of God doe fight in his campe against our spirituall enemies But on the other side if we execute the workes of the diuell giuing our selues ouer vnto sinne and iniquitie if with Demas we embrace
of God That he is not such an one as shall either sojourne in the Tabernacle of God or dwell in his holy mountaine vnlesse the description of a sound Christian and citisen of heauen which is comprised in this answer of the Lord agree vnto him And of this answer we are now to speake For when as Dauid as if he had bene the high Priest standing before the propitiatory had consulted with the Oracle of God The Lord maketh aunswere as it were from betwixt the Cherubins therein fully satisfying his demaund For being demaunded who shall sojourne in the Tabernacle of God and rest in his holy mountaine He answereth That he which walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse c. shall neuer beremooued In which answere we are to consider two things the description of a sound Christian in the whole body of the Psalme and his priuiledge in the last words he that doth these things shall neuer beremooued The description consisteth wholly of the effects whereby the Lord would haue a true citisen of the kingdome of heauen to be tried and knowne as our Sauiour saith By their fruits you shall know them But here it may be demaunded first Why doth he not rather describe a sound member of the Church and heire of heauen by his faith or by the profession thereof seeing to faith the kingdome of heauen is promised and seeing also the profession of the true faith maketh one a member of the visible Church I answer because faith is an inward and hidden grace many deceiue both themselues and others by a profession of faith and therfore the holy ghost will haue euery mans faith to bee tried and known by the fruits thereof And howsoeuer eternall life be promised to faith and eternall damnation be threatned against infidelitie yet the sentence of saluation and condemnation shall be pronounced according to workes as the euidence of both Secondly it may be demaunded Why among all the fruits of faith which are almost innumerable he maketh choise of those duties which we owe to our brother especially considering that the duties which we owe immediatly to God are more principall wherein also consisteth our religion and pietie towards God As for example the true inuocation of the name of God the sincere profession of the faith the sauing hearing of the word c. Answ. We are to consider that this question is propounded of such as liuing in the visible Church would seeme to be religious making a profession of the faith hearing the word of God and calling vpon his name viz. which of them because all are not religious which would seeme to be so are indeed sound members of the Church and heires of heauen For of those which are openly prophane and doe not so much as make a semblance of religion there is no question to bee made For without question there is no place for such in the kingdome of heauen Now that wee may rightly discerne of those which professe religion who among them are sound who vnsound the markes and tokens are not to bee taken from the outward duties of Gods worship as prayer hearing of the word receiuing of the sacraments and much lesse the obseruation of humane traditions for all these things hypocrits also are accustomed to do but from the duties of charitie and righteousnesse which we owe to our brethren For the touchstone of pietie and true religion towards God is charitie towards our brother Herein saith Iohn are the children of God knowne and the children of the diuell whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother Theâ—e is no man almost in the Church who will not affirme that he beleeueth in Christ that he loueth God that he is the disciple of Christ How then shall he be tried True faith worketh by loue and is to be manifested by workes without which it is to be judged dead The true loue of God must shew it selfe in the loue of our brother For if any man shall say that he loueth God and hateth his brother he is a lyar The true disciple of Christ is knowne by brotherly loue Hereby saith our Sauiour shall all men know you to be my disciples if you loue one another Now in the loue of our neighbour all the duties of the second Table are summarily comprised Let no man therefore so deceiue himselfe as to thinke that he is truly religious towards God if hee liue vnjustly or vncharitably among his neighbours For our religion towards God is to bee esteemed according to those fruits which appeare in our calling and conuersation with men For hereby according to the Scriptures is all our religion and pietie towards God to bee examined and tried And for this cause in describing a citizen of heauen he reckneth vp those duties which are to be exercised towards our brother that by them as it were certaine cognisances the true seruant of God may bee discerned from the slaue of the Diuell And so elsewhere in the Scriptures the like questions receiue not vnlike answers As Psal. 24. 3. 4. 6. Esay 33. 14. 15. 16. Hitherto I haue spoken of the description in generall now we are to descend to the seuerall parts and branches thereof of them some are generall others more speciall I call those generall which summarily comprise all the duties of a good man in the 2. verse namely that he be vpright in heart just in his deeds and true in his words The more speciall are contained in the rest of the Psalme whereby the child of God is described partly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of deniall that he slandereth not that he doth not euill vnto his neighbour that he receiueth not an ill report against him that he breaketh not his oath that he putteth not to vsury that he receiueth no rewards partly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee contemneth the wicked and honoureth the godly And these specials may bee vnderstood as branches of the generall For he that is vpright is not partiall but behaueth himselfe towards men as they behaue themselues towards God honoring those that honor God and despising those that contemne the Lord. He that is iust is not iniurious to his neighbour neither is he an vsurer or briber He that loueth the truth he is true in his oath and promises he detesteth slandering both in himselfe and others hauing neither a tongue to vtter nor an eare to heare slaunders Or you may conceiue thus that a citizen of heauen is here described by ten notes whereof foure is affirmatiue signifying the vertues wherewith he is indued and six are negatiue signifying those speciall vices which hee is carefull to auoid Of these notes we are to speake in order The first whereof is Integrity or vprightnesse in these words He that walketh vprightly To walke in the Hebrew phrase signifieth either generally to liue to order a mans life or more
specially to liue or to walke in a calling or else to professe religion Hereupon in the Scriptures our life or course of liuing our vocation our religion is called a way But the generall signification which comprehendeth the other best fitteth this place This word therefore the holy Ghost doth vse to teach vs that this life of ours is a way and that we are way-faring men whom it behoueth to be vpright in our way as the Psalmist elsewhere speaketh Now if we be trauellours or way-faring men we are to be carefull of three things First that we go in the right way For if we go out of our way the farther we go the farther we shall be from our iourneys end And therefore as Christ himselfe exhorteth enter yea striue to enter at the narrow gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way which leadeth vnto destruction and many there be which go in thereat because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life and few there be that find it This way is the true religion of Christ which in the Scriptures is called the way the way of life the way of peace the way of saluation teaching two things especially repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. For by faith we come vnto Christ who is the way the truth and the life and by repentance we bring forth the fruits of faith namely good workes which God hath prepared for vs that we should walke in them This as I say is the way let vs walke therein 2. The next thing whereof we must be carefull is that being set in the right way we go forward therein proceeding from faith to faith and from a lesse measure of grace vnto a greater till at length we come to a perfect or growne stature in Christ. For neither must we stand still in this way neither must we go backe for if we do so how shall we come to our iourney 's end The Apostle Paule although he had proceeded very farre in this way he thought it not his duty to surcease but the nearer he came to his marke the more he striueth towards it forgetting those things which â—e behind And thereupon inferreth whosoeuer therefore are perfect or growne men let them be of this mind Must those that are perfect be of this mind how much more behooueth it vs who are but of small growth in comparison to giue all diligence that we may increase and grow vp in grace that as the Apostle exhorteth we may abound more For not to go forward in this way is as one faith to go backward euen as a boat which is caried against a swift streame either it is rowed forward or else it runneth backward We must take heed therefore leâ—t we be non-proficients and let vs feare lest when we cease to be better we begin to be worse The third thing is that we be vpright in the way neither treading awry by secret dissembling nor halting downeright betwixt God and Mammon betwixt Christ and Antichrist As the Israelites in Achabs time halted betweene God and Baal and those counterfeit Christians of whom Paule complaineth Phil. 3. there be many saith he which walke that is maketh a profession of Religion of whom I haue told you heretofore and now I tell you weeping that they are enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and their glory is to their shame who mind earthly things But of Integrity we are to speake more at large forasmuch as it is here set downe as the first and principall marke of a true Christian. The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsually translated perfect not that it signifieth such an one as is altogether free from sinne or is indued with righteousnesse for so this note would agree to no man liuing For who can say that his heart is cleane yea if we say that we haue no sinne saith Iohn the beloued of Christ we deceiue ourselues and there is no truth in vs for in many things we offend all and there is not a righteous man vpon earth which doth good and sinneth not But it signifieth him who in the desire and purpose of his heart is free from hypocrisie dissimulation and guile whom we call Vpright For Nâ—ah Iacob Iob Dauid Ezechias and others are said in the Scriptures to haue bene perfect that is vpright men who all notwithstanding had their faults Yea Asa is said 2. Chron. 15. to haue had a perfect or vpright heart all the dayes of his life and yet in the next Chapter there are recorded three sinnes of his together that he rested vpon the King of Syria that he committed the Prophet to prison that in his sicknesse he trusted in the Physitions more than in God The perfection therfore which is signified in this word is not so much to be measured by the goodnes of the outward act or worke but by the vnfained will sincere desire and vpright indeuour aspiring towards perfection For the Lord accepting the will for the deed esteemeth of the sincere will and vnfained indeuour for perfect obedience in his children insomuch that vprightnesse euery where in the old Testament goeth vnder the name of perfection and those things which are done with an vpright and entire heart are sayd to be done with the whole heart and with a perfect heart Thamim therfore we may rightly interpret vpright that is void of dissumulation and it may be two wayes considered as it is referred to God and so it signifieth sincere or void of hypocrisie as it is referred towards men and so it signifieth simple or void of guile So that he in this place is said to bee vpright who is void of hypocrisie towards God and free from guile towards men And first we are to speake of vprightnesse in respect of God in handling whereof I purpose to obserue this order First to shew what it is Secondly that it is as here it is made a note proper to the children of God And thirdly because we are not to be idle hearers of this discourse we are to try and examine our selues whether this note agreeth vnto vs or not And fourthly if we do find our defectiuenesse therein either in whole or in part we are by certaine forcible arguments to be stirred vp to embrace it And lastly we are to shew the means whereby to obtaine it 1. What vprightnesse is towards God it may be gathered by those phrases of speech whereby it is expressed in the Scriptures For first to be vpright it is to walke with God or before God as the Lord saith to Abraham Walke before me and be vpright that is so to lead our liues as in the sight and presence of God who seeth the hearts and searcheth the reynes of men when as the Scripture therefore sayth
against them to straine out gnats and to swallow cammels to tythe mint and cummin and to neglect the weightier duties of the law judgement mercie and faith Consider to this purpose two examples of the Pharisies and Priests When Iudas brought them backe the money which they gaue him to betray Christ they would not put in into the treasurie because it was the price of bloud but the precious bloud of Christ himselfe they were not afraid to spill and to draw the guilt thereof vpon their consciences They were not afraid to be defiled by giuing Christ the immaculat lambe of God through enuie vnto death but they were at the same time afraid to goe into the common hall least they should be defiled 8. Another note of an vpright man is Humilitie For when a man is indued therewith it is a plaine signe that he hath humbled himselfe to walke with his God As contrariwise pride is the companion of hypocrisie as the Prophet Habacuc saith Behold he that lifteth vp himselfe his soule is not vpright in him For he that walketh with God as the vpright man doth cannot lightly be lifted vp with pride Indeed whiles we looke vpon the earth and behold other men whom we conceiue to be any way our inferiours we may perhaps take some occasion to be lifted vp in a conceit of our owne excellencie but hee that hath God before his eyes and setteth himselfe alwayes in his presence he will be readie with Abraham although an excellent Patriarch standing before the Lord to confesse his owne vilenesse with Esay that eloquent and zealous Prophet to crie out That he is a man of polluted lips with Iob the patterne of patience when he seeth God to abhorre himselfe and to repent in dust and ashes with Peter being in the presence of Christ whom he perceiued to be God to acknowledge himselfe a sinfull man 9. Againe the vpright man being indued with a good conscience is confident in good causes and couragious in time of perill as Salomon saith He that walketh vprightly walketh boldly And againe The righteous are bold as a Lyon but the hypocrite contrariwise by reason of his bad conscience is ouertaken with feare as the Prophet Esay speaketh and such doe flie when none pursueth 10. It is the priuiledge of an vpright man to bee constant in good things and to perseuere to the end keeping also a continued course of pietie for the vpright man is he which hath built vpon the rocke and therefore cannot vtterly be ouerthrown by any blasts or tempests of temptations it is he which receiueth the seed into good groūd and therefore taketh root downward and bringeth forth fruit vpward with patience he being not only in the church but also of it shall surely remaine in the Communion of the Church and as the Psalmist here saith shall neuer be remooued But contrariwise the double minded man is vnconstant in all his wayes his religion and goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the morning dew it goeth away his profession is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a time for hauing receiued the seed among stones and wanting root when the Sunne of temptation ariseth he fadeth away hauing built vpon the sand whē the blasts of temptations arise his building falleth to the ground Hereunto we are to referre patience in affliction as a note of the vpright wherupon affliction is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the trial of our faith or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are found and approued are knowne from those which be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnsound 11. And to conclude it is the propertie of the sound and vpright to joyne together pietie towards God and charietie towards our neighbour the loue of God and the loue of our brother for it cannot be that a man should loue the Lord truly whom he hath not seene and loueth not his brother whom he hath seene neither do we loue our neighbour aright vnlesse we loue him in and for the Lord. And therefore no man can loue his neighbour as he ought vnlesse he loue the Lord much more The loue of God therefore or pietie if it be sound will shew it selfe in the loue of our brother or in the duties of righteousnesse and the loue of our brother or righteousnesse if it be sincere must be deriued from the fountaine of pietie Contrariwise it is the hypocrits guise to seuer these two which the holy ghost hath joyned together holinesse and righteousnesse the obedience of the first and second Table of the law For there are many as glorious professors among vs as the Pharisies were among the Iewes who making profession of religion and pietie towards God doe altogether neglect the duties of charitie and righteousnesse towards men And againe many there are among vs as famous for ciuile vertues as Aristides or Socrates among the heathen who resting in a ciuile conuersation and outward honestie among men are void of all religion and of the feare of God Both sorts are hypocrits the righteousnesse of the former not exceeding the righteousnesse of the Phariseyes who notwithstanding their glorious profession were notorious hypocrits the righteousnesse of the latter professing themselues to be Christians not exceeding the righteousnesse of the heathen who knew not God Now I come to the fourth point namely to consider by what arguments we may be stirred vp to embrace this vertue if we want it or to continue and increase therein if we haue it The arguments may be reduced to three heads the excellency the profit the necessitie of vprightnesse The excellency of it is so great that the Lord accepteth of the vpright indeuour of his children as perfect performance insomuch that vprightnesse as I haue said goeth in the Scripture vnder the name of perfection Neither are we otherwise to vnderstand the duties which in the word of God are said to bee done with the whole heart but that they are performed with an entire or vpright heart Therfore those that are vpright though they be subject to many infirmities yet they are esteemed as just and that before the Lord the Lord accepting in his vpright seruants the will for the deed Againe wheras Christ the bridegrome is said to be delighted with the beautie of his spouse this may not be vnderstood of the outward apperance for so she is something blacke and browne by reason of affliction and the cause thereof which is sinne but of the inward beauty in respect wherof she is sayd to be all glorious and beautifull within which is that vprightnesse or truth in the inward parts wherewith the Lord is delighted For this we are also to adde that vprightnesse is that wherewith the Lord is especially delighted insomuch that to be vpright and to please God in the Scriptures do signifie the same
thing for whereas it is sayd of Eâ—och Gen. 5. that he walked before God that is that hee liued vprightly it is by the Apostle thus expounded That he was sayd to haue pleased God And the Hebrew word which signifieth to be right or vpright doth signifie also to please that we may know that he which is right before God doth please him As it is sayd in the Prouerbes They which are peruerse in heart are an abhomination vnto the Lord but such as are vpright in their way are his delight Now this must needs be an excellent virtue that goeth vnder the name of perfection which the Lord esteemeth as the inward beautie of his spouse which is not onely pleasing vnto God but as it were the pleasing of him But let vs come to the profit by which consideration most are led as it is sayd Psal. 4. There be many that say who will shew vs any good that is profit The profit of vprightnesse may be shewed first in generall that God is good and gracious to theÌ„ that are vpright As the Psalmist after many conflicts at length resolueth Psa. 73. 1. But yet God is good to Israell to those that are pure in heart And this goodnesse he manifesteth by doing good to them and causing all things to worke together for their good according to the prayer of Dauid Psal. 125. Do good O Lord to those that are good and vpright in heart but those that turne aside by their crooked wayes them shall the Lord send away with the workers of iniquity Neither is the goodnesse of God sparing towards them For he is a Sunne that is an author and giuer of all comfortable blessings and a shield that is a protector of them from all euill He giueth grace and glory and no good thing doth he with-hold from those that walke vprightly More specially the benefits wherewith the Lord doth crowne the vpright are either temporall or spirituall For as salomon saith Prou. 2. The Lord hath laid vp for the vpright substance that is whatsoeuer is truly good and verse 21. The righteous shall inhabit the land and the vpright men shall remaine in it And as the Lord bestoweth good things vpon the vpright so he preserueththem from euill and is therefore sayd to be â— shield to them that walke vprightly or as Dauid saith My shield is in God who giueth saluation or preserueth the vpright in heart according to the saying of the Prophet Hanani The eyes of the Lord saith he behold all the earth to shew himselfe strong with them that haue a perfect that is an vpright heart towards him The spirituall blessings which God bestoweth on the vpright are as the Psalmist speaketh Grace Glory Grace in this life Glory in the life to come The graces which God bestoweth on the vpright are many for sanctifying graces are so linked together as it were in a golden chaine that where some be in truth as they are in the vpright all are in some measure Among many others these spirituall blessings accompany vprightnesse Comfort in affliction and Ioy in the holy Ghost and which before I spake of Confidence or spirituall securitie in worshipping the Lord without feare which is the blessednesse promised to the faithfull in all nations in Abrahams seed according to the exposition of Zacharias Luk. 1. and also Constancy and Perseuerance As touching the former before not touched Forasmuch as the vpright building not vpon the sand but vpon the rocke haue layd a good foundation against the day of triall therefore when as they are afflicted they faint not neither are ouermuch discouraged but with Dauid in his greatest distresse do comfort themselues in the Lord their God 1. Sam. 30. 6. And being assured that the Lord will cause all things euen their afflictions to worke to their good they resolue with Iob to put their trust in him though he kill them But the vpright haue not onely comfort but ioy also in the holy Ghost For God doth giue to him that is good in his sight that is to the vpright wisedome and knowledge and ioy For the vpright haue a good conscience and a good conscience is a continuall feast For this is our reioycing saith the Apostle the testimony of our conscience that we haue had our conuersation in simplicitie and godly purenesse And this was Ezechias his stay when he had receiued the sentence of death and which he vsed as an argument vnto the Lord to obtaine the lengthning of his life and preuailed Lord saith he I beseech thee remember how I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight For howsoeuer the vpright are sometimes vnder the crosse yet there is light sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart which in due time will sprout forth yea in the mids of their affliction they do reioyce knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed And seeing the vpright do with Dauid set the Lord alwayes before their eyes for he is at their right hand therefore they must say with him I shall not be remoued wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope With these and such like blessings the Lord doth reward the vpright in this life for after this life eternall saluation abideth them He that walketh vprightly saith Salomon shall be saued but he that is peruerse or walketh peruersly in two waies as double minded men do he shal fall in one or as some read at once And to omit other testimonies the holy Ghost testifieth in this place That he which walketh vprightly shal dwell in the holy mountaine of God Finally to conclude all blessings vnder one blessednesse it selfe is promised to the vpright Blessed are those which are vpright in their way Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And this blessednesse doth not onely belong to themselues but it redoundeth also to their posteritie Blessed is the iust man that walketh in his vprightnesse and blessed are his children after him And againe The generation of the vpright shall be blessed But it may be you expect examples which one calleth the hostages of our speech whereby that may appeare in particuler experience which the Lord hath confirmed in generall promise Let Noah therefore be an example whom the Lord because of his vprightnesse preserued in the vniuersall deluge And likewise vpright Abraham to whom the Lord was a shield and an exceeding great reward Dauid professeth that for as much as he was vpright before God the Lord therefore rewarded him according to his righteousnesse and the purenesse of his hands in his sight And the same is confessed by Salolon his sonne Thou
therefore of all reproches an ingenious man can least brooke this that another to his face should say Thou lyest But if the very heathen people doe so highly esteeme of Truth how much more doth it become vs Christians to loue and embrace it who are his children that is the Truth who are redeemed by him that is the Truth and vnto whom wee are to conforme our selues who are regenerated by the spirit of truth by whome we are to be led into all truth who are sanctified by the word of God which is the truth who are of the truth so many as are of God Therefore nothing lesse becommeth a Christian than lying nothing more than truth Eightly but if no other arguments will preuaile with vs let vs consider on the one side what rewards the Lord hath promised to them that speake the truth and on the other side what â—udgements he hath denounced against lyars To the speakers of truth the Lord hath promised that they shall neuer be remooued that they shall be established for euer that they shall dwel in Gods holy mountaine as before hath beene shewed against lyars the Lord hath threatened fearefull judgements A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh liesâ— shall not escape For first he is punished with infamie and looseth his credit insomuch that no man will beleeue him when he speaketh the truth For as one sayth What truth can be spoken of a lyar Secondly he is discarded of the godly he that telleth lies sayth Dauid shall not remaine in my sight But these are light punishments in comparison of those that follow for God doth not onely punish lyars but also destroy them Psal. 5. Thou shalt destroy them that speake lies Prou. 19. A false witnesse shall not he vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall perish For God destroyeth them either with a temporall death as Ananias and Sapphirâ— because they had lied were stricken dead Act. 5. or with eternall for who so euer loue or make lies shall be excluded out of the heauenly Ierusalem and shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Ninthly and lastly seeing the holy ghost hath reckoned Truth among the markes of Gods children it behoueth vs as we desire to haue any assurance that we belong vnto the Lord or shall dwell with him in the mountaine of his holinesse so to loue and embrace the truth and to detest and abhorre falshood And thus haue we shewed in generall that lying is wicked and detestable and that the truth is to bee loued and embraced of all those who would be held citisens of heauen But here are two questions to be decided of vs. First Whether it be lawfull for a Christian man at any time to lie Secondly Whether he be bound alwayes to professe the truth and how farre forth As touching the former we are to hold a distinction of lics or vntruths for an vntruth is either vnproperly so called or properly that is vnproperly called an vntruth which being true in sence is false onely in shew of words as figuratiue speeches and fabulous parables the lawfulnesse where of is warranted by the vse of speech in the Scriptures for howsoeuer if we respect the sound of the words they seeme to containe some falshood yet if we regard the sence and meaning of the speaker as it is fit we should they expresse the truth either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more significantly or more profitably More significantly as figuratiue speeches especially such as we call Hyperbolae where of there are some examples in the Scriptures As when the holy ghost would signifie a very great or innumerable multitude he vseth to compare it with the sand of the sea And likewise Iohn the Euangelist when he would signifie that Christ our Sauior did work very many or rather innumerable miracles and other acts worthy to be registred he sayth That if euery one of them should be set downe in writing he supposeth that the whole world could not contain the books that should be written And as for fabulous parables they hide not the truth but more profitably lay it foorth that it may be more clearely discerned and more sincerely acknowledged for the truth is more clearely discerned when as by a fit sâ—â—ilitude for such these parables are it is illustrated And it is more sincerely and vnpartially acknowledged when the person of whom it is meant is withdrawne For better doe men comprehend vnder the person of another what is to bee thought of themselues examples hereof see 2. Sam. 12. 1. Mat. 21. 33. 41. Iudg. 9. 7. 2. King 14. 9. and 2. Chron. 25. 18. 19. A lie or vntruth so properly called is such a speech as in sence and meaning at the least is false And such an vntruth is deliuered either for no cause at all as that which is called merum mendacium a meere lie or else for some purpose The meere lie is that which is vttered neither with a desire to hurt nor purpose to helpe any but onely in a vanitie and pleasure taken in lying Which sheweth our notable vanitie and pronenesse to lying that many are delighted therewith for it selfe But this vanitie especially sheweth it selfe in those persons who in all their speeches almost loue to tell of strange and wonderfull things And of this kind of lie there can be no question but that it is vnlawfull The lie which is told for some cause is either to hurt some man or to pleasure him That which is told to hurt any body it is called mendacium perniciosum a pernicious or hurtfull lie neither can there be any controuersie but that this is wicked and diuellish The lie which is told to pleasure any is either mendacium iocosum the merry lie or officiosum the lie for aduantage And of these two sorts is all the controuersie For there are which thinke these lies either to be no sinnes at all or else not mortall sinnes because they seeme to them not to breake that commaundement wherein lies are forbidden For these lies say they are not spoken against our neighbor but rather for him namely either to delight him as the jeasting lie or to helpe him as the officious lie I answere that the ninth commaundement whereof they speake is generally to be vnderstood for first vnder false testimonie we are to vnderstand all false speech concerning our neighbour and not onely false speech but also all vaine talke For the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both As also the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is vsed in the third commaundement And in the fift of Deuteronomie where the law is repeated Moses in the ninth commaundement in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wee may vnderstand not onely false speech to be forbidden but also that which
suspition hatred contempt Thirdly if you shall so tender the credit of your neighbour though no friend to thee as that you cannot with patient eares heare his good name impeached hereby you may gather that you are the child of God for as much as this note of the sonne and heire of God agreeth vnto you Lastly you shall cure the slaunderer himselfe of this noysome disease for reproofe is the cure of such For as Chrysostome sayth If tale-bearers shall perceiue that wee mislike them more than the parties whom they seeke to diffame they will cease from this euill custome and amend their fault and commend vs who haue reclaimed them from that sinne as those who haue saued them Wherefore beloued let vs learne to carry our selues wisely towards tale-bearers that we do not communicat with their sinnes but rather reprooue them Let vs either by countenance or speech or turning away make it apparant to the tale-bearer that we mislike his course Let vs shut our eares to Sycophants turne them away with a frowning countenance For euen as the North wind driueth away the raine and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were the clearer of the skie so sayth Salomon doth an angry countenance the slandering tongue A man ought not therefore to smile vpon the tale-bearer but to giue him an angry looke for if with a pleasant countenance you shall giue eare to the tale-bearer you shall encourage him to slaunder but if you shall heare him with some shew of mislike he will learne as one sayth not willingly to speake that which he shall perceiue is not willingly heard But we are not onely by countenance but also if need be by speech to put the tale-bearer to silence If therfore it shall happen as oft it happeneth that a tale-bearer speaketh euill of a man for that which is good you may shape him this answere This is a matter for which you ought to commend him whereas therefore you maliciously peruert that which is well done or said you play therein the part of the diuell and make your selfe subject to the fearefull curse of God Esay 5 Woe vnto them that speake euill of good If hee speake euill for a matter that is doubtfull you may reply to this effect Herein you ought Christianly to interpret his doing or saying Charitie is not suspitious neither will suffer vs easily to beleeue that which is euill concerning our neighbour but alwaies expoundeth doubtfull things in the better part But if it were euill as you say yet what should either he be the better to be backbited or you for backbiting or I for giuing eare to your words If for an euill thing but such as is secret admonish him to keepe it to himselfe and priuatly to deale with the partie by way of admonition or reproofe tell him that the secret faults of our brethren are not to be diuulged and that charity couereth the multitude of offences If for a manifest offence and yet but a small fault tell him that it is a slip of humane infirmitie and that in many things we offend all and happie is the man that faileth onely in small things If for some great offence say What will it profit me to heare that another man is wicked if he hath any vertues I pray you tell them me but his vices declare to himselfe if he be such an one as you speake of he is to be pitied rather than scorned and we are to behold him as a glasse of our weakenesse Wherefore let him who thinkes that he standeth take heed least he fall We are subject to the like faults and it is to be ascribed to the grace of God if wee doe stand If he be his enemie whom he backbiteth tell him That ill will neuer speakes well and that a malicious report proceeding from hatred deserueth no credit For whom men do hate of them they doe thinke ill speake ill for them they behold through their owne affection of hatred as it were a coloured glasse which maketh them and all that they do to seeme euill and odious vnto them If he be his friend tell him that he dealeth vncharitably to speake ill of that party who hath deserued wel of him If he alledge that he sayth nothing but the truth tel him that we must speake the truth in loue and therefore it is not sufficient that our speech be true vnlesse it be charitable If you plainely perceiue his speech to be false defend the innocencie of him that is absent as Ionathan did the innocencie of Dauid against his owne father If you may be so bold with him bid Sathan auaunt tell him that he which falsely slaundereth is a diuell and a manslayer who with one blow as it were seeketh to destroy three c. howsoeuer it is let it appeare that thou art not well pleased with tale-bearers that thine eares doe long to heare not the dispraise but the commendation of thy neighbour if he haue any to commend that thy eares are open to his discourse of vertue but if either he must needs be speaking or thou hearing of faults turne your curiositie towards your owne offences For how can you be excused if neglecting your own faults you busily pry into the vices of others But howsoeuer all men are to auoid sycophants and tale-bearers yet magistrats especially are to take heed of them and such as be in authoritie for by how much the greater their authoritie is so much the more pernicious it will prooue if they giue eare to sycophants and slaunderers Putiphar hauing giuen credit to the false accusation of his wife cast innocent Ioseph into prison Saule hauing hearkened to their words who said Behold Dauid seeketh euill against thee persecuted Dauid And likewise he beleeuing the malicious report of the sycophant Doeg put to death all the priests of the Lord which were at Nob. Dauid himselfe giuing too hastie credit to the calumniation of the pickthanke Siba disinherited Mephibosheth Ahasuerosh hauing giuen eare to the diuellish suggestion of wicked Haman sent foorth an edict to destroy the whole nation of the Iewes Wherefore it behooueth princes especially not onely in countenance or words but also with the sword or other reall punishments to represse the tale-bearer and the sycophant For as one well sayth Princeps qui delatores non castigat irritat A prince that doth not correct slaunderers hee doth prouoke them And therefore notable is that profession of Dauid and worthie of all Christian princes to be imitated Him that priuily slandereth his neighbour will I destroy By this which hath beene said it is manifest that wee are not to giue eare to slaunderers notwithstanding for better euidence I will adde that to hearken willingly to tale-bearers is a thing vnlawfull hurtfull and shamefull vnlawfull because God hath forbidden it Exo. 23. 1 Thou shalt not receiue a false
vsurie vnderstand to be forbidden in the law is biting vsurie and excessiue increase Therefore the vsurie which the patrones of vsurie themselues vnderstand to be forbidden in the law is forbidden in the morall law of God 5. Whereupon followeth another consequent That seeing the same vsurie which is forbidden in the law is permitted towards a stranger therefore this permission of vsurie is prooued to be judiciall and the prohibition morall But for the better vnderstanding of this law we are to consider who is meant by stranger in this place The Hebrew word vsed here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherby is meant not euery stranger which is not an Israelite by birth For on him that was either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is aduena a proselite dwelling among them who though he were a stranger by birth was a brother in religion or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquilinus a stranger by birth but not by dwelling or affection but such an one as dwelled friendly among them though not circumcised as appeareth Exod. 12. 43 45 48. vsurie was not to be imposed Leu. 25. 35 Thou shalt relieue him viz. the brother the stranger also and sojourner that he may liue with thee but onely on him that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extraneus or histis as the word histi was wont to signifie an aliant as by birth so also in dwelling in religion in affection See Obad. vers 11. and Lament 5. 2. Now in this sence the word may signifie either more generally any one that was a meere aliant from the commonwealth of Israel or more specially such aliants as were the remnants of the Canaanits If we vnderstand this permission of vsurie to be extended towards all aliants there might be two causes rendered why the Lord permitted the same the one the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts the other the vnjustice of the Gentiles For the Lord as a wise law giuer in his judiciall lawes permitteth in a ciuile respect some things euill in themselues for the auoiding of a greater mischiefe not to allow or justifie the same from the guilt of sinne as before him in the court of conscience but to exempt the same from ciuile punishment in the externall court before the magistrate as for example the hardnesse of the Iews hearts being such that when they set their affections on other women and waxed wearie of their wiues they would either put them away to their shame and vtter vndoing or else tyrannize ouer them if they continued with them the Lord therfore by a ciuile or judiciall law permitted men to put away their wiues without the crime of adulterie so as they could giue them a bill of diuorcement wherein they should giue testimonie to their wiues chastitie And yet whosoeuer did put away his wife without the crime of fornication howsoeuer he were by this ciuile permission free from punishment of the magistrat notwithstanding he was guiltie of adulterie before God as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Matth. 19. So the hardnesse of the Iewes harts and couetousnesse being such that if they were not permitted to practise vsurie towards strangers they would exercise it against their brethren and likewise the injustice of the Gentiles with whom they did traffique being such as they would be sure to exact vsurie of the Iews therefore that neither the Gentiles by inequalitie of negotiation should eat vp the Iewes nor yet the Iewes should oppresse one another by vsurie it might be that in these ciuile respects the Lord permitted it towards the Gentiles And therefore as the permission which gaue leaue to the Iews to put away their innocent wiues with a bill of diuorcement doth not disprooue the law forbidding adulterie to be morall but prooueth it selfe to be judiciall so the permission of vsurie towards strangers doth not prooue the law forbidding vsurie to be morall but it selfe is euidently prooued to be judiciall And as he which without the crime of adulterie putteth away his wife is notwithstanding that ciuile permission an adulterer before God so hee which practiseth vsurie as permitted to him either by the law of Moses against any stranger or by the ciuile lawes of men is notwithstanding a theefe before God But in my judgement we shall more rightly expound this place if by stranger wee doe not vnderstand any stranger but that stranger that is to say the remnants of the Canaanites by whose impouerishing the L. would haue the Iewes enriched For first the words are not Lenokri as Dent. 14. 21 but Lanokri that is extraneo ifti as Tremellius and Iâ—nius translate adding this exposition extraneo ifti to this stranger that is to the reliques or remnants of the Canaanits whom the Lord had appointed to destruction and would haue by little and little consumed And to the like purpose Ambroâ—e expoundeth this place But perhaps sayth he you will say it is written thou shalt lend vpon vsurie to a stranger c. Who then was the stranger but the Amalekite but the Amorrhite but the enemies of the people of God there sayth he exact vsuric whom thou desirest to hurt worthily against whom thou goest to warre lawfully on him thou mayest lawfully impose vsurie whom thou canst not easily ouercome by warre on him thou mayest easily wreakethy selfe by vsurie Ab hoc 〈◊〉 am exige quem noâ— sit crimen occidere Take vsurie of him whom thou mayest lawfully kill therefore vbiius belli ibietiam ius vsurarum against whom there is right to wage warre against them there is right to practise vsurie And this exposition seemeth therefore the rather to be embraced because when these remnants of the Canaanites were rooted out all vsurie afterwards is generally and absolutely forbidden without exception of any as Psal. 15. Prou. 28. 8. Eze. 18. and 22. Rabbi Salomo as Lyranus reporteth in Exod. 22. 25. denieth it to be lawfull for a Iew to take vsurie of a stranger And the Hebrew glosse so vnderstandeth this text That hath not giuen his money to vsurie no not to a Gentile sayth he Which P. Galatinus also doth note to haue bin the judgemeÌ„t of the Rabbines And this progresse Ierome well obserued Vide profectum See the proceeding sayth he of the holy ghost In the beginning of the law vsurie is forbidden onely towards brethren but in the Prophet it is forbidden towards all without limitation But this permission or if you will allowance of vsurie towards the Canaanite doth no more prooue the law against vsurie not to be morall than the allowance of manslaughter in warre doth prooue the law forbidding murther to be judiciall For although the law condemning vsurie be neuer so perpetual or morall yet notwithstanding as all other commaundements of God so is it to be vnderstood with this limitation and restraint namely vnlesse God otherwise appoint It is a morall law which forbiddeth other theft as well as vsurie but if the Lord by speciall warrant allow the Israelites to spoyle the
hath obserued and that Duilia rogatione it was reduced ad semuncias saith Tacitus that is to halfe a pound in an hundred and the next yeare after that also was abolished Genucia rogatione saith Bodin whereby it was enacted Ne vllo modo foenerari liceret that it should not be lawfull at all to lend vpon vsurie as Alexander ab Alexandro reporteth Afterwards when vsurie grew to an head again it was sometimes stinted at six and sometimes at foure in the hundred and sometimes altogether prohibited At length Iustinian so accommodated the limitation of vsurie to the diuerse estates and conditions of men that to them which could better forbeare their money lesse vsurie should bee permitted and to them which could worse forbeare it more To Noblemen therefore and Gentlemen who vse not to occupie their mony for gaine he permitted Trientes that is foure in the hundred To merchants and tradsemen who liue by the imployment of money in negotiation he permitted besses that is eight in the hundred And to all other men semisses that is six in the hundred And in traiectitijs pecunijs that is in money sent beyond sea at the creditors perill and in two other cases he granted centesimas that is twelue in the hundred But in these latter times the ciuile Law hath beene corrected according to the canon Law For in the Diet held at Augusta by Charles the fift all vsurie is condemned and in steed thereof a contract of buying rents after fiue in the hundred which is after twentie yeares purchase allowed with a couenant of releasing or selling backe the same when the seller shall tender the principall And not the Popes onely by their canon law but euen Maâ—omet also in his Alcoron hath forbidden all vsurie But forasmuch as some patrons of vsurie haue taught that a Christian man may with a good conscience take so much vsurie as the lawes of the countrey wherein he dwelleth do permit and withall confesse that he cannot with a good conscience take aboue that rate which is limited by the lawes it behoueth vs therefore to enquire what our lawes haue determined concerning vsurie And to omit the lawes of former times wherein vsurie hath bene sometimes restrained and stinted as in the time of Henry the eight sometimes altogether forbidden as in the time of Edward the sixt and to come to those lawes which now are in force which are as concerning this matter and other criminall causes of two sorts the canon Law wherein it is not disagreeable to the word of God and the penall statute made in the 13 yeare of Queene Elizabeth The canons of the ancient councels do wholly and absolutly forbid and condemne all vsurie and the ancient Bishops of Rome were of the same judgement but as I noted before and as Bodin also hath obserued the latter Bishops de via deflexerunt are turned out of the way For although according to the rest of their Antichristian hypocrisie they do in word and in shew condemne all vsury permitting not so much as Christian buriall to him that dieth an vsurer yet indeed they haue allowed yea as Bodin saith brought in a contract of redeeming rents which as it is practised by their leaue and allowance is worse than the vsurie allowed any where else But as in other things so in this point where the Canon law swarueth from the word of God we do forsake it and where it agreeth therewith we embrace it And as touching the statute made in the thirteenth yeare of Queene Elizabeth howsoeuer the most looking to the practise of vsurers and conniuencie of magistrats and not to the act of Parliament it selfe do imagine that vsurie after the rate of ten in the hundred is thereby allowed yet the truth is that it is not so much as permitted thereby Not allowed for it is an act against vsurie as being a sinne yea and a detestable sinne as the statute it selfe doth call it wherein also it is acknowledged that all vsurie is forbidded by the Law of God Not permitted for as all vsurie aboue ten in the hundred is thereby to be punished with the forfeiture of the triple value of the principall so all vsurie whether it be after the rate of ten in the hundred or vnder though it were but of one in the hundred is to be punished with the forfeiture of the vsurie or increase From hence therefore the argument of the patrons of vsurie in England may easily be returned vpon themselues So much vsurie and no more say they may with good conscience be taken as the laws of the land do allow and permit But now say I the laws of the land do not allow no nor yet permit ten nor fiue nor yet one in the hundred therefore in England a man cannot with a good conscience take after ten nor fiue nor yet one in the hundred But suppose that humane lawes did permit vsurie as our statute doth in the case of orphanes only doth not the permission sufficiently argue the thing in it selfe to bee euill and if the thing be euill in it selfe can the permission justifie the practise of it before God No the law of man may cleere thee from ciuile penalties in the outward court and before the magistrat but it cannot cleere thee from the guilt of sin in the court of conscience and from the penalties that are due to the same by the morall law of God Neither is the law of man but the law of God the rule of thy conscience and therefore though man had nothing to punish in thee for thy vsurie yet the Lord hath more than ynough to condemne thee for the same But you will say May humane lawes permit such things as be euill For answer I will set downe the true and learned sentence of reuerend Beza in his Annotations vpon Mathew Chapter 19. verse 8. The morall law saith he because it respecteth the conscience it simply commaundeth good things and forbiddeth euill But ciuile lawes if they be well ordained they do indeed commaund nothing which God hath forbidden and they forbid nothing that God hath commaunded but by the wickednesse of men they are forced onely to moderat many things which they cannot wholly abolish and these are the things which are sayd to be permitted by lawes As for example Christian charitie forbiddeth to lend vpon vsurie notwithstanding many magistrats do see that in respect of traffique and dealings among men they cannot simply forbid vsurie Therefore which is the onely thing which remaineth for them to do they stint vsurie But may a man therefore with a good conscience lend vpon vsurie No surely For the rule of our conscience is to be fetched not from the ciuile lawes of men but from the word of God Nay the ciuile lawes themselues doe not allow but rather condemne that which they doe onely tolerat forced thereto by the wickednesse of men Thus also the Lord by Moses making ciuile lawes doth
first yeare why is not that vsurie of the vsurie being lent to the same man the second yeare as lawfull as if it were lent to another man But whatsoeuer other lawgiuers haue judged of vsurie it is plaine that the Lord who is the supreme and in respect of the conscience the onely lawgiuer condemneth all vsurie by his law morall neither by his judiciall law permitted the same to be exercised by the subjects of that commonwealth which he ordained among themselues And therfore it cannot without contumelie against the wisedome of God be affirmed that a commonwealth cannot well stand without vsurie especially considering that the holy ghost hath made the vsuall practise of vsurie countenanced by the state a note of a corrupt state For so the seuentie interpreters Psa. 55. 11 for the Hebrew Toc read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as some thinke is deriued thence and the auncient writers doe read the place thus Vsurie and deceit depart not from her streets And the Prophet Ezechiel chap. 22. 12 among other enormities or as he calleth them abhominations of the citie Ierusalem he reckoneth this for one Thou hast taken vsurie and increase And contrariwise among the notes of a good gouernour this is mentioned Psal. 72. 14 That he should free his subjects from vsurie for so againe the auncient interpreters doe read and violence a notable example whereof we haue in Nehemias that godly magistrat chap. 5. And hereunto we may adde the judgement of that notable Historiographer and wise Polititian Cornelius Tacitus who as he judgeth vsurie to be a mischiefe to the commonwealth so he noteth that it was repressed in the auncient common-wealth of the Romanes when their manners were farthest from corruption And to conclude Caluin himselfe is of this judgement that an vsurer ought not to be suffered in a well ordered commonwealth And thus you haue heard how vsurie offendeth against our neighbour as being both vnjust and vncharitable Now let vs briefely consider how the vsurer sinneth against God not only mediatly by vnjustice and vncharitablenesse but also immediatly by impietie and vngodlinesse For first seeing the practise of vsurie cannot stand with the true feare of God as may be gathered out of that opposition Leuit. 25. 36 Thou shalt take no vsurie of thy needy brother nor increase but thou shalt feare thy God it is euident therefore that they which take vsurie of them which borrow for need do not walke in the feare of God as Nehemias telleth the vsurers of his time Secondly the vsurer sinneth against God by disobedience and contempt for he disobeyeth the commaundements of God straightly commaunding free loane and sharply forbidding vsurie and contemneth the threatenings of God denounced against the same Thirdly by infidelitie in not belieuing the gracious promises of God made to those who lend freely For as Chrysostome hath well said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vsurie is the off-spring of infidelitie And therefore whereas the Lord hath promised to such that they shall be the children of the most high that they shall be blessed and receiue great reward at his hands those that will not beleeue these promises are to feare that they are not the children of God and that in stead of that blessing and reward promised there remaineth to them the fearfull curse of God and condemnation Fourthly by diffidence ending commonly in prophanenesse For the Lord would haue our faith concerning spirituall blessings in heauenly things to be exercised and confirmed by our affiance reposed in his goodnesse for temporall blessings in earthly things as may be gathered by the order of the fourth and fifth petitions of the Lords prayer For if we cannot find in our hearts to depend vpon the goodnesse of God for these vile and transitorie things how can we persuade our selues that we truly beleeue in him concerning the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and eternall life The Lord therefore would haue vs whether we want meanes or whether we haue them as well in the vse of meanes as in the want of them to depend vpon his prouidence and to cast our care vpon him If he lay a crosse vpon vs or seeme to depriue vs of our goods it is his good pleasure that we should flie vnto him by prayer if he vouchsafe to blesse vs thankes are to be giuen vnto him as to the authour of all good things In a word in all estates it behooueth a true Christian to walke with God and to haue dayly recourse to him But the vsurers whole endeauour is to settle himselfe and his estate as it were out of the gunshot of Gods prouidence he will not deale by husbandrie or traffique because of the hazards whereunto either of both is subject that is to say because of his diffidence in God to whose prouidence he dare not trust his goods and therefore he will make sure worke for himselfe that he shall not need to stand to Gods courtesie The practise of vsurie shall be as a tower of Babel vnto him that whether God doe blesse the traffique of men or not or whether it goe well or ill with husbandrie he will be sure both of his principall and of his gaine All is one to him whether the marchants gaine or loose sinke or swim whether there be famine or plentie faire weather or foule he feareth no flouds He looketh not vp to heauen with the good husbandman or godly marchant either to craue the blessing of God vpon his labours or to returne thankes for the same but is so wholly addicted to the earth and to his vsurious cogitations that he is seldome seen to looke vp insomuch that many times by his very looke and gate an vsurer may be discerned In a word his chiefe indeauour is that in respect of worldly things he may haue nothing to doe with God and so at length of a faithlesse man he becommeth also prophane hauing forgotten God as for this sinne the Lord chargeth Ierusalem Ezech. 22. 12 neither is God I meane the true God in all his thoughts For his God Mammon doth wholly possesse his heart and therefore hee sinneth also by idolatrie For seeing the root of vsurie is couetousnesse which is the root of all euill it cannot be denied but that euery vsurer is couetous And euery couetous man is an idolater Eph. 5. 5. and a seruitour of Mammon Mat. 6. 24 and therefore no true seruant of the Lord. Now you must remember that for couetous persons and idolaters there is no inheritance in heauen And therefore the vsurer as he sinneth against God by manifold impietie so also against himselfe by desperat folly For as euery notorious malefactor may truly be said to cast away himselfe and is guiltie of selfe-murther as it is said of Korah and his complices Num. 16. 38 so the vsurer likewise pulleth vpon himselfe the fearfull judgements of God and is guiltie of his owne ouerthrow For the Lord hath threatened
and vnlawfull therefore I say with learned Chemnicius That when men make question of moderat vsurie whether that be lawfull or not they might as wel make question whether moderat adulterie or moderat lying or moderat theft is lawfull for as adulterie as lying as theft are things in themselues simply euill and vnlawfull and therefore cannot well bee done so is vsurie as I haue prooued It is a good saying and a true of D. Wilson in his booke of vsurie That there is no meane in this vice more than is in murther theft or whoredome and as the stealing of one penny is theft so is the least vsurie though it be but of a penny And as touching the second whereas they allow moderat vsurie taken of the wealthie I answere as before That if God in his word had made this difference of vsurie in respect of the poore and the rich as he doth in respect of the Israelite and the Canaanite To the poore thou shalt not lend vpon vsurie but to the rich thou mayest their practise had beene justifiable who require vsurie of the rich but the Lord in diuerse places of the Scripture in generall tearmes absolutely condemneth all vsurie as I haue shewed And therefore if because in the prohibition of vsurie in one or two places there is mention made of the poore we may inferre that therefore vsurie is lawfull towards the rich by the same reason the most notorious sinnes against the sixth and eighth commaundements may be justified if they be not committed against the poore and helpelesse because in the prohibition of those sinnes there is expresse mention made in diuerse places of the poore the fatherlesse the widdow the stranger and such others as are helpelesse And therfore when the holy Ghost saith Prou. 22. 22 Rob not the poore because he is poore the robber might by the same reason justifie his robbing of the rich And lastly whereas they allow vsurie so it be not joyned with the hurt of the borrower I answer that by the same reason they may justifie the officious lye which is vttered to helpe and not to hurt the neighbour But charitie as it rejoyceth in the truth so also in justice and as a lye so also vsurie is euer opposed to charitie if not as an hurtfull thing to our neighbour yet as an vnjust thing in it selfe And it is a rule in Diuinitie That we may not do euill that good may come thereof and therefore vsury though it were not hurtfull yet were it vnlawfull But as it is vnlawfull in it selfe so is it euer hurtfull if not to the borrower in particuler as most commonly it is in the judgement of Caluin yet as I haue before shewed to the common weale which is worse Besides in the contract of vsurie there is an absolut couenant for gaine and therefore no prouision made for the borrowers indemnitie seeing by the very contract of vsurie the same gaine is to be required out of the borrowers losse as well as out of his gaine Whereas therefore they say vsurie is to be allowed when prouision is made that the borrower shall not be hurt or damnified thereby it is all one as if they had sayd that vsurie is then to be allowed when it is no vsurie But let vs consider their reasons which are of three sorts viz. proofes out of the Scripture with other arguments and testimonies Their proofes out of the Scriptures are these First the example of Ioseph Ge. 47. which I haue heretofore shewed to haue none affinitie with vsurie Secondly out of Deut. 15. 1 2 3 4 the author of the aforesayd English Treatise would prooue that in the seuenth yeare of freedome the rich debtor was by the appointment of the Lord himselfe to pay his debt with the vsurie thereof though the poore were exempted from payments of debts that yeare for so it is sayd vers 4. Saue when there shall be no poore with thee as if the Lord bad said saith he prouided alwayes that thy rich debtor shall haue no such priuiledge c. And how is this proued Forsooth because the word Masshah which as he saith signifieth vsurie and the verbe Nashah which signifieth to lend vpon vsurie are there vsed But I aunswere that Masshah in no place of Scripture signifieth vsurie and in that place signifieth a debt which the creditor lendeth with purpose to exact againe but there the Lord taketh order that it should not be exacted in the seuenth yeare And Nashah in this place as appeareth by the text it selfe and by the consent of all writers signifieth onely to lend with purpose to exact againe that which is lent For otherwise the Lord should allow the lending vpon vsurie to the poore and the exacting of it also so it were not in the seuenth yeare But that author absolutly condemneth all vsurie towards the poore yea he affirmeth though without reason that the exacting of the principall alone from the poore is vsurie But of the signification of these words I haue sufficiently spoken before As for the prouiso which as he saith followeth vers 4 it appeareth by the reason following that it is not an exception of the rich for the Lord shall blesse thee c for the words as Iunius readeth and Caluin expoundeth them are thus to be red Only because thy brother ought not by thy meanes to become poore or be impouerished and therefore are a reason of that law of remission For seeing in that yeare of Sabbath the ground was to rest and men had not the meanes of raising profits whereby to pay their debts as in other years therefore if the creditors should that yeare haue exacted their debts they would haue brought many to beggerie for the preuention whereof the Lord saith he instituted this law concerning the remission of debts in that yeare of freedome And that the creditors should not alledge for themselues that they should be vnable to forbeare their money so long the Lord addeth another reason being a promise That if they kept that other his commandements hee would blesse them in the land and so blesse them that they should be able to lend to many nations and should not need to borrow of them So that in conclusion this being not an exceprion of the rich and the word Masshah not signifying vsurie there is no shew of reason in this allegation Thirdly no more is there in the next out of Pro. 22. 16 which notwithstanding the same author commendeth as a notable place to proue that the rich ought to giue interest or increase He that oppresseth the poore saith Salomon to increase himselfe and giueth to the rich shall surely come to pouertie whence he inferreth these consequences First that it is as great a fault to giue or lend freely to the rich as to oppresse the poore by taking vsurie of them because the same punishment Viz. pouâ—rtie is awarded to both And secondly from the contrary that it is as
auoiding a greater inconuenience made him seeme willing to that whereunto simply he was vnwilling The assumption therefore may be proued by this vnanswerable argument He that lendeth vpon vsurie to him that borroweth for vrgent necessitie oppresseth the borrower Therefore he which borroweth vpon vsurie for vrgent necessitie is oppressed and that as I haue shewed both wrongfully and against his will Againe the like case are warranted in the word of God and by the law and light of nature for why may I not giue vsury or promise to giue it in my necessitie you will say because the lender cannot take it without committing a sinne which the Lord hath forbidden vnder paine of damnation If then I shew that in cases of necessitie one man may offer that to another which the other without committing a damnable sinne cannot receiue then is this question prooued by an argument of equals Suppose then a man fallen into the hands of robbers and murderers to whom he promiseth for the safegard of his life to giue them not onely that which is about him but also such a summe of money besides as the ten men mentioned Ier. 41. 8 offered to Ismael and the cut-throats that were with him such treasures as they had in the field for the safetie of their liues Or suppose a man being in sicknesse or hunger to offer ten times the value of the meat or medicine which he needeth to a greedie cormorant that will take no lesse for the same If you say these cases of necessitie concerne a mans life and it is not to be doubted but that a man may giue all that hee hath to saue his life it is true indeed but yet a man may not sinne to saue his life May I not sinne to saue my life and may I giue for the safetie of my life that to another which he cannot receiue without a more haynous sinne than the sinne of vsurie as in these cases euen now specified then it is apparant that in a case of necessitie a man may lawfully offer and giue that to another which the other cannot receiue without committing of such a sinne as the Lord hath forbidden vnder paine of damnation And this is true not onely in those cases that so neerely touch a mans life but in all other cases of necessitie A poore man hauing need to borrow and not being able to borrow without giuing such a pawne as he cannot spare is by his necessitie compelled to deliuer that pawne which the lender cannot receiue and keepe without committing a damnable sinne And that he may lawfully giue such a pawne when his necessitie is such as that he may much better want that pawne than be without that which he would borrow there is no question for the children of God and such as are noted to haue feared God when other pawnes haue failed haue bene faine to bind ouer their sonnes and daughters to their creditors If my house be in danger to fall presently without the carpenters helpe my cattell being diseased or hurt in danger to miscarie without present cure my corne or hay lying abroad in daunger to be spoiled vnlesse presently it be inned or if any such other casualtie happen wherein there is necessitie of present helpe is it not lawfull for me to giue yea to offer and promise to such vnconscionable men as taking aduantage at my necessitie will not otherwise helpe me six or seuen times the value of that which in equitie were due vnto them and yet it cannot be dâ—nied but that euery one of these doth sinne worse than the vsurer I will add onely one other instance which will make this matter euident Suppose I want food or apparell or any other necessaries for myselfe or those that belong to me and that also I want present money to buy that I need and present meanes whereby to make readie money I am forced therefore to take it vp on trust for three or six moneths according as I shall be able to make payment The partie which selleth these commodities because he is to giue day of payment he will not let me haue that vnder eleuen shillings which he would sell for ten shillings of present money Well my necessitie is such as I had rather giue twelue shillings perhaps twenty shillings than not buy that which I came for may I in this case of necessitie lawfully promise to pay at the end of six moneths eleuen shillings for that which of present money is worth but ten shillings as I thinke no man can truly denie and may I not as lawfully in a case of no lesse necessitie promise to the lender after ten in the hundred Will you heare this partie which selleth thus much the deerer for time lendeth vpon vsurie as I proued before and that after twentie in the hundred therefore this buyer borroweth vpon vsurie which by this example appeareth in a case of necessitie to be lawfull But you will alledge in the second place that all borrowing vpon vsurie is condemned in the Scripture I answer that all lending vpon vsurie is indeed condemned in the Scripture but that all borrowing vpon vsurie is condemned it cannot bee prooued out of the word of God It may be you will alledge Ierem. 15. 10. and Esay 24. 2. In the former place the Prophet Ieremie professeth of himselfe as some translations read that neither he had lent vpon vsurie neither had they lent to him vpon vsurie Answer Suppose that the Prophet did indeed speake of lending and borrowing vpon vsurie yet hereof it would not follow that therefore all borrowing vpon vsurie is vnlawfull it may not be doubted but that there are many things lawfull either of themselues or at lest in cases of vrgent necessitie which the Prophet Ieremie neuer practised It may be that he might as truly haue said I neither bought of them nor sold to them I neither lent to them vpon pawnes or other securitie neither haue I borrowed of them vpon securitie Would it therefore from hence follow that all buying and selling all lending and borrowing vpon securitie is vnlawfull Yea but the Prophet disclaimeth the practise of lending vpon vsurie as a thing vnlawfull therfore the like is to be vnderstood of borrowing vpon vsurie The Prophet abstained indeed from lending vpon vsurie because it was vnlawfull but thereof it doth not follow that therefore he abstained from borrowing also because it was simply vnlawfull It may be he had no need to borrow vpon vsurie and therfore that had beene vnlawfull to him without necessitie which in a case of vrgent necessitie is lawfull to another But the Prophet indeed if he speake of vsurie at all disclaimeth both lending and borrowing not as vnlawfull things though to him both of them had beene perhaps vnlawfull but as occasions of contention For the purpose of the Prophet is to shew the contentious disposition of the people who contended with him that had giuen them no
occasion of contention which he prooueth by these two particulars of lending and borrowing whether freely or vpon vsurie which are the most vsuall occasions of suits and contentions among men therefore the Prophets meaning was not to professe that he had done no vnlawfull thing but that he had giuen the contentious people no occasion of contention But what if the Prophet speake not of vsurie at all in this place as indeed he doth not but onely of ciuile lending vpon securitie that is when a man lendeth with purpose to exact againe that which he lendeth The verbe Nashah which here is vsed as heretofore I haue shewed signifieth in this argument exacting that which a man hath lent or lending with purpose to exact that which is lent Neither is there any necessitie that we should vnderstand the word in any place where it is vsed in the Scripture of lending vpon vsurie Howbeit the word Nosheh which signifieth an exactour sometimes is vnderstood of the vsurer because he of all creditours is the greatest exactour And because the vsurers aboue all others will be sure to lend vpon securitie purposing to exact not only their owne but also an ouerplus therefore some translatours vnderstand the word which signifieth no more but to exact or to lend with purpose to exact of vsurious lending Thus R. Dauid Kimhi vnderstandeth this place of lending in generall Thus Tremellius and Iunius translate Non dedi mutuum neque mutuo dederunt mihi or as some vnderstand the place I am not in debt to them nor they to me Neither ought that to trouble any that the Latine translation hath the word foenerare or other Latin authours that follow it for both in it and them the word foenerare is often vsed in the sence of free lending as appeareth by these places Deut. 15. 6. 28. 12. 44. Prou. 19. 17. 22. 7. where the Hebrew text and other translations haue those words which signifie free lending as also Luke 6. 34 likewise Ecclesiast 29. 1. 2. Out of which places it is euident that as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke authours so foenerare and foenerari in Latine translations which also may be said of diuines who haue written in Latine are more often vsed in the signification of free lending than of lending vpon vsurie And euen in this place where the Prophet sayth Non foeneraui according to the Latine Lyâ—anus expoundeth it thus i. Non commodaui I haue not lent But you will say Where Nashah is construed with the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in this place it signifieth lending vpon vsurie No such matter Indeed some Hebrew writers haue imagined that Nashah simply signifieth to borrow but with the preposition to lend and so expound and read this place I haue not borrowed neither haue they lent to me that is I neither sought to borrow of them neither did they lend to me of their owne accord But the truth is that Nashah signifieth to lend and where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added it is a note as the English to of the Datiue case hauing reference to the partie which borroweth as Nehem. 5. 10. I and my brethren sayth Nehemiah lend to them mony and corne vnlesse we will with my aforesaid English author absurdly affirme that Nehemiah and his followers did lend to their needie brethren vpon vsurie Or if I would in like sort vrge the signification of the word Noshâ—h which is more often vsed to signifie an vsurer than the verbe Nashah to lend vpon vsurie I might bring a manifest example out of the Scriptures of a man which feared God to prooue the lawfulnesse of borrowing vpon vsurie which the Prophet Elisha was so farre from condemning that he helped the widdow of that partie by miracle to pay her debt and as the Greeke translation hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vsurie 2. King 4. 1. 7. The place therefore in Ieremie is thus to be read I haâ—e not lent meaning the ciuile kind of lending vpon securitie for so much the word signifieth neither haue they lent to me And therefore as I haue no cause to contend with them besides the duty of my calling in striuing against their sinnes so neither haue I giuen them any occasion to contend with me and yet I am a man of contention and strife to the whole land which may be vnderstood both actiuely in respect of their opinion of him and passiuely in respect of their behauiour towards him and euerie one doth curse me And as this translation doth best expresse the force of the Hebrew text so doth it best fit the scope and purpose of the Prophet which is to shew the vntoward disposition and contentious behauiour of the people towards him who when as he neither coÌ„tended with them about any worldly affaires nor yet gaue them any occasion to contend with him he had neither lent nor borrowed he did neither meddle nor make in any worldly dealing or traffique with them from which contentions vsually arise among men yet they contended with him and judged him a contentious man and for that cause cursed him But the signification of vsurie is not so fit for the Prophet meaning as I sayd to set forth their vntoward and contentious behauiour towards him would signifie that he had giuen them not onely no cause but not so much as any occasion of contention and hatred for although he had not dealt by vsurie with them nor any way wronged them but yet had otherwise intermedled with them by ciuile lending and borrowing or other worldly affaires they might haue had though no just cause yet diuerse occasions of contending with him neither was vsurie so vsuall among the Iewes as that he should mention it as the vsuall and ordinarie cause of contention among them And thus much I hope may suffice for answer to that allegation out of Ier. 15. 10. The other testimonie is out of Esay 24. 2 where the Prophet hath these words as some translations read Like lender like borrower like giuer like taker to vsurie But this allegation though it did speake of lending and borrowing vpon vsurie as I haue shewed there is no necessitie to graunt so much seeing the words may thus be read the exactour as he of whom he doth exact yet it would prooue nothing concerning this controuersie for there the Lord threatneth such a confusion of all estates and ouerturning of the commonweale that all men of dignitie and abilitie being bereaued of that which they had and so made equall with them of low degree and poore estate the people should be as the priest the seruant as the master the handmaid as the mistresse the buyer as the seller the lender as the borrower the exactour or vsurer as he of whom he exacteth And thus much concerning the testimonies of Scripture Now let vs consider what other reasons may be alledged against borrowing vpon vsurie 1. As first that lending and
the Lord hath ordained the judgement seat to be a rocke of defence and refuge for the innocent and guiltlesse they haue made it an hill of robbers Thirdly because they haue not onely set judgement and justice to sale which is an abhominable practise but also as the Prophet Amos speaketh They sell the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes Such judges Demosthenes compared to a paire of scoles which alwaies incline on that side whence they haue receiued any thing And surely a small weight many times will make them to incline to the wicked who seeketh to corrupt them and to decline from right Prou. 28. 21 To haue respect of persons it is not good for that man will transgresse for a piece of bread It were therefore to be wished that justice and judges now adaies were such as they were wont to be painted for justice was blindfolded and judges were pictured without hands whereby was signified that judges should not receiue rewards nor respect persons which is commonly a consequent of rewards Vpon the greatnesse of this offence followeth the third thing namely that is is pernicious to them that vse it for therefore doth the holy ghost denounce a feareful woe against such persons Esay 5. 23. Woe be to them which iustiâ—ie the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him therefore as the flame of fire deuoureth the stubble and as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so their root shall be as rottenness c. But it is onely pernicious to themselues but also to the countrey wherein they liue as I haue in generall shewed Ezek. 22. 12. and thereunto wee may adde the testimonie of the Prophet Micah chap. 3. 11 12. for when as hee had said that the heads or princes of Ierusalem did judge for rewards and the priests did teach for hire he inferreth Therefore shall Sion for your sake be ploughed as a field and Ierusalem shall be an â—eape and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the forrest I come to corrupt lawyers and aduocats who so often take reward against the innocent as they doe take vpon them the defence of such causes as they in their owne conscience are persuaded to be euill and vnjust Which being so common a fault among lawyers as that very few which plead causes either in ciuile or ecclesiasticall courts doe seeme to make any conscience thereof to whom all is fish that commeth to their nets therefore all lawyers are to be exhorted to apply this note vnto themselues For if those which shall be saued are such as doe not take a reward against the innocent as the holy ghost here witnesseth how then can they be saued whose vsuall practise is to take rewards against the innocent And that they may the more effectually be dissuaded from this sinne let them a little consider with me how fearefully they sinne against God their neighbour and themselues Against God whiles they seeke to ouerthrow the truth and to peruert the Judgement which is the Lords Secondly against their neighbour And in this regard euery corrupt lawyer is as Salomon sayth of euery false witnesse an hammer a sword and a sharpe â—rrow an hammer or mallet to the judge a sword to his client and an arrow to his adursarie For whiles our lawyers doe their indeuours as the Greeke sophisters were wont 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to make the worse cause the better they doe as it were knocke the judge on the head amasing him so and dazeling his eyes that he may not see and pronounce the truth To their client they are as two edged swords wounding him two wayes to wit in body and soule As touching his bodie and outward estate they notably impouerish him to enrich themselues and plucke off his feathers to feather their owne nest for as the fowlers â—age is full of birds so the houses of these faulconers are full of riches gotten by deceit as Ieremie speaketh The soule also of their client they wouâ—d when they animate him to goe on in offering wrong to his neighbour and cause him to sinne against his owne soule To the aduersarie being indeed the innocent partie euery Tertullus is a sharpe arrow wounding him either in bodie goods or good name against all or any whereof they care not what vntruths and slaunderous calumniations they vtter so their cause may therby be aduantaged Lastly they sinne against themselues and their owne soules first because they aid the wicked vnto euill which is forbidden Exod. 23. 1. and is reprooued 2. Chron. 19. 2 as also Psal. 50. 18. When thou sawest a theefe thou consentedst vnto him and is condemned Rom. 1. 31. Secondly because they haue sold their tongues to speake likes for an euill cause cannot be maintained but by manifold vntruths Now riches or treasures gotten by a deceitfull or lying tongue is vanitie tossed too and fro of them that seeke death Prou. 21. 6. And therefore it is greatly to be feared least these men as they haue set their tongues so also their â—oules to sale for that is truly affirmed of all couetous persons Eccles. 10. 9. The like is to be said of euery false witnesse who for reward is suborned to testifie vntruths That hee sinneth against God whose judgement he seeketh to peruert against the judge whom he endeuoureth to auert from justice and truth against the parties who suborneth him to whom he consenteth vnto euill against the innocent partie whom by his false testimonie he hurteth and sometimes killeth him with a word against his owne soule for seeing a false witnesse is an abbomination vnto the Lord Prou. 6. 18 therefore he shall not escape but surely perish Prou. 19. 5. 9. And yet this is not all that may be said in detestation of false witnesse bearing For seeing witnesses in places of judgement doe not deliuer their testimonies but vpon an oath therefore euery false witnesse is guiltie not onely of false witnesse bearing but also of perjurie whereby he polluteth the holy name of God wrongeth the innocent abuseth the judge and all that are present and that vnder the religion of an oath hee citeth the Lord himselfe and that in the place of judgement to testifie an vntruth and which is most fearfull he tempteth the Lord and as it were dareth him in the audience of allthat are present to execute his fierce wrath and indignation vpon him For in othes wee call vpon God not onely to be our witnesse that we sweare truly but also to be a reuenger of vs if we sweare falsely therefore he which sweareth that which he knoweth to be vntrue he prouoketh the Lord and as it were dareth him to take vengeance vpon him Thus then we see by these two last notes what the sound Christian and citizen of heauen doth not to wit that neither priuatly in contracts nor publickely in place of
judgement he getteth his goods vnlawfully as for example by vsurie or briberie Now we are briefly to consider the contrarie affirmatiue namely that euery sound Christian maketh conscience of his gettings hauing a true purpose and vpright endeuour to obtaine and procure the commodities of this life onely by good and lawfull meanes And that we may all of vs in like sort be persuaded to make conscience of this duty let vs haue in our minds these considerations first that riches are fitly compared to thornes which if we be not carefull in the gathering of them will pricke and wound not the hand but the conscience yea and if we be ouer-greedie of them will pierce vs through with many sorrowes and secondly that so oft as they being offered to our desire cannot be compassed by good and lawfull meanes they are the baits of the Diuell And therefore we are not to lay hold vpon euerie commoditie which is propounded vnto vs but we are to looke vnto the lawfulnes of the meanes for if we attaine them by vnlawful means we do with them swallow the hooke of the Diuell And this is a certaine truth that those which will be rich that is which haue set downe with themselues that they will attaine to wealth whether the Lord do giue them lawfull meanes or not they fall into temptation and snares of the Diuell for he cannot lay any bait of commoditie to entrap them which they will not be readie to obtaine by sinne which is the very hooke of the Diuell Thirdly we are to acknowledge that it is the blessing of God which maketh rich Prou. 10. 22 and that the Lord doth not blesse ill gotten goods see Prou. 13. 11. and Iâ—rem chapter 17. 11. Fourthly that better is a little with righteousnesse than great reuenews without equitie Prou. 16. 8. Psal. 37. 16 and that it is better to be in meane estate with a good conscience than with the shipwracke of a good conscience to be rich Fiftly that goods justly gotten are the good gifts of God and pledges of his loue towards thee if also thou hast grace to vse them well but contrariwise that ill gotten goods obtained by sinne in the seruice of the diuell they are the wages which the prince of this world giueth to his seruants and are as Nazianzene sayth the earnest penny of perdition or that I may speake more effectually they are the price of mens soules for which couetous men who haue set their soules to sale doe sell them to the diuell Lastly let vs esteeme that onely to be gained which is gotten lawfully And when any thing which we desire cannot be gotten lawfully let vs remember that as the Apostle sayth Great gaâ—e is godlinesse with contentednesse Whereas contrariwise in that which is vnjustly gotten thre is exceeding great losse And therfore the heathen man did well aduise vs to chuse losse rather than vnhonest gaine for the one sayth hee will grieue thee but once and the other for euer For indeed what is gained in that which is gotten by sinne an earthly commoditie which to a worldly man is not onely vaine and vnprofitable but also hurtfull But what is loâ—t thy soule For the wages of sinne as death and the soule that sâ—â—neth shall die Now if the soule should bee weighed in the ballance of Critolâ—us against al the commodities of the world it would ouerweigh them all Wherefore let that diuine Oracle of our Sauiour Christ alwaies sound in our eares What will it profit a man if hee shall gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule Mar. 8. 36. should we not sinne to gaine the whole world and shall we be readie to sinne for euery trifle in the world Would not the whole world be a sufficient ransome to redeeme our soules and shall wee â—ell our soules to the diuell for euery nothing in this world Was Esau prophane and foolish who in his hunger sold his birthright for a messe of pottage and are not we much more prophane and foolish if for matters of like value but lesse necessitie wee shall make away an euerlasting inheritance yea an eternall kingdome in heauen And thus much may suffice to haue spoken concerning the description of the sound Christian and citizen of heauen Now followeth the priuiledge of euery sound Christian who is qualified according to that description viz. That he shall neuer bee remooued for so sayth the holy ghost He that doth these things shall neuer bee remooued Where we are to consider two things first who it is to whom this priuiledge belongeth and secondly what this priuiledge is the partie to whom it belongeth is He that doth these things He doth not say he that knoweth these things nor he that can discourse of these matters but he that doth these things For as we judge of the health and soundnesse of the heart not by the words of the mouth or colour of the countenance but by the pulse of the arme so of the soundnesse and vprightnesse of the heart judgement is to be made not so much by the words or countenance as by the fruits of the hands It is a good thing to say well but we are no sound Christians or citizens of heauen vnlesse also we doe well Not euery one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen It is a good thing to read and heare and by reading and hearing to know the will of God but we shall neuer attaine to happinesse vnlesse we be also carefull to doe it Blessed it â—e which readeth sayth Iohn the Diuine and blessed are they which â—e are the words of this prophecie but he stayeth not there and obserue sayth he the things which are written therein It is a good thing to haue the word of God preached and a miserable thing to be without it as Salomon sayth Prou. 29. 18. but he that so heareth it as that he keepeth it ô happie is he They are blessed sayth our Sauiour Christ that â—eare the word of God and keepe it And againe If you know these things happie are you if you doe them We are therefore from hence to bee exhorted vnto well doing For seeing a sound Christian and citizen of heauen is to be discerned by doing these things as the holy ghost here teacheth it behoueth vs by doing them to make our calling and election sure For if we doe these things we shall neuer fall as Peter also by the same spirit affirmeth The priuiledge it selfe is that he shall neuer be remooued or as some read that he shall not fall for euer not for euer that is neuer as Iohn 13. 8. Thou shalt not wash myfeet for euer And the same priuiledge in the same words is repeated Psal. 112. 6. The good man shall neuer be remooued and Prou. 10. 30. The righteous shall neuer be remoued