Theological and Scholastical Positions Concerning Usury, Chapter 5 – Chapter 6
CHAP. 5. That Vſurie is vnlawfull and damnable.
Arg. 1. A Definitione Rei.
Barbara. 1
All gaine that contrary to the word of god, is expected or exacted aboue the principall, for the very duty of lending, is vnlawfull and damnable.
Vſury is ſuch a gaine, as appeareth Exod. 22.25. Lev. 25.37. Deut. 23 19. Eze. 18.8. Pſ. 15.5. Luc. 6.34.
Ergo Vſury is vnlawfull and damnable.
Arg. 2. Ab Etimologia ſeu Appellatione vſurae.
Datiſi. 2
The Appellation whereby any thing is termed doth alſo partly declare the nature of the ſame.
But the Appellations of vſurie, both in the old and new Teſtament do ſignifie a hurtful and monſtrous thing.
Ergo Vſury is hurtful & mōſtrous.
3 The Aſſumption is proved. Firſt vſury in Hebrewe is tearmed foreign neſhech Exod. 22.25. which ſignifieth biting, derived of foreign naſhach, to bite, or to gnaw as Serpents and Mice doe.
4 As venemous Serpents do ſting and deſtroy the body with their poyſon, and as Mice if they gnaw the loafe within, they will make it become vnprofitable for the vſe of Man.
5 So vſury deſtroieth, biteth, and devoureth a mans ſubſtāce very ſpeedily, & vexeth the body with preſent paine; & poiſeneth & polluteth the ſoule with the contagion of eternall damnation.
6 An vſurer is called foreign maſhich becauſe he giueth the bite: and the borrower is called foreign noſhech, or foreign naſhuch, becauſe he is bitten.
7 The ſecond appellation whereby it is called in Hebrew, is foreign tarbith, Levit. 25.36. which ſignifieth increaſe; derived of foreign ravah, to be multiplied, to grow, or increaſe, Deut. 30.16.
8 It is ſo called becauſe vſurers attribute increaſe and multiplication vntounto a thing vnfruitfull by Nature, which neither can increaſe nor multiplie: and this by the teſtimony of the Ethnickes, is contrary vntounto Nature & monſtrous.
9 Vſuries are alſo called foreign techachim, which ſignifieth Deceits, Pſal. 72.14. derived of foreign tachach deceipt, or frawd, becauſe vſurie is neuer without deceipt.
10 In Greeke vſurie is tearmed foreign, which is derived of foreign, to bring forth, or to beget.
11 It is alſo called foreign increaſe, which tearmes doe not obſcurely note the monſtruoſitie of it.
12 In Latin it is called Foenus, quaſi foetus, encreaſe as it were a childe, or thing begottē: & vſura quaſi propter vſum res, Vſurie as it were for the vſe of a thing.
13 Becauſe contrary vntounto nature mony being a thing vnfruitfull, is cōpelled as it were, to beget & bring forth fruit.
Arg. 3. A Coniugatis.
Syllogiſmus connexus primo modo.
14 If vſurers be excluded from Iehovah his tabernacle; Ergo Vſury is a thing vnlawfull and dā nable.
But the Antecedent is true: as appeareth Pſal. 15.5.
Ergo. The Conſequent is true alſo.
Arg. 4. A toto & partibus.
Enthymema.
15 To vſurie there wāteth the principall part of a Contract, vid. marchandiſe or ware: for a Contract is Actus contra actum, where there is Quid pro quo.
Ergo. It is no contract; and ſo a monſtrous and an vnlawfull thing.
16 The Argument holdeth for one principall part being deſtroied, the whole is deſtroied.
Arg. 5. A Diviſione.
Darij.
17 To condemne thoſe thinges, which are forbidden by the lawe of Nature, by the lawe of God, by the lawes Civill and Canon, and by many godly conſtitutions of Princes both ancient and late, is neceſſarie, godlie, and iuſt.
But to take any thing aboue the principall for the lone only, is condemned by all theſe lawes.
Ergo, The condemnation of vſurie is neceſsary godly and iuſt.
Arg 6. A Cauſis.
Barbara.
18 Of what thing ſo ever the cauſes are evill that thing it ſelfe is evill.
Vſurie is a thing whoſe cauſes are evill; as is declared before. Cap. 2. Poſit. 2. &c.
Ergo, Vſurie it ſelfe is evill.
Arg 7. Ab Effectis.
Barbara.
19 That thing whoſe effects are evill, is alſo evill.
Vſurie is ſuch a thing, as is proved Cap. 6. Poſit. 2.
Ergo, Vſurie is evill.
Arg. 8. Ab abſurdis.
Darij.
20 That which being taught and received, many abſurdities and inconveniences doe follovve, connot be true, certaine, and firme.
But out of that doctrine vvhichwhich teacheth that it is lawfull to take vſury ariſe many abſurditres.
Ergo, That doctrine that permitteth vſury, is neither true, certein, nor firme; but falſe and into erable in the Church.
The Aſſūptiō is manifeſt for firſt, It is againſt the manifeſt text of Scripture
22 2. It extinguiſheth faith & charity
23 Thirdlie, It taketh away the law of nature.
24 Fourthly, It annihilateth the godly conſtitutions of Princes.
Arg 9. A Neceſſario.
Datiſrij.
25 The commandements of God are neceſſarily to be obeyed.
But God hath commanded to lend looking for nothing for the leaue: Luk: 6: 34:
Ergo, we muſt doe ſo.
Arg: 10: Ab Impoſſibili:
Celarent:
26 It is impoſſible that faith & an evill Conſcience ſhoulde at the ſame inſtance be ioyned togither, in the ſame man.
All Vſurers hauehave an evill conſcience.
Ergo, No Vſurer hath faith. And conſequently it is impoſſible for them that wittingly and willingly perſeuere in this ſinne to be ſaved
27 The Aſſumption appeareth becauſe the Vſurers ſinne againſt their own conſcience; which is manifeſt.
28 Firſt, becauſe they will not willingly be known to be Vſurers: yea ſome will ſweare and ſtare they are no ſuch men.
29 And therfore they coniure faithfull ſecrecy of the borrower, or they colour their vſury vnderunder pretence of ſome lawfull contract.
30 Secondly, Becauſe that though they be knowne and reputed for common vſurers, yet they take it a great diſgrace ſo to be called and tearmed of others.
31 Thirdly, becauſe they will not call vſurie, vſurie, but vſance, intereſt, or cō ſideration, being indeed aſhamed of the direct name of vſurie.
32 So thē the Vſurers ſinne willingly and of ſet purpoſe, they followe a practiſe contrary to the checke, touch, and light of their owne conſcience; & therefore as Paule ſpeaketh they are damned of themſelues: Tit: 3: 11.
Arg: 11: A minori ad maius:
Enth:
33 Theft is vnlawfull & damnable:
Ergo, much more is vſurie ſo.
34 The Conſequence is good, becauſe vſurers doe ſteale daily without ceaſing having no need: Theeues ſteal but ſometimes, being vrged by neceſſity: Therefore Vſurers are worthy of greater puniſhment then Theeues are.
Arg. 12. A Contrario.
Enthymema.
35 To help & to deſtroy are cōtraries.
Ergo, They cannot bee both at once, at the ſame time, & in the ſame reſpect attributed to the ſame man.
Therfore that bragge of the Vſurer is an impudentlie, when he boaſteth that oftentimes he helpeth and enricheth them that he lendeth mony vntounto.
Arg. 13. Ab Oppoſitis.
Syllogiſmus connexus primo modo.
36 There are two kingdomes, the kingdome of God, and the kingdome of the Divell.
But in the kingdome of GOD there is no ſinne, and vſurie is a ſinne.
Ergo, It followeth that all vſurers as long as they do not repent & leaue their ſinne, are of the kingdome of the Divell.
Arg. 14. A Natura Relativorum.
Enthymema:
37 In lēding there is no marchādiſe.
Ergo, There muſt no price be paide. For he that aſketh a price giving no marchandiſe for the ſame is a damnable vſurer.
Arg. 15. Ab Exemplo.
Enthymema.
38 Nehemias did well in prohibiting vſurie. Neh. 5.7.11.
Ergo, Thoſe Magiſtrates which prohibite and repreſſe vſurie doe well likewiſe.
Arg. 16. ab Authoritate ſacrae ſcripturae.
Enthymema.
39 Neither did the Prophets, nor Chriſt, nor the Apoſtles ever allowe and grant that vſury is lawfull, but rather they prohibited and condemned it.
Ergo, They who either allow or permit vſury, do by a wicked & raſh preſumption departe from the veritie of the Scriptures, & contemne the worde of God.
CHAP. 6. How great a ſinne vſury is.
1 THe grievouſnes of this ſinne appeareth by the Effects of it.
2 The Effects of vſury, are to be conſidered, either in reſpect of the vſurer, or in reſpect of the Borrower.
3 In reſpect of the vſurer, the effects are;
4 Goods gotten by deceite and guile, by robborie, ſacriledge and murder.
5 The perturbation and breaking of ſocietie.
6 The wrath of God, malediction, evill conſcience, the tyrannie of Satan.
7 The murdering of the poore; the envying of other mens liues.
8 A riotous and tragicall ſpending of goods after the vſurers death.
9 The ſubiecting of goods to malediction.
10 Eternal dānatiō of body & ſoul; &c
11 In reſpect of the Borrower, the effects are;
12 Poverty, hunger and thirſt, nakednes, griefe, death, &c.
13 Vſury is compared to a ſhip wrack, wherein nothing is ſaued, becauſe the vſurer conſumeth all.
14 To a raging fire, that never ceaſeth before all the houſe be devoured.
15 To dunge, into which if any man fall, he muſt either ſpeedily run away, or lie very ſtill, or els he ſhall be all mirie: ſo a man muſt hauehave no dealing with vſury.
16 To the ſtinging of Serpents: for vſurie ſo poiſoneth a mans ſubſtance that it ſhall hauehave the rot, and conſume away.
17 To a deadly and contagious Ague, whereby the poore are caſt into ſhaking fits, and at laſt conſumed, and pined to the bones.
18 To a gulfe or whirle poole, which devoureth ſoules, and vtterly waſteth wealth.
19 An Vſurer is a theefe, becauſe hee ſtealeth from the poore borrower that little he hath.
20 An Vſurer is a ravenous vulture, that will picke the guttes out of a mans bellie.
21 An Vſurer is a Murderer, becauſe with a age cruelty, he eateth up, & ſlayeth the borrower & his familie, whō he ſhould releeue with al works of charity.
22 An Vſurer is an Idolater, for hee is covetous, and covetouſnes is Idolatry, Epheſ: 5.5: Coloſſ▪ 3▪ 5.
23 And Vſurer is like vntounto the Devil, who continually ſeeketh whome to devour; ſo the Vſurer night & day ſtil devoureth the borrower
24 What wickednes then is VSVRIE wherein at once woefull ſhip wracke, raging fire, filthie dunge, venemous poyſon, contagious ſicknes, & a devouring gulfe, is cauſed by a Theefe, a ravenous Vulture, a Murderer, an Idolater, and one that is like vntounto the Divel himſelfe.
25 Vſury is ſuch a darte that the Vſurer therewith ſtriketh without a weapō, he menaceth without handling, & ſtayeth without touching the body.
26 David ioineth vſury with deceipt, becauſe vſury is never without deceipt. Pſal: 55:11.
27 Ezechiell calleth him vniuſt that lendeth vponupon vſurie. Ezech: 18: 8.
28 Vſury is an abominatiō Ezec. 18.13
29 The Lord wil take away from the Vſurer even that he hath, & giuegive it him which wil bee mercifull to the poore. Prov. 28: 8.
30 Vſury excludeth and ſhuteth him that practiſeth it, from entering into Iehovah his tabernacle, and from reſting in his holy mountaine. Pſal: 15, 5.