Theological and Scholastical Positions Concerning Usury, Chapter 7 – Chapter 8
CHAP. 7. Obiections for vſury anſwered.
OBiect: 1: God alloweth ſome kinde of vſurie for Deut: 23: 20: it is ſaide: Of a ſtraunger thou maieſt take vſurie
2 Anſw: But thou takeſt vſury of thy brother, therfore this condemneth thee, becauſe thou vſeſt thy brother like a ſtranger.
3 By the name of Straunger in that place are ſignified the curſed Cananits: See Cap: 4: Poſit: 21: So alſo doth Ambroſ: lib: De Tobia, cap: 15: Paulus Fagius Annot: in Caldaic: Paraphraſ: in Deut: 23: 20: Tremel: & Iunius Anot: in Deut: 23: 20: expound it.
God doth not licenſe the Iewes to take vſurie of any, but of their enemies whom they might kill.
5 Shewing that vſury is ſuch a puniſhment, as if we are to kill a man, it were a fit puniſhment for him.
6 But nowe, wee are alone body, wee hauehave alone ſpirite, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one Baptiſme, one GOD and Father of al, which is aboue all, and through all, and in vsus all.
Therfore amongſt vsus there is no ſtrāger
7 Obiect: 2: The Law of Moſes cōcerning vſury, is only politicall. Therfore we are not bound to it further then equity & humanity permitteth.
8 Anſw: It is not politicall, but mortall: The law ſaith, Exod: 22: 25: Yee ſhall not oppreſse him with vſury:
Barbara.
9 Oppreſſiō is a breach of the moral law Ʋſurie is Oppreſſion.
Ergo, Ʋſurie is a breach of the moral law
10 David Pſal: 15: 5: reckoneth it among morall duties:
11 Ezechiel hedgeth it in betweene Bribery & Extortiō, which are notorious breaches of the moral law: Ezec: 22: 12:
12 Obiect: 3: The law forbiddeth lending vponupon vſury to the poore and needie ONLY, Exod: 22: 25: Levit: 25: 35.
13 Anſw. This is no good cōſequēce, that he might borrow vponupon vſurie, then that he might not borrow at all.
19 God in the lawes of vſurie did ſpecially & by name forbid lending in that manner to the poore for two reſpects.
20 Firſt, to ſhew what care HE HIMSELFE hath over them, who are commonly and vſually neglected of men.
21 Secondly, becauſe the poore are ſoneſt & eaſieſt oppreſſed of the rich; as the loweſt hedg is eaſieſt ſtepped over.
22 Ob. 4. Moſes ſaith, Exod. 22.25. Yee ſhall not oppreſſe him with vſurie. Ergo, If I oppreſse not my brother with biting vſurie; I may take ſome vſurie and increaſe of him.
23 Anſ. All vſury biteth; and therefore all vſury is vnlawfull, albeit one biteth ſooner then an other, & one ſooner perceived then another.
24 But to remoue this excuſe from vsus; god hath forbiddē al increaſe for lēding, and that in all things that may bee lent A man may not take vſury of the Poore: Ergo, he may take of the rich.
14 Salomon ſaith, Prov. 22.22. Rob not the poore becauſe hee is poore. Shall I thence cōclude; Ergo, I may rob the rich becauſe he is rich.
15 The law ſaith, Deut. 27.24. Curſed be he that ſmiteth his neighbour ſecretly. Shal I thence conclude; Ergo, It is lawful for a man to ſmite his neighbor opēly.
16 Moreover, if the law of lending to the poore without vſury, ſhould inferre the lawfulnes of lending to the rich vpō vſurie: It is manifeſt that Gods intēdmēt in that place, for the benefit of the pore; ſhould rather proue an hurt and hinderance vntounto them; becauſe by this means it woulde come to paſſe, that the poore ſhould not borrow at all.
17 For who would lend to the poore for nothing, that coulde lawfully lend vntounto the rich for vſurie?
18 Surely it were better for the poore by mutuation. Lev. 25.36.37. Thou ſhalt take no vſurie of him nor vantage. Thou ſhalt not giuegive him thy mony to vſurie, nor lend him thy victuals for increaſe.
25 Ezechiel condemneth the people of his time, not only for taking vſury, but alſo for taking of increaſe. Ezec. 22.12. Thou haſt taken vſurie, and the increaſe.
26 Ob. 5. Vſurie is no where prohibited in the new Teſt. Ergo, It is lawfull, or at leaſt wiſe tolerable.
27 Anſ. It is a monſtrous blaſphemie againſt the Goſpell of Chriſt, to affirme that the New Teſt giveth more libertie to ſinne, then the old.
28 Yet this obiection thinketh Vſury is no ſin, becauſe it is not condemned in the new Teſtament.
29 But that is no good Argument, for Poligamie, Tyrāny, Treaſon, Ielouſie, &c. are ſinnes, and manifeſt breaches of the morall law; and yet they are not condē ned by thoſe verie names in the Newe Teſtament.
30 Furthermore; Vſurie is forbidden in the New Teſt. For the Goſpell goeth further in this caſe, then the law. The law forbiddeth vſurie: but the Goſpell commandeth the contrary vertue, that is, free lending without increaſe. Luc. 6.35.
31 Alſo, vſurie is manifeſtly againſt theſe places. Matth. 7.12 Matth. 5.42. 1. Theſ. 4.6. Epheſ. 4.28.
32 Ob. 6. The vſurer ſaith, I lende for compaſſion; and by my mony many are relieved, and the poore thereby avoide danger.
33 Anſ. To be partaker in our gaines, & not in our loſſes is Vſurers compaſſion and charitie.
34 The good that Vſurers doe vntounto the poore is like the good Men in hoate agues hauehave of drinking colde water, which for a time refreſheth, but at lēgth increaſeth their paine, and prolongeth the diſeaſe.
35 So at the beginning, vſury is mild, but in the end, it is mercileſſe.
36 The Vſurer pleadeth louelove, but not for thy ſake, but for his owne: as the Ivy colleth & claſpeth the Oake, as a Lover. but thereby it groweth vp, and overtoppeth the oake, and ſucketh vp the iuice and ſap therof, that it cannot thriue nor proſper: Such a bloud ſucker is the Vſurer.
37 The vvoorme Teredo is ſofte to touch, but it hath ſuch harde teeth as it devoureth and conſumeth the harde timber: So the Vſurer is a ſoft beaſt at the firſt to handle, but in continuance of time, the hardneſſe of his teeth will eate a man vp, fleſh and bone, if hee hauehave not an eſpecial regard to ſhunne him.
38 The Catte playeth vvith the Mouſe; But the playe of the Catte is the death of the Mouſe: So the Vſurer pleaſeth the Borrovver; But the pleaſure of the Vſurer is the bane of the Borrower.
39 The Scorpion laugheth when hee ſtriketh, and the Crocodile vveepeth when he woūdeth: So the Vſurer laugheth and then oppreſſeth: hee pittieth & then he pintcheth the poore Borrovver.
40 Obiection. 7. I doe not ſinne ſaith the Vſurer, nor breake the rule of Charity: I doe to others, as I deſire that others ſhoulde doe vntounto mee, as Chriſt bad vsus. I would with all my hearte, giuegive ten in the hundred, if I vveere forced to borrowe.
41 Aunſwere No man woulde giuegive 10 in the hundred, if hee could tel howe to borrowe freely: but ſeeing they can get it no better they are content to giuegive ten.
42 That ſaying of our Saviour Chriſt. VVhat ſoever yee vvoulde that men &c. muſt bee vnderſtood of good thinges onelie, or elſe many abſurdities ſhoulde follow; as,
43 I would that ſome man vvoulde kill me. Ergo, I may kill another in like maner. As many a deſperate man with all his hart wiſheth.
44 Wherefore, ſeeing to take vppon vſury, 10: for the 100: is not ſimply good, but leſſe-evill, then to take 16.20.30. or more: Therefore albeit thou for a further gaine, or vponupon extreame neceſſity, to avoide a further miſciefe, ſometimes wouldeſt giuegive ſo to others, yet ſhall not that excuſe thee, ſo to take vſurie of thy poore and needy brother.
45 Obiect. 8. Vſury is neceſſary for Orphans, VVidowes, and Strangers vvhichwhich hauehave no other vvaye to gette their living.
46 Anſw. If vſury be evill in it ſelfe, and condemned by God; then can it not be good in any. For what is ſimply evill, is evill in all, albeit in ſome more, and in other leſſe evill.
47 Rom, 3.8. VVe muſt not do evil that good may come therof. Therfore we muſt not releeue the fatherleſſe & widdowes by vſurie.
48 Obiect. 9: The Vſurer will ſay, Alaſse I hauehave no other trade to liue vponupon I muſt therefore liue by vſury.
49 Anſ. So may the Theefe ſay; Alas I hauehave no other trade but robbing, I muſt therfore liue by that.
50 This excuſe in other wickedneſſe wil not ſerue. Therfore neither in vſury.
51 Obiect. 10: The lawes of the lande do allow to take 10: in the 100: Ergo I may take ſo much.
52 Anſw. The law of MAN cannot abrogate or diſanull the law of GOD.
33 The Vſurer herein is like the Iewes, who ſaide VVe hauehave a law, and by our law he ſhall die, Iob 19.7. when they coulde not ſay, By Gods law he ſhall die: they ſaide By our law he ſhall die.
54 So when the vſurer cannot ſay, By Gods law I may take vſurie; He ſaith, By mans law I may take vſury.
55 As it would not ſerue Adams turne to ſay, The woman had me; So will it not ſerue the vſurers turne, to ſay, The Law doth licence me.
56 Yet herein the vſurer ſtandreth our law, for the law alloweth not 10. in the 100. nor 5. in the 100. but puniſheth that Tyrant that exacteth aboue 10. in the 100.
57 Ob. 11. Many learned Divines do tolorate vſurie, & write in defence of it. Ergo, It is not vnlawfull.
58 Anſwere. No writer that ever I coulde ſee, or heare of, euer allowed VSVRIE.
59 There are many ſtrong poyſons, which the learned Phiſitian can ſo qualifie, that a ſicke Perſon may take a potion wherein ſome of the poiſon is.
60 So holy men of God hauehave done, and doe temper and qual fie the vſurers poiſon, that they make therof a holſome medicine for many diſtreſſed Perſons.
61 For by their holy and religious caveats, and leſſons, they alter the qualitie of the vſury, and make it indeed no vſurie at all, but a lawfull kinde of trade and dealing.
62 Firſt they teach, That a man muſt take nothing, but that which his Debter can get by good and lawfull meanes.
63 Secondly. Hee may not take more then the gaine, nay not all the gaine, nor that part of the gaine which drinketh vp the living of him that vſeth the mony.
64 Thirdly. He muſt ſometimes bee ſo farre from taking gaine, that he muſt not REQVIRE THE PRINCIPALL, if his debter by inevitable & iuſt cauſes be brought behinde hand, and it bee alſo plaine that hee coulde not make, no not by great diligence, any commodity of the money borrowed.
65 Now, how fare VSVRIE differeth from this kind of dealing, if our commō Vſurers will not confeſſe, woefull experience daily teacheth.
66 Obiect. 12. Laſtly the Vſurer vvill ſay: If I may not gaine by money vvhichwhich I lend, I will lend no more, but keepe my mony to my ſelfe.
67 Anſ. It is as bad to keepe thy money from him that hath neede, as to lēd vponupon vſury: For Chriſt ſaith: From him that borroweth turne not away thy face. Math. 45: 42.
68 As hee that keepeth his corne, frō the vſe of his neighbours and brethren. Prov. 11: 26: is accurſed: So is hee alſo accurſed that keepeth his money, when ſafely he might lend it: Ezech: 18: Looke Eſa: 5; 8: Habac: 2: 9: Mich: 2: 2: 3: Luke 6: 24: Math: 6: 19: Iames 5: 1: Dent: 15: 8 Pſal: 112: 5. Math: 5: 42: Luke 6: 35.
69 That ſervant that hid & laid vp his Talent was puniſhed; Math: 25: 14: 30. And hee that will not vſe his money according to the rule of charity, ſhall bee plagued with the wicked ſervant:
CHAP. 8. VVhether it be is a mans owne free choice, to lend, or noe.
THe Children of this worlde, that thinke their vvealth their ovvne, iudg it to be free from them, whether they lend or no; and thinke they do not ſin, when they deny him that come to borrow of thē, if they can helpe him.
2 The Lord ſaith Deut. 15.8. Thou ſhalt open thine hand vntounto him, and ſhalt lende him ſufficient for his neede vvhichwhich hee hath.
3 Chriſt alſo ſaith Math: 5: 42. GiueGive to him that asketh, & from him that would borrow of thee, turne not away. See Luke 6: 34: 38.
4 Here we muſt conſider two things, Firſt, How wee muſt lend? Secondly, VntoUnto whom?
5 For the firſt, CHRIST requireth of his Children that they helpe their brethren, and neighboures; not onelyonly freelie, without any gaine, (for ſo doe the Sinners, Luke 6.34.) but alſo though it be to their loſſe and damage of the money lent.
6 Chriſt putteth a differēce between his children and ſuch as doe not appertaine vntounto him.
7 The Sinners are ſo iuſt, that they wil lend without vſury, deſiring nothing but onelyonly their owne gaine.
8 For even Sinners (ſaith hee) lende vntounto ſinners to receive (not anie increaſe or vantage or anie thing aboue the principall, but) the like Luk. 6.34.
9 Out of this place, we that beare the liverey of Chriſts nāe, & hauehave vndertakēan holy profeſſiō, may learn how we ought to lend, vntounto our needy brother, and whether we ought to take vſurie of him, or no.
10 For the Second. VntoUnto vvhom vvee ought to lend? we ought to lend: namely,
11 VntoUnto them, that hauehave not ſo much wealth as they are able to make reſtitution. For Sinners lende vntounto them of whome they hope to receiue, againe vvhat they lent Luc. 6.
13 Not onelyonly vntounto our Frends, kinſmen, and brothers; but alſo vntounto Strangers, yea and to our Enemies. For ſinners lende vntounto their friendes and kinſmen. Luc. 6. Mat. 5.
14 VntoUnto them, who are not able to giuegive vsus thankes, much leſſe to make vsus recompenſe. For Sinners lende vntounto thē that are able to thanke them.
15 If we lend vntounto ſuch; then ſhal we verely declare our ſelues, to be his ſons, who letteth his Sun ſhine vppon the iuſt and vniuſt alike, and letteth his raine fal vponupon the kind and vnkind.
15 This is it that Chriſt requireth of vsus: Lende (ſaith hee) looking for nothing againe, and your rewarde ſhall bee greate: and yee ſhall bee the children of the moſt High, for he is kinde vntounto the vnkinde & to the evill. Luc. 6.35.