The Debt Book, Chapter 9
CHAP. 9. A confutation of ſuch Apologies as men plead for their continuing in debt.
THat the Apoſtles counſell of owing nothing to any man may the better be followed: three things remaine to be added to this diſcourſe. Firſt, I would ſhew the vanitie of thoſe Apologies, which men hauehave deuiſed for continuing in debt. Secondly, how to auoid it that we come not into it. Thirdly, how to get out of the ſnare if wee be intangled.
That debt is a conſumer of credit and ſtate, of goods and good name; howeuer ſome men thinke the contrarie, yet there is no queſtion to be made. How ofter do we ſee, that as after the biting of an Aſpe, the man ſmitten fals aſleepe, but the poiſon diſpearſeth it ſelfe through euerie member till the whole bodie be poiſoned: So after debt contracted, ſpecially vponupon the hard tearmes of vſurie, or ill conditions the debter is lulled a ſleepe by the ſweetnes of the preſent ſupply, but the debt paſſeth as a poiſon through eueryevery part of a mans ſubſtance, donec totum conuertatur in debitum, till all be turned into debt, it is Chryſostomes compariſon. Yet In Matth. 5for all that; as the dropſie-man delighteth in abundance of drink, though moſt hurtfull in that diſeaſe, becauſe it ſatisfies the preſent appetite: ſo men in debt alreadie are willing to continue, yea to multiply the ſame, (becauſe thereby their preſent need is ſerued) though it be neuer ſo pernicious in the concluſion. Let vsus ſee their allegations and accordingly determine.
Firſt they hold it lawfull without all Allega∣tion. 1 queſtion, to borrow when they can, and thinke it conuenient, and make no ſcruple at all to continue in an vſurious debt for many yeers together; and cōmonly ſo far and ſo long as they can giuegive ſecurity, they will neuer by their good wils come clearly out of debt: for howſoeuer they condemne the lender vponupon vſurie, at leaſt in their conſciences, though they dare not tell him ſo; yet they take the borrower to be cleere, and rather to bee pitied then cenſured by any. But in this, as I take it, they are deceiued. For, though the caſe may ſo be put, that a man may borrow, and ought to borrow, euen vponupon vſury, if there bee no other remedy; as, when money is payable vponupon forfeiture of a Leaſe, or of a Bond, or of a mans liuing; and the party that owes it, is vtterly and ſuddenly diſappointed by another; then is hee, by the reaſon of the hardneſſe of mens hearts, who will not helpe him at ſuch a need, ineuitably caſt vponupon the Vſurer, as chuſing of two euills of loſſe the leſſe: Yet, to ſticke and to continue in the Vſurers furnace, which will leaue a man at laſt neither mettle nor matter, I hold it to bee vtterly againſt prudent frugality, which is a duety of the eight Commandement, moſt requiſite for the diſcreet diſpenſing both of plentifull and poore Eſtates, and neceſſary to bee obſerued by ſuch as intend an intire obedience vntounto God, as well in one thing as in another; without which the royalty of Salomon, could not hauehave conſiſted for all his riches.
I know that as in full bodies euacuations may bee not hurtfull: yet, if a man ſhould be purged and let blood eueryevery ſix moneths, without faile, for many yeares together, it would not onelyonly weaken, but at laſt conſume him: So in plentifull eſtates to bee ſometimes ſtraitned and put vponupon difficulties, may be of vſe to make the rich more cautelous for themſelues, and more ſenſible of poore mens wants. Yet if the richeſt ſhould be put to do his homage to the Vſurer eueryevery ſix moneths after eight or ten in the hundreth, per annum, for many yeares together, and for great ſummes, without failing or excuſe, it would waſt by degrees the greateſt wealth that is, till it were exhauſted and vtterly brought to nought.
Reges Parthos non poteſt quiſquam ſalutare Sen. Epiſt. 17.ſine munere; No man might ſalute the Parthian Kings without a preſent. A man may not ſalute an Vſurer gratis, nor looke him in the face (which yet muſt bee done at times prefixed) without the tribute of intereſt in his hand. Yet is he not mollified at all by this: but, as the Philiſtimes, when they had put out Samſons eyes, Iudg. 16. 21made him grinde in the Mil: ſo, when borrowers are blinded with a thicke miſt of probabilities to inſtifie their owne particular caſe, then the Vſurer makes them grinde in his Mill. All the profit they can make by induſtry or skil, perhaps by racking Tenants, and robbing the Church, is added to his heape: and when they hauehave compaſſed the circle from yeare to yeare; they are iuſt where they were at firſt. Notwithſtanding the yeelding of the intereſt all the while, yet the debt remaines intire. In payment whereof, if any default bee made, then forfeitures and ſuites at law, and coſts & damages; then executions vponupon body, goods, lands, & impriſonments, till the vtmoſt farthing be paied, do enſue.
Thus the Borrowers thrift is ſpent, their ſubſtance is dilapidated, their wiues and children are impoueriſhed, & themſelues wearied with labouring for the winde; which how it ſtands with that diſcreet frugality which God requireth in his moſt righteous Law, and without which no State can ſtedfaſtly hold out: let them whom it concernes examine, for ſatisfying their owne conſciences, and not goe on with ſecurity where there is certainty of danger.
This foundation being now laid, that the borrower is not alwaies ſo innocent as is ſuppoſed, let vsus hear what men indebted, and not reſolued to ſeeke their freedome, will ſay further for themſelues.
Debt is chiefly by borrowing or buying Allegat. 2 vponupon time; I borrowed, ſaith the ſeruant of debt, but I purchaſed with it, and a great penniworth I had at the hands of a young Prodigall, who ſcatters more in a yeare, then he will gather in an age: him I obſerued and humoured, I furniſhed him with ſupply for all exceſſe of ryot, till I found an opportunity to lay out all my ſtocke, and great ſummes beſides out of the Vſurers treaſury. Torua leaena Lupum Virg. Ecl. 2.ſequitur, lupus ipſe capellam; Thou art as a rauening Wolfe to the wanton vnthrift, til the grimme Vſurer deuoure you both. But was this well done of thee to worke vponupon the ignorance, or neceſſity, or wilfulneſſe, of a raw and vnexperienced Waſter, and to builde thy riſing vponupon his ruine? Shall any man be eſtabliſhed Prou. 12. 3.by wickednes? Was it well done, by crafty inſinuation to circumvent thy brother? Is not God an auenger of all ſuch? 1. Theſ. 4. 6.What elſe is this, but, Crimen ſtellionatus; the very ſinne of couſenage? Yet for all thy cunning, and buying at an vnderualue, do but add to the price, that which is paid for the loane, and in ſeuen yeares it will prooue very deare, vnleſſe thou helpe thy ſelfe in making the poore a prey; and ſo, Lucrum tuum, ſhall be, damnum publicum; Thy priuate gaine ſhall be a publike loſſe: as Ambroſe obſerueth; Officiorum, Lib. 3. And indeed in moſt caſes it ſo falls out to bee, euen in thoſe which ſeeme moſt tollerable. A skilfull Tradeſman (for example) lackes a ſtocke; another that wanteth skill hath money lying by him, to no vſe nor profit; here, by the paſſage of an vſurious contract, the money of the wealthie is accommodated to the induſtry of the skilfull, and ſo both become gayners. And may they not both become looſers, God denying his bleſſing to vnſanctified meanes? Is not eueryevery vniuſt gaine a true loſſe? Though gain in the Coffer, yet wrack in the Conſcience: But of this they are willing not to be ſenſible. Admit them both gainers in ſundry returnes, yet may not the poore Buyer, (honeſter then them both) be compelled by this occaſion, to pay a higher rate for commodities, without which mans life is not ſuſtained. And where this practiſe is generall, (Vſury being the bewitching ſinne of the age as Poligamie ſometimes was) may it not turne to the publike detriment of Buyers and Borrowers, when the Seller muſt proportion the price, as well to the aduantage of the Vſurer, as to the induſtry of ſuch as are imployed, and the worth of the thing? May not this raiſe iuſt cries and complaints againſt them both in the Court of heauen? Why doth *Ierem. 15 10.Ieremy cleere himſelfe both of lending vponupon vſury, and of borrowing vponupon vſury, if there may not in ſome caſes be matter of exception againſt them both?
Another alledgeth for his continuance Allegat. 3 in debt, that, Hee doth it to preſerue his ancient Inheritance, which is a good thing and a iuſt: one would be loath to be the man, in whoſe perſon and time, the ſplendour of a family ſhould be eclipſed. It was the honour of Auguſtus, that hee could ſay of Rome; Accepi lateritiam, reliqui marmoream; I receiued it of Bricke, I left it of Marble. But, as it is better in a Gangrene to cut off one member, then by ſuffring it to fret from part to part, to loſe the whole: ſo, when great and grieuous debts conſume a mans reuennues, it's better by ſelling part of an inheritance, though ancient, to cleare the State, then by ſuffering this Gangrene to ouerſpread the whole, at laſt to loſe all. Antiquity will not pay the rent of Vſury: And a debt continued til it be ancient, wil conſume the moſt ancient both inheritance and reputation.
I continue in debt, will another ſay, Allegat. 4 that my trading be not diminiſhed: it's great dealing that brings in great gaining: ſo then, as one notes; Lucrum eſt eſca, ſed fraus eſt laqueus, ſic attende eſcam, vt videas & laqueum; Gaine is the bayte, deceit is the ſnare; ſo looke at the baite, that thou diſcerne alſo the ſnare. But commonly in trading men light vponupon the ſnare, committing fraud induſtriouſly with both their hands, who yet could neuer catch the baite, the gaine which did allure them. Nor is it any maruell, for in debt continued, there is certainty of loſſe, but in great trading, aboue a mans ability, no certainty of gaine, nor aſſurance of Gods bleſſing, when men take too much vponupon them, and will be rich in all haſte, againſt the rule of *Prou. 20. 21▪Salomon, who teacheth; that, An inheritance haſtily gotten, ſhall not prooue happy in the latter end.
Another imputes his debt vntounto great Allegat. 5 houſe-keeping, and maintaining himſelfe according to his birth and ranke. This is a meere friuolous pretence; for, when God cuts vsus ſhort in point of ability, ſhould not we abridge our ſelues in matter of expence? muſt wee not be content to cut our Coat according to our cloath? It is the quarrell of God againſt Eſay 22. 12 13, 14.the Iewes, that when hee called to lamentation and mourning, to baldneſſe and ſackcloth; behold ioy and gladneſſe, ſlaying of Oxen and killing of Sheepe, eating of fleſh and drinking of wine; As I liue, ſaith the Lord, this iniquity ſhall not be purged till yee die. When God, by impoueriſhing a mans houſe, calls from ſuperfluity, to a moderate ſtint, & a ſtrickter courſe, ſhall wee goe on in lauiſhing and in ſpending exceſſiuely aboue our meanes? And ſhall not God abridge vsus and daily cut vsus ſhort, till he hauehave caſt vsus vponupon extreamities? Qui iniuſte ſe ordinat Auguſt. Honor epiſt. 120.in peccatis, iuſte ordinatur in paenis; He that carries himſelfe vniuſtly in ſinning, ſhall bee ordered iuſtly in the puniſhment of ſinne.
Others lay their debt vponupon magnificence Allegat. 6 of building, and furniture, and other deuices and curioſities, and thinke it well beſtowed, becauſe they hauehave not ſpent it in eating and drinking. This kinde of delight, though very coſtly, is yet more permanent then thoſe which periſh ſuddenly, in the vſe; and of theſe it is ſaid; Haec ſunt quae faciunt inuitos mori; Theſe are the things which make men vnwilling to die; which ſhould make vsus, whoſe life ought to be a meditation of death, leſſe willing to ſet our hearts vponupon them, or to caſt our ſelues for them vponupon the miſeries of debt. For mine owne part, I ſee no warrant for vndoing our ſelues vponupon any appetite or humour of this kinde. If a man will bee ſumptuous in the ſatisfying of any luſt whatſoeuer, the reuennues of an Empire will not keepe him out of debt.
Others lay their debt vponupon preferment Allega∣tion. 7 of children in Offices, Mariages, Honors or the like: to whom I ſay, that Chriſtian education in the ſeruice and feare of God, and ſupply of things neceſſarie for the preſent and time to come as God inables vsus, and imploiment in ſuch vocations, as may yeeld a maintenance to the induſtrious, that they bee not caſt vponupon the curteſies of a mercileſſe world, is the dutie and taske of Parents. The vehement affectation of ſuperfluities of wealth and eminency of honour, may be a ſtraine of pride and couetouſnes in vsus, how euer God allots them in his prouidence to ſome. Beſides it is prepoſterous to put our ſelues in debt for the aduancement of one or many, the burden whereof muſt finally fall vponupon him that ſhall inherit as well our debt as our ſtate.
It is laſtly pleaded that the very procurement Allega∣tion. 8 of things neceſſarie and honeſt, euen in a ſlender maner and meaſure is the cauſe of debt to ſome, theſe only of all the reſt are to bee pitied and excuſed; for vltra poſſe non eſt eſſe, men cannot do more then they can. If thoſe men pay their debts ſo farre as they are able, and keepe out of debt ſo farre as to them is poſſible, and craue not only patience and forbearance till they can make ſatisfaction, but remiſſion of the debt if their abilitie faile them vtterly; then they obſerue the precept of owing no man any thing, ſo farre as in them lyeth. Which that we may doe, it remaineth in the next place for eſchewing the inconueniences incident to a ſtate clogged with debt, to ſhew by what means and courſes debt may and ought to be auoided.