The Debt Book, Title page – Table of contents
THE DEBT BOOK: Or, A TREATISE VPONUPON Romans 13. ver. 8. Wherein is handled: The Ciuill Debt of Money or goods, and vnderunder it the mixt Debt, as occaſion is offered.
ALSO, The Sacred Debt of LOVE.
By HENRY WILKINSON, Bachelor in Diuinity, and Paſtor of Wadeſdon in Buckinghamſhire.
2. CHRON. 16. 9.
Iehouae oculi diſcurrunt per totam terram, vt firmum ſe exhibeat erga eos quorum animus eſt integer erga ipſum.
LONDON, Printed by R. B. and G. M. for ROBERT BIRD, and are to be ſold in Cheap-ſide at the ſigne of the Bible. 1625.
TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY Prince CHARLES, by the grace of God, King of great Brittaine, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. (*⁎*)
Moſt gracious Souereigne:
DEbt is a thing which hath exerciſed the minds of moſt men in all ages, but the pennes of verie fewe in this kind wherein I handle it. The Ciuilians I know tell vsus what it is, and determine the caſes incident to their facultie worthily and skilfully; but to ſhew how Debt not duly and ſeaſonably paid, falles heauy vponupon a mans outward eſtate, yea, and reflecteth bitterly, ſometimes vponupon the conſcience, this few or none (that I know) hauehave hitherto vndertaken. And yet we ſee not any thing more frequent in experience, then the diſmall effects, which Debt produceth in the life of man: ſome it pierceth with perpetuall cares, ſome it impoueriſheth, ſom it impriſoneth, ſome it baniſheth, to ſome it cleaueth, and to their ſeede for euer, like the leproſy of Naaman, to Gehazie, till they he conſumed vtterly. It ſtayeth not heare but in ſome caſes; it ſtaineth and polluteth mens conſciences. The wages of the hireling, the portion of the Labourer in the Lords harueſt, the patrimonie of the fatherles, the widowes right, kept backe by force or fraud, are due Debt: the cries whereof as they are entred into the eares of the Lord, ſo can they not chuſe but pierce the conſciences of the vniuſt detainers of them vnleſs they be ſeared or otherwiſe ſealed vp by ſome iuſt iudgement of God leauing them to their wilfulneſſe and obduration.
The ordinary ſilence of Miniſters in this argument may make men thinke, perhaps, that we iuſtify, either the ſecurity of thoſe who willingly continue in the bonds of Debt, or the ſinfulneſſe of thoſe who pay them not at all. The ſinnes of the times and the vices of the ſeuerall ages of the world hauehave beene imputed, for the moſt part, to the Paſtors and Miniſters of thoſe ages and times, who by holding their tongues hauehave ſeemed to conſent thereunto: though it may bee they mourned for them in ſecret. This hath made me willing to ſay ſomewhat in this thing, to free myſelfe and others, whom it doth concerne, from the cenſure of poſterity, for ſeeming by ſilence to giuegive way to that which clogges a Chriſtian life otherwiſe comfortable, with intollerable troubles and moleſtations; and to draw on others, who are better able to giuegive their counſaile and directions for the preuenting or remouing of this miſerie of Debt which hath waſted the ſtate, and perplexed the ſoules of manie thouſands in the world.
This Treatiſe I hauehave deſired not without your Gracious permiſsion to preſent vntounto your Maieſty, as the ableſt inſtrument of God, by iuſtice to reforme the vnrighteous dealing of ſuch as will not pay their Debts, and by Law to reſtraine the grieuous exactions of vſurious lenders, and by mercy to relieue the miſery of ſuch as in the buſineſſe of Debt are not willing doers, but vnwilling ſufferers: ſuch I meane as either by the hardneſſe of mens hearts are conſtrained at their need, to borrow vponupon conditions to them intollerable, or as cannot get their owne though neuer ſo due, without ſpending more then the thing is worth, in trying a doubtfull iſſue for an vndoubted right, which is the caſe of almoſt all the inferior Miniſters of the Kingdome, who cannot without ſuch coſt as they are not able to beare, recouer their due, if a couetous or crafty or wilfull oppoſite will denie it. It might poſsibly hauehave ſeemed fitter for one of my coate to hauehave handled ſome matter of Faith, or tending to mortification or ſome controuerſy of the times, theſe I know are more properly pertinent to my calling, had not other men of better gifts done them abundantly with good ſucceſſe and approbation; but this argument of debt as a barren ſoyle, hath lyen vntilled like a deſolate wilderneſſe: no man regarding to reduce that into order, which hath diſordered and put out of frame the thoughts and actions of the wiſeſt men in the world. In managing wherof if I hauehave done the office of a faithfull Miniſter, let mee paſſe vnderunder the protection of your Gracious countenance; if in any thing I hauehave failed (as eaſily a man may doe) I humbly craue pardon, but no protection. Pardon alone will ſerue his turne, who will throw the firſt ſtone at his owne error when he ſees it.
In an argument of this nature its eaſier to ſpeake pertinent things to men of lowe degree, then to Princes and Potentates; the ſtate of Kings is aboue priuate capacities, and reaſons of State beyond common rules, yet my hearts deſire and prayer to God ſhall be that the cares of your Kingdoms (impoſsible to be gouerned without a moſt excellent ſpirit in your Maieſty, and ſpeciall diuine aſsiſtance from God) may not bee aggrauated with the ſnares of Debt. Debt is a burden to a free ſpirited man, bee hee otherwiſe neuer ſo well able to beare it.
And though it ſtand with the power and magnificence of great Princes freely and daily to grant iust requeſts, and bee alſo a more bleſſed thing to giuegive then to receiue, yet ordinarily it is counted a more neceſſary, iuſt, and conſcionable act to pay Debts, then to giuegive gifts: If the one at any time but preiudice to the other; for although in them both, goodneſſe and greatneſſe, worke together: yet the giuing of gifts is more properly a fruit of power and greatneſſe, payment of Debts an act of goodneſſe, and true goodneſſe will then ſtand in greateſt perfection, when all earthly greatneſſe will bee laid in the duſt.
The Lord of heauen bleſſe your Maieſty with a religious, aproſperous and long Raigne ouer vsus, and make you as ſupreminent in goodneſſe, as you are glorious in greatneſſe; that you may not onelyonly long inioy theſe earthly Dominions, but a Crowne of Immortalitie, a farre moſt excellent and exceeding weight of Celeſtiall glory, by the onelyonly merit of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST, to whoſe bleſsing and grace I ſhall as humble duty bindes mee, commend you while I liue in my truest Affections, and heartiest Prayers.
Your Maieſties moſt humble and faithfull Subiect HENRY WILKINSON.
THE Contents of the Chapters in this Treatiſe, vponupon Rom. 13. 8. Owe nothing to any man, but this, that ye louelove one another; for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Lawe.
CHAP. I.
THe words opened, and a diſcourſe touching Debts in generall, with reaſons why we ſhould not continue in them. page 1.
CHAP. II.
That we ſhould owe no man any thing ſo much as lieth in vsus. pag. 7.
CHAP. III.
The diuiſion of Debts, and of the first kinde of ciuill Debts impoſed by others namely Hereditary. pag. 10.
CHAP. IV.
Of legall Debts, and firſt to the Magiſtrate. pag. 17.
CHAP. V.
Of Debts to the Miniſter of the Goſpell. pag. 24.
CHAP. VI.
Of Debts to the poore. pag. 43.
CHAP. VII.
Of Debts procured by our ſelues, and firſt of neceſſary Debts. pag. 55.
CHAP. VIII.
Of voluntary Debts tranſient and permanent. pag. 57.
CHAP. IX.
A confutation of ſuch Apologies as men pleade for their continuing in Debt. p. 67.
CHAP. X.
Directions for auoiding Debt that it breake not vponupon our eſtate. pag. 79.
CHAP. XI.
Directions how to get out of Debt, if wee be already intangled. pag. 100.
CHAP. XII.
Of the ſacred Debt of LoueLove, that we ought to louelove one another, and why. pag. 114.
CHAP. XIII.
Of the diuerſities of louelove: and of the nature of Chriſtian religious louelove towards one another. pag. 119.
CHAP. XIV.
The qualities of religious louelove. pag. 120.
CHAP. XV.
The effects of louelove, with rules to diſpenſe the fruits thereof. pag. 124.
CHAP. XVI.
That louelove is a fulfilling of the Law according to the meaſure of it, and that yet hence it doth not follow: that either the perfect fulfilling of the Law is poſsible in this life: or that any can be iustified by the workes of the Law, in this ſtate of corruption. pag. 134.
THE DEBT BOOKE.
ROM. 13. 8.
Owe nothing to any man but this, that ye louelove one another; for hee that loueth another, hath fulfilled the Lawe.