Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Theological treatise · Chapter 22 · Questions · Question 36 – Question 44
QUEST. XXXVI. Whether Idolatrie now is to be punished by death.
Vers. 20. SHall be slaine. 1. The word is charam, that simply signifieth, not to cut off, but to destroy, as an anathema, thing accursed, and bequeathed to destruction, Iun. Pelarg. 2. The Interlinearie Glosse, expoundeth it of excommunication, and of eternall death: but both the practise of those times, and the like punishment here …nflicted upon other capitall crimes, sheweth that it must be understood of the losse of the temporall life: though beside, without their great repentance, Idolaters deserve also everlasting death, Rev. 22.8. 3. Some object, that now Idolatrie is not to be punished by death, but that such rather that are seduced, should be instructed in the true worship of God: and in the times of the Gospell, it is fit more clemencie and merciemercy should be shewed, than under the rigour of the law. Answ. 1. Though Idolaters are to be instructed to reforme their error, for the salvation of their soules: yet this letteth not, but that for so great impietie, and for the example of others, they should worthily suffer the paines of death. 2. And now under the Gospel, seeing robberie against the common peace, and …reason against the life and safetie of the Prince and State, are judged worthy of death: Qui majestatem Dei … dissime violavit, tam leve facinus admisisse putabitur? shall he which violateth the Majestie of God most impiously, be thought to commit so small an offence? Gallas. 4. But although, as Osiander saith, the Magistrate, non gladio in idololatriam vindicare teneatur, be not now bound to take revenge of Idolatrie by the sword: for some difference there is betweene Pagane idolatrie, and Popish superstitious Imagerie; the one being an absolute deniall of all Christianitie, the other a mixing therewith of superstitious vanitie; yet by the equitie of this Judiciall law, which serveth for the strengthening of a morall precept, the like sin of idolatrie may justly receive the like punishment. As Cyprian, repeating that law, Deut. 13.12. Si audieris in una ex civitatibus;…. lib. de exhortat. Martyr. c. 5. cited in the Decrees. Caus. 23. q. 5. c. 32. &c. If thou hearest of any of the cities, &c. that are drawne away to serve other gods; that such a city should be destroyed; thus further inferreth; cujus praecepti memor Mattathias, which precept Mattathias remembring, killed him that approached to the idolatrous Altar to sacrifice, &c. Then he further addeth: Quod si ante adventum Christi, circa Deum colendum, et idola spernend… haec pracepta servata sunt, &c. Now if these precepts concerning the worship of God, and despising of Idols were kept before the comming of Christ; quanto magis post adventum Christi servanda sunt? How much more ought they to be kept after the comming of Christ? seeing he hath not onelyonly exhorted us in words but in deeds. Augustine likewise shewing a difference betweene the schisme of the Donatists, and Pagane idolatrie, thus concludeth; Quis vestrum non laudat leges, &c. Which of you doth not commend the lawes given by the Emperours,Epistol. 40. ad Vincent…um, cited, C. 23. q. 4. c. 41. against the sacrifices of the Pagans? illius quippe impietatis capitale supplicium est, &c. for the punishment of that impietie is capitall. 5. R. Salomon thinketh, that if a Jew did sweep an Idol Temple, velornaret, vel alia similia faceret, quae sunt praambula &c. or adorne it onelyonly, and doe other things which are but preambles to Idolatrie, he was not to be punished by death, but some other wayes, Ex Lyrano. But if enticing in words to idolatrie, were judged worthy of death, Deut. 17.5. much more to entice and draw by fact and example, as in adorning and beautifying the Temples of Idols.
QUEST. XXXVII. Why idolatrie is judged worthy of death.
NOw the reasons why idolatry was held by Moses law to be worthy of death, were these: 1. Quia is cultus diabolo exhibetur qui idolorum author est; Because that idolatrous worship is giuen unto the devill, who is the author of Idols, Gallas. 2. Aequum est vita privari eos, &c. It is just that they should be deprived of life, which forsake God, the author and fountaine of life, Simler. To leave the worship of God who is the author of life, and to worship the devill, the author of death and destruction, mille mortibus &c▪ doth shew himselfe to be worthy of a thousand deaths, Gallas. 3. Though eueryevery transgression of the law be in some sort a breach of Gods covenant, yet idolatry more specially is said to be a transgression of the covenant of God, Deut. 17.2. Because men apparently and professedly thereby forsake the profession solemnely made of their service and obedience vntounto the Lord, Simler. 4. And this severe punishment the Lord appointeth for idolatrie: quia inter Aegyptios idololatria assi…everant: because the Israelites had accustomed themselves unto idolatry among the Egyptians, in so much that they, Moses yet living▪ set up a golden calfe to worship, Simler. 5. Because of the ready inclination and propension of mans nature unto idolatry, it was fit that it should by some severe punishment be restrained, Calvin. 6. And two things there are which doe exaggerate the nature of a sinne, and aggravate the punishment thereof: Res in quib…s committitur, & is in quos committitur, &c. The things wherein they are commited, and they against whom they are committed, Borrh. Both which concurre here in the sinne of apostasie and idolatrie: For what matt… can be of greater moment, than the service and worship of God, and what sin more grievous, than that which is committed against God?
QUEST. XXXVIII. Of kindnesse, how to be shewed toward strangers, and why.
Vers. 21. THou shalt not doe injury to a stranger. 1. There are two reasone, why men are apt to doe wrong unto strangers a both because they are not allied by affinity or consanguinity, and therefore no naturall affection is commonly shewed toward them: & because they are destitute of friends and patrons, and therefore lye more open to wrong, Tostatus. 2. The stranger must neither bee injured in word, nor wronged in deed, Simler. Neither secretly by fraud, nor openly by violence: neither must they be hindred by any private man, nor publikely prejudiced by lawes made against them, Tostat. And it is not enough not to doe them wrong; but we must help them, and doe them what good we can, Gallas. 3. And this reason is added, because they were strangers in Egypt, they did feele by experience what it was to use strangers hardly, that by their own experience, they might learne to have compassion on others, Simler. For the law of nature teacheth not to doe that unto another, which we would not have offered to our selves, Cajetan. They in Egypt would not have had the Egyptians to deale so hardly with them, and God punished the Egyptians for their sakes: let them take heed then by those judgements, which …ell upon the Egyptians, lest they bee punished in like manner for afflicting strangers, Simler. 4. Other reasons beside may bee added: as that strangers, as well as they, were created according to Gods image, and they have the same common father: and let them remember the uncertaintie of mans condition, Qua variis casibus est exposita, &c. which is exposed to divers chances: they doe not know how soone they may bee driven to sojourne in a strange countrey, Marbach. 5. The evill entreating of strangers, was odious even by the light of nature among the heathen: Plato affirmeth foreign, that God is a revenger of wrongs and injuries done unto strangers: in so much,Plat. lib. …5. de legib. as those cities were famous, which were kinde to strangers, as the Athenians, the Lucari Egineta: which were called foreign, lovers of strangers. And they were noted of infamy, that used strangers hardly, as the Lacedemonians with others, Galass.
QUEST. XXXIX. Why widowes and orphans are not to be oppressed.
Vers. 22. YEe shall not trouble any widow. 1. As the former law enjoyned pity and commiseration to be shewed toward strangers, that were in misery: so this provideth for such as are in misery, being not strangers, as Widowes and orphans, Tostat. 2. And although none at all are to be wronged and afflicted, yet these especially must not bee hurt, Quia defensorem non habent; Because they have none to defend them, Chrysost. Car…do patre, se… marito, &c. The one wanteth a father, the other an husband▪ Cajetan. 3. The Lord here threatneth that he will be revenged of such as oppresse the widow and fatherlesse: and three punishments are threatned, they shall be smitten with the sword▪ and the other two are sequels hereof, their wives shall become widows, and their children fatherlesse, Tostat. 4. Which punishments are procured by these degrees: the widowes and fatherlesse being oppressed, doe cry unto God: for prayer made in time of affliction is most fervent: then though men regard not their teares, and prayers, yet God will, Pellican. And his anger will wax hot against them, because they oppresse those whom God favoureth and loveth: as wee use to bee angry with those, which hurt either our selves, or our friends whom we love, Borrh.
QUEST. XL. How and by what meanes prayers are made effectuall.
Vers. 23. SO hee call, and cry unto mee, &c. Divers causes and occasions there are set forth in Scripture, which doe procure the exaudition and hearing of our prayers: 1. When two consent together, and offer up their prayers with one accord, their voyce is heard, Matth. 18.19. 2. Prayer made in faith is effectuall, as the Apostle saith, The Prayer of Faith shall save the sicke. 3. Continuance and perseverance in prayer is availeable, Luk. 11.8. Because of his importunity, he would arise, and give him as many as he needed. 4. Prayer joyned with almes and deeds of charity is so much the more respected with God, Act. 10.4. Thy prayers and thy almes, are come up in remembrance before God. 5. Fasting joyned with prayer maketh it more fervent, Matth. 17.21. This kind cannot goe out, but by prayer and fasting. 6. And the greatnesse of affliction, Psal. 118.5. I called upon the Lord in trouble, and he heard mee. As in this place, the Lord heareth the cry of the widowes and fatherlesse, that call unto him, Lippom. ex collationibus Patrum. And here they cry, Non tantum sono vocis, quantum intentione cordis, &c. Not so much by sound of voice, as in the intention and elevation of their hearts, Thomas.
QUEST. XLI. Why usury is called biting.
Vers. 25. THou shalt not oppresse him with usury. The word nashach, whence is derived neshech, usury, signifieth to bite: usury then is called a biting: 1. Because as the biting of a Serpent, parum percipitur in principio, &c. is but little felt in the beginning, but afterward the whole body is inflamed upon that biting: So usury is not felt in the beginning, but at the last, devorat totam hominis substantiam, &c. It devoureth all a mans substance. So R. Salom. ex Lyran. 2. Or because the usurer, tanquam hirud… …nem succum & sanguinem exugit, &c. as an horse-leach sucketh out all the juyce and bloud, Galass. 3. Morsus serpentis non sinit dorm…re; The biting of a serpent will not suffer one to sleepe neither will usury suffer the man that is incumbred therewith, to be at rest, Simler. 4. And it may be so called, in respect of the greedy desire of usurers, which live upon the poore, and eat them up by usury: tanquam canis famelicus, alios mordendo, seipsum pascens, as an hungry dog, by biting and devouring others, feeding himselfe, Calvin. 5. Usury is called a biting, Quia lethaliter mo…det eos, qui ea gravantar, because it biteth and grip…h those to death, which are oppressed with it.
QUEST. XLII. VVhat usurie is.
HEnce it is evident that usury is unlawfull. But before the severall points belonging to this question can be discussed, first we must see what usury is. 1. Plus ex mutu… velle, quam mutuatum sit, iniquum est. To desire more by lending, than was lent, is wicked, Cajetan. He then counteth that usury, when any thing is received for loane, more than that which was lent. 2. Vsura est lucrum quo…nipe…r, soli… … causa; Usury is a gaine, which is taken only for lending, Vrsinus. Quicquid … ▪ What gaine soever was given beside the principall: whereupon it is called in the Hebrew, turbith, that is, increase of the multiplying, Calvin. 3. After the same manner was usury defined in … as Carthag. 3. c. 16. Nullus clericorum amplius accipiat, quam cuiquam accomodavit, That … of the Clergy should receive more than he hath lent, Augustine thus describeth an usurer, Si plus qu…m …, expectas accipere foenerator es, August. in Psal. 36. cited, C. 14. qu. 3. c. 1 sess. 10. sub Leon. 10.If thou looke to receive more than thou hast given, thou art an usurer: So also, Concil. Lateranens. Vsury is thus defined, Quando ex usurei, quae non germinat, nullo labore, nullo s…pt…, nullo periculo lucrum conquiri studetur, &c. When by the use of a thing, which increaseth not, gaine is sought without any labour, cost, or hazard.
QUEST. XLIII. Of divers kinds of usuries.
THere were divers kinds of usury: 1. As that which was called aCod. lib. 3. tit. 32. log. 12. super verb. centesimae.Vsura centesima, the usury of the hundreth part, quae aquiparatur sorti in anno, which did rise to bee equall to the principall in one yeare. 2. bLib. 7. tit. 5…. leg. 2.Then there was, Dimidia centesimae, halfe of the hundreth part. 3. cLib. 4. tit. 32. leg. 26. super verb. tertium.Terria centesimae, the third part of the hundreth, was, when the interest in one yeare came to the third part of the principall: as 12. being the principall, if it gained foure. 4.dIbid. Bessis centesimae, was, when the usury in the compasse of a yeare▪ was two parts of the principall: as 8. to 12. 4. eLib. 6. tit. 34. leg. 1. super haeredes.Vsurae semisses, were so called, when the interest was equall unto the stocke in two yeares. 5.fCod. lib. 3. tit. 32. leg. 12. in verb. centesimae. Then quarta centesimae, the fourth of the hundreth part, was, when in foure yeares, the principall and the interest were even. 6.gConcil. Laodicen. c. 5. Cod. lib. 7. tit. 47. leg. 1. super verb. cum pr… eo, &c. Vsura sescupla, was, when any did summam capitis, & dimidiam summae percipere take the stocke or head againe, and the halfe of it. 7. All these were singular and extraordinary kinds of interest. There was beside a common interest, which was more tolerable and easie: and there was a third called, conventuale, an interest upon agreement.
QUEST. XLIV. That usury is simply unlawfull.
BVt that all these kinds of usury and interest with the like, were utterly unlawfull, and not to bee practised among Christians, it shall appeare by these reasons: 1. The Hebrewes were forbidden to take any usury at all of their brethren; of the Gentiles they might: but now, diruta est mac…ries, the wall of partition is taken away, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, but all are one in Christ, Calvin. 2. Vsura ex suo genere nociva est, usury even of it selfe is hurtfull, because it is called, neshech, biting, Cajetan. And the law of nature teacheth: that wee should not doe that to another, which wee would not have offered to our selves. 3. Vsury was detestable among the Heathen, much more odious ought it to bee among Christians: As Cato being asked what it was to play the usurer, answered, Idem, quod occidere; All one, as to kill: and further he said, that in former time they used to punish a theefe but in two fold, an usurer in foure fold, Calvin. 4. Vsury is against the first institution of money, pecunia inventa est, &c. money was invented and found out, that thereby things necessary for the maintenance of this life might bee provided: but now it is perverted and abused to covetousnesse, that money may increase money, Borrh. 5. The Scripture absolutely condemneth usury, Psal. 15.5. He that giveth not his money to usury, shall dwell in the Lords Tabernacle, and Ezech. 18. vers. 17. He that hath not received usury, nor increase, &c. the word tarbith, signifieth increase: by which words, all increase by usury and unlawfull interest, seemeth to be forbidden. 6. Chrysostome saith,Hom. 38. super Matth. Vsurarius super omnes mercatores maledictus; The usurer is accursed beyond all merchants and tradingmen. And he further useth this comparison, Like as when one sifteth wheat or any other graine in a sieve,Chrysost. ibid cited, Decret. 88. c. 11. all the graine by little and little slippeth thorow, and so, solum stercus remanet in cribr…, only the soyle and durt remaineth in the sieve: so of all the substance and ill gotten goods of usurers, nihil remanet praterpeccatum, nothing remaineth beside sinne, &c. 7. If it be objected, that God permitted the Hebrewes to take usury of the Gentiles, therefore it was not simply unlawfull. To this it may be answered, that they were those seven nations of the Canaanites,Lib. de Tobiae C. 15. cited, c. 14. q. 3 c. 12. Ad Macedonium epist. 5… cited, c. 14. q. 3. c. …1. of whom they might take usury, which nations they were commanded to destroy; and so by this meanes they might weaken their estate, and impoverish them: whereupon Ambrose inferreth, Ab hoc usuram exige, quem non sit crimen occidere, Exact usury of him, whom it is not unlawfull to kill. And so Augustine also concludeth, Non minus crudelis, qui pauperem trucidat foenore, quam qui cripit diviti, &c. He is no lesse cruell, that slayeth a poore man by usury, than hee which taketh it from a rich man by violence.