Usury Stated Overthrown, Treatise · Part 1 · Section 29 – Section 37
NVM. XXIX.
1. Becauſe Neſheck is the uſual word, which ſignifieth Vſury, and alſo all that Encreaſe or Excreſcency, which is taken above the Principal, for the Loan of Money, which is ſoon to be demonſtrated by the words Marbith and Tarbith, which are uſually joyned with Neſheck by the Holy Ghoſt, foreign, that is, by way of Expoſition, to ſhew that they are Syn… nimas, as appeareth, and it can be proved by Lev. 25.36. Prov. 28.8. Ezek. 18.13. and 22.12. where Marbith and Tarbith are ſet after Neſheck, as words ſignifying the ſame. Which is alſo confirmed by Doctor Kimchi, upon Ezek. 18. as I ſaid formerly, That both are mentioned together, and condemned. Mark, Condemned together. So that though a Man do not ſo cruelly bite as ſome, yet if he takes but Tarbith or Marbith, he is condemned for it, ſaith this Author. Where give me leave to ſhew what this Marbith and Tarbith ſignifies, viz. An (a)By the Hebricians alſo called foreign, that is, aliquid amplius, ſomewhat more than the Principal.Encreaſe; that is, Gain above the Principal, as famous. Which the Grecians tranſlate foreign That is, ſaith Balſamon, Nyſſeni Shiolaſtes: when a Man doth lend any thing, to receive more than he gave. Thus he.
2. I find that in this Pſal. 15.5. Neſheck is not ſet down with a Dageſh for it, as it is in ſome other places. Which affords us this Criticiſm; that it holds forth two things. 1. Biting, any Biting. And 2. Such Biting alſo, incluſively, as doth not ſo cruelly and vehemently bite as ſome, and yet biteth too. For we have a Rule in Hebrew, that when there is a Dageſh forte in a word, it implieth Vehemency: Whereof more hereafter.
All that which I have ſaid yet concerning this Scripture is but a Touch, whereunto I will add but this more.
That this one and firſt Scripture is ſo ſtrong, as that from it, many, both Councils and particular Writers, have, in their reſpective Ages, proved the unlawfulneſs and damnableneſs of all ſorts of Vſury, properly ſo called. At preſent I will inſtance only in the moſt famous Council of Nice, Can. 18. which the Learned may peruſe at their leiſure: obſerving what it ſaith, not only of the Centeſima, but alſo, de quolibet tali lucro, of any ſuch Lucre.
2. My ſecond Scripture Poof is, that in Deut. 23.19. Thou ſhalt not lend upon Uſury to thy Brother. Mark, Brother, whether he be rich or poor; for ſtill he is our Brother, as he is either born of the ſame Parents, or a Chriſtian of the ſame perſuaſion, &c. as (a)Clemens Alexandrine, Strom. l. 2.Clemens Alexandrine expounds that Law-ſaying (as I have read it long ago in him ſo expounded) The Law forbids to lend upon Uſury, ſaith he to our Brethrem, under the name of a Brother; comprehending, not only him which was born of the ſame Parents, but him alſo which was of the ſame Tribe, and of the ſame Opinion, and partaker of the ſame words. Whereof more hereafter.
Not a word of the Rich, to which the Defendants of Vſury hold it lawful to lend upon Vſury, becauſe this Law admitteth an exception of a Stranger, which I intend to clear up at full in another place, and another time, being contented to ſay but a word or two about it at this time, viz. That if the Lord intended it ſo, that it ſhould be lawful to len… upon Vſury to the Rich, here was a fit time to mention the Rich, as well as the Stranger, becauſe The Rich we have always with us. But that Stranger, which there is meant, viz. one of the ſeven Nations which God would have deſtroyed, were deſtroyed, and by degrees conſumed in David's time, as Divines from Holy Writ collect it: which now makes all that Plea which Vſurers plead from the Stranger void, and of none effect, as I ſhall have an occaſion hereafter to evidence it at full. Now, one Word more I will add, that I take ſpecial notice of in this Scripture, of a Word which I find of the Stranger, verſ. 20. foreign. Unto the Stranger thou ſhalt lend upon Uſury, as Junius alſo renders it; not Thou mayeſt, as the Engliſh has it. Which ſheweth, that God commandeth it that his People ſhould bite him; for ſo much the Hebrew foreign, ſignifies: as in another place the ſaith, Thou ſhalt conſume, deſtroy and cut him off, Deut. 7.20.
Where note alſo, that if it be Lawfull to lend to the Rich, becauſe of this Exception of a Stranger, it will hold alſo, that he commands it, that the Rich ſhould be ſo Bitten. Which, how abſurd it is to think ſo, let the Reader judge.
3. But becauſe theſe places mention. Neſheck only, therefore I will produce a Scripture, which makes this thing called Vſury more plain, viz. Ezek. 18.13. where Neſheck is joyned with Tarbith, and joyned thus, Has given forth upon Uſury, and hath taken Encreaſe, foreign, (of which word I have even now ſufficiently ſpoken) Shall he then live? He ſhall not live.
Where note firſt, How the Lord placeth his words.
1. By way of Interrogation, and ſo the more Emphatically; as if he ſhould ſay, Is there any reaſon for it?
2. Moſt Comprehenſively, Poſiting Lending upon Vſury to be underſtood by Giving forth firſt, and then Has taken Encreaſ…, to defeat thoſe Vſurers which think themſelves to be no Vſurers, becauſe they take no Bond, nor Bill, nor Promiſe, and yet expectedly take it when it comes.
Note alſo what bleſſed Calvin here ſaith upon this eighteenth Chapter of Ezekiel, and concerning this whole matter of Neſheck and Tarbith, viz. That whereas Uſurers avoided the name Neſheck, which ſignifieth Biting, as they do the name Uſury among us, as being odious; and therefore they took not Neſheck, but Tarbith; as among us, they will not be thought to take Uſury, but Conſideration, Uſance, or Intereſt. Therefore the Lord forbiddeth as well Tarbith as Neſheck, whereby he condemneth generally, Quamlibet ſortis acceſſionem, ſaith he, Any Addition, mark, any Addition, or Encreaſe above the Principal. And, upon Ezek. 18. eſpecially, he ſaith, Not only Neſheck, which ſignifieth Biting; but alſo Tarbith, which he tranſlateth Incrementnm, Encreaſe: Hoc eſt quicquid ſibi avari homines conciliant ex mutuo: that is, Whatſoever Gain Covetous Men do get to themſelves by Loan. Thus Calvin. Whereas ſome may wonder, becauſe Vſurers take him to be their chief Friend; and will be ready to ſay, that I take out of him what ſeemeth to be for me, leaving out that which maketh againſt me. But to this I anſwer, that I can and ſhall give a Reaſon hereafter, (when I ſhall come to ſpeak more fully of Calvin) why he writeth after this rate and manner.
NVM. XXX.
And now▪ paſſing over many Scriptures, beſides the forequoted, I ſhall paſs over out of the Old Teſtament, into the New; and, by name, to that noble and famous place, Luk. 6.35. Lend, hoping for nothing again From thence, and that ſo much the rather, becauſe ſome give out that Vſury is not interdicted or condemned in the New Teſtament at all. For Anſwer whereunto, one which is a moſt famous and learned Writer, Gabriel Powel I mean, ſaith thus: It is a monſtrous BLASPHEMY againſt the Goſpel of Chriſt, to affirm, that the New Teſtament giveth more Liberty to ſin than the Old. With whom I joyn the renowned Mr. Capel, ſaying, We have Uſury forbidden in the New Teſtament, when Judicials were out of date, Luk. 6.35. Thus he.
As for me, becauſe I have already touched this place in this Book, I ſhall therefore ſay the leſs now: but I intend to ſay much hereafter of it and in a place fit for it. Only this I will boldly averr now, That it is to me as plain, and as clear as the Sun, that Chriſt by it forbids Vſury and Encreaſe. Becauſe, 1. He ſaith; Lend, hoping for NOTHING, in Greek, foreign. 2. Becauſe he ſaith foreign which is a Compound, compounded of foreign, A Bind, from thence; and foreign, I hope: So that the Senſe of foreign muſt needs be, Hoping for nothing from thence; that is, from your lending, non ampliùs, no Overplus; that is, no Vſury. 3. Becauſe the words foregoing evince it: for in verſ. 34. Chriſt ſaith thus, And if you lend to them, of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you? for Sinners alſo lend to Sinners, to receive as much again. The Greek is foreign, which will bear a double Conſtruction. As, 1. The like; that is, the like Sum in the like Coyn, though not the very ſame. 2. foreign that is, The like Courteſie. As namely, for a hundred Pounds by you lent to them, an hundred Pounds lent to you by them; which I like beſt. Whereunto, if you add the word Hope, If you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, viz. the like, what thank have you? The words following muſt needs be plain; but lend (ye) hoping: as in the foregoing Verſe, the word Hope is uſed with this difference only, that foreign is joyned with foreign, hoping, to cut off Vſury, even all Gain above the Loan, by foreign, nothing; and by name, even the Loan, of ſo much too; another time, for the Loan of ſo much this time, which is worth Money too, and a kind of Vſury too. So that I do not wonder now, why moſt Expoſitors have ſo explained that place, as I do here, not denying that Chriſt's words may be extended in ſome Caſes, to the Principal too; that a Man muſt not hope for the Princcipal neither, if the Borrower be not able to pay it: (a)Rich. Capel, of Uſury, p. 267. of Luk. 6.35.(b)Nothing, not foreign, None, as ſome have groundleſly read it, perverting the Scripture.Whereupon in cometh that acception of the Compounded Word foreign, Nothing deſpairing, as ſome underſtand the word, that is, nothing deſpairing of a better Reward than any Man can give you; which I hope will give content to ſome pious Men, who are much taken with that Expoſition, and that without any offence given thereby by me to any, becauſe the Compound foreign ſignifieth alſo to deſpair, though I, for my part, inſiſt moſtly upon my premiſed Expoſition, as moſt likely in my Judgment. But more fully I ſhall handle this Scripture hereafter, ſhewing the very Expoſitions of it, and bringing a Cloud of Witneſſes, witneſſing for and to the true meaning of it.
NUM. XXXI.
At preſent I will only reſolve one Caſe, which will be in all likelihood propoſed. As namely, whether a Man may no… lend, and afterward crave the like Courteſie in his need. Whereunto I anſwer, Oh, yes, provided he look not for it when he lendeth, becauſe Chriſt ſaith, Lend, hoping for nothing again; mark, Nothing at all.
Secondly, From theſe Scriptures, I paſs to Godly Men and Authors, which, in their reſpective Ages, have declared againſt Vſury, properly ſo called, and the Defendants of it: And withal, have made it generally DAMNABLE, as alſo do the Scriptures.
And 1. (a)I ſay briefly, becauſe I have already ſaid ſomething to the ſame effect, and ſhall ſay much more yet hereafter, in its moſt proper time and place.I will briefly recite what they have voted, being aſſembled in Councils for their reſpective Ages againſt all Vſury and Vſurers, and their Defendants.
2. What they have written apart againſt both.
For the firſt, I will inſtance in (b)Concil. Carth. 6. & 7.the Councils of Carthage, the Sixth and Seventh; both which having cauſed the (c)Concil. Nicen.Nicene to be turned into Latin, approved of it; and ſo, by name of the eighteenth Canton againſt all ſorts of Vſury, condemned by it out of Pſal. 15. So that thereby all theſe three Councils, joyning together their combined Forces, did put down Vſury at that time, and for their reſpective Ages.
2. I will ſubjoyn the (a)Concil. Pariſ.Pariſian Council which has ſet it ſelf as much as any againſt that damnable Sin of Uſury; declaring openly, that The Kingdom of Chriſt is endangered by it.
3. Next to the Pariſian, I will place that of (b)Concil. Vien.Vienna; which has diſcharged a moſt dreadful Canon againſt the Defendants of Uſury, whereby it condemneth all for Hereticks, who hold Uſury to be lawful.
I name but theſe few, but could bring many more; and there is one, bleſſed (c)Bolton in his Book againſt Uſury.Bolton I mean, who goeth farther, ſaying, I may oppoſe (viz. againſt M. S. his Adverſary, eighteen Men quoted by him, as being for ſome Uſury) all other Councils that ever mentioned Uſury: But there will be a fitter time for me to make uſe of ſo many when my Third Book cometh forth.
NUM. XXXII.
2. At preſent I advance nearer againſt the Adverſaries Hold, which he calls his Premiſe, by alledging thoſe Godly Perſons and Authors, which have ſeverally, and apart, let fly their moſt keen and ſharpeſt Arrows againſt all Uſury, as it is, and has been generally and uſually practiſed in their reſpective Ages. And,
1. I ſhall bring up with me ſome of the Ancient, moſt Learned, and Pious Fathers, as chief Leaders in that great Army which has been Militating for fifteen hundred years together, againſt that Enemy of Mankind, called USURY, ALL USURY.
2. Next to them. I ſhall fetch ſome new Leaders alſo, who, ſince thoſe fifteen hundred Years paſt, are riſen up to ſecond them.
To begin with the old experienced ones, I ſhall let you ſee them, and you ſhall hear them ſpeak too. And,
1. (d)Lactantius.Lactantius, the Churches Secretary, who wroteof her Secrets more than any other I know, ſaith, Let a Chriſtian take this Courſe, that in Lending, he take not USURY; for that is againſt the Law of Lending. — Lo, how this old Father is againſt all taking of Uſury.
2. (a)St. Ambroſe.Saint Ambroſe, in his Book of Tobie, chap. 14. ſaith to the Uſurer thus. If Uſury be lawful, why doſt thou ſhun the Name? why draweſt thou a Covering over it? If it be unlawful, why receiveſt thou ANY ENCREASE? mark, ANY ENCREASE.
3. You ſhall hear St. Hierome ſpeak too, upon Ezek. 18. thus. He that taketh more than he gave (writing of Uſury, cannot live, but ſhall die in his Blood. Thus he maketh what is taken beyond the Principal, Damnable.
Many more ſuch holy Leaders and Fathers you will ſee … the Uſurer's Funeral, in my Third Book, which is to come. For the preſent I will educe and bring up,
NUM. XXXIII.
2. Some chief Leaders of the new Army, riſen againſt the ſame Enemy of Mankind, after the aforeſaid fifteen hundred Years expired: Uſury, I mean. And,
1. (b)Aretius, that famous and learned Profeſſor of Loſanna, De Uſuris, p. 626. Mark, Leſs than Six in the Hundred, and yet Uſury.Aretius: who ſaith, Sit igitur Uſura quicquid ultr… ſortem accipitur. Sors eſt elocata pecunia utpote centum c…ronati, quicquid igitur ultra ſortem id qualecunque tandem ſit Damn… bile eſſe cenſamus. That is, Uſury is whatſoever is taken above the Principal. As for Example, For an hundred Crowns, whatſoever is exacted from thence, we account it Damnable.
2. (c)Spotswood in his Short Diſcourſe of Ʋſury, p. 21.Spotswood: Who ſaith, Uſurers are excluded from Eternal Life by Ezek. 18.13. And ſhut out of God's Tabernacle by Pſal. 15. Thus he. And that is bad enough, and Damnable indeed: yet this he ſaith, without excepting the more moderate Uſurer, in General.
3. You ſhall hear again Learned (d)G. Powel in his Poſit. calling this Argument, Syllogiſmum connexum primo modo a conjugatis.Powel ſpeak like a Scholar, as he was. If Uſurers be excluded from Jehova's Tabernacle, then Ʋſury is a thing unlawful and damnable. But the Antecedent is true, as appeareth by Pſal. 15.5. Ergo, The Conſequent is true alſo.
Now, that you may ſee what Uſury he meaneth, his former Syllogiſm, by me alledged upon the like Account, will ſhew. For that runs thus, as, word for word, I recited it formerly; All Gain that, contrary to the Word of God, is expected, or exacted above the Principal, for the very Duty of Lending, is unlawful: And Damnable Uſury is ſuch Gain (as he proveth it) Ergo.
4. In cometh after theſe, (a)Doctor Smith upon Levit. p. 626.Doctor Smith, ſpeaking thus, That Opinion which condemneth all Uſury is grounded upon evident Teſtimonies of Scripture, Pſal. 15.5. Prov. 28.8. Ezek. 18.13. and 22.12. What can be plainer?
5. I ſhall ſubjoyn the Author of The Death of Uſurers, who ſpeaks after this Pathetical manner in the Cloſe of his Book.
I would not wiſh the Vſurer to ſtand upon ſuch Cavils: but ſeeing, not only the Word of God, but All Ages, Note, All Ages, Nations, Laws, Note, Laws too; [which anſwers the Champion, who mentions Laws too] and ſorts of Perſons do condemn Vſury, as a Sin moſt odious and opprobrious. I would have him to looſe the Bonds of Wickedneſs, wherewith St. Jerome underſtands the Bonds that Vſurers wrap others in. So, getting Goods in the fear of God, they will be to his comfort while he liveth, and without prick of Conſcience when he dies. Thus he giveth the Uſurer this Godly Counſel (which I wiſh Uſurers would follow) and withal tells us, how Uſury, in all Ages, has been condemned: Speaking of it generally alſo.
6. And Laſtly, I muſt needs again bring in bleſſed (b)R. Bolton, I ſay Laſtly; though, if I would, and there were need, I could bring in, beſides theſe, the Teſtimonies of many Scores more, even of all the wiſe and truly learned Men, who have flouriſhed until this preſent Age. Wherein I am Seconded by that famous Biſhop Downam, who has a Saying much like this upon Pſal. 15.5.Bolton, ſpeaking and ſymphonizing with theſe Worthies, thus. If the Vſurer be preſſed with this and other places, his moſt ordinary Anſwer is, They are to be underſtood of Biting, not of Toothleſs Vſury, &c. But what if thoſe, and the like, prove to be rotten Diſtinctions, and falſe Gloſſes upon their Beds of Death, as indeed they are, what is then their Caſe? as they have leaned in their Life-time upon ſuch broken Staves of Reed, their confidence in that dreadful Hour will be but as the Spider's Web. Which Words of this holy Man, how applicable they be to my Antagoniſt, let the Reader judge. I need not now ſpeak of Laws, which the Champion mentioneth, becauſe there will be a fitter time for it hereafter; and ſomething concerning them, my fifth Author, even now, did ſpeak.
NUM. XXXIV.
But here I ſuppoſe my Adverſary will be ready to reply, that all that which I have ſpoken of Damnable Uſury will ſignifie nothing, nor convince Vſurers, unleſs I make it more plain yet than I have made it, What that Damnable Vſury, and thoſe Vſurers are which ſhall be damned, and againſt whom the Prophets, and all ſorts of Writers have written, to make them odious.
For Anſwer whereunto, I ſhall ſay, That if I muſt needs make it more plain to my Antagoniſt, and all Vſurers whatſoever, then I will ſend him and them,
1. To the Prophet Ezekiel again: who, not only ſheweth what that Vſurer is which ſhall die, and be damned; viz. He that has taken Vſury or Encreaſe; that is, (as Calvin himſelf expounds it, and as the old Latin Tranſlation renders the Hebrew Tarbith) more than thou gaveſt: and as (a)Ambroſ. de Tob. c. 15.Ambroſe, A… amplius recipiendum, To receive more: But alſo, moſt remarkably, hath in the word Neſheck, a peculiar Note of Difference, ſcarce obſerved by any yet; viz. a Dageſh forte, which is not to be found in other places; yea, a Double Dageſh forte in it, and in the prefixed Letter foreign, which denoteth, not only Vehemency, but much Vehemency and Strength; that is, ſtrong and vehemently biting Vſury; yea, and an Hebrew Accent, called Darga. All which plainly and remarkably oſtends and clears it, what Vſurer it is which ſhall be damned: Namely, he chiefly, and firſt, which vehemently biteth, and cruelly oppreſſeth; and he alſo which taketh more than he lendeth▪ Vnderſtand expectedly (as it was formerly ſhewn.)
2. I ſend him again to that famous Vniverſity of Wittemberg (becauſe I hear that he has been but a little while in an Engliſh Vniverſity) to ſee the aforeſaid Wittembergiſh Theſes, and to learn out of them, what Vſurers, by them cenſured and condemned are. Their Words of five in the hundred are plain: I need not repeat them, becauſe I have already quoted them.
NUM. XXXV.
3. I ſend him to that famous Council of (a)The Council of Agatha in France, kept in the days of King Alaricus.Agatha, which, N…mine contradicente, None contradicting it, then, when it ſate, nor ſin… determined and voted what Uſury, by it condemned, was; thus. Uſury is, when any thing is demanded more than was given, or lent forth. As for Example, If thou lendeſt ten Shillings (Mark, but ten Shillings, which is but a ſmall matter) and ſeekeſt more; or lendeſt a Buſhel of Corn, (which is a very little thing too) and demandeſt more. So ſtrict were the Holy Fathers in this point of Uſury, in their reſpective Ages.
4. I ſend him to his own Country-man, (b)Mr. Adams in his Works, p. 454.Mr. Adams, who moſt notably deſcribeth condemned Uſurers: What ſome of them are in reſpect of their Bodies, and in reſpect of their Souls; his Character is this, The Uſurer is known by his very Looks often, by his Speeches commonly, by his Actions ever: He has a lean Cheek, a meager Body, as if he were fed at the Devil's Allowance, his Eyes are almoſt ſunk to the back-ſide of his Head with Admiration of Money, his Ears are ſet to tell the Clock, his whole Carkaſe a meer Anatomy, (of which more hereafter in my Anatomy, or Second Book againſt Uſury, which is to come.) Some Uſurers have fatter Carkaſſes, and can find it in their hearts to Lard their Fleſh: but a Meagerneſs is upon all their Conſciences. And then, with Leo, ſends him to the Pit of Hell for ever.
NUM. XXXVI.
5. If this Man be not full and plain enough, though he ſpeaks plain Engliſh, I ſhall ſend him to another, and far greater Engliſh Author, who ſpeaketh more fully and plainly; viz. Famous Biſhop (c)Biſhop Jewel upon the Firſt of the Theſſalonians.Jewel: whoſe words are theſe; Uſury is a kind of Lending of Money, or Corn, or Oyl, or Wine, or any other thing, &c. and then, as if I lend an hundred Pounds, and for it Covenant (underſtand tacitly, or expreſly) to receive an hundred and five Pounds, or any other Sum greater than was the Sum which I lent: This is that which we call Uſury. Such a kind of Bargaining no Godly Man ever uſed. He tells us of Five in the Hundred, and of any Sum above the Principal, and of that which is commonly practiſed. And in another place maketh this Uſury Damnable; ſaying of the Uſurer, who committeth it, He that giveth his Money upon Uſury, ſhall not dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord, which he calls Heaven. Thus he, in that reſpective Age wherein he flouriſhed, not only made cruelly griping Uſury damnable, but even Five in the Hundred, and any other Sum beyond the Money lent.
And therefore, let my Adverſary now ſeriouſly conſider his words, together with thoſe which I formerly quoted, eſpecially of expectation out of them three great and learned Authors, and let all Engliſh Uſurers whatſoever, eſpecially, be convinced, and hold their Peace hereafter; ceaſing and forbearing to ask this Queſtion any more, What is Uſury? We are not convinced yet about it, what it is: and that ſuch a thing as you call Uſury, is that Damnable Uſury which you and others ſo cry down; and which Fathers, and all ſorts of Writers have made ſo odious. For, Lo, here is brought to you, to convince you, beſides many others, your own Country-men, one of your Great and Learned Biſhops; who has diſcovered, cried down, and condemned that Uſury which here he defineth, and which is commonly and generally practiſed amongſt us, and has been, beſides the moſt exceſſive and cruelly biting Uſury committed in the Ages which are paſt.
I would not here obtrude mine own Words and Judgment, to ſhew what Damnable Uſury is; becauſe, if I had, then ſome would have ſaid, as ſome do already, Who but the old Jelinger ſaith ſo? Whereas now, if they will find fault with that which hath been ſpoken, they muſt ſay, Biſhop Jewel ſaid ſo. So that I cannot ſee how Uſurers will be able to ſhun, and to keep off this mighty Blow.
NUM. XXXVII.
But it is high time for me to advance.
Secondly, To his (a)My Anſwer to the Adverſary's Application.Application, wherein I take notice of three things.
1. That he ſaith, In things of this, or the like nature, there is none of his Brethren would ſcruple to joyn with him: that is to ſay, They would joyn with me, if I would, againſt my Knowledge and Cenſcience, ſay as he ſaith, that Scriptures, Fathers and Writers have, in their reſpective Ages, deſervedly made odious his Damnable Uſury, as he deſcribeth it to be a cruel Griping of the Poor; as if that were the only Damnable Uſury which they have written, and ſpoken againſt; yea, Condemned: and ſo conſequently, like a Transfuga, or a Run-away, ſhould betake my ſelf into the Camp of the Enemies of Truth: Which I cannot do, nor ever will do, by God's Help, becauſe I know, and even now proved the contrary, nor indeed, have cauſe ſo to do. For thoſe holy Writers, I mean the Pen-men of the Holy Ghoſt, and thoſe other Godly Writers which are againſt all Uſury, as it has been, and is now generally practiſed, are thoſe that will hold with me hereafter, if I joyn with them here, being a numerous multitude, at that great Day, when that ſmall and inconſiderable number of Uſurers Defendants, which have ſpoken bitter words againſt their Brethren, for ſpeaking the Truth againſt Uſury and Uſurers, will be aſhamed of their Craft, and of what they have ſpoken maliciouſly; and when God's Holy and Faithful Servants will, with much boldneſs, hold up their Heads, when Chriſt himſelf will be Judge, to judge of what both have ſaid, when himſelf being Judge, will alſo be his Servants Advocate; when being his Servants Advocate, he will advocate and call them to come near him, ſaying, Come good and faithful Servants; come, wear your Crown; come, receive your Kingdom prepared from the beginning of the World; come, dwell with me in my holy Hill; come, abide with me in my Tabernacle, Pſal. 15.1. For you are they that bear about you the Marks of Heaven's Citizens, and that by Name: And eſpecially, which that ſweet Singer of Iſrael, here preſent, ſets down in his moſt ſweet Pſalm, and Song of his, ſet down in his Book of Pſalms; He that putteth not out his Money to Uſury, ſhall dwell in God's Holy Hill. And therefore lift up your Heads with joy, for ye ſhall now enter into your Maſter's Joy.