Usury Stated Overthrown, Treatise · Part 1 · Section 38 – Section 44
NUM. XXXVIII.
2. The Second thing which I take notice of is, that he addeth, But whilſt he over-doth it, and under the ſame Condemnation brings all others that take but moderate and regular G…i… (being aſhamed to call it Uſe or Uſury) of Perſons ſufficient; (meaning the Rich, as all Uſurers hold that Lawful, which muſt be examined hereafter) yea, ſuch as take but any thing above the Principal, be it but a Mite, or Cup of cold Water. Wherein he frets his Malice and Spight upon the Univerſity of Wittemberg, and that moſt famous Foreign Divine Aretius: for theſe words, about a Mite, or a Cup of Cold Water, are their words, not mine; I do but quote them, as many other Writers do; leaving the Readers to weigh them. So that he wrongs me very much by this Expreſſion (as he ſaith) when they ſay it, who, if they were now alive, would ſoon anſwer him, and ſtop his Mouth. For what is ſuch a Novice, to ſuch Grave, Ancient and Learned Profeſſors and Doctors as they have been.
He goeth further, and ſaith, Yea, when there is but an Intention, or Expectation of Gain, he muſt not think it ſtrange if all Men are not of his mind.
Whereunto I anſwer, That I do not much regard it, if ſuch Men as he is be not of my mind, as long as Elder, Abler, Better Men, and a far greater Number of ſuch Men, than the Number of his Men is, are of my mind. Where let the Courteous Reader peruſe what I have taken ont of St. Auſtin, Doctor Chemnitius, Gabriel Powel, and others concerning Expectation, how it maketh an Uſurer, and what more abundantly I ſhall bring forth (a)When that Renowned Arch-biſhop Uſher will be brought in, defining Uſury to be Lending in Expectation of certain Gain.hereafter, to prove this Expectation to be Uſury, and Expecters to be Uſurers.
At preſent I ſhall ſpeak a little more fully of and againſt his Moderate Uſury, Thus.
NUM. XXXIX.
1. That the Holy Scripture ſpeaks of no ſuch Moderate Uſury, much leſs alloweth it.
2. That thoſe beyond the Seas, which take but Five in the Hundred, as they do in Helvetia, where I have been alſo; and in my Country, which is Germany, where they alſo are contented with Five in the Hundred, will ſay of our Engliſh Uſurers, who take more, that they are Immoderate and Exceſſive. Yea, the very Jews beyond the Seas, who are pleaſed with four Pounds in the Hundred, (a)Beſides one of that Country, who lately told me the ſame.as a great Merchant (who is a Uſurer himſelf, and has been a Traveller beyond the Seas himſelf alſo, and is, being yet alive, able to atteſt it) told me, I ſay, that even thoſe poor Jews will ſay of thee, that art a Chriſtian Uſurer, that thou art an Exceſſive Uſurer: and that thy Uſury is Immoderate, it being forty Shillings more than his in the Hundred.
3. And if this be not enough, hear what a great (b)Doctor Fenton, p. 144.Engliſh Doctor, far ſurpaſſing you, Mr. Champion, and me too, ſaith concerning this thing. I will name him, if you will know his Name, it is Doctor Fenton, whoſe moſt Learned, moſt Sound, moſt Excellent, and Unanſwerable Book againſt Uſury, I wiſh every one that will be fully ſatisfied in this Point of Uſury to peruſe. His words are theſe: After the Defenders of ſome Uſury have examined the Point, and anſwered, as they think, the Objections which are uſually brought againſt Uſury by the Schools; yet, in Concluſion, put all their Limitations together, they can agree upon no Uſury at all, as it is before defined: Single them out one from another, there is not any one of them that dareth defend any ſuch ordinary Uſury as is amongſt us practiſed, with Greateſt Moderation.
Ah, poor Champion, where are you now? What becometh of your Moderate Uſury now?
3. I, for my part, I will triumphantly charge on, and march up to your third Thing, to overthrow that too, viz. And let him conſider whether, by putting in ſuch Companions with them, he doth not take the ready way to ſtrengthen the hands of Griping Uſurers, whilſt they find the greateſt part of this and other Nations taken in with them; and amongſt thoſe many ſober, ſerious, pious, learned Perſons too. I ſay again, ſuch confuſed writing of things and Perſons as here is, is a more likely way to harden the moſt greedy Cormorants in their unjuſt Practices, than to abate the number of them. Where this Champion ſeems to make a great Flouriſh, which yet will ſoon vaniſh. For,
1. He brings with him in this Charge, his old already beaten and ſcattered Forces; I mean, his many vain and weak Expreſſions about my confuſed Writing: So that I need not ſay much to that, becauſe I have already ſaid much concerning that, if not too much, which the Reader may peruſe if he pleaſe. This only I will ſay again now, That if my Writing be a confuſed Writing of things and perſons, then what may we think of the Sacred Scriptures and Writings themſelves, who joyn, as I ſaid formerly, Neſheck and Tarbith, which is but an Encreaſe (which ſome of the Defendants of Uſury themſelves very ſimply call Toothleſs Uſury, as more ſimply they call Neſheck the Lord's Rack Rent) and make both damnable? Ezek. 18.13.
2. The like may be ſaid of all other Famous and Learned Writers who make ſuch Conjunctions, as I have formerly ſhewn at full; ſo as that I need not ſay the ſame again over and over, ſhewing my ſelf to be a Lover of Tautologies, as he doth.
NUM. XL.
And whereas he addeth, that this is the ready way to ſtrengthen the Hands of Griping Uſurers, whilſt they find the greateſt part of this and other Nations taken in with them; and amongſt theſe, many ſober, ſerious, pious and learned Perſons too.
I anſwer to this his Charge after this manner.
1. That I fear no more ſuch ſtrengthening of ſuch Griping Uſurers, than the Ancient Teuthons, my Country-men, feared Alexander's Forces (which were far enough from them) when they ſaid to his Ambaſſadors who were ſent to ask them, what they did fear; Metuimus ne coelum ruat, We fear leſt the Heavens fall. Which I ſay, becauſe that which the Champion ſaith is far enough from me, and from any likelihood that ever it will come to paſs. As alſo, that hardning of them is, which here alſo he talks of in the Cloſe of his Charge; becauſe I have already ſeen the contrary, ſince the putting forth of my firſt Book againſt Uſury, by the Conviction and Converſion of many; among whom, ſome are Miniſters and great Scholars; whereof more hereafter in due place. But let the Champion take heed, leſt he ſtrengthen the Hands of the moſt greedy Cormorants, and common, and moſt griping Uſurers, as I hear he begins to do, in places, unto which his Pamphlet, or the Report of it cometh. Certainly God will call men to an Account for ſuch proceedings.
And Laſtly, Whereas he maketh this the Ground of his ſo charging me, whilſt they find, &c. See his words,
To which I ſhall anſwer now. And,
1. To the firſt part of his Ground, which he pretends to have for what he ſaith, viz. Whilſt they find the greateſt part of this and other Nations taken in with them. Whereunto I have this to ſay.
1. That it is far from Truth that he ſaith, they find the greateſt part,
1. Of this Nation. And,
2. Of other Nations taken in with them. For,
1. How can he make that good, which he ſaith of this Nation, when in many Pariſhes there are no Lenders upon Uſury at all, or but very few; as I can ſay of mine, and ſo others of other Pariſhes, there being ſo many Borrowers every where, which commonly go to ſome certain Moneyed and noted Uſurers, who take Six in the Hundred, and no more uſually.
2. And, as for other Nations,
1. It is well known, that in ſome there is no Uſury allowed or practiſed at all. As among the (a)As the Learned and Well Red Aretius, in his Tract of Uſury reports it. Culverius and Speed. Becauſe Mahomet, in his Alcoran interdicts it.Indians; which, as ſome Geographers write, make up the fifth part of the World. And among the Turks too, which claim half the old World, Uſury is (b) not allowed.
2. And of my Country I will ſay thus much, that they have a thing there, called a Commiſſariat, with which they deal by way of Partnerſhip, ſo as that the Lender, or putter out of his Money loſeth when the Receiver and Employer of it loſeth, as it happened in the late Germany Wars; for the Putters out of their Money had nothing at all for their Money theſe twenty Years, becauſe of the Receivers Loſſes which the Employers of ſuch Money ſuſtained by Wars. And many ſuch Inſtances for that Country I could give. So that they need not there be ſuch Uſurers as here they be, becauſe they can be ſuch Partners in Loſs and Gain.
Which doth not contradict what I have formerly ſaid of ſome Tranſmarine Princes, which have eſpouſed Uſury, dealing upon Men's Money, as they do at Frankfort-Mart twice a Year; becauſe ſome deal in a way of plain Uſury, not all.
NUM. XLI.
To the Second Part of his laſt Thing, or Saying; which is, And among thoſe, many ſober, pious, learned Men are taken in: I ſhall anſwer next, and laſt of all, thus.
1. That ſome Grave and Great Divines affirm the contrary. As,
1. Biſhop (a)Biſhop Jewel upon 1 Theſ. 4.Jewel, having ſpoken againſt Uſury, and ſhewn what it is, ſaid farther, that No good Man or Godly Man …ver uſed it, viz. as now it is practiſed.
2. And before him, Great (b)Lactantius de vero Cultu, l. 6. c. 19.Lactantius ſaid, that A juſt Man will not defile himſelf with ſuch Gain.
3. Biſhop (c)Biſhop Downam upon Pſal. 15.5.Downam. The Uſury which is practiſed in the World, is not allowed of any Godly Divine.
Here are two great Biſhops on my ſide, and an old Father.
Secondly, Men may be learned, and yet not ſerious; I mean, ſo ſerious as to conſider what a great and grievous Sin Uſury is. And again, May be not only ſerious, but alſo ſober, and yet not truly Godly; Having but a form of Godlineſs, and denying the power thereof, eſpecially in theſe laſt times, 2 Tim. 3.5. So that no wonder it is if ſuch turn Uſurers in ſuch an Age wherein Men are ſo much carried with Gain: and that ſo much the rather, becauſe even ſome Miniſters are become Uſurers, and ſhew them the way to it by their ill Example. Which cauſed a very Able, Learned and Godly Miniſter to break out into theſe Expreſſions after he had ſeen my Uſurer Caſt: Miniſters now turn Uſurers, and therefore ſo many Hearers turn Uſurers too: I am, and ever was againſt it.
3. But ſuppoſe Men be truly Godly, and lend and take Uſe or Gain, as my Adverſary calls it, then the words of the aforeſaid great Authors are to be underſtood thus, that no Godly Man ever uſed it as it is now practiſed.
4. Thoſe Godly Men may obſerve the Cautions which ſome Learned and Pious Miniſters, as Calvin, Farell, Baxter, Durham, and others give; thereby making that which is ſaid to be Uſury, no Uſury, but Partnerſhip, as my Country-men in Germany, even now ſpoken of, is: they being Partners with the Employers of their Money in their Loſs as well as Gain: which common Uſurers will not do.
NUM. XLII.
But Finally, I muſt ſuper-add one thing which I had almoſt forgotten; as namely, That I much wonder at my Adverſary's having ſo much to do here with cruelly Biting and Griping Uſury and Uſurers, to vent and to excuſe his moderate Uſury by it. Becauſe,
1. I underſtand by ſuch as hear him, that in his preaching they ſhall not hear him ſpeak againſt any Uſury. And,
2. Becauſe it is well known, that there are not ſo over-many ſuch cruelly biting Uſurers, who take all Advantages, Mortgages, &c. to uſe his own Expreſſions: I, for my part, hear but of a few, and thoſe few do not go untold of it by me, and my Brethren; but rather a little more than by him and his Brethren. And ſo they were ſpoken againſt by the Holy Fathers (but not only.)
I will inſtance in Holy (a)Ambroſe de Tob. c. 10.Ambroſe; who, when ſome Uſurers were ſo cruel as that they would arreſt the very dead Corpſes of their Borrowers, not only ſpake againſt them, but alſo cauſed the ſaid dead Bodies to be carried to their very Houſes: and yet, when he came to ſhew what interdicted and damnable Uſury is, he defined it as I and others define it.
NUM. XLIII.
3. And beſides all this, becauſe I obſerve generally, when I hear Men ſpeak of and againſt Uſurers, they call every Lender upon Uſury, and for Gain, an Uſurer, whether he be a ſmall one, or a great one, that lendeth Thouſands, and is content with Six in the Hundred, which they call moderate Gain, alias Uſury, and craves and looketh for no more: as alſo, they call thee, who art ſuch a Lender, and readeſt theſe Lines, a Uſurer, do what thou canſt, and ſay what thou wilt of and for moderate Uſury; and tell as much as thou canſt what a damnable Sin exceſſive Uſury is, and how cruelly it gripes the Poor, though very few, if any, will lend to the Poor: Uſurers being for the Rich only, that can give them good Security, and pay them punctually. I ſay, Men will call thee an Uſurer, as well as the cruelly biting Lender, as long as thou liveſt, and liveſt in the Sin of Uſury; And ſo they will call any of thy Brethren that come after thee, as long as Neſheck and Tarbith, Biting and Encreaſe, ſtand coupled together, interdicted together, and condemned together in thy Bible, and by name, in Ezek. 18.13. This will be every Uſury-taker's Name, from Generation to Generation, to the World's end. I for my part, to tell thee the truth here, thy Name, which is Uſurer, told almoſt every Day, though thou art aſhamed to call thy ſelf ſo, and not willing that any of thy Neighbours ſhould call thee ſo. So that I ſuppoſe that by this time my chief Antagoniſt's Flouriſh, which even now he made, is come to an end. And that I may now, being out of that Labyrinth which I was in, advance and come to a new Engagement, without any Let or Remora. Thus,
NUM. XLIV.
And here he charges me firſt, ſaying,
His Text, Pſal. 15.5. He that putteth not his Money to Uſury.
I ſhall paſs ſome Remarks upon the words of the Text which he hath choſen. And what are thoſe Remarks, ſay I? (to anſwer him) doubtleſs, as he thinks, ſome rare and choice ones: but that we ſhall ſee by and by.
[Has not put.] The Hebrew word properly ſignifieth Giving; which he muſt prove, that properly. As for me, I grant, that ſometimes it ſignifies Giving: Beſides which ſignification, it alſo ſignifieth ponere, to (a)To put, Pſal. 4.8.poſite, and to put, and to put forth, Lev. 16.13. and Joel 2. and to (b)As Paynine renders Lev. 16.13. Tradere.deliver a thing over into a Man's Hand, as Joſh. 6.2. where the Latin Tranſlation runs thus; Ecce, in manus tuas tradidi Jericho; Behold, I have delivered Jericho into thy hands.
Again, it ſignifieth To offer, ſaith (c)Joh. Reuchlius Papinianiſta, lib. 1. Rudiment. Hebr. Anno MCCCCLXXIX. Impr.one who was a moſt excellent Hebrician: which well befits Uſurers, who will (d)At S. Baſil ſhews it.offer their Money to rich Heirs, to entice them to borrow of them, as holy Ambroſe reports it of them. Where, let me put this Remark upon my Adverſary's Remark, that foreign He hath given or put forth, delivered and offered, ſuffereth a defect, ſometimes in its Front or Beginning, ſometimes in its End, ſometimes in both. For the firſt we have an Example, Gen. 24.35. and chap. 14.19. For the ſecond in Joſ. 6.2. The third in 2 Sam. 22.41. Thou haſt given me or delivered into my Hands alſo, the Necks of mine Enemies. All which moſt notably befits Uſurers alſo; who, when they put forth their Uſury-Money, either cauſe the Borrower to ſuffer a defect in the beginning of their Loan, as ſome of them, who take Advance-Money; or in the end, when the Half Year is run out, as others uſually do; or both in the beginning and ending; making the Borrower to ſuffer a defect in his Subſtance, whereof, both firſt and laſt their Uſury bites off ſomewhat with a witneſs, as the worſt of Uſurers, being cruel Biters, and cruelly oppreſſive Uſurers do; who will have Gain upon Gain, even exceſſive Gain.