Usury Stated Overthrown, Treatise · Part 4

Usury Stated Overthrown · Treatise · Part 4

p. 233THE FOURTH PART OF THIS TREATISE, CONTAINING

The Eighth and Ninth Chapters of the Uſurer Caſt; and four Additional Objections anſwered, and Replies put thereunto, anſwered alſo; and the Nine Chapters Applications by Exhortations proſeented, and ſeveral Additions, viz. Of a Citation, A Narrative, and the Ʋſurers laſt Will.

ADditional Objection. 1. Num. 1. Mr. Jel.Num 11. Vſurers plead, that Countreys and Kingdoms cannot ſubſiſt without Vſury.

I anſwer, It is falſe; for did not Iſraels ſubſiſt without Vſury?

Reply, It is likely they did not, ſeeing they might lend to Strangers, &c.

I anſwer, 1. The Stranger was the Canaanite, or ſeven Nations, which were about them, not of them.

2. The Ch. himſelf weakneth what he ſaith by his, it is likely, which ſhews that he is not ſure of what he ſaith, as indeed he could not well be, becauſe the holy Fathers and new Writers alſo ſay, that in David's, and the ſucceeding Ages and Prophets time, that political exception of the Stranger ceaſed to be in force as I formerly proved it.

Mr. Jel. And happy was the State of Germany before it knew Vſury, &c.

p. 234Reply, And ſo it might be before it knew Printing and Guns, but was Vſury the cauſe of theſe miſchiefs it groans under? Not, I dare ſay, not that regulated Vſury which is here pleaded for.

I anſwer, 1. Lo how he leaves out Sicily and Sparta and Egidi…s his Common-wealth, becauſe all three make againſt him.

2. And becauſe he tells of Printing (invented by a good man called Gottenberg) I will ſay a little more of it, as namely, that I wonder that he brings in ſuch a good thing, invented by a man whoſe name imports goodneſs, becauſe it is derived in the Dutch Tongue from Got, in Engliſh God) with ſuch a bad buſineſs as Vſury is: I call Printing a good thing, to which I and others that Print are much beholding; becauſe much good is done by us in it to many poor Souls which are converted by it from that abominable ſin of Vſury, and many other enormous vices, but for Guns he hits right, for they were invented by one Berchtold Swartz, which Dutch word Swartz ſignifies black, as invented by a black man, who may well be called an inventor of a black Art, producing black, ſad, and dreadful effects, even the killing and deſtroying of poor men after a fearful manner, and ſo conſequently well befitting Vſury, which in Hebrew ſignifieth alſo hoſtile weapons, Iſa. 22.8. Pſal. 78.9. and befitting alſo the Vſurer himſelf, who fights as it were, by his Vſury, with Gu…s and hoſtile weapons which kill many; for which cauſe Vſury by Calvin is made as bad as murther; ſo that it might well be ſaid that Germany was happy before thoſe Guns called Vſuries came in, becauſe ſo many thouſands have been killed and deſtroyed thereby in my time, during the wars which were there then, and ſince I came away; or rather was perſecuted away for Religions ſake, by the Papiſts, who have burnt and deſtroyed many Towns, beſides a number of men.

3. As for moderate Ʋſury, which with him is ſix in the hundred, let him prove that ſuch Vſury is lawful, and that Germany is not unhappy for ſuch a kind of Vſury, yea for leſs; for there they pay but five in the hundred to my knowledge, and yet poor Souls what do they ſuffer for it, and have ſuffered? **Aretius de Ʋſura.Aretius tells us, that Germany learned the evil of is by the Ruſtican War, and foretold what would follow it.

4. As he ſaith, that where Merchandizing i…, there muſt be lending; ſo ſay I, but not upon Terreſtrial Vſury, there is no need of it; becauſe there may be adventuring, which is held p. 235lawful, and is moſt practiſed in Holland. To anſwer him for that too, becauſe I can ſay a little more of Holland, having been there, than he who was never there; The King of Bohemia (in whoſe Court I have been when he reſided there) adventured upon the Sea his money, and by adventuring the Hollanders have gotten their wealth, and not by Vſury, which has made the King of Spain poor.

5. The Words of Grotius by him cited in Latin, I do not intend to tranſlate for him to anſwer him, becauſe they deſerve it not; nor does he anſwer all that my Authors ſay, and why ſhould I anſwer all his?

Num. 2. Mr. Jel. 3. I grant there is a neceſſity which, not God has brought upon Kingdoms, but mens ſins, &c.

Reply, And are not ſome of theſe ſins found on the borrowers part? &c.

I anſwer, 1. Lo how here he cuts off my many words indeed, becauſe as I am apt to think, he is afraid of the Egyptian Lice and Frogs, and Locuſts, which God ſent as a juſt Plague upon the Egyptians for their hard-heartedneſs, Semblably whereunto, B. Babington and I ſay, that God brings the Vſurers upon a Nation and People for their ſins, viz. Hard-heartedneſs, Prodigality, Laviſhneſs, Luxury, Drunkenneſs, Pride, Laſciviouſneſs, and ſuffers them to enter into mens houſes and fields morgaged, &c. Where Note, that he cuts off thirty three lines, that men may not ſee by his Writing what at large I ſay in this place eſpecially, which alſo will cauſe me to ſerve him ſo too; only this I will add, that I will not excuſe Borrowers, for many deſerve to be blamed very much, for ſpending their bo…rowed money very idly and laviſhly, in drinking, vvhoring, and playing at Cards and Dice, and ſuch like unlavvful vvays, vvhereof the Vſurer commonly is the cauſe, becauſe he lends to ſuch as he ſhould not lend unto for filthy lucres ſake: Where let me add the vvords of that grave and learned Helvetian Writer, **Aretius de Ʋſuris.Aretius, Profeſſor of Loſanna in Helvetia, vvhichwhich is vvell knovvn …o me. By Ʋſury, ſaith he, Men are called away from their labours, and abuſe and ſpend their borrovved money in compotations and drunkenneſs, and other acts of idleneſs.

Num. 3. Mr. Jel. 2. Obj. Addit. Divines themſelves vvhichwhich ſpeak againſt Vſury, allovv of divers ſorts of Vſury, as Shipfenory, Recompenſatory Vſury.

I anſwer, I vviſh that ſome had abſtained from ſuch expreſſions, there being other ſitter names to be given them, as Adventuring p. 236money, Damage, a free thankfulneſs, &c.

Reply, Uſury by its uſage has gotten an ill name, he ſaith, it is the name that frights people, &c. And ſo he citeth Spanhemius and Calvin in Latin, which I will not tranſlate, having enough elſe to do, but thus much I will ſay,

1 Uſury has gotten an ill name ſure enough, and that deſervedly, it being ſuch an odious thing, becauſe the Uſurer will have his ſix in the hunred, and ſometimes more, whether the borrower win or loſe.

As for Calvin …s word and wiſh, I will go a little farther with him, ſaying, It were to be wiſhed that ALL ƲSƲRY, yea and the very name of it were baniſhed out of the world: And again, I ſay with Calvin, we muſt always hold that it is ſcarce poſſible that he which takes Ʋſury ſhould not wrong his Brother, and yet farther, I will ſay with the ſame godly man Calvin, that it can hardly be that an Ʋſurer may be found in the world, which is not given to unjuſt and filthy Lucre. Thus far Calvin and I agree, for all the Champions endeavour to ſet us at variance.

As for my Couſin Spanhemius by him here cited in Latin too, I wonder why he will quote him any more, ſeeing he has after his writing for ſome Uſury ſeveral leaves, given up Uſuries cauſe, ſo that he and I are now agreed.

Num. 4. Mr, Jel. 3. Addit. Obj. Why may not I get by my money as well as others by their ground, &c.

Anſw. Becauſe the one is expreſly forbidden, but not the other.

Reply, So is the Uſury of Victuals, &c.

But the Queſtion ſtill is, whether univerſally?

Anſw. That all this hath been anſwered ſufficiently.

Mr. Jelinger Anſwers farther, Lending is a liberal Contract, whereas ſetting and ſelling is mercenary.

Reply, Why may not Lending be mercenary too?

I anſwer, 1. That our Maſters and **Et arti…ici pe…it… in ſua arte credendum. Shoppius in ſua Logica.Doctors in the Civil Law, whereunto ſuch Contracts properly do appertain, do teach us ſo.

2. And becauſe he will ſay this is but mens ſaying, I add, that our Great Maſter Chriſt himſelf makes lending freely, ſaying, Lend freely, as ſome Tranſlations have it, Luke 6.35.

And 3. I anſwer, that all that which the Champion here ſaith till we come to p. 107. has been ſo largely anſwered formerly, as that his Grotius with his limitations, cannot confute p. 237and overthrow it, I am confident, appealing to the Reader for it.

And whereas the Champion ſaith, that I have given but a lame account of Exod. 22.14, 15. I anſwer thereunto, that he comes off but with a lame Charge, wherewith he charges me, becauſe he cannot make it good; and therefore betakes himſelf to a new, being gone of a ſudden.

Num. 5. Mr. Jel. Of no greater force againſt Uſury is what he adds, and according to the Law of man alſo, which ſaith, that the Commodary is not bound to a fortuitous caſe, or accident, unleſs he have bound himſelf.

Whereas to money lent, the Borrower ſtands to all hazards, and the Uſurer to none.

Reply, But has not the Borrower bound himſelf too? And does not the Lender ſtand to no hazard? Even the ſame that a Seller does, that gives days of payment: Whereof Biſhop Hall makes mention. But I deſire to anſwer more fully, And,

1. That it is the Borrowers miſery that he muſt be ſo bound to a wretched Uſurer for unlawful Uſe, and the Uſurers ſin that he binds men to all hazards, and to pay forbidden Uſury too. And

2. To the Uſurers hazard let Dr. Luther anſwer: And yet will not the Uſurer take upon him any adventure or hazard. Whereunto another great **Moſ.▪Author adds this, Will any man ſay that the Ʋſurer adventureth, or meaneth to adventure, or thinketh that he doth adventure the Principal? No aſſuredly, for becauſe he will not adventure, he will never lend upon Ʋſury to a man that is not ſufficient. No Ʋſurer will lend to a poor man, ſaith ††Plutarch de non f…en.Plutarch, nor he will not lend to a rich man for two years, but with new Sureties, for fear, I trow, that he or they will be undone in few years by Ʋſury, and ſo not being able to pay he ſhould loſe his advantage. Thus he, I ſuperadd, yea from half year to half year Ʋſurers bind now, and put in extents into their Ʋſury Writings and Bonds, whereas thoſe that ſell to a day never make this ſo ſure, and therefore are at great hazards. So that Biſhop Hall here can do the Champion but little good, nor Biſhop Taylor: But of this I have ſpoken already ſufficiently.

Num. 6. But I find him miſtaken, ſaith the Ch. concerning the account he gives of the Law of man, concerning the Commodary; if Grotius ſpeaks true.

Whereunto I anſwer, I will ſet down the very words of the p. 238Law, for then I cannot be miſtaken. The words are, The Commodary is not bound to a fortuitous caſe, unleſs he have bound himſelf to ballance his Grotius, whom himſelf thinks not to be very ſure, becauſe he ſaith, if Grotius ſpeaks true, I will ballance a ſurer, viz. bleſſed Bolton, who ſaith as I ſay, A thing that is hired, if it periſh without the default of the hirers, it periſhes to the owner.

1. Becauſe he is the owner.

2. Becauſe it went for the hire according to Gods Law, Exod. 22.15. See the **Videatur etiam Toſtatus in Exod. 22. p. 419. de Commodatario & in l. 3, 4. & in Digeſt. de regul. in l. contr. de Actionibus & obligat. l. 1. §. 15. qui & Foroneus apud Iſidor. Eth. cap. 18. Foroneus in …iam de hac re qui prim is Iraecis leges dedit, & pauco tempore ante Iſraelitaerum exitum ex Aegypto fuerat ut id. aſſerit. Auguſt. de Civ. Dei, l. 18.Exod 22Margin alſo.

Now let all true Engliſh Hearts chuſe again whom they will liſten unto, this Grotius who whom they never read or heard of before now, and who is one of them that are againſt the ſtrict keeping of the Chriſtian Sabbath, and therefore unſound in Doctrine and in practice, differing from them in their godly practiſes; or to that ſound and holy man, Mr. Bolton, whom they do and can read in their Mother tongue, moſt learnedly writing againſt Uſury, (even as others alſo do) and of other excellent Subjects tending to Godlineſs, and made a moſt godly end; ††To uſe the words of Diavelarius in his Alt. Damaſc. & Rob. Bruſſ…s, anima mea cumand to whoſe pious Soul mine alſo deſires to go when it goeth hence, that as we have warred together here againſt execrable Uſury, ſo we may live together hereafter, and be Crowned together with the Crown of Glory.

Num, 7. But I ſee this Adverſary would have me anſwer to thirteen Queſtions, to which bold and ſawcy propoſal I ſhall ſay thus much.

That as Chriſt ſaid once when he was asked, By what Authority doſt thou theſe things? Matth. 21.23.24. So I will aſk him but five Queſtions alſo, to which if he anſwer me ſolidly, I will anſwer ſuch of his queſtions as are worth the anſwering next, thinking it neceſſary and fit to anſwer but one of the thirteen now.

The Firſt of my Queſtions is, How this Champion can juſtifie the putting out of his money upon Uſury, without any allowance of any expreſs Scripture, making it lawful for him ſo to do?

p. 239The Second Queſtion is, Whether he have ever made any reſtitution of all the mony which he has taken for the uſe and loan of his money, ſince he firſt began to be a lender upon Uſury?

The Third Queſtion, Whether his Conſcience doth not check and ſmite him, when he receives his Uſury Money of ſuch and ſuch? He knows whom I mean.

The Fourth Queſtion, By what Scripture he will prove the lawfulneſs of his moderate Uſury by him maintained? Seeing that not only Neſheck, biring, but Tarbith, that is any increaſe, is by the word of God forbidden as a ſin, as a Great Parliament of England declares it, ſaying: That all Ʋſury being forbidden by the word of God, is ſin and deteſtable, &c.

The Fifth Queſtion, Whether he that does not obſerve the godly cautions preſcribed by godly Divines, may be excuſed and eſcape in that great day, by Jam. 3.2. In many things we offend all.

As for that one Queſtion, which at preſent I will only anſwer, is the very firſt.

Whether I have made reſtitution of three pounds for money put into a Tradeſmans hands.

Whereunto I anſwer, That I have no need to make ſuch reſtitution, becauſe I never lent to a Tradeſman or any man elſe in the whole world, any money upon Uſury; God is my witneſs, let any prove it if they can. I add, that this hath been ſufficiently ſifted already by thoſe which have heard of it, for I have proffered before many witneſſes to a perſon which gave out ſuch a report, a great ſum of money, if he could make it appear that ever I lent to any perſon upon Uſury in all my life, but it could never yet be proved.

And no new thing it is for the Servants of God to be ſo uſed, Athanaſius for Writing againſt the Arrians, was accuſed and charged with murther and uncleanneſs: Calvin for Writing and ſtanding againſt Popery had a Book written againſt him by Bolſecus an Apoſtate, charging him with Sodomy. So Luther in his life time had moſt hainous things laid to his charge in Print; and one of the Champions Friends whom I forbear to name, and Mr. Moſs, for writing againſt Uſury, was ſaid to be an Uſurer himſelf, as he writes himſelf: Yea Nehemiah himſelf, who was ſuch a notable enemy to all Uſury, has been made an Uſurer himſelf by ſome Vſurers Tranſlations, as out of Biſhop Downam I have proved it: So that no wonder it is that Satan that old Lyar, playeth his old Game of Lying againſt me the leaſt of all Gods ſlandered, belied, reviled Servants alſo, after my laborious Writing and ſetting my ſelf againſt his p. 240great Idol, which he has ſet up in the World, Vſury I mean, the Vſurers Great Diana, but confident I am, that my God, whoſe Truth I am vindicating, will deliver me and clear mine innocency gratiouſly, To whom alone be all Honour and Glory.

Num. 9. And now I have no more to do, but to Exhort and to Pray,

1. To Exhort. And

1. My Brethren in the Miniſtry, that

1. They themſelves above all men ſhould abſtain from that great and grievous ſin of Vſury, **Which cauſed a famous Writer to ſay, we Miniſters are to be blamed for many of the exorbitancies of our people, becauſe of our example we harden them in their ſin.becauſe by their practice and example, ſo many thouſand Souls are led and drawn down to hell, when they ſee them which ſhould ſhew them the way to Heaven and Salvation, ††I mean thoſe Miniſters only which are Ʋſurers.ſhew them the way to Hell and Deſtruction by their taking of Neſheck and Tarbith, Vſury and Increaſe, contrary to Gods own Inhibition. For what do they ſay when I and others do Preach and Print againſt that odious ſin? If Vſury were ſuch a damnable ſin as ſome make it, ſuch and ſuch a Miniſter (naming thee that art a lender upon Vſury, by thy very name) would not lend his money after that manner. Whereupon, ſaith one, I know where he lends ſo much to ſuch a one, who pays him according to the uſual rate; nay ſaith another, I had hundreds of ſuch a Miniſter, and becauſe I paid but five in the hundred, he vvas not contented becauſe I paid not ſix, when of another, who though he vvas a Vſurer too, yet let me have it for three in the hundred. Thus they talk of Miniſters, vvhichwhich cauſed a Godly Miniſter in diſcourſing vvith me about it, to ſay to me, that he did ever hate Vſury, and would not take any though never ſo little, if he might gain the World, becauſe of the bad example which a Miniſter gives to others: And again he ſaid, Many of our Miniſters now turn Vſurers, and their Hearers turn after them, making that the cauſe of it, why there are ſo many Vſurers now; whereas ſome years ago, men counted Vſury to be ſo odious a thing as that few would venture upon it.

Num, 10. The conſideration whereof impels me therefore to beſeech you, dear Brethren, for the Lords ſake, and for your own dear Souls ſake, and for the ſake of thoſe precious Souls which Chriſt has redeemed with his own blood, and are committed to your care and charge, and guided and led by p. 241your **Even as they are led by the examples of their Magiſtrates, being always apt to receive either good or bad impreſſions, according to their deportment, as Tamberlain told Axalla. Clerk p. 218.example, that you will not have any hand at all in Uſuries filthy and abominable trade and occupation, by lending your money as many do upon Uſury, as being moſt deeply charged by that faithful and pious Servant of God, Nehemiah 5.10. I pray you let vsus leave off this Ʋſury. He doth not call Uſury Neſheck, biting, as if biting and oppreſſive Uſury were unlawful only, but foreign a burden, becauſe Uſury is a burden indeed, as poor Borrowers find it and feel it, though they pay but ſix in the hundred, when out of their Eſtates they muſt pay ten, twenty, or thirty pounds for Uſury by the year, which to my knowledge has undone many who have been forced to ſell their Means.

I am the more earneſt in this, becauſe Prieſts and Clergy men in all Ages have been ever ſpoken againſt and cenſured for Uſury, if they were guilty of it; it being thought to be a thing above all other men, moſt unbeſeeming and unbecoming them: I will inſtance only,

1. In the Jews, among whom as Lira Writes, their Prieſts might not ſo much as lend to ſtrangers, though others could. And

2. In the holy Council of Nice, (beſides which I could nominate many more) which did moſt ſeverely cenſure ſuch Clergymen as were Uſurers.

And 3. I will quote Gregory the Great, who ſaith expreſly, That they are not to be ordained for the Miniſtry, who are convicted that they have taken Ʋſury: Which ſaying of his is alſo cited in the Decretals.

Num. 10.2. And I muſt yet farther deſire all godly Miniſters, to joyn with their Brethren which are againſt all Uſury, and cry it down as they do, hearkning to that learned Dr. ††Dr. Welleius upon Pfal. 15.Welleius thus Writing. Teachers and Paſtors are to be admoniſhed, that vehemently in their Sermons, they inveigh againſt Ʋſury, and that they lay before men the threats of God, and ſhew them how horrible a Monſter an Ʋſurer is, which is worſe than any Thief, Robber, or Murderer. I add, and that they will imitate therein Moſes, that man of God, and Ezekiel, and Nehemiah, who ſo cryed Uſury down in their time, and all the holy Councils and Fathers in their time, and Luther who did the like in his p. 242time, **Which I mention twice becauſe it is ſo notable.exhorting Profeſſors in Univerſities to read it down in their Lectures, Miniſters in their Pulpits to preach it down, and Schoolmaſters in their Schools to teach their Scholars to hate it from their youth up, and when they are grown up to labour every where to put it down. But I muſt go yet farther, endeared Brethren, beſeeching you that you will go and joyn to throw it down, as that holy, incomparable, and wonderful man, Archbiſhop Ʋſher, did go to put it down in his Body of Divinity, ſeven times Printed, p. 300. where he ſaith as I ſaid once already, That it is a moſt wicked and unlawful contract, &c. which if we live and die in without Repentance, we are excluded out of the Kingdom of Heaven, which he proveth by Pſal. 15.1, 5. Ezek. 18.12. Ch. 22.

Again, I muſt deſire you to joyn with the famous and moſt learned Biſhop Jewel, the Jewel of England, and the Renowned Biſhop Downam, and that mirror of all manner of Learning, Biſhop Andrews, of whom a very able Divine gave me very lately this Character; that he was the learnedſt man that ever England had, and who has written, as I ſaid formerly, a Book purpoſely to ſhew that even Ʋſura licita eſt illicita; and for his excellency in all manner of Learning, is extolled by great Spanhemius himſelf, in his Evangelical Doubts, and by Name in his Diſpute of Ʋſury: So that you need not to be aſhamed to Preach and to preſs this great and noble Truth of Vſuries unlawfulneſs, which has been preached, publiſhed, proved, and maintained by ſuch Worthies: Nor ſhould you count it needleſs, becauſe the whole World is concerned in it, eſpecially upon the account of Trades, wherein men commonly make Uſury their Standard, and becauſe thoſe many thouſand, thouſand Souls which are in the World, and are more worth than all the world, Matth. 16.26. (and are blindfoldedly led into that grievous ſin by commoneſs and ††When they ſee Miniſters practice it, whoſe ſin therefore is the greater? As Salvian, quo ſublimior praerogativa eo major culpa. De Gub. Dei. l. 4.example and ignorance,) ſhould be made to know what it is, and how unlawful and execrable it is in the ſight of God and good men, and how damnable, that they may not be unexpectedly and ſuddenly caſt into that formidable Lake (which burneth with fire and brimſtone) for this very ſin of Vſury, which God in mercy prevent, by giving them true and ſpeedy Repentance.

Well, me thinks I cannot but hope that many good Miniſters p. 243will hearken to good counſel, and cry down this great and grievous evil, as their Predeceſſors have done heretofore, becauſe ſome are and have been awakened of late already, and begin to Preach it down very much, ſaying as I am told, that whereas ſome ſpeak againſt Ceremonies as evil, they do that which is worſe, by lending their money upon uſury, and deſending it againſt the expreſs Word of God, which in plain terms forbids it; and I have heard of one noted Miniſter eſpecially, whoſe Son is a Learned Biſhop, that to make that odious ſin of Uſury yet more odious, he called it that whelping of money, as he was Preaching a worthy Knights Funeral Sermon, before a great company of Hearers, ſaying in the commendation of that eminent Knight, that he was no Uſurer, for he could never abide that whelping of money.

Whereunto he added, Pardon me for uſing this expreſſion, it was his own when he lived, that he could never abide it, and therefore he never lent any of his money upon Uſury: For the certainty of which remarkable Report, I did ask the Preacher himſelf being in his Company very lately, and he owned it; ſo that I ſay again, that to be hoped it is, that more Miniſters will follow, which that it may prove ſo, is the prayer of him that has written theſe Lines; wiſhing that he might write them with his Blood and not with Ink, if it would pleaſe God, and he might do any poor Soul good thereby, and free it from that bloody ſin of Uſury, called Murder, even by Calvin himſelf and many others. And wiſhing farther, that the Great God, which hates and forbids both Neſheck and Tarbith, Vſury and all Increaſe, would be pleaſed to write the ſame which is written in Deut. 23.19. and hereto, with his own Finger as with the Pen of a Diamond, Jer. 17.1. in mens hearts, putting the point of it upon their hearts, and eſpecially the hearts of thoſe that practice Vſury and defend it, their hearts being made truly penitent and deeply ſenſible by himſelf, that being diſſwaded they may wholly forbear all Ʋſury, as himſelf would have them to do, Ezek. 18.8.

Moſt Great God, Fulfil this thy Servants Vote, and hear him graciouſly, for the ſake of thy Son, who is alſo againſt that mercenary kind of lending, called Ʋſury, ſaying: Lend freely, hoping for nothing from thence, Luke 6.35. Amen, So be it.

And ſo I have done with Miniſters firſt.

p. 2442. AND You, Gentlemen, whatſoever you do, do not put your money to uſury; for you have Eſtates to live by comfortably, and if that which you have be not enough, you may buy more, and you have no need at all to live by Vſury, as many others plead that they muſt, becauſe they have no Lands, but Moneys only to employ for their maintenance. Oh that you would hearken unto me in this! Oh that you would do as other great ones, even Heathens have done, thoſe great Emperours Tiberius and others I mean, who would rather lend freely to others to prevent Vſurers, than to be Vſurers themſelves.

Oh let not theſe Heathens riſe up in Judgment againſt you.

2. And you Old Men, who have one Foot in the Grave already, do not take up that curſed Practice of Vſury, becauſe Age doth diſenable you from following a lawful Calling, leſt with both Feet you be made to go into Hell, when Chriſt comes to Judge the World in Righteouſneſs, and to adjudge Vſurers to everlaſting deſtruction for their unrighteouſneſs, and for deſpiſing and diſobeying his righteous Commandment, Luke 6.35. Lend, hoping for nothing from thence.

4. So you Young Men, do not you live in that great ſin of ſins, for as that great Apoſtle wrote of you, 1 John 2.14. ſo do I ſay to you, You are ſtrong; and can employ your ſelves and your ſtrength in lawful Callings, Trades, and ways of Living, and have no need to take up ſuch a lazy Trade as this of Vſury is, which even a poor Heathen calls Quaeſtuoſam ſegnitiem, a gainful lazineſs: You may take an example from other young ones, which ſince my firſt Book againſt Vſury came out, did promiſe me faithfully that themſelves would come out of that deteſtable ſin, intreating me to direct them in it, which alſo I did.

5. To Orphans and Widows I ſay, O let not thoſe to whom God all-gracious has made ſuch gracious promiſes, and for whom he hath made a ſpecial Law to ſecure them, become Tranſgreſſors of the very next Law to it, Exod. 22.22, 23. Nor let them for whom he takes ſuch ſpecial care by his Providence, be ſo ungracious and ungrateful as to miſtruſt him, that he will not provide lawful ways and means for them, whereby their portion and moneys may be employed for their maintenance, and ſupport, and let them not provide for themſelves Vſury p. 245Bags, therein to put their Uſury money for their ſuſtenance, for fear leſt they put it in Bags that have holes; and will not hold their diſhoneſt gain long; God ſmiring at it with his fiſt, as he has menaced it, in Ezek. 22: 13. and ſo their money periſh and they too with it for ever.

I add, Orphans are coming into the world, Widows, who intend to continue, are looked upon as going out of the world, and ſhall theſe two Ages which above all other ought to be made heavenly, the one for Innocency, the other for Devotion, be ſtained with Uſury? Chriſt is Alpha and Omega unto us, the firſt and the laſt, the beginning and the end; and ſhall the Alpha of our Nonage, and the Omega of our Dotage, be dedicated to Uſury? Chriſt calls himſelf by the name of the firſt Letter in the Alphabet, that Children may learn Chriſt ſo ſoon as they are able to know their Letters; and ſhall we ſuffer our Children to be died in the Wool of their Infancy, with the Scarlet Sin of Uſury? And will our Widows be tinctured ſo too? God forbid.

O that poor Orphans and Fatherleſs Children would all do as ſome of them have promiſed me, that they would leave that filthy ſin of Uſury from henceforth, being convinced by my Ʋſurer caſt, and never more have to do with it, deſiring me to ſhew them a way whereby they may lawfully and without Uſury employ their money, which I promiſed and did: The Lord give a bleſſing to it: And what I ſay of and to Orphans, I ſay to Widows alſo.

O that you alſo would do as that Miniſters Widow, which having read and well conſidered what is written in the ſaid Ʋ ſurer caſt, left that deteſtable ſin of Uſury, and made a full and free reſtitution.

Num. 13.6. To ſuch as profeſs Godlineſs and bear the name of Good People, I ſhall ſpeak next: O do not you embark with that ſort of people which are called Uſurers (forſooth) in the ſame brittle and dangerous Veſſel called Uſury, leſt together with them you alſo be caſt away in the Sea of Wrath, called Hell, otherwiſe the very Pit of Hell, to which Uſurers and their Uſury are condemned of old by the Scriptures, Ezek. 18.12. by Councils, by the holy Fathers, **B. Down, in Pſal. 15.Ps 15By Schoolmen, and all ſorts of wiſe and holy Writers, as one has made it ††Idem ibid. The Schoolmen retain the Doctrine of the Primitive Church about Ʋſury: and deep learned men they are, for I have heard them, read their learned Lectures in the Sorbone of Paris.good, p. 246whoſe words I will relate. The Philoſophers, tho Heathens, have written and ſpoken againſt Ʋſury, and will you Chriſtians practiſe it, ſay I? The Fathers of the Church have with one conſent condemned it, ſaith the ſame great Author; yet farther I add, And will you do what theſe holy men (who have lived ſo holily and ſo angelically, as that they heard ſome of them the Angels ſing) condemn to the bottomleſs Pit, preferring what ſome young Divines tell you, before the grave and Scriptural Sayings of thoſe Aged Saints?

And let this be minded by you too, what hurt you do to many other poor Souls by your practice: For what do they ſay of you? If Uſury were ſo bad as ſome make it, what will become of ſuch and ſuch, who I am ſure have as good Souls to God, as thoſe which prate and preach ſo much againſt it?

Ah poor Profeſſors, you did not think upon this it may be heretofore, but now give your minds to it, and ſay as **Pſal. 4.17.Ps 4:17David, What have theſe Sheep done? So what have thoſe poor filly creatures, whom we draw in by our example, done to us, that we ſhould bring ſo much evil upon them? And ſo though ignorant and ſilly creatures do offend in this kind of harm, by bringing one another into the ſame condemnation by their example, yet do not you ſo go to Hell with thoſe whom they draw to bear them company.

Again, Let this be thought upon by ye, my Brethren, that if you ſhall refuſe to leave and ſhun that filthy ſin of Uſury, you will make all men that know you to live in that ſin, ſay of you, that you have but a form of Godlineſs, and deny the power thereof, as it is ſaid that ſome ſhall do in the latter days, 2 Tim. 3.1. Becauſe no truly pious man will defile himſelf (as ſaith Lactantius▪ that ancient Latin Father) with that iniquity.

And therefore for the Lords ſake, do not caſt in your Lot among the Lots of Uſury-mongers, whoſe ſin is Lottery, unlawful Lottery, becauſe their Principal is called ſors, that is, Lottery, whence comes Uſury, which therefore well may be called Lottery. I ſay again, do not caſt in your Lot, your Portions, your Money among and with theirs, leſt though you ſeem to win, you ‖‖Which what an extreme folly and deſperate madneſs it is, for Ʋſury, which is not the tenth part of a mans money, to caſt away his Soul; which thou oughteſt not to hazard for the gain of the whole World. See Matth. 16.26.Matt 16:26loſe your immortal Souls, and heaven it ſelf for ever, as every one doth who liveth and dieth in the ſin of p. 247Vſury, though he get by it a little painted earth, ſee Pſal. 15.1, 5.

The Lord awaken poor deluded Souls, that they may depart from the Uſurers Tents, and from that foul deſtroying ſin of USURY, before they depart out of this preſent World, being deprived of the uſe of Light and Life, and before the decree be gone forth againſt them, that they ſhall die the ſecond death, which is burning, burning, burning in a Lake of Fire for ever and ever. See Ezek. 18.12, 13. Rev. 21.8.

Num. 14.7. And Laſtly, What I ſay to thoſe which even now I named, I ſay to all: O let them all leave that horrid ſin of Uſury, and hate it and ſhun it like a biting Serpent: For a **By Pagnine and others, morſura ſerpentis.Serpent it is and has been called before I was born, as I have formerly ſhewn it. And let this be alſo taken into conſideration, (for conſideration is here allowed, which if Vſury be meant it is prohibited) that it will be your wiſdom to chuſe the ſafeſt; for vvhichwhich advice I vvill name ſix great Divines at preſent, vvho ſay it.

1. ††Antoninus ſum. part 1. num. 1. tit. 20. de regul. juris.Antoninus, It is a Maxim in Lavv, faith he, that in doubtful caſes vve muſt take the ſafeſt vvay.

2. ‖‖Andreas Alciates, reſponſ. l. 1. concil, 3. cap. 24.Alciates, When it is a doubt or queſtion, vvhether a thing be a ſin or no, it is to be held that it is a ſin, becauſe that it is the ſafeſt opinion. So he,

3. **Dr. Ham. in his Pract. Cat.Dr. Hammond, In matters of this Nature, I conceive it to be our duty to take the ſafeſt courſe.

4. ††Archbiſhop Vſher in his Body of Divinity, p. 300.So Archbiſhop Vſher, It will be our beſt way to take the ſureſt courſe, which is wholly to forbid it (ſpeaking of Ʋſury.)

5. ‖‖Mr. Fr. Whidden the Elder, in his Topaz. p. 85. So Mr. Noſvvorthy.So pious Mr. Francis Whidden ſaith the ſame, In doubtful things take the ſureſt and ſafeſt way: Inſtancing in this.

Which 2. Manuduceth and brings me to the Figure mentioned and promiſed in the ſaid Title Page, and here ſet out and repreſented in the next Page, for a Chriſtian Traveller to make his choice of one of the vvays lying before him in the ſaid Figure, vvhichwhich novv immediately follovvs.

Of Two Ways; One Safe leading to Heaven, the Other a Dangerous and Deadly, leading to Hell.

The Safe Way is not to lend upon Ʋſury, according to Pſal. 15.5.

The Dangerous and Deadly is lending upon Ʋſury, as Ezekiel repreſents it, ch. 18.12, 13. whereby a Chriſtian Traveller is put and left to chuſe one.

p. 249Num: 16. A Citation annexed.

WHich citeth all the Commitants of that odious ſin of Uſury, to anſwer for themſelves before Jeſus Chriſt, (who hath ſaid, lend, hoping for nothing from thence (Luke 6.35.) at that great and terrible day, when Moſes, and David, and Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and Nehemiah will appear againſt them, and ſtand with great boldneſs before them, to bear witneſs againſt them; together with very many Antient Councils, and a Multitude of particular Fathers, which have moſt bitterly written againſt them; and a numberleſs Company of School Divines, Caſuiſts, **The civil Lawyers and Papiſts, which have written ſo much againſt Ʋſury, will condemn the Patrons of Ʋſury in the day of Judgment. Phil. Caeſar. p. 20.Civilians and a world of Proteſtant Writers and Preachers, Lutheran, and reformed, Daniſh, Polandiſh, Dutch, French, Scottiſh, Iriſh, Engliſh, Helvetian, Belgick, beſides Heatheniſh Poets, Orators, Philoſophers, Hiſtorians; and when Mahomet himſelf alſo whom his Alcaron is againſt Uſury and forbids it, and with his blinded Mahometants will ariſe againſt Uſurers, and teſtify againſt them: As the Lord Jeſus Chriſt tells us that the men of Ninive ††With whom we may joyn other Heathens too, which do abhor Ʋſury, the they never heard Chriſt ſpeak againſt it, but their Philoſophers only by whoſe witneſs their Pains in Hell ſhall be encreaſed, which in ſo great a light of the Goſpel have remained impenitent. P. Caeſar p. …5.will riſe againſt that generation, which then lived and heard him, and ſaw his wonders and would not repent, Mat. 12.41. Even as that ſad Generation of Uſurers which hearing him in his Miniſters ſaying, let us leave off this Ʋſury▪ Nehemiah 5.10. And will not repent tho guilty of a ſin which is called Sodomy in nature, by great ‖‖Hugo. Comm. in Pſal. 15.Ps 15Divines. I add, and when the Jews alſo themſelves, which from time to time have been great Uſurers, yet will riſe againſt the Chriſtian Uſurers, otherwiſe **The civil Lawyers and Papiſts, which have written ſo much againſt Ʋſury, will condemn the Patrons of Ʋſury in the day of Judgment. Phil. Caeſar. p. 20.baptized Jews, becauſe they will not lend to their brethren, which are Jews, and they, being Chriſtians, would lend to their Chriſtian brethren upon Uſury and condemn them, O ſad! ſad! ſad!

Thus that faithful Martyr and Witneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, John p. 250Huſs who was burnt at Coſtnich for Religion, cited the Council of Coſtnich, which condemned him; ſaying, after a hundred years hence ye ſhall anſwer God and me; which fell out accordingly, when one hundred years after great Luther roſe againſt the Pope as he did the ſame time riſe againſt all the Uſurers of the world by his writing that famous Book De Taxanda Ʋſura, of Taxing Uſury, anſwerably thereunto, I am riſen alſo now, to tax Uſury, and Uſurers in and by thoſe Books which I have written, and ſhall write againſt the ſame; and do tell Uſurers to their faces, by this Citation, that they muſt and ſhall anſwer; I will not ſay an hundred years hence, but very ſhortly, becauſe the end of the world and that great day are at hand, and the Judge ſtands at the door, ready to judge them: Anſwer, I ſay they muſt; thoſe learned and great men, which in great numbers have ſpoken, written and teſtified againſt them, and their wicked and ungodly trade of Uſury, and me alſo the unworthieſt of all the Lords ſervants▪ who have written ſeveral books againſt them, and Preached at leaſt fifteen Sermons beſides at a publick Lecture in a certain Town called Kings-Bridge, to reclaim them, but could not work upon them (ſome few excepted, which were then converted by Gods bleſſing) and do now tell them, that they muſt prepare themſelves as well as they can; if they will needs ſtand it out to defend that deteſtible ſin of Uſury, as a great Parliament of England calls it, and that they bring with them their ſtrong reaſons, Papers, and Writings, if they think they will be able to endure that terrible fire, which will devour before that formidable Judge, who will judge them and me, and thereby put an end to this great Controverſy which is between them and his Godly ſervants; which together with my diſpiſeable ſelf will make their appearance againſt them, and with great animoſity teſtify againſt them, whereunto ſhall be added no more than this. And who, being a wretched Uſurer, whom his own ††Which divers learned Writers do therefore call Forum or a Court wherein Men are Convented, accuſed, condemned. Philo. Gregor. Theol. Langius in Juſtin Martyr.Conſcience has before hand accuſed and condemned, even in this world, and abide his coming; and with his Uſury bills and bonds ſtand before him and that devouring fire. Oh dreadful! dreadful! dreadful! Oh that theſe poor deluded Creatures, whom we call Uſurers would hearken to this, and be perſwaded; would burn their Uſury books and p. 251Papers: As a certain Miniſter did cauſe to Order his Uſury Papers to be burnt after his deceaſe (as one of his neer Relations told me) Execrating Uſury, would not live one half hour longer in that evil of Evils! would liſten no more to their former Leaders, which miſled them, and truſt no further to their nice diſcourſes, and ſubtile diſtinctions (as that renowned **Arch B. Vſher in his Body of Divin. p. 300.Lord Primate of Ireland Arſh-Biſhop Ʋſher calls them) as they tender the Salvation of their immortal ſouls, and would be ruled by the unerring word of God, which prohibits all Vſury, properly ſo called, Deut. 23.19. And ſheweth what it is, even any Vſurious increaſe, Ezek. 18.8. Which cuts in pieces all frivolous Effugies, Shifts, and diſtinctions uſed by the Defendants, of ſhameleſs and opprobrious Vſury. The Lord my God awaken them, and all their Adherents by this direful Citation; that they may repent and turn, and not be caſt into the bottomleſs Pit, therein to burn, burn, burn, to all Eternity.

This Citation is added by reaſon of ſome, who being Vſurers and Vſurerers Champions, will not be anſwered; nor convinced of the unlawfulneſs of Vſury, by the ſtrongeſt arguments from the holy Scriptures deduced, and by the greateſt Wits and holieſt men in the World; ſuch I mean as the Holy Fathers, and Godly Proteſtant Writers, were, and are, managed Syllogiſtically and otherwiſe, which hath inforced this Citation to come forth, citing them to anſwer to that which is laid to their Charge about Criminal and deteſtible Vſury, before Jeſus Chriſt, who will impartially decide this grand Queſtion, whether Vſury properly ſo called, and is now practiſed in the world; with his own ſacred mouth, according to his Goſpel lend freely (as ſome render his words) hoping for nothing from thence, Luke 6.35. To ſtop all Vſurers mouths who then and thereupon will be judged to Aeviternal Death and Flames, except they now repent. O direful, direful, direful, Deſire!

Num. 17. I ſuperadd; and becauſe ſome will condemn me for being ſingular, as if none did proceed ſo harſhly againſt Criminal Vſury: I will take Biſhop ††Downa…. upon Pſal. 15.5.Ps 15:5Downam for my ſecond (as I am wont in all matters concerning Vſury, to bring ſome of the holieſt and learnedſt men, that have flouriſhed in the world, through the ages paſt, to ſtand by me, next unto God, and his holy Word) His going to work is this.

p. 2521. He frameth a Sylogiſm to prove the Vſurers moſt certain Damnation without repentance, out of Pſal. 15.1, 5. Lord who ſhall dwell in thy holy hill — He that puts not his mony to Ʋſury.

And his Syllogiſm is this.

He that ſhall inherit the Kingdom of God, doth not put forth his mony to Vſury.

But thou (ſay) to the Uſurer, or him that lendeth for gain, doſt put forth thy mony to Uſury.

Thou therefore (unleſs thou repent) ſhalt not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, but ſhalt be caſt out of the heavenly Jeruſalem, and **Revel. 21.8.Rev 21:8ſhalt have thy part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimſtone: Thus famous and learned Biſhop Downam, Syllogiſeth and writeth as bitterly as I; yea, much more againſt the wretched Uſurer, which ſhews how my Doctrine concerning the …ſurers Damnation is confirmed by this great man.

2. He Citeth him to anſwer him at Chriſt's Tribunal, ſaying; Ʋnto which Syllogiſm, let every Ʋſurer Conſider how he ſhall be able to ANSWER BEFORE THE LORD. Mark this, poor Condemned ƲSƲRER.

So that here two of us thus bring this Citation againſt the ſaid miſerable Uſurer, and we have a Proverbial ſaying. Ne Hercules quidem contra Duos.

Hercules himſelf cannot ſtand before and againſt two. And to make this a threefold Cord which cannot be broken, I can add a third viz. ††Doctor Fenton, that famous London Miniſter.Doctor Fenton who ſaith, alas, poor Soul, whither wilt thou turn thy ſelf for ſuccour, when thy beſt Friends forſake thee? what wilt thou plead for thy ſelf, when thou comeſt before the Eternal Judge upon thy Trial?

But if God himſelf, beſides us, be againſt him, and for us, as indeed he is, (as has been ſufficiently proved) it muſt needs be worſe for him to ſubſiſt, and to ſtand it out; for if God be for us, who can be againſt us, Rom. 8.31. Where let this be thought upon alſo, What a dreadful day that great day of Judgment will be to the Uſurer ſo cited; if that which ſome write of that terrible day ſhould be true, viz. That it will laſt thouſands of years, I ſay, if not the termining any p. 253thing about it, but contenting my ſelf only with the naming the Authors of that Opinion, which are, **Gemera. Sank. Cap. Col. Iſrael.Gemara, All Cabaliſts, ††Carpentarius.Carpentarius, ‖‖Rabbi Ketina. Though I do not deliver it as a Scriptural Verrity.Rabbi Ketina: And leſt it ſhould be thought ſtrange that I mention this thing, I muſt and ſhall make this Apologie for my ſelf, that the famous Mead alſo mentioneth the ſame in his Writings upon the Revelation. The poor cited Uſurer may do well to pauſe a little upon this Citation.

The Uſurers Laſt WILL and TESTAMENT, Foregoing his burial which is to come, added, out of Thomas Beards Doctors of Divinity Theatre of Gods Judgments, p. 476.

MY Soul, Num. 18.Num 18quoth the Uſurer, I bequeath to the Divel who is Owner of it, my Wife likewiſe to the Devil, who induced me to this ungodly trade of Life, and my Deacon to the Devil, for ſoothing me up, and not reproving me for my faults, and in this deſperate perſwaſion died incontinently; which occaſioned me therefore to reprove Uſurers ſo ſharply as I do, and to deal with p. 254Uſury ſo roughly, and to Condemne it to the Pit of Hell; leſt one Uſurer or other that heard, or read me, ſhould like this Uſurer, bequeath me alſo, when he is dying, to the Devil, for ſoothing him up in his ſin, as doubtleſs many Uſurers do and will ſo bequeath, when they lye upon their death beds, thoſe Miniſters, which defend Uſury, for ſoothing them up in that abominable ſin, and not ſpeaking, or preaching againſt it all the year long, as their Hearers tell me, who Condemn them for it here on earth, as God. will hereafter in the place of his dreadful Judgment.

The NARATIVE, Promiſed in the Title Page of an Ʋ ſurers burying by Satan. Out of Lodowick Lloid in his Pilgrimage of Princes, p. 107. Superadded.

AN Uſurer being dead, no man would bear his Corps to be buried by the Law of that City, but ſuch as were of that faculty; all the juſt and good men of that City could not heave up the Coffin; at length came four of his own Science, I mean Uſurers, which eaſily took up the p. 255Coffin, and bare it; to whom one of the City ſaid; behold four Devils can carry the fift eaſily. (Note, they call theſe four Uſurers Devils, and the dead Uſurer a Devil too) and being brought to Church, the Prieſt knowing what he was, ſaid, that he ſhould not be buried in the Church, for that the Church is the houſe of God, and not a Grave for wicked men: His friends carried him unto the high way thinking to make his grave there; There the King's Officers withſtood, and ſaid, that the Kings high way was not meet to bury any man in. In ſtriving between themſelves, the Devil appeared, and ſaid, If they would give him leave, he would bear him into a meet place: They being well contented therewith, the Devil took him out of ſight, and buried him, where he uſeth to bury, in his Cheifeſt Chappel, in HELL.

This is inſerted to make way for the Uſurers future burying, which is to come, when my other Uſury books come forth, and to ſhew, what dreadful thoughts they had in old time of Uſury; that the poor and Condemned Uſurer may fear, and repent and not be buried in that woful place of torment, called Hell.

Which God in mercy grant.

p. 256MY Final Prayer now is to my God, Num. 19.Num 19who has carried me all along through the boyſterous and controverſial Sea of Uſury, and graciouſly brought me to my deſired Haven, that in mercy he would look upon poor Uſurers Souls, and influence the Contents of this Book with his Celeſtial Benediction, as that they may look up to him therein, as calling them out of Darkneſs into his marvelous Light and ſo may repent with ſpeed and live, I ſay with ſpeed, becauſe all mens lives, and ſo theirs too, do run not upon an Helixe, which ſtill encreaſeth, and enlargeth but a Circle, where arriving to their Meridian, they decline again, and at laſt fall under their by God deſtinated Horizon, which to they all preſs amain; ſo that their ſitting and living here cannot be long, nor their ſitting afar off, becauſe their breath is but ſhort of it ſelf, alſo themſelves make it dayly ſhorter by their execrable Uſury, which will bring them, except they repent, quickly to their by God predeſtinated Doom, which is Death and Deſtruction Dolour and Damnation, to an endlels Duration. O my God let Uſurers and their Defendants imbibe this, and digeſt it thorowly, that they may not dye and periſh ſuddenly, falling as Idolaters, into that Lake of Fire, which burneth with Fire and Brimſtone everlaſtingly. Rev. 21.8. For thou haſt ſaid of the Uſurer that taketh encreaſe and giveth forth upon Uſury, **(Or dying ſtill) he ſhall dye, in Hebrew foreign meaning thereby Eternal Death. Down. in Pſal. 15.Ps 15Shall he then live? He ſhall not live, he ſhall ſurely dye: His blood ſhall be upon him. Ezek. 18.12, 13.

O dreadful God, what a dreadful death, this death needs muſt be; becauſe the poor damned Uſurer will be always dying, and yet living in pains, in pangs, in torments, in flames of fire and inſufferable burnings world without end. And therefore O moſt merciful God, have mercy upon him that truly and from the bottom of his heart he may repent, and not fall into that bottomleſs Pit, and ſuffer the vengeance of Eternal Fire. Amen. Amen. So be it.