A Christian Family Built by God, Section 20 – Section 21
SECT. 20.
4. LEt this building be but furniſhed with Gods furniture, and then ye have The Lords building of the houſe, and they ſhall not labour in vain that build it.
Now this houſe is furniſhed two waies.
1. By getting goods.
2. By giving goods.
This may ſeem to be a Paradoxe; but I ſhall ſmooth it before I leave it.
1. We may get good ſixe wayes.
1. By lending.
2. By borrowing.
3. By ſelling.
4. By buying.
5. By letting.
6. By hiring.
And if ye doe them according to Gods Rule, ye furniſh the Houſe of God.
1. As for lending, We must lend, looking for Luke 6. 35.nothing again.
Object. But put caſe we doe, can lending, be furniſhing of an houſe, when in lending we part with our own?
Sol. Yes, very well; for the righteous is liberal, and lendeth, and his ſeed doth inherit the bleſſing.Pſalm 37.
To conceive the Rule then, weigh;
1. What is meant by lending?
2. What is meant by looking for nothing?
3. Why we muſt ſo lend?
1. Lending ſtands either in turning over of the propertie of goods to another to ſpend, upon condition of returning the ſame in kind, or worth, after the time ſet, as money, victuals; or in turning over the uſe of a thing to another for a time, to be returned the ſame in number and worth at the time appointed, as when we lend any utenſil; For lending comprehends two things.
Firſt, Mutuum, that is, Meum, and tuum, or ex meo tuum; now mine, now thine, to return in kinde or worth: Next Commodatum, mine in poſſeſſion, and thine in uſe for a time freely to be reſtored in the ſame.
This lending is a free putting over: for this is the nature of lending, as Chriſt ſaith here; and thus it is diſtinguiſhed from buying, ſelling, letting, hiring, changing, and all mercenarie acts; and it is for a time, to diſtinguiſh it from free giving which is for ever; and it is but till the time appointed, and this is juſt. Then it is no longer ours, but to be reſtored.
2. About looking for nothing again, I ſhall clear three points.
1. What we may look for again?
2. What we may not look for again?
3. How it appears to be Chriſts ſenſe?
1. We may look for again. Firſt what 1. Mu…ui aequalitatem. 2 Kings 4.juſtly anſwereth to the thing lent: therefore Eliſha chargeth the widdow to pay her debts.
Secondly An action of debt, if they can pay 2. Ream actionem.it and doe not; and if there be no other remedy; for this is one of the ends of judicature, by which Law is adminiſtred, and which is good if it be uſed lawfully, becauſe the ſword Rom. 13.is to defend the oppreſſed.
Thirdly, The like courteſie in times of Amorem & gratitudinem.need; this is but equal; ſupport one another in Love; doe good one to another.
Fourthly, Love and thankfulneſſe. This Paul payed cheerfully unto Aquila and Priſcilla, Rom. 16. 4.unto whom I give thanks. Theſe things we may look for; yet here we muſt be careful that our hearts do not carry us to lend for theſe things ſake, for then are we ſelfe-ſeekers.
2. We may not look for again, The like good turn to be done to us for lending ſake, as lending; becauſe it is a free act: nor any gain for lending, as if we wiſht that what we lent would come laughing home: becauſe this overthrows the nature of lending, which ought to be free; and this takes away the equitie of lending, which is onelyonly that the Exod. 22. 14, 15.lender be no loſer.
3. It appears that this is Chriſts ſenſe, in the word Nothing; becauſe by this rule he doth onelyonly oppoſe the Phariſes, who were Luke 6. 32, 33, 35.willing to lend onelyonly to them that were able and willing to benefit them again, and from whom they looked for the like.
4. The reaſons why we muſt ſo lend, are taken from Chriſt himſelf, which are; Firſt, the command of God. Secondly, the promiſe of Chriſt, your reward ſhall be great in Luke 6. 34, 35.Heaven. Thirdly, the ſign of ſonne-ſhip; ye ſhall be the children of the Higheſt. Fourthly, the example of God, he is kind to unthankful ones. Fifthly, and a difference from ungodly men, ſinners lend to ſinners to receive as much again; but you are not in communion with ſuch, therefore you muſt look for Nothing.
Now from this rule of Chriſt, there is a double inference,
1. That lending is a dutie.
2. That lending muſt be free.
1. It is a dutie, becauſe Chriſt ſaith, Lend; and we muſt take his word. To help you therefore in it, I ſhall ſhew you,
1. Who must lend?
2. To whom we muſt lend?
3. Why we muſt lend?
1. Every one muſt not lend; but firſt, he that hath this worlds goods of his own. This excludes ſervants, they muſt not lend their maſters goods: children, they muſt not lend their Parents goods: Condemned perſons, they muſt not lend confiſcated goods though they were their own; unlawfull getters may not lend unlawfully gotten goods, b…t ſhould reſtore them to the true owners. Secondly, He that hath wiſedome to lend for the good of the publick body, he muſt lend when he hath to lend of his own.
This excludes all unthriftie perſons; who are under tutours and governours, and madmen, who want wiſedom to mannage ſuch a work.
2. Thoſe that may lend, muſt not lend to thoſe to whom they can doe no good; as to Spend-thrifts who live in wicked courſes; to Gallants, who ſpend all upon back and belly; to men not able to mannage their trades; for ſo they pull down a Common-wealth; to men not able to pay again; theſe are not the objects of lending, but of giving; to men that live above their ſtates; for this feeds pride, and ruineth them; and to men that ſeek lending for ſpending, as Drunkards, who ſpend on the Lords Day in drinke and Tobacco, more then they get in the week to pay debts.
But if ye lend, ye muſt lend to thoſe to whom ye may doe good, whether they be good rich, to whom you may lend out of courteſie; Gal. 6. 10.or good poore, to whom (if ye are able) ye muſt lend out of mercy, for a good man Pſal. 112. 5ſhewes favour and lendeth.
Obiect: If ye ſay, I can not lend to all.
Sol. That is true, therefore a good man lendeth, and will guide his affairs with judgement.Pſal. 112. 5.
3. The reaſons why they that may, and can muſt lend, are becauſe it is a commanded dutie, If thy brother be poore, thou ſhalt not Deut. 15. 7. 8.harden thy heart, but thou ſhalt lend unto him ſufficient: Yea, becauſe by this means we provide for our children, The righteous is Pſal. 37. 26.merciful, and lendeth, and his ſeed inherits the bleſsing: and becauſe we may not be a means to multiply the poore, and ſo, leſſen the givers. A little lent, many times, by Gods bleſſing and mans induſtrie, may make a giver, and keep from povertie.
4. It is alſo inferred neceſſarily that lending muſt be free: looke for nothing, therefore receive but thine own. Look for nothing, therefore lend for nothing. I cannot ſay, but that they who have plentie of money may, not by lending, but by another contract, place out their money with thoſe that have plentie of trade, by which they make gain, and receive profit by it: for there is neither reaſon nor conſcience, but that when money is made fruitful the owner ſhould have a ſhare in the fruit: yet doe not as common Ʋſurers, who ſtrive to take this excellent dutie of lending out of the world. For it takes from it three things; The Nature of lending which is free. The Equitie of Nullo interpoſito praetio Ex…d. 22. 14. 15.lending, which is onelyonly to make the lender no loſer, whereas they are gainers: and The Ʋſe of lending; for if they can lend for gain, no man will lend freely.
Deal you better with lending, and uſe this dutie well which Chriſt requireth. In general, doe it out of true love, not ſelf love: for others good, whether you lend to rich or poore. In particular, lending is double: Naked and bare, upon a word of entreatie, promiſe, and no more Cloathed and palliated with pawnes, pledges, bonds or bils. It is not abſolutely lawful in all caſes to take pawnes and pledges; therefore mark the Scripture expreſſions, If at all thou take a Exod. 22. 26. D…ut. 24. 6. ve…. 17. Iob 24. 13. Prov. 20. 16rayment for a pledge, you muſt not take the upper garment, or nether milſtone, nor a widdowes rayment, nor a widdowes Oxe: That in Solomon, take his garment that is ſuretie for a ſtranger, and take a pledge of him for a ſtrange woman, is not ſpoken of a poore borrower, but of a deſperate foole that will raſhly be bound for a ſtranger, and wickedly get money for harlotrie. But if thou do take pawns, things of neceſſary uſe are not to be withheld though they pay thee not. For rayment pawned muſt be delivered; and the milſtones, and ſo any neceſſary inſtruments by which a Exod. 22. 26.living is gotten; becauſe the life is gotten and maintained by them. Uſe lending according Deut. 24. 6. 12, 13.to theſe Rules and proſper.
SECT. 21.
2. AS for Borrowing, you muſt if you would furniſh with God, pay juſtly when due, and fully without defalcation. For this is your rule, O we nothing to any man, but Rom. 13. 8.that ye love one another.
Object. You may ſay, then I may not borrow at all.
Sol. Yes ſurely, elſe why ſhould God command lending: thus therefore you muſt underſtand it; owe nothing that is due to be paid without leave. Some will pay, but not all. Some pay at laſt, but not juſtly; ſome pay nothing but ill words.
But to remedy all, Firſt labour to owe as little as poſſibly you can; for it is a baſeneſſe to borrow, The borrower is a ſervant to Prov. 22. 7.the lender, ſaith Solomon.
Secondly, If you owe any thing, labour to pay: ſo long as thou art in debt, thou art Prov. 6. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.in a ſnare, deliver thy ſelf ſaith Solomon: abate thy expenſes in meat, drink, clothing, and refreſhment till thou be at libertie.
Thirdly, think often how unjuſt it is that thou ſhouldſt be better in thy eſtate by another mans loſſe.
Fourthly, let that note of a godleſſe man ſtare upon thy Conſcience to affright thee, The wicked borrowes, and payes not again.Pſalm. 37. 21.
2. Uſe what is lent thee ſo, as thou reſtore it well, and honeſtly. To this end, uſe it to that end it was lent thee, and reſtore it ſafely at the time appointed. This is juſt according to Gods Word, and thy Conſcience, and will bring Gods bleſſing to the building of the Family by it.