A preparatiue to mariage The summe whereof was spoken at a contract, and inlarged after. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of the Lords Supper, and another of vsurie. By Henrie Smith.

The Examination of Vsurie.

The second Sermon.

IT remaineth that we speake of the Vsurers punishment: Then, what may be thought of them which doo not take Vsu∣rie, but giue Vsurie. Lastly, what they should doo, which haue got their riches by Vsurie.

To begin with the punishment, not onely Gods lawe, but euen the Cannon lawe doth so condemne Vsurie, that first it dooth excom∣municate him from the Church,

as though he had no communion with Saints.

Secondly, it dooth detaine him from the Sacraments, as though hee had no communion with Christ.

Thirdly, it dooth depriue him of his Sepulcher, and will not suf∣fer him to be buried, as though he were not worthie to lye in the earth but to lye in hell.

Lastly, it maketh his will to be no will, as though his goods were not his owne: for nothing is ours but that which wee haue rightlie got: and therefore wee say, It is mine by right, as though it were not ours, vnles it be ours by right. This is the iudgement of mans lawe.

Now you shal heare the iudge∣ment of Gods lawe. A Vsurer dooth receiue two Incomes; one

of the borrower, and another of the reuenger; of the borrower he lookes for gaine; but of the reuen∣ger hee lookes for punishment: therefore al the Scripture prophe∣cieth euill vnto him, as Michaiah did to Achab. Salomon saith, He which increaseth his riches by Vsu∣rie, gathereth for them which will bee mercifull to the poore. As if he should say, when hee hath loden himselfe like a cart, he shall be vn∣loden like a cart againe, and they shall inherit his money for whom hee did neuer gather it. For, hee which is vnmerciful to the poore, meaneth not to gather for them which will bee mercifull to the poore: but Salomon saieth, That they shall be his heires which will bee mercifull as he was vnmerci∣full.

Now marke whether this pro∣phecie

of Salomon be true, I know not how many in this Citie doo increase by Vsurie; but this pro∣phecie seemeth to bee verified of many: For it is noted, that the ri∣ches and lands of Aldermen and Merchants, and other in London, do not last so long, nor indure so wel, as the riches and lands of others in the Countrey, and that their chil∣dren doo not prooue so well as o∣thers, nor come to that place in the Common weale, which for their wealth their parents looked that they should come to. I can giue no reason for it but the reason of Sa∣lomon, He which increaseth by Vsu∣rie, gathereth for them which will bee mercifull to the poore. That is, their riches shall goe from their heires to Gods heires, according to that, The riches of the sinner is laid vp for the righteous: that is, the righteous

shall inioy that which the wicked gathereth. All riches are vncer∣taine, but the riches which are euill gotten, are most vncertaine: They may bee called mooueable goodes, for they are very mooue∣able, like the clowdes which ne∣uer rest til they fall as they climed. God saith, that he will smite the Vsurer with his fist, not with the palme of his hande, but with his fist, which giueth a greater blow. As his hands were shut against the poore, so Gods hands shall be shut against him, that his punishment may be like his sinne. But if you will heare their finall sentence, Dauid saith heere, That they shall not dwell in Gods temple, nor rest in his holie mountaine. Then we will seeke no more punishments, for this punishment is all punishmēts, If they shall not come to heauen,

whose then shall those riches be? nay, whose then shall the owner be when that day commeth? If he shall not rest in heauen, then he shall rest in Hell where no rest is. Then saith one, the Vsurer shall crie vnto his children, Cursed be you my children, because you were the cause of these torments, for least you should be poore, I was an Vsurer, and robbed other, to leaue riches vnto you. To whome, the children shall replie againe, nay, Cursed be you father, for you were the cause of our tor∣ments; for if you had not left vs other mens goodes, we had not kept other mens goodes. Thus when they are cursed of God, they shall curse one another, curse the Lord for condemning them, curse their sinnes for accusing them, curse their parents for be∣getting

them, and curse them∣selues, because they cannot helpe themselues. As they which are blessed doe nothing but blesse, so they which are cursed do nothing but curse. This is the second V∣surie which the Vsurer shall re∣ceiue of God, after he hath recei∣ued Vsurie of men, then the name of Vsurie shall be fulfilled, as it signifieth biting, so when it hath bitten other, it shall bite the Vsu∣rer too, and neuer rest biting; then they shall wish that they could re∣store againe as Zacheus did, and shall not restore because their mo∣ney is gone. Therefore if Christ be come to your hearts, as he came to Zacheus house, restore now as Zacheus did, and escape this iudg∣ment. This is the end of the Vsu∣rer and his money, if they stay to∣gether till death, yet at last there

shall bee a diuision. The Deuill shall take his soule, the earth shall take his body, the strangers shall take his goods, and the mourners shall reioyce vnder their blackes, and say, Wickednes is come to the graue. Therefore, if thou wouldest not be counted an Vsu∣rer then, refraine to be an Vsurer now, for they which are Vsurers now, shall be counted Vsurers then. Thus you haue heard the Vsurers payment.

Now if you will know whe∣ther it be vnlawfull to giue Vsu∣rie, as it is vnlawfull to take Vsu∣rie, I wish that you could resolue your selues, that I mighte not speake of it: for I haue hearde some Preachers say, that there be some truthes which they would be loth to preach, and so there be some truthes which I would be

loth to preache, because many heare by halues, and some for ma∣lice or ignorance will take things otherwise than they are spoken, yet because I haue promised, I will speake some thing of it.

Well then, may we neither take Vsurie, nor giue Vsurie? I knowe that Ieremy saith, I haue not lent vpon Vsurie to others, ney∣ther haue others lent vpon Vsurie to me; as though both were vnlaw∣full, not only to take Vsurie, but to giue Vsurie. But thereby Ie∣remy doeth signifie, that he was no medler in the world, whereby they should enuie him like other men, and therefore hee cleareth himselfe chiefely from Vsurie, because Vsurers were most en∣uyed. And to shewe that he was not an Vsurer, he saith, that he was not a borrower, which is

more lawfull than to be an Vsu∣rer, like a man which saith I doe neither hate him, nor knowe him. Why it was lawfull to knowe him, but to proue that he did not hate him, he sayth, he doth not knowe him: So Ieremy, to proue that he had not lent vppon Vsurie, doth say, that hee neuer borrowed vppon Vsurie, which many will doe that will not lende. The best Expositors giue this sense of it. I knowe beside, that Christ did cast forth the buyers out of his temple, as well as the sellers, but that was not for buy∣ing, but for buying in the temple, where they should not buy, but pray: or else it was as lawfull to buy any thing, as it is lawfull to vse it.

I know beside, that it is a com∣mon saying, if there were no buy∣ers,

there would be no sellers, if there were no bribe giuers, there would be no bribe takers. But in this case it may be rather sayd, if there were no takers, there would be no giuers, for the giuer doeth not make the receiuer to take, but the receiuer doth make the giuer to giue, because he will not lende vnlesse the other will giue him for the lone: therefore as we say, the receiuer makes a theese: so I may say, the receiuer of Vsurie makes the giuer of Vsurie. Therefore I would be loth to compare them which are constrained to borrow vppon Vsurie, vnto them which did buy in the temple, and were not constrayned more than they which solde in the temple. Much lesse may I compare them which giue Vsurie, vnto them which take Vsurie: for there is as great

oddes betweene them, as there is betweene giuing and taking, or betweene couetousnesse and ne∣cessitie, for one is couetousnesse, and the other is necessitie. Hee which lendeth for Vsurie, lendeth for couetousnesse, but he which borroweth vpon Vsurie, borrow∣eth for necessitie.

Now, for necessitie God hath allowed many things; as for ne∣cessitie it was lawfull for Adams sonnes to marrie with Adams daughters, because there were no other women. For necessitie it was lawfull for Dauid to eate the Shew bread, because he had no o∣ther foode. For necessitie it was lawfull to worke, and heale, and fight vppon the Saboath, which was not lawfull, but for necessitie. Therefore for necessitie why may not a man pay more than he bor∣rowed,

seeing no Scripture doth forbid vs to pay more than wee borrow, but to require more than wee lend. Some doo thinke that as GOD did vse the ambition of Absalom, and the malice of Pha∣raoh, & the trecherie of Iudas vnto good; so men may vse the coue∣tousnes of vsurers vnto good: that is, to helpe at a neede, when a man is like to bee vndone, and his chil∣dren cast away, and his Lease for∣feited, and many inconueniences beside like to insue (which you knowe better than I) vnlesse hee haue present money at some time to preuent a mischiefe. For ex∣ample hereof, I may alleage how Iaacob did vse the sinne of Laban: Laban did euill in swearing by I∣dolls, but Iaacob did not euill in receiuing such an oath of him, though it was an vnlawfull oath.

So, though the Vsurer doo euill in taking Vsurie, yet a man doth not euill in giuing Vsurie. Beside, I may alleage the example of Abra∣ham and Abimelech: Abraham made a couenāt with Abimelech; to confirme this couenant, A∣braham sware, and Abimelech sware, Abraham sware by the true God, but Abimelech sware by his false Gods, and yet Abraham did receiue this oath and sinned not. So, if her Maiestie and the Turke should make a couenant, the Turk would not sweare as the Queene would sweare; for the Queene would sweare by the Lorde, but the Turke would sweare by Ma∣homet: if it be lawfull then to re∣ceiue such an oath, though it bee an vnlawfull oath, why may it not bee lawfull for mee, to giue more than I borrowed, though it bee

vnlawfull for the Vsurer to take more than hee lended? Beside, a Prince may not pardon a wilfull murderer, yet I think that no man wil say in hast, that he which hath committed murder may not take a pardon. As this vnlawfull giuing doth not make the taking vnlaw∣full; so the other vnlawfull taking doth not make the giuing vnlaw∣full. Beside, it is lawfull to suffer iniurie, though it be vnlawfull to offer iniurie: It is lawfull to suffer iniurie, as Christ paide tribute, which was iniurie; but it is not lawfull to offer iniurie, because there are sixe Commandements a∣gainst it.

Now, to take Vsurie, is as it were to offer iniurie; but to giue Vsurie, is as it were to suffer iniu∣rie: therefore though I may not take more than I borrowed, yet I

may giue more than I borrowed.

Moreouer, I may compate gi∣uing of Vsurie to swearing; if a man sweare without cause he sin∣neth; but if he sweare as the word teacheth him to sweare, he sinneth not: so, if a man borrow vpon V∣surie and borrow without cause, he sinneth, because he feedeth the Vsurer: but els, as a man maye sweare in some case, so in some case a man may borrowe vpon V∣surie, that is, in case of necessitie, when a man must needes borrow, and can borrowe of none but of Vsurers.

Lastly, I may alleage that Vsu∣rie and Vsurer are neuer read in the scripture, but they signifie him which takes Vsurie, not him which giues Vsurie: and therfore the Scripture seemeth to forbid taking, but not giuing.

Many reasons moe are alleaged which I cannot refute, and there∣fore I will not contradict them: yet I meane not to decide the que∣stion, because I will not be mista∣ken; but if some should come vn∣to me in that necessitie and extre∣mitie which I can imagine, and aske; may I borrowe money of these Vsurers to saue my life, or my credite, or my liuing, seeing no man will lend mee freelie? I would answere him as the Pro∣phet answered Naaman, neither doo nor doo not, but goe in peace. I will not forbid thee nor I will not condemne thee, but if thy consci∣ence condemne thee not, I thinke thy sinne one of the least sinnes; & as Naaman praied, Lord be mer∣cifull vnto me in this: so I think the Lord will bee mercifull vnto thee in this: but if thy conscience goe

against it: then doo it not, for it is sinne to thee though it bee free for another, because whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne. I charge you in the feare of GOD that you do not mistake that which is said, for I knowe no learned preacher, nor learned writer of other mind. Yet least you should mistake the matter, as I distinguished of len∣ders, so I will distinguish of bor∣rowers.

If some may borrow vpon V∣surie, it dooth not followe that all may borrowe vppon Vsurie, be∣cause all haue not the like cause: therefore doo not say that I teach you to borrowe vpon Vsurie, for I think that the most in this citie which borrowe vppon Vsurie, should not borrowe as they doo, because they rather maintaine V∣surie, than supplie their necessitie.

Some I know borrow for meere necessitie; if any may be allowed, those are they: but there is a kind of borrowers in this Citie which feede Vsurers as the bellowes kindle the fire; for they haue no neede to borrow, but because they would bee rich, and richer, and ri∣chest of all: therfore they will im∣ploy al the money which they can borrowe, thinking to get more by the vse of it, than the Vsurie of it doth come too. This maketh thē sell their wares so deare, because they must not only gaine the price but the interest beside, and more than the interest too, or els they gaine nothing. These borrowers are in another predicament than those which borrowe for neces∣sitie: and therefore if they bee not olde enough to answere for them∣selues, I am too young to answere

for them. There are other bor∣rowers as I haue heard, which for some secrete cause would seeme barer and needier than they are, ei∣ther because they would not bee charged deeplie with Subsidies, or els because they would compoūd with their Creditors for a little: therefore they will haue alwaies some thing for Vsurie, that their Creditors may thinke them bare of money, or that other may pitie thē in their charges. These are like those Foxes which haue wealth enough to pay their debts, and yet lie in prison because they would defraud their Creditors. I doubt not but there bee moe sorts than I knowe, I cannot hunt euerie cor∣ner because I want experiēce: but this is my conclusion, I would haue no man pay interest vnto V∣surers but for necessitie, euen as a

trauailer giueth his pursse to a theefe, because he cannot choose. Thus you haue heard what I can say of them which take Vsurie, and them which giue Vsurie.

Now you would vnderstand the last question. If you haue bin Vsurers alreadie, what you should doe with that money which you haue gained by Vsurie, surely euen as Zacheus did, restore it a∣gaine. If you cannot say as Samuel said, whose goods haue I taken? then you must saye as Zacheus sayde, whose goodes haue I kept? The best thing is, to doe no man wrong, but the next to that is, to make him amends. This God signifieth when he saith, put away the exe∣crable thing from you, that is, let no vnlawfull thing staye in youre hands, like the wedge of Achan which he had got by sinne. The

same lawe serueth for all which is got wrongfully, which was insti∣tuted against theeues, Restore it a∣gaine: the reason of this lawe is, because the sinne is not remitted, vntill the debt be restored, for as humilitie is the repentaunce of pride, and abstinence is the repen∣taunce of surfet, and almes is the repentaunce of couetousnes, and forgiuenes is the repentaunce of malice, so restitution is the re∣pentaunce of Vsurie; as he which is not humble doeth not repent his pride, he which doeth not ab∣steine doth not repent his glutto∣nie, he which doeth not forgiue, doeth not repent his malice, so he which doeth not restore, doeth not repent his Vsurie. For how can he be said to repent for his V∣surie, which liueth by Vsurie still. Therefore Daniel saith to Ne∣buchadnezzar,

Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes, shewing, that no∣thing but righteousnes can breake vnrighteousnes. As diseases are healed by the contrarie, so pride is healed by humilitie, gluttonie by abstinence, malice by forgiue∣nes, couetousnes by almes, and V∣surie by restoring. This Paule cal∣leth, The reuenge of a Christian, when he takes reuenge vpon his sinnes, and punisheth his lustes, so that he maketh them doe contra∣rie to that which they would do. Therefore you must restore that which you haue got by Vsu∣rie, or else you doe not repent of your Vsurie. As a Camell whē he comes home, casteth off his burthen at the dore, that he may enter into his Stable, so they which are laden with other mens goodes, when they goe to heauen,

must leaue their burthen where they had it, least they be too grose to get in at the narrow gate. But as the Disciples of Christ said, this is a hard speech, so to them which haue got most that they haue by vnlawfull meanes, this is a hard speech, to bid them restore it a∣gaine: there be two great rubs in the way.

First, the losse which they shall sustaine, if they restore againe all which they haue got vniustlie. Then the difficultie to restore it vnto the right parties. If you aske mee, as Amaziah asked the Pro∣phet, How shall we doo for those hun∣dreth tallents? How shall I liue when al is gone which I haue got wrongfully? I can say no more than the Prophet said to him, The Lord is able to giue thee more than this. Zacheus did not feare how he

should liue, but Zacheus did feare to offende: so thou shouldest not feare to restore other mens goods, but thou shouldest feare to keepe other mens goods: and as Zacheus liued when hee had restored, so thou shalt liue when thou hast re∣stored. He which saith, Trie me if I will not powre downe a blessing, trie him whether he will not powre downe a blessing; for he hath pro∣mised to blesse the lender aswell as the sacrificer. He which is the Lorde of all, can giue thee more than thou needest: but if you can not restore to the owner, nor to his heires, thē giue it to the poore, for they are the next heires, & re∣pent that thou hast kept it so long: but in no wise thou maiest keepe it to thy selfe, because it is none of thine.

When Hezekiah was like to

die, Esaiah sayd vnto him, Set thy things in order before thou die. That which hee aduised him, hee adui∣seth all; set your things in order before you die. What is this to set things in order, but to restore vnto euerie one his owne? When thou bequeathest thy bodie to the earth, then thy bodie is set in or∣der: when thou bequeathest thy soule to God, then thy soule is set in order: when thou bequeathest thy goods to the owners, then thy goods are set in order: therefore if thou die with other mēs goods in thy hand, then thou diest before thou haue set things in order, and then thou diest in thy sinnes, and then no promise in all the Scrip∣ture appertaineth vnto thee, be∣cause nothing is promised vnto sinners but vnto penitent sinners. Therefore that you may not die in

your sinnes, it is necessary to make restitution before you die, or els you die in your sinne, and are cros∣sed out of all the ioyes of heauen. Therefore as Abner saide to Ioah, Knowest thou not that it will be bit∣ternes in the latter end? So remem∣ber whether this course will bee sweete or bitter in the end.

Thus you haue heard the defi∣nition of Vsurie, and the deriua∣tion of it, and the vnlawfulnes of it, and the kindes of it, and the pu∣nishment of it, and the arguments which are alleaged for it, & what may bee thought of them which doo not take Vsurie but giue V∣surie, and what they should doo which haue got their liuing by V∣surie.

Now, seeing you may not bee Vsurers to men, let euerie man hereafter bee an Vsurer to GOD,

which promiseth; If thou leaue father, or mother, or wife, or chil∣dren, or house, or land for him, not ten in the hundreth, but an hun∣dreth for ten; nay an hundreth for one, and in the world to come life euerlasting: that is, a thousand for one. That we may receiue this V∣surie, let vs pray that the wordes which wee haue heard out of this Psalme, may dwell with vs till we dwell in heauen.

Notes

• The pu∣nishments of Vsurers.
• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• Prou. 28. ••.
• Pro. 13. 22.
• Izek. 22. 13.
• Note.
• Luk. 19.
• Note.
• Whether it be vnlaw∣full to giue Vsurie.
• Iere. 15. 10.
• 1. Ob.
• Answer.
• 2. Ob.
• Answer.
• 3. Ob.
• Answer.
• 1. Sam. 21. 6.
• L••••k. 13 10.
• Gen. 31. 53.
• Gen. 21. 32.
• Mat. 17. ••9
• 2. King. 5. 18.
• Rom. 14. 23.
• Diuers kindes of borrowers.
• Note.
• What Vsurers should doe with their gaines.
• 1. Sam. 12. 3.
• Luk. 19. 8.
• Iosh. 6. 18.
• Exod. 22.
• Dan. 4. 24.
• 2. Cor. 7. 11.
• Iohn. 6. 60.
• Two ob∣iections.
• 2. Chro. 25. 9.
• Luk. 19.
• Mala. 3. 10.
• Deut. 15. 10.
• Esai. 38. 6.
• 2. Sam. 2. 26.
• Math. 19. 29.