THese two verses must be considered togither, be­cause one is the question, and the other is the aun­swere: Vers. 1. Dauid demaunds who shall come to heauen? and God tels him that vsurers shal not come thi­ther: as if he should say, they go to hell. Therefore as Paul taught Timothie to warne them which are rich, as though they had more need to be warned than other:1. Tim. 6. 17. so this sentence seemeth to be penned for a warning to the rich, be­cause it strikes vpon the rich mans vice.

[Page 2] I haue spoken of Bribery and symo­nie, and now I must speake of their si­ster Vsury. Many times haue I thought to speake of this Theame; but the argu­ments which are alleaged for it, haue made me doubtful what to say in it, be­cause it hath gone as it were vnder pro­tection. At last you see it falleth into my text, and therefore now I cannot bauke it any longer. Therefore if any here haue fauoured this occupation be­fore, let him now submit his thoughts vnto Gods thoughts; for I will alledge nothing against it, but that which is built vpon the rocke.

Vsurie is the sinne which God will trie now whether you loue better than his word: that is, whether you wil leaue it if he forbid it: for if he flatly forbid it, and yet you wilfully retain it, then you loue Vsurie better than Gods word. Vsurers He­retikes.Therefore one saith wel that our Vsu­rers are Heretikes, because after manie admonitions, yet they maintaine their errour, & persist in it obstinatly as Pa­pists do in Poperie. For this cause I am [Page 3] glad that I haue any occasion to griple with this sinne, where it hath made so many spoiles, and where it hath so ma­ny patrōs: for it is said that there be mo of this profession in this Citie, than there be in all the land beside. There be certain sinnes which are like an vnrea­sonable enimie which will not be re­conciled to death, & this is one of those euerlasting sinnes which liue and die with a man. For when he hath resigned his pride and his enuie and his lust, yet Vsurie remaineth with him, & he saith as Naaman said,2. King. 5. 18. Let the Lord be merci­full vnto me in this: let me haue a dispen­sation for this, as though this were a ne­cessarie sin, & he could not liue without it. Three sinnes counted no sinnes.There be three sinnes which are coū ­ted no sins, and yet they do more hurt than all their fellowes, and those are Bribery, Nonresidencie, & Vsury: these three because they are gainfull are tur­ned from sinnes to occupations. How many of this citie for all that they are Vsurers, yet would be counted honest men, & would faine haue Vsury estee­med [Page 4] as a trade: whereas if it were not so gainfull, it would be counted as great a sinne as any other, & so it is counted of all but thē which liue by it. This is the nature of pleasure and profite, to make sins seeme no sins if we gaine any thing by thē, but the more gainfull a sin is, the more dāgerous it is, & the more gainful vsurie is, the more dangerous it is. I will speake the more of it, because happely you shall not heare of this matter again.

The contēts of this Trea­tise.First I will define what vsurie is: Se­condly, I will shewe you what vsurie doth signifie: Thirdly, I will shew the vnlawfulnes of it: Fourthly: I will shew the kinds of it: Fiftly, I will shew the ar­gumēts which are alledged for it: Sixt­ly, I will shew the punishment of it: Se­uēthly, I will shew you what opiniō we should hold of thē which do not lend vpō vsurie, but borrow vpō vsury. Last­ly, I will shew you what they should do which haue got their riches by vsurie.

The defini­tion of Vsu­rie.Touching the first, Vsurie is that gaine which is gottē by lending, for the vse of the thing which a man lendeth, [Page 5] couenanting before with the borrower to receaue more than was borrowed: Vsurers steale by law.& therefore one calls the vsurer a legall theefe, because before he steale, he tells the partie how much he will steale, as though he stole by law. This word more, comes in like a sixt finger, which makes a monster, because it is more thā should be. Another defining vsurie, cal­leth it the Contrarie to charitie: for Paul saith, Loue seeketh not her owne, but vsu­rie seeketh anothers which is not her owne: therfore vsurie is farre from loue, but God is loue, saith Iohn, 1. Iohn. 48. therefore vsu­rie is farre from God to.

Now, all the Commaundements of God are fulfilled by loue, which Christ noteth when he draweth all the Com­maundements to one Cōmaundement, which is, Loue God aboue all things, and thy neighbour as thy selfe: Mat. 22. 37.as if he should say, he which loueth God, wil keepe all the Commaundements which respect God, & he which loueth his neighbour wil keepe all the cōmādemēts which re­spect his neighbour, therfore to main­taine [Page 6] loue, God forbiddeth all things which hinder this loue: and among the rest here he forbiddeth Vsurie, as one of her deadliest enemies: for a mā cānot loue and be an Vsurer, because Vsurie is a kinde of crueltie, and a kind of extor­tion, and a kind of persecution, & ther­fore the want of loue doth make Vsu­rers: for if there were loue there would be no Vsurie, no deceit, no extortiō, no slaundering, no reuenging, no oppres­sion, but we should liue in peace, & ioy, and contentment like the Angels; whereby you see that all our sinnes are against our selues: for if there were no deceit, then we should not be deceiued; if there were no slaunder, thē we should not be slaundered; if there were no en­uie, then we should not be enuied; if there were no extortion, thē we should not be iniuried; if there were no Vsury, thē we should not be oppressed. Ther­fore Gods law had bene better for vs then our owne law: for if his law did stand, then we should not be deceiued, nor slaūdered, nor enuied, nor iniuried, [Page 7] nor oppressed. God hath commaunded euery man to lend freely,Luke. 6. 35. & who would not borrow freely? Therefore they which brought in Vsurie, brought in a law against themselues.

The first Vsurers which we read of, were the Iewes, which were forbidden to be Vsurers, yet for want of faith and loue, Ezekiel and Nehemiah doth shew how the Iewes, euen the Iewes which receiued this law from God himself, did swarue from it as they did frō the rest.Ezech. 18. 22. Nehe. 2. 5. First, they did lend vpon Vsurie to straungers; after they began to lend vp­on Vsurie to their brethren, and now there be no such Vsurers vpon earth, as the Iewes which were forbidden to be Vsurers. Whereby you may see how the malice of man hath turned mercie into crueltie. For whereas lending was commaunded for the benefite of men,Deut. 15. 10. Vsurie hath turned it to the vndoing of men: for they take when they seeme to giue; they hurt when they seeme to helpe; they damage whē they seeme to vātage: therfore it is well noted that v­surie2 [Page 8] hath her name of byting, and she may wel signifie byting: for many haue not onely bene bitten by it, but deuou­red by it, that is, consumed all that they haue: therfore as the Apostle saith,Galat. 5. 15. If you bite one another, take heede you be not de­uoured one of another: so I may say if you be vsurers one to another, take heede you be not deuoured one of another, for vsurers are byters. As the name of the deuill doth declare what an enemie he is; so the name of vsurie doth de­clare what an enemie she is.Because it si­gnifieth an aduersarie. That you may know vsurie for a byter, her name doth signifie byting.Neschec. If there were one byting vsurie, and another healing vsurie, then vsurie should haue two names; one of byting, & another of hea­ling: but all vsurie signifieth byting, to shewe that all vsurie is vnlawfull. Now, you haue heard what vsurie is, & of what it is deriued, you shall heare the vnlawfulnesse of it.

The vnlaw­fulnesse of Vsurie. 1 First, it is against the law of chari­tie, because charitie biddeth vs to giue euerie man his owne, and to require no [Page 9] more than our owne; but Vsurie requi­reth more than her owne, and giues not to other their owne. Charitie reioyceth to cōmunicate her goods to other, and Vsurie reioyceth to gather other mens goods to her selfe.

2 Secondly, it is against the law of Na­tions; for euerie Nation hath some law against Vsurie, and some restraint a­gainst Vsurers, as you shall heare whē we speake of the punishment.

3 Thirdly, as it is against the law of Nations, so it is against the law of Na­ture, that is, the naturall compassion which should be among men. A similitude.You see a riuer whē it goeth by an emptie place, it will not passe vntill it hath filled that emptie place, & then it goeth forward to another emptie place and filleth it, & so to another emptie place & filleth it, alwayes filling the places which are empty: so should we, the rich should fill the poore, the full should fill the hūgry, they which abound should fill them which want, for the rich are but Gods Amners, & their riches are cōmitted to [Page 10] them of God to distribute and do good as God doth him selfe. As the water is charitable after a sort, so is the ayre, for it goeth to emptie places to, and filleth them as the water doth. Nature cannot abide that any place should be emptie, and therefore the ayre though it be a light body, and so naturally ascendeth vpward: yet rather than any place in the earth should be empty, the ayre will descend as it were from his throne, and go into caues, into dennes, and into dū ­geons, to fill them. If the rich were so good to their empty brethrē, as the ayre and water are to other emptie things; as there is no emptie place in the world, so there should be no emptie person in the world: that is, the rich in Israell would fill the poore in Israell, but the rich make the poore to fill them, for Vsurers feede vpon the poore euen as great fishes deuoure the small. There­fore he which said. Let there not be a begger in Israell;Deut. 15. 4. sayd to, let there not be an Vsurer in Israell; for if there be Vsu­rers in Israell, there will be beggers in [...] [Page 13] another. For Christ said to his disciples, Loue one another as I haue loued you. Iohn. 13. 34. But it may be said of the Vsurer, see how he hateth other, and loueth himselfe. For when he saith that he lendeth for com­passiō, he meaneth for cōpassion of him selfe, that he may gaine by his pitie. The Vsurer loueth the borrower, as the Iuye loueth the Oke: The Iuye loueth the Oke to grow vp by it, so the Vsurer lo­ueth the borrower to grow rich by him. The Iuye claspeth the Oke like a lo­uer, but it claspeth out all the iuyce and sap, that the Oke cannot thriue after: So the Vsurer lendeth like a friend, but he couenanteth like an enemie, for he clas­peth the borrower with such bands, that euer after he diminisheth, as fast as the Vsurer encreaseth.

Vnderstand that his Ser­mon vpon the mount, is an exposi­tion of the Commāde­mēts, or else the text will not seeme to implie this. Luke. 19. 8.Christ expounding the commande­ment which forbiddeth to steale, saith, lend freely, shewing that Vsurie, because she lendeth not freely, is a kind of theft, & the Vsurers a kind of theeues, for else this expositiō were not right. Therfore Zacheus, as though he had stolne other mens goods, when he began to repent, [Page 14] he restored them agayne foure foulde, euen as theeues are inioyned to restore foure foulde for that which they haue stolne, so Zacheus restored foure fould, as though he had stolne.In some kind of theft. Exod. 22. It seemeth that Zacheus was no great theefe, be­cause he restored foure foulde for all that he had gotten wrongfullie, for he got but the fourth part of his goods wrongfullie at the most, or else he could not haue restored foure foulde agayne. But now, if some should restore foure foulde, for all that they haue gotten wrongfullie, they should restore more than they haue, because all which vsu­rers get, they get wrongfullie: for their occupation is a sinne, and therefore one saith, Because they cannot restore foure foulde here, they shall suffer an hun­dreth foulde hereafter. 2. Chron. 25. Amaziah is forbidden to strengthen himselfe with the armies of Israell, onely because Is­raell, had offended God; if Amaziah might not ioyne the armies of Israell with his armies to strengthen him, da­rest thou ioyne the goods of the poore with thy goods to enrich thee? When [Page 15] God set Adam his worke, he sayd, In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou liue:Gene. 3. 19. not in the sweate of his browes, but in the sweate of thy browes; but the Vsu­rer liueth in the sweat of his browes, & her browes: that is, by the paines and cares, and labours of another, for he ta­keth no paines himselfe, but onely ex­pecteth the time when his interest will come in, like the belly which doth no worke, & yet eateth all the meate. Whē God had finished his creatiō, he said vn­to mā, and vnto beasts, and vnto fishes, Increase and multiplie, Gene. 1. 28. but he neuer said vnto money, increase and multiplie, because it is a dead thing which hath no seede, and therefore is not fit to in­gender. Therefore he which saith to his money, increase & multiply, beget­teth a mōstrous birth, like Anah, Gene. 36. 24. which deuised a creature which GOD had not created before. Christ sayth to his Disciples,Mat. 5. 46. If you loue but them which loue you, what are you better than the Pub­licans, for they loue their brethren: so I may say, if you will lend to none but [Page 16] to them which will pay you Vsurie for it, what are you better than the Iewes? for the Iewes would lend for Vsurie; & if you be no better than the Iewes, then you shall speede no better than they: for as Christ said,Mat. 5. 20. Except your righteousnesse do exceede the righteousnesse of the Phari­sies, your reward shall not exceede the re­ward of the Pharisies: so, except your charitie doe exceede the charitie of the Iewes, your reward shal not exceede the reward of the Iewes. All this doth shew, that the Vsurer is like Esau, of whom God said,Mala. 1. 3. Esau haue I hated. Now in the 112. Psalme, you shall see who is like Ia­cob, of whom God saith,Vers. 5. Iacob haue I lo­ued: for there Dauid saith, a good man is mercifull, and lendeth, and straight vpō it he setteth this crowne, he shall neuer be moued, but be had in perpetuall remem­brance: as if he should say, this is the good mās Vsury, this is his increase, euē a good name, & euerlasting ioy. Again, in the 23. of Exod. it is said, Lēd vnto him which wanteth without Vsurie, that the Lord may blesse thee: as if he should say, [Page 17] let the Lord pay the increase, feare not to be loosers by doing good, for God hath giuen his word to requite it him selfeMala. 3. 10.. As he saith to them which were a­fraide to pay tithes, and offer sacrifice,Deut. 25. 10. Trie me if I will not powre downe a blessing vpon you: so he seemeth to say vnto them which are afrayd to lēd, trie me if I will not powre downe a blessing vpon you. Whō will you trust, if you do not trust your creator, your father, your redee­mer, your preseruer, and your Sauiour?

Now you haue heard the vnlawful­nes of Vsurie, you shall heare how ma­ny kindes there be of it. As other crafts are called Mysteries, so I may fitly call it, the Mysterie of Vsurie, for they haue deuised mo sorts of Vsurie, thā there be trickes at cardes, I cannot recken halfe, and I am afrayde to shew you all, least I should teach you to be Vsurers, while I disswade you from Vsurie, yet I will bring forth some; and the same reasons which are alledged against these, shall condemne all the rest.

The kinds of Vsurers. 1 Some will not take Vsurie, but they [Page 18] wil haue the vse of your pasture, or your land, or your orchard, or your teame, or your kine, vntill you pay the money agayne, which in that time will grow to a greater gayne to the Vsurer, and a greater losse to the borrower, than if he had paide more money than other vsu­rers are wont to take.

2 Some will not take vsurie, but they will take plate, and vessell, and tapistree, and bedding, and other houshold stuffe, to vse and weare, vntill their money come home, which will lose more in the wearing, than the interest of the money would come to. This vsurie is forbiddē in the 2. of Amos, where God complai­neth faying, They lye downe vpon the clothes which are laid to pledge: shewing, that we should not lye downe vpō such clothes, that is, we should not vse or weare the thing which is laid to pledge.

3 Some will take no Vsurie, but they will take a pawne which is better than the money which they lend, and then they will couenant, that if he bring not the money agayne by such a day, he [Page 19] forfetteth his pawne: which day the V­surer knoweth, that the poore man is not able to keepe, and so keepeth the pawne for his money, which is worth twise his money. This Vsurie is forbidden in Leuit. 25. where it is sayd, Thou shalt not take Vsurie or van­tage: as if he should say, thou shalt not take the forfeiture; for then thou takest vantage, when thou takest more than thou lendest.

4 Some will not take Vsurie, but they will buy some thing at a small price, and then couenant with the bor­rower that he buy the same agayne of the same price at such day, which day the vsurer knoweth that the borrower is not able to keepe, and so he getteth for a little, that which the other might haue sold for much more. This vsurie is condemned in the 1. Thessa. 4. where it is sayd, Let no man defraude or circum­uent his brethren in any thing.

5 Some will not take vsurie, but they will lend out their money to occupiers, vpon condition to be partakers in their [Page 20] gaines, but not in their losses: so one takes all the paines and abideth all the venture, and the other which takes no paines, reapeth halfe the profit. This vsurie is forbiddē in 2. Thes. 3. 10. where it is sayd, He which will not worke let him not eate.

6 Some will not take Vsurie, but if he be a Labourer, or a Mason, or a Carpē ­ter, which borroweth of him, he wil co­uenāt with him for so many days work, he shal labour with him so many dayes, or so many weekes for no money, but the loane of money. This Vsury is con­demned in Luke. 10. 7. where it is said, The labourer is worthie of his hire.

7 Some will not take Vsurie, but if you haue not presēt money to pay for their wares, they will set a high price of them, for the forbearing of the time, and so they do not onely sell their wares, but they sell time to: that is, they do not onely sell their owne, but they sell Gods owne. Therefore one saith of these, When he selleth the day, he selleth the light, and when he selleth the night he sel­leth [Page 21] rest: therefore when he would haue the light of heauen, and the rest of Para­dise, it shall be said vnto him that he hath sold both alreadie. For he sold light when he sold the day, and he sold rest when he sold the night: and therefore now he can haue neither light nor rest. Hereafter let not the Londoners say that they giue time, but that they sell time.

8 There be other Vsurers which will not lend themselues, but giue leaue to their wiues, and they play like huck­sters, that is, euerie moneth a peny for a shilling, which is one hundred for ano­ther in the yeare.

9 But that I was informed of them since this sermon was preached, I had left out our capitall Vsurers, which wil not lend any money, because they dare not require so much gain as they wold haue, but if you would borrow an hū ­dred pound, they will giue you wares worth three score pound, and you shall answere them an hundred pound for it. These are the Vsurers generall, which lurke about the the Citie like Rats, & [Page 22] Wesels, and Fulmers, of whom may be said the same which is said of the diuels, they seeke whom they may deuour. 1. Pet. 5. 8.

10 10 Vsuries Co­sins.There be other Cosins to vsurers, which are not counted vsurers, such as take money for that which they should giue freely: such as take as much for a counterfeit as for the best: such as take a fee of a Client & do him no pleasure: such as take money for Masses, & Dir­ges, and Trentals, and Pardons, & such like drugs, which do no more good thā fire out of the chimney. This is a kind of vsurie and deceit beside, which one day they will cast away as Iudas did his thirtie pence.

Obiections made by vsu­rers.Now you haue heard the kinds of vsurie, you shall heare the arguments which are deuised for vsurie.

Sinne is neuer complet vntil it be ex­cused: this is the vantage which the di­uell getteth by euery sinne, whensoeuer he can fasten any temptation vpon vs, we giue him a sinne for it, and an ex­cuse to boote as Adam our father did.Gen. 3. First he sinned, and then he excused: so [Page 23] first we sinne, and then we excuse: first an vsurer, and then an excuser. There­fore euery vsurer wil defend vsury with his tongue, though he cōdemne it with his conscience. If the Image makers of Ephesus had not liued by Images,Act. 19. 25. they would haue spokē for Images, no more than the rest: for none stood for Images but the Image makers: so if the vsurers did not liue by vsury, they would speak for vsurie no more than the rest: for none stand for vsurie but vsurers.

It is an easie matter, if a man be dispo­sed, to speak somthing for euerie vice, as some defend the Stewes: some defend treasō; some defend Nonresidēcy: some defend swearing by my faith: some de­fend bowling vpon the Sabaoth: and some defend vsurie. But, will you pleade for Baal? (saith Ioash)Iud. 6. 31. that is, will you plead for sinne which wil plead against you? A sinne is a sinne when it is defen­ded: nay, a sinne is two sins, when it is defended: for he which breaketh one of the least commandements (saith Christ)Matth. 5. 19. & teacheth others to doe so, is the least [Page 24] in the kingdome of heauen. A Squire of low degree is a Squire of no degree: so the least in the kingdome of heauen is none of the kingdome of heauen. Who thē is the least in the kingdome of hea­uen? not he which breaketh the least of the commandemēts, but he which tea­cheth others to do so: that is, he which by defending, and excusing, & minsing, and extenuating his sinne, incourageth others to sinne too.

To defend Vsury, they distinguish vpon it, as they distinguish of lying: as they say, there is a pernicious lye, and an officious lye, and a merry lye, and a godly lye: so they say, there is the Mer­chants Vsurie, and the Strangers Vsu­rie, and the Widdowes Vsurie, and the Orphanes Vsurie, and the poore mans Vsurie, and the biting Vsurie, and the charitable Vsurie, and the necessarie Vsurie. As God said,Gen. 2. yee shall dye, and the woman said, peraduenture yee shall dye, and the Serpent said, ye shall not dye; Three opini­ons of Vsury.so there be three opinions of Vsurie: some say like God, thou shalt dye, they [Page 25] thinke that Vsurie is vtterly vnlawful, because God hath vtterly forbid it: some say like the woman, peraduenture thou shalt die, they doubt whether Vsu­rie be vtterly vnlawfull or no, because it is so much tollerated: some say like the Serpent, thou shalt not die, Gen. 3. they thinke that Vsurie is lawful, because it is gain­full, as Saul thought that the Idolaters beasts shold not be killed, because they were fat. But as he was commanded to 1. Sam. 15. 9. kill the fat beast, as well as the leane, so we are commanded to kill fat sinnes as well as leane sinnes; gainfull sinnes as well as prodigall sinnes.

Obiections for Vsurie. 1 They which plead for Vsurie, obiect these arguments. First they say, God doth allow some kinde of Vsurie, for in Deut. 23. it is said of a stranger thou mayest take Vsurie. I perceiue no scrip­ture speaketh for Vsurers. Of a stranger (saith God) thou maist take Vsurie: but thou takest Vsury of thy brother, ther­fore this cōdemneth thee, because thou vsest thy brother like a stranger. Here stranger doth signifie the Iews enimies, [Page 26] whom they were commaunded to de­stroy: therefore marke how much this maketh against Vsurie, which they ob­iect for Vsurie. God doth not license the Iewes to take Vsurie of any, but their enimies, whom they might kill: They might not be Vsurers vnto any, but to them of whom they might be destroyers, whom they might slay, of thē only they might take vsury: shew­ing that Vsury is a kind of punishmēt, and such a kind of punishment, as if we are to kill a man, it were a verie fit pu­nishment for him, and therfore the Iews might take Vsurie of none, but them whom they might kill. I hope Vsurers will alledge this scripture no more.

2 Secondly, they say that they lend for compassion, & so make Vsurie a work of charitie. This were charitie not to be partakers in our gaines, but to be partakers in our losses; but Vsurers wil be partakers in our gaines, but not in our losses; nay, though we lose, yet they will gaine: is this charity? it is Vsurers charitie.

[Page 27] 3 Thirdly, they say, if he gaine and I gaine too, is not this well? may he not consider my friendship, and be thank­full? yes, he may be thankfull, but no man is bound to be thankful, but when he hath receiued a good turne, then he is tried whether he will be thankfull or no: and if he requite thy curtesie, then he is thankfull, but if thou bind him to requite it, then thou art couetous.

4 Fourthly they say, Vsurie is necessa­rie for Orphans, and Widdowes, and Straungers, which haue no other way to get their liuing, and therefore some Vsurie must be tolerated. If Vsurie be necessarie for vs, how did the Iewes without it? Did God thinke it good for the state of their common weale to be without Vsurers? and is it good for the state of our common weale to haue Vsurers? this is wisedome against God.

5 Fiftly they say: If I may not gaine by the money which I lend, I will lend no more, but keepe my mony to my selfe: nay, that is as bad to keepe thy money [Page 28] from them which need, as to lend thy mony for Vsurie. For Christ saithMatth. 5. 42., from him which borroweth turne not away thy face. Therefore thou art bound to lend. As he hath a cursse in Prou. 11. which keepeth his corne, when he should sel it to thē which hunger; so he hath a cursse in Eze. 18. which keepeth his mony whē he should lend it to them which want.

6 Sixtly they say, because Vsurie comes of biting, the biting vsurie is onely for­bidden, & none but the biting vsurie: why then all vsurie is forbidden, for all vsurie commeth of biting, so the wise God hath giuen it a name to con­demne it.

7 Lastly, they alledge the Law of the land for it, and say, the Queenes statute doth allow vs to take vpon vsurie ten in the hundreth. These are like the Iewes, which said,Iohn. 19. 7. We haue a law, and by our law he shall die: whē they could not say by Gods law he shall die, then they said by our law he shall die: so when they cannot say by Gods law we may take vsurie, they say by mans law we may [Page 29] take vsurie, this is the poorest defence of all the rest: for if Gods law forbid thee, can any law of man excuse thee? As it would not serue Adam to say,Gen. 3. the woman bad me; so it will not serue the v­surer to say, the Law doth licence me. But he cannot say the Law doth license me: for though peraduenture our Law do tollerate more than should be tolle­rated, yet I would haue you know, that our Law doth not allow ten in the hū ­dreth, nor fiue in the hundreth, nor one in the hundreth, nor any vsurie at all: but there is a restraint in our Law, that no vsurer take aboue tenne in the hun­dreth, it doth not allow ten in the hun­dreth, but punisheth that tyrant which exacteth aboue ten in the hundreth. It is much like that tolleration which we reade of diuorces. For the hardnesse of mens hearts, Christ saith, that Moses did suffer the man and wife to part a sunder: So for the hardnesse of mens hearts,Matth. 19. 7. our Moses our Prince is faine to suffer as it were a kind of vsury, because otherwise no men would lend.

[Page 30] These are the best excuses which our Vsurers haue to plead for themselues, against they come before the tribunall of God; & if their reasons wil not stand before men nor their owne conscience, how will they stand before the Lord? And yet he which speaketh to these, maketh himselfe a mock. Christ prea­ched many Sermons, and was neuer scorned at any, but when he preached against couetousnesse, thē it is said that he was mocked:Luk. 16. 14. shewing that these kind of men are most incorrigible and wedded to their sinne till death make them part. Yet for their greater con­demnation, we are commāded to speak to them which wil not heare:Ezek. 2. 5. of which number is euerie reader of this Sermon if he be a Vsurer after.

What the vsurer is like.Now, you long to heare what the Vsurer is like. To what shal I likē this generatiō? They are like a Butlers box: for as all the counters at last come to the Butler; so all the mony at last com­meth to the Vsurer, ten after ten, & ten after ten, and ten to ten, til at last he re­ceiue [Page 31] not only ten for an hundreth, but an hundreth for ten. This is the onely difference, that the Butler can receiue no more than he deliuered: but the Vsurer receiueth more than he deliue­reth. They are like a Moth; euen as a Moth eateth a hole in cloath, so Vsury eateth a hole in siluer: If you haue a peece of siluer which is as much as an hūdred pounds, in one yeare vsury will eate a hole in it as big as ten pounds: in two yeares she will eate a hole as big as twentie pounds: in three yeares she wil eate a hole as big as thirty pounds. Nay, now they say, he is but a bad husband which cannot eate a hole as big as fiftie pounds in a yeare: that is, which cannot gain halfe in half: how many holes haue these Moths eaten in poore mens gar­ments? They are like Nonresidēts, that is, such bad members, that no man spea­keth for them but thēselues. As no mā standeth for Nonresidencie, but he which is a Nonresident, or he which would be a Nōresidēt: so no mā stādeth for Vsurie, but he which is an Vsurer, [Page 32] or he which would be an vsurer. They are like Iezabel, which said,1. King. 21. 7. Let me a­lone, I haue a way. If there be no way to liue (saith the false Steward) I know what to do I will deceiue: so if there be no way to liue (saith the vsurer) I know what to do, I will oppresse:Luk. 16. 4. If I cannot liue by buying, nor by selling, nor by flattering, nor by labouring, I will liue by oppression. But as one in his Cōmēt speakes to the false Steward. Thou saiest I know what to do, but doost thou know what thou shalt suffer? So I say to vsu­rers, you say you know what to do, but do you know what you shal suffer? In deed he knoweth not what to do, which knoweth not to do well: and therefore Christ said of his persecutors, that they knew not what they did. Luk 23. 34. Here I will end the first dayes examination.

Now I may conclude with Paul, 1. Cor. 7. 10. I haue not spoken, but the Lord: & therfore as the Lord said vnto Saul, Act. 9. 22. that he per­secuted him; so they which resist this doctrin do contemne him, and not me.

IT remaineth that we speake of the vsurers punishment: Then, what may be thought of them which doe not take vsurie, but giue vsurie. Lastly, what they should do, which haue got their riches by vsurie.

The punish­ments of vsurers. 1 To begin with the punishment, not onely Gods law, but euen the Cannon law doth so condemne vsurie, that first it doth excommunicate him from the Church, as though he had no commu­nion with Saints.

2 Secondly, it doth detaine him from the Sacraments, as though he had no communion with Christ.

3 Thirdly, it doth depriue him of his Sepulcher, and will not suffer him to be buried, as though he were not wor­thy to lye in the earth, but to lye in hel.

4 Lastly, it maketh his will to be no [Page 34] will, as though his goods were not his owne: for nothing is ours but that which we haue rightly got: & therefore we say, It is mine by right, as though it were not ours, vnles it be ours by right. This is the iudgement of mans law.

Now you shall heare the iudgement of Gods law. A vsurer doth receiue two Incomes; one of the borrower, and a­nother of the reuēger; of the borrower he lookes for gaine; but of the reuen­ger he lookes for punishment: there­fore all the Scripture prophesieth euill vnto him, as Michatah did to Achab. Salomon saith.Prou. 28. 8. He which increaseth his riches by Vsury, gathereth for them which will be mercifull to the poore. As if he should say, whē he hath loden himselfe like a cart, he shall be vnloden like a cart againe, and they shall inherite his money for whom he did neuer gather it. For, he which is vnmercifull to the poore, meaneth not to gather for them which will be mercifull to the poore: but Salomon saith, That they shall be his heires which will be mercifull as he [Page 35] was vnmercifull.

Now mark whether this prophecie of Salomon be true, I know not how many in this Citie do increase by vsu­rie; but this prophesie seemeth to be verified of manie: For it is noted, that the riches and lands of Aldermen and Merchants, and other in London, do not last so long, nor indure so well, as the riches and lands of others in the coun­trey, & that their childrē do not proue so wel as others, nor come to that place in the Common weale, which for their welth their parents looked that they should come to, I can giue no reason for it, but the reason of Salomon, He which increaseth by Vsurie, gathereth for them which will be mercifull to the poore. That is, their riches shall go from their heires to Gods heires, according to that, The riches of the sinner is laid vp for the righteous:Prou. 13. 22. that is, the righteous shal inioy that which the wicked gathereth. All riches are vncertaine, but the ri­ches which are euill gotten, are most vncertaine: They may be called moue­able [Page 36] goods, for they are verie moue­able, like the clowds which neuer rest till they fall as they climed. God saith,Ezec. 22. 13. that he will smite the vsurer with his fist, not with the palme of his hand, 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 here, That they shall not dwell in Gods temple, nor rest in his holy mountain. Thē we wil seeke no moe punishments, for this pu­nishment is all punishmēts. If they shal not come to heauē, whose thē shal those riches be? Nay, whose then shall the honour be when that day commeth? If he shall not rest in heauen, then he shal rest in hell where no rest is. Then saith one,Note. 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 whom, the [Page 37] children shall reply againe, nay, Cursed be you father, for you were the cause of our torments; for if you had not left vs other mens goods, we had not kept other mens goods. Thus when they are cursed of God, they shall curse one an other, curse the Lord for condēning thē, curse their sinnes for accusing thē, curse their Parents for begetting them, and curse themselues, because they cannot helpe thēselues: As they which are bles­sed do nothing but blesse, so they which are cursed, do nothing but curse. This is the secōd Vsury which the Vsurer shal receiue of God, after he hath receiued Vsurie of men, then the name of Vsurie shalbe fulfilled, as it signifieth biting, so when it hath bitten other, it shall bite the Vsurer to, and neuer rest biting; then they shall wish that they could re­store againe as Zacheus did, & shall not restore, because their money is gone. Therefore if Christ be come to your hearts, as he came to Zacheus house,Luke. 19. re­store now as Zacheus did, & escape this iudgement. This is the end of the vsu­rer [Page 38] and his money, if they stay toge­ther till death, yet at last there shall be a diuision.Note. The deuill shall take his soule, the earth shall take his bodie, the strangers shall take his goods, and the mourners shall reioyce vnder their blackes, and say, wickednesse is come to the graue.

Therefore, if thou wouldest not be counted an Vsurer 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.

Whether it be vnlawfull to giue vsu­rie.Now if you will know whether it be vnlawful to giue vsury, as it is vnlawful to take vsurie, I wish that you could re­solue your selues, that I might not speak of it: for I haue heard som preachers say, that there be some truthes which they would be loth to preach, & so there be some truthes which I would be loth to preach, because many heare by halues, & some for malice or ignorāce, wil take things otherwise then they are spoken, yet because I haue promised, I will [Page 39] speake some thing of it.

Wel then, may we neither take vsu­rie, nor giue vsurie? objection 1 I know that Iere­mie saith,Iere. 15. 10. I haue not lent vpon V surie to others, neither haue others lent vpon V su­rie to me: as though both were vnlawful, not only to take vsury, but to giue vsu­rie. Answer. But thereby Ieremie doth signifie, that he was no medler in the world, wherby they shold enuy him like other men, & therefore he cleareth himselfe chiefly from vsury, because vsurers were most enuyed. And to shew that he was not an vsurer, he saith that he was not a borrower, which is more lawfull thē to be an vsurer, like a mā which saith, I do neither hate him nor know him. Why it was lawfull to know him, but to proue that he did not hate him, he saith, he doth not know him. So Ieremy, to proue that he had not lent vpon vsu­rie, doth say, that he neuer borrowed vpon vsury, which many will doe that wil not lend. objection 2 The best expositors giue this sence of it. I know beside, that Christ did cast forth the buyers out of the Temple, as well as the sellers, [Page 40] Answer. but that was not for buying, 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.

objection 3 I know beside, that it is a cōmō saying, if there were no buyers, there would be no sellers, if there were no bribe giuers, there would be no bribe takers. Answer. But in this case it may be rather sayd, if there were no takers, there would be no gi­uers, for the giuer doth not make the re­ceiuer to take, but the receiuer doth make the giuer to giue, because he will not lend vnlesse the other will giue him for the loane: therfore as we say, the re­ceiuer makes the theefe: so I may say, the receiuer of Vsurie, makes the giuer of Vsurie. Therefore I would be loth to compare thē which are constrained to borrow vpon Vsurie, vnto them which did buy in the Temple, and were not constrained more then they which sold in the Temple. Much lesse may I com­pare them which giue Vsurie vnto thē which take Vsurie: for there is as great [Page 41] ods betweene thē, as there is between giuing and taking, or betweene coue­tousnesse and necessitie, for one is coue­tousnesse, and the other is necessitie. He which lendeth for vsurie, lendeth for couetousnesse, but he which borroweth vpon vsurie, borroweth for necessitie.

Now, for necessitie God hath allowed many things, as for necessity it was law­full for Adams sonnes to marie with A­dās daughters, because there were no o­ther women. For necessitie it was law­full for Dauid to eate the shewbread,1. Sam. 21. 6. be­cause he had no other foode. For neces­sitie it was lawfull to worke, and heale, & fight vpō the Saboth, which was not lawfull, but for necessitie.Luke. 13. 10. Therefore for necessitie why may not a man pay more then he borrowed, seeing no Scripture doth forbid vs to pay more thā we bor­rowed, but to require more thē we lēd. Some do thinke, that as God did vse the ambition of Absalon, and the malice of Pharao, and the trecherie of Iudas vnto good: so men may vse the couetousnes of vsurers vnto good, that is, to helpe at [Page 42] a need whē a mā is like to be vndone, & his childrē cast away, & his lease forfei­ted, & many incōueniences beside like to ensue, which you know better than I, vnlesse he haue present money at som­time to preuēt a mischief. For example hereof, I may alledge how Iacob did vse the sin of Laban. Gene. 31. 53. Labā did euil in swea­ring by Idols, but Iacob did not euill in receiuing such an oth of him though it was an vnlawfull oth. So, though the v­surer do euill in taking vsurie, yet a mā doth not euill in giuing vsurie. Beside, I may alledge the example of Abrahā & Abimilech:Gene. 21. 31. Abraham made a couenant with Abimilech: to confirme this co­uenant Abraham sware, and Abimi­lech sware, Abraham sware by the true God, but Abimelech sware by his false Gods, and yet Abraham did receiue this oth and sinned not. So if her Ma­iestie and the Turke should make a co­uenant the Turke would not sweare as the Queene would sweare; for the Queene would sweare by the Lord, but the Turke would sweare by Mahomet: [Page 43] if it be lawfull then to receiue such an oth, though it be an vnlawful oth, why may it not be lawfull for me to giue more than I borrowed, though it be vnlawfull for the Vsurer to take more then he lended? Beside, a Prince may not pardon a wilfull murtherer, yet I thinke that no man will say in hast, that he which hath cōmitted murther may not take a pardon. As this vnlawful gi­uing doth not make the taking vnlaw­full; so the other vnlawfull taking doth not make the giuing vnlawfull. Beside, it is lawfull to suffer iniurie, though it be vnlawful to offer iniurie: it is lawful to suffer iniurie, as Christ payd tribute,Mat. 17. 17. which was iniurie; but, it is not lawfull to offer iniurie, because there are sixe Commandements against it.

Now, to take vsury, is as it were to of­fer iniurie: but to giue vsury, is as it were to suffer iniury, therfore though I may not take more than I borrowed, yet I may giue more than I borrowed.

Moreouer, I may cōpare giuing of v­sury to swearing; if a mā sweare without [Page 44] cause, he sinneth, but if he sweare as the word teacheth him to sweare, he sinneth not: so, if a man borrow vpō vsurie, and borrow without cause, he sinneth, be­cause he feedeth the vsurer: but else, as a man may sweare in some case, so in some case a man may borrow vpon v­surie, that is, in case of necessitie, when a man must needs borrow, and can bor­row of none but of vsurers.

Lastly, I may alledge that vsurie and vsurer, are neuer read in the Scripture, but they signifie him that takes vsurie, not him which giues vsurie: and there­fore the Scripture seemeth to forbid ta­king, but not giuing.

Many reasōs more are alledged which I cānot refute, & therfore I will not cō ­tradict them: yet I meane not to decide the questiō, because I will not bemista­kē; but if some should come vnto me in that necessitie & extremitie which I cā imagine, & aske; may I borrow money of these vsurers to saue my life, or my credite, or my liuing, seeing no mā will lend me freely? I would answer him as [Page 45] the Prophet answered Naaman, neither do, nor do not, but go in peace. I will not forbid thee, nor I wil not condēne thee, but if thy consciēce condēne thee not, I thinke thy sinne one of the least sinnes; and as Naaman prayed,2. Reg. 5. 18. Lord be merci­full vnto me in this: so I thinke the Lord will be mercifull vnto thee in this: but if thy conscience go against it: then do it not, for it is sinne to thee, though it be free for another, because whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne.Rom. 14. 23. I charge you in the feare of God, that you do not mis­take that which is sayd, for I know no learned Preacher, nor learned writer of other mind. Yet least you shuld mistake the matter, as I distinguished of lēders, so I will distinguish of borrowers.

Diuers kindes of borrowers.If some may borrow vpon vsurie, it doth not follow that all may borrow v­pon vsurie, because all haue not the like cause: therefore do not say that I teach you to borrow vpon vsury, for I thinke that the most in this citie which borrow vpon vsurie, should not borrow as they do, because they rather maintaine vsu­rie, then supplie their necessitie. Some I [Page 46] know borrow for meere necessity; if any may be allowed, those are they: but there is a kinde of borrowers in this Citie, which feede Vsurers as the bellowes kindle the fire, for they haue no need to borrow, but because they would be rich, and richer, & richest of all: therfore they will imploy all the money which they cā borrow, thinking to get more by the vse of it, thē the vsurie of it doth come to. This maketh them sell their wares so deare, because they must not onelie gaine the price but the interest beside, & more than the interest to, or else they gaine nothing. These borrowers are in another predicament than those which borrow for necessitie, & therfore if they be not old enough to answer for thēsel­ues, I am to young to answer for them. There are other borrowers as I haue heard, which for some secret cause wold seeme barer & needier than they are, ei­ther because they would not be char­ged deepely with Subsidies, or else be­cause they would compound with their Creditors for a litle: therfore they will haue alwayes some thing for vsurie, that [Page 47] their creditors may thinke them bare of money, or that other may pitie them in their charges. These are like those foxes which haue wealth enough to pay their debts, & yet lye in prison because they would defraude their creditors. I doubt not but there be more sorts thē I know, I cānot hunt euery corner because I wāt experience:Note. but this is my conclusion, I would haue no man pay interest vnto vsurers but for necessitie, euen as a tra­uailer giueth his purse to a theefe, be­cause he cannot chuse. Thus you haue heard what I can say of thē which take vsurie, and them which giue vsurie.

What Vsu­rers should doe with their gaines.Now you would vnderstand the last question. If you haue bene Vsurers al­readie, what you should doe with that money which you haue gained by vsu­rie? Surelie euen as Zacheus did, restore it agayne. If you cannot say as Samuell sayd, 1. Sam. 12. 3. whose goods haue I taken? then you must say as Zacheus sayd,Luke. 19. 8. whose goods 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 sayth.Iosh. 6. 18. Put away the exe­crable[Page 48] thing from you, that is, let no vn­lawfull thing stay in your handes, like the wedge of Achā, which he had got by sin. The same law serueth for all which is got wrongfully, which was instituted against theeues, Restore it again:Exod. 22. the rea­son of this law is, because the sin is not remitted, vntill the debt be restored, for as humilitie is the repentance of pride, & abstinence is the repētance of surfet, and almes is the repētance of couetous­nes, and forgiuenesse is the repentāce of malice, so restitution is the repētance of vsury; as he which is not hūble doth not repent his pride, he which doth not ab­staine, doth not repent his gluttonie, he which doth not forgiue, doth not repēt his malice, so he which doth not restore, doth not repent his vsurie. For how cā he be said to repent for his vsury, which liueth by vsurie still. Therefore Daniell saith to Nabuchadnezzar, Dan. 4. 24. breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes, shewing, that no­thing but rightuousnesse cā breake vn­righteousnes. As diseases are healed by the cōtrarie, so pride is healed by humi­litie, gluttonie by abstinence, malice by [Page 49] forgiuenesse, couetousnesse by almes, & vsurie by restoring. This Paule calleth, The reuenge of a Christian, 2. Cor. 7. 11. whē he takes reuenge vpon his sinnes, & punisheth his lustes, so that he maketh thē do con­trarie to that which they would doe. Therfore you must restore that which you haue got by vsurie, or else you doe not repent of your vsurie. As a Camell whē he comes home casteth of his bur­thē at the doore, that he may enter into his stable, so they which are laden with other mēs goods, when they go to hea­uē, must leaue their burthen where they had it, least they be to grose to get in at the narrow gate. But as the disciples of Christ sayd,Iohn. 6. 60. This is a hard speach, so to thē which haue got most that they haue by vnlawfull meanes, this is a hard speach, to bid thē restore it againe, there be two great rubs in the way.

Two obie­ctions.First, the losse which they shall su­staine, if they restore agayne all which they haue got vniustly. Then the diffi­cultie to restore it agayne to the right parties. If you aske me, as Amaziah as­ked the Prophet,2. Chro. 25. 9. How shall we do for [Page 50] those hundreth tallents? How shall I liue when all is gone that I haue got wrong­fully? I can say no more than the Pro­phet sayd to him, The Lord is able to giue thee more then this. Iuke. 19. 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 he had restored, so thou shalt liue when thou hast restored. He which sayth,Mala. 3. 10. Trie me if I will not powre downe a blessing, trie him whether he will not powre downe a blessing; for he hath promised to blesse the lender as well as the Sacrificer. He which is the Lord of all, can giue thee more thā thou needest:Deut. 15. 10. but if you cannot restore to the owner, nor to his heires, then giue it to the poore, for they are the next heires, and repent that thou hast kept it so lōg: but in no wise thou mayst keepe it to thy selfe, because it is none of thine.

When Hezekiah was like to dye, E­say sayd vnto him,Esay. 38. 6. Set thy things in order before thou dye. That which he aduised [Page 51] him, he aduiseth all; set your things in order before you dye. 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 order: when thou bequeathest thy soule to God, then thy soule is set in order: when thou be­queathest thy goods to the owners, thē thy goods are set in order: therefore if thou dye with other mens goods in thy hand, then thou dyest before thou hast set things in order, and then thou dyest in thy sinnes, and then no pro­mise in all the Scripture appertaineth vnto thee, because nothing is promised vnto sinners, but vnto penitent sinners. Therfore that you may not dye in your sinnes, it is necessarie to make restitu­tion before you dye, or else you dye in your sinne, and are crossed out of all the ioyes of heauen. Wherefore as Abner said to Ioab, 2. Sam. 2. 26. Knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end? So remem­ber whether this course will be sweete or bitter in the end. If they be condem­ned which giue not their owne goods [Page 52] to them which neede, like the rich glutton, how can they be saued which draw other mens goods from them, that haue more neede of theirs?

Thus you haue heard the definition of vsurie, & the deriuation of it, and the vnlawfulnesse of it, and the kinds of it, and the punishment of it, and the argu­ments which are alledged for it, & what may be thought of them which do not take vsurie but giue vsurie, & what they should do which haue got their liuing by vsurie.

Now, seing you may not be vsurers to men, let euery man hereafter be an v­surer to God, which promiseth; If thou leaue father, or mother, or wife, or chil­dren, or house, or land for him, not ten in the hūdreth, but an hundreth for ten; may an hundred for one, & in the world to come, life euerlasting: that is, a thou­sand for one.Mat. 19. 26. That we may receiue this vsurie, let vs pray that the words which we haue heard out of this Psalme, may dwell with vs till we dwell in heauen.