¶ The 1. Chapter. ¶ A recitall of the causes, vvherfore Vsurie is founde faulte withall, and condemned.

FOr as muche as this case is burdened with greate preiudice, and many both o­uercome with custome, pric­ked with the spech of the fro­ward people, and bewitched with the glorious colours of Vsurie, doe iudge sinisterlie, and wickedly report of suche as set them selues against this Idoll of the worlde: it is both good and necessarie afore wee enter into this dis­course, to recite the true and weightie causes, whereby plainly and sustantially it may bee proued and showen, that Preachers through a godly and commendable zeale, haue cōdemned Vsury, instructed their auditors earnestly to auoyde it, adhorted vsurers to repentance; and with seueritie of suspension, yea with the Thunderbolt of ex­communication (thereby to bring them to the acknow­ledging of their wickednes, and to the doing of penance) [Page] [...] [Page 1] [...] [Page] haue terrefied suche as either wickedly doe vse, or wilful­ly defende vsurie.

And although the vanitie of these backbiters bee suffi­ciently knowen and manifest vnto the godly: yet the ho­nour of our profession is to bee defended, and our fame must bee deliuered from the eger inuasions of these pesti­ferousThe reason why Vsurie is founde fault withall. sycophants, lest otherwise the simple be offended, and withdrawen from the truthe, fall into their opinion.

The firste is the glory of GOD wherunto, as Paule 1. The glorie of God must bee ad [...]a [...]nced. doth admonishe, all our actions are to bee directed. For God wilbe acknowledged and glorified of vs, euen as he is. And therefore did he make vs accordyng to his owne likenes; therefore would he haue vs to be redeemed with the precious bloud of his onely begotten sunne, and ther­fore with his holy spirite through the preachyng of the word, and administration of the Sacramentes doth hee il­luminate our myndes and cogitations, that due and true glorie may be ascribed to hym alone.

Now they, whiche put no a [...]iance in the giuer and be­stower of euery good thyng, but by their owne forecaste and wisedome, yea by vnlawfull trades, neglectyng the meanes whiche bee ordained of God, prouide for them­selues, attribute that glorie whiche is due vnto God, vnto themselues, and their vsurie. And so contumeliously they deale with God, for whiche thing, because he should notThat God may Haue his glorie, and the wicked their shame, Preachers finde fault with Vsu­rie. so much as in worde be abused, we reprehende and con­demne vsurie, that the glorie of God by acknowledgyng of his benefites, and obedience vnto his will, may shine and be seen in vs.

The seconde; The greate, eternall, and straight com­maundement2. Preachers muste rebuke [...]l synne, and therfore of necessitie must adhort Vsurers to repent. Luke. 24. of God which is giuen and proposed to all the Ministers of the Churche, preache repontaunce. The preaching of repentaunce for that it is against all synnes, it must needes rebuke vsurie.

[Page 2]The thirde; The wofull commination, whereby God3. [...]f Preachers spare to speake the w [...]ll of the Lorde, God will not spare to pu­nishe them. Deut. 12. Ezech. 33. Math. 5. Ap [...]c. 22. If the commaū ­dement or mes­sage of a earth­ly Prince must faithfully bee doen: muche mo [...]e must the will of God. doth threaten eternall damnation of all suche as either di­minishe his commaundementes, or of a set ignorance o­uerpasse his will in silence; or rashly presume to ad vnto his word; or carelesly neglect their callinges.

An Embassadour of an earthlie prince beeyng sent on busines, if, without the counsaile of his Prince, he alter the forme of his Commission, is iudged to haue doen wicked­lie, and iustly getteth vnto hymself the anger of his Prince and punishment for his presumption. Then what shall we thinke of those messengers, what displeasure doe they runne into, what iudgement doe they deserue, and what cruell punishment should they haue, which beyng Em­bassadours of Christ hymself, take suche power and liber­tie vppon them, contrary to the will of their almighty andThe reward of well doing is no temporal thing, but eternal hap­pines. The punishment of Vsurers, if they doe not re­pent, is eternall damnation in the pit of hell. euerlasting Prince, that they will chaunge, peruerte and permit at their pleasures, whiche are placed in his worde to be beleeued, and to be obeied? For this controuersie is not about an earthly kingdome, but it concerns the glory of God, and the health of the soule; and respecteth that lyfe, whiche in deede is to be called a lyfe, the losse wher­of after this lyfe cannot be recouered.

The four [...]h▪ The consideration of the greate and won­derfull4. profite whiche commeth aswell to the teachers as hearers by the reprehension and condemning of Vsurie.

We the ministers of God shall attaine this reward, if asWhat profit [...] Ministers get by inueyng agains [...] Vsurie. The fruites of faithfull prea­chyng. other synnes, so we reprehend vsurie in all places, that, as faithful fulfillers of the wil of our master, we shal haue his fauour, and the testimony of a good conscience, and ioye, and cōfort, and willingnes to praie; yea & in all the race of our life, and before the tribunal seate of the sonne of God, we shall glorie, that we haue been faithfull; & before hym whiche is the knower of all hartes, our very auditors, will they or nil they, shal cōfesse the same, where then we shal [Page] bee adorned with a florishyng crowne of eternall glorie.

And the auditors whiche are tuched with a care of theThe profit com­myng to the well disposed hearers of Gods word. safetie either of their bodies in this world, or of their sou­les in the lyfe to come, shall take suche fruite and profite by this preachyng of repentaunce, that, beeyng admoni­shed of the contagiousnes of this plague whereby their soules are infected and killed, they prouide in tyme a me­dicine for the creepyng diseases, lest otherwise the whole part be drawen, and leaste the soule polluted with this vice, and defiled with that damnable synne, be cast by the iustice of God into euerlasting tormentes.

The fift; The consent of all the godlie and faithfull prea­chers5. in the Churche, from the Apostles tyme vntill thisVsurie hath in all ages been found fault withall. age, hath an especiall force to stirre vp not onely a liberty, but also a cōtinual matter to accuse and condemne vsurie.

The sixth; Because it quencheth charitie, whiche is the [...] ▪ principall chaine of humaine societie: it taketh awaie the lawe of nature, from whence the positiue lawes are ta­ken,Vsurers more seuerely puni­shed than thee­ues, among the old Ethnikes. whiche also condemne vsurie. The Ethnikes beeyng glorious by this light of naturall discernyng of honest from filthy thinges, haue not feared to pronounce, that vsurie is a thing detestable, and to be abhorred.

For they did rightlie suppose that a theefe with a dou­ble, but an vsurer with a fourfold punishment should beeCato. To be an Vsurer was to bee a murtherer in C [...]tos iudge­ment. afflicted, and that because he is a destroyer of nature. For CAT obeyng demaunded what was vsurie, hauing re­spect hereunto aunswered, that which murther was.

The seauenth; Because vsurie is heresie. For by the iudge­ment7. Vsury is heresie. Herisie what? An obstinate er­rour striuing a­gainst the Ar­ticles of our faith. of all the learned and godly writers, it is called He­resie, an obstinate errour striuyng against the foundation, that is, the Articles of our faith. The confirmation of this definition is extant in the thirde chapter of the Epistle to Titus in these wordes. After one admonition or two auoid an heretike, &c.

[Page 3]Now let vs applie this doctrine, that it maie bee kno­wenVVhy Vsurie is called Heresie. in what respect vsurie in called heresie. By many te­stimonies of holy scripture it maie bee proued, that vsurieV [...]hen Vsurers after sundry ad­monitions to auoyde their ill dealing, stand in defence of them selues, they be­come obstinat Heretikes. VVhether Vsu­rie be contrarie to the Articles of our faith or no. is a deadly synne, as by that whiche followeth shall ap­peare. Now if this synne after many admonitions bee de­fended, and with sondrie colours bee excused & painted, and become pertinacie, then is it no more a simple, but is called an obstinate errour.

Then a question riseth, whether Vsurie bee contrarie to the foundation of the scripture, that is, to the Articles of our faithe; But, the definition of an Article of faithe beeyng considered, the aunswere is easie. An Article of faithe is any parte of Christian doctrine, either in the old or newe Testamente whiche is deliuered vnto vs, and propo­sed to bee beleeued. For it is the propertie of faithe not to assent to à part, but to all the woorde of GOD whiche is written and giuen out to bee credited, accordyng to thatVVhat is an ar­ticle of the faith. Psalme. 1. of Dauid, And in the lawe of the Lorde (not in à parte of the lawe) will hee meditate daie and night.

Now many commaundementes whiche forbid the ex­actions of Vsurie, are aswell in the olde as newe Testa­mente proposed to bee credited of vs, that accordyng too that rule our life maie bee directed, and conformed by à good conscience in newnesse of life to the honor of God, and profite of our neighbour. Therefore the forbiddyng of Vsurie, is an article of our faithe.

Wherefore thei whiche imbrace this errour of Vsurie, and with an obstinate mynde defende it, and with con­tentiousObstinate Vs [...] ­rers, are to bee accompted ob­stinate Hereti­kes. woordes alowe it, and beyng admonished, or by strong and euident places of scripture conuicted doe cō ­tinue therein, and are vpholders thereof, thei ma [...]e rightlie bee accounted and proclaimed for Heretikes, as also the Ciuill lawers doe witnesse.

And for that to fall into heresie is verie daungerous, [Page] and beeyng in too come out againe is harde, it were good for all Vsurers to prouide and foresee, leste thei bee spotted with the staine of Heresie, and so by little at the length thei slide into suche à sincke, from whēce fewe can escape and come out. And what needes many woordes? Doeth not Christe and Paule call Coueteousnesse, whiche is worse than Vsurie, as Luther witnesseth, Idolatrie? ForLuther Tom. 7. Gen. pag. 388. fac. 1. 9. 4. & fac. 2. 9. 1. Math. 6. Ephes. 5. Christe saieth, Ye can not serue God and Mammon. And Paule, Knowe this, that euery Fornicator, impure person, or couetous, whiche is an Idolater, hath none inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christ and of God. Let no man deceiue you with vaine woordes. For, for suche the wrathe of God com­meth vpon the sonnes of vnbeleef. Bee ye not therefore par­taker of them. Euen as the Manichees horrible heretikes did commende Vsurie, as Augustine writyng of theirAugust in Psal. 132. maners and customes saieth. Thei encrease Vsurie, and o­penly defende, that to bee an Vsurer is better than to bee an housbandman, because an Usurer dooeth not breake of the members of God whiche are in Trees, Herbes, Aples, and frute whiche an housbandman doeth. Thei beyng asked then why thei feede of the frute and Aples, Aunswere, That thei are the verie electe, and are illuminated with faithe, and by chastitie, praier, and thankesgiuyng thei purifie their life on this and sende it againe into heauen.

Finallie, the odiousnesse of this synne, and the abho­minable8. and moste detestable filthinesse thereof, whereby not onely the godlie, but also all whiche haue any reason,The diuers na­mes ascribed to Vsurers. ought to bee terrified from this so beastlie and poysoned wickednesse. Thei are called wasters, pollers, stealers of holie thynges, Theeues, Murtherers, Idolaters, cousins to fooles, as ill as madde men, because contrary to the nature of thynges thei make that too engender, whiche cannot fructifie; Thei are worse then Pagans, whiche are with­out Religion, wicked, not beleeuyng there is à God: To [Page 4] conclude, thei are likened to poysoned serpentes, to mad Dogges, to greedie Wormes, to Wolues, Beares, and to suche other rauenyng beastes. Yea Luther for theirLuther Tom. 7. Gen. 7. pag. 389. fac. 2. Gen. 2. deceipt and malice, doeth almoste thinke them to bee ve­rie Diuels. At one woorde, thei are like to vessels full of allBrigil Reuel. lib. 7. cap. 36. stinking carrion, and filthe. For so doeth S. Brigel wright of them in this maner: The wicked are full of ambition, and couetousnesse, whiche dooe more stincke in the sight of God, and his sainctes, than any filthe, in the eyes of men.

And what els are all temporall thynges, than filthe?Temporall thin­ges in compari­son but filth. The holie Ghoste by the Apostle Paule doeth proue the same, where he saieth: They whiche will bee riche, fall into 1. Timoth. 6. The daungers whiche the rich are subiect vnto. temptation, and snares, and into many foolishe and damna­ble desires, which tourne men to decaie and destruction: For the roote of all euils is coueteousnesse, whiche some desiryng, haue departed from the faithe, and haue wounded them­selues with sundrie sorowes. Finallie, as filthie men thei are horriblie polluted, and with the staines of synne not one­ly contaminated, but ouercouered; barred frō the kyng­dome of God and Christe, and driuen from all grace and blessyng of God, and through the displeasure of the al­mightie subiecte to the curse, to Sathan, to hell fire. For what greater miserie can bee to the soule?

Therefore thei whiche well and christianly doe thinkeThe conclusion with a repetiti­on of the fore mentioned cau­ses. that the glorie of GOD is to bee spred abrode, preached and protected; and the commaundement of the almigh­tie, the greate kyng, and Lorde, our heauenly father to be obeied; that his threatnynges are to bee trembled at his anger to bee feared; the power of Sathan to bee detested; the bodily and eternall paines to bee shunned, the salua­tion of the soule to bee greatly esteemed, sought for, and accounted of, the fauour of God, and blessednesse to bee loued; charitie too bee exercised; the lawe of Nature to bee obserued, not destroyed; the Heathens in honestie of [Page] conuersation, and goodlinesse to bee excelled; heresie too bee detested, abhorred, and auoyded; thy will bee so farre from beeyng displeased with the reprehenders and con­demners of Vsurie, especially with Preachers and good men, whose office driues them to rebuke synne, that thei well iudge them moste worthie of good will, fauour, and commēdation for their faithfulnesse. For the plainesse and openesse of those greeuous cases now numbred, cannot chuse but bee seen, not onely of the godlie, but also of the verie wicked, especially in suche à cleare light of the Gos­pell reueled. For the faithfull seruauntes of God take this matter in hande, not driuen thereunto by the writyngesVVhere faultes are winked at, horrible sinnes are accounted vertues. of man, nor through ambition, or desire of reuenge, but, by the straight and seuere commaundemente of GOD, and for the saluation of the Churche, and their owne sou­les, are compelled thereunto: whereby in the preachyng of Repentaunce, thei rebuke Vsurers as well as other syn­ners; that either thei maie amende, or, if thei perseuer in their obstinate malice, at the leste that the preachers bee not accused for neglect of their duetie; nor those limmes of Sathan maie haue any thing, wherewith to cloke their impiete.

¶ The 2. Chapter. A methodicall or orderly discourse of Vsurie.

INiudgyng of controuersies we mustwhat this word Vsurie signifieth looke to the foūtaines, that the mynd of the searcher maie bee certified of the vndoubted truthe, that in the ex­plication the iudgement wander notThe knowledge of tongues ne­cessarie. from the true sense. The names of thynges are rightelie called notes, whiche beeyng either altogether vnknowen, or not per­fectly [Page 5] vnderstoode, it muste needes followe that the thynges themselues bee verie obscure. And therefore in the iudgyng of controuersies, it is verie necessarie and expediente throughly to vnderstande and knowe the kinde of speche, whiche is vsed.The word of God written in Greeke and He­brue. Vsurie what ac­cording to the Hebrue worde. Neschech vsury. Proper simili­tudes applied to Vsurie.

The worde of God, whereby God hath manifested hymself, is written in Greeke and Hebrue. The begin­nyng therefore of the woorde Vsurie, is to bee sought especially in these two lāguages. In many places of the old Testament the word Neschech is read which signi­fieth Vsurie; it is deriued frō the verbe Noschach, which signifieth to bite, to gnawe, and deuoure as Serpentes, mad Dogges, and greedie Mise doe. For as à venemous Serpent by his bityng doeth instill his deadly poyson inVsu­rers like. Poyso­ned Ser­pentes. Madde dogs. Greedy Myse. to the bodie, whereby the whole bodie is infected, and so, by and by through the vehemencie and deadlinesse of the poyson, life is taken awaie: And as à mad Dogge doeth driue the bodie whiche he biteth into madnesse: And as à greedie Mouse by gnawyng the bread, doeth cause the same oftentymes to bee vnmeete, either to bee eaten, or vsed: so Vsurie by an incredible suddainesse doeth deuoure substance; bryng the bodie into world­ly miserie; and the soule into euerlastyng tormentes. No doubt this name is giuen to Vsurie to shewe the fil­thinesse, and force thereof, which euery godlie and well disposed person should cōsider diligently & with care, that so thei maie abhorre that synne more than either Dogge (as thei saie) or Serpente; and with all studie should beware of the same, leaste otherwise thei either consume their goodes lamentably, or come to them vnlawfullie, and so fall into the displeasure of GOD, whiche with greeuous paines will eternally tormente them.

And that the certaintie hereof maie bee knowen, I [Page] will confirme which I haue said, by the words of Lyra,Lyra in enarra­tione Cap. 22. Exod. who saith: As à Serpente bityng secretlie is not senseblie perceiued at the first, but afterward swelleth, & the effect of his little bite cometh into euery part of the body: so the hurte by Vsury though it be not knowen at the first, yet at length it aspireth to à greate synne, and deuoureth the whole substaunce of man. So saieth Lyra. And therefore,Vsury the daughter of co­uetousnes. Beza. whiche is woorthe the notyng, couetousnesse, the mo­ther of Vsurie, is therefore called Beza. For it commeth of the verbe Boza, whiche signifieth to wounde. For asCouetous men are cutters. thei whiche are wounded through the effusion of their blood, and perill of that parte of the bodie whiche is hurte, doe fall into sicknesse, and daunger of life: so men circumuented by the euill dealynges of the couetous, are bothe expelled out of house and home, and com­pelled oftentymes through neede to pine awaie.

In the newe Testamente these twoo names of Vsu­rieVsurie what ac­cording to the Greeke phrase of speech. Daneilmos, Tokos, Vsurie. are moste common, to wit, Daneismos, and Tokos, the later of whiche deriued frō the verbe T [...]kto, whiche signifieth to beget, or to bryng foorthe, doeth plainlie shewe foorthe the nature and force of Vsurie: that, con­trarie to the nature of money, whiche is à thyng barren and frutelesse, it bringeth forthe à child. Thence is it cal­led in Hebrue Tarbis, and in Latine Foenus, as it wereTarbis. Foenus quasi foenus. Foetus, the frute of the wombe.

Now consider how greate is the blindenesse, or ra­ther the madnesse of men in these dotyng daies of thisVsurie contrary to nature. worlde, that to à thyng frutlesse, barren, without seede, without life, will ascribe generation: and contrary too nature and common sense, will make that to engender, whiche beeyng without life by no waie can encrease. And therefore Aristotle an Ethnike, and without allAristotle an Ethnike con­dementh Vsury. knowledge of Christianitie, for this cause dooeth pro­nounce Vsurie to bee à thing detestable, and to bee ab­horred. [Page 6] His wordes are these: By good reason hath Vsu­rie Arist. solit. lib. 1. Cap. 7. come into the hatred of man, because money is onely reaped, and is not referred to the exchange of thynges, for whiche cause it was firste inuented. For contrarie to the course of nature, Vsurie doeth augment and encrease money, from whiche it is so called. Wherefore in this so excellente and wounderfull clearenesse of the Gospell, let Christians bee ashamed to iudge that allowable, whiche à prophane Philosopher so highly did condēne Hetherto of the definition of the [...]ame Vsurie. For I thought to vtter and shewe for the suche names which the Prophetes and Apostles haue especially ascribed vnto the same.

¶The 3. Chapter. whether Vsurie be lawfull.

NOwe, beecause the matter doth so require, wee will en­counter with Vsurers, and deale with this questiō whe­ther Vsurie be lawfull, or no?

Seeyng that Vsurie by theThe ende of mans creation, redemption, and sanctification. expresse worde of GOD is plainly forbidden, there is no question but it is vnlaw­full. For man is accordyng to the likenes and similitude of God created, by the Sunne redeemed, and sanctified by the holy ghost, that in him the knowledge and glo­rie of God may shine, and bee seen, that obediently he should serue God, that he should declare and manifest the gratefulnes whiche hee oweth to his maker for all the benefites whiche he hath receiued.

That God most straightly and seuerely hath forbid­denVsurie forbid­den by the word of God. the same, it is apparent by these testimonies which follow, collected out of holy scripture.

Thou shall not steale. Exod. 20.

If thou lendest thy mony to my people which are among Exodus. 22. you in miserie, doe not oppresse them, neither put Usurie vppon them.

[Page] If thy brother bee waxed poore, and fallen into decaye Ieuit. 25. with thee, thou shalt releeue hym, both the straunger and the soiorner, that hee may liue with thee. And thou shalt take no Vsurie of hym, or vantage, but thou shalt feare thy God, that thy brother may liue with thee. Thou shalt not giue hym thy Money vppon Vsurie, nor lende hym thy corne for encrease.

Thou shalt not hurt thy brother by vsurie of Money, Deut. 23. nor by vsurie of Corne, nor by vsury of any thing that he may be hurt withall.

He that lendeth vpon vsurie, and taketh ouerplus, shall Ezech. 18. this man liue? He shall not liue.

He that hath giuen his money to Vsurie shall not dwell Psal. 15. in the tabernacle of the Lorde, nor rest vpon his holie hill.

Lend, looking for nothyng therby When he saith lend,Luke. 6. he biddeth not to giue, but hee would haue the princi­pall to bee restored. But he doth forbid that any thyng should be exacted more than was lent And yet borow­yng in extreme necessitie, the thyng borrowed should be repaied.

Let not couetousnes bee once named among you, as it Ephes. 5. becometh sainctes.

Couetousnes of Money is the roote of all euill. 1. Timoth. 6.

These euident and plaine testimonies not onely of the olde, but also of the new Testament, drawen out of the most cleare fountaines of Israell, and witnisyng of the pleasure of God, doe approue to all men that Vsurie is forbidden of God, and therefore vnlawfull.

¶ The 4. Chapter. What kinde of synne Vsurie is.

[Page 8] SIth by so many plain, notable, and euident proofes out of the old and new Testament it is apparent that Vsurie is vnlawfull, and forbidden by the mouth of God, vsurers will demaunde whether it bee a synne veniall or mortall? We, omittyng all superfluitie of vvordes, in one or twoo argumentes will comprehende the whole state of this question.

No Idolater shall possesse the kingdome of heauen. Euery Vsurer is an idolater, because he is couetous. But euerie couetous person, as witnesseth Paule, is an idolater. The first argu­ment. Ephes. 5.

Therefore no Vsurer (whiche per seuereth without re­penting) shall possesse the kingdome of heauen.

For no man can obey two maisters commaunding son­dry thinges, at one and the same time, as witnesseth Christ.

Whatsoeuer is doen contrarie to the expresse commaū ­dement 3. of God, is a mortall synne, according to that, Cursed be he which doth not all thinges. Againe, Math. 5. He which breaketh one of the smalest commaundements, and shall so teache men, hee shalbe counted the leste in the kingdome of heauen.

But the expresse Commaundementes of both Testa­mentes recited in the Chapter afore doe easely proue, that Vsurie is forbidden of God. Therfore we pronoūce accor­ding to these testimonies of scripture, that whosoeuer doth exact any thing more than his owne for the lending of his goodes is polluted and defiled with deadly synne. And I [Page] proue the same out of the worde of God: because Ezech. 18. and Psal. 15. eternall damnation is expreslie denoun­ced to all which by couenaunt doe exercise the trade of V­surie. Ambrosius lib. de bo [...]o mortis. Hence doth Ambrose saie, if anie take vsurie, he is a theefe, and shall not liue.

Neither may Vsurers, or the defenders thereof who­soeuer they are, striue, or muche contende with vs. For we are Legates, as Paule saith, and the dispensors of the misteries of God, called and sent of God to signifie his will to all mankind. And for that he hath committed vnto vs a forme or instruction (the wrightinges of the Apostles and Prophetes) containyng all those thinges whiche hee would might be showen to the counciles and assembles of mankinde, it is our dueties, as Mini­sters, neither to omit, nor to adde, nor peruert, but faith­fully, and diligently to signifie whatsoeuer in Scripture by the singular counsell of God is comprehended, and proposed to vs. Let them bee deemed hypocrites who­soeuer do either for idlenes, gaine, fauour, or transitorie prefermēt, either not touch this vice at all, or ouerpasseVsurie is not to be dispensed withall. Luther super cap. 13. Gene­seos. it slightly. When dispensation should bee giuen, and when not, Luther doth notably showe in these words: Know this notwithstandyng▪ that these thinges are spoken of our lawes, and of this corporall life, not of the Lawe of God, of his promises, or Sacramentes: for there the wor­des must take place according to this sentence: He which loueth either father or mother more thā mee, is not fit for mee. But in those thinges whiche we are commaunded to doe, there is a charitie reserued to moderate the Lawes, and all our actions, which [...]especially is to bee respected. So that with our owne lawes we may dispense, but not with the lawes and ordinances of God. For God will haue his decrees to bee kept inuiolable. And therefore doth he so oftē by greuous threates of intollerable tor­ments, [Page 9] and by notable examples of the paynes of wic­ked men, terrefic from the same.

¶ The 5. Chapter. A confirmation of the true estimation, that Usurie is vnlawfull, condem­ned, and damnable.

¶ The 6. Chapter. [Page] The iudgement of the Doctors of the pure Church in all ages concerning Vsurie.

THese being taken out of the Bowels of the holie Scrip­ture, we wil nowe subioyne the iudgements of the chie­fest Diuines both olde, and newe, in the purest Chur­ches.

And although faith dothThe Churche when to be har­kened vnto. not depend of any humane auctoritie, but of the testimonie and word of God: yet this rule is to bee obserued, That the Churche is so long to be harkened vnto, as it vttereth that doctrine whiche is reuealed from God. For the Churche is a witnes of theThe Churche may not alter the woorde of God. workes of the Prophetes and Apostles. But as a witnes may not alter the narratiō which he should vtter: so is it not lawful for the Church to alter the doctrine of those bookes. For she hath auctoritie from God, whiche ad­deth notable miracles to confirme the author. There­fore the Churche hath her honor, neither is the confes­sion of the true Churche to be contemned, but this pre­cept must be kept: Trie the spirites whether they are of God or no.

Now therefore let vs consider what sayinges of the Prophetes and Apostles, and what testimonies the Doctors of the Church in al ages haue followed. If their iudgements differ from the wrightinges of the Prophe­tes and Apostles, we are to cast them away, and cleaue to the worde of God, as Paule doth will: If an Angell from Heauen teache another Gospell, let hym be accur­sed. But sith wee knowe that their opinions aunswere to the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles, and to [Page 13] bee the auncient and true teachyng of the Church, the truth is to bee obeyed: and the confession of the wise doth confirme the Godlie myndes. So doth Christ saye to his Apostles in the laste of Luke: Ye shall be witnes­ses of these thinges. Hee will not haue them to bryng out any newe doctrine, but to beare witnes to the do­ctrine of God.

I therefore faithfully recite the iudgements of aun­cient and late wrighters, that they agreeing together of the myndes of so many notable men, and all aunswe­ryng to Scripture, maie confirme the mindes of well di­sposed persons. But as was Augustines of the wrightin­gesThe iudgement of the author concerning the workes of man. of Cyprian, such is myne opinion, I plainly confesse, of all wrightinges and commentaries of all Diuines, be thei auncient or newe. The woordes of Augustine beeAugustinus lib. 2. cap. 31. these: Wee offer no iniurie to Cyprian, when sometyme we distinguish certaine of his wrightynges from the Canoni­call authoritie of the holie Scriptures. For with good rea­son is that profitable rule ordained, whereunto certaine bookes of the Prophetes and Apostles doe pertaine, of whiche in deede wee dare not iudge, and accordyng to whiche wee maie lawfully giue our sentence of any woor­kes, either of the faithfull, or Infidels. And in the 32. cha. of the same booke: I waie not the authoritie of his Epi­stle, because I accounte the letters of Cyprian as not Ca­nonicall, but I consider of them by the Canonicall, and in them whatsoeuer is agreable to the authoritie of holie Scripture, with his praise I receiue it, but that whiche is not agreable, by his leaue I refuse it.

To the same purpose saieth Hierome: Whatsoeuer is Hierom. in cap. 23. Math. spoken without aucthoritie of Scripture, maie as easilie bee despised, as it is alledged. And Cyprian hymself saith:Cyprian. Epist. 3 lib. 2. If Christe alone is to bee harkened vnto, wee should not attende what any afore vs hath thought good to bee doen: [Page] but what Christe whiche is afore all did firste; for wee maie not followe the custome of man, but the truthe of God.

Augustine of Vsurie saieth in this maner: If thou August. in Psal. 3 [...]. hast plaied the Usurer with a man, that is, haste lent hym Money looking to receiue backe againe more than thou gauest, not money onely, but more than thou gauest, whe­ther it bee Corne, or Wine, or Oile, or any thing els, if thou lookest to receiue more backe than thou deliueredst, thou art an Vsurer, and in that to bee blamed.

Hierome wrighteth thus cōcerning Vsurie: Some are Hieron. sup. 18. Ezech. Cōment. lib. 6. of opinion that Vsurie is onely in money, whiche thing the holie Scripture foreseyng doeth take awaie excesse from euery thing, that thou maiest not receiue backe more than thou gauest: Vsurie, or as the woorde of God doeth call it, excesse, is taken in feeldes of frute, of Corne, of Wine, of oyle, and of other suche like sorte: for example sake, as in Winter wee maie giue tenne bushelles, and in the Haruest receiue fiftene, that is, the one halfe for gaine. He whiche thinketh hymself moste vpright, will take the fourth part more; and thei will reason thus and saie: I gaue one bus­shell, whiche beyng sowed hath brought tenne bushelles, then is it not reason, that I receiue halfe à bushell more of mine, sith by my liberalitie, he hath got nine bushelles and an halfe? Goe not astraie, saieth the Apostle, God is not mocked. For let this mercifull Usurer make vs aunswere in fewe woordes, whether he gaue the same to hym which had, or to hym whiche wanted? If to hym whiche had, as he should not giue, but he gaue as to hym whiche wanted: Therefore why doeth he exacte ouerplus, as of hym which had afore? Some, for money put for the to Vsurie, vse to take rewardes of sundrie kindes: and thei wote not that Vsurie is called likewise superabundaunce, whatsoeuer it bee if it bee more that is receiued than was giuen.

[Page 14]Ambrose saieth: Many to auoide the commaunde­mentes Ambrose. of God, when thei haue giuen their money to oc­cupiers, exacte Vsurie not in money, but of their wares, as though theireape the profite of Vsurie, therefore let them heare what the Lawe doeth saie: Neither, saieth it, shalte thou take the Vsurie of meate, nor of any thing els. There­fore meate is Vsurie, and a garment is Vsurie; and whatsoeuer is more than that whiche is lent is Vsurie, and whatsoeuer you call the same, it is Usurie.

Chrysostome doth most fitlie compare the pleasureChrysostome cap. 5. Math. taken of Money receaued by Vsurie, to the byting of an Aspe. For euen as hee whiche is stong by the bit of an Aspe, as it were in pleasure falleth into sleepe, and by the sweetnes of that poysoned slepe passeth out of this world, because in slepe the poyson spreadeth ouer all the partes of the bodie: so hee whiche taketh Money of an Vsurer, at the first as it were greatly pleasured, doth reioyce, but Vsu­rie running ouer all his substaunce, at the length bringeth it into det.

Basyle also, and Bernarde in the vehemencie of spiritBasile. Bernarde. doe inuey against this notable vice, but beecause our desire is to bee shorte, wee will come to the Doctors of our tyme.

¶ The 7. Chapter. of Restitution.

SIth goodes gotten by vsurie be no better than the goodes gotten by theft, à question riseth, Whether they are to be restored or no?

Of this question that Rule of Paul is to be obserued Eph. 4. He which hath stolen, let hym steale no more. And he is à theefe which wittingly and willinglie dothA theefe who. depriue, or retaine another mans goodes by violence. This being so and confirmed, it followeth that à resti­tution should necessarilie bee made of those goodes whiche are gotten and attained by Vsurie, if the Vsurer minde vnfainedly to repente. For euerie man whicheVVho doth vn­fainedly repent. retaineth à purpose either to proceede, or to perseuere in wickednes against his conscience, he doth not true­ly repent. Now will we alledge proofe.

¶ The 8. Chapter. Of Interest.

INterest is called à gaine ces­sing,Interest what. and a damage rising. Now what the iudgements of diuers is about Interest, out of the wrightynges of Luther and Melancthon it may easelie be seen.

Luthers opi [...]on of Inte­rest I would haue to be read either in his owne Tomes, or in my Confession in the Germane tongue, to bring it in here I haue not thought good at this tyme.

¶ The. 9. Chapter. A refutation of certaine obiections.

NOw because in this matter of Vsurie, many thynges are ob­iected of the vngodlie Vsu­rers, ignoraunte in the Scrip­ture, before I make an ende hereof I will by euidente and stronge reasons confute cer­taine obiections. Not that I more waie the refutation of these foolishe Vsurers, than the defence of the cause I haue taken in hande: but that the vanitie of the dotyng worlde beeyng laied open, and the iuglynges of Vsu­rers full of all impietie and couetousnesse detected and reueled, the godlie with greater care maie abhorre this monstrous vice, and by the plausible and flatering talke of some maie take heede to come from à godlie and [Page 24] commendable kind of liuing to these wicked and hor­rible exactions of Vsurie: and the mouth of others may be stopped, and haue nothyng wherwith their impietie maie bee excused.

¶ The. 10. Chapter. An exhortation to auoyde Vsurie.

ALthough at my firste takyng this matter in hand, I knewe verie well, that my labour would bee greatly misliked of some: yet for that Paule in describyng a good and vigilant Bishop, doeth require at his han­des not onely a knowledge of heauenly doctrine, and à zeale and painfulnesse to preache the same, but also an habilitie to gainsaie the aduersarie [Page 30] of the truthe, I did thinke good, in the delicate iudge­ment of some perhaps more bold than wisely, to make this treatise▪ and to shewe by true and good argumen­tes, that Vsurie is vtterly to bee condemned and cast of, whiche thyng I truste is alreadie so doen, that it nee­deth no other demonstration.

Whiche beeyng so, I hartely beseche all gouernours and Subiectes, Preachers and hearers, and all sortes of men, that the truthe beeyng vttered and knowen, thei would laye bothe heddes and handes together, too the rootyng out more and more of this mischiefe from commonweales.

But firste I humblie beseche you Magistrates, to con­siderAn exhortation to magistrates and gouernors. to what purpose GOD hath honested you with his owne name, wherby you are called Gods? Why is ciuile order called the ordinaunce of God, by Saincte Paule? Euen for that cause that ye should defende Reli­gion, see iustice executed, peace maintained, and vertue aduaunced.

Whiche thyng altogether doe Vsurers, enemies too all good order, as muche as possiblie thei can endeuour to euerte.

For thei perturbe, violate, and breake all ordinaun­ces, not onely of man, but of God: thei doe not onely walke euery where full iocunde and merilie, but also goe about to molest the faith [...] ministers of God, thei feare nothyng, wherein though many shamefull thyn­ges bee contained▪ yet nothyng is more intolerable, than that thei woorke their mischief not by Theeues onely, and beggerlie persones, but by you thei trouble the good ministers of Christe▪ and Godlie magistrates thei abuse to the punishyng of the innocent, and them whom neither by stones, nor by sworde, nor by fagot, whom neither their force, nor power, not their strength [Page] can bryng to death, these doe they thinke by your au­thoritie, by your zeale, and iudgementes to oppresse.

For these beyng throwen out of their places, and re­moued from their charge, and banished out of coun­tries, suppose there is an entraunce shewed them to all extortion, so that none dare set themselues againste them, or controll their desire. For who knoweth not, that in their wicked attempt they raise sedition against the Lorde himselfe? For the word whiche forbiddeth and condemneth Vsurie, is not the worde of the mini­sters, but of God, committed to the Ministers to be si­gnified to the worlde.

And fearing not God, thinke ye they would reue­rence your power and auctoritie if they were able for strength to rebell? Nay credite mee they woulde aswell driue you from all gouernment, as they are bold to mo­lest the ministers.

Which thing that it fall not out, it standeth you vp­pon to prouide and see that their greedie mindes bee bridled, and that their craftie and wicked conspiracies take no place. The which will come to passe if careful­ly and with all your endeuour you studie that the word of God may be syncerely preached by the faithfull mi­nisters. For therefore is peace established that in it the people be instructed in the knowledge of God. And if that be doen, I doubt not but their bolde speech wilbee suppressed, and through the hearing the paynes bothe temporall and eternall whiche they get vnto them sel­ues by vsurie, they will returne into the way of truth, and by hartie repentaunce conuerted, will giue vnto God his due honor, to you humble obedience, and to euerie man his owne.

But if for the reprehension of vsurie you shall suffer the Preachers to be troubled, tossed, and banished, your [Page 31] paines shall bee greate, and your bondage miserable, whiche you shall procure.

For in breaking the lawe of Nature, and of Coun­tries, whiche forbid Vsurie, they go about to cut of the cheife staie of iustice. And because magistracie is the defence of the lawe, who seeth not that Vsurers by lit­tle and little come to that boldnes and impudencie, that godlines beyng despised, the lawes defaced, and all their strength ouerthrowen, yea and ritches, whiche are the instrumentes wherby any thing is brought to passe, hourded vp in their cofers, they will rule the rost, and gouerne alone.

Finallie, thei disturbe the peace and tranquillitie, while thei require more than thei gaue, by whiche ine­qualitie one partie is eaten out, and brought into mise­rie, the other is made fat: and so the publike peace is broken, and humane societie cometh to decaie.

So you see, into what perilles the Churche, your sel­ues, and the whole Commonweale is like to fall into, if by publike auctoritie this vice of Vsurie bee not spee­delie abolished.

For the Preachers, without speedie remedie, are like to come in daunger, and bee banished, whiche beeyng gone, how will you learne to knowe God, to praie tru­ly, to comfort your soules, and to leade an honest life in the sight of God? Your selues and your subiectes are in perill, for the auoidyng whereof godlie Princes haue suffered many, and greeuous troubles sundrie tymes, and the gooddes of many are hazarded, whiche all in auctoritie should see vnto.

Whiche beeyng so, why studie you? why dooe you consulte? why linger ye? and doe not with speede by your auctoritie driue awaie this deadlie plague, and by publike commaundement, wherevnto à seuere execu­tion [Page] should bee ioyned, banishe it out of your Coun­tries, out of your dominions. For it pertaineth to the of­fice of à Ciuill magistrate by lawe and penalties to for­bid and roote out this scrapyng together. For the Ma­gistrate is principallie appointed of God to these nota­ble offices,

Firste, that he sounde hymself the tenne Commaun­dements,1. or cause them to be published, inculcated, andThe dueties of à ciuile magi­strate. repeted in the eares of the people, that men be not go­uerned by their owne imaginations, but that the lawe of God bee the rule of all counsailes, and actions, ac­cordyng to whiche all woorkes bothe good and badde maie bee discerned.

Secondlie, that the Magistrate bee à vigilant keeper [...]. and executor of the tenne commaundementes, and by the seueritie of punishment maintaine them, that hee correct all Theeues, Pirates, Pollers and Vsurers, and de­fende the good, leadyng an innocent life according to the prescript words of the lawe.

So Nehemias in the 20. yere of Artaxerxes beyngNehemias. sent from Babylon to Hierusalem, when he vnderstood2. Esdras. 5. that the ritcher sorte did encrease the miserie of the poore by Vsurie, and so by little brought all the welthe to themselues: hee waxed wroth, and greuously rebu­king the Vsurers he vttered the commaundement of God: Thou shalt lende to thy brother without Usurie. Wherewith the creditors beeyng terrefied, confessed their sinnes, and promised to make restitution of all whiche they by Vsurie had receiued.

And if Constantinus, and Theodosius bee worthe­lyConstantinus Theodofius. commended, because thei shutte vp and ouerthrewe the Idolatrous temples, and forbad the publike Sacrifi­cyng vnto Idols: certainly if you by publike commaun­demente take awaie this moste abhominable custome [Page 32] of Vsurie, your praise shall bee no lesse in this worlde, and your glorie as greate in the kyngdome of heauen. For Paule nameth couetousnesse Idolatrie, as well as false doctrine.

Yea, Pagan Princes, euen by the light of reason seeing the hurte and confusion which cometh by the encrease of Vsurie, haue appoincted à certaine measure to Vsu­rie, as did in the Roman Commonweale Valerius Pub­licola, Valerius Publi­cola. Marcus Rutilius Gemnitius. Hortensius. Cicero. Solon. Marous Rutilius, Gemnitius, Hortensius, Cicero: and in Athens, Solon.

And if Ethnikes led onely by the profite of this pre­sent life haue moderated and abrogated Vsurie, howe muche more ought wee altogether to take away the same, whiche knowe the will of God forbiddyng the same, whose commaundementes if we doe not obeye, we are sure to incurre the paines not onely of this pre­sent life, but eternall. CATO saith: Our elders punished à Cato lib. de re [...]ustica. theefe with à double, but an Vsurer with à fourefolde re­compensing: by whiche difference of punishment they signified, how muche a theefe was better than à vsurer.

Now to come to you whiche are the gouernours of the Church. Whether I may call it ignorance, or impie­tieAdmonition to Churchemen. of them whiche allowe and defende Vsurie, I can­not tell.

If you pretende ignoraunce, you are much to be re­prehended. For it is apparent you neuer haue read ouer the holie Scripture of God. And what is more boldnes, more vnseemely for the grauitie of à professor of diui­nitie, than either to iudge amisse, or stoutly to defende that whiche he doth not throughlie vnderstande? Wee reade that Alphonsus that most famous king of SpaineAlphonsus the king of Spaine, and of Naples. and of Naples, that he read the BIBLE ouer▪ 40. tymes, it may shame vs whiche are by profession Diuines, and yet not once haue perused the wrightinges of the Pro­phetes [Page] and Apostles.

But if suche be your wickednes, that for the fauour and profite of greate men, you will, contrary to the ma­nifest Scripture, contrarie to the iudgement of all trueGod be than­ked we heare of no such Prea­chers in Eng­land. preachers, and contrarie to your owne conscience, al­lowe, and by your auctoritie confirme this vice of Vsu­rie, what worser men than you? Greate men, which will haue Sermons framed according to their owne fancies, you bring to hell: (a worthy punishment, in my iudge­ment, for suche as delight in any rather than in godly preachers). The simple people by your assentation you doe miserably seduce, and confirme them in obstinate sinnyng. And therefore at the length what account will you make of your office before GOD in the daie of iudgement?

Againe if any of vs, whiche would shewe our selues faithful as becommeth the ministers of the word, do set our selues against you, because we like not of your opi­nions and behauiour, esteemyng rather the glorie of God the commaundement of Christe, the edifiyng of the Churche and the testimonie of à good conscience, than your good will or fauour, then spreade you many slaunders against the truth against well gouerned chur­ches, against the faithfull Preachers, and against those Commonweales which courteously receiue vs. What should pratling contende with pietie, and adde besides contumelious detractions of the well disposed? But this impietie without all doubt doth highly displease God, and all good men.

Wherefore I desire, and for Christes sake I beseche you, that knowing, accordyng to the foretellyng of Christ, that in these latter daies of the world, couetous­nesse, and à desire to heape together the goodes of this life, would especially haue dominion, that you would [Page 33] with one mynde with vs condemne Vsurie. For it is your office, if you will bee faithfull, to rebuke and re­prehende not one, or some, but all synnes whiche are forbidden by the name of the lawe, and pollute the cō ­science, and so procure the wrathe of God and eternall damnation.

Neither is there any cause why wee, whiche haue procured the hatred of men, and are odious to all the worlde, for our reprehendyng of Vsurie, should there­fore blame the magistrates principally, or other men for our ill entreatyng: because the cheefest cause thereof commeth from you, whiche either bee patrons of Vsu­rie, or els dooe practise thesame your selues. For if you would ioyne with vs, as you should, and so with all your strength beset this Idoll, no doubt but wee should lesse bee slaundered, lesse iniured, and the auctoritie of gouernours the better resisted.

But sith one alloweth, an other condemneth Vsurie, what men should like thei knowe not. But rather thei suppose that Vsurie is a thyng lawfull and sufferable, and that men inueigh against the same, either through ambition, or enuie, or vainglorie, or emulation, especi­allie when thei heare the reproches, wherewith the faithfull preachers bee vnworthelie afflicted.

O shamelesse boldnesse, and horrible impietie, that man created after the likenesse of God, and placed in suche an high estate of dignitie, should bee so spoyled of discretion, that for transitorie commodities of this life, and vncertaine goodes, he will reiecte the glorie of his God, the admonitions of zealous Preachers, & their owne, yea, and others eternall saluation, and wilfullie caste them selues, and others by their example into per­petuall destruction.

Now you whiche are the faithfull Ministers of God [Page] and fight couragiouslie for the maintenaunce of his truth against the idoll of Mammon, you I counsaile and beseeche, that ye saint not, nor bee ouercome by reui­linges, slaunders, and afflictions, but that you remaine constant and perseuere, strengthned by sweete conside­ration of à good conscience for your faithfulnes made manifest, and stirred through an hope of attainyng a crowne of glorie, wherewith all which vnder Christ in this spirituall warfare haue fighten, in the latter daye of this world shalbe adorned.

Finallie, ouerpassyng others, with whom my words are of small force either for their auctoritie, wherbi any thyng they suppose is lawfull for them to doe, or for their obstinate impietie that they will not repente. I turne my speech to you whiche are Citizens, and of theAn exhortation to Citizens. common sorte.

For I doubt not but amongest you there may bee founde many which dailie haue in minde, wherefore they are made, and brought into the possession of this worlde, and are touched with à care of their soules sal­uation, whiche I hope will haue mine exhortation and wordes in some waight. The other sorte, which hath no feare of God, but contrarie to religion, iustice and god­lines seeke altogether the profite of this present life, I commend to the iuste iudgement of God: and yet lest they say they had no warnyng, I say thus muche vnto them, by way of exhortation.

Our Lorde Christ did foretell, that in the latter daies of this world Sathan with all his power should raunge about, and by marueilous illusions entāgle all men, that if it might be, the verie elect should be seduced, where­by he counsaileth to praier and watchfulnes.

And to omit for breuitie sake the rest of Sathans sub­tilties, that practise of his may not lighty be considered, [Page 34] whereby at this tyme he doth violentlie inuade and be­set the whole world, that by a filthy custome of getting and heaping ritches together he may drawe men from godlines, and make them subiect to eternall tormentes. Wherefore I warne you to take heede, and diligently to note and consider what goodnes and truth is in this cause.

First place before your eyes the straight commaun­dementes of God forbidding Vsurie, which are not idle imaginations proceeding from the braine of Ministers, but seuerely proposed of God himselfe, for the better direction of our life in this world.

And what à foolishe boldnes were it to resiste the almightie God, and as it were to contende in battaile a­gainst hym? In a common weale to contemne à Magi­strate and good statutes, is accounted intolerable pre­sumption, and therefore with greate punishment is se­uerely looked vnto: and then with what paines shall they bee tormented, whiche contende with God, by contemning his lawes?

Againe, consider that the cheifest parte of our office is to preache repentaunce, and that we may not, though we would, cloake, or keepe secret those thinges whiche are contained in the monuments of the Prophetes and Apostles, and haue continually by the prouidence of God been obserued and kepte in greate alterations of Empires, thereby the better to bee knowen to all man­kinde, and be witnes of his pleasure.

Likewise haue in mynde, that God will, yea and hath straightlie commaunded, that we loue our neigh­bour as ourselues, and shewe vnto hym all maner of curtesie, which thing he hath promised to recompence as if it had been extended to hym selfe. But he whiche occupieth Vsurie, doth in deede proue that he loueth [Page] not his neighbour. And therefore an Vsurer, as muche as in hym lieth, doth take away and abolish the cheifest bonde of humane societie, and the greatest argument and signe of faith.

The fruite of your well doyng is the fauour of God, the quietnes of conscience, and vnspeakeable happi­nes, whiche how greate the same is, iudge, you.

Then how are you bewitched, and giuen ouer to wickednesse, that will hate and abhorre them worser than à Toade, which faithfully execute their office, and bring you both eternall and transitorie ritches?

And as the nomber of them is not small whiche con­demne and reprehende Vsurie in these daies (as afore we haue declared:) so doe the learned and godly in, and after the Apostles tyme mightely inueigh against the same: whiche is an argument of the certaintie of my doctrine, and sufficient either for confirmation of the trueth, or confutation of the contrarie.

And therefore bee not ye moued with the ianglyng wordes of Sycophantes, which to make our cause odi­ous and to be abhorred, crie with open mouthes, that certaine obscure and base persons, and those verie fewe for nomber pricked with selfeloue, ambition and enuie, do rayse I know not what tumultes and tragedies, one­ly to be knowne, and to get an estimation among men. For you se the woorde of God, and the witnes of the learned doe easely proue that they be euill dealers and priuie slaunderers.

Moreouer note, I beseche you, the inconstancie of Fortune, the breuitie of this life, whereof the oration of Iacob the Patriarche maie admonishe vs, whiche bee­yng asked by Pharao, how long he had liued, aunswe­red: The daies of the yeres of my pilgrimage are 330. ye­res, fewe and euill haue been the yeres of my life, neither [Page 35] haue thei attained vnto the daies of the yeres of my fore­fathers, &c.

And the man of God Dauid doeth saie: The daies Psal. 9 [...]. of our yeres bee seuentie yeres, or at the moste eightie ye­res, of whiche that which is lefte, is greef, and labours, for we quicklie passe awaie: and therefore he saieth after­ward, Teache vs to knowe the number of our daies, that we maie walke wisely.

And so doeth Cicero à wise man though an Ethnik, hauing learned the same by experience, exclaime: O de­ceipt full hope of man, and fraile Fortune, and vaine cogi­tations of ours, whiche oftentymes in the middle are cut of, and in the verie course, before thei can haue à view of the hauen are drouned.

And therefore what madnesse is it with care of gettyng goodes for the sustentation of this vncertaine life, and that by vnlawfull meanes and gaines, and an euill conscience procuryng them, to consume your selues, and in the meane while to neglecte all cogitations of Spirituall riches perteinyng to an happie life, and there­by for transitorie trashe to pollute your soules, and your selues to subiecte to the curse of God?

Consider besides the infirmitie of man, the notyng whereof ought to bee of sufficient force to extinguishe the flames of couetousnesse. For what tongue can shewe foorthe euery peece of our infirmitie, whereof Esaie saied verie well: All fleshe is grasse, and all the glory of the same as the flower of the fielde. And the Ethnikes perceiued the same through daiely experience. For so did Pindarus saie thereof: Men are but for à tyme, Pindarus Oda 4. Pithiorum. and shadowes of a dreame, and so long florishe, as they receiue light from God. And to this purpose saied Simo­nides rightlie: That the chaunge of man was more easie than of à Flie, bee it verie swifte. For of man the life is [Page] shorte and fleetyng: the bodie sickly; the forme fraile; the strength vncertaine; the honour vaine; the pleasure vile; the wisedome small; the vertue weake: the minde waiward. Bee ye moued also in consideryng the subtile snares of the Deuill, whiche Peter in excellent woordes doeth painte out: The Deuill like à roaryng Lion goeth about seeking whom he maie deuoure. Therefore auoide Vsurie, leaste while ye are contaminated therewith, the Deuill sodainely eate you vp and deuoure bodie and soule. Forget not also to conclude, that Vsurers are vio­laters of the lawe of Nature, and that thei are odious euen to verie Ethnikes which abhorre vsurie, by whose witnes their paines in hell shalbe encreased, whiche in so greate light of the Gospell haue remained impeni­tent.

Therfore, if ye thinke and perswade your selues that you are made to the image of God, redeemed by the sonne, and sanctified by the holy ghost, that you might glorifie God, if ye like reasonable men thinke that obe­dience is due to the commaundementes of God and good lawes: if ye beleue those thinges whiche are pu­blished in the bookes of the Prophetes and Apostles to be true, certaine; and the will of God not fables: If ye thinke that credit should bee giuen to the testimonies of so many lerned men, if you suppose the world not to be made of moates, as Democritus did, but to be go­uerned by the prouidence of God, as good Christians doe: if ye thinke that all sustenance for this life is mini­stred vnto vs by the liberall hand of almightie God: if ye thinke ye are created not for this short life, but for an euerlasting: if you perswade your selues that eternall tormentes are prepared for all sutche as are impenitent, and turne not to the Lorde, but wittinglie and willing­ly perseuere in vngodlines against their conscience, and [Page 36] contrariwise, that sutche are heires of perpetuall happi­nes, and eternall life which are penitent for their sinnes, no doubt you will vtterly not onely flie, and shunne it your selues, but also abhorre it in others, and according to your callinges will endeuour to cut of all shamefull exactions, lest the godlie bee carried awaye to wicked­nes by euil example: yea and ye wil, I am certaine, iudge them limmes of Sathan, whiche doe either alowe, or permit, or like, or exercise the same, to be worthy not only corporall punishment vvith seueritie in this vvorld, but euerlasting torments among the damned soules in hell.

¶The 1. Chapter. Of ritches and contractes in generall.

FORASMVCH AS MANY good men through the blessing of GOD haue greate possessions, and the state of mankind cannot bee with­out contractes, it may seem sufficiently euident to anie reasonable man, that either to haue ritches, or to bar­gaine, in it self, is no sinne. For it may not be thought that the Gospell doth either breake the lawfull bondes of humane societie, or disanull necessarie helpes to the maintenance of man. But, for that by experience we see that many both in the gettyng, possessing, and vsing of ritches, do offende, and muche ill dealing is in contra­ctes: it will not be amisse to giue out such lessons, wher­by the godly disposed person may know both how to attaine ritches commendably without offence to God, and beyng attained to vse them vertuously, as becom­meth à Christian: and also to deale so in the contractes now vsed, as neither hymselfe shalbe troubled with giltines of cōscience, nor his neighbour hindred, much lesse impouerished, by extreme oppression.

Wherefore first of all this rule of Christe muste care­fullyA necessarie rule to be ob­serued of al men. Math. 6. bee obserued: Seeke ye firste the kingdome of God [Page] and his righteousnes, and other thinges shalbe ministred vnto you. This rule containeth twoo thinges, to wit, àTwo thinges contained in this rule of Christe. 1. The commaundemēt of Christ. Commaundement of Christe, and à promise annexed to the obedience of the saide Commaundement. The Commaundement is, Seeke ye first the kingdome of God, and his righteousnes. Whosoeuer obeyeth not this cō ­maundement, as he is not in the fauour of God, so is he à subiect vnto synne, à slaue to Sathan, whose ende, and stipende is eternall destruction. Therefore it behoueth vs principally to obeye this commaundement, and to haue à care of our saluation. The promise is, And other thinges shalbe ministred vnto you. This promise doth re­quire2. The promise. first of all, faithe, whereby we may certainly per­swade our selues, that Christe is both true of promise,Faith. and readie to performe if we obeye his Commaunde­ment: and afterward though not expresly, that euerie man do, through faith, diligentlie without HethenisheDiligence in our calling. and worldly carefulnes, sutche thinges as by his calling hee lawfully may. For we may not thinke that the pro­mise of Christe doth commende idlenes vnto vs.Idlenes vnmete for a Christian.

But lest any man should through ignorance doubt, whether his calling be good or no, I will in fewe wor­des declare what is necessarie to à lawfull calling. TwoVVhat are to be considered in à calling. VVhat callinges are lawfull in à Commonweale. thinges generally are to be considered, to wit, the kynd of calling, and the discharge of the same. Touchyng the kinde of callyng this rule is to be kept in minde. E­uerie calling or office, making to the maintenaunce or fur­nishing of the states ordained of God, as are the state of à Commonweale, of an Householde, and of the Church, are commaunded in the first and fourth Commaundement, as is the calling of Ministers, of Magistrates, of Officers vnder Magistrates, of Householders, of Artificers, of Merchauntes: breefly, all callinges whiche serue to the good ordering of the Churche, of an householde, or Com­monweale, [Page 3] are both in themselues good, and also commen­dable in sutch as lawfullie are in them. And although itA difference be­twene à publike and priuate cal­ling. be free for euerie man to chuse the kinde of life where­unto he feeleth hymself inclined, yet ought we to make à difference betweene à callyng priuate, and à publike calling. Vnto a publike office we must come by ordina­rie calling. For no man should take vpon him à publikeA publike office maie not bee ta­ken without or­dinarie calling. office either in the Churche or Commonweale, vnlesse he be called thereunto by ordinarie auctority: he which doth otherwise sinneth against God, and is without all comforte of the holy spirite in tyme of persecution. Wherfore let euery good man beware that he rush not into any publike office without lawfull callyng. ThePriuate calling. priuate callyng, any man, as him liketh, may chuse: al­though in thys also the good counsaile of Parentes ought not to be contemned. He may be à Merchaunt, an Husbandman, an Artificer; accordyng to his fancie, idle he may not be, if he be à Christian.

In the discharge of the office or callyng, many thin­gesVVhat are to be considered of e­uerie man in the discharge of his calling. The fruites of faithe and ch [...] ­riti [...] are to be considered. Firste faith and charitie should be the rules of all our dealinges. Faith is wary of displea­sing God, and doth referre all thinges to his glory: cha­ritie warneth that no man bee iniuried, but profited. Faith defireth God to be an assister: charitie maketh vs to loue our neighbour in the Lorde. Faithe keepeth à worker in the feare of God: Charitie keepeth the same man in the loue of his neighbour. Thus if a man labou­ring vprightly in his lawfull calling beecome ritche, through the blessyng of God, he ought singularlie too foresee, that his ritches become not snares and thornes vnto him, through his owne sinne. For welthy mē haueIf ritches aboud what then? How ritch men should be affe­cted in their wealth. instrumentes both to vertue and wickednes, according to their disposition. Wherfore à godly man should first of all knowe how his minde should bee affected in his [Page] welth. And this may notably be learned out of the wor­desPsals. 62. of Dauid, and of Paule: Dauid saieth, If ritches a­bound, set not your hartes thereon▪ and Paule saieth,1. Timoth. 6. Charge the ritch men in this world, that they be not high minded, and that they trust not in vncertaine ritches, but in the liuyng Lorde. These two sentences, put vs in mynd both of the mind of the ritch, and of the vse of ritches. The mind should not be altogether giuen to ritches, & to couetousnes, neither ought à Christian to measure his happines by the deceiptfull measure of ritches, but ought to vse them rightly, lest he lay snares for his owne destruction. Now when the minde is thus affected to­wardes ritches, it will haue à care by and by how to vse the ritches wel which God hath giuen. Wherfore I will adioine hereunto somwhat of the lawful vse of ritches.

¶ The 2. Chapter. Of the lawfull vse of ritches.

Ischomachus, as it is [...] Xeno­phon, The opinion of Ischomachus a­boute the law­full vse of rit­ches. being asked what was the lawfull vse of Ritches, aunswered on this manner: I ought with my Ritches to honour the Gods mightelie: to succour my friendes in ex­tremitie: and not too suffer the glory of my countrey to be defaced, if I may aduaunce the same. This man ignorant of true religiun, maketh à threefolde vse of ritches. One parte he ascribeth to the seruice of God: another to the succurring of his freindes in pouertie: and the thirde to the setting forth and adornyng of his countrie. And al­though [Page 4] this aunswere of the prophane Philosopher beRitches are to be vsed to foure endes. good and commendable, yet somewhat more distinct­ly I will shewe the true vse of ritches which is fourfold.

The firste and principall vse of ritches, should bee to1. The first, and principa [...]l vse of ritches, is to ad­uaunce the glo­rie of God, and to maintaine the ministerie. maintaine religion, and to set forthe the glorie of God. This vse is confirmed by the ende of mans creation. For man was at the first made, and afterwarde regenerated by the holy ghoste, to glorifie God. And therfore what­soeuer giftes we haue, we should refer them especiallie to this ende of our creation. Here many beyng misera­blyThe firste ende why ritches are giuen, little cō ­sidered. seduced, offend. For some there be which giue no­thing at al to the maintenance of the ministerie. Others doe wickedly plucke away that whiche deuoutly was giuen to the seruice of God. And others with their rit­ches, encrease the power of tyrans, to the oppressyng of the Churche, and abolishyng of Religion. Which men had been in muche better case if they had neuer been borne. For their portion shalbe with Sathan, whose members they are. Therefore à godly man which is bles­sed with ritches in this world, should consider the ende of his creation, and bestowe a parte of his goodes to this ende that God may be glorified, and true religion maintained. Let hym set before his eyes the examples ofDauid. Iosias. Ezechias. Constantinus. Theodosius. godly men, as of Dauid, Iosias, Ezechias, Constantinus, Theodosius, &c. and other good princes, & godly men, whose desire was in nothing so muche, as in aduaun­cing the glorie of God, helping preachers and religious men, maintainyng scholes and good priuileges, defen­dyng the teachers of godlines against the crueltie of the wicked.

The seconde vse of ritches ought to bee, to adorne2. The second vse of ritches, is to maintaine the Commonweale. the Commonweales wherein wee are, accordyng to our habilitie. For this cause tributes are appointed, that by them, as it were by senewes the bodie of the whole [Page] state maie bee strengthened. But here twoo sortes ofThe second vse of ritches not regarded some­tyme. men doe greatly offende. One sorte are some greate men, whiche in the tyme of peace, when any thyng is to be paied for the vse of the Common-weale; craf­tily slippe their owne neckes out of the collor, & make the poorer sorte to smarte for it, by paiyng more than oftentymes they well can spare. The other bee suche, as not contente with ordinarie paiementes, put newe exa­ctions vppon their Subiectes, which are condemned by the testimonie of Ihon Baptist, because they brynge not forthe the fruites of repentance. Christ saieth: Geue vn­to Caesar the thinges whiche are Caesars, and giue vnto GOD, those thynges whiche are Gods. But let Caesar Math. 22. knowe that there is a certaine rule whiche the Lawes doe prescribe vnto hym. Which if he shall breake, he is subiecte to the wrath of God. But, you will saie, is it notVVhether a Prince may ex­act any thing a­boue that which is commonlie a­lotted hym to haue, or no. lawfull therefore for à Magistrate sometyme to exacte somethyng of his people besides the ordinarie taxe? Wee must put a difference betwene the tyme of warre, and of peace. In the tyme of peace let hym bee content with his ordinarie allowance, least hee synne against God: in the tyme of warre his subiectes doe owe vnto hym not their goodes onely, but their bodies also, if his warre bee iuste. And à godlie prince maie bothe de­maundeHowe in the tyme of peace a king may put his people to extraordinarie charges. vnaccustomable Subsidies, and also com­maunde their bodies to serue hym in the warre. Also in the time of peace suche occasions maie be offered, that his common allowance will not suffi [...] hym. And then, good subiectes ought to helpe, and godly Princes may, require their aide. But suche as bring the same into cu­stome to oppresse their subiectes, let them looke to bee punished like infidels of the righteous iudge, whiche also can tell how to yoke the neckes of the proude, and tyrans.

[Page 5]The thirde good and lawfull vse of ritches is, that e­uerie3. The third vse of ritches to main­taine our selues honestlie. man do keepe hymselfe accordyng to his power honestly, & maintaine his houshold. But two vices are to be taken heede of, couetousnes, and prodigality. Co­uetousnesCouetousnes. Prodigalitie. doeth greedilie scrape ritches together, vn­seemely for à godlie man. Prodigality doth rashly con­sume welth sometyme vpon brauerie vnmeete for our callyng. And therefore à meane, whiche in euery thing is commendable, must be obserued here. Let the honestIn medio virtus. Citizen leaue honour to the Nobility; and let the god­ly noble man leaue royaltie vnto his Prince. Let Prea­chers in scholes and in Churches defend their state mo­destly. And let no man go about that, whiche shalbee for his calling, or condition vnseemely.

The fourth and the last vse of ritches good and com­mendable,4. The fourth and last vse of rit­ches, to relei [...] the poore. is to releiue the poore. For certainly God doth suffer the poore among vs, to trie both how wil­ling we are to obeye his Commaundementes (for hee doth bid vs to stretche forthe our hand to the needie) and what pittie wee take vpon the members of God, the which if we contemne, we despise God. For it can­not be that he should loue the head, whiche punisheth the body. But of this vse more hereafter, cap. 13.

¶ The 3. Chapter. Of Contractes.

NOwe sith wee are so framed of God, that we must liue in companie, and our condi­tion is sutch, that without the assistaunce and helpe one of another, our state can­not bee maintayned, certainly wee haueThe necessity of contractes. greate neede of contractes, whereby wee may after à [Page] sorte make an exchaunge of our doinges. Neither canVVe can not liue without the helpe one of another. we be without the commoditie of bargaines, no more than we can spare either fire or water. Wherefore see­yng that both the godly and vngodly are wonte toBargaining as necessarie as ei­ther fire or wa­ter. deale together, and men through the corruption of their owne nature offend in bargainyng, it will be verie necessarie to prescribe rules to the godly, whereby they may know how farre thei may wade without offence, that they may doe nothyng either contrarie to their owne conscience, or against the commaundementes of God. And although fullie and at large to discourse of contractes belongeth to Lawiers, whiche by profession can wisely entreate hereof, yet notwithstandyng bee­cause politike lawes doe not alwaies satisfie the con­sciences of men, I thinke it good to prescribe à shorte aduertisement whiche the godly may safely followe in all his bargaines. Therefore I will firste of all laye twooThe summe of the discourse following. foundations, out of whiche all that I meane to speake, shall depend. And afterwarde I will declare the kindes of the cheifest contractes, and shew how they agree to the foresaid foundations.

The first foundation shall bee this, deriued from theThe first foun­dation to be laide before a­ny bargaine bee concluded. 1. Doe vnto ano­ther, as you would be doen vnto. Doe not vnto another whiche you would not should be doen to your selfe. Math. 7. lawe of nature: That whiche you would another should not doe vnto you, doe not vnto another. And contrari­wise, That whiche thou wouldest iustlie haue doen to thy selfe, doe vnto another. Vppon this foundation Christe will haue all dueties, yea and all dealinges and bargay­nes to be builded. For so he saieth: Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you, euen so doe ye vnto them. He addeth à reason of this foundation: This (saieth he) is the Lawe and the Prophetes, that is, this is the scope of the Lawe and Prophetes, or whatsoeuer the Lawe and the Prophetes commaund, is contained in this com­mon rule. This foundation as in euery bargain it would [Page 6] haue plainnes, and excludeth double dealyng: so it re­quireth equalitie betweene those whiche bargayne, ac­cording to Arithmeticall proportion, which doth mea­sure, nomber, and weigh all charges equallie. So suche à contract is both equall, and lawfull: equall, because it obserueth an Arithmeticall proportion: and lawfull, be­cause it agreeth to the lawe of nature.

The second foundation is this, taken from the nature2. The Gospell al­loweth good politike lawes. of the Gospell. The Gospell doth allowe such politike ordinances, as à godlie magistrate doth iudge profita­ble for his Commonweale. This is thereby euident, be­cause the Apostles of Christ did, that we can reade, ne­uerThe Apostles neuer set them­selues againste good ordinaun­ces. chaūge the forme of the publike ordinances where they preached, whiche vndoubtedly they would haue doen, had they been contrarie to the Gospell. Hence it followeth, that as à godly man may vse the ciuile ordi­nances of that Commonweale, in whiche he liueth, so is it lawfull for à wise magistrate to make necessarie lawes for his Commonweale according to which con­tractes, and the callinges of this life may be directed,Bargaines are commendable as long as they agree to godly statutes in com­mon weales. but notwithstanding no lawe is to be enacted contrarie to the lawe of nature, or commaundementes of God.

These two foundations I would haue to bee applied to all contractes, as it were consultations, whiche maye giue sentence as often as one question ariseth about bargaining.

The kindes of ciuile contractes, whereof we myndeThe kindes of bargaines spo­ken of in this booke. to speake at this tyme, are these. 1. Exchange of thinges. 2. Bying and sellyng. 3. Lending. 4. Commodation. 5. Letting forth to hire. 6. The contract of societie. If there be any other contractes, they may bee knowen in the wrightinges of Lawiers, whiche may bee embraced of à godly minde, as long as they decree nothing either against the loue towardes God, or charitie towardes [Page] the neighbour.

¶ The 4. Chapter. Of Exchaunge.

CHangyng of one thing for anotherChaunging of thinges the cō ­mon trade be­fore money was found out. before money was found out, was most vsuall and profitable, as with­out whiche societie of man coulde not be maintained. But after mony was inuented, it became euerie where to be lesse vsed.

Exchange is made not when thinges are changed forHow exchange is made. mony, but for other thinges: as when for Corne, wine, is changed, and Skinnes for Butter.

This changing is then commendable, when it swar­uethExchange when lawfull. not from those two foundations, whiche we haue layde for euerie honest contract. Therefore in the ex­change of thinges an equalitie is to be obserued with­out fraude.

Fraude may be vsed diuersly, but cheifely three waies:How many waies deceipt may be vsed in exchange. to wit, in substance, in quātitie, in qualitie. In substance, as if we giue mingled wine in stede of pure wine, and corne mixed with Cockell or Darnel instede of simple corne, &c. In quantitie, if there be not equalitie obser­ued of weight, measure, and nomber. In qualitie, when for good and sound, naughtie and corrupt thinges are thruste vnto à man. Whosoeuer dealeth deceiptfullie in these thinges, as hee doth breake the foundation of iu­stice, so if he doe the same wittinglie and of purpose, he sinneth against God, violateth the rule of charitie, and is giltie of the decaie of his commonweale. Many men flatter themselues, and as it were tickle againe for ioye, [Page 7] when they can deceiue à man after sutche à sorte, but it happeneth to them, as to fishes, whiche with the baite receiue their bane. For the gaine is sweete, but caught with the deuils baite, their paine shalbe greeuous.

¶ The 5. Chapter. Of bying and selling.

THat is properly called byingBying and sel­ling what. and selling, when thinges are changed not for thinges, but for mony. This kinde of bar­gainyngBying and sel­ling is not the moste auncient trade of liuing. is neither the moste auncient, nor the most vsed. For both it was vnknowen to the first inhabiters of thisBying and sel­ling not vsed euerie where. world, and is, at this daye, in no vse among diuers nations. But only necessitie found out the same. In this contract, hee whiche receiuyng mony doth translate his goodes into the possession of another, is saide to sell, and the thing translated is calledA seller who? VVare. ware. Againe, he which paying money receiueth ware, is said to bye. Here wee must regard not so much whatA byer. the money is worth in it selfe, as how it is valued by pu­blikeThe value of money is kno­wen not by it selfe, but by the estimation ther­of by magistra­tes. Equalitie muste be obserued be­twene the byer and the seller. auctoritie, custome, and estimation. For money is valued rather by lawe, than by nature. And therefore equalitie must here be considered, not in the substance of money, but in the estimation, or common vse therof. This contract according to the foundations laid aboue cap. 3. doth require an equalitie without fraude bee­twene the byer and the seller. Whosoeuer doth of pur­pose circumuent his brother in bargaining, contrarie to the precept of Paule, hath violated the equalitie which1. Thes. 4. [Page] ought to bee betwene the buyer and the seller. And therefore ought good men to take greate heede, thatThe duetie of the seller. thei vse no couen either in ware or price. Let the seller name the goodnesse of his ware truely, or at the leaste accordyng to his knowledge, without dissimulation:The duetie of the byer. And let the buier giue his due price: that à proportion maie bee obserued betwene the price and the ware. ButVVhat is a law­full price. some wil perhaps demaūde what I call à due or lawfull price? I aunswere simplie, euery price agreed vpon be­twene the buyer and seller, is not à due or lawfull price, but that whiche is either appointed by indifferent and wisemen in aucthoritie, or paied according to the com­mon estimation of the thyng, at suche tyme as the bar­gaine is made. He therefore whiche to daie buyeth à bushell of Corne, accordyng to the common price for three shillynges, the same man maie sell the same at an­other tyme for sixe shillynges, if the price bee raised to so muche. Contrariwise, if after certaine monethes it bee commonly bought for twelue pence▪ he offendeth that aske three shillynges, although he paied three for the same. For here à consideration must bee had of time and place, also of the plentie or scarsitie of thynges.

But there bee three sortes of men whiche doe gree­uouslieSpoylers of the market who. abuse this trade: Ingrossers, whiche get as many cōmodities as thei can into their priuate handes, and so price thinges to their owne fancies: Regraters, & such as hauyng plentie, will make no sale, excepte either thei maie haue their owne askyng, or suche à scaresitie doth happen as thei maie price, and receiue money as thei liste. In whiche number are thei whiche haue aboun­dance of Butter, Oxen, wine, Corne, and other thynges frō their owne encrease. When any shall haue neede to buye of these men, thei are enforced, will thei nill thei, to giue as muche as they doe demaunde. Whereby it [Page 8] happeneth many times, that the seller, where there is no price published by the Magistrate, makes other men to paie extremely for his ware. Now when other riche men shall followe their example, that whiche other­wise perhaps would bee vttered for twelue pence, is solde for eight shillynges. But one will saie to me, theAgainst enha [...] ­sers of the price of thinges. ware is myne, why maie I not sell it as I liste? Hath not the buyer choise either to buye, or not to buye? Doe I offende in settyng à price of myne owne? Cloake the same by what title you liste, your synne is excedyng greate. For thou doest not so muche hinder the buyer, as thou dooest hurte the Commonweale, whiche is in worser case thereby, than if thou shouldest like a com­mon theefe inuade the same. For by thy couetousnesse many pine awaie in miserie for wāt of foode. He which hurteth but one man, is in a damnable case, what shall bee thought of thee, whiche bryngest whole houshol­des to their graues, or at the leaste art a meanes of their extreame miserie? Thou maiest finde shiftes to auoide the daūger of men, but assuredly thou shalte not escape the iudgemente of God. He cannot bee deceiued by a­ny coulored shifte, nor caried awaie by any shewe of person.

Buyers many-tymes are greatly to be blamed, whichA fault in by­ers. either in consideration of daies of paiement, or to pur­chase their friendship of whom thei buy, wil giue more than à thyng is worthe, and get vp their losse, by some other shifte whiche couetousnesse can teache.

The question aboute redeemyng a bargaine, is aun­sweredRedeeming of bargaines. out of Leuiticus, where the Lorde doeth com­mende vnto his people the Lawe of redeemyng. But then I iudge this kinde of bargaining to be good, when it agreeth to the foundation aboue declared: Doe not vnto another, whiche thou wouldest not haue doen to thy [Page] self. Vppon this foundation the conscience of a godlie man maie depend in this couenaunt of redeemyng, and in all other thynges.

¶ The 6. Chapter. Of Lendyng.

LEndyng is à contracte, wherebyLending what. one manne giueth his right of à thyng to an other, without any price at all, but vppon condition that the same thyng in kinde be re­paied. Herein two thynges shouldIn lending two thinges are to be respected. bee considered of the godlie, an E­qualitie, and Obligation. Equalitie, to restore faithfullyEqualitie. without fraude as-muche either in measure, weight, or goodnesse as was receiued. The Obligation is of twooObligation. sortes, Naturall, and Christian.

The naturall is whereby we are bounde by the laweNature doth binde vs to lende. of nature to lende to sutche, as lacke our helpe. The Christian Obligation is whereby God doth binde hysOur profession doth binde vs to lende. to lende to the needie, that is, not onely to sutch as may doe the like at another tyme, but also to them whiche are vnable to requite. For he saith, Lende, looking for no­thyng Luke. 6. thereby. Here Christe doth not speake of liberall giuing, or of almes, but of lēding, wherby the borrower is bounde to restore that whiche was lent hym, though not the verie same, yet in kind the same faithfully with­out couen. This lawe is contrarie to the malicious myn­desHow the Iewes would lende. of the Iewes, and the corrupt interpretyng of Mo­ses lawe. The law commaunded to lende: but the Iewes tooke the same with this exception, Lende, but not with­out respect to all, but onely to sutche as maye doe the like [Page 9] againe. Therefore Christe doth correct this abuse of the lawe, and giueth all his in charge, that they lende not to them alone which may lend againe at another tyme. But we will make this more plaine with an example. There commeth à man to knowe somewhat of thee, thou thinkest hee can doe thee as greate à pleasure at a­nother tyme, vpon which conceipt thou dost lende vn­to hym, and thou dost well. For what doth hee offende which for à benefite doth looke for gratefulnes? There cōmeth another honest man hauyng neede, & craueth thine helpe, but is vnable to requite thy courtesie. If thou lendest not being able, to this man, thou art in o­pinion à Iewe, in thy dealing vngodly, and declarest thy selfe to contemne the commaundement of Christ. And theref [...] Christe doeth not bid in this place, thatThe interpreta­tion of that sai­yng of Christe in the▪ 6. of Luke, Lend, loo­king for no­thing thereby. thou shouldest not hope to receiue again whiche thou courteously didst lende, as some foolishly interpret this saiyng. For then he would not haue saied Lende, but Giue: but Christ hath à respecte to the persones, to wit, that the godlie lende to suche as are not able to recom­pence them with the like. Whiche interpretation of myne maie easily bee confirmed by the circumstaunce of the place. For there doeth Christe correct the grosse errours of the Pharisies in their malicious interpretyngThe Pharisaicall interpretation of the commaundement of God. of the lawe of God, accordyng to their foolishe fancies.

For as I saied aboue, thei interpreted the commaun­dement about lending after this maner: Lende, but one­ly vnto hym whiche maie lende againe when thou haste neede, or by some other waie requite thy curtesie, and declare his gratefulnesse. This restrainte dooeth Christe take awaie by this foundation: If ye do good vnto them, [...]ke. 6. whiche do good vnto you what thanke shallye haue? And, if ye lende, of whom ye hope to receiue, deserue you any thankes? For euen synners doe the like vnto synners, to re­ceiue [Page] the like againe, that is, to finde the like at another tyme, either altogether, or in some respecte. Therefore the summe of the commaundement is, that we should lend not only to them which may doe the like at ano­ther tyme, but also to others whiche are vnable to re­quite. Hethertoo beelongeth that saiyng in the Psalme, Well shall it be with hym that is mercifull, and lendeth. Psal. 112.

And although the wicked lende sometime, yet oughtThe difference betweene the lending of the wicked and of the Godlie. How the vngodly do lende, and to what ende. The cogitations of the godly when thei lend. we diligently to note the difference betweene the len­dyng of those, and of the godlie. The vngodlie in len­dyng respect their owne profite altogether, but the godly deale after this manner. Firste they haue regarde vnto the commaundement of God, whereby they knowe themselues to bee bound, and therefore they lende willingly and cherefully. Secondly by their faith they beholde the promise of God, whereby he appoin­teth à recōpence for sutch obedience, as they see in thePsalme 15. Psalme: Who shall dwell in thy tabernacle ô Lorde? Hee that woorketh righteousnes. Last of all, the godly consi­der the obiectes, and beholde that the needie are the members of Christe, as well as they. And therfore they lende that so they may cherish the members of Christe, whereby is knowen the difference betweene the len­ding of à godly man, and of à wicked, whiche onely respecteth hymselfe, and his owne gaine.

¶ The 7. Chapter. Of Vsurie.

EXperience it selfe doth witnes that menTwoo s [...]rtes of l [...]ing. doe commonly lende after twoo sortes. Sometyme with a couenaunt or condi­tion, that as much & no more in weight, measure, or n [...]mber be repaide, than was [Page 10] borrowed Of whiche kinde of lending wee haue spo­ken in the former chapter. Sometyme we lende with à couenaunt that somwhat more, for the courtesie of len­dyng be giuen than was receiued. The taking of which ouerplus is wicked, because it is taken in respect of len­ding, whereunto euerie man both by the lawe of God, and of nature, is bounde. And it is called vsurie becauseVsurie what. for the vse of a thing somewhat commeth to the lender besides the principall. Neither should wee thinke thatNot Landers of money onely are vsurers. the lenders of money onely are Vsurers. For looke whatsoeuer is lent, if more bee receiued backe for the boūden duetie of lending, than was lent, that same is v­surie. Euen as the lawe of God doth plainly shewe, and Ambrose witnesseth in these wordes: Meate is Vsurie, and à Garment is Vsurie, and whatsoeuer is receiued more than was was lent, call it what you will, it vsurie. I call that the bounden duetie of lending, whereuntoo we are so tyed both by the lawe of God and of nature, that vnlesse wee lende to sutch as require our helpe and stande in neede, wee offende against God, and breake our charitie whiche we owe to our neighbour.

And although by that spoken in the former Chap­ter, it may be gathered what we thinke of Vsurie, yet for the plainer conceiuing thereof, we thinke it verie expedient to adde somewhat touchyng the same. And that the more orderlie we may entreate hereof, these thinges shalbe handled.

Firste wee will shewe that Vsurie is forbidden, and1. The thinge [...] which are hand­led in this dis­course of Vsury. 2. wherefore.

Then we will note the punishmentes of Vsurers, that the remembraunce of them may somewhat asswage their greedines.

Afterward we will shewe how the dispensers of the [...]. misteries of God, that is, the preachers of the Gospell, [Page] should behaue themselues in this matter of Vsur [...]e, that so they may neither be partakers of other mens offen­ces, nor go about any thing that may turne to their owne destruction.

Last of all, wee will giue certaine admonitions, the4▪ marking wherof in all bargaines, wilbe very profitable.

¶ The. 8. Chapter. That Vsurie is forbidden, and wherfore.

THe prohibitions of Vsurie are [...]oure, which being care [...]ullie and christianlyHow many waies Vsurie is forbidden. considered of vs, we shall plainly per­ceiu [...] what may be thought of Vsurie in generall. Wherefore I will orderlie and distinctlie recite them.

The first prohibition is naturall. For first euen by the1. Nature condemneth vsurie. Philosophers inueigh against Vsurie. Aristotle. onely light of reason Philosophers haue condemned the same. Aristotle the cheife among Philosophers, teacheth that Vsurie is against nature, moued thereun­to by this argument: Money by nature can not bryng forth. Therefore to take Vsurie by Money is vnlawfull▪ And therefore Vsurie is called of the Grecians Tokos from bringing foorth, as though there were à certaine birth of Money, that euen by the verie name it might become odious. Aristophanes calleth Vsurie a beaste,Aristophanes. whiche in processe of time bringeth forth Money, and is euerie daie more fruitfull than others. Plato doth ba­nishPlato. Vsurie out of his Commonweale. For hee saith in his fifte de legibus: It shall be lawfull for any man whiche borroweth vpon Vsurie, neither to paie the Vsurie, nor to repaye the principall. Plutarch by this argument doethPlutarch [...]. conclude that Vsurie is against nature: Of nothing can [Page 11] be made nothing. Cicero doth compare Vsurie to man­slaughter.Cicero. And therefore as it is against nature to kill à man, so is it to take Vsurie.

Besides inequalitie in bargainyng is against nature.Another reason why Vsurie is a­gainst nature. For it destroyeth nature. And therefore the gayne got­ten for due office of lendyng, must of necessitie bee a­gainst nature.

Laste of all, for that a ciuile societie is moste agrea­bleA thirde reason. to Nature, Vsurie must of force bee enemie to Na­ture, because it ouerthroweth humane societie.

The seconde prohibition is diuine. For God in his2. The worde of God condem­neth vsurie. holie Scripture doeth forbid the same▪ Exod. 22. If thou lendest to my people beeyng in pouertie, whiche dwelleth with you, thou shalte not trouble hym with exaction, nor oppresse hym with Vsurie. Leuit. 25. Thou shalte not giue hym thy money vppon Vsury, nor lende hym fruite for en­crease. The cause of this commaundemente goeth be­fore, That thy brother ma [...] liue with thee, to witte, not oppressed with Vsurie. Deut. 23. Thou shalte not exacte of thy brother Vsurie either of Money▪ or of Meate, o [...] of any thyng els, &c. Ezech 18. Hee that hath not giuen forth vppon Vsurie, neither hath taken encrease is iuste, and shall surely liue. Hereup [...]on it followeth in the contrarie sense, that hee is vniust and shall die whiche hath giuen vppon Vsurie and taken encrease. And it is saide in the 15. Psalm, That he shall not dwell in the taber­nacle of the Lorde, whiche giueth out his money vpon V­surie.

The third prohibition is Politicall. The auncient Ro­mans 3. Politike lawes forbid vsurie. Romans. neither vsed, nor allowed, but altogether abhor­red, and punished Vsurie. But in processe of tyme their couetousnes encreasyng with their good successe, by little and little vsurie crept in, and so grewe on till a [...] length it raised sedition in the Common-weale. For [Page] whiche cause Vsurie though it could not bee vtterlie a­bolished; yet was it by lawes repressed. The cittie of A­thens Athenian [...]. Solon. gaue Solon in commission to moderate the Vsu­rie wherewith the Athenians were greeuously oppres­sed▪ For sedition did arise because of the crueltie of Vsu­rers, whiche compelled the sonnes and daughters of their detters either to be solde, or become their slaues, to satisfie the Vsurie: Solon at the request of the people made à lawe, that from that tyme no free man shoulde become a slaue either for Debt or Vsurie. And appoin­ted this measure vnto Vsurie, that for an hundred crow­nes lent for à moneth, but one crowne should be paid.

The Emperours haue appointed to aduenturers butEmperours. twelue in the hundred, to other lawfull occupiers but eight, to noble men [...]oure, and to the common people [...]xe in the hundred.

The laste is Ecclesiasticall. I call the Ecclesiasticall4. Godly fathers condemne Vsu­rie. prohibition not by the decrees of the Pope, whom we acknowledge to be neither the head, nor taile, nor any parte of the Churche, but by Statutes of holie Synodes, and by the saiynges of godlie Fathers, whiche vehe­mently forbid Vsurie. In the 47. Decrees there is men­tion made of the Canons of the Apostles, whiche con­demne Vsurie. The Counsaile at Nice, at whiche wereThe counsaile at Nice. Gratian. [...]18. Fathers, did also condemne Vsurie. And Gratian a­gainste the Vsurie among Clergie men, dooeth al­ledge this out of the Decrees of the Nice [...]e Counsaile: Because many Churchemen through couetousnesse, follo­yng filthie lucre, haue vtterly forgotten the commaunde­ment of God, whiche saieth, he whiche hath not giuen his money vppon vsurie; this holie Counsaile hath s [...] doun [...] ▪ that if any manne after this determination bee founde to take Vsurie, or by any suche trade to seeke filthy gain, &c. he shalbe caste out of the Clergie, and remoued from all [Page 12] Ecclesiasticall liuyng. Hierome saieth▪ To lende vppon V­surie, Hierome a­gainst Vsurie. to cousine, and to steale, doe nothyng differ. Lende to thy brother, and receiue that which thou gauest, but take Augustine a­gainst Vsurie. no ouerplus, because to take ouerplus is Usurie. Augu­stine saieth: What shall I speake of Vsury, whiche euen the verie Lawes and Iudges them selues commaunde to bee restored? Who is the worser man, he whiche taketh some­thyng from à riche man by thefte, or he whiche taketh à poore mannes life fro [...] hym by Vsurie? These and suche like are ill possessed. And I would they should bee resto­red, Ambrose a­gainst Vsurie. &c. Ambrose saieth: Why doest thou conuert the in­dustrie of Nature into deceipt? Why doest thou desire to make men miserable? Why doest thou make à dearth to be wished for of the poore; and dooest lamente the common plentie▪ Thou doest enquire where sear [...]iti [...] i [...] ▪ Thou cal­lest that industrie, whiche is the subteltie of Sathan, and that whiche thou callest à remedie, is the pollicie of mis­chief. Maie I call Vsurie Theuerie (the tymes of Thefte is sought for, whereby like a cr [...]ll deceiuer thou creepest into the bowels of men) whiche maketh Corne laide vp in store to encrease by Vsurie? Why dost thou wish euill vnto Ambrose in a­nother place. all men? Thy priuate gaine is the publike hinderance. And in another place: He [...]ighteth without à sword, which ex­ [...]ct [...]th vsuri [...] he doth reuenge hymself without à sword▪ Chrysostome for and against Vsurie. Here I ouerpass [...] somewhat for breuitie sake, referring the reader to the former parte of this booke, where this point hath been more amplie handled cap. 6. Pag. 13. b. The summe of this chapter. whiche i [...] an Vsurer. Chrysostome saieth: Lende, take Vsurie, lende to receiue againe where no enuie is, no ac­cusation, no snares, no terror. Lende not vpon Usurie to the poore, but to Christ, whiche for thy sake was in p [...]uer­tie▪ hungrie, & nourisheth all men. This Usurie prepareth à kingdome, but the other▪ bringeth to hell: this doth pro­ceede from godlines and pitty, the other cometh from co­ [...]etousnes and cruelti [...].

Hethero wee haue shewen how many waies Vsu­rie is forbidden, and wherefore, the somme where of is [Page] that Vsurie is therefore prohibited, because our neigh­bour should not bee damnified; charitie among men not quenched; humane societie violated; the good­des of priuate men deuoured, bothe to the destruction of good houses, and the decaie of Common-weales. As often therefore as wee reade that Vsurie is forbid­den, let vs looke vppon these endes of the prohibition, leaste otherwise vnder the pretence of vnlawfull Vsu­rie, wee iudge vnwisely of lawfull contractes.

¶ The 9. Chapter. The punishement of Vsurers.

I Finde that the punishemen­tesThree kindes of punishmentes for Vsurers. of Vsurers is of three kin­des, that is to saie, Politicall, [...]. How the Ro­mans punished and conceaued of Vsurers. Spirituall, and Ecclesiasticall. The Politicall punishmente for Vsurers among the Ro­mans, as Cato witnesseth, was that Theeues should make à double restitution, but Vsu­rers should restore four times as muche. By whiche sen­tence no doubte the aunciente Romans did sufficientlie enough declare, that thei conceiued woorser of Vsu­rers, than of common Theeues. And for that cause thei barred them from honour and publike offices in the Common-weale. But alas, so corrupt are the maners of Christians at this presence daie, that suche as prophane people accounted odrous, and more to bee detested than Theeues, thei among Christians are preferred tooThe spirituall punishment of Vsurers. 2. honour, and sitto beare auctoritie.

The Spirituall punishement of Vsurers, although in [Page 13] deede it bee moste intolerable, yet many doe but laugh thereat. For he whiche exerciseth Vsurie, is no doubte excluded from the familie of God, and congregation of true Christians. For howe can he bee à member of Christe, whiche is à killer of Christe in his members? How can he bee of the housholde of God, whiche is à slaue to Sathan? Which maketh à scoffe at the woorde of God? Now thei whiche are not of the body of Christ shall haue no portion in the treasure of Sainctes, which is more pretious than al the riches of this worlde. What treasure more excellent than to possesse Christe? What riches better than the enheritance of heauen? This trea­sure, and these riches hath poore Lazarus full of soares, yet the seruant of God, but the riche glutton shall lacke them for euer, and with hym as many as castyng of the seruice of God, addicte them selues wholie to synfull gaine. For what is it I beseche you, if by Vsurie you at­taine to the riches of Cresus, and yet loose your soules? O peruerse opinion! Thou haste a marueilous care of this life, whiche God knoweth is but shorte, but of the life to come, whiche is euerlastyng, thou haste no care at all. I therefore, if myne admonition maie dooe any good, earnestly beseeche you, and as many as thinke there is a righteous God, and beleue that a daie of iud­gement will come, and certainlie perswade themselues of an other life after the leauyng of this, that thei will with speede repente, that when the Lorde shall come on the sodaine beefore they are aware, he maie finde them apparailed with the weddyng garment, not with a Diuels weede procured by Vsurie.

The Ecclesiasticall punishement of Vsurers in olde3. The Ecclesiasti­call punishyng▪ of Vsurers▪ tyme was this. Firste, thei were reiected from the so­lemne Ceremonie of the offeryng. Secondlie, thei were barred from receiuyng the holie Communion. Third­lie, [Page] they were excluded out of Christian buriall. Which penalties though thei seemed verie greeuous, yet were thei verie necessarie. For, firste as touchyng the Cere­monieVsurers might not offer as o­ther honest men did. of the offeryng, or almes to the vse of the Mi­nisters of the Gospell, and relief of the poore, it is to be knowen, that almes receiued of Vsurers is abhomina­bleThe almes of an vsurer is ab­homination be­fore the Lorde. before God. For no Sacrifice (and liberalitie rightlie conferred vppon the poore, is à kinde of sacrifice) can please God, but suche as are well gotten, and procedeLiberalitie a kinde of sacri­fice. from à pure mynde, and liuelie saithe. For this is moste true, that no woorke of man can please God, before the mynde dooeth please hym. And the mynde cannotVVhat sacrifi­ces please God. please, excepte firste by the Spirite of Faithe, it humble it self before God. And this is confirmed by the saiyngOur mind muste please God, be­fore any worke of ours can please him. How it may bee knowen when the minde doth please God. [...]aie. 66. of Esaie: To hym will I looke, saieth the Lorde, whiche is humble and of à lowlie spirite, and doeth tremble at my woordes. To kill an Oxe (without humilitie of spirite) is no better than to slaie a man: To sacrifice à Sheepe, as to cutte à Dogges throate. By these, to speake in à woord, the Prophet doeth signifie that all thinges are vncleane to the vncleane, and that nothyng can please God, whiche proceadeth not from the feare of hym, and is iustly doen of à righteous man.

Secondlie, the barryng of Vsurers from the holie2. Vsurers exclu­ded from recei­uing the holie communion. Supper of the Lorde, was grounded vppō good reason. For what portion haue swine in the body and blod of Christ? what haue they to do with the bread of sonnes, whiche are bondslaues to Sathan? Giue not, saieth theMath. 7. Lord, that which is holy vnto dogs. Cast not Pearls afore swine. What, I pray you, haue they to doe at the table of the Lorde, whiche beyng fat with the foode of Sathan, that is, with Vsurie, are euer lustie? And therefore these Ministers of God whiche knowing them to bee Vsu­rers, will giue the most blessed bodie and blood of the [Page 14] Lord vnto them, doe not only wickedly communicate in their synnes, and thereby shall receiue sutch punish­ment as they doe, but also as much as in them is, they cast the bodie and blood of our sauiour into à most fil­thy and detestable sinke, for which let them bee assured they shall receiue eternall tormentes in hell.

Finally, the punishment of buriall was verie wisely3. Vsurers had [...] christian burial. appointed by our forefathers. And that shal he perceiue that will consider the cause, wherefore we honour the bodies of good menne with an honest pompe, at their buriall. But what is that cause? The hope of à gloriousOf buriall. resurrection For it is meete, that suche bodies bee in semelie maner buried which in tyme we hope shall be conformed after the glorious bodie of our Sauiour Christe. For in beholdyng the bodies of good menVVhy Vsurers are not to be buried like Christians. committed too the graue, wee lifte vp our myndes too hym, whiche one daie, after the sounde of the Archan­gel shall saie: Arise ye deade. And beeyng risen shall beautifie them with immortall glorie. But now seeyng the vngodlie, among whom are Vsurers as cheefe, and the stipendaries of Sathan, firste of all shall rise againe, as Daniel witnesseth, to shame and e [...]erlastyng confu­sion, what good-man can iudge them worthie to haue buriall like the Sainctes of God? In the 15. Psalme hee is nōbred amōg the godly▪ Whom his eyes desp [...]seth a vile persone, and honoureth them that feare the Lorde How therefore can be cause hym to bee buried in à christian, and honourable buriall whom he doeth abho [...]re? Iere­ [...]te Iere [...]. [...] [...] ▪ foretelleth, that à Tyran shalbee buried with the bu­riall of an Asse, and that by the iuste iudgement of God: What shall wee decree by the same woorde of God concernyng Vsurers, whiche are more cruell than any Tyrannes?

¶ The 10. Chapter. The obiections whiche Vsurers alledge for them selues.

BVT what haue I doen? what ene­mies haue I gotten? Who will not speake against this seuere discipline of the Churche? Who will not find gloses to colour their vsury? Many will saie (through the suggestion of Sathan their Schoolemaister, whiche deceiued our firste parentes) that the Lawe of Moses hath long since, by the commyng of Christe, been The first obie­ction of vsurers. cut of, abrogated, and put awaie, and doeth nothyng at all pertaine to the people of God, whiche are at libertie, and discharged quite from the commaundementes of Moses.

These maie seme to bee plausible woordes, but sureThe aunswere. thei are horrible to à good conscience. For thei whiche paint their couetuousnesse vnder this colour, beeyng deceiued by their domestical Eue, their corrupt Nature whiche was miserablie seduced by Sathan, wilfully de­stroy them selues, and by their owne Sophistrie are de­ceiued. For thei doe not rightlie consider the commaū ­dement of Moses, neither doe thei, as it would beseme them, reduce the prohibition of Vsurie, to the Lawe of Charitie, whiche if thei would, thei should plainly per­ceiue that if Vsurie be established, Charity is banished,VVhere Vsurie is established, charitie is bani­shed. whiche God will haue to continue for euer. Now ther­fore in asmuche as Charitie neither in this life, nor here­after shalbee put awaie, as muche as pertaineth too theThe law of cha­ritie hath been from the begin­ning, and shall continue for e­uer. precept and will of God, and obedience euermore due to the same, who seeth not that Vsurie, whiche is cleane contrarie to Charitie, is condemned? But for aunswere [Page 15] this shall suffice, and the rather, because aboue Cap. 8. entreatyng of the causes wherefore Vsurie is vnlawfull, wee handeled this matter. And therefore without all controuersie, thei shalbe verie naked whiche bring this leafe to hide their filthinesse.

But they will perhaps except againe and saye, No in­iurie A second obie­ction. is doen to hym that is willing. Hee whiche humblie doth request to borrowe mony of an Vsurer, doth promise to paye Vsurie, not compelled thereunto but of his owne accorde, and therefore the Vsurer whiche helpeth sutche à man can not bee saide too violate the Lawe of Cha­ritie.

The principle from whence this reason is taken, isThe aunswere. doubtfull, because it respecteth two meaninges, where­of one is true, and the other falle. For euerie will is not voluntarie, and of it selfe, as it may be easely confirmed by examples. A wayfaring man, deliuereth indeede hisEuerie volunta­rie action is not without con­straint. treasure of his owne accord vnto theeues, whiche hee would not doe could hee escape their sworde. A Mari­ner casteth his goodes into the sea, and that willingly, but from whence proceedeth his will? Truelie not from à voluntary election, but through feare of making ship­wracke. For therefore doth he caste his marchandise in­to the sea, leste he and all should perish. Wherfore two euils being proposed, he choseth willingly that whiche seemeth lesser in his iudgement. In like manner the bor­rower agreeth to pay vsurie and that willingly, and yet he would not so doe, except necessitie constrained him for the auoyding of à greater inconuenience.

Moreouer they obiect that families and Common­weales A third obie­ction. cannot be maintained without Vsurie.

I graunt the same in this corruption of the worlde,The aunswere. where all manlines is excluded. But from whence pro­ceedeth that profite, whereby you saye that families [Page] and Commonweales are maintained? From Vsurie? Naye. For no goodnes in deede can be gotten by Vsu­rie,Other obiectiōs you shall finde in the former parte of this booke cap. 9. pa. 23. b. but rather a sea of discommodities. But if happelie any good seemeth to come by Vsurie, that should not be ascribed to Vsurie, but rather to lending, whiche len­ding, if it were doen without Vsurie, would more pro­fite families and commonweales.

But you will say, your words are spent in vain, in going An obiection for all. about to call Vsurers, which are idolaters (for their mony is their God) into the right waie. Though it be so (for likeThe aunswere. Adders they stop their eares at the preachyng of Gods worde, and heare nothyng with suche indignation as their Vsurie to bee cried out vppon. Their profire is so sweete, that they had rather forgoe heauen, than goe without that. And hereof it is, that many which might liue well otherwise, forsake honest trades of liuing to liue in idlenesse vppon Vsurie to the decaye of manye good houses, and hurt of their commonweales) though they will not heare, I saie, yet is it our dueties to admo­nishe them, that at the leaste they may thinke that the daie of the Lorde is at hande, and will sodainly comeRemember the daie of iudge­ment ô ye worldlinges. vppon them then, at whiche tyme they shall render an accompt to an vpright iudge, whiche neither can bee corrupted with any excellencie of person, nor deceiued by subtiltie of reason. And then they will confesse our counsaile to bee good, and bewaile their disobedience to the same.

¶ The 11. Chapter. The office and duetie of the Preachers in reproouyng Usurie.

AS it belongeth to the MagistratePreachers are to vse the iudge­ment of the spi­rite in all their doinges. to punishe, so is it the parte of the preachers to reproue vsurie: to lift vp their voyces like Trompets, and to blowe abroad the horriblenes of this vice, and the hurt it doth vnto commonweales. Yet are thei to vse the wisedome of the spirite to their owne comfort, the profite of the Church, and the better aduauncement of the glorie of God.

First the should earnestly inueigh against all vnlaw­full1. All vnlawfull contractes are to be founde fault withall. The Gospell fa­uoureth no vn­lawfull, or cou­sening contract. and wicked contractes, and shewe that no vniuste or cousening bargaine can stande with true religion: a­mong such the matter of Vsurie should not most cold­ly or careleslie bee handled, but zelously.

Afterwarde they should with all diligence beware that rashly they do no reproue all contractes, which in2. All contractes whiche may seeme at the first vnlawfull, are not rashly to be repre­hended. their iudgement doe seeme vnlawfull, allowed by the magistrate.

Furthermore, let them, as muche as they may, a­mend all manifest errours in bargainyng by Ecclesiasti­call discipline, and that not through any priuate malice,3. Preachers muste not reprehende through malice, but through the zeale of God. or affection, but with great counsaile and deliberation, lest that vntimely correction do more hurte than pro­fite.

Then, if they cannot reforme all abuses, which they4. VVhat Prea­chers should do when pu­blike reprehen­sion can take no place. shall finde in bargaines, let them take heede that they trouble not the Churche ouermuche, but commende the cause vnto God, and beg of hym that he would set to his helping hand.

Last of all, let them with diligence admonishe the [...]. [Page] ritch men, that they suffer not thēselues to be entangledHow Preachers should deale with ritch men. with the shewe of ritches, and that they takeheede, lest beyng seduced by the subtile arguments of the sedu­cing flesh, they loose their faithe, and fall into the snares of Sathan. And tell them withall that these wordes of Christ were not spoken in vaine: It is an harde thing for An hard thing for a ritch man to be saued. à ritch man to enter into the kingdome of heauen. Like­wise they should now and then tell them what is the true vse of ritches, and how that Christ would therfore haue manie of his members to be poore, and in respect of others, miserable, for à triall whether that men loue hym vnfainedly, and are willing to obeye his com­maundements, or no.

¶ The 12. Chapter. Profitable admonitions for all dealers and occupiers in this world.

IT foloweth now finally, that wee giue (as we promised a­boue, cap. 7.) certaine obser­uations, whiche beeyng dili­gentile cōsidered of the ver­tuous, will profite, by the helpe of God, verie muche.

The firste, Paule saieth, 1.1. The first admo­nition for occu­piers in the world. Timoth. 1. The ende of the Lawe is loue, out of à pure harte, à good conscience, and from a faith vnfained. We saide aboue (cap. 8.) that Vsu­rie was therefore forbidden, leste charitie among men should be broken. This rule of Paule, first, will that cha­ritieThe tutchstone of our outward actions. proceede from the pure fountaine of the harte. Therefore thou art to take heede, lest while outwardly [Page 17] thou pretendest the loue of thy neighbour, thine harte inwardly be vncleane, and so thy worke be odious and filthie. Secondlie, it requireth à good conscience, that is, that before GOD thou maiest truely saie, that in all thyne actions thou doest vnfainedly, and in deede seeke the glorie of GOD, and the profite of thy neighbour. Therefore let this rule of Paule bee euermore in mind, and serue for à touchstone to examine all our actiōs by.

The seconde: Abstaine from all apparance of euill, 2. 1. Thes. 5. saieth the Apostle. This is à moste necessarie rule. For it warneth not onely to auoyde those thynges whiche are euill in deede, but also that wee abstaine from al ap­parance of euill, that is, that wee shunne from dooyng that, whiche hath any showe or likenes of euill. Where­by all coloured dealynges are forbidden, as well as ma­nifest offendyng.

The third: Let your maners be voide of couetousnesse 3. Heb. 13. This precepte of sainct Paule dooeth not onely belong to the mynde, that the same bee not prophaned with Idolatrous couetousnesse, but also to outward maners. For it would haue vs to liue so, that no man blame vsNo pietie to­wardes God, where their is no charitie to­wardes our neighbour. for couetousnesse. For where maners dooe accuse the harte of couetousnesse, there vndoubtedly is neither pitie, nor faithe. Wherefore it is a godlie praier of kyng Dauid: Incline myne harte ô Lorde to thy testimonies, & Psal. 119. not to couetousnesse. Here dooeth Dauid set obedience towardes God againste couetousnesse, signifiying thatHe whiche lo­ueth mammon, little careth for religion. suche is their Nature, that where one is, the other can­not bee. If therefore the harte be infected with the con­tagion of couetousnesse, there cannot bee à sincere Re­ligion towardes God. If the couetous man shewe anyThe couetous Protestant, as but à dissem­bling protestant obedience towardes God, it is but mere hypocrisie. But contrariwise, if the harte doe burne, and bee inflamed with the loue of God, and of his religion, couetousnes [Page] can haue no place. For what agreemente hath the Idoll of couetousnesse, with the temple of God? Therefore I would haue the godlie to beare in mynde this precepte of sainct Paule: Let your maners bee voide of couetous­nesse: and to praie with Dauid from the harte, Incline my harte ô Lorde to thy testimonies, and not to couetousnes, whiche beyng dooen, as it should bee, I doubt not but lesse contention will arise about Vsurie.

The fourthe: Paule would haue all Christians so to4. A shame for Gospellers to excell the verie Pagans in all wicked and vn­lawful dealings. liue, that the Gospell be not euill spoken of among the Gentiles. But certaine it is, that among the verie Turkes and all prophane people, Vsurie is abhorred. And there­fore what will thei saie of Christians, when thei shall heare that wee contende with the moste vngodlie na­tions vnder the sunne, and surpasse them in al vnlawfull dealinges? This vndoubtedlie should moue the godlieA good Christi­an had rather al his life time to liue in extreame pouertie, than to obscure the glorie of his profession. rather to liue poorely, than to cause the name of God, and the Gospell of Christ to be blasphemed of the vn­godly. It would rather become vs, through al examples of well doing, and godlines to winne them, that toge­ther with vs they might glorifie God, and be saued. But alas what is don? Vnder the outwarde shew of Chri­stianitie, we hide all Turkish, yea and diuilish impietie.

The fifte: Paule biddeth vs to auoide offence, leste5. VVe may not offende the weake consci­ences of any. that the weake being offended at our dealinges, do fall. Neither is it his minde that wee abstaine from thinges euill of themselues, but also from thinges lawfull. It was lawfull for S. Paule through the libertie of à Christian to eate flesh, but what saith hee? Afore I will offende my brother, I will neuer eate fleshe. And therefore such is the duetie of the godly in deede, that they will not on­ly beware of defiling themselues by anie spot of sinne, but also of geuing any occasion, whereby the weake may fall, and iudge sinisterly of vs.

[Page 18] The sixte: We should bring vnto our mindes the ex­cellencie6. The name of a Christian à glo­rious name. of our calling. For certainly the name of à Christian is à glorious name. For à man borne of à no­ble and famous house to go about seruile and base bu­sines, is shamefull; for so he staineth his house and stock from whence he came: muche more shamefull is it for the sonnes of God to defile themselues with thinges vnseemely, for thereby they shame their brethren.

The seuenth: we should feare lest our posteritie bee7. The children of the couetous commonly pro­sper not. plaged for our couetousnes. For whosoeuer heapeth vp ritches for his heires by vnlawfull meanes, shall not es­cape punishment. For God, either doth take awaye their heires from them, that they may see their wicked­nesseCouetous Pa­rents haue poo­digall children. and repent: or doth punishe the heires by casting them of, suffering them to rushe into sondrie vices, that sutch thinges as were vnlawfully gotten, may vnthrif­tely bee consumed, to the certaine destruction of the heires.

Finally: Let this cogitation come into minde: I see [...]. many tymes the children of poore and godly parentes to come to greate honour, and that without the helpe of ritches, for they had none, through the benefite of learning, wisedome, and vertue. Contrariewise, I see di­uers whiche haue had greate possessions left vnto them by their predecessors, and yet are come to extreme po­uertie, through their owne faulte: or, as painted tables, vnprofitable in à Commonweale, like the wooers of Penelope, and the Epicures hogs, borne to consume the fruite of the earth. This cogitation will make the ver­tuously disposed parentes to leaue their Children ra­ther vertue and qualities, than ritches without vertue, whiche seldome commeth to good.

¶ The. 13. Chapter. [Page] Of Almes.

BEfore wee come too the o­ther sortes of ciuile contra­ctes, I thinke it not amisse in this place, hauyng alreadie spoken both of Godly, and also of vnlawfull lendyng, to speake somewhat of Al­mes or free geuing. A thing necessarily required of eue­rie godly man. For it plea­sethBe mercifull, as your heauenly father is merci­full. God (as aboue in this booke cap. 2. and in other places we haue often saide) to sende the poore among vs, to trie whether we loue him like true children, and make account of his commaundementes or no. And, à nota le argument is it of vnfained pietie, if wee take pittie of the poore, the verie members of Christe, the sonnes of God, heires of the ioyes of heauen aswell as we. But for that I see many causes, as the loue of mony, the ignorance of Gods prouidence, hethenish mistrust, abuse of the blessynges of God to vanitie, vnprofirable expences, and à lamentable want of naturall affection, whereby the poore are not pittied, I thinke it good in this place somewhat largely to entreate of Almes, both to shewe that we are bounde thereunto, and that the more willinglie we may discharge our dueties, and see vnto the poore more cherefullie. Wherefore I will firste1. Thinges to be considered in this treatise of almes. of all shewe how we should begin to deale our almes, and what are the kindes thereof. Afterwarde I will re­cite the causes, whiche may prouoke the godlie to be­stowe2. their Almes. Then I will signifie with what mind3. one should deale his almes, and withall I will prescribe à manner of giuing almes. Last of all, I will shew what4. [Page 19] are the endes of true Almes, and the commoditie re­dounding to the mercifull.

¶ The 14. Chapter. The kindes of Almes.

HE whiche would bee merci­full,How a man dealeth his al­mes vpon hym­selfe. ought to deale his almes firste vpon hym-self: second­lie vppon others. He besto­weth his deuotion vpon him self, that repenteth his olde and wicked life, and turneth vnto God. For no mercie (so doeth the woorde almes signifie) can bee extended of hym, whiche is not as yet vnder the mercie of God. Hetherto pertaineth that of Augustine: If thou wilt giue thine almes begin with thy selfe. For how can he be mercifull vnto others, whiche is cruell to hymselfe?

The mercie, or almes whiche we muste giue vnto o­thers,How we must bestowe our al­mes vppon o­thers. is of two sortes, spirituall and ciuile. The spirituall almes is to reclaime hym whiche wandreth from theThe spirituall giuing of almes. flocke of Christe, and reduce hym into the right waie to eternall happines. No almes is more excellent, more profitable, or more necessarie than this. For as the soule is better than the bodie, so the almes whereby the soule is refreshed, is fare more excellent than the almes, whereby the body is nourished. And as euerlastyng ritches are to bee preferred before all the commodities of this life, whiche are but for à tyme: so the Almes whiche serueth to the attainyng of eternall life, is to be more esteemed than the almes seruing but while wee [Page] are in this world. Sainct Iames doeth generally extollIames. 5. this almes in these wordes: Brethron, if any among you haue erred from the truthe, and is conuerted by some, let hym knowe that whosoeuer hath conuerted à sinner from going astraie, shall saue his soule from death, and shall co­uer the multitude of sinnes.

The ciuile almes belongeth to the bodie, or this pre­sentA ciuile giuyng of almes. life, to wit, when we being touched with compas­sion, do succour the necessitie of any poore man.

To both kindes of mercifulnes Christe by the ex­ampleVVe are bounde to cherishe and comforte both soule and bodie of the poore. Luke. 6. of his father doth adhort vs, when he saith, Be ye mercifull, as your heauenly father is mercifull. Let euery one beare this in minde, whiche thinketh God to bee his father.

¶ The 15. Chapter. The causes mouing to mercifulnes.

THE causes whiche may in­cense the godlie to pitt [...]c to­wardes the poore bee many, especially these.

The firste is Christianitie1. it selfe, or the profession of Christian religion. For this doth require that wee excell in all good woorkes, and that we make of, and cherish one another as the mem­bers of one bodie whose head is Christe. When thisGood children will imitate the vertues of their fathers. is doen through faith in Christ, we studie for Christiani­tie in the feare of God, that is, to imitate the nature of God in deede. For because God, whom by our profes­sionHow we are said to be imita­tors of God. we are bound to imitate, is ritche in mercy, we imi­tatyng [Page 20] his mercie, are said after à sorte to bee the imita­ters of God himself. But as many as are not exercised inVVho are [...]h [...] ­sonnes of God. this imitation, they are Christians onelie in name, Ba­stardes, and no sonnes of God. For none are the sonnes of God, but sutch as imitate the vertues of their father.Malach. 1. Hetherto belongeth that saying of the Prophet: If I be a father, where is myne honour? But the chefest parte of honour, whiche children can doe to their Parentes, is to imitate their vertues. Whosoeuer desireth to be glori­fied with the honour of à Christian, let him place bee­fore his eyes this cause of mercifulnes and liberalitie, and take heede that he bee not carried awaie through examples of wicked men from this necessarie, and due seruice of God.

The second is the commaundement of God, where­unto2. all creatures must be obedient. Iesus the sonne ofEccles. 29. Sirach maketh mention of this cause, saying: Helpe the poore for the commaundemente sake, and turne hym not awaie because of his pouertie. And à little after: Bestowe thy treasure accordyng to the commaundemente of the highest, and it shall profit thee more than Golde. All theLiberalitie the cheifest parte of charitie. testimonies of scripture, which commende vnto vs the loue of our neighbour, doe aboue all require liberality towardes the needie. For this is the cheifest part of true charitie. Hetherto belongeth that of the Lorde: I com­maunde Deut. 15. thee that thou open thy hande vnto thy needie brother. He which contemneth this commaundement,VVhosoeuer gi­ueth not vnto the poore, lo­ueth not God. Iohn. 3. how can he loue God? how can he feare hym? For so saieth Iohn: whosoeuer hath the goodes of this world, and seeth his needy brother, and shutteth his compassion from hym, how abideth the loue of God in hym? And Iob: Hee Iob. 6. whiche taketh away compassion from his neighbour, hath cast awaie the feare of the Lorde. Whosoeuer thereforeThe duetie of [...] Christian man. doth purpose from his harte to serue and feare God, let [Page] him think that he oweth obedience to God commaun­ding. Of the whiche Micheas spake after this manner: I will shewe thee, ô man, what is good, and what the Lorde requireth of thee, namely to deale iustly, and to loue mer­cie, and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God.

The thirde maie bee the examples bothe of Christ,3. The mercie of Christ towards vs miserable wretches. and his men bers. Christe became poore too make vs riche. And then againe, what doe we owe to the mem­bers of Christ? especiallie when he doth witnes hym­selfe that what soeuer is doen to the least of his members, Math. 25. How redie the holy fathers were to relieue the poore. is doen to hymselfe? The holie fathers delighted in no­thing so muche, as in cherishing the sainctes of God. Abraham doth humblie entreate straungers to abide, the better to extende forthe his liberalitie. Lot inuitethAbraham. Lot. Cornelius. A notable ex­ample for cour­tiers to imitate. Angels, supposing them to be poore traueilers. Corne­lius the Courtier is said to haue spente his tyme in prai­er, and giuing of almes, whiche ascended into the hea­uens, as the Scripture witnesseth.

The fourth is the dignitie and account whiche God4. The account which God maketh of almes deuoutlie be­stowed. Matth. 9. Heb. 13. maketh of our almes deuoutly conferred. Prouerb. 21. To doe mercie and iudgement, is more gratefull to the Lorde, than sacrifice. Christ hymselfe saieth: I will mer­cie and not sacrifice. The Apostle adhorteth that we for­get not to be liberall, and beneficiall: for in sutch sacrifices he saieth, God delighteth. Sutch is the excellencie, sutche is the account before God of almes godly bestowed. ItAlmes better than sacrifice. is preferred afore sacrifice: God is said to be singularly delighted therewith. This account whiche God ma­kethGod is deligh­ted with the al­mes giuen by his seruauntes. of our almes, ought mutche to moue the ritche men of this world, that they endeuour, according to the counsaile of sainct Paule, too bee ritche in good woorkes.

The fifte is our neighbour hymselfe. Euerie man as5. VVho is our neighbour. well the wicked as the godly is my neighbour, and that [Page 21] firste by reason of creation: secondlie, because of like­nesse:1. 2. 3. How many waies christians are linked toge­ther in [...]igh [...] or neighber­hode. thirdlie in respecte of humane societie. And al­though this triple bonde, whereby all men are tied to­gether, is à greate cause, why one should benefite an o­ther: yet is there a greater couplyng together of Chri­stians. For there is a common callyng of all Christians, whereby we are called to the vnitie of the spirite in the1. bonde of peace. Secondlie, by the same Spirite of Christ3. wee are regenerate into the sonnes of God: whereby wee haue all one Father whiche is God, and therefore are all brethren. Thirdlie, wee are members of the same2. misticall bodie, whose head is Christe. Laste of all, wee4. Al men are det­ters vnto God▪ and euerie one oweth a duc [...] to another. haue one and the same hope of euerlastyng life, and are all heires of eternall happinesse in Christe our Lorde. I saie nothyng of that bonde, whereby all men in this worlde are debters one to an other. If this cause of libe­ralitie and mercifulnesse were considered of many as it should bee, thei would vse lesse cousenyng, and vnlaw­full gaine, thei would not so muche spoyle the poore members of Christe, but make of, and cherishe their owne fleshe. And therefore as often as wee see any through miserie crauyng our aide, let vs I beseche you, remember that saiyng of Esaie: Despise not thyne owne Esaie. 5 [...]. fleshe.

The sixte cause, is the sondrie punishementes for6. The punishe­ments of the vnmercifull. 1. Eccles. 4. 2, suche as bee harde harted. The firste is the wrathe of God, Turne not awaie thyne eyes from the poore, because of displeasure. The seconde is cursyng: In the same chapter of Ecclesi. it is thus written: The praier of hym whi [...]h [...] curseth thee in the bitternesse of his barte shalbee heard, and he will heare hym that made hym. The third is3. to bee reiected when thou praiest beeyng in neede thy self. He that stoppeth his eares at the crye of the poore, Proue [...]b. 21. shall crie hymself and not be heard [...]. An horrible punish­ment [Page] truely as maie bee: and no maruell though God heare not hym, because hee heareth not the sunne of God criyng in his members. The fourth is, to leese that4. wherewith God hath blessed thee. For it is written: From hym whiche hath not, shalbe taken awaie euen that Matth. 25. whiche he hath. And he is said not to haue, which vseth not his giftes and ritches to the glorie of God, and re­liefe of the poore. Hetherto belongeth that saying: He Prouerb. 3. whiche despiseth the praier of the poore, shall suffer po­uertie. The fifte is the beggerie whiche the children of5. the couetous come vnto, or their filthie and wicked life whiche is more miserable than beggerie.

¶ The 16. Chapter. Of the minde of the giuer, and the manner of giuing almes.

I Haue spoken of the punish­mente of them whiche are cruell towardes the poore, and that not out of Philoso­phie, whiche may erre, but out of the woorde of God, whiche can not deceiue. Hee which shall contemne these, shall fall, ere long bee, into the seuere iudgement of God Now are wee to speake of the affection or minde of hym which giueth almes, and of the manner how he should bestowe the sa [...]e.

A giuer of almes should auoyde two vices, as Christ1. A giuer of al­mes must take heede of Hypo­crysie. willeth, Math. 6. and they are Hypocrisie, and Vaine glory. For these two vices like the Plague, or poyson are2. verie infectious. Where hypocrisie is, there is no faithe:Vainglory. [Page 22] where vainglorie is, there can bee no loue, or feare ofThere is no faith, where hy­pocrisie is. There is no fear of God, where vaineglorie doth abide. The affections that ought to be in à giuer of almes. God. Therfore we should in giuing of almes carie with vs à loue of GOD, charitie towardes our neighbour, sim­plicitie and cherefulnes. For these affections, as it were with à celestial salte, do make our almes to sauour most sweetelie before the Lorde. Besides, à mercifull man should not be destitute of faith, whereby he knoweth that his almes doe please God, and also perswadeth himselfe that the care of God is sutch ouer his chosen seruauntes, that he will not suffer them to wante thin­ges necessarie for this life. And because he requireth at our handes that we helpe others, and hath promised â reward, wee ought euen for Gods sake to doe good, and againe to loke for helpe from God through faithe.

In the manner of giuing our almes, wee should con­sider1. In the manner of giuing almes what [...] to bee respected. Tob. 4. firste the quantitie, accordyng to the counsaile of Tobias, whiche saieth: If thou haste muche, giue plenti­fullie: if thou hast little, distribute cherefully: Secondly, Equalitie, that thou of duetie bestow thy almes on the2. The poore whē they are relei­ued must be thankefull. 3. poore, and that hee thankefully receiue the same, with wishing well vnto thee: Thirdly, cherefulnesse of mind, as it is in the 2. Cor. 8: If thou haste à willyng mynde, it is accepted, accordyng to that à man hath, not accordyng to that he hath not: Fourthlie, à difference must be put be­twene4. straungers, and those of the household of faithe, as the counsaile of Paule is: While wee haue tyme let vs Gal. 6. doe good vnto all, but especially vnto them whiche are of the housholde of faithe, that is, to them whiche by faith are the seruauntes of God: finally possession, according to the saiyng of Salomon: Let thy fountaines runne out, 5. Prouerb. 5. but bee thou maister of them.

¶ The 17. Chapter. [Page] The endes, and fruite of almesgiuyng.

THE laste thing that we pro­mised too speake of in thys treatise of almes, was con­cernyng the fruite and ends of seeyng to the poore. And although both the ends and fruite of almes deuoutly cō ­ferred, may easely bee seen by those thyngs which haue been said, yet the better to stirre vp the mindes of the well disposed readers to this necessarie, good, and holie woorke, I will allege somewhat concerning the endes and fruites of sutch almes.

The endes are foure. The first is to relieue our needy1. neighbour, and to refreshe the members of Christ. TheThe endes wherfore wee should bestowe our al­mes. second, to prouoke others to mercifulnes towardes the poore, according to that of Paule: your zeale hath pro­uoked 2. manie. The thirde, to testifie our faith, and feare of2. Corinth. 9. God. For the workes of charitie are witnesses that wee3. feare God, whose commaundement wee obeye. The4. fourth to glorifie God.

Diuers and manifolde is the fruite coming by libe­ralitieThe manifolde fruite whiche cometh by libe­ralitie towards the poore. 2. Corinth. 9. towardes the poore. Paule witnesseth, that it will come to passe that such as haue been liberall, and releeued the poore, shall prosper in euerie good woorke. For so it pleaseth the Lorde, to recompence obedience towards hym with newe graces. And this it is whiche the Lorde saieth, God will reward thee openly. Matth. 6.

Dauid saith: Blessed is he whiche considereth the poore Psalm. 41. and needie, in the euill daie God shall deliuer hym.

Salomon saith: He which hath mercie vpon the poore▪ Prouerb. 19. lendeth vnto the Lorde.

[Page 23] Paule saieth: He whiche soweth pentifullie, shall reape plentie.

Esaie saieth: If thou poure out thy soule to the hongry, Esaie. 5 [...]. and dost replenish the troubled spirit, then shall thy light spring out in the darkenes, and thy darkenes shalbe as the noone daie.

The Preacher saieth: Laye vp thine almes in the bo­some Eccles. 29. of the poore, and it shall deliuer thee from all affli­ction, &c. It shall fight for thee against thine enemies, bet­ter than the shield of à Giant, or Speare of the mightie.

All whiche places, together with this my discourse, as my selfe haue noted, and I wish the discreete reader diligently to marke, are to be vnderstoode of suche al­mes as procede from an vnfained faith in the merites of Christe, otherwise it may be thought (which is farthest from my mynde) that I agree with the Papistes whiche make almes meritorious without Christe, and without faith, which is an errour.

¶ The 18. Chapter. Of Commodation.

COmmodation followeth, which isCommodation what. à kinde of lending wherby a thing lent is not his owne properlie for euer that hath borrowed it, but for à tyme, and is afterwarde restored againe. It is called Commodation,VVherefore cal­led Commoda­tion. because the thing borrowed doth bryng some commoditie vnto hym whiche borrowed the same. This kinde of contract should bee without fraude, as well in the lender, as in the receiuer, and should agree with the rule of charitie.

¶ The 19. Chapter. Of lettyng forth to hire.

THE contract of hiring, and lettingVVhat is to be considered in hiring and let­tyng out. out for money, should be ordered according to the custome of tyme and place, but so that it swarue not from the lawe of charitie. Hee therfore whiche letteth out the vse of his goods, or his labour, accor­dyng to the cūstome of the realme, and other circum­stances, may lawfully aske à recompence of him which hireth it. And he which wil not pay, dealeth iniuriously.

Hethertoo mee thinketh belongeth that contracteImplantation. whiche the Ciuilians call Implantation, because they whiche hire barren fieldes are bounde too make them better by their labour, and paye to the Lordes a certain yerely rent for them, the title for all that remainyng to the letter of them out.

¶ The 20. Chapter. Of the contract of societie.

IN the contract, which men call, ofThe contract of societie what. societie, that is, where one laieth out mony onely, another bestow­eth onely his labour: or one mony and labour, another either money or labour, or both put their labour and mony but not a like, this foun­dation must bee diligentlie maintained, Doe not that vnto another, whiche thou wouldest another should not do [Page 24] vnto thee. He whiche contrarie to this foundation will deceiue his partner, is vniust, and à breaker of the lawes of brotherhood.

Therefore to conclude, the godly in this, and in all o­therA rule to be ob­serued in all ho­nest contractes and bargaines. bargaines may safely followe this rule: Euerie con­tract allowed by the lawfull magistrate, whiche hath the chiefe auctoritie, is to bee vsed of Christians, if so bee it bee not contrarie to the lawe of nature, or commaunde­mentes of God. And therefore the godly may as well without any offence of God deale in them, as they may enioye the elementes whiche are common to all, good and bad.

¶ The 21. Chapter. ¶ Of Churche gooddes.

IS it lawfull for heires to de­maunde A question▪ againe the gooddes whiche their fore-fathers be­stowed vppon the church, fro the celebratyng of Masses, the Masses beeyng not vsed, but altogether abolished? WeThe aunswere. muste as-well respecte the mynde, as the wordes of the Testatour. The laste woordes were that his gooddes or landes should serue to the maintenaunce of Masses, whiche being wicked, are to the greate commendation of godlie Princes, cutte of. The mynde was to maintain the seruice of God. Accordyng therefore to the mynde of the Testatour▪ whiche was good▪ and deuoute, the gooddes should bee transferred to the true seruice of GOD, whiche afore were giuen to the celebration of [Page] the Masse.

But thei obiecte, that In many of their deedes, this An obiection. clause is expressed: If suche custome of Massyng or Syn­gyng shall ceasse, let the heires haue auctoritie to take a­waie those gooddes, or possessions which their auncestours haue giuen to the maintenaunce of Masses, &c.

Thei whiche gaue suche gooddes to the Church er­redThe aunswere. in the particular, and not in the generall. The parti­cular is the celebration of the Masse: the generall is the honour of God. The heires therefore hauyng learned à better lesson, ought to amende the faultes of their pro­genitours, and conuert that thing to the due honour of God, whiche was bestowed to the prophanation of his diuine seruice. Yea; rather I thinke it the parte of magi­strates to doe soe, for the better auoyding the insatiable couetousnes of particular men.

Flora à notable strompet of Rome, bequethed herFlora. substance (whiche was verie greate) to the maintaining of à goodly shewe euery yere at Rome. But the same being abolished through the greate wisedome of Cato Cato. the Censor, whiche could not abide the filthy beha­uour and vnseemely gestures vsed in the same, the hei­res of Flora demaunded againe the goodes whiche Flora had bestowed. But the Senate of Rome did moste wisely aunswere, that those goodes ought not to return to the heires, but the minde of Flora should bee respec­ted whose last will was, that her gooddes bequeathed, should serue to the benefite of the Romane Common­weale. For Flora erred not in the generall, though she did in the particular. And therefore to obserue the ge­nerall, the Senate of Rome did moste wisely decree, that the gooddes should not bee restored to the heires demaunding them, though those playes were not vsed. In like maner Legacies bequethed to the celebration of [Page 25] Masses, are not to bee restored to the heires of the gi­uers, though Massyng dooe ceasse, but are to bee con­uerted to the generall, to maintaine the Churche of God, that is, to helpe the Preachers, the Poore, the kee­pers and defendours of the Churche. Thei should not serue to the pleasure of menne, but to the necessities of the Churche. And that is the iudgement also of Barto­lus, The iudgement of Bartolus an excellent Ciui­lian vpon this question. an excellent Lawier, whiche in his Commentaries concernyng Masses, vppon the lawe, About that which is bequethed to à Citie, hath these wordes in effect: If à Testator haue left an hundred poundes for the singing of Masses, which Masses cannot be song because of some prohibition, that thyng giuen ought to bee conuerted to some other vse. The generall sentence hee set doune à little afore, in these wordes: If the Testator adde à man­ner, or condition which is impossible (by reason of the pro­hibition) for some lawfull and honest ende, then if it maye not be fulfilled according to his wordes, it is to be conuer­ted to some other lawfull vse.

¶ The 22. Chapter. The greeuousnes of their synning whiche take away the gooddes of the Churche.

THey whiche spoyle the Church ofSpoylers of the Churche are breakers of both tables. her gooddes, doe violate both the commaundementes of God. For they are against God, wicked, and against the Churche and the mem­bers thereof vnmercifull. For they both sacrilegiously vsurpe whiche was giuen to the seruice of God, and cruellie bereue [Page] the poore Christians of liuyng. Cicero affirmeth that he doth more greuously offende that robbeth the common treasurehouse, than he whiche stealeth the gooddes of a priuate man. By whiche reason they are proued moste hainously to synne, whiche occupie the gooddes of the Churche against all iustice. The Lorde doth condemne all them, whiche giue not of their owne to the poore: and shall we thinke that sutche can escape, whiche take from the poore? Hee is damned by the worde of God whiche doth not paciently suffer an iniury, then can he auoide à plague which doth offer iniury to the Church of Christ? God is not deceiued by Sophistrie, nor will receiue any wicked excuse. Howsoeuer these Churche­robbersAn exposition of the eight commaunde­ment. turne themselues, they can neuer escape from gilte of the eight commaundement. For God in sai­yng, Thou shalt not steale, doth forbid that we take any thing from any person by violence vnder the pretence of equitie. And although many at this day doe by vio­lenceChurch robbers scape not scot­ [...]ree in this life. enioye Ecclesiasticall liuinges, and possesse them sweetely as they suppose, yet they carie about them à conscience, which notwithstanding it remaine without any sense securely, as it were seared with an yrō, yet one daie for all that, in the hour of death awaked, as it wereA giltie con­science as good as a thousande witnesses. out of slepe, it shalbe in stede of à thousand witnesses, and shall more greuously afflict the harte, than any tor­ment outwardly can doe. Then they shal well perceiue that Esaie said not in vaine: Woe be to thee whiche spoy­lest, Esaie. 33. shalt not thou be spoyled thy selfe? and to thee whiche despisest, shalt not thou be despised thy selfe? whē thou hast made an ende of doyng wickedly, euill shall come to thee.

These felowes thinke they are out of Danger, bee­cause they presently feele not the heauie hand of God,The punish­ment of the Iewes. & yet they might by the exāple of the Iewes, learne, that the lord wil punish their sacrilege at the length, though [Page 26] hee suffer them à while, for their amendment. The peo­ple of Israel contemned the woordes of the Prophetes, but the measure of their synnes beyng full, they were vtterly destroyed: In these dayes the woorde of GodThe longer the Lord for beareth from punishing, the more intol­lerable is the punishment when it cometh. doth sound in all our eares, & yet notwithstandyng we slepe securely without repenting, but our synnes being ripe, the Lorde will also poure out his heauie displea­sure vppon vs, and then it will come to passe whiche Ie­remie did foretell: Like à theofe taken in theft shalt thou be confounded. Wherby the spirite of God doth signifie, that it will fall out, that such shall sustaine euerlastyng tormentes, whiche, making but à sporte at the prea­ching of the worde, thinke all thinges lawfull whiche the luste of the flesh doth like of.

¶ The. 23. Chapter. A question about the right vse of Ecclesiasticall ritches.

BEcause Ecclesiastical ritches haue beene à long while a­bused, it is vppō good con­sideration demaūded, what is the true and lawfull vse of them, and vppon whom they are to bee conferred? For euerie one which wea­reth an hoode, & can buzze out à base in the Church, or can vnderstande the Latine tongue, is not worthy too enioye suche goodes, as many haue erroniously suppo­sed à long tyme. But wee muste harken to the holy Fa­thers, [Page] whose iudgements haue been right in these mat­ters.The iudgement of Gratian con­cernyng the right vse of Ec­clesiasticall rit­ches. Gratian alleging the iudgement of Augustine, doth witnesse, that the Rentes and Ritches of the Churche should be distributed into four partes.

• The first whereof should be giuen to the Bishop and his
  1.
  family, not to maintaine pride & riot, not to buye chaines, or ringes of Golde, not to keepe greate horses, and courtly traines, but for à necessarie and honest sustentation, and for hospitalitie, least that he beeyng deceaued and caried awaie by the vanitie of ritches, doe forget his duetie, as it is well knowen hath come to passe in this Realme.
• The seconde parte should be conferred on the clergie,
  2.
  whereof I make three degrees. In the firste are teachers and learners, which muste bee maintained leste through neede they forsake their calling. In the seconde are weake and olde men, which must be releeued becaused they can­not labour. In the thirde, are suche as by their paynes de­serue to be maintained.
• The Thirde should be reserued for the poore, suche as
  3.
  are poore in deede, and haue liued honestlie, as for others they are vnworthy to be nourished with the goods of the Churche. Let them beg.
• The fourth should bee employed to the repairing of
  4.
  Churches, and houses fallen in decaie.

This sentence of Augustine is à godly and à true partition of Ecclesiasticall ritches. Hee will not haue houndes and harlots to bee maintained; hee will not haue idle persons to bee cherished; hee will not haue swarmes of Monkes, most vnprofitable drones, to de­uoure vp the welthe; hee will not haue trashe and idle wordes to bee solde for the treasure of the godly, but he requireth à iuste distribution accordyng to the pro­portion of Geometrie, whiche hath regarde both of the office, and also of the labour of assigning stipendes.

[Page 27]And although I allow this iudgement of Augustine Ciuile auctority belongeth not vnto spirituall men. aboute the bestowyng of Churche gooddes, yet this I adde vppon good reason. Firste, because ciuile auctority agreeth not vnto Bishops, it is lawfull for godly kings and princes to take to themselues Lordships, rule, ci­uile iurisdiction, traines of Bishops, so that they conuert them to the maintenaunce of the Church: that is, godly kinges and princes may enritche themselues with these thinges, that they may haue wherwith both to defend their states against their enemies, and shewe themsel­ues liberall towardes godly exiles, or suche as haue de­serued well of the Churche and commonweale.

That Ciuile gouernment is not meete for Ecclesia­sticall persons, it may be confirmed by sutche places of Scripture as put à difference betweene the ministerie of the Gospell and ciuile gouernment. As my father sent Iohn. 20. mee (saieth Christe) so sende I you. My kingdome is not Luke. 22. of this world. The kinges of the Gētiles reigne ouer them, but ye shall not doe so. The weapons of our warfar are not 2. Cor. 10. carnall. But the Papistes obiect that certaine prouincesAn obiection of the Papistes. The aunswere. were giuen to the Romane Bishoppe of Constantine. If wee graunt this to bee true, whiche is moste false, yet though that power was giuen to Siluester, it was not lawfull for hym to receiue it beyng à spirituall man, and to deliuer it to his successors. Because euerie one ought to doe the dueties of his calling, accordyng to that of Paule: Studie to bee quiet, and to medle with your owne 1. Thes. 4. businesse.

The Bishoppe ought to preache, the Kyng to go­uerne,The duetie of a Bishop. The office of a Kyng. and to guide Armies, to prouide quietnes for the bodies of his people. These thinges therefore are not to be committed to à Pastour, but let euerie one in hisNecessarie rules to be remem­bred of all men. callyng be mindefull of this rule: Looke vnto your owne busines. Again, Let euerie one walke according to his cal­ling. [Page] Again: do those things faithfully which are cōmitted vnto thee. The saiyng therfore, but it shall not be so with you, should not onely be vnderstoode thus, that Christ giueth not ciuile power to the ministers, but also that it be not takē or exercised of him that is in the ministerie.

The Papistes in obiecting the aunswere of Christ toAn aunswere to an obiection of the Papistes. the saying: Beholde, here are twoo swordes, doe suffi­ciently declare that they deale sophistically, and subti­lie. For when he aunswereth that it is enough, he shew­eth the complaint concerning the twoo sortes of ene­mies. It is enough that the swordes both of the high Preests and of Pilate are drawen against you. Hereof without all controuersie is concluded, that Ciuill go­uernement is vnmeete for Bishops and Pastors.

Moreouer, where as yet the reuenues of the Church are plentifull, and where they are well seen vntoo by them aboue mentioned, à godly prince or king like àA godly Prince will not spoyle, but maintaine the Churche. faithfull stewarde and Nurse of the Churche, should haue à consideration of sutch gooddes as remaine, and especially prouide, that they bee not wasted, or pos­sessed by idle fellowes, sutche as neither haue, neither can, nor will do any good to their countrie, or Church. For as à king is the defendour of other gooddes of his people, so ought he be the maintainer of Ecclesiasticall ritches. And as it is the duetie of à kyng, if à citie doe abuse their common ritches, to prouide that they bee more profitablie bestowed: so should the same Kynge conuert sutch Churche gooddes whiche were abused in superstition, to other good endes. But yet let euerie one take heede, leste, vnder the pretence of godlines, he conuert sutche goods of the Churche either vppon vile persons, or vnto wicked purposes. Which God graunt, to whom be all prayse ascribed now and for euermore.