1Now, you long to hear what the Usurer is like. To what shall I liken this generation? They are like a Butlers box: for as all the counters at last come to the Butler; so all the money at last cometh to the Usurer, ten after ten, & ten after ten, and ten to ten, till at last he receive ⟨p. 31⟩not only ten for an hundred, but an hundred for ten. This is the only difference, that the Butler can receive no more than he delivered: but the Usurer receiveth more than he delivereth. They are like a Moth; even as a Moth eateth a hole in cloth, so Usury eateth a hole in silver: If you have a piece of silver which is as much as an hundred pounds, in one year usury will eat a hole in it as big as ten pounds: in two years she will eat a hole as big as twenty pounds: in three years she will eat a hole as big as thirty pounds. Nay, now they say, he is but a bad husband which cannot eat a hole as big as fifty pounds in a year: that is, which cannot gain half in half: how many holes have these Moths eaten in poor mens garments? They are like Nonresidents, that is, such bad members, that no man speaketh for them but themselves. As no man standeth for Nonresidency, but he which is a Nonresident, or he which would be a Nonresident: so no man standeth for Usury, but he which is an Usurer, ⟨p. 32⟩or he which would be an usurer. They are like Jezebel, which said,2 Let me alone, I have a way. If there be no way to live (saith the false Steward) I know what to do I will deceive: so if there be no way to live (saith the usurer) I know what to do, I will oppress:3 If I cannot live by buying, nor by selling, nor by flattering, nor by labouring, I will live by oppression. But as one in his Comment speaks to the false Steward. Thou sayest I know what to do, but dost thou know what thou shalt suffer? So I say to usurers, you say you know what to do, but do you know what you shall suffer? In deed he knoweth not what to do, which knoweth not to do well: and therefore Christ said of his persecutors, that they knew not what they did. 4Here I will end the first days examination.
1Now, you long to heare what the Vsurer is like. To what shal I likē this generatiō? They are like a Butlers box: for as all the counters at last come to the Butler; so all the mony at last commeth to the Vsurer, ten after ten, & ten after ten, and ten to ten, til at last he receiue ⟨p. 31⟩not only ten for an hundreth, but an hundreth for ten. This is the onely difference, that the Butler can receiue no more than he deliuered: but the Vsurer receiueth more than he deliuereth. They are like a Moth; euen as a Moth eateth a hole in cloath, so Vsury eateth a hole in siluer: If you haue a peece of siluer which is as much as an hūdred pounds, in one yeare vsury will eate a hole in it as big as ten pounds: in two yeares she will eate a hole as big as twentie pounds: in three yeares she wil eate a hole as big as thirty pounds. Nay, now they say, he is but a bad husband which cannot eate a hole as big as fiftie pounds in a yeare: that is, which cannot gain halfe in half: how many holes haue these Moths eaten in poore mens garments? They are like Nonresidēts, that is, such bad members, that no man speaketh for them but thēselues. As no mā standeth for Nonresidencie, but he which is a Nonresident, or he which would be a Nōresidēt: so no mā stādeth for Vsurie, but he which is an Vsurer, ⟨p. 32⟩or he which would be an vsurer. They are like Iezabel, which said,2 Let me alone, I haue a way. If there be no way to liue (saith the false Steward) I know what to do I will deceiue: so if there be no way to liue (saith the vsurer) I know what to do, I will oppresse:3 If I cannot liue by buying, nor by selling, nor by flattering, nor by labouring, I will liue by oppression. But as one in his Cōmēt speakes to the false Steward. Thou saiest I know what to do, but doost thou know what thou shalt suffer? So I say to vsurers, you say you know what to do, but do you know what you shal suffer? In deed he knoweth not what to do, which knoweth not to do well: and therefore Christ said of his persecutors, that they knew not what they did. 4Here I will end the first dayes examination.
- 1What the usurer is like.What the vsurer is like.
- 21. King. 21. 7.
- 3Luk. 16. 4.
- 4Luk 23. 34.
