Fourthly, it is against the law of God. First, it is forbidden in Exo. 22. 1where it is said, If thou lend money unto my people, that is, to the poor with thee, thou shalt not oppress them with Usury: here Usury is called oppression, therefore if oppression be a sin, Usury is a sin too. Secondly, it is forbidden in Leu. 25. 36. where it is said, Thou shalt not give thy money to Usury, nor lend thy victuals for increase. Here you ⟨image 140⟩may see, that men may be Usurers of victuals and other things, as well as of money. Thirdly, it is forbidden in Deut. 23. where it is said, Thou shalt not lend unto thy brother upon Usury. And least you should say, that he meaneth but one kind of Usury, he showeth, that he meaneth all kinds of Usury: for after he saith, as usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of corn, or usury of any thing which is given to Usury: because some are not Usurers of money, but some are Usurers of victuals, some are Usurers of Cloth, some are Usurers of Corn, some are Usurers of Wine, some are Usurers of Oil, and some of one thing, and some of an other, and none would be counted Usurers, but they which lend money upon Usury; therefore God forbiddeth so precisely ⟨image 141⟩Usury of any thing, showing, that all Usury is unlawful. It is a miserable occupation to live by sin, and a great comfort to a man when he looketh upon his Gold and Silver, and his heart telleth him, all this is well gotten, and when he lieth upon his death-bed, and must leave all to his children, he can say unto them, I leave you mine own; but the Usurer can not say, I leave you mine own, but I leave you other mens, therefore the Usurer can never dye in peace, because if he dye before he make restitution, he dyeth in his sin. When Christ raised Lazarus from death, after he had 2lain four days in the grave, he wept so over his Sepulchre, that the standers about said one to an other, See how he loved him, As it may be said of Christ, See how ⟨image 141⟩he loveth us, so it should be said of us, See how they love their brethren. For Christ said to his Disciples, Love one an other, as I 3have loved you. But it may be said of the Usurer, See how he hateth his brethren, and hear how he loveth them: for he loveth them in words, and hateth them in deeds.
Fourthly, it is against the law of God. First, it is forbiddē in Exo. 22. 1where it is sayd, If thou lend money vnto my people, that is, to the poore withthee, thou shalt not oppresse them with Vsurie: heere Vsurie is called oppression, therefore if oppression be a sinne, Vsury is a sinne too. Secondly, it is forbiddē in Leu. 25. 36. where it is sayd, Thou shalt not giue thy money to Vsurie, nor lend thy vittailes for increase. Heere you ⟨image 140⟩may see, that men may be Vsurers of vittailes and other thinges, as well as of money. Thirdly, it is forbidden in Deut. 23. where it is sayde, Thou shalt not lende vnto thy brother vpon Vsurie. And least you shoulde saye, that he meaneth but one kinde of Vsurie, he sheweth, that he meaneth all kinds of Vsurie: for after he sayth, as vsurie of money, vsurie of vittailes, vsurie of corne, or vsurie of any thing which is giuen to Vsurie: because some are not Vsurers of money, but some are Vsurers of vittailes, some are Vsurers of Cloth, some are Vsurers of Corne, some are Vsurers of Wine, some are Vsurers of Oyle, and some of one thing, and some of an other, and none would bee counted Vsurers, but they which lend money vpon Vsurie; therefore God forbiddeth so preciselie ⟨image 141⟩Vsurie of any thing, shewing, that all Vsurie is vnlawfull. It is a miserable occupation to liue by sinne, and a great comfort to a man when he looketh vpon his Golde and Siluer, and his heart telleth him, all this is well gotten, and when he lieth vpon his death-bed, and must leaue all to his children, he can say vnto them, I leaue you mine owne; but the Vsurer can not saye, I leaue you mine own, but I leaue you other mens, therefore the Vsurer can neuer dye in peace, because if he dye before he make restitution, he dyeth in his sinne. When Christ raysed Lazarus from death, after he had 2layne foure dayes in the graue, he wept so ouer his Sepulcher, that the standers about sayd one to an other, See how he loued him, As it may be sayde of Christ, See how ⟨image 141⟩he loueth vs, so it should be sayd of vs, See how they loue their breethren. For Christ sayd to his Disciples, Loue one an other, as I
- 14.
- 2Joh. 11. 37.Ioh. 11. 37.
- 3Joh. 13. 34.Ioh. 13. 34.
