A12367:299
A preparative to marriage The sum whereof was spoken at a contract, and enlarged…A preparatiue to mariage The summe whereof was spoken at a contract, and inlarged…
A preparative to marriage The sum whereof was spoken at a contract, and enlarged after. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of the Lords Supper, and another of usury. By Henry Smith.A preparatiue to mariage The summe whereof was spoken at a contract, and inlarged after. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of the Lords Supper, and another of vsurie. By Henrie Smith.
London: printed by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Man, 1591
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now mark whether this prophecy ⟨image 157⟩of Solomon be true, I know not how many in this City do increase by Usury; but this prophecy seemeth to be verified of many: For it is noted, that the riches and lands of Aldermen and Merchants, and other in London, do not last so long, nor endure so well, as the riches and lands of others in the Country, and that their children do not prove so well as others, nor come to that place in the Common weal, which for their wealth their parents looked that they should come to. I can give no reason for it but the reason of Solomon, He which increaseth by Usury, gathereth for them which will be merciful to the poor. That is, their riches shall go from their heirs to Gods heirs, according to that, The riches of the sinner is laid up for 1the righteous: that is, the righteous ⟨image 157⟩shall enjoy that which the wicked gathereth. All riches are uncertain, but the riches which are evil gotten, are most uncertain: They may be called movable goods, for they are very movable, like the clouds which never rest till they fall as they climbed. God saith, that he will smite the 2Usurer with his fist, not with the palm of his hand, but with his fist, which giveth a greater blow. As his hands were shut against the poor, so Gods hands shall be shut against him, that his punishment may be like his sin. But if you will hear their final sentence, David saith here, That they shall not dwell in Gods temple, nor rest in his holy mountain. Then we will seek no more punishments, for this punishment is all punishments, If they shall not come to heaven, ⟨image 158⟩whose then shall those riches be? nay, whose then shall the owner be when that day cometh? If he shall not rest in heaven, then he shall rest in Hell where no rest is. Then saith one, the Usurer shall 3cry unto his children, Cursed be you my children, because you were the cause of these torments, for least you should be poor, I was an Usurer, and robbed other, to leave riches unto you. To whom, the children shall reply again, nay, Cursed be you father, for you were the cause of our torments; for if you had not left us other mens goods, we had not kept other mens goods.