Now you would understand the last question. If you have bin Usurers already, what you should 1do with that money which you have gained by Usury, surely even as Zacheus did, restore it again. If you cannot say as Samuel 2said, whose goods have I taken? then you must say as Zacheus said, 3whose goods have I kept? The best thing is, to do no man wrong, but the next to that is, to make him amends. This God signifieth when he saith, put away the execrable 4thing from you, that is, let no unlawful thing stay in your hands, like the wedge of Achan which he had got by sin. The ⟨image 166⟩same law serveth for all which is got wrongfully, which was instituted against thieves, Restore it again: 5the reason of this law is, because the sin is not remitted, until the debt be restored, for as humility is the repentance of pride, and abstinence is the repentance of surfeit, and alms is the repentance of covetousness, and forgiveness is the repentance of malice, so restitution is the repentance of Usury; as he which is not humble doeth not repent his pride, he which doeth not abstain doth not repent his gluttony, he which doeth not forgive, doeth not repent his malice, so he which doeth not restore, doeth not repent his Usury. For how can he be said to repent for his Usury, which liveth by Usury still. Therefore Daniel saith to Nebuchadnezzar, ⟨image 166⟩6Break off thy sins by righteousness, showing, that nothing but righteousness can break unrighteousness. As diseases are healed by the contrary, so pride is healed by humility, gluttony by abstinence, malice by forgiveness, covetousness by alms, and Usury by restoring. This Paul calleth, The revenge of a Christian, 7when he takes revenge upon his sins, and punisheth his lusts, so that he maketh them do contrary to that which they would do. Therefore you must restore that which you have got by Usury, or else you do not repent of your Usury. As a Camel when he comes home, casteth off his burden at the door, that he may enter into his Stable, so they which are laden with other mens goods, when they go to heaven, ⟨image 167⟩must leave their burden where they had it, least they be too gross to get in at the narrow gate. But as the Disciples of Christ said, this is a hard speech, so to them which 8have got most that they have by unlawful means, this is a hard speech, to bid them restore it again:
Now you would vnderstand the last question. If you haue bin Vsurers alreadie, what you should 1doe with that money which you haue gained by Vsurie, surely euen as Zacheus did, restore it againe. If you cannot say as Samuel 2said, whose goods haue I taken? then you must saye as Zacheus sayde, 3whose goodes haue I kept? The best thing is, to doe no man wrong, but the next to that is, to make him amends. This God signifieth when he saith, put away the execrable 4thing from you, that is, let no vnlawfull thing staye in youre hands, like the wedge of Achan which he had got by sinne. The ⟨image 166⟩same lawe serueth for all which is got wrongfully, which was instituted against theeues, Restore it againe: 5the reason of this lawe is, because the sinne is not remitted, vntill the debt be restored, for as humilitie is the repentaunce of pride, and abstinence is the repentaunce of surfet, and almes is the repentaunce of couetousnes, and forgiuenes is the repentaunce of malice, so restitution is the repentaunce of Vsurie; as he which is not humble doeth not repent his pride, he which doeth not absteine doth not repent his gluttonie, he which doeth not forgiue, doeth not repent his malice, so he which doeth not restore, doeth not repent his Vsurie. For how can he be said to repent for his Vsurie, which liueth by Vsurie still. Therefore Daniel saith to Nebuchadnezzar, ⟨image 166⟩6Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes, shewing, that nothing but righteousnes can breake vnrighteousnes. As diseases are healed by the contrarie, so pride is healed by humilitie, gluttonie by abstinence, malice by forgiuenes, couetousnes by almes, and Vsurie by restoring. This Paule calleth, The reuenge of a Christian, 7when he takes reuenge vpon his sinnes, and punisheth his lustes, so that he maketh them doe contrarie to that which they would do. Therefore you must restore that which you haue got by Vsurie, or else you doe not repent of your Vsurie. As a Camell whē he comes home, casteth off his burthen at the dore, that he may enter into his Stable, so they which are laden with other mens goodes, when they goe to heauen,
- 1What Usurers should do with their gains.What Vsurers should doe with their gaines.
- 21. Sam. 12. 3.
- 3Luk. 19. 8.
- 4Josh. 6. 18.Iosh. 6. 18.
- 5Exod. 22.
- 6Dan. 4. 24.
- 72. Cor. 7. 11.
- 8John. 6. 60.Iohn. 6. 60.
