The sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…

Usury is the sin which God will try now whether you love better than his word: that is, whether you will leave it if he forbid it. For if he flatly forbid it, and yet you wilfully retain it, then you love Usury better than Gods word. Therefore one saith well, that our Usurers are Heretics,¹ because after many admonitions, yet they maintain their error, and persist in it obstinately as Papists do in Popery. For this cause I am glad, that I have any occasion to gripple with this sin where it hath made so many spoils, & where it hath so many patrons: for it is said, that there be moe of this profession in this City, then there be in all the Land beside. There be certain sins, which are like an unreasonable enemy, which will not be reconciled to death; and this is one of these everlasting sins, which live and dye with a man. For when he hath resigned his pride, and his envy, ⟨p. 162⟩and his lust, yet Usury remaineth with him, and he saith as Naaman said; Let the Lord be merciful unto me in this, ²let me have a dispensation for this; as though this were a necessary sin, and he could not live without it.³ There be three sins which are counted no sins, and yet they do more hurt then all their fellows; and those are, Bribery, Nonresidency, and Usury: these three (because they are gainful) are turned from sins to occupations.

Vsurie is the sin which God will trie now whether you loue better than his word: that is, whether you will leaue it if hee forbid it. For if he flatly forbid it, and yet you wilfullie retaine it, then you loue Vsurie better than Gods word. Therefore one saith well, that our Vsurers are Heretikes,¹ because after manie admonitions, yet they maintaine their errour, and persist in it obstinately as Papists do in Poperie. For this cause I am glad, that I haue anie occasion to gripple with this sinne where it hath made so manie spoiles, & where it hath so manie patrones: for it is sayd, that there be moe of this profession in this Citie, then there be in all the Land beside. There be certaine sinnes, which are like an vnreasonable enemie, which will not bee reconciled to death; and this is one of these euerlasting sinnes, which liue and dye with a man. For when he hath resigned his pride, and his enuie,