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…

Well then, may we neither take usury, nor give usury?¹ I know that Jeremiah saith, I have not lent upon usury to others, neither have others lent upon usury to me: ²as though both were unlawful, not only to take usury, but to give usury.³ But thereby Jeremiah doth signify that he was no meddler in the world, whereby they should envy him like other men, and therefore he cleareth himself chiefly from Usury, because Usurers were most envied. And to show that he was not an Usurer, he saith that he was not a borrower, which is more lawful than to be a Usurer: like a man which saith, I do neither hate him nor know him. Why it was lawful to know him, but to prove that he did not hate him, he saith, he doeth not know him. So Jeremiah, to prove that he had not lent upon usury, doeth say, that he never borrowed upon Usury, which many will do that will not lend. The best Expositors give this sense of it. I know beside, that Christ did cast forth the buyers out of the Temple,⁴ as well as ⟨p. 192⟩the sellers:⁵ But that was not for buying, but for buying in the Temple, where they should not buy, but pray: or else it was as lawful to buy any thing, as it is lawful to use it.

Well then, may we neither take vsurie, nor giue vsurie?¹ I know that Ieremie saith, I haue not lent vpon vsurie to others, neither haue others lent vpon vsurie to mee: ²as though both were vnlawfull, not onely to take vsurie, but to giue vsurie.³ But thereby Ieremie doth signifie that hee was no medler in the worlde, whereby they should enuie him like other men, and therefore hee cleareth himselfe chieflie from Vsurie, because Vsurers were most enuied. And to shewe that hee was not an Vsurer, he saith that he was not a borrower, which is more lawfull than to be a Vsurer: like a man which saith, I doe neither hate him nor know him. Why it was lawfull to know him, but to proue that he did not hate him, hee saith, hee doeth not know him. So Ieremie, to proue that hee had not lent vpon vsurie, doeth saie, that hee neuer borrowed vpon Vsurie, which manie will doe that will not lende. The best Expositors giue this sence of it. I knowe beside, that Christ did cast foorth the buyers out of the Temple,