euen the secrets of mens hearts are naked and open Hell and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the sonnes of men But as I said vprightnesse also is required in the life of him that prayeth To which purpose we haue a notable testimony of Dauid Psal. 66. If I regard wickednesse in mine hart sayth he the Lord will not heare me For the Lord heareth not hypocrites and such as turne away their eare from hearing that is obeying his law their prayer is abhominable Let vs now come to the ministerie of the word to the preaching and hearing whereof righteousnesse is necessarily required To the preaching of the word that we may be able to say with the Apostle that we are not as many which make merchandise of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God we speake in Christ. And againe so we speake not as they that please men but God which trieth our hearts For if we should seeke to please men we were not the seruants of Christ. Now he doth behaue himselfe vprightly in the ministerie of the word who as the Apostle admonisheth Timothie doth studie and indeuour to shew himselfe approued vnto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright Who hath the testimony of his owne conscience that he setting aside all sinister respects doth sincerely and from his hart seeke the glory of God in the saluation of the people and not himselfe or his owne either profit or praise Of which Integritie they come very short who seeking not to profit their hearers but to please them endeuour not to approoue themselues to God but to carnall men neither seeke the glory of God but their owne praise nor the saluation of the people but their own profit and preferment in the world But as in the minister that preacheth so also in the people that heareth the word of God Vprightnesse is required To which purpose before they come to the house of God they ought to looke to their feet that is their affections and to put off the shoes of their feet that is their corrupt affections and with sincere affections they are to desire the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby The purpose and desire of him who commeth to the hearing of Gods word must be to performe therein an holy and vpright worship vnto God and with all good conscience and sinceritie to vse the ministerie of the word as the power of God to our saluation c. But they that come to heare the word either for fashion sake because we haue such a custome as carnall professors vse to doe or because the lawes of men require it as those which among vs are popishly affected or because they would seeme to some that they are religious or at the least not irreligious as dissemblers doe or because they would see and be seene as many proud and vaine persons do or because they would take a nap as some secure and sâ—outhfull persons doe or because they would carpe and snatch at the preachers words as malitious persons doe or because they would heare and judge of the gifts of the preacher and so giue their censure of his sermon as diuerse glorious professours vse to doe or if they come with the same affection to a sermon as they goe to a stage-play that is to be delighted as those which haue itching eares vse to doe or if they come into the assembly as Cato was wont to come to the stage namely that in shew of his dislike he might goeout againe as some conceited and humorous persons vse to doe or to passe the time because they haue nothing else to doe as some that liue inordinatly either wholly neglecting their calling or hauing no honest calling to walke in all which are practised by hypocrits of diuerse sorts assuredly they are farre from that integritie which is required in those that come to heare Gods word When we are come to the ministerie of the word our dutie is to take heed how we heare as our Sauiour Christ admonisheth For our bodily presence wil not suffice vnlesse we behaue our selues vprightly in the hearing of the word Our first dutie therefore is when we are come into the assembly to set our selues in Gods presence that we may say with vpright Cornelius we are here present before God to heare all things that the minister hath in commission to deliuer vnto vs from God and when the minister speaketh we are to look higher than to him remembring that hee is an embassadour of God in Christs stead by whom the Lord speaketh vnto vs and therefore as hee which speaketh must speake as the Oracles of God so he which heareth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word preached must heare it not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God Our next dutie is to heare the word with an vpright desire to profit by it and an vnfained purpose to practise it In regard of the former we are diligently to attend to the word and as it were to hang on the preachers mouth as being loath to let any thing sâ—ip from vs but carefully to lay it vp in our hearts for our future vse and in a word so to heare as wee desire to be heard For want of this vprightnesse they offend who being present in body are absent in mind their eares going on pilgrimage their minds going a whoring after the vanities of this life and their heart as Ezekiel speaketh going after their couetousnesse but especially they offend who when they should listen to the word of God doe giue themselues ouer to sleepe In regard of the latter our dutie is to heare the word of God with an honest and good heart and therein to retaine it or as Salomon saith to keepe it in the mids of our heart that there it taking root may bring forth fruit with patience As for them who with Ezechiels auditours come to heare the word without any true purpose to performe it as they shew themselues to be hypocrits in deceiuing others so they play the sophisters in beguiling themselues The like may bee said of receiuing the Sacraments For what would it auaile vs if with Simon Magus wee bee baptized and beleeue with a generall faith For vnlesse our hearts be vpright within vs before God we may remaine as he did in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie Or what would it profit vs if after the example of Iudas Iscariot we be admitted to the Lords table and could so cunningly carry our selues as euery one of the Apostles should be more ready to suspect the mselues than vs for if our heart be not vpright within vs but that we giue the outward face and shew to God and set our hearts
hath obserued and that Duilia rogatione it was reduced ad semuncias saith Tacitus that is to halfe a pound in an hundred and the next yeare after that also was abolished Genucia rogatione saith Bodin whereby it was enacted Ne vllo modo foenerari liceret that it should not be lawfull at all to lend vpon vsurie as Alexander ab Alexandro reporteth Afterwards when vsurie grew to an head again it was sometimes stinted at six and sometimes at foure in the hundred and sometimes altogether prohibited At length Iustinian so accommodated the limitation of vsurie to the diuerse estates and conditions of men that to them which could better forbeare their money lesse vsurie should bee permitted and to them which could worse forbeare it more To Noblemen therefore and Gentlemen who vse not to occupie their mony for gaine he permitted Trientes that is foure in the hundred To merchants and tradsemen who liue by the imployment of money in negotiation he permitted besses that is eight in the hundred And to all other men semisses that is six in the hundred And in traiectitijs pecunijs that is in money sent beyond sea at the creditors perill and in two other cases he granted centesimas that is twelue in the hundred But in these latter times the ciuile Law hath beene corrected according to the canon Law For in the Diet held at Augusta by Charles the fift all vsurie is condemned and in steed thereof a contract of buying rents after fiue in the hundred which is after twentie yeares purchase allowed with a couenant of releasing or selling backe the same when the seller shall tender the principall And not the Popes onely by their canon law but euen Maâ—omet also in his Alcoron hath forbidden all vsurie But forasmuch as some patrons of vsurie haue taught that a Christian man may with a good conscience take so much vsurie as the lawes of the countrey wherein he dwelleth do permit and withall confesse that he cannot with a good conscience take aboue that rate which is limited by the lawes it behoueth vs therefore to enquire what our lawes haue determined concerning vsurie And to omit the lawes of former times wherein vsurie hath bene sometimes restrained and stinted as in the time of Henry the eight sometimes altogether forbidden as in the time of Edward the sixt and to come to those lawes which now are in force which are as concerning this matter and other criminall causes of two sorts the canon Law wherein it is not disagreeable to the word of God and the penall statute made in the 13 yeare of Queene Elizabeth The canons of the ancient councels do wholly and absolutly forbid and condemne all vsurie and the ancient Bishops of Rome were of the same judgement but as I noted before and as Bodin also hath obserued the latter Bishops de via deflexerunt are turned out of the way For although according to the rest of their Antichristian hypocrisie they do in word and in shew condemne all vsury permitting not so much as Christian buriall to him that dieth an vsurer yet indeed they haue allowed yea as Bodin saith brought in a contract of redeeming rents which as it is practised by their leaue and allowance is worse than the vsurie allowed any where else But as in other things so in this point where the Canon law swarueth from the word of God we do forsake it and where it agreeth therewith we embrace it And as touching the statute made in the thirteenth yeare of Queene Elizabeth howsoeuer the most looking to the practise of vsurers and conniuencie of magistrats and not to the act of Parliament it selfe do imagine that vsurie after the rate of ten in the hundred is thereby allowed yet the truth is that it is not so much as permitted thereby Not allowed for it is an act against vsurie as being a sinne yea and a detestable sinne as the statute it selfe doth call it wherein also it is acknowledged that all vsurie is forbidded by the Law of God Not permitted for as all vsurie aboue ten in the hundred is thereby to be punished with the forfeiture of the triple value of the principall so all vsurie whether it be after the rate of ten in the hundred or vnder though it were but of one in the hundred is to be punished with the forfeiture of the vsurie or increase From hence therefore the argument of the patrons of vsurie in England may easily be returned vpon themselues So much vsurie and no more say they may with good conscience be taken as the laws of the land do allow and permit But now say I the laws of the land do not allow no nor yet permit ten nor fiue nor yet one in the hundred therefore in England a man cannot with a good conscience take after ten nor fiue nor yet one in the hundred But suppose that humane lawes did permit vsurie as our statute doth in the case of orphanes only doth not the permission sufficiently argue the thing in it selfe to bee euill and if the thing be euill in it selfe can the permission justifie the practise of it before God No the law of man may cleere thee from ciuile penalties in the outward court and before the magistrat but it cannot cleere thee from the guilt of sin in the court of conscience and from the penalties that are due to the same by the morall law of God Neither is the law of man but the law of God the rule of thy conscience and therefore though man had nothing to punish in thee for thy vsurie yet the Lord hath more than ynough to condemne thee for the same But you will say May humane lawes permit such things as be euill For answer I will set downe the true and learned sentence of reuerend Beza in his Annotations vpon Mathew Chapter 19. verse 8. The morall law saith he because it respecteth the conscience it simply commaundeth good things and forbiddeth euill But ciuile lawes if they be well ordained they do indeed commaund nothing which God hath forbidden and they forbid nothing that God hath commaunded but by the wickednesse of men they are forced onely to moderat many things which they cannot wholly abolish and these are the things which are sayd to be permitted by lawes As for example Christian charitie forbiddeth to lend vpon vsurie notwithstanding many magistrats do see that in respect of traffique and dealings among men they cannot simply forbid vsurie Therefore which is the onely thing which remaineth for them to do they stint vsurie But may a man therefore with a good conscience lend vpon vsurie No surely For the rule of our conscience is to be fetched not from the ciuile lawes of men but from the word of God Nay the ciuile lawes themselues doe not allow but rather condemne that which they doe onely tolerat forced thereto by the wickednesse of men Thus also the Lord by Moses making ciuile lawes doth
To peruert judgement bribes are taken first by judges and those that belong to them after the example of the sonnes of Samuell who when they were appointed judges did not walke in the wayes of their father for he was free from taking rewards 1. Sam. 12. 3. but turned aside after lucre and taking rewards peruerted judgement Secondly by counsellors and aduocats after the example of Tertullus who so he might haue his fee cared not what false calumniations he vttered against the Apostle Paul Thirdly by witnesses who are hired to giue false witnesse against the innocent according to the example of those who were suborned against Naâ—oth and against our Sauiour Christ both before his death and after his resurrection Of trecherie also we haue examples in the Scriptures as of Dalila who for reward betrayed Sampson into the hands of the Philistines and of Iudas the traytor who for thirtie peeces of money betrayed our Sauiour Christ. But that I may speake to the intendment of the holie Ghost in this place I am to shew that this is a note of Gods children to be free from rewards For the Lord in other places also of the Scripture propoundeth abstinence from rewards as a note of the godly and contrariwise the taking of rewards as a certaine badge of the wicked For as touching the former when question was made who should dwell with a consuming fire that is God the Prophet Esay maketh answer Chapter 33 He that refuseth gaine of oppression and shaketh his hands from taking of gifts c. he shall dwell on high The same is testified Prou. 15. 27. He that is greedie of gaine troubleth his owne house but he that hateth gifts shall liue On the other side taking of bribes is acknowledged in the Scripture to be an vndoubted token of the wicked Prou. 17. 23. The wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome to wit of the giuer to wrest the wayes of iudgement Of accursed persons Deut. 27. 25. Cursed be he that taketh a reward to put to death innocent bloud And all the people shall say Amen Of reprobates and castawayes Iob. 15. 34. Fire shall deuoure the houses of bribes that is of them that take bribes And Psal. 26. 9 10 where the Prophet praying that he might not be destroyed in the destruction of the wicked and reprobat he describeth them by this note Gather not my soule saith he with the sinners nor my life with the bloudie men in whose hands is wickednesse and their right hand is full of bribes The vse which we are to make of this doctrine is thus much That seeing abstinence from rewards is made by the holy Ghost a note of the righteous which shall be saued and contrariwise taking of rewards an vndoubted marke of the wicked who if they continue in this sinne shall be condemned therefore it behooueth vs to shake our hands from taking of rewards if we would haue any hope or assurance that we shall dwell in the mountaine of Gods holinesse For they that shall dwell in the mountaine of God are such saith the holy Ghost as doe not take rewards against the innocent Wherefore if thou doest take rewards and that against the innocent for the innocent partie doth not vse to giue bribes therefore bribes are commonly taken against the innocent how canst thou hope that thou shalt euer inherit the kingdome of God But these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these takers of rewards doe not only depriue themselues of all true hope of saluation but also incurre most certainely the just vengeance of God which they pull not onely vpon themselues and their houses as I shewed before out of Deut. 27. 25 Prou. 15. 27 Iob. 15 34 but also vpon their countrey which should be more deare vnto them than themselues 〈◊〉 therefore said to destroy it Prou. 29 4 For among the 〈…〉 abhominations for which the Lord doth threatâ—â—â—struction against Ierusalem this is none of the least â—zech 22. 12 In thee haue they taken gifts to shed bloud thou hast taken vsurie and increase c. But that which is spoken to all seemeth to be spoken to none I will therefore conuert my speech to all the sorts of them that take gifts seuerally as to corrupt judges aduocats and witnesses For as touching traitours whom euery one knoweth to be worse than common cut-throats and murtherers because to the murther of the innocent whereof they are guiltie they adde persidious trecherie I shall not need to speake First therefore and principally I am to speake to judges officers and magistrats for now adayes briberie hath so corrupted publicke places and functions that euery petite office whereof the stipends and lawfull fees are but small is notwithstanding by such corrupt wayes and indirect meanes as are found out sufficient to gather great wealth But let such men besides the generall arguments before vsed consider with me how dangerous this kind of filthie gaine is how wicked and how pernicious The danger is shewed Deut. 16. 19 Wrest not thou the law sayth the Lord to judges and officers nor respect any person neither take reward for the reward blindeth the eyes not of the vnwise onely but of the wise and peruerteth the words not of the wicked onely but also of the iust But the grieuousnesse of this offence will more clearely appeare if besides the danger to themselues we shall consider how greatly they offend both against God and their neighbour against God for judges and magistrats are by the holy ghost in the Scriptures called Gods because they are the Lords substitutes sustaining his person and the judgement which they execute is not the judgement of man but of God And that is the argument which Iâ—hosophat vsed when he exhorted the judges whom he had ordained to the vpright performance of their dutie Take heed what you doe sayth he for you execute not the iudgements of man but of the Lord and he will be with you in the cause and iudgement Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you take heed and doe it for there is none iniquitie with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receiuing of reward Whosoeuer therefore peruerteth judgement as much as in him lieth he maketh God whose judgement it is vntrue and vnjust Secondly they offend against that justice which ought to be exercised towards our neighbour first because they doe most grossely abuse the commonwealth of whom they receiue both authoritie and maintenance that they may doe much mischiefe thereunto Secondly because they are as the Prophet Esay speaketh companions of theeues Thy princes sayth he are companions of theeues euery one loueth gifts and followeth after rewards Neither doe they onely helpe the wicked to spoyle his neighbour but themselues also doe rob and spoyle them and that also vnder the colour and shew of judgement and justice So that whereas
calleth it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Wherein all the precepts of righteousnes that is to say of the second Table are summarily contained And the rule of exercising this righteousnesse is that law of nature commended vnto vs by our Sauiour Christ Mâ—t. 7 Whatsoeuer you would that men should do to you euen so do you to them for this is the law and the prophets Which sentence is sayd so to haue pleased the Emperour Alexander Sâ—uerus that in his pallaces and publicke buildings he caused it to be written and engrauen and when he punished any man he caused this saying to be proclaimed by the crier Quod tibi non-vis alteri ne â—eceris Do not to another what thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe Now the exercise or working of this righteousnesse is here made a note of the child of God For he doth not say he that can talke of righteousnesse nor he that delighteth to heare anoter man speake thereof nor he which professeth righteousnesse or maketh a pretence thereof but he that worketh righteousnesse shall dwell in the holy mountaine of God For there are some which can notably discourse of righteousnesse than whose life nothing is more vnjust And there are others who with Ezeâ—â—iels auditors delight to heare the Minister preaching of righteousnesse as if he were some skilfull Mulitian that hath a pleasant voyce but it is to heare onely and not to practise There be many also who with the Pharisies say and do not which professe righteousnesse but do not practise it Qui Curios simulant Bacchanalia vivunt But with the folly of these men the holy Ghost meeteth in diuerse places of the Scripture Mat. 7 Not euerie one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Rom. 2 Not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Iam. 1 Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues c. Mat 5 Vnlesse your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies who sayd and did not you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Wherefore brethren let no man deceiue you not he that heareth nor he that speaketh not he that professeth or prâ—tendeth but he that worketh righteousnesse he is righteous Neither is that to be omitted that the holy Ghost speaketh in the present tence thereby signifying a continuall act as Basill hath obserued Marke saith he the accuratnesse of the speech he doth not say who hath wrought but he which worketh For it is not one action that maketh a vertuous man but it behooueth a man in his whole life to keepe a constant course of well doing For Iustice is an habit induing a man with a perpetuall and constant will to do euery man right But here some will object The Scriptures testifie that there is not a righteous man vpon the earth Rom. 3. There is not a iust man no not one If therefore the righteous onely shall be saued and scarcely they as Peter saith How can any man liuing hope to be saued seeing there is not a just man vpon earth that doeth good and sinneth not as Salomon professeth I answer If we should be summoned before the Iudgement feate of Gods justice and the Lord should deale with vs summo iure according to extremitie exacting at our hands that full and perfect righteousnesse which is required in his law assuredly the Lord entring into judgement with vs no man liuing could be iustified But we must appeale from the judgement seat of Gods justice to the throne of his mercy and from the sentence of the Law concluding all vnder sinne to the sentence of the Gospell pronouncing all those that truly beleeue in Christ not just onely but also blessed that so being clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ by faith we may in him be justified though vnjust in our selues in respect of legall righteousnesse Now those which truly beleeue in Christ are sayed to be righteous two wayes before God by Faith that is by the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by Faith before men by the fruits of Faith that is by righteousnesse inherent in vs and performed by vs. For those which beleeue in Christ their Faith is imputed vnto them for righteousnesse because they apprehending Christ who is our righteousnesse and by the same Faith being vnited vnto him his righteousnesse and obedience is imputed vnto them and accepted of God for them as if they had performed the same in their owne persons But they who are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ are also sanctified by his spirit regenerated and as it were created a new to good workes which God hath prepared for vs that we should walke in them For so soone as we are deliuered by Christ out of the bondage of sinne we become the seruants of righteousnesse That as in former times we gaue our members as seruants of sinne vnto vnrighteousnesse we should from henceforth giue them as seruants of righteousnesse vnto holinesse And howsoeuer the best obedience of the faithfull is but an imperfect obedience ioyned with manifold infirmities and wants and stained with diuerse corruptions wherewith they are infected and sinnes whereinto they fall in so much that Esay compareth the righteous works of the faithfull to menstruous clouts notwithstanding the Lord beholding them in Christ and accepting their will for the deed and sincere indeuour for the performance not onely themselues are termed righteous but are also said to worke righteousnesse And this working of righteousnesse the perfection whereof is not to be measured by the perfectnesse of the worke but by the vprightnesse of the will and sinceritie of the indeuour aspiring towards perfection is an vndoubted note of a true citisen of heauen who in this Psalme is described And that the Lord accepteth those for true members of the inuâ—sible Church who worke righteousnesse the Scriptures testifie In euery nation saith Peter he that seareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him And this is so vniuersall a note of the children of God and so proper vnto them that whosoeuer worketh righteousnesse he is truly said to be borne of God and he that worketh not righteousnes is not of God but of the diuell But as they that worke righteousnes are the seruants of God in the kingdom of grace so shall they raigne with him in the kingdome of glory For that which is said in the beginning of this Psalme That he which worketh righteousnesse shall rest in the mountaine of God and in the end That he shall neuer be remoued the same is coÌ„firmed by the holy ghost in other places of Scripture Esay 33 He that walkâ—th in righteousnes c. he shall dwell on high And Prou. 10
vpon God as a witnesse of our true purpose to performe and as our surety for performance and as our judge or auenger if either we be deceitfull in promising or vnfaithfull in performing Now an oath was ordained to supplie the want of other arguments and the insufficiencie of humane testimonies to the end that a needfull truth which otherwise could not be knowne might by this meanes be acknowledged for an oath hath place neither in matters manifest nor generall as where is question of right but in things doubtfull and particular where is question of facts either past or to come Wherein when as they cannot by other certaine and necessarie arguments be demonstrated men flie to testimonies And because humane testimonies haue little force in prouing by themselues therefore they flie to oathes wherein God is called vpon as a witnesse of such matters as are either affirmed concerning things past or promised concerning things to come And so great religion there is of an oath among all men that euen by the law of nations that is held for certaine and true which is affirmed vnder the religion of an oath though otherwise it could not be proued For this is engrauen in the hearts of all men That there is a God to whom all secrets are knowne who also is the patron of truth and auenger of falshood and therefore to call vpon him as a witnesse and a judge in that which is not true it is supposed to be a greater sinne than any man that is not a desparat A theist may be thought to commit For may it be thought that any man almost is of such outragious wickednesse as that he feareth not to call vpon God whom he knoweth to be a defender of truth and reuenger of falshood to beare witnesse with him that he affirmeth the truth and to execute vengeance on him if he speake an vntruth when he knoweth himselfe to lie For what were this but wilfully to prouoke the Lord and as it were to dare him to execute his fierce indignation vpon him And hereby it appeareth that an oath is an holy ordinance of God seruing greatly for his glorie and for the profit and necessitie of men It is glorious vnto God because when men flie to the name of the Lord as a strong tower and sanctuarie of truth he is acknowledged not only by him that sweareth but also by them that receiue the oath to be first omnipresent and omniscient that is one who is present in euerie place and is acquainted with all secrets secondly true and a maintainer of truth and reuenger of falshood thirdly just and therefore willing omnipotent and therefore able to punish those that sweare falsly And these attributes of God are so acknowledged and celebrated in euerie lawfull oath that to sweare by the Lord is to confesse vnto God and in the Scriptures it is accounted as none of the meanest parts of his worship Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and shalt sweare by his name Which must put vs in mind whensoeuer we do sweare that by our oath we are to glorifie God and to performe a solemne worship vnto him which was also further signified both by the solemne forme of imposing an oath and the solemne rite of taking an oath among the Iewes The forme of imposing an oath was this Giue glorie to God the maner in deposing was to stand before the Altar which was also the custome of the Athenians and Romans And as an oath is glorious vnto God so is it also profitable and necessarie for men For an oath being as one saith the greatest proofe among men it giueth satisfaction to our neighbour who otherwise would not be satisfied It is the chiefe bond of truth whereby men either bind themselues to God as in voluntarie oaths or are as it were enforced to speake the truth as in oaths imposed for as one well saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an oath is the freemans racke It is the chiefe preseruatiue against falshood the remedie against contention and as the Apostle saith The end of all controuersies among men These premisses duly considered it will not be hard to determine the former questions For as touching the first if an oath be as hath beene shewed an holy ordinance of God making greatly for the glory of God and profit of men then whosoeuer shal refuse to sweare when just and necessarie occasion is offered he sinneth against Gods glorie and the loue of his brethren Here therefore is to be refuted of vs the heresie of the Manichees renewed by the Anabaptists who thinke it altogether vnlawfull for a Christian to sweare though enjoyned thereto by a magistrat But they sinne against the third commaundement and they erre not knowing the Scriptures For where the Lord forbiddeth vs to sweare in vaine there he commaundeth vs to sweare aright for the discharge of our dutie in the confirmation of a necessarie truth to Gods glory the good of our neighbour or the clearing of our selues And surely if it were vnlawfull to sweare as they would beare vs in hand then should we by swearing offend either against the glory of God or the good of our brother But an oath as you haue heard maketh for both and by the neglect thereof wee sinne against both And that an oath is lawfull it may appeare by the examples of those whom we cannot deny to haue sworn lawfully For first the most faithfull seruants of God both before the law and since haue vsed vpon just occasion not onely themselues to sweare but also to impose oathes vpon others Examples of swearing in Abraham and Isaac to Abimelec Iacob to Laban Elias to Obadiah Elisha to Iehoram c. of oathes imposed by Abraham vpon his seruant Gen. 24 and by Iacob vpon Ioseph Gen. 47 by Ionathan and Dauid mutually 1. Sam. 20. And if it might be objected as truly it cannot that these seruants of the Lord in these oathes offended yet other examples may be added which are without exception For it may not bee thought that those holy men of God who were the pen-men of the holy ghost did offend in penning of the scriptures but in the very penning of the scripture they haue vsed diuerse oathes especially Paule in his epistles yea in the scriptures are recorded oathes of the holy Angels who are free from sinne and to conclude with the example of all examples the Lord himselfe is sometimes said to haue sworne But an oath is not onely warranted as lawfull but also commended as good Psal. 63. 11 euery one that sweareth by the Lord shall bee commended where as in this place to sweare by the Lord aright is made a proper note by which a godly man is described Neither is it onely commended as good but also commaunded as necessarie And it is necessarie not onely by necessitie of dutie
in respect of Gods commaundement enjoyning this dutie as a singular braunch of Gods worship but also by necessitie of certainetie or as the schoolmen call it infallibilitie in respect of the oath of the Lord which cannot be vntrue By my selfe haue I sworne sayth the Lord the word is gone out of my mouth that euery knee shall bow to me and euery tongue shall sweare by me But the Anabaptists object the prohibition of Christ Mat. 5 But I say vnto you sweare not at all therefore it is not lawfull to sweare at all Whereunto I answere that the purpose of our Sauiour Christ being not to abrogate the morall law of God as himselfe professeth but to expound it and to deliuer it from the grosse corruptions and deprauations of the Scribes and Pharisies we may not thinke that hee doth absolutely and wholly forbid this dutie of swearing which as we haue heard is expressely commaunded in the law of God Whereas therefore the Scribes and Pharisies taught first that the third commaundement was to be vnderstood of perjurie onely or false swearing euen as they vnderstood the sixt and seuenth commaundement of outward murther onely and adulterie and secondly that not all false swearing is forbidden but onely when the name of God is interposed or something else which immediatly belonged to his worship as the gold of the temple which was consecrated to the Lord and the gift vpon the Altar which was offered vnto God Our Sauiour Christ sheweth that in the third commaundement is forbidden not onely perjurie and false swearing by the name of God but also all rash and ordinarie swearing in our common talke whether by the name of God or by any of his creatures Because the offence committed in swearing amisse by them redoundeth to the dishonour of God Our Sauiour therefore speaketh not of publicke oaths before a magistrat for in them they sware by the name of God alone but of priuat oaths in their ordinary talke and communication and in respect thereof he commandeth vs not to sweare at all neither by the name of God nor by any of his creatures For so he saith But let your communication be yea yea nay nay which Iames expresseth thus Let your yea that is your affirmation be yea and your nay that is your negation be nay that is to say if you haue occasion to affirme any thing let it be sufficient to say yea and when you are to denie any thing let it be sufficient to say nay Neither doth our Sauiour Christ simply condemne all oathes in our ordinarie talke but such as are needlesse or superfluous For so he saith Whatsoeuer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is redundant aboue these it is of euill For an oath is not a good thing but vpon necessitie and therefore is not to be vsed but vpon necessitie for a necessary good without the bonds of necessitie is not good Hereby therefore it appeareth that as here it is made a note of a godly man to sweare and hauing sworne to keepe his oath so it is lawfull for a Christian man to take an oath prouided alwayes that those duties be obserued in swearing which the holy Ghost hath required in oathes As first in respect of the object that we sweare by the Lord alone for seeing what we sweare by that we deifie and make our God therefore we forsake the true God if we sweare by that which is not God and consequently by this sinne prouoke the Lord to execute his judgements not onely vpon vs but also vpon the countrie wherein we liue As he saith by his Prophet Ieremie to Ierusalem How should I spare thee in this thy children haue forsaken me How so they haue sworne by that which is not God Secondly in respect of the manner that we sweare in truth judgement and righteousnesse In truth that we may be able to say with the Apostle I speake the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost In judgement that is aduisedly and vpon necessarie occasion In righteousnesse promising by oath nothing but that which is lawfull and just Thirdly in respect of the end that by our oath God may be glorified our duty discharged controuersies appeased our brethren satisfied our innocencie cleared And forasmuch as the child of God who is here described is carefull to performe these duties required in oathes we may bee assured that he is none of these rash and ordinarie swearers but as he knoweth an oath to be an holy ordinance of God wherein the holy glorious and dreadfull name of the Lord our God is vsed and called vpon so he will be carefull in all good conscience to sweare holily and reuerently And as he knoweth that an oath is not good but whē it is necessarie so he will not sweare vnlesse he be drawne thereto by necessity for so much seemeth to be implied to the Hebrew word which is 〈◊〉 and signifieth to be sworne rather than to sweare As for those which sweare vpon no necessitie vsually and ordinarily in their common talke they do most vilely prophane and pollute the holy name of God turning the sanctuarie of truth and veritie into a common house of vanitie and therefore are such as the Lord will not hold guiltlesse For as the sonne of Syrach saith A man that vseth much swearing is ful of iniquitie and the Plague shall neuer go from his house Yea so farre are the common swearers from being reputed the children of God as that by the judgement of Salomon it is a note of a godly man to feare an oath and a badge of a wicked man to make no conscience of swearing For when hee would by this particular signifie that which he had affirmed in generall that the wicked and the good are manie times alike in their outward estate He that sweareth sayth he as he that feareth an oath Thus much may suffice to haue spoken of the former question cōcerning the taking of oaths it remaineth that I should intreat of the other concerning the keeping of oaths viz. whether all oaths are to be performed or not Whereunto I aunswere that all oaths which are lawfull and in our power are religiously and faithfully to be performed and kept For this faithfulnesse is both commanded and commended to vs in the Scripture and the contrarie vnfaithfulnesse condemned Num. 30 Whosoeuer voweth a vow vnto the Lord or sweareth an oath binding himselfe by a bond he shall not breake his promise but shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Neither is it commanded among matters of lesse importance but among the weightier points of the law Mat. 23 it is commended vnto vs First by the example of the Lord himselfe whose fidelitie in keeping of his promises is to bee imitated of vs if we would be reputed his children Secondly by this testimonie of the holy
partnership which is a lawfull contract Indeed I doe confesse it is more fit many times that the borrower should stand to the lenders courtesie than the lender altogether to the borrowers fidelitie and therfore though there be a couenant on the one side in euentum lucri to partake in the gaine if there shall be gaine and on the other side but a purpose of bearing part in the losse so that purpose be vpright and vnfained I would not altogether condemne such a contract It were therefore to be wished that men hauing learned to distinguish vsurie from other lawfull contracts would according to the scriptures simply and absolutely condemne it rather than they should by seeming to allow and commend vnder the name of vsurie some other lawfull contract which indeed are not vsurious giue an occasion of so great offence to couetous worldlings who when they heare some vsurie allowed by diuines they doubt not such is our naturall selfeloue that the vsurie which themselues practise is to be warranted though their practise differ neuer so much from the judgement of all learned and godly diuines 5. It is distinguished from three other things to which the name of vsurie especially in the Latine tongue is assigned but are not this gainefull vsurie wherof we speak the first of these is the aduenturers vsurie which in Latin is called nauticum or mâ—ritimum â—oenus and is a gaine or allowance made for money which is transported beyond the seas at the perill and hazard of the creditour contrarie to the contract either of gainefull vsurie or free loane and seemeth to draw neere to partnership the manner whereof is thus I deliuer to a marchant who is to trauell beyond seas a summe of money for him to vse in negotiation as he thinketh best for his aduantage conditioning with him that if his ship miscarie I will loose not onely my hope of gaine but also the principall it selfe but if his ship shall come safe to land by the ariuall wherof hee is sure of good gaine I looke for an allowance proportionable to that hazard which I sustaine And this hazard men were wont to vndertake either for the whole voyage couenanting for a certaine gaine if the ship arriued safe at the same port from whence it first set forth which kind the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else but for the one part of the voyage as from one port to another as from London to Venice which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But for as much as couetous men were apt to vse this practise as a cloke to couer their vsurie pretending great aduenture or hazard when there was little or none to exact an vnreasonable gaine far aboue the proportion of their aduenture or hazard Therefore Iustiniâ—n stinted this vsurie at 12 in the hundred And the Canon Law is thought wholly to condemne it Decr. Greg. l. 5. tiâ— devsuris Q. Nauiganti But as Hotoman hath shewed the text is either corrupted the word not being omitted for Gregorie in that chapter setteth downe three cases wherof this is the first which he exempteth from vsury or else the law is verie vnreasonable seeing where is hazard there may be gaine required as the due price thereof And therefore aduenturers vsurie may be allowed not onely in trâ—iectitiâ— pecuniâ— that is in money sent ouer the sea at the creditors perill but also in other cases wherein the creditor sustaineth the like hazard Prouided alwayes that there bee an aduenture or hazard in truth and not in pretence onely and also that the gaine be proportionable to the hazard The second is that which some call liberall vsurie being indeed a gratuitie or free gift which the borrower finding himselfe much benefited by the lenders curtesie doth of his owne accord in testimonie of his thankfulnes freely giue to the lender who neither intended when he lent nor expected whiles he forbore any gaine and much lesse couenanted for it For in this case although the leÌ„der receiue some allowance aboue the principall yet he committeth not vsurie because neither the contract which he made was lending for gaine neither is the ouerplus which he receiueth a gaine either couenanted or intended or required for loane but a gratuitie or thankfull curtesie which may with good conscience be giuen and receiued from an able and willing giâ—uer For as the lenders curtesie hath not made him vncapable of a good turne from the borrower which before hee had lent he might haue receiued so doth it bind the borrower to duties of thankfulnesse which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially if he haue well gained by that which the creditor could not well forbeare The third is that which is called vsurâ— compensâ—torâ—â— recompencing vsurie which we call interest For although interest among Lawyers be of a more large signification as belongeth not onely to loane but also to some other contracts yet as it is referred to loane it is in effect the same with recompencing vsurie which is nothing else but a just recompence which the debtor hauing through his default bene the effectuall cause of the creditors hinderance doth owe vnto him by the law of nature And that hinderance may be twofold damnum emergens losse arising or lucrum cessans gaine ceâ—sing But this ceasing gaine which must come into estimation must not be vncertaine and doubtfull but certaine or at lest very probable For if the creditor through the default either incurre losse or be hindered of certaine gaine it is verie equall that thou shouldest make him such recompence quanto creditoris interest as he is damaged or hindered by the delay And it is very lawfull that the creditor should prouide for his owne indemnitie in this behalfe For it is against equitie as the Apostle saith in a like case that to the creditor should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to the debtor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the hinderance is to be recompenced that there may bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it is vnjust that the creditor should sustaine losse or hinderance through the debtors default or that the debtor should bee enriched with the creditors losse or hinderance But equitie requireth that a full recompence be made that the creditor may receiue his owne without â—olle or hinderance and the debtor hauing bin through his delay the cause of the creditors hinderance should sustaine the penalty of his owne either negligence or vnfaithfulnesse For interest in respect of the creditor is a just recoÌ„pence of his hinderance sustained by the debtors fault in regard of the debtor it is a penaltie For which cause it is called coÌ„pensatoriâ— vsurâ— in respect of the creditors losse so also punitoria vsurâ— in respect of the debtors defalt As for example I lend thee one hundreth pounds which thou vndertakest to repay at the end of six moneths which time being expired and thou either through negligence or vnfaithfulnesse failing of thy promise
dei omne sortis excludit augmentum This sentence of God excludeth all increase aboue the principall Whereunto you may adde Pro. 28. 8. Ezech. 18. 8. 13. 17. and 22. 12 in all which places these words are not onely vsed promiscuously to signifie the selfesame thing but the latter words Tarbith and Marbith are euer added as the exposition of Neshek And therefore those words which the holy ghost confoundeth let not vs distinguish and much lesse vpon this friuolous distinction let vs build our practise or hazard the eternall saluation of our soules For you know who hath said He that putteth forth to vsurie or taketh increase shall he liue he shall not liue he shal die the death and his bloud shall be vpon him But against this truth concerning one and the same signification of Neshek and Tarbith they raise againe diuerse other exceptions in which they shift from one to another because they haue no sure ground to stand vpon First they say we must distinguish betwixt Neshek and Tarbith for Neshek is restrained to money and Tarbith to corne and victuals Leu. 25 and therefore they are deceiued who thinke that Tarbith of money is forbidden As if they should haue said Tarbith that is the increase of corn and victuals is indeed vnlawfull but the vsurie or Tarbith of mony is not vnlawfull vnlesse it be Neshek And yet themselues allow as great increase for corne as for money But I answere first that Neshek is the vsurie not of money onely but of corne and victuals and euery thing else which is put to vsurie as appeareth plainely Deut. 23. 19 where also euery thing which is put to vsurie is called Noshek For so he sayth Thou shalt not take the Neshek of money the Neshek of victuals or the Neshek of any thing else Asher jisshak which is put to vsurie Secondly that there is the like reason for mony and other things which consisting in quantitie are spent in the vse and therefore it had beene all one if the Lord had said Thou shalt not lend thy money be Marbith for increase nor thy victuals be Neshek for vsurie Thirdly the Prophets vse these words indifferently for the same thing as Ezech. 18. 22. Prou. 28. 8 Yea but say they the Prophets who are the interpretours of the law must be expounded according to the law Nay rather if they be interpretours of the law the law is to be interpreted by them But they vse to vnderstand the word Tarbith as an exposition of Neshek signifying more plainely that same thing which is meant by Neshek and therefore these words in the Law are so to be vnderstood 2. Their second exception is that Tarbith doth signifie not euericincrease or accession but multiplication and therefore by that name Vsurie vnlesse it be an expressiue or multiplied increase is not forbidden But how doth this answer agree with the former wherein it was said that Tarbith of money was not condemned but of corne and victuals or may we thinke that an expresse and multiplied increase of money is to be allowed And therefore this is but a meere shift as well as the former For not onely all antiquitie haue vnderstood by this word any gaine ouerplus or increase whatsoeuer aboue the principall but the most learned also of those new writers who write but too fauourably of vsurie acknowledge that hereby all increase or accession aboue the principall is condemned as before hath bene shewed Yea but Rabah from whence Tarbith is deriued signifieth to multiplie as Deut. 17. 16 where the king is charged not to multiplie horses for he is not forbidden to haue many horses but to exceed in gathering a multitude of them But say I in the next verse he is by the same word forbidden to multiplie wiues not that an excessiue multitude only but all pluralitie of wiues is forbidden And as Tarbith in the Scriptures so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew writers is deriued from the same roote whereby notwithstanding the least and easiest vsuries are signified And as I deny not but that Rabah signifieth to multiplie so I affirme that sometimes it signifieth to grow or increase and sometimes including a comparison to be more or greater as 1. Re. 4. 30. Gen. 43. 34. and Hiphil to augment or to make greater or more as Psal. 71. 21. and in the same chapter of Leuit. verse 16. 1. Chron. 4. 10. Exod 30. 15. So that Tarbith and Marbith doth signifie any increase whatsoeuer when more is required than was lent And if any shall further vrge the force of the word multiplying I answere that in vsurie there is multiplying and such a multiplying as mony being put forth from six moneths to six moneths vnto vsurie of ten in the hundred and the vsurie also put forth to increase whether to the same man or to others that maketh no difference in the nature of the thing doth almost double the principall in seuen yeares and euerie seuen yeares doubleth the former summe so that 1000 pounds being thus put forth for seuen times seuen yeares which is no long time multiplieth it selfe to 128000 almost and in seuen yeares more to 256000 c. 3. Others haue found out this euasion That Tarbith signifieth vsurie of vsurie Which interpretation if we shall follow we must confesse that the Lord condemneth no vsurie of corne and victuals vnlesse it be vsurie of vsurie which is absurd This therfore is a certaine truth that Neshek Tarbith and Marbith are words of the same signification whereby all gainefull vsurie whatsoeuer is condemned in the Scriptures 4. Others who would faine prooue the lawfulnesse of vsurie out of the Scriptures haue found out as they thinke another word of a middle and indifferent signification And therefore howsoeuer they confesse that all Neshek Tarbith and Marbith are forbidden for they signifie biting and excessiue vsurie yet Masshah whereby moderate vsurie is signified is not onely allowed and commended but sometimes also commaunded towards the rich Whereunto I answer that Masshah properly signifieth an exaction and in those places which concerne lending and borrowing it signifieth in respect of the creditour mutuum in respect of the debtour debitum but such a debt as the creditor lendeth vpon securitie and therfore meaneth to exact againe from the debtor as Deut. 15. 2. and 24. 10. Prou. 22. 26. And that in the Scriptures it is not vsed in the signification of vsurie For whereas they object Nehem. 5. 7. 10 I aunswere that the word there is not Massbah but Massa proceeding from another root and signifying a burden as Tremelius also and Iunius translate it Or if it did signifie vsurie as indeed by that burden is meant vsurie yet is it there condemned Yea but Nasshah the verbe whence Massbah is deriued signifieth to lend vpon vsurie Nasshah signifieth properly to exact and is vsed in the signification of lending with purpose to exact that which is lent whether it be
vsurie vnderstand to be forbidden in the law is biting vsurie and excessiue increase Therefore the vsurie which the patrones of vsurie themselues vnderstand to be forbidden in the law is forbidden in the morall law of God 5. Whereupon followeth another consequent That seeing the same vsurie which is forbidden in the law is permitted towards a stranger therefore this permission of vsurie is prooued to be judiciall and the prohibition morall But for the better vnderstanding of this law we are to consider who is meant by stranger in this place The Hebrew word vsed here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherby is meant not euery stranger which is not an Israelite by birth For on him that was either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is aduena a proselite dwelling among them who though he were a stranger by birth was a brother in religion or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquilinus a stranger by birth but not by dwelling or affection but such an one as dwelled friendly among them though not circumcised as appeareth Exod. 12. 43 45 48. vsurie was not to be imposed Leu. 25. 35 Thou shalt relieue him viz. the brother the stranger also and sojourner that he may liue with thee but onely on him that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extraneus or histis as the word histi was wont to signifie an aliant as by birth so also in dwelling in religion in affection See Obad. vers 11. and Lament 5. 2. Now in this sence the word may signifie either more generally any one that was a meere aliant from the commonwealth of Israel or more specially such aliants as were the remnants of the Canaanits If we vnderstand this permission of vsurie to be extended towards all aliants there might be two causes rendered why the Lord permitted the same the one the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts the other the vnjustice of the Gentiles For the Lord as a wise law giuer in his judiciall lawes permitteth in a ciuile respect some things euill in themselues for the auoiding of a greater mischiefe not to allow or justifie the same from the guilt of sinne as before him in the court of conscience but to exempt the same from ciuile punishment in the externall court before the magistrate as for example the hardnesse of the Iews hearts being such that when they set their affections on other women and waxed wearie of their wiues they would either put them away to their shame and vtter vndoing or else tyrannize ouer them if they continued with them the Lord therfore by a ciuile or judiciall law permitted men to put away their wiues without the crime of adulterie so as they could giue them a bill of diuorcement wherein they should giue testimonie to their wiues chastitie And yet whosoeuer did put away his wife without the crime of fornication howsoeuer he were by this ciuile permission free from punishment of the magistrat notwithstanding he was guiltie of adulterie before God as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Matth. 19. So the hardnesse of the Iewes harts and couetousnesse being such that if they were not permitted to practise vsurie towards strangers they would exercise it against their brethren and likewise the injustice of the Gentiles with whom they did traffique being such as they would be sure to exact vsurie of the Iews therefore that neither the Gentiles by inequalitie of negotiation should eat vp the Iewes nor yet the Iewes should oppresse one another by vsurie it might be that in these ciuile respects the Lord permitted it towards the Gentiles And therefore as the permission which gaue leaue to the Iews to put away their innocent wiues with a bill of diuorcement doth not disprooue the law forbidding adulterie to be morall but prooueth it selfe to be judiciall so the permission of vsurie towards strangers doth not prooue the law forbidding vsurie to be morall but it selfe is euidently prooued to be judiciall And as he which without the crime of adulterie putteth away his wife is notwithstanding that ciuile permission an adulterer before God so hee which practiseth vsurie as permitted to him either by the law of Moses against any stranger or by the ciuile lawes of men is notwithstanding a theefe before God But in my judgement we shall more rightly expound this place if by stranger wee doe not vnderstand any stranger but that stranger that is to say the remnants of the Canaanites by whose impouerishing the L. would haue the Iewes enriched For first the words are not Lenokri as Dent. 14. 21 but Lanokri that is extraneo ifti as Tremellius and Iâ—nius translate adding this exposition extraneo ifti to this stranger that is to the reliques or remnants of the Canaanits whom the Lord had appointed to destruction and would haue by little and little consumed And to the like purpose Ambroâ—e expoundeth this place But perhaps sayth he you will say it is written thou shalt lend vpon vsurie to a stranger c. Who then was the stranger but the Amalekite but the Amorrhite but the enemies of the people of God there sayth he exact vsuric whom thou desirest to hurt worthily against whom thou goest to warre lawfully on him thou mayest lawfully impose vsurie whom thou canst not easily ouercome by warre on him thou mayest easily wreakethy selfe by vsurie Ab hoc 〈◊〉 am exige quem noâ— sit crimen occidere Take vsurie of him whom thou mayest lawfully kill therefore vbiius belli ibietiam ius vsurarum against whom there is right to wage warre against them there is right to practise vsurie And this exposition seemeth therefore the rather to be embraced because when these remnants of the Canaanites were rooted out all vsurie afterwards is generally and absolutely forbidden without exception of any as Psal. 15. Prou. 28. 8. Eze. 18. and 22. Rabbi Salomo as Lyranus reporteth in Exod. 22. 25. denieth it to be lawfull for a Iew to take vsurie of a stranger And the Hebrew glosse so vnderstandeth this text That hath not giuen his money to vsurie no not to a Gentile sayth he Which P. Galatinus also doth note to haue bin the judgemeÌ„t of the Rabbines And this progresse Ierome well obserued Vide profectum See the proceeding sayth he of the holy ghost In the beginning of the law vsurie is forbidden onely towards brethren but in the Prophet it is forbidden towards all without limitation But this permission or if you will allowance of vsurie towards the Canaanite doth no more prooue the law against vsurie not to be morall than the allowance of manslaughter in warre doth prooue the law forbidding murther to be judiciall For although the law condemning vsurie be neuer so perpetual or morall yet notwithstanding as all other commaundements of God so is it to be vnderstood with this limitation and restraint namely vnlesse God otherwise appoint It is a morall law which forbiddeth other theft as well as vsurie but if the Lord by speciall warrant allow the Israelites to spoyle the
Egyptians at their departure out of Egypt they may lawfully doe it It is a fearefull sinne forbidden in the sixt commaundement of the morall law if a father shall kill his onely sonne but if the Lord appoint Abraham to kill his owne sonne he is authorised to doe it For if princes may dispense with their owne lawes much more is this pr erogatiue royall to be graunted to the Lord whose wil is the rule of justice hauing this priuiledge that whatsoeuer it willeth is therefore just because he willeth it Whereas therefore some object That if vsurie be permitted towards a stranger therefore simply it is lawfull I answer if it be permitted it is thereby rather prooued to be vnlawfull in it selfe For if it were lawfull in it self it should not need to bee permitted as the putting away of a mans innocent wife being a thing simply and in it selfe euill was notwithstanding permitted to the Iewes Yea but now all difference of brother and stranger is taken away and therefore that which is lawfull towards one is not vnlawfull towards another Assume but vsurie is lawfull towards one that I denie It was lawfull towards the stranger because it was allowed by a judiciall permission or dispensation but is not now lawfull because by the morall law it is generally and perpetually forbidden Yea but now difference of brother and stranger is taken away It is true indeed among those that beleeue in Christ otherwise there are brothers and strangers still But what is hereof to bee inferred Surely if all difference of brother and stranger be taken away then is not vsurie lawfull among those that professe the name of Christ for we are all brethren in Christ and therefore that which is not lawfull among brethren is not lawfull among vs. For I hope none will bee so absurd as to conclude that all difference of brother and stranger being taken away we are all aliants and strangers one to another and therefore that vsurie among vs may be lawfull as it was lawfull for the Israelits towards the Canaanits But how was it permitted towards the stranger Surely as a grieuous punishment whereby the Lord would haue him impouerished and consumed If therefore the Lord permitted or allowed vsurie to bee exercised onely against the Canaanits whom he had appointed to destruction and whom he would haue by degrees wasted and consumed Deut. 7. 22. and also permitted it to this end that thereby they might be wasted and impouerished doest thou thinke that thou canst in charitie impose the same vpon thy brother And thus haue I manifestly prooued that all vsurie or lending for gain is condemned in the morall law of God howsoeuer the judiciall law allowed the practise of it towards that aliant that is to say the Canaanite To these places of the law I will adde the example of Nehemias that godly magistrat in the fist chapter of that booke for when as the needier sort had made complaint that whereas they being imployed about the building of the wals of Ierusalem and neglecting their owne particular were fallen into want by reason of their great charge of wife and children and wanting means of their owne had beene forced to borrow of the wealthier sort corne wine oyle for their sustenance mony for payment of the kings tribute so it was that the wealthier sort had not only taken their houses lands and vineyards to pawne but also exacted of them for vsurie the hundreth part ouer and aboue the principall Nehemias therfore hearing this complaint was greatly offended with these rich men who contrarie to the law of God required vsurie of their brethren and causeth them not onely to remit this vsurie of the hundreth part which he calleth a burthen and would haue the people eased thereof but also to restore vnto thē their lands their vineyards their oliue grounds and their houses which they had taken to pawne Where the centesima vsura that is the vsurie of the hundred part which as it seemeth was permitted by the laws of the Persians as after it was by the laws of the Grecians and Romans among whō it being exacted monthly was an vsurie of 12 in the hundred is plainly condemned But against this allegation I find three exceptions the first that the vsurie which is here condemned was exacted of the poore and they doe not denie but that vsurie is vnlawfull toward the poore I answere that although these borrowers were in want yet were they not such poore men as these patrones of vsurie imagine for they had houses lands vineyards and oliue grounds and in regard thereof were to pay tribute to the king but now being cast behind hand for the reasons aforesaid were forced to borrow and being not able to borrow without a pawne nor yet without allowance of vsurie had yeelded in their necessitie not onely to pawne their houses and lands but also to graunt an vsurie of twelue in the hundred to their creditours And therefore this place prooueth that men of wealth ought to lend freely not onely to the poore and base sort of people but also to men of better place and calling being in need The second exception is that some vnderstand this place not of the creditours taking vsurie for loane but of the gouernours exacting allowance of their needie brethren for their maintenance Which they prooue because vsurie was execrable among the Iewes and therefore the centesima or hundreth part here mentioned was not vsurie but the hundreth part of their rents and goods which they payd for the stipends of their gouernours First to their reason I answere that to so many of the Iews as feared God vsurie was execrable as I partly obserued before out of Leuit. 25. 36. but it is the want of the feare of God which Nehemias objecteth vnto the rich men in this place vers 9. who neglecting or forgetting the law of God in this behalfe had learned the customes of the Medes and Persians in requiring vsurie for loane Secondly as touching the objection it selfe to the priuat judgement of one or two I oppose the generall and receiued opinion of all the learned besides who either expound or translate this place vnderstanding the same with one consent of vsurie And that this is the true meaning of the place appeareth both by the complaint of them which were oppressed who borrowing money for the kings tribute and corne and victuals for their sustenance were faine to pawne their houses and lands yea some had bound ouer their children to their creditours and also by the remedie prouided by Nehemiah which was that the creditours should restore their pawnes and remit the hundreth part of the money corne wine and oyle for these were the particulars which they had lent and for the loane whereof they required vsur as centesimas that is vsurie of the hundreth part Thirdly out of this place the aforesaid author of the English Treatise laboureth to prooue the lawfulnesse of
therefore of all reproches an ingenious man can least brooke this that another to his face should say Thou lyest But if the very heathen people doe so highly esteeme of Truth how much more doth it become vs Christians to loue and embrace it who are his children that is the Truth who are redeemed by him that is the Truth and vnto whom wee are to conforme our selues who are regenerated by the spirit of truth by whome we are to be led into all truth who are sanctified by the word of God which is the truth who are of the truth so many as are of God Therefore nothing lesse becommeth a Christian than lying nothing more than truth Eightly but if no other arguments will preuaile with vs let vs consider on the one side what rewards the Lord hath promised to them that speake the truth and on the other side what â—udgements he hath denounced against lyars To the speakers of truth the Lord hath promised that they shall neuer be remooued that they shall be established for euer that they shall dwel in Gods holy mountaine as before hath beene shewed against lyars the Lord hath threatened fearefull judgements A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh liesâ— shall not escape For first he is punished with infamie and looseth his credit insomuch that no man will beleeue him when he speaketh the truth For as one sayth What truth can be spoken of a lyar Secondly he is discarded of the godly he that telleth lies sayth Dauid shall not remaine in my sight But these are light punishments in comparison of those that follow for God doth not onely punish lyars but also destroy them Psal. 5. Thou shalt destroy them that speake lies Prou. 19. A false witnesse shall not he vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall perish For God destroyeth them either with a temporall death as Ananias and Sapphirâ— because they had lied were stricken dead Act. 5. or with eternall for who so euer loue or make lies shall be excluded out of the heauenly Ierusalem and shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Ninthly and lastly seeing the holy ghost hath reckoned Truth among the markes of Gods children it behoueth vs as we desire to haue any assurance that we belong vnto the Lord or shall dwell with him in the mountaine of his holinesse so to loue and embrace the truth and to detest and abhorre falshood And thus haue we shewed in generall that lying is wicked and detestable and that the truth is to bee loued and embraced of all those who would be held citisens of heauen But here are two questions to be decided of vs. First Whether it be lawfull for a Christian man at any time to lie Secondly Whether he be bound alwayes to professe the truth and how farre forth As touching the former we are to hold a distinction of lics or vntruths for an vntruth is either vnproperly so called or properly that is vnproperly called an vntruth which being true in sence is false onely in shew of words as figuratiue speeches and fabulous parables the lawfulnesse where of is warranted by the vse of speech in the Scriptures for howsoeuer if we respect the sound of the words they seeme to containe some falshood yet if we regard the sence and meaning of the speaker as it is fit we should they expresse the truth either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more significantly or more profitably More significantly as figuratiue speeches especially such as we call Hyperbolae where of there are some examples in the Scriptures As when the holy ghost would signifie a very great or innumerable multitude he vseth to compare it with the sand of the sea And likewise Iohn the Euangelist when he would signifie that Christ our Sauior did work very many or rather innumerable miracles and other acts worthy to be registred he sayth That if euery one of them should be set downe in writing he supposeth that the whole world could not contain the books that should be written And as for fabulous parables they hide not the truth but more profitably lay it foorth that it may be more clearely discerned and more sincerely acknowledged for the truth is more clearely discerned when as by a fit sâ—â—ilitude for such these parables are it is illustrated And it is more sincerely and vnpartially acknowledged when the person of whom it is meant is withdrawne For better doe men comprehend vnder the person of another what is to bee thought of themselues examples hereof see 2. Sam. 12. 1. Mat. 21. 33. 41. Iudg. 9. 7. 2. King 14. 9. and 2. Chron. 25. 18. 19. A lie or vntruth so properly called is such a speech as in sence and meaning at the least is false And such an vntruth is deliuered either for no cause at all as that which is called merum mendacium a meere lie or else for some purpose The meere lie is that which is vttered neither with a desire to hurt nor purpose to helpe any but onely in a vanitie and pleasure taken in lying Which sheweth our notable vanitie and pronenesse to lying that many are delighted therewith for it selfe But this vanitie especially sheweth it selfe in those persons who in all their speeches almost loue to tell of strange and wonderfull things And of this kind of lie there can be no question but that it is vnlawfull The lie which is told for some cause is either to hurt some man or to pleasure him That which is told to hurt any body it is called mendacium perniciosum a pernicious or hurtfull lie neither can there be any controuersie but that this is wicked and diuellish The lie which is told to pleasure any is either mendacium iocosum the merry lie or officiosum the lie for aduantage And of these two sorts is all the controuersie For there are which thinke these lies either to be no sinnes at all or else not mortall sinnes because they seeme to them not to breake that commaundement wherein lies are forbidden For these lies say they are not spoken against our neighbor but rather for him namely either to delight him as the jeasting lie or to helpe him as the officious lie I answere that the ninth commaundement whereof they speake is generally to be vnderstood for first vnder false testimonie we are to vnderstand all false speech concerning our neighbour and not onely false speech but also all vaine talke For the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both As also the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is vsed in the third commaundement And in the fift of Deuteronomie where the law is repeated Moses in the ninth commaundement in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wee may vnderstand not onely false speech to be forbidden but also that which
is vaine Againe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie not onely against thy neighbour but also for him For the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both to wit both against as Esay 59 Our sinnes do testifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against vs and also for as Gen. 30 My righteousnesse shall answere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for me or shall testifie in my behalf In the ninth commaundement therefore is forbidden not onely false speech as euery lie is but also vaine speech as the jeasting lie commonly is and not onely that false or vaine speech which is against our neighbour but also that which is for him whether it be for his delight as the jeasting lie or for his profit as the officious lie Augustine out of the words of the Apostle I. Cor. 15. where the Apostle confesseth That if Christ be not risen againe then he and other the Apostles should be false witnesses of God For saith he we haue testified of or as the word may signifie against God that he hath raised vp Christ c. he gathereth that that is said to be a false testimonie against any which is falsely said in his praise Seeing therefore these two sorts of lies are forbidden in the decalogue it is euident by the confession of the Schoolemen themselues that they are not onely sinnes but also mortall sinnes 2. Againe a lie is euill in generall and is generally forbidden in the Scriptures Apoc. 21. to all yers without exception eternall death is denounced And agreeably to the Scriptures the sonne of Syrach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doe not thou make no manner of lie The Hebrew word which signifieth a lie signifieth iniquitie that wee might vnderstand euery lie to be a sinne 3. Euery lie is against nature For seeing words naturally are the notes of our thoughts as the Philosopher saith it is against nature and against dutie that a man should signifie in words that which he doth not thinke in his heart or that the will should direct the tongue to vtter that which is contrarie to the illumination of the mind Whereupon the Philosopher sayth That euery lie is in it owne nature euill and to be auoided 4. Augustine reasoneth thus The truth teacheth not that we may lie at any time for no lie is of the truth Therefore it is not true that we may lie at any time 5. We can doe nothing sayth the Apostle against the truth but for the truth 2. Cor. 13 but euery lie is against the truth yea vpon euery lie followeth the losse of truth which to God is most deere 6. Againe sayth Augustine the law is the truth Psal. 119. yea God is the truth therefore that which is against truth is against the law yea and against God 7. And hereunto wee may adde the testimonies of Augustine No lies are iust for all are sinnes 8. And of Gregorie Euery lie is iniquitie for so much it dissenteth from equitie as it discordeth from veritie For whatsoâ—uer is opposed to vertue is sinne euery lie is opposed to truth which is a vertue therefore euery lie is a sinne 9. Euery lie is of the diuell therefore euill Iohn 8. 44. 10. The conscience of euery man when he lieth accuseth him of sinne But let vs consider them seuerally And first as touching the merry lie we are to hold a distinction namely that there is a merry lie which vnproperly is called a lie when as in shew of words a false thing is vttered but yet by the jesture or pronuntiation of him that so jeasteth it may appeare that something else which is true is signified by him and that such a jeast as vnder the shew of an vntruth doth hide a truth may sometimes be vsed of a Christian man I dare not denie But that which properly and in the meaning of the speaker is a lie may in no sort be vsed of a Christian. First because it is not onely false but also vaine and idle and if of idle words an account must be giuen how much more of lies Secondly the Prophet Hoseas inueigheth against those who with their lies make princes merry Now if princes to whom being oppressed with great cares mirth is most needfull may not be made merry with lies who then may Thirdly a lie may not be vttered to helpe a man or to deliuer him out of danger as shall straightwaies be shewed mueh lesse may it be told to delight him For as the schoolemen truly say Bonum utile prefertur delectabili a profitable good is preferred before a delightfull nay the truth it selfe is not spoken to the end to delight men as Augustine sayth much lesse may a lie Fourthly Epaminondas the heathen man shall rise in judgement against those who make no conscience of speaking merry lies for he was so strict an obseruer and louer of the truth that hee could not abide that a lie should be spoken no not in jeast And to these reasons you may adde those arguments which before were produced to prooue a lie generally to be euill But the chiefe controuersie is concerning the officious lie for therein now adayes the policie of worldly men especially consisteth But let vs see by what arguments they commend this office forsooth of lying First because it is not against Christian charitie say they to help our brother with a lie yea but Christian charitie say I abhorreth lying and rejoyceth in the truth and those which are Christians so long as they keepe a good conscience they can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2. Yea the honest friendship of Heathen men was contained within the limits of truth The Philosopher in his Morals professeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be a godly thing to prefer the truth before his friends And those which were of the better sort among them were wont to professe themselues friends one to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto the altars to which they vsually came when they were to testifie a truth that it may be a shame for Christian men in respect of friendship to goe beyond the bonds of truth 3. Christian Charitie requireth not onely that wee should do good but also that we should do it well and by good means For this a rule in Diuinity that Euill is not to be done that Good may come thereof Those things only which are good and lawfull are to be done of vs committing the euent to God 4. Christian charitie doth not require that for another mans commodity thou shouldest cast away thy selfe But God will destroy those which speake lies and as the wise man saith The lying mouth destroyeth the soule Secondly they proue this kind of lying to be lawfull by the examples of the godly For first say they Abraham the father of the faithfull that he might escape danger said that his wife