Psalm 15:5 He that puts not out his money to usury, nor takes reward against the innocent. He that does these things shall never be moved. I. DEFINE WHAT USURY IS. It is that gain which is gotten by lending, covenanting before with the borrower to receive more than was borrowed. Someone, defining usury, calls it the contrary to charity; for "love seeketh not her own," but usury seeks another's that is not her own. Then it is far from love; but God is love; so usury is far from God. Usury has her name of biting (nesher), and she may well signify it; therefore St. Paul saith (Galatians 5:15), "If you bite one another, take heed," etc. II. ITS UNLAWFULNESS. 1. It is against the law of charity. 2. Against the law of nations. For all nations have laws against usury, and some restraints against it. 3. Against the law of nature, that is, against the natural compassion which should be among men. 4. Against the law of God (Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:37; Deuteronomy 23:19). It is a miserable occupation to live by sin, and a great comfort when a man can feel, of his gold and silver, that it is all well gotten, and that he leaves of his own to his children. The usurer loveth the borrower as the ivy loveth the oak, to grow up by it; the usurer would grow rich by the borrower. The ivy claspeth the oak like a lover, but it claspeth out all the juice and sap, that the oak cannot thrive after it. So the usurer claspeth the borrower with such bonds that he ever after grows poor as others grow rich. Christ bids us lend freely. God bade Adam live by the sweat of his brow (face), his own, not that of another, which usurers live by. David says, "A good man is merciful and lendeth," and then he adds, "he shall never be moved." In Exodus 23, it is said, "Lend unto him which wanteth without usury, that the Lord may bless thee." III. THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF USURY. There be more sorts of it than there are tricks at cards. 1. Some will not take usury, but will have the use of your land or your cattle, and so get even more than by usury. 2. Others will take plates, bedding, and other household stuff, to use or wear, (Amos 2) "They lie down upon the clothes which are laid to pledge." 3. Others will take a pawn, which is better than the money they lend, and if the money be not returned by a certain day, they keep the pawn. 4. Others will buy goods at a small price, and then covenant that the borrowers buy them back at the same price on such a day, or else the goods will be theirs (1 Thessalonians 4:6). IV. THE ARGUMENTS BY WHICH USURY IS DEFENDED. There be three opinions. Some say, like God, "Thou shalt die." They think that usury is utterly unlawful, because God hath forbidden it. Some say, like the woman, "Peradventure thou shalt die"; they doubt whether usury be utterly unlawful or no, because it is so much tolerated. Some say like the serpent, "Thou shalt not die"; they think usury lawful, because it is gainful, as Saul thought that the idolaters beasts should not be killed, because they were fat (1 Samuel 15:9). The arguments for usury which are pleaded are — 1. God doth allow some kind of usury (see Deuteronomy 23). "Of a stranger thou mayest take usury." But a stranger signifies an enemy such as they were commanded destroy; only to such might they be usurers. But men take usury of their brother. 2. They say they lend for compassion. But how so when you partake not of your brother's losses but his gains? 3. They say If he gain, and I gain too, is not this well? Should he not be thankful? Yes, if he hath received a good turn from you. But you bind him to requite it. 4. It is necessary for orphans, widows, and such like, which have no other way of getting their living. But how did the Jews do without it? If it was good for them not to have, is it good for us that we should have usurers? 5. They say, "If I may not gain by the money which I lend, I will keep it to myself." But you must not do that (Matthew 5:42; Ezekiel 18:1). 6. It is only the biting usury which is forbidden. But all usury is that. 7. They, allege the law of the land, which allows it. But if God's law forbid thee, can man's law excuse thee? It did not serve Adam to say, "The woman gave me." And furthermore, the law only restrains. No man is to take more than ten in the hundred; if he do he shall be punished. The law doth not sanction any usury, but only holds back the usurer. V. THE USURER'S PUNISHMENT. 1. Not only God's law, but the canon law doth condemn the usurer. It doth excommunicate him, as having no communion with saints. 2. It doth detain him from the sacraments, as having no communion with Christ. 3. Will not suffer him to be buried, as if he were only worthy to lie in hell. 4. It treats his will as he will. But hear the judgment of God's law. The usurer doth receive two incomes, one of the borrower, and another of the revenger. The first is gem, the other punishment. All the Scripture prophesieth evil unto him. Solomon saith (Proverbs 28:8), "He which increaseth his riches by usury, gathereth for them which will be merciful to the poor." God saith that He will smite the usurer with His fist (Ezekiel 22:13). As his hands were shut against the poor, so shall God's hands be against him. And here David saith, "they shall not dwell in God's temple, nor rest in His holy mountain." But this punishment is all punishments. Yes, usury signifieth biting, for when it has bitten others it shall bite the usurer too, and never cease. If, therefore, Christ be come to your hearts, as He came to Zacchaeus' house, restore now, as he did, and escape this judgment. VI. THE GIVING OF USURY. Is this lawful? Jeremiah says he never gave nor took (Jeremiah 15:10). But he meant he was no meddler with the world, whereby they should envy him as usurers were most of all envied. But many will borrow who will never lend; and it is said, if there were no borrowers there would be no lenders, if no bribe givers there would be no bribe takers. And there is as much difference between the two men as between covetousness and necessity, for he which borroweth upon, usury borroweth for necessity. But for this God has allowed many things — Adam's sons to marry with Adam's daughters; and David to eat the shewbread (Luke 6:4). And so when immediate help is needed to prevent a great mischief, many think that it is lawful to resort to the usurer. But if some may borrow upon usury it does not follow that all may. Yet many borrow who have no need. They borrow because they reckon that they can get more by the money than the money they pay for it. Hence it is that goods are so dear. And there are some who borrow because they want to make their creditors think they are bare of money. These are like foxes, and I doubt not there be more sorts than I know. VII. WHAT SHOULD THEY DO WHO HAVE GOT THEIR MONEY BY USURY? Restore it again. If you cannot say as Samuel said, "Whose goods have I taken?" then you must say as Zacchaeus said, Whose goods have I kept? The best thing is to do no man wrong, the next best is to make amends. For as humility is the repentance of pride, and abstinence of surfeit, and alms of covetousness, and forgiveness of malice, so restitution is the repentance of 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 men's goods, when they go to heaven, must leave their burden where they had it, lest they be too gross to enter in at the narrow gate; therefore that you may not die in your sins, make restitution (2 Samuel 2:26), so do you remember whether this course will be sweet or bitter in the end. Now, seeing that you may not be usurers to men, be usurers to God (Matthew 19:29). (H. Smith.) Parallel Verses KJV: He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. |
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