First of all, our Lord Jesus Christ, Matt. 5, when he teaches his people how they should treat one another in temporal goods, to give and to lend, sets three different degrees: The first is, If anyone takes anything from us by force, we should not only let it go, but also be ready, if he would take more, to let it go, saying thus, v. 40. 40: "If any man will dispute with thee in the judgment, to take away thy skirt, let him have thy mantle"; that is, thou shalt not resist nor resist, lest he take the mantle also. And this is the highest degree in this work.
2) The other is that one should give to everyone who needs and desires it, of which he says, Luc. 6:30, "Whoever asks of you, give to him."
The third degree is that one willingly and gladly lends or borrows without any interest, of which he says, Matth. 5, 42: "And whoever wants to borrow or borrow from you, do not turn back", that is, do not deny him.
(4) This third degree is the least, even so little that it is commanded in the Old Testament, to the simple imperfect people of the Jews; yea, even the other degree, as it is written, Deut. 15:7, 8: "If any of thy brethren be poor in thy city, thou shalt not harden thine heart against him, nor shut thine hand; but thou shalt open it, and lend him that which he hath need." Item, the other degree in the same chapter, v. 11: "There will always be poor people in your country, therefore I command you to open your hand to your brother the poor and needy, and lend to him."
(5) If God commanded and willed the two degrees in the Old Testament, that every one should respect his brother, and that no one should beg or go hungry among them, as He says, Deut. 15:4, "There shall never be a beggar or a hungry man among you," how much more should the Christian people be bound to this, and even more highly, that they should support one another in lending and giving?
The Christians, as brothers, should be willing to let go of what they want to take by force, and there should be no begging among Christians, much less among Jews.
(6) But if this is to be kept, it must also be enjoined that all strangers and sojourners should not be given in a city. Therefore, in his commandment he places the word "in your city", that in every city the needy should be provided for by the inhabitants of the same city. Now there is so much begging and pilgrimage to St. James here and there, all relying on the beggar's bag, that it is a wonder how it can be borne. One would have to cancel all that. And God wanted the authorities to recognize and attack it.
(7) Some think that the first degree is a counsel, not a command, and consider it fair that each man should demand his own again and protect it from violence as he pleases; but to the perfect it is a command, saying: If this were true, the wicked would be given permission to take and steal, and in the end no one would keep anything. This excuse does not help; it is a bad commandment not to slacken for the sake of evil men.
God has used the secular sword for this purpose and has commanded the authorities to punish and prevent these evil-doers, so that they do not have public permission to take what they want, although the apostle, 1 Cor. 6:1-8, allows the imperfect to rightfully reclaim what is theirs; but he punishes them so that they do not suffer harm and deceit rather than right and quarrel. And if it were not commanded, the Christian state would be nothing higher than the Old Testament.
(9) It is clearly stated in Luc. 6:30 ff. where the Lord says: "Give to everyone who asks you, and whoever takes what is yours from you, do not ask for it again. If you alone love those who love you, what good is that? Sinners love their lovers. And if you only
858 2-16.11S-I17. B. Of the ten commandments in particular. Seventh commandment. W. X. 1020-1023. 859
If you do good to those who love you, what good is that? Do sinners do the same? And if you lend to those from whom you hope to get back, what good is that? For sinners lend one to another, that they may receive the same in return. But you should love your enemies, you should do good, you should lend and not take or wait for anything in return; then your merit will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, who is kind to the pious and the wicked." From these words it is clear that Christians have no other duty than to give and lend freely, to do good to their enemies, and not to quarrel with them or harm them.
(10) Now see where those remain who lend wine, grain, money, and whatnot, to their neighbor in such a way that they charge them interest throughout the year, or burden and overcharge them, so that they have to give back more or something better than they have borrowed. These are Jewish trifles and deceits, and are unchristian practices contrary to the holy gospel of Christ, yea, contrary to the natural law and right, which the Lord shows, Luc. 6:31, saying, "Whatsoever thou wouldest that men should do unto thee, do thou also unto them, and forbear." There is no one who would not gladly lend to him without charge; why then does he not do the same to another? And yet they go about as pious Christians, praying, fasting, occasionally giving alms, donating this and that; but this Christian work is not to be respected, since it is entirely up to them.
11 Then you say: If it be so about lending and borrowing, I will lend to no man; for then I shall lose my interest. Answer: Thou mayest do as thou wilt, but thou shalt not transgress the commandment of Christ, which commanded thee that thou shouldest lend to thy neighbor without any charge. If he needs it, give it for nothing. If you do not do this, you are not a Christian and will receive your heaven here on earth. For it is not your will, but God's commandment and natural law that must take precedence if you are to be saved.
12) But you say, "If this were true, there would be very few Christians in the world now.
It has become the custom everywhere to lend for profit. If I answer, "Whether it is customary or not, it is not Christian, nor divine, nor natural. Therefore, if you look at the right works, you will see how few good trees there are that bear right Christian, evangelical fruit; who otherwise do many other works that they consider good, even though they are not commanded, deceive and blind themselves with the same works of their own, so that they neither remember nor recognize these divine works.
Thirteen: Do not the priests, scholars, clergymen, and some churches also do this, who lend only for profit, especially because it is for the betterment of the churches and spiritual goods? This excuse is worthy of being attributed to the evil spirit, because it justifies usury, unjust goods, harming and oppressing the neighbor, and wants to dissolve God's commandment with the improvement of the church and spiritual goods; just as if the churches and spiritual goods had the freedom to tear apart God's commandment, to rob the neighbor, to practice usury and injustice. O lift yourself up, you cursed wickedness! Shall the innocent church and clergy champion your unrighteousness? If the whole world had a custom to lend in such a way, the churches and clergy should act against it; and the more spiritual their goods would be, the more Christian they should give, lend and let go according to the commandment of Christ. And whoever does otherwise, does it not for the church nor for the spiritual goods, but for the betterment of his Jewish, usurious avarice, whether learned or unlearned, spiritual or secular.
(14) Now among these three degrees are other degrees of dealing in temporal goods, than by buying, inheriting, receiving, and the like, which are written with spiritual and temporal laws, in which no one becomes better nor worse before God. For Christian commerce and benevolence with temporal goods is in the three: giving for free, lending without charge, and letting go with love; as has been said. For this is no merit, if you buy something, possess it by inheritance, or otherwise receive it honestly, even though the heathen and the Turk may be pious after the manner.
15 Now we leave all other degrees and take before us the purchase, namely the interest purchase, in which also usury is a mighty master.
From the purchase of interest.
The same interest purchase happens about etc.
What follows is found word for word in the preceding large sermon on usury, from ยง 62-68, which is why it has not been placed here again. After this, however, the small sermon still contains the following:
For this is the nature and manner of every purchase, that the buyer with the goods should be at risk and not the seller who has got rid of his goods. But where the
If the buyer wants to have his interest paid in full, regardless of the fact that the seller has suffered damage to the property or pledge, as often happens, without forfeiting it, the buyer is a robber before God and the world, depriving the latter of his sweat and blood. For the danger of the reason shall be on the buyer's side, that he may be as uncertain of his interest as he is of his principal money, both in God's hand because of their good.
Summa, I respect that the purchase of interest is not usury; but I am concerned that its nature is that it is sorry, that it does not have to be usury; it does not lack the will, and must, alas! be pious.