edience, binding the consciences of men
for economic or political reasons. So, too, it seems impossible to
decide absolutely whether the decrees were intended to possess eternal
validity; the probabilities, however, seem to favour very strongly the
view that they were intended as mere economic regulations suited to
the circumstances of the time. This does not, of course, decide the
other question, whether, apart from such positive regulations, there
already existed an obligation arising from the natural law; nor would
the passing of the positive law into desuetude affect the existence of
the other obligation.'[1]

[Footnote 1: _Op. cit._, pp. 17-18.]

Before we pass from the consideration of the Old Testament to that of
the New, we may mention that the taking of interest by Mohammedans is
forbidden in the Koran.[2]

[Footnote 2: ii. 30. This prohibition is universally evaded. (Roscher,
_Political Economy_, s. 90.)]

Sec. 3. _Usury in the First Twelve Centuries of Christianity_.

The only passage in the Gospels which bears directly on the question
of usury is a verse of St. Luke, the correct reading of which is a
matter of considerable difference of opinion.[1] The Revised Version
reads: 'But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never
despairing (_nihil desperantes_); and your reward shall be great.' If
this be the true reading of the verse, it does not touch the question
of usury at all, as it is simply an exhortation to lend without
worrying whether the debtor fail or not.[2] The more generally
received reading of this verse, however, is that adopted by the
Vulgate, 'mutuum date, nihil inde sperantes'--'lend hoping for
nothing thereby.' If this be the correct reading, the verse raises
considerable difficulties of interpretation. It may simply mean, as
Mastrofini interprets it, that all human actions should be performed,
not in the hope of obtaining any material reward, but for the love of
God and our neighbour; or it may contain an actual precept or counsel
relating to the particular subject of loans. If the latter be the
correct interpretation, the further question arises whether the
recommendation is to renounce merely the interest of a loan or the
principal as well. We need not here engage on the details of the
controversy thus aroused; it is sufficient to say that it is the
almost unanimous opinion of modern authorities that the verse
recommends the renunciation of the principal as well as the