the civil state. Because the
surroundings of the place in which the Lord placed the Jews, as well
as other circumstances, tended to this, that it might be easy for them
to deal among themselves without usury, while our state today is very
different in many respects. Therefore usury is not wholly forbidden
among us unless it be repugnant both to Justice and to Charity.

"It is said, 'Money does not beget money.' What does the sea beget?
What does a house from the letting of which I receive a rent? Is money
born from roofs and walls? But on the other hand both the earth
produces and something is brought from the sea which afterward
produces money, and the convenience of a house can be bought and sold
for money. If therefore more profit can be derived from trading
through the employment of money than from the produce of a farm, the
purpose of which is subsistence, should one who lets some barren farm
to a farmer, receiving in return a price or part of the produce, be
approved, and one who loans money to be used for profit be condemned?
And when one buys a farm for money does not that farm produce other
money yearly? And whence is derived the profit of the merchant? You
will say from his diligence and his industry. Who doubts that idle
money is wholly useless? Who asks a loan of me does not intend to keep
what he receives idle by him. Therefore the profit does not arise from
the money, but from the product that results from its use or
employment. I therefore conclude that usury must be judged, not by a
particular passage of Scripture, but simply by the rules of equity.
This will be made clearer by an example. Let us imagine a rich man
with large possessions in farms and rents, but with little money.
Another man not so rich, nor with such large possessions as the first,
but has more ready money. The latter being about to buy a farm with
his own money, is asked by the wealthier for a loan. He who makes the
loan may stipulate for a rent or interest for his money and further
that the farm may be mortgaged to him until the principal is paid, but
until it is paid, he will be content with the interest or usury on the
loan. Why then shall this contract with a mortgage, but only for the
profit of the money, be condemned, when a much harsher, it may be, of
leasing or renting a farm at large annual rent, is approved?

"And what else is it than to treat God like a child, when we judge of
objects by mere words and not from their natur