John Trapp on Nehemiah 5:11

Verſe 11. Reſtore, I pray you to them even this day] While you are in a melting temper, and in a good mind, make reſtitution. Say not, This is an hard ſaying, who can brook it? But ſay rather, as the Civilian ſaith, Perquàm durum eſt; ſed ita lex ſcripta eſt, Ulpian.'Tis hard to be done, but the Law will have it ſo done: Aut faciendum, aut patiendum: Either we muſt do it, or do worſe. The Law for reſtitution, ſee Levit. 6.1, 4. Num. 5.6, 7, &c. The wrong-doer muſt not only confeſſe, but reſtore. The tranſgreſſion was againſt God, but the treſpaſſe againſt man; and he muſt be ſatisfied, if the ſinne ſhall be pardoned. Samuel proffer'd to reſtore, if it might appear that he had wronged any. Micah, 1 Sam. 12. though an Idolater, did ſo, Judg. 17.2, 3. So did Queen Mary, She reſtored again all Eccleſiaſtical livings aſſumed to the Crown. Her Grandfather Henry the ſeventh in his laſt Will and Teſtament, deviſed and willed reſtitution ſhould be forthwith made of all ſuch monies as had been unjuſtly levied by the officers. Selymus the great Turk did the like upon his death-bed: ſo great is the force of natural conſcience; Gravel in the kidnies will not grate ſo much, as a little guilt in this kinde. Reſtore your evil-gotten goods, ſaid father Latimer, or elſe you will cough in hell, and the Devils will laugh at you. He ſet this point ſo well home, that he wrought upon many; and particularly upon Maſter Bradford. Auſtine ſaith, that if a man be able to make actual reſtitution, and do it not, poenitentia non agitur, ſed fingitur, his Repentance is not right: if he have waſted all, and is not able to reſtore, he muſt deſire pardon very humbly, and water the earth with his tears.

Alſo the hundreth part of the money] That is, all that they had received for intereſt, whether money, or elſe. It appeareth by this text, that they took twelve in the hundred (for ſo much the hundreth part monethly amounteth to) as at this day in Italy, and elſewhere, the Jewes are permitted to ſtraine up their uſury to eighteen in the hundred upon the Chriſtian (for among themſelves they now uſe it not) which cauſeth many of thoſe Pſeudo-Chriſtians to uſe thoſe Jews under-hand, Sands his Survey. in improving their unlawful rents to the utmoſt proportion.