Usury Stated Overthrown, Treatise · Resolution
GODLINESS Epitomizd IN TWO TABLES, VIZ. FIRST, THE RESOLUTION-TABLE: EXHIBITED BY CHRISTOPHER JELINGER, M.A. WHICH May be fixed on Mens Chamber-Doors for a Memorial.
CONTAINING Twelve Gracious Reſolutions for Walking in Newneſs of Life, every Morning to be taken up, as comprizing the Duty of Man.
I. I Will ariſe now, and by the grace of God, ſeek him whom my Soul loveth, in my Cloſet by private Prayer, and even wreſtle with him as Jacob did, Gen. 32.24. and not leave him till I have an anſwer of him; and after that I will joyn with my Family in the ſame duty.
II. I will read the holy Scriptures likewiſe, at leaſt two Chapters a day, one in the morning out of the Old Teſtament, another out of the New in the evening, to my Family and apart; and I will mark the chief contents thereof, and turn them into prayer, to help me in praying.
III. And I will delight my ſelf this day and every day in my deareſt Lord, as I am required, Pſal. 37.4. and as his Father delighted himſelf in him from all eternity, Prov. 8.30. walking with him in my Chamber or elſewhere, Arm in Arm, as a Bride with her beſt Beloved; and talking with him and looking upon him by faith, Iſa. 45.22. Heb. 12.2. and giving my loves unto him, Cant. 7.12. even my love-deſires, love embraces, love-kiſſes, Pſal. 2.12. Pſal. 73.25. and craving his loves of him, Cant. 7.13. Thus by the Grace of God I will live the life of love with my dear Love, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
IV. And becauſe I do daily break Wedlock with him, by breaking his Commandments, I will daily return again unto him, he inviting me graciouſly thereunto, and ſaying, Thou haſt played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again unto me, Jer. 3.1. and I will even anew eſpouſe my ſelf unto him, in faith, in righteouſneſs, and in truth, deſiring him to return again unto me, and to eſpouſe himſelf ſo too, according to his moſt kind promiſe, Hoſ. 2.19.
V. And I will not ſo neglect as I have done, Meditating; but by the aſſiſtance of my God, Meditate this day and every day on the four laſt things, Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell; and will have my Converſation in Heaven day and night, according to Joſ. 1.8. Phil. 3.20. and when I awake in the morning, I intend to be ſtill with God both then and all the day long, according to Pſal. 139.18. When I awake I am ſtill with thee▪ which maketh me to break out into this acclamation, O ſweet time ſo ſpent with God and Chriſt both day and night.
VI. And whereas my talk heretofore hath been but idle, vain, fooliſh, or impertinent, I will hereafter by the power of God. bridle my tongue, Pſal. 39.1. and ſpeak as my Saviour of Heaven. and the things that appertain to the Kingdom of God, Acts 1.3. and that at my Table eſpecially, Deut. 6.7.
VII. And by the ſame power I will keep my ſelf from every evil way, like the ſame holy David, Pſal. 119.104. and like that Parabolical Merchant, ſell all for the Pearl, for Chriſts ſake, Ma…th… 13.45, 46, for it ſhall never be ſaid that Chriſt and I parted for an odd Groat, I mean one ſin or other, allowing my ſelf in one odd ill favoured iniquity or other.
VIII. And I will make diligent enquiries, whether there be any in th… place, or elſewhere about me, whom I may remember, relieve, and ſhew kindneſs too for Jonathans, I ſhould ſay, for Chriſts ſake, like David, 2 Sam. 9.1. Sith God hath given me an eſtate to do good with: ſo ſay (if thou haſt this worlds goods) I am reſolved to caſt my bread upon the waters, and to provide my ſelf Bags which wax not old, a treaſure in the Heavens, which faileth not, where no Thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth, Luke 12.33.
IX. The Lords day I will obſerve, when it cometh by Gods help, ſo ſtrictly and ſo holily, as if I were in Heaven with Chriſt that day; and there ſhall not come any worldly talk from me, nor will I do any evil or worldly work, nor have any earthly thoughts, but I will ſpend it wholly to and with the Lord, whoſe day it is, in holy exerciſes, as Reading, Singing, Praying, Hearing, Inſtructing my Family, and ſuch like; being with bleſſed John wholly in the Spirit, Rev. 1.10. and when I may conveniently, I will on the ſame day receive my bleſſed Saviour in the Holy Sacrament of his bleſſed Supper, labouring to be duly prepared for it, that I may not receive it unworthily to mine own eternal condemnation, 1 Cor. 11.29.
X. Faſting and Humiliation-days I will keep alſo, by the ſame divine power, to the Lord my God, at leaſt once a month; and before the Sacrament of the Lords bleſſed Supper, and when there is great need, like pious Queen Eſther, which ſo reſolved likewiſe, ſaying, I and my Maidens will faſt alſo, Eſther 4.16. and at other times alſo, yea always I will ſtrive to be as ſober, humble, and lowly, as God will enable me.
XI. I will moreover examin my ſelf every Evening before I go to Bed (beſides Praying, Reading, Singing, which at that time muſt be done alſo, with my Family and apart) what evils have I thought, done, and ſpoken, and what good I have done, that I may bleſs God for the one, and ask him forgiveneſs for the other, upon my humble confeſſions and deprecations made to his Heavenly moſt Sacred Majeſty, Lament. 3 40. Hoſ. 14.1. Jer. 3.13.
XII. And I will not reſt here neither, but by the help of God I will labour to be as chaſt, juſt, meek, patient under the Croſs, as poſſibly I may be; and any other New York that I have not yet done, and God ſhall command me to do in his Word, and by his Miniſters; beſides the forementioned, I will labour to do vigorouſly, conſtantly, and to his only praiſe and glory, and in faith, and out of my unfeigned love which I bear unto him: And when all is done, I will by the Grace of God not truſt to any of my doings, they being all defiled and imperfect by reaſon of ſin, Iſa. 64.6. but only and wholly to my dear and only Saviour, and to his bleſſed merits for life and ſalvation: For there is no ſalvation in any other, Acts 4.12. And in his name ſhall the Gentiles truſt, ſaith the Lord, Matth. 12.21.
I add, But O let theſe good and gracious reſolutions be endeavours alſo; and as a Merchant, when he is reſolved to go to ſuch a City, there to Trade, Jam. 4.30. goeth and doth ſo; ſo do you, being ſo reſolved to live ſo, to trade ſo, to walk ſo; go and do ſo, through Chriſt ſtrengthning of you, Phil. 4.13. and my moſt humble prayer to God for you is and ſhall be, that he will be your good ſpeed, ſtrengthen, ſettle, and ſtabliſh you, that you may hold out to the end, 1 Pet. 5.10. Amen, So be it.
Deut. 6.9. And thou ſhalt write (theſe words) upon the Poſts of thine Houſe, and on thy Gates:
THOMAS a KEMPIS de Imit. Chriſti, l. 1. c. 19.
Omni die renovare debemus propoſitum noſtrum, at q…e dicere, Adjuva me, Domine Deus, in bono Propoſito, & Sancto ſervitio tuo: & da mihi nunc hodie perfecte incipere, quia nihil eſt, quod hactenus feci. Et paulo poſt, Juſtorum propoſitum in gratia Dei potius quam in propria ſapientia pendet, in quo & ſemper confidunt, quicquid a…ipiunt. In Engliſh thus:
Daily ſhould we renew our Purpoſes and ſay, Help me my God, in this my good purpoſe, and in thy holy ſervice, and grant that I may now this day begin perfectly; for that which I have done hitherto is worth nothing. And a little after, The purpoſe of juſt men depends upon Gods Grace, on whom they always relie for whatſoever they take in hand:
I ſuperadd, But reſt not here: but read over my whole Spiritual Merchant, in which this is included. Which may be had at the Crane in Paul's Churchyard.
SECONDLY, THE EXAMINATION-TABLE, OR Examen Conſcientiae, OR, SELF-EXAMINATION, Containing Twelve IN QUIRIES.
I. WHat Evils have I thought, done, and ſpoken this day: and what good have I done and received?
II. More particularly: Have I not abuſed mine eyes by wanton looks, my tongue with vain, unprofitable, fooliſh, or unclean and filthy talking, and jeſting, and by cauſing my angry voice to be heard on high, or by lying, backbiting, ſlandering, ſwearing, calling of Names or ſpeaking evil of others? And have I not polluted my hands with uncleanneſs, or by taking Uſury, or by ſtealing, or ſome fraudulent dealing, or by ſmiting therewith wickedly? and have I not been exceeding angry▪ proud, luſtful, worldly, covetous, taking too much care and labour for and about the world? Is not my whole Nature vitiated, corrupted, diſordered, by ſin original, ſo that my heart is even deſperately wicked?
III. Have I not miſpent much precious time about and in idle and needleſs viſits, Playing, Carding, or Dicing, or too much ſleeping? and when I rode or did go abroad, by little or never minding God and his Word, and Heaven in all my journey, and going to and fro? and did I not exceed in eating, drinking, and company keeping?
IV. Have I not been ſhamefully brief, cold, dead, formal, cuſtomary, and exceedingly carried away with wandring thoughts in all my duties, and eſpecially in prayer? do I not make a ſhew of godlineſs, denying the power thereof?
V. Have I prayed ſo often as I ſhould, at leaſt in the morning and evening ſolemnly, wreſtling with God, and darting forth many ejaculatory prayers upon all occaſions, beſides joynt prayers with my Family, and was I thankful in prayer for the mercies of this day? nay took I any notice of them?
VI. Did I read Gods holy Word, at leaſt evening and morning time?
VII. What time did I ſpend this day in meditating on my latter end, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell? any or none?
VIII. What mercy did I ſhow this day to any, for Jonathans, I mean Chriſts ſake? did I ſuccour any by any corporal alms? or did I not cruelly ſhut up the bowels of compaſſion againſt ſome? did I viſit any that needed it, according to my duty?
IX. And what have I been in company? did I reprove, inſtruct, admoniſh? had I any good communications with any of heaven and heavenly things? and what have I been in my houſe, place, and calling? and towards my Relations, Wife, Husband, Children, Servants, Neighbours, in order to the ſaving of their precious ſouls, as more worth than all the world?
X. And if the day did afford matter of Sorrow, did I fret or did I lie in duſt before the Lord my God?
XI. Have I wreſtled againſt Satan, and ſtroven againſt ſin to overcome it, and his temptations, and that with ſucceſs? have I left any ſin, prevailed againſt any temptation, or have I not been ſhamefully rather foiled and defeated by this and that temptation?
XII. Was I careful to live by faith, and to be found in Chriſt, not having mine own righteous, but the righteouſneſs of God in Chriſt this day? Phil. 3.9.
I add, firſt, that this ſame directory may ſerve alſo for private Confeſſion to be made upon this examination, as we ſhall be found guilty.
Secondly, I add, Not only the Philoſophers have uſed the Examination of Conſcience, as Pythagoras, Seneca, Plutarch: But poor Barbarous Indians, by the relation of Apulejus, took an account every evening of the good and evil they had done each day: and therefore for ſhame, Oh for ſhame, let not Chriſtians, profeſſing godlineſs, come ſhort of theſe poor Heathens in this matter of Examination.
Thirdly, I add, One *Serm de Conſc.Deliro, a noted Interpreter of the Scripture, and after him, the Author of the Holy Court, relate both, the Viſion of a Wiſe man, who on a day ſought for the Court, or Houſe of Conſcience; and it ſeemed to him, he beheld a City built with goodly Architecture, beautiful with five Gates, which had as many narrow paths, ending in one large way: Upon this way ſtood a Regiſter, who took the Names of all paſſengers to record them: Beyond that, he ſaw two Tribunes attended with a great concourſe of Common People, who governed the inferior parts of the City: Above was beheld a Cittadel, wherein a great Princeſs commanded, who had a Scepter in her hand, and Crown on her head: By her ſide was a Lady very ancient and venerable, who in one hand held a torch, wherewith ſhe lighted the Princeſs; and in the other a goad, wherewith ſhe pricked her, if ſhe governed not according to her diſcretion. The wiſe man amazed, asked in his heart, what all this meant? and he heard a voice within, which ſaid unto him, Behold, Thy ſelf, ere thou art aware, art arrived at the Houſe (or Court) of Conſcience, which thou ſoughteſt for. The five gates which thou ſaweſt, are the five ſenſes. The way wherein they all meet, is common ſenſe. All the people which thou ſaweſt enter in by heaps, are the objects of the Creatures of the world, which firſt touch our ſenſes, before they paſs into the Soul. The Regiſter is Imagination, that keepeth record of all things. The two Tribunes are the two Appetites; the one called the Appetite of Concupiſcence; the other the appetite of Anger, extreamly ſtriving to oppoſe all obſtacles which oppoſe its good, real, or pretended. This Maſs of people are the paſſions, which make ill work in the inferiour parts of the City. The Princeſs in the Cittadel with a Crown and Scepter, is Reaſon. The ancient Lady by her ſide is Conſcience. She hath a torch to ſhew the good way, and the goad to prick thoſe that wander: all which I apply thus: Anſwerable hereunto, I ſay to the Courteous Reader, who ſhall read this Table, and happily never was yet at this Court of Conſcience here deſcribed, and at this Examination here preſcribed; and ſo, juſt ſo art thou ere thou waſt aware, arrived at the Houſe or Court of Conſcience; and therefore being thus entred into it, examine thy ſelf, according to this Examination-Table, and according to the Order of the Court of Conſcience here deſcribed, lying low in thy very ſhame, as Jeremiah 2.26. Before the Lord; and yet, ſitting withall like a Judge upon thy ſelf, according to 1 Cor. 11.31. For this ſitting and ſelf-judging, and ſelf-examining, this Court permitteth, and no other beſides it. And that thou mayeſt do it effectualy and ſucceſsfully, is the moſt hearty prayer of thy moſt affectionate Friend, who hath penned theſe lines for thee, and who, when they dropped from his pen, beſought God in thy behalf that the ſame may be written by himſelf in thy very heart, as with a pen of a Diamond, Jer. 17.1. And that as Juſtice ſits in the foreſaid Court of Conſcience, and even of thy Conſcience, inſcribing all thy ſins, ſo Mercy may ſit by her, blotting out all that Juſtice hath therein written, putting the point of its pen upon thy tender heart, it being become truly penitent by its ſelf-judging and ſelf-examining, and Gods bleſſing and mighty working going with it. So, even ſo be it.