The Churches Security Together with the Antidote, Part 11 – Dedication
THe sixt,The sixt marke praise and thankes giuing vntounto God. and last marke amongst many other and that most eminently, is praise and thankes-giuing vntounto God for all his benefits past, present, and to come, whether outward, and temporary, or spirituall, and eternall. Of this sort, in things outward, is our creation, preseruation, health, life, libertie, prosperity, priuate and publicke deliuerances, yea and all the meanes of our temporall life, and hapinesse; and specially in heauenly things our predestination to eternall glory, our adoption to be Gods sonnes, our redemption by Christs sufferings and obedience, our iustification by faith in Christ his death and merits, our illumination, and sanctification by his word and spirit: the blessed ministery of the word, the vse and comfort of the Sacraments, the reueiling, and weaking of Antichrist and his promised destruction, the fitting of vsus for a better kingdome; and preparing the kingdome of glorie for vsus, his long patience, and forbearance of vsus, and all fatherly, gentle, and mercifull corrections, and warnings. For all these in general,Col. 3. 17. yea and for eueryevery one of them in particuler we are bound, and must endeuour (both generally and distinctly)Iob. 1, 21. to returne vntounto the Lord praise and thanksgiuing, and to serue him in holinesse, Luke 1, 75.and righteousnes all the daies of our life. Here vponupon Paul vponupon the distinct consideration of them brasteth forth into thankesgiuing, and saith:Ephe. 1. 4: Blessed bee God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which …ath blessed vsus with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things in Christ. And afterwards hee descendeth into particulars. Dauid also wondering at the greatnesse of Gods goodnesse bra…teth out into an exclamation,Ps…l. 116, 17. and acknowledgeth Gods benefits to be greater then he is able to requite. What shall I (saith hee) render vntounto the Lord for all his benefits? and in another place hee saith, my soule prais… thou the Lord, Psal. 103, 1, 2and all that is within mee praise his holie name; my soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits. Hereby hee stirreth vp himselfe to thankesgiuing, and laboureth to shake of all drowsinesse: For forgetfulnesse, and vnthankefulnesse, as it is the common disease of the world, so it argueth a vaine, and a wicked minde. For speciall, and particular deliuerances from captiuitie, from hunger, from imprisonment, from sicknesse,Psal. 107. from feare of drowning, and shipwracke &c. require particular thankes, and there is good reason it should bee so, for eueryevery particuler benefit requireth a new song, and a peculier forme of thankesgiuing, and this is plaine by sundry psalmes of Dauid endited, and framed vponupon sundry benefits receiued, and deliuerances obtained. This thankefulnesse is the peculiar dutie of the Iust, and it is a Sacrifice whereby wee glorifie GOD, and glorifying him, he will glorifie vsus. It is also a speciall note of the true, ye the triumphant Church as may appeare by the practise, and examples of the Angells, Elders, and beasts in the Apocalips,Apo. 7, 12 Amen. Glorie, honour, wisedome thankes and power, and might be vntounto our God for euermore. It is peculier to them to singe the new song of their redemption which none can learne but the redeemed alone: Apoc. 14, 4.Wee must also with the Church in the Apocalips render and ascribe vntounto the Lord,Apo. 19, 1. praise, glorie, wisedome, honour, thankes, power, might, saluation for his righteous iudgement (alreadie in part) vponupon the Antichrist of Rome, for that he hath condemned the great whore which corrupted the earth with her fornication, and hath auenged the bloud of hi… seruants shed by her hands.
Lastly the Church is exhorted, to reioyce, be glad and giuegive glorie to him for the full redemption of his Church at hand, and because the mariage of the lambe is come, and the bride hath made her ready. But that we may the more soundly, and sincerely practise and performe this dutie: we must do three things.
First wee must magnifie, and high esteeme of all Gods blessings (specially of those that concerne and accompany saluation) wee must acknowledge them wonderfull,High estimation of Gods blessings. speake of them honorably: thinke, and meditate of them often, yea and to value and price them aboue riches, Psalm. 119.spoiles, corne, wine, gold, siluer, Iewells, precious stones, yea, and account all things els (in comparison of them, and so farre forth as they are any let or hinderance to our saluation) as losse and dung.Philipians 3.
Secondly wee must debase our selues before God,Debasing of our selues before God. and acknowledge our vnworthinesse to receiue so great blessings,Genes. 32, 10▪ and graces at his hands. Thus Iacob acknowledged himselfe not to bee worthy of the least of all Gods mercies, and of his promises p…rformed vntounto him. Thus Dauid (vponupon the consideration of Gods vnspeakeable mercies towardes mankinde, and also of mans vilenesse and vanitie,) brasteth forth into an exclamation, saying. What is man that thou art so mindfull of him, Psal 144. 3. 4.or the Sonne of man that thou thinkest vponupon him? Man is like to vanitie, his daies are like a shadowe that vanisheth.
Thirdly in Paul and that most singulerly) who confesseth ingenuously that the grace of the Lord was exceeding aboundant towardes him;1 Tim. 1, v. 15 beeing (before his conuersion) a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an oppressor; and that IESVS CHRIST, came into the world to saue sinners of whome saith hee I am chiefe. Lastlie in the lost childe saying,Luke 15. 19. Father I am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne, make mee as one of thy hired seruants.
Thirdly if wee would shewe our selues truely thankefull, wee must liue in obedience of Gods commaundements,To liue in obedience to God, and his cōmandmēts. sinne no more least a worse thing befall vsus, order our conuersation aright, keepe our selues pure from idolatry; and consecrate and deuote our selues, soules and bodies to God his seruice. For this is a most liuely, effectuall▪ yea,Psal. 50. v. …3. and reall sacrifice, yea the best sacrifice that we can offer vntounto God. Rom. 12. ver. 1. Reasons further to enforce this dutie, and to perswade vsus herevnto, are firs… so many commandements and exhortations in holy scriptures, and (by name) in the psalmes of Dauid.
Secondly the often and excellent examples of so many rare and renowned men in holy scripture, of Patriarkes, Kings▪ Prophets, and right Isralites in the old Testament: and of Christ his Apostles, disciples, and all rankes of sound confessors, and Christians in the new Testament. These are so many notable lightes, lampes, examples, and directors vntounto vsus; whose footesteps if w…e insist not in, wee declare our selues to bee bastard slips and not true branches, and to bee (notwithstanding al labour, care, and husbanding) that cursed ground that bringeth forth nothing, Heb. 6. 8.but briars, and thornes, whose end is to be burned.
Thirdly of all other sacrifices, this is most sweete and sauory in Gods nostrilles,Gen. 8. v. 21. being not a constrained, and enforced worship (as praier is sometimes,) …ut a free-will offering, Psa. 50. 14, 15it is the ca…ues and fru…te of the lips which confesse his name, and it is a speciall glorification of God.
Fourthly hereby wee imitate and follow the practise of the Church triumphant in heauen, whose continuall vsage and exercise it is, in quiers, and companies by Himmes, Psalmes, and thanksgiuing, to sound and set forth the glorie, and mercies of God.
Fiftly because vnthankefulnesse for, and forgetfulnesse of Gods blessings, and benefits, is a thing most distastfull, and hatefull to the diuine maiestie▪ and a brand of profaine and dissembling hearted men. Therefore it is said of y• Isralites that though they in their affliction remēbred that God was the strength and the most high God their redeemer, Psal. 78. 35.yet they did but flatter him with their mouth, and dissembled with him with their tongue, for their heart was not vpright with him, neither were they faithfull in his co…enant: ouer & besides the Iewes were no sooner gloriously deliuered out of Egipt, and had passed through (the red sea making way for them;)Psal. 106. 2. but they forgat God their Sauiour, who had done so great things for them. Lastly nine of the tenne leprous persons whome Christ cleansed and cured, are noted for vnthankefulnesse;Luke 17. 8. &c. for it is said that onelyonly one of them returned to giuegive God thankes, and that was a Samaritane, and one that was most odious to the Iewes and of all other the most vnlikely, but he serued not Christ in vaine, for hee alone was inwardly cured, and had his sins forgiuen him. Finally (to end this reason) the very Heathen …nd Pagans, who knew not God in Christ, and were altogither ignorant of, and neuer had any holy Scripture to direct them; did and could by the very darke light of nature see, and acknowledge thus much: foreign, saith …indarus that sententious and wise Poet. That is, an old good turne is soone forgotten, and men are vnmindfull of it, and that it i… lost which a man doth to an vnthankefull person; yea and that which is most remarkeable. Cum ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris. That is when a man hath named an vnthankefull man; hee hath (therein) named all faultes, or disgracefull imputations, and it maketh a man vnworthy of al fauour: and to this purpose, Gregorie in his Morrals saith wel, non est dignus dandis, & that is, he is not worthy to receiue benefits to be giuen, who is not thankefull for good thinges already receiued.Math. 1…. 23. Thus the vnthankefull seruant in the Gospell whome his Lord and maister after (vponupon his submission, and supplication) had forgiuen tenne thousand talents, was for his vnthankefullnes to his Lord, and his cruell and extreame handling of his fellow seruant, that onelyonly ought him but one hundred pence, deliuered vntounto the Iayler vntill hee should pay all he debt,
Lastly because in the duty of praise, and thanksgiuing, we are most defectiue, negligent, and remisse; we need vse all good meanes to stir vp and reuiue vsus, and to testifie our zeale, and thankefulnes vntounto God. For as without meanes we cannot attaine vntounto the end: so without speciall, and spirituall helpes wee can neuer be truly, and constantly thankefull. Of this sort, are the often meditating of our sollemne promise and vow made in Baptisme, to renounce all false Gods, false worship, and sinne, and to beleeue in God, and to serue him in holinesse, and righteousnesse all the daies of our liues. Of this sort are morall and gospellike vowes,Psalme 119. and couenants of repentance,Psal. 66. v. 13. and 14. praier, and thankesgiuing, obedience, yea publicke and priuate othes to cleaue vntounto God, and serue him onelyonly.
Herevnto may bee added religious fasts, both publike and priuate, so often practised of the saints of God both in the old and new Testament, yea and of the reformed church since, and that with most happy successe.
Lastly,The Lords supper a Sacrament of thankes giuing. seeing that the Lord knowing our aptnesse and pronesse vntounto this vice, hath ordained a sacrament of thankesgiuing which the ancient fathers call the E…charist to nourish and preserue true thankefulnesse in the church towards Christ, and for all his merits, graces, and blessings, wee must often, and religiously, as, vse all other helpes, so specially this. And finally as all riuers runne into the sea from whence they came; so let all the benefits and blessings of God bestowed on vsus,Similitude. flow backe and redownd vntounto God the author and fountaine of them: which God almightie grant for Christ Iesus his beloued Sonnes sake, to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be giuen and rendered in the Church, all honour praise and glorie foreuer and euer. Amen.
THE GENERALL signes and forerunners of Christs comming to iudgement, soundly and sincerely collected out of holy Scripture, and seruing as well to awaken the drowsie and slumbering Protestant▪ as to comfort and reuiue the Godly and afflicted Christian.
Take heed watch and pray: for yee know not when the time is. Mark. 13. vers. 33.
When these things beginne to come to passe, then looke vp, and lift vp your heads: for your redemption draweth neere. Luk. 21. vers. 28.
To the Right worshipfull learned, and Godly wise Gentleman Mr William Combes of Warwicke Esquire, high Sheriffe of the shire and one of his Maiesties high Commissioners in causes Ecclesiasticall, all increase of grace, comfort and happinesse.
EVEN as (right worshipfull) it was the commendable and diligent practise of the Prophets and holy men of God (for the encrease of their comfort and confirmation of their faith) to calculate,1 Pet. 1. v. 10 and 11. by the direction of the word of God, and to search and enquire out the very time of Christ his incarnation, his death, his glorification. So in semb…able sort, it as much concerneth vsus, vponupon the ends of the world are come, and who hauehave both promises and signes of Christ his second appearance at hand for our perfit redemption and full saluation, to take due notice of them, to serch into them and obserue the accomplishment of them in their proper times. Our rule of direction, must not be humaine collections, fained prophecies and reuelations, Astrologicall coni…ctures, Arithmetical computations, for these are vaine, vncertain, deceitfull, as the euent in all ages doth demonstrate: but it must bee onelyonly the written word of God, which albeit it hath not reueiled the daie, nor the yeare, nor the definite time of Christ his second comming, yet it hath left vntounto vsus many generall yet vndoubted signes and forerunners of it, which are some of them, wholy expired, some of them in present motion and progresse and others yet wholy to come. These signes and predictions if wee serch them out, weye and make vse of them, (as they are described in holy scriptures) wee shall not onelyonly bee contained and preserued from Atheisme and vnbeleefe, the common sinne of the world, and bee kept from all ras…, foolish and vngrounded …uri…sities, but also bee effectually and continually stired vp to prepare our selues in Faith, Hope and Repentance against Christ his comming, and we shal in all trialls and temptations whatsoeuer might comfort our hearts in that our Redemption is so nigh at hand.
This doctrine, being of so notable vse and profit, (especially for the Godly and sober minded,) I thought good to publish it and vponupon good considerations to recommend it to your worships patronage. First you for learning, iudgement and experienc… are very sufficient to iudge of it. Secondly your vertuous affection and most religious disposition will (no doubt) finde comfort and contentment in it. Thirdly, your fauonr, grace and authoritie beeing tempered with so much humanitie and humilitie, … not (I hope) be wanting. Lastly (not to be tedious) I can by no other meanes so well testifie my thankefull dutie for your late and extraordinary kindenesse both in word and deed, testified towards m…e.
Wherefore, most humbl… entreating your acceptance, and requesting you to make vse of my short obseruations, I here, most humbly take my leaue. The Lord, blesse, preserue and prosper your worship, as likewise the Noble, and vertuous Ladie, the Ladie Puckering your wise: and infulness… of daies and Faith, glorifie you both in the Heauens.
Couentry: Iuly 1608. Your worships in all duty to be commanded. THOMAS D…AXE▪