The Churches Security Together with the Antidote, Part 1
THE CHVRCHES Securitie, Togither with the Antidote or preservative of ever waking Faith. A treatise conteyning many fruitefull instructions, moralities and consolations fit for the time and age wherein wee live. Hereunto is annexed a sound and profitable treatise of the generall signes and forerunners of the last judgement. By THOMAS DRAX.
Happy are those servants, whom the Lord when hee commeth shall finde waking. Luk. 12. vers. 37.
AT LONDON Imprinted by George Eld, and are to be sold by John Wright at his shoppe at Christchurch Gate. 1608.
SALOMONS SONG. Chap. 5. verse. 2.
I sleepe, but mine heart waketh.
FOr as much as Christ Iesus the sonne of God, our blessed Sauiour, our holy harmlesse vndefiled hight …riest, separate from sinners, and made higher then the heauens, was subi…ct to the like infirmities, and temptations in all things (as wee are,) but without sinne, and that which amongst other temptations, his three-fold combate and conflict with the diuell, doth demonstrate, wee must not thinke it strange, or take it offensiuely, that wee that are but his members, his seruants, yea and most miserable and sinfull creatures should be liable, and subiect to the temptations, and assaults of the world, fl…sh, and the diuell. For first we must bee conformable vntounto Christ our head. Secondly Satans m…lice, and rage against vsus, especially in these last dayes wherein hee perceiueth his time to bee so sh…rt, Apoc. 12. ver▪ 12.is restl…sse and vnpea…able. Lastly eueryevery Christian man, yea the most perfect beleeuer that liueth vponupon the earth, by reason of his manifold ignorances, slips, errors, drowsinesse, defects, imperfections, doth (if God and grace preuent not) minister and affoord continuall matter, and occasion for the tempter to assault him, yea and to worke vponupon him. Therefore, as Christ Iesus was assaulted with three speciall temptations, Math. 4. ver. 3.whereof the first was directed to remoue him from his sonne-like confidence in God. The second, to puffe vp his m…nde with rash presumption in the protection of God.vers. …. And the third to blast, and infect his minde with the venemous vapour of ambition, and couetousnesse, all which he resisted, and ouer-came by the scripture, and word of God: euen so here in the Cantickles the church was encountered with three sorts of temptations, though in forme and kinde differing from Christ his temptations. The first which is the best, and most holy temptation,Canti 2. 4. was her LoueLove-sicknesse, or falling into a swound, by reason of the sight of the great prouision, and spirituall dainties that Christ had prepared for the Church. Answerably herevnto Peter in the trans…iguration of Christ was so rauished, and surprised with the sweetnesse of that momentanie glory, that hee imagined Christ his kingdome and glory to be earthly, and did plaee the blisfull happinesse of the Saints in this trans…tory and troublesome world, which alone is to be sought in heauen. And proportionably herevnto Paul (whether in the body,2 Co…. …2. 4. or out of it, he knew not, and therefore it is not in our knowledge to determine) was rapt v…into the third heauen, or Paradise, and h…ard words which canot be spoken, & which it is impossible for mā to vtter.
The second temptation wherein (as also in the next following) the Church more bewraieth her corruption,Cap. 3. vers. 1. 2. 3. is the feare (which commeth from infidelitie) in the Church, least she had lost Christ; yet so qualified, as thereby the spirit kindleth in her more paines, and studie, both to seeke to attaine vntounto Christ more neerely, and to apprehend him more firmely, and in a while after that all the meanes had beene vsed, shee findeth Christ, and renueth and reuiueth her faith in him.
The third, and last temptation, which is worldly drowsinesse,Cap. 5. 2. 3. 4. and some kinde of securitie, incident to the Church, and children of God; the bitternesse, and extremity whereof was, that shee fell into a swound, that is, she for the time, was almost in despaire of her saluation, as one depriued of feeling and comfort of grace: But at length by communication with her friends concerning Christ his excellencie, and the place where he was gone, her faith beginneth to reuiue, & she assureth her selfe that Christ is hers, & she is his. And this is the third,Vers. 17. 18. and last temptation, wherin we meane to insist. The originall, briefe & substance of it is conteined in these words; I sleepe, that is, I am some-what secure, and carelesse, and keepe not that watch against the pleasures of this life, and the baites & hookes of the world as I should, and am bound to doe.
Then followeth a limitation, or exception in these words. But mine heart waketh, that is, my …aith apprehendeth, and holdeth Christ, and I doe not suffer my delight, and ioy in him to cease, and determine.
In the temptation comprized in these words, I sleepe, two things are to be considered. First the Churches winking, or slumbering. Secondly the confession, and acknowledgment of her faulte, and offence.
In that the Church is here sayd to sleepe, or slumber, yet so as that shee discerneth off,1. Obser. notwithstanding that her heart, that is, her faith, and better part waked, laied hold on, and found sweere repose, and contentment in Christ. We learne hence this doctrine, and iustruction viz. that the true Church of God, and the particuler members of it, are not only subiect to sinne, and error in generall, for eueryevery man is borne, Psal. 51. …. 5.and conceiued in sinne, eueryevery man is a liar, we hauehave all sinned, Rom. 3. 23.and stand in need of the golrie of God, who knoweth the errors of this life: all our righteousnesse is but as a menstrous cloth.Psal. 19. v. 11. and when wee hauehave done all that we can, wee are but defectiue and vnprofitable seruants; but also, and that more particularly, that many times the Church of Christ, euen in the best, and most flourishing outward Estate of it, is ouertaken with a kinde of spirituall slumber, and securitie, and is lesse carefull, and watchfull to beware of the snares of the worldes prosperitie, and the baites, and allurements of honours, and pleasures; so that here it must needs follow that her faith must oftentimes be weakened, eclipsed, and darkned, yea and she now and then fall into simptoms, and fits of desperation.
The truth hereof appeareth first in Dauid, who when he was established in his kingdome, and flourished in prosperitie, was puffed vp with carnall securitie, and confidence in his own strength,Psal. 30. v. 6. 7. and ful little thought of his own infirmity, dangers or iminent euills, as though his present felicitie should neuer change:vers. 8. but presently God hid his face from him, that is withdrew the sense of his fauor, and good will, and cast him into trouble, and calamities, and so awakened him from his slumber, and drowsines.
Secondly in Ezechias (otherwise a right good King) whose heart was lift vp with pride, by reason of his late and glorious victory, and aboundance of treasures, in so much. that he in oftentation shewed vntounto the ambassadors of the King of Babell all his treasures, 2 King. 20. 13. 15.that bee had in his house and realme, so that wrath came vponupon him, and vponupon Iudah and Ierusalem.
Thirdly in Ephraim, Iere 31. 18.who in his prosperitie was as an vntamed Calfe.
Fourthly,Math. 25. 6. in the very wise Virgins, who (though they had their Lampes furnished with oyle) yet they slumbered at Christ his second comming.
Fi…tly, in Christ his disciples, who because Christ whiles he liued vponupon the earth, kept them from all dangers, dreamed of continuall prosperitie, and could not conceiue of nor endure to heare of Christ his death and resurrection; in-so-much that at the time of his suffering they slept and slumbered, Make 14. vers. 37. and 40.when they should hauehave watched, and prayed, and when Christ was once apprehended, they all, for feare, forsooke him, …nd fled away, yea and Peter denied him three seuerall times,Math. 26. with cursing and swearing, Mark. 14. 71. This was the state of the Angell, and people of Sardis, who had a name that they liued,Reuel. 3. 1. yet were dead. The luke-warme Church of Laodicaea was tact with security, and slumber. She indeed said that she was rich, and encreased in worldly goods, Ibid. ver 17.and had need of nothing, whereas the holy Ghost testifieth of her that she was wretched, miserable, poore, blinde, and naked. And lastly the Church of Ephesus, (albeit in all other things a most excellent Church) yet she is noted for this, that she left her first louelove, that is, she had abated, and remitted much of her former louelove, both to God, and her neighbour. Now he is happy that can Rerum cognoscere causas, that is, know the causes of things, and by feeling of the pulse, iudge, and discerne of the disease.
The causes then from whence the churches slumber proceeded, were (especially) worldly prosperity, and cares, as likewise earthly delights, and pleasures; which how greatly they hinder, yea and many times choake all zeale, and sanctification, appeareth manifestly by the third sort of hearers, which are resembled to seede sowne amongst thornes, they indeed heare the word, and after their departure to their domesticall occasions, they are choakea with cares, Luke 8. Ver. 14.and with riches, and voluptuous liuing, and bring forth no fruite. The sence hereof is, that euen as thornes, & other hurtfull incombrances do choake the corne (that is otherwise prosperous) whiles it is growing to a stem or stalke: so corrupt motions of the flesh doe preuaile in the hearts of men, and ouercome faith: so that it doth suppresse, and oppresse the power and working of heauenly doctrine before it be come to his full ripenesse. And therefore it standeth eueryevery man vponupon, to pull these manifold thornes out of his heart, vnlesse hee would hauehave Gods word vtterly choaked in him. Prosperitie, and excessiue pleasures and delights, corrupted, & effeminated most wise Salomon, that at length he was drawne to commit idolatry himselfe (as some interpret) or at least) to grant a toleration and permission of it to his out-landish wiues,1. Reg. 11. & concubines, if not to others. And because the spirituall sleepe, and slumber, which hath allusion to that which is naturall, doth and will, by way of comparison with it, more fully and effectually appeare, let vsus a little consider the similitude, and proportion that is betwixt them both.
Naturall sleepe is the rest or binding of the senses, and the suspension, or interruption of the spirits, caused by certaine sumes and vapours, which by reason of plenty of meate and drinke, ascend from the stomack into the head and braine, and thereby stopping the rootes of the sinews, or nerues, are by the animall spirits caried vntounto the seates of the outward senses: so a spirituall sleepe or slumber, is a ceasing, or stopping of the spirituall senses, so that the spirituall eye, for the time, cannot see, nor the eare attend, nor the palate taste, the mouth speake, nor the stomack desire, or digest, nor the hand worke, nor the feete goe, (as in a deepe sleepe): or but very faintly, and weakly (as in a winking, or nodding slumber) such as that of the church is in this place, and it is caused from the fumes, and vapours of earthly prosperitie, cares, and pleasures, honours and glorie, which ascend from the distempered affections into the minde, and iudgement, and so stay, and suspend the spirituall senses, and cause sleeping, slumbring, nodding, winking, &c.
But because these te…ptations are not so frequent as fearefull, nor so delightsome as dangerous and deceitfull, in so much that the most vertuous, wise, learned, religious, and prudent men in the world hauehave hereby beene entised, and entangled, I will for the better laying open of them insist, and in order handle eueryevery particuler branch.
First touching wordly ioylitie and prosperitie, it pusfeth vp the heart with pride, and contempt of others; and it stealeth away the heart from God,2 Sam. 15. 6. as Absolon did the peoples from his father Dauid; and here-vponupon Paul aduiseth Timothy to charge his rich hearers that they bee not high minded, 1 Tim 6. 17.and that they trust not in vncertaineriches but in the liuing God: And to this effect, the Lord warneth the Isralites that when they hauehave eaten, & filled themselues, when they hauehave built goodly houses, and dwelt in them, when their beasts and sheepe are encreased,Deut. 8. 14. and their gold multiplied, that then their heart bee not lifted vp, no they forget the Lord their God. In prosperitie, Dauid committed adulterie, and murder, and numbred the people in the pride of his heart.Luke. 15. In his prosperitie the prodigall childe departed from his fathers house, and wasted all his substance by riotous, and intemperate liuing. From hence also sprang the sinnes of Sodom; vnnaturall lust, pr…de, fulnesse of bread, aboundance of idlenesse, and contempt of the poore.Ezechi. 16.
The Princes of Israell being at ease in Sion, …ut farre from them the euill day, Amos. 6. 3. 4. 5as though Gods plagues should neuer ceaze vponupon them: They lay vponupon their beds of Iuory, fed, and fared deliciously; had all varitie of Musicke, wines, and ointments; Put none of them was sorie forie for the affliction of Ioseph, Vers 6.that is of their bretheren in captiuitie.
The riche man in the Gospell, whose ground brought forth plentifull fruites, and whose thoughts were altogether set vponupon the enlarging of his barnes and buildings, Luke. 12. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.applauded, and soothed vp himselfe in his security, as though hee had obtained a long lease, or patent of it, but that night was his sou'e fetche… (by the Diuell) from him.
The warmth of Ca…phas his fire, and the occasion of ill company there,Marke. 4. Ver. 54. induced Peter to deny his Lord and maister. The world bewitched Demas, and made Iudas a traytor. By reason of worldly prosperitie, and eager and earnest pursuite after it, it is, that many Anassims, Nimrods and Termagonts of the earth, oppresse and insult ouer the poore afflicted and innocent; and as the great …ishes deuoure the smaller, so doe the riche the meane and poorer sort. Hence it is, that many of them, ioyne house to house,Isay 5. 8. and laye field to field, vntill there bee no place (and elbow roome for the poore), that they may be placed (alone) by them-selues in the middest of the earth. This auarice and vnquenchable thirst of the Ahabs of this world, that will neuer bee content vntill they hauehave by hooke or crooke gotte Naboth his Vineyard, is the common sinne of the land, not decreasing or going backe ten degrees, as the Sunne in the time of Ezech as, but preuailing like Noah his deluge, vntill all be drowned. The poore crye, and no man (almost) for the time regardeth or righteth them, but the Lord in heauen beholdeth all, and his eye liddes trye the children of men. And as for these encrochers and enclosers, GOD at length frustrateth them of their hope and expectation,Isai. 5. vers. 9. pulleth downe their houses, leaueth them voyde of inhabitants and tenants,Vers. 10. and curseth their grounds and fields, that they answer not the labour and cost bestowed vponupon them.
From the abuse of ease and prosperitie, likewise, ariseth ryot, pride, excesse, and phantasticknesse of apparell amongst all sorts and rankes of men, and especially in women; who like to them, yea and exceeding them much in Isaias his time,Isai. 3. vers 16. 17 &c. beyond their degree, and all comely grauitie; affect and follow after brauerie, sumptuousnes, garishnesse, strange, forraine, monstrous and ridiculus fashions, much vnbeseeming Christian profession & the daughters of GOD, who should rather labour to bee inwardly garnished then outwardly trimmed; and whose attire should bee holy, decent, comely, and rather within then aboue their calling. But this malum (I feare) is i… mebicabile & nolime tangere, the fault of Court, Citie & Country. But for all this, God wil and doth punish this pride, many times with shame and captiuitie, and many times with pouertie and beggerie, and hee will call them to account for spending so much time trifling and tricking themselues, and for improouing, racking and inhauncing their rents, to the ruine of their poore tennants, and all to maintaine their pompe, and curious brauery.
From the worlds prosperity and the desire and lusting after it, proceede so many vngodly, vnequall and vnprosperous marriages. Here it is, that sometimes men of sort and place yea and those that doe or, at least seeme to prosesse Religion very sincerely, will for landes and liuings, match their sonnes and daughters with Atheists and halfe Papists, as though religion should stoupe to riches, and as though Godlines would sooner be gotten then wordly goods. But is this marrying in the Lord? will iron and clay cleaue togither? and can any good come of so bad beginning? To conclude the great red dragon with h…s taile, that is not so much with his ceremonies, inuentions, and traditions, (albeit v…le, and antechristian) as with his pompe, promises, preferments, dignities, drew the third part of the stars from heauen, Gen. 15.and cast them to the earth. By the starres according to the phrase of scripture are ment principall and eminent persons both in church,Gen. 37. and common-wealth, that were drawne by this baite from the heauenly truth,Apoc. 1. and diuine studies, to intend wholy earthly, and transitorie things, and to become vassals, and slaues vntounto Antechrist.
Seeing that worldly prosperity, and welfare,Vse. 1. (though not properly in his owne nature, but accidentally through mans corruption) breedeth, and bringeth the before named, and many other euills with it, as wee also of this blessed Iland can for many yeares by wo…ull experiments testifie; for from hence hath proceeded so much Atheisme, so greate neglect of Gods worshippe, such contempt of the word, such prophanation in many places of Gods Sabboth, such abuse of the Sacraments, such blasphemy, such oppression, and so infinite inclosures, such a night vppon many Prophets, &c. We must therefore beware of the inffection, and poison hereof,Apoc: 17. 4. & decline it, as wee would, in a nother case,Apoc. 17. the whore of Babilons golden cup in her handful of abhominations, & filthinesse of her for…ication. Let our treasure be in heauen, not vponupon the earth let vsus not build vponupon outward prosperitie, for this is but a sandie foundation; neither lette vsus trust vntounto it, for it is as a reed, or rotten post, & will soone faile vsus, let vsus not set our heart vppon it, but vppon God, our hope, and our confidence for euer, who will neuer faile, nor forsake vsus. Let it be our seruant, and subiect, and tributary to vsus as the Cananites were to Solomon; but let it not bee our maister, and commander: for that were a base, and preposterous course, then might wee say (as Sollomon in another case saith) I hauehave seene seruants on h…rses, Eccles. 10. 7.and Princes walking as seruants on the ground.VsUs…. 2. Seeing that wordly prosperitie is not the true contenting, and …uerlasting treasure, peculier and proper onelyonly to the Saints, and seruants of God; but it is earthly, vaine, deceitfull transitory, and common to the wicked with the good, yea the wicked inioy it (though as vsurpers onelyonly before God,) commonly in greater measure then the godly; we must not rest and settle our affections vppon it, but if wee bee risen with Christ, seeke the thinges aboue. God who is all sufficient, must be our portion, and if our riches any manner of way alienate, or withdraw vsus from him, or his seruice, we must cast them away as the Mariners in a tempest cast their wares into the Sea: Better to loose all with the Apostles, and poore afflicted Hebrewes, and to gaine Christ our heauenly treasure, who is the fountaine of all happinesse: Then to winne the world, and loose heauen, and make shipwracke of our owne soules. This is not to change foreign, that is golden armour for brazen as Diomedes in Homer did with Gla…cus: but it is to exchange ease for eternitie, the world for heauen, and the Diuell for Iesus Christ.
For as much as riches, and prosperitie in them-selues, and especially to the godly who know how to vse them,Vse. 3. are not euill, but good blessings of God, and they are giuen and lent vsus of GGD to dispose of them as good Steward…, to good endes, and vppon right vses; we must therefore at the commandement of GOD, and following the worthy presidents of Abraham, Lot, I…b, the Noble Sunamite, …ad…ah, Nehem…as, Leuie, Zachaus, the Centurion, Cornelius, Dorcas, Gaius, and many more in Scripture, and in all ages sithence, with our temporals, and outward riches, releeue the distressed, feed the hungry, intertaine strangers, nourish and maintaine the Prophets, & ministers of GOD, feast the poore prouide for the fatherlesse, and widdowes, aduance religion, further learning, & doe good to the common wealth, and place where God hath seated vsus. Then shal our riches, and prosperitie bee sanctified vntounto vsus, and bee meanes to procure comfort to our soules, and strength to our faith heere: and afterwards adde to our glory in the kingdome of heauen. For according to the measure of our faith, and well-doing, shall God in fauor, and mercy reward vsus with further glory, and happines in the world to come. To end this point, shall an Heathen writer, yet Prince of Philosophers say.Arist. 1. Thou shalt louelove God, Metaphy.if thou shalt imitate him in this, that thou maiest doe good to all, and hurt to none: and shall not wee hauing the light of grace, the warrant of Gods word, the examples and practise of all his Saintes, and worthies, and so singuler, and pretious promises laid before our eyes, much more carefully, and conscionably put it in execution? Otherwise vndoubtedly, our riches, our gold, our siluer, our landes, liuings, possessions, reuenues will bee but matter, and fewell of our iust, & greater condemnation at the last day.… 5. 4.
And thus much of prosperitie, and the vses of it.