THE CONVERTS FIRST LOVE Discerned Iustified Left and Recouered Resoluing THE TRVTH OF AN EFFECTVALL CONVERSION AND Informing THE RIGHT WAY TO PERSEVERANCE and PERFECTION By THOMAS COOPER 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by F. KINGSTON for WILLIAM WELEY and are to bee sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the white Swanne 1610. TO THE RIGHT VVORshipfull and religious Sir Iames Harington Sir William Dier Sir William Fairut Sir Edward Harington Sir Thomas Fulgeam Knights and their vertuous Ladies grace mercie and peace from God the Father through IESVS CHRIST the sonne of the Father in truth and loue RIght Worshipfull and dearely beloued in the Lord whom I loue also in the truth and not I onely but they that haue knowen the truth for the truths sake which dwelleth in vs which is professed and maintained of you and shall abide with and preserue vs for euer Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath reuealed his sonne vnto you and hath giuen you a large heart towards his Saints that your delight is the Law of the Lord and your affections are to the excellent that are on earth to consider wisely of the cause of the afflicted and to minister comfort to the distressed soule And blessed be the name of his Maiestie for euer who hath respected the base estate of his seruant and made mee a witnesse both of your loue vnto his word and his afflicted members In consideration whereof as I can doe no more then testifie my thankfulnesse vnto our gracious God for his mercies bestowed on mee not only in deliuering mee from a most desperate sicknesse but in casting mee graciously on such feeling members who ministred so abundantly towards my recouerie so I must doe no lesse then to doe my vtmost indeuour that the memoriall of the iust may liue for euer and their righteousnesse may be had in euerlasting remembrance to their more comfortable assurance that their reward is with God when all will-worship and presumption of merit shall be confounded and to the prouocation of the Saints in these daies wherein charity is growen cold that they bee not weary of well-doing as being assured that in due time they shall reape if they faint not And the rather doe I finde my selfe obliged at this time to this Christian dutie because the Lord hauing inabled mee in my great weaknesse to bestow a spirituall gift vpon the most of your worships being graciously by Gods holy hand brought together to such good ends it pleased his good Maiestie so to affect your hearts with that heauenly treasure as not only to hearken with all reuerence and attention vnto the wholesome word of life but for the further establishing of your iudgements and triall of your hearts thereby that it might appeare your holy purpose was to cleaue vnto the Lord in the obedience of his word our gracious God in the riches of his mercie inclin'd some of your hearts I doubt not for the behoofe of all to desire a briefe of what had beene publikely taught thereby to trie the spirits with the men of Berea and so to hold the truth in constancie of well-doing And could I doe better then according to my poore strength and memorie then to leaue such generall and short notes with you which might in some sort testifie my desire to build you forward in Christ Iesus howsoeuer they could not satisfie your desires for the full resoluing of your consciences in so principall and profitable a point as is the triall and recouerie of our first loue And ought I not then to indeuour the further kindling of such smoaking flax such holy and gracious desires May I not iustly take occasion in paying a debt vnto you to make the Church of God become my debtor for this paines now published for the generall good and so ingage my selfe in a further and more generall debt both of praier that the Lord would giue a blessing to these poore labours and of further paines as God shall minister health occasion and libertie And shall not the Saints also become debtors vnto you by whose holy desires it is that they now also haue this glasse to discerne aright their estate in grace to recouer their decaies and grow to perfection And is not the Lord indebted vnto vs all to crowne his owne graces and recompence the faithfull imploiment of his talents And hath not our glorious God thus brought light out of darknesse Will he not perfect his power in weaknesse and wisdome in humane infirmitie Shall not the dead men liue Shall not they awake and sing which haue sate in the dust yea in the shadow of death yea haue beene euen swallowed vp of the nethermost hell Shall not the brand be pluckt out of the fire and the prey out of the teeth That the glory may be vnto our God and not vnto men Behold saith Iacob I had not thought to haue seene thy face and yet the Lord hath let mee liue to see thy seed This is the Lords doing and it is maruellous in our eies Accept therefore right worshipfull some fruit of your desires and euidence of Gods power in this weaknesse of his seruant which the more it appeares let our God the more haue the only glory both of your desires and my indeuours in blessing both with conscionable practise in this life and crowning also both with competent perfection and glory in the life to come This is the fruit of our labours and for this is and shall bee the scope and summe of my praiers vnto our God for you that according to his promise he would make you perfect in euery good worke to doe his will on earth that his will may be done on you for euer in heauen to raigne with Iesus Christ in that glory which neuer fadeth And so I humbly take my leaue From my poore house at COVENTRY this 10. of April 1610. Your Worships most bounden for euer in Iesus Christ THOMAS COOPER TO THE CHRISTIAN READER WISDOME TO DISCERNE HIS Estate aright and grace to grow forward to perfection BEloued in the Lord Iesus it is a most dangerous and yet very easie and plausible delusion to conceit vnto our selues an estate in grace when as yet wee remaine the bond-slaues of Satan And it is a very difficult and yet most necessarie triall to discerne our constant abiding and proceeding in this estate of grace For to passe by those who make a mocke of conuersion as being a touch of noueltie a brand of inconstancie and imputation of hypocrisie who is there almost that flatters not himselfe to be in the fauour of God and so interessed in his grace And hath he not many such pretences and colours heereunto which may so abuse his iudgement that hee may thinke himselfe to be somewhat when he is nothing and so refusing to be found in Christ by being lost and emptied in himselfe thereby become worse then
If yet thou art doubtfull of thy abiding in loue As thou maist decay so thou art iealous of thy selfe herein I say vnto thee Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies And that thou maist be resolued whether thou art decaied or no obserue for thy triall these markes thereof which are apparent symptomes of the leauing of our first loue 1. Know thou that if thou hast lost that peace of conscience whereby thou wast wont to come with boldnes into the presence of thy God and powre out thy soule in strong cries and teares vnto thy God and so canst not pray with that euidence as in former times with that patience and constancie ouercomming thy God 2. If thou growest fearfull of troubles and vsest carnall policie to preuent them 3. If thou growest worldly and couetous withdrawing thy hand from the necessities of thy brother and neglecting the occasions of charitie c. 4. If thou growest negligent in hearing of the word contenting thy selfe either with none or an vneffectuall Ministerie 5. If thou canst dispense with thy selfe in vaine sports and recreations gaming vaine talke c. whereof heretofore thou madest some conscience wasting thy time and wit in them 6. If thou canst frame to all companies and temporize with each as presuming vpon thy protection from thy Christian calling Ephes 5. 1. 7. If thou art afraid of death and neglectest the daily and constant examination of thy waies and holie duties in priuate vnto thy God 8. If thou canst so ioy in these earthly things as either not to feele a lothsomnesse in them or not to vse them as sparkes to encrease the fire of thy spirituall ioy 9. If thou measurest the happinesse of the life to come by that sense which for the present thou hast thereof thou doest not liue by faith and therefore thou hast left thy first loue And for thy comfort obserue herein an especiall mercie of thy God that there will follow this losse of loue 1. Inward trouble of conscience which will giue thee no rest till thou hast resolued thy case with God and recouered Psal 6. 38 c. 2. Some outward sensible stripe either in thy goods person children to open thine eyes the better and bring thee to repentance Iob 33. 15 16. 3. Now the world will not faile to flatter thee and as it were to owne thee that so thou maist suspect thy selfe the rather 4. And yet that thou maist discerne the worlds loue thou shalt not want some mocke and reproch to cast the durt of thy decay in thy face that so thou maist bee ashamed and confounded in this decay 5. And happily thou maist be giuen vp to some grosse sinne the more to discredit thee with the world that so thou maist not be corrupted with the flattery thereof And therefore thus thou maist recouer out of this decay 1. Rest vpon the promises of thy God that thou shalt recouer and thy latter end shall bee better then the beginning 2. Meditate on the former experience of the ioy of the spirit that so thou maist presse the Lord from his wonted mercies Psal 77. 1. Sam. 17. 3. Consider the meanes that the Lord vsed to plant this ioy and loue in thy heart and by the same know that he will renue this worke and therefore at no hand be driuen from the meanes Cant. 1. Cant. 4. 5. 4. Resolue that thy former estate was better then now Os 2. 8. 9. and therfore returne to thy first loue againe that so the Lord may renue and increase thy loue vnto him 5. Acquaint the experienced souldier with this thy estate that so he may be a meanes to quicken thee againe 6. Giue wee not ouer our pursuit of these comforts spare we no paines thinke we all time too little impose we extraordinarie afflictions as fasting and so groning vnder the burden and detesting our selues giue wee the Lord no rest till he hath returned to his rest and recouered our decaies Cantic 5. To this end vse we the meanes before set downe to recouer from Apostasie And be we comforted that we shall not lose though we haue left this loue And this is the last lesson to bee obserued out of this Scripture Namely That the Saints shall not lose though they leaue their first loue Luk. 11. Psal 92. 2. Tim. 4. 19. 1. Because the Lord hath promised to continue his loue towards them Ioh. 13. 1. Ioh. 17. 2. Their afflictions doe tend to their perseuerance as purging out their sinnes Esay 1. 25. 3. Their sins turne to their continuance in grace 1. as making them afraid of sinne 2. and more expert to conquer the same 3. more fit for grace by making them more humble and hungry after it 4. more mercifull to others and therefore moouing the Lord to haue more compassion on them 4. Their Sauiour liueth and triumpheth to make them more then conquerours Rom. 8. 36. 37. Ioh. 12. 32. 5. The spirit and word shall abide in them to hold them on in grace And therefore 1. This condemneth the blasphemie of Papists who teach that the Saints may fall finally and therein doe impeach the power and faithfulnesse of God 2. It checketh the insolencie of the wicked that reioice at the fals of the Saints and insult ouer them seeing that though they fall they shall rise againe Mich. 7. 9. 3. As also it reprooueth the infidelity of the Saints who doubt of their recouery and wrong the faithfulnesse of God and power of their faith greeue the blessed spirit and deny in a sort the merit of Christ 4. Heere is first for the world to iustifie Gods faithfulnesse seeing he doth not forsake for euer Lam. 3. 24. 25. 5. Heere the Saints are lessoned as to feare their falles and not to sinne vpon presumption of recouerie so not to distrust of Gods mercie in their greatest failings seeing the Lord is faithfull and they shall recouer though not so forcible a measure as before they had yet sufficient to the enioying of that happinesse that the Lord Iesus hath purchased for them To this end for the further satisfying and comforting of the conscience obserue wee these two things First that it is one thing to leaue our first loue and to be luke-warme neither hot nor cold 2. That there is great oddes betweene leauing our first loue and losing it altogether we may leaue in regard of a former measure and yet hold a true graine which shall cleere vs of luke-warmnesse and though we leaue a measure yet wee lose not all because the least remaining will be a meanes to recouer againe if not so much as we haue had yet so much as shall serue both to keepe from finall apostasie and further to eternall glory 6. And therefore heere is matter of exceeding consolation to the elect of God not to trust their owne vnbeleeuing hearts much lesse Satanslies but to rest on the faithfulnesse of God not iudging themselues by what they
who are his yet it lieth much in vs either to make sure and beautifie the building by being watchfull and diligent in well-doing or else by our negligence and security to deface and interrupt the same yea many times to our sense and feeling euen vtterly to ouerthrow the same For proofe heereof peruse this treatise ensuing let it be in Gods feare a touch-stone vnto thee to make triall of a sound conuersion and take it as a preseruatiue to keepe thee in the power of godlines that so thou maist not leaue thy first loue If by pride or security thou hast beene left to thy selfe and so hast left thy former measure view thy selfe diligently in this present glasse and vse it as a meanes for thy recouerie and perseuerance Expect not what may be said seeing my health and study affoords only breuity neither misconstrue what may be well digested lest thou be peruerted by a stumbling blocke Though many are called yet but few are chosen and therefore if few digest this pill let them not condemne the physicke but their owne ill-disposed hearts Those that can get meat out of the eater and sweetnesse out of the strong let them praise the glorious Lord who bringeth light out of darknesse and not cease praying vnto our gracious Father that he would turne our darknesse into light and enable vs to worke while yet we haue the light that so wee may approoue our selues the children of the light and bee prepared to that light which shall neuer be changed into darknesse Euen so be it Come Lord Iesus Come quickly ⸪ In whom I rest thine vnfainedly THOMAS COOPER DOCTRINES AND OBSERVAtions opened heerein are 1 That the best haue their infirmities 2 The least euill in the Saints causeth the Lord to haue a controuersie with them 3 Sinne not to bee smoothered but plainely reprooued 4 The godly must perseuere in grace and grow to perfection 5 Euery true conuert hath a first loue where of the meanes and markes thereof 6 The Conuert may leaue his first loue where of the meanes whereby it is cooled 7 First loue may seeme to be lost when it is not where diuers false imputations are remooued 8 The leauing of first loue with the true markes and symptomes thereof 9 First loue how to bee recouered and re-gained againe c. 10 How farre the Saints may recouer their first loue 11 The Saints cannot finally nor wholly lose their first loue but shall in some measure recouer it THE CONVERTS FIRST LOVE REVELAT 2. 4. Neuerthelesse I haue somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first Loue. OVr blessed Sauiour hauing by the Ministerie of his Apostles planted diuers Churches in Asia directeth his seruant Iohn the Euangelist to write vnto each of them for their further strengthening in the faith And because the Church of Ephesus was both famous for the outward glorie and inward graces thereof as also in a sort the peculiar charge of the Apostle Iohn therefore doth he first send greeting to that Church giuing very iust and true testimonie vnto her of the great graces of God bestowed vpon her and her profitable vse of them in the second and third verses And that she might not be ouercome of spirituall pride to which in regard of such excellent graces she might be subiect yea was so tainted therewith as that it wrought in her some securitie and thereupon remissenesse he therefore giues her notice of this her decay and cooling in the fourth verse telling her that He had somewhat against her because she had left her first loue both therein expressing the greatnes of her fall by the excellencie of the thing wherein she failed namely her first loue as also aggrauating this her fall by the iust esteeme thereof in the iudgement of her Sauiour Christ namely that it gaue occasion for him that was her aduocate now to come against her and to haue a controuersie with her as an enemie and thereby giuing her to conceiue in what a fearefull case she stoode hauing him now to be against her who if he were on her side she need not feare who were against her who being against her all other things though with her must necessarily serue to her further condemnation So that these words doe containe a description of some declination in this Church of Ephesus with some arguments to lay this her estate more closely to her heart that so she might by repentance recouer her selfe againe Wherein first that this Church of Ephesus though otherwise endowed with excellent graces and hauing so prospered in the holy vse of them that she receiues a testimonie from the trueth himselfe of such great faithfulnesse as to haue endured patiently and not fainted is yet notwithstanding charged by the same Lord Iesus to be defectiue and to haue some failings and imperfections in her wee may learne here this lesson That as the best Church so the best Christian hath and may haue some infirmities and corruptions as appeareth by these places 1. Ioh. 1. 9. Iames 3. 2. Chron. 8. 36. and by the examples of the best Dauid 2. Sam. 12. commits murder and adulterie Peter denies his master Matth. 27. Moses did not giue glorie to God in beleeuing his word Noah was drunken Salomon idolatrous c. Numb 20. Gen. 38. Gen. 9. Thus haue the saints of God been subiect to infirmities and that not before their conuersion only but euen after also as the Apostle Paul in the name of all the rest acknowledgeth for himselfe in the seuenth to the Romans 19 20 21 22. And surely seeing the Lord Iesus hath satisfied the wrath of his father for vs in fulfilling the lawe and vndergoing the penaltie thereof and so continues daily our intercessor and suertie to answere vnto the iustice of God for our offences and to obtaine pardon for them so that there is no necessitie that we should be freed quite from sinne and so perfit as to fulfill the law of God seeing the Lord Iesus hath performed this already and therefore for vs to vndertake the same were to intrude into Christs office and so to rob him of his glorie Therefore that some infirmities and corruptions doe remaine in vs seeing now the guilt and punishment yea the dominion and rage of sinne is taken away by Christ It is very conuenient and profitable and that first 1. That Gods free mercie may be daily aduanced in the pardoning of sinne Psalm 51. 12 13. 2. That the merit of Christ Iesus may be glorified in satisfying for sinne Iohn 9. 3. That our saluation may be better assured vnto vs in the daily experience of Gods loue in the forgiuenesse and healing of our particular corruptions 2. Pet. 1. 8. 4. That the graces of the spirit may be exercised in the daily resisting and conquering of sinne Ephes 6. 11 12 13. 1. Pet. 4. 5. That the power of God may be perfited in
Christ wee inlarge our selues to declare the same to our brethren labouring to bring them to Christ by plucking them out of the fire Ioh 1. 18. Iude 22. This is our first loue these are the markes thereof and by the same it is graciously preserued and encreased 1. Whereby all those sudden flashes and fained and inconstant affections of hypocrites are reiected Hebrewes 6. 4. and 2. We put to the triall for the soundnes of our conuersion if we haue found such a loue in our hearts by such euident marks 3. The world is heere condemned that boasts of the fauour of God when it hath no argument of it conuersion by this loue nay esteemeth it a wonder and madnes to be conuerted 4. And the saints are comforted that seeing their loue vnto God dependeth on his loue vnchangeable to them 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Therefore as his is vnchangeable Ioh. 13. 1. so shall theirs be well they may leaue it but they shall neuer lose it And yet it is a great affliction that they leaue their loue although of a certaintie The Saints may leaue their first loue so did Dauid Peter Salomon c. Psal 51. Galat. 2. 1. King 11. And the reasons are Because as the fire is slacked by two meanes either by withdrawing fuell frō it or putting water or ashes thereto So there are two meanes whereby the loue of the Saints doth decay in them Either when they faile in such meanes as doe nourish the same or Doe adde such as may corrupt and coole namely when either they 1. Neglect the powerfull ministerie of the word c. 1. Thes 5. 19. 20. 2. The constant practise of priuat and publike prayer 3. Or the fellowship of the Saints Heb. 10. 4. Or the motions of the spirit 5. Or neglect to examine their hearts daily 6. Or faile in daily repentance or 7. Neglect to conuert others Or else doe adde that which may corrupt 1. As spirituall pride of Gods graces 2. Carnall policie subiecting religion to the same 3. Prosperitie and setting their hearts thereon through couetousnesse Psalm 119. Luke 18. 1. Tim. 6. 4. Abuse of Christian libertie in the enioying of pleasures c. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 8. and vse of things indifferent Concerning spirituall pride as Conuerts are subiect hereto in regard 1. That now not being as others yea as themselues were yea being in some measure made partakers of the diuine nature and aduanced to the hope of so glorious an inheritance may they not hereby be enticed to iustifie thēselues and despise their brethren to condemne where they should endeuour to conuert c. Esay 5. 6. 2. Euen their desire to keepe themselues in this estate may be an occasion to Satan to breede spirituall pride in them As namely that being now pluckt out of the common condemnation and separated from the world and wicked ones by their effectuall calling may not the Saints vpon pretence to keepe themselues vnspotted and vndefiled grow to singularitie and so to separation which are very dangerous branches of spirituall pride 3. The execution also of their callings is subiect to much spirituall pride Either they may neglect altogether their ciuill callings as too base and derogatorie from the prouidence of God and their Christian libertie which is a fruite of spirituall pride seeing the Lord hath imposed these callings to humble them Or else they may so carrie themselues in their Christiā callings as by their morositie discontent c. they shall not obscurely discouer much spirituall pride 4. The speciall prouidence of the Almightie in leading them to perfection may also through the subtiltie of Satan be an occasion of much spirituall pride And that 1. Either in regard of such chastisements which the Lord exerciseth their nature to clense the same in the impatient bearing whereof pride is discouered 2. Or else the prosperitie of the wicked may bee an occasion of spirituall pride as being prouoked by Satan to fret and repine thereat Psal 37. 1. Ierem. 12. Iob 1. 3. Either they may be puffed vp with those wonderfull deliuerances which the Lord in his mercie bestoweth on them in their conduction to glorie 2. Cor. 1. verses 9 10. 2. Cor. 12. 7. 4. Or else they may reioyce at the destruction of their enemies and so be tainted with spirituall pride Iob 31. 5. Either they may be hastie in expecting the reward and so for want of patience discouer spirituall pride Heb. 10. 6. Or else desire death in regard of their continuall troubles and so discouer their pride in not waiting the Lords leisure Iob 3. Ionas 4. 7. Either they may be crossed in their expectations and so preferring their credits before Gods glorie bewray their pride Ionas 4. 1. 2. 8. Or else beyond their hope and expectation they may be endued with extraordinarie graces and so are subiect to be exalted aboue measure 2. Cor. 12 7. 8. Thus may the Saints be subiect to spirituall pride and so thereby giue occasion of the losse of their first loue 1. The Lord resisting the proud and bringing low the mountaines emptying the high minded and giuing grace to the humble 1. Pet 5. 5. 2. Their pride making them seeme vncharitable and so not vsing their talents they are for a time taken away 3. The spirit hereby being grieued ceaseth to worke in them nay happily leaues them to grieuous buffetings Touching policie by it I meane that wisedome which ciuill gouernment discouereth in managing it affaires for the adorning and preseruing thereof This howsoeuer it may be an handmaid to religion yet carrieth some sway in the manner thereof as 1. In ordering the time and place and outward decencie for the diuine worship 2. In compelling the outward man to the outward forme and meanes of religion 3. As also in executing the holy censures of the Church vpon the refractarie and obstinate 4. And in protecting the innocencie and vprightnes of the Saints from the rage and wrongs of the wicked and 5. Punishing the enemies of the Church Yet may it also proue an enemie to sinceritie and so bee an occasion if wee be guided thereby to leaue our first loue and that in these respects As First when it vndertakes to iudge and authorise the rule of religion namely the word of God 2. When it adioynes to the same the inuentions of man making it equall with the word of truth 3. When it stands more vpon the forme then the power of godlinesse 4. When it excludes the substance of religion for the outward complement thereof 5. When it becomes a meanes to iustifie the wicked and condemne the righteous Esay 5. Matth. 27. 6. When it presumes to limit sinceritie to times persons and 7. When it insulteth and lords it ouer the conscience by inquisition into the secrets of the heart and violent forcing the same contrarie to the tendernes and true information thereof
Thus may Policie bee an enemie to religion and so a meanes of the leauing of our first loue And so may also Prosperitie 1. If either hauing much wee set our hearts vpon it Psal 62. 10. and so are withdrawne to execute the lusts of our hearts 2. Or measure our estate in grace by our prosperitie 3. Or are not willing to be abased as we doe abound 4. Or grow secure and vncharitable hereby either despising our poore brethren or insulting ouer theÌ„ 1. Pet. 5. much lesse being inlarged in compassion of their affliction or open handed to relieue them or promise constancie of this ticklish estate vnto our selues 5. And so also by abuse of our Christian libertie wee may leaue our first loue as hereafter shall more fully bee declared Thus may we leaue our first loue by these meanes may our zeale be cooled and abated And this serueth 1. For our triall whether euer we had any first loue or no namely if wee shall finde that by these meanes wee haue been cooled therein 2. And so for our comfort and sound direction that if we euer had this first loue we shall recouer it againe and 3. That wee may know how to recouer it by vsing aright such meanes as being abused haue been the occasion of this decay the manner whereof is laid downe hereafter And this serueth further 1. For reproofe of our times who may be iustly charged to haue left our first loue by trying our selues by the former meanes whereby this first loue is slaked 2. And for our further instruction herein 1. Know we that we may be subiect to a false imputation of leauing our first loue in many respects As 1. when vpon the iust consideration of the nature of our Christian libertie as being spirituall we limit our zeale within the bounds of our callings so giuing vnto God the things that are his that we denie not also vnto Caesar that which is his This moderation howsoeuer with the Anabaptists it be traduced as luke warmnesse and temporizing with the world to auoid affliction yet indeed it is an holy rectifying and ordering of our zeale by humilitie and wisdome that so it may hold out and be perfited through patience and that from the commandement of the Lord our God Rom. 13. 2. We may be falsely charged to haue left our first loue when wee are outwardly encreased with temporall blessings As if because prosperitie is apt to coole by making vs secure and forgetfull of our God therefore it must needes follow that wheresoeuer there is outward abundance there is inward leannes and barrennesse Psalme 106. 15. Which imputation is hereby proued to be most vniust 1. Both because the Saints of God haue increased outwardly and thriuen inwardly too as Abraham Dauid c. 2. The vertue of that promise makes hereunto That if all things then surely outward blessings shall worke together for the good of the elect Rom. 8. 29. especially seeing the Lord giueth grace to vse these gifts aright 1. And seeing godlinesse hath the promise of this life aswell as of a better and the more y e Saints partake of the mercy of God y e more their thankfulnes obedience doth encrease and being knit vnto the Lord with more bonds seeing the more they receiue the more they feare themselues and so by imparting liberally vnto others doe ease themselues of the burthen and approue their loue vnto God by their vnfained loue vnto his Saints as hereby they are more deeply interessed in y e prayers of the Saints so is heauen more inlarged to the increase of their loue The Lord heares the prayers of the poore and inlargeth the hearts of his stewards to loue y t God more seruently that so inables theÌ„ to comfort others And so being faithful in a little they are still increased vntill being full of grace and abounding in euery good worke they are made meete partakers of that glorious inheritance 1. Coll. 12. Matth. 25. 1. Cor. 15. And may not our spirituall wisedome in auoiding of vnnecessarie troubles expose vs sometimes to this false imputation that we haue left our first loue 1. Yea surely if either by wise and modest answeres we auoid troubles 2. Or by concealing of that truth which wee are not bound in conscience to discouer we so escape 3. Or by auoiding the rage of our enemies when our time is not yet come we are yet freed from troubles by remouing from our habitations 4. Or by changing our habits and features we so auoid the furie of the aduersarie if by any of these through the blessing of God wee escape such troubles which others for want of this wisedome are ouertaken with presently wee are charged with want of zeale we are condemned to be luke warme to haue left our first loue and c. 5. Especially if wee vse our goods as a meanes to redeeme the bodie from trouble oh this is censured as vnlawfull and so auoiding troubles as by vnlawfull meanes we are challenged of cowardize want of zeale corruption c. An imputation how vniust and vncharitable it is may appeare by these circumstances 1. Because we are not bound to giue an account of our faith to euery priuate man but only to the Magistrate and whomsoeuer hath lawfull authoritie to require it at our hands as the Minister and such as haue charge ouer vs. And that because Hereby they may haue comfort in discharge of their dutie that they haue not laboured in vaine or 2. May be humbled in our want of profiting and growing in knowledge and so encrease their paines and prayers for vs. 3. They are in Gods stead and in refusing to giue an account vnto theÌ„ we deny and renouÌ„ce euen God himself 4. They may be prouoked hereby to perseuerance and maintenance of the truth 5. Though they must not be Lords ouer the conscience to make or alter the truth yet they are witnesses vnto the conscience concerning the trueth yea they are approâ—ers and maintainers thereof to the comforâ— of the beleeuer and furtherance of his faith And therefore Though we giue not account of our faith either 1. To the scorner that hereby will take occasion to insult and blaspheme our God and his sacred truth 2. Or to the open enemie that as he hath no calling to require so we haue warrant to conceale it as being bound to preserue life and not to cast pearles to swine 3. Or to the ignorant that desireth not information thereby lest we beate the aire and runne before we are called expose our profession o contempt c. 4. Or to the priuate Christian otherwise then in a case of necessitie on our parts to remoue a false imputation and on his part to guide him that is in darknesse and desires our helpe Yet doe we not herein betray our faith but rather wisely maintaine the honour and preserue the vertue thereof both in
faint after them and refresh my soule with the meditation thereof yet I finde them not so abound and runne ouer as in former times may I not hereby coniecture that I haue lost my first loue Surely the Lord giue thee wisedome herein that thou doest not wrong thine owne heart and preiudice the wisedome and mercie of thy God Remember that thou liuest by faith and not by sense 2. Cor. 3. 7. though thou seest no outward meanes yet thy faith will assure thee that God is able and will prouide him a sacrifice Genes 22. Yea though thou hast no inward feeling of comfort yet shalt thou trust in God euen though he kill thee And this is the victorie of thy faith euen to beleeue aboue feeling thus is thy faith perfited euen laying hold on things not seene when it is depriued of the sense of things past and present And may not thy God withdraw these comforts from thee for the further triall of thy faith and loue vnto his Maiestie that though thou want that comfort which heretofore thou hast had yet still thou canst giue glorie vnto thy God in beleeuing his word and in large thy loue vnto his Maiestie euen when he seemes to haue forsaken thee And canst thou haue a better triall of the power and purenes of thy faith then aboue hope to beleeue vnder hope in the promises of thy God subiecting thy chiefest good vnto the glorie of God and through want of present sense being guided to forget what thou hast enioyed lest through spirituall pride thou mightest rest therein and rob God of his glorie thou doest the rather make haste to that which is before by the power of thy faith seeing a farre off yea laying fast hold on eternall life by renuing thy strength in Iesus Christ And is not the Lord herein wonderful that by withdrawing sense of present ioy he both purgeth vs of such euils as may corrupt the same namely spirituall pride and securitie and also causeth vs hereby to lay faster hold on Iesus Christ who onely must perfit the worke that is begun in vs And canst thou expresse thy loue in greater measure vnto thy God then to loue him then when hee seemes to haue forsaken thee then to follow after him when hee seemes to runne from thee doth not this aduance the sinceritie of thy loue doth not this exceedingly approue thy conformitie to thy Sauiour that as hee was contented to be abased in himself yea to become of no reputation that thou maist be accepted so thou art contented to be emptied that God may be glorified thou canst willingly want present comfort that thy God may haue vnfained worship when now not so much for thine owne sake as for his glorie thou doest beleeue in him when though he kill thee yet thou wilt trust in him And canst thou be a loser where the Lord is such a gainer by thee canst thou leaue thy loue when the Lord doth purpose to trie the soundnes of it when the Lord prouoketh thee to liue by faith when by the power of faith hee will thus enable thee to lay hold of eternall life Surely as this is the life of faith to exceed present sense so this want of present comfort thus conceiued and applied shall be both a meanes to enable thee to make better vse of such ioy when the Lord shall againe turne his countenance vpon thee and in the meane time minister exceeding comfort vnto thy soule that thou doest constantly beleeue in and vnfainedly loue the Lord thy God And therefore doubt not herein of any decay of thy loue vnto thy God because the Lord in his wisedome for thy trial withdrawes the present pledges of his loue from thee For neither couldest thou endure at all in thy sense of this want of present comfort if thy God did not secretly vphold thee with inward and vnspeakeable consolations And in that thou discernest want of ioy it is not so much because thou wantest that which thou hast had as that by faith thou apprehendest that vnspeakable ioy which thou hast not which that it doth euacuate and emptie thee of sense of present coÌ„fort it is no more maruell then that the glorious light of the Sunne should obscure the light of a candle or that a drop should not be discerned being cast into the maine Ocean Onely for thy full satisfaction herein examine thy heart in this case by these rules First that thou hast not giuen thy God iust occasion to withdraw these comforts from thee either 1. By not prizing them bighly and inualuably 2. Or by not being throughly humbled with theÌ„ else 3. Through beholding of the Sun when it shined thou wast dazled and puffed vp therewith 4. And so didst not imploy them to the best vse of thy Master aduancing his glorie and to y e good of thy brother 5. Either thou didst measure the infinite loue of thy God by them and so didst ouerrate these comforts 6. Or else thou didst corrupt them by mingling them with the flesh and making them serue the lusts thereof 7. Either thou conceiuedst basely of the meanes that conuaied these comforts vnto thee namely the ministerie of the word dreaming of reuelations and extraordinarie meanes 8. Or else being ouerioyed with these comforts thou becamest presumptuous and idle neglecting thy calling which God hath appointed to humble thee and thereby to fit thee to greater comforts Secondly examine thy affections in the want of these present comforts 1. That thou esteeme not thy case desperate for want of them Neither 2. Be so contented with this dispensation of thy God but that it reioyceth thee vnfainedly to remember what thou hast felt and 3. Thou doest vnfainedly mourne for the want of this graâ—ious aspect and withall 4. Doest vnfainedly hunger after the returne and increase thereof And to this end 5. Doest vse conscionably and reioyce in the meanes of the preaching of the Gospell and effectuall prayer for the recouerie of the same Cant. 1 5. 6. Yea doest labour to conferre with the Saints and holy ones making triall of their feelings and quickning thereby thy dulnes by prouoking their prayers c. 7. And waitest patiently the leisure of thy God for the returne of comfort as may stand with his glorie resoluing thy selfe that his grace is sufficient for thee Thus if thou art resolued in thy iudgement and art thus established in thy affections The lesse thou feelest the loue of thy God the more is the triall of thy loue towards him and the more hee tries thy loue the more is his loue towards thee and therefore thy loue to him must needs be enlarged which thou doest expresse by thy saith in beleeuing beyond thy feeling and hereby giuing glorie vnto God thou doest grow in his fauour by the power whereof thou art encreased in his obedience and so followest hard after the marke to obtaine that crowne of glorie
are in their decay but by what they were in their first loue and so pressing the Lord in his faithfulnesse and their former experience they shall bee vpheld in their greatest failings by a secret power and in good time the Lord will appeare vnto them to bring foorth their righteousnesse as the light and their weldoing as the noone day that so their latter end may be better then their beginning Glory be to the Lord Iesus Act. 1. 7. Matt. 25. 28. 29 2. Cor. 12. 8. Esay 26. Zach. 3. Esay 49. Genes 48. 11. Galat. 6. 3. Rom. 8. 7. Iohn 9. 43. Occasions to conceiue a false conuersion 1. Complexion 2. Natures impotencie 3. Education 4. Restraining spirit Rom. 7. Note Heb. 10. 27. 28. 5. Spirit of illumination Matth. 7. 1. Cor. 9. Iob 10. Gal. 6. 10. 2. Tim. 3. 6. Afflictions Psal 78. 2. Pet. 2. 7. Prosperitie 3. Ciuill calling Prou. 1. Psal 55. Ier. 48. 11. Os 4. 7. Psal 78. Os 5. 1. Tim. 4. 5. Eccl. 9. 1. Psal 19. 1. Pet. 1. 18. 1. Ioh. 1. 8. 8. Profession Practise Matth. 7. Luk. 8. Mark 6. 25. Tit. 2. 11. Matth. 5. Act. 15. 19. Act. 1â— 23. 2. Cor. 2. 14. Iohn 15. Psal 119. Ezech. 33. 30. 31. Heb. 4. 2. 1. Cor. 1. 21. 2. Tim. 2 19. 2. Pet. 1. 10. 2. Phil. 12. Psal 51. Psal 73. Malach. 3. Reuel 2. Matth. 22. 14. 2. Cor. 4. 6. 7. Ioh. 12. Occasion and coherence Verse 1. Ose 4. 1. Lament 2. Rom. 8. 31. Summe and sense 1. Doctrine The best haue their infirmities Ephes 2. Col. 2. Rom. 5. 1. Iohn 1. 8. Ephes 5. 23. Rom. 6. 12. Rom. 8. 1. Reasons Why infirmities remaine in the Saints Ephes 5. 1. Ioh. 1. 8. Rom. 4. Vses 1. Of reproofe 1. of the Papist 2. Prophane Protestant 3. The ignoraÌ„t Protestant 4. The carnall Protestant Sinne to be striuen against though we can not fully and wholly subdue it in this life 5. The weake Protestant 2. Vse of instruction 1. To rest only on Christ 2. To be humbled with inward corruptions 3. To be compassionate to others 4. To trie our estate in sanctification by infirmities 3. Vse Of comfort That we haue right in Christ To preuent despaire 1. Ioh. 1. 8. Eph. 5. 19. 20. 21. Rom. 5. 3. 4. Galat. 4. 6. 7. Not to imagine our case singular That infirmities shall not fester in vs. Iob 33. 15. Act. 2. 36 37 38 2. Doctrine Sinne to be reproued Leuit. 19. 17. Reasons Vse 1. Of reproofe to the flattering teacher 2. Of the peruerse and malitious that cals darkenes light and light darknesse 3. Of the respecter of persons 2. Of the people 2. Tim. 4. Galat. 4. 2. Vse of instruction Hos 6. 5. Esay 58. 1. Iohn 16. â— Sinne how to be reproued Amos 7. 8. 1. Sam. 12. 1. Sam. 2. 3. 3. Vse of comfort Doctrine 3. The least sin in the Saints is sufficient to make the Lord to come against them as an enemie Rom. 7. Vses 1. Of conuictioÌ„ to those that by reason of prospeâ—â—â—y flatter themselues in integritie 2. Those that are impatient vnder the rod deseruing the same 3. Those that iudge peremptorily the estates of men by outward things Vse 2. Instruction how to keepe God our friend 2. To be patient vnder the rod. 3. To trie our estate by the vse of y e crosse How the saints though leauing their first loue yet may be iustified that they faint not Doctrine 4. The elect must goe forward and perseuere in grace Reasons Vses 1. Of reproofe to those that deceiue themselues with good intents and motions Of such as goe backward 3. As feare to to be noted of singularitie 4. Such as iustifie decaies Vse 2. Of instruction how to increase Meanes of apostasie 1. Corrupt iudgement 2. Corrupt practize Meanes whereby wee may attaine constancie in weldoing 1. Peter 4. 15. Doct. 5. Euery true conuert hath a first loue Rom. 5. 3. First loue discerned by markes Matth. 13. Ioh. 6. Coloss 3. 1. 1. Tim. 1. 15 16. 17. Luke 22. 33. Vse To condemne flashes tasts To trie our conuersion To reprooue the worlds deceit To comfort the Saints Doct. 6. The Elect may leaue their first loue And by what meanes Meanes of leauing first loue 1. Withdrawing that should nourish it 2. Adding what may coole and quench it 1. Spirituall pride an occasion to leaue our first loue and how 2. Pet. 1. 3. Ecccl. 1. 9. Matth. 25. Ephes 4. 30. â— Policie a meanes oâ— cooling our first loue Policie how a friend to religion How an enemie and â—o a meanes fleauing out first loue The practize of popâ—rie in maintaining their religion Prosperitie an occasion to coole our first loue and how Psal 30. 6. And so our abuse of Christian libertie Vses 1. Of triall 2. Of comfort 3. Of instruction to recouer 4. Of reproofe The saints may be vniustly charged to haue left their first loue and how Matth. 2â— And that first in the true discerning and vse of our christian libertie whereby we submit our selues to lawfull authoritie 2. In that wee are endowed with outward prosperitie 1. Tim. 4. 8. 2 3 4 5 6 1. Iohn 4. 20. Gen. 20. 7 8 9 2. Cor. 1. 7. 8. 10 See the daily sacrifice for the right vse of prosperitie 3. Spirituall wisedome in auoiding of troubles an occasioÌ„ to charge vs with losse of first loue And cleered from this imputation Faith how and to whom to be giuen account of 1. To the Magistrate and Minister and why Faith to whom 〈…〉 be giuen account of How to discern inward sufficiencie to make open proâ—eâ—sion of faith in the time of trouble 1. Phil. 27. Iohn 19. How to discern an outward calling to make publike proâ—ession oâ— faith in troubles Wherein we may be silent Ioh. 7. Prou 9. Ose 14. Names and habits whe her they may be changed and how farre Names not to be changed Abrahams name changed and no warraÌ„t because this was done by God and the case different Feature Apparell may be changed 1. Phil. Deut. 22. A fourth occasion is the vse of spirituall wisedom in reprouing for sin A fifth occasion is outward and inward afflictioÌ„s 2. Cor. 8. 12. 13. A sixth occasion 〈◊〉 the honest prouision for our families 1. Tim. 5. A seuenth occasion to this vniust challenge that we haue lost our first loue is the vse of our christian libertie in things indifferent Act. 10. Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Tim. 4. Tit. 1. 15. The right vse of Christian liberty in things indifferent Phil. 1. 9. Rom. 13. 8. Whether want of feeling of former comforts may be a iust imputation that we haue left our-first loue 1 Gods prouidence discouered herein Iob 13. 15. 2 Heb. 11. 1. 3 Rom. 4. 20. 4 5 6 Rom. 9. Iob 13. 15. 7 Noteâ— Resolution herein 8 9 Note Triall hereof Prou. 28. 13. How to know whether we haue left our first loue By these markes Symptomes that follow the leauing of our first loue How to recouer first loue Doct. 7. The Saints shall not lose their first loue Reason 1. Ose 2. 19. Esa 49. Esa 27. Vse Psal 37. 5. Luk. 12.