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
in contracts and bargaines goes currant with men for stanch and sound holinesse But if we enter into Gods sanctuarie and by the rule of the word determine heereof is not the prosperity of the wicked their destruction and not their conuersion Doth not the old sent remaine in Moab because he was not changed from vessell to vessell but enioied constant prosperity thereby was setled on his lâ—es and rooted more obstinately in natures dregges thereby exercised more greedily and desperatly the lusts thereof Can the change of the outward estate change the inward man from worse to better As they were increased so did not Gods people rebell against him who in their afflictions sought vnto him deceitfully Is not heere a change from better to worse An hypocrite in affliction as being bridled and restrained prooues a desperate enemie when by prosperitie he hath power in his hands As for walking in a ciuill calling howsoeuer this being sanctified by the spirituall may bee a meanes to lay vp a good foundation against the day of Christ 1. Tim. 6. 19. 20. yet to the naturall man there is not a more dangerous outward meanes to exclude grace then the greatest measure of honestie that is seene therein For is it not the grace of this calling to rest in it selfe for good successe without inuocation of Gods assistance or reference to his blessing Is not our pursuit heereof a priuilege to exempt from holy duties We must liue and therefore we cannot be bookish We haue no leasure to the Church c. Nay is it not a price proposed to incourage diligence in these worldly businesses euen licence to prophane the Sabbaths to despise the word c. And what if men keepe touch and day in paiments and contracts What if a little eie-seruice be vsed in the outside of their wares Is it for conscience to God to whom they desire to approoue the truth of their hearts or only a care for the maintenance of trading and mutuall commerce which without this outward equitie must needs be abolished Who will trust or shall be trusted if word be not kept But is it kept any further then may cleere from touch of mans law Is promise kept heere to our hindrance so we may winde out by the arme of flesh Is the substance of our wares any thing lesse then answerable to the shew Is not God robbed of his glorie while we sacrifice to our labour and wit and Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the honour of my name c. Surely as these outward things are common to all so no man knoweth loue or hatred either by prosperity or aduersitie Well may a good man by right vsage make these good vnto him but these of themselues may wel make him worse otherwise they haue no power inwardly to better him Only it belongeth vnto God through the ministerie of his word to conuert the soule as tendring to this end vnto vs not corruptible things as siluer and gold which make outwardlie happie in this life but the pretious blood of Christ as a Lambe vndefiled and without spot whereby wee are cleansed from all our sinnes and redeemed from our vaine conuersation receiued by the tradition of the fathers But hearken I pray you vnto a further plea of the hypocrite Haue we not heard thee teaching in our streets Nay Haue we not taught in thy name Haue we not receiued the word with ioy and done many things accordingly Can the best doe more Doe not wee in many things offend all Is not this a sufficient euidence of an effectuall conuersion Surely where the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared effectually there it teacheth vs not only to eschew all euill in thought word and deed but on the contrary to prosecute all good both 1. inwardly in the heart and minde as being purified by faith whereby with constant purpose we cleaue vnto God and also 2. outwardly in the word and conuersation Iam. 3. 1. Ephes 1. Rom. 12. 1. 1. Cor. 6. yea generally and vniuersally hauing respect to all Gods Commandements Psal 119. 7. 8. and constantly also continuing and abounding yea increasing in grace and finishing our course that no man take away our Crowne Reu. 3. 1. Cor. 15. 58. Ephes 3. Col. 1. 2. Pet. 1. 8. 9. 2. Tim. 4. 3. Phil. 13. And therefore seeing the word of God must bee a sauour of death vnto death vnto some who are to be renounced and made inexcusable thereby hence is it that though they receiue it 1. with ioy as being rauished with the sweetnesse thereof yet being not mixed with faith it becomes vnprofitable and so the ioy of the hypocrite lasteth but a moment And so it commeth also to passe that for carnall respects as vain-glory credit satisfaction of others whom they desire to be like the hypocrite also may do many things according to the letter of the word though not answerable to the power thereof not from the purpose of his heart renued by the holy Ghost but executing therein the lust of his heart as spirituall pride hypocrisie c. Neither shall he be able to continue in any substance of well-doing seeing howsoeuer for his credit and profit hee must sometimes shew religious yet by reason of difference of companie change of times and occasions he must euen for the same ends of credit and profit cast off his visour of holinesse and so appeare in his true likenesse to the satisfying of such to whom nothing but grosse and desperate wickednesse will giue any contentment Nay doth not this necessity lie vpon the hypocrite that howsoeuer for a time he must glose and fawn vpon the truth while it is his pack-horse to further him to promotion riches c. yet when by plunging himselfe into worldly courses hee must necessarily crosse in his outward actions the power of that truth must he not now for his credit abase and vilifie that truth which before hee so magnified as being either too seuere and precise because hee cannot reach it or being foolishnesse and madnesse and therefore he is now more wise more sober then to be guided by it you must pardon his former folly and giddinesse he will doe no more so he will be more wise moderate c. This is the issue of an hypocrites supposed conuersion answerable euen vnto the measure thereof which being not rooted in the heart nor aiming at Gods glory no maruell if the glory of an hypocrite prooue his confusion And is hee not iustly deceiued in this fancie of regeneration Is he not heereby excluded from the power of conuersion because he resteth in the shadow thereof But to admit a true conuersion Is the combate now at an end or not rather now begun Is there any place heere for idlenesse securitie remisnesse in our calling Surely though the foundation standeth sure in respect of God who knoweth
changing of names is practised by such as either in their iudgements or liues or both deny the Lord that hath bought them namely Iesuites Seminaries Theeues Cosoners c. For our feature so farre as that may be altered by changing the fashion of the haire beard c. this being but ciuill and differing according to the diuers guise of each nation so no painting or disfiguring abhorring to nature or denied by ciuilitie and religion bee added I see not but this libertie may be vsed in a case of necessitie for the preseruation of life so it stand with our callings and tend to Gods glorie The like we may determine concerning change of apparell as being a ciuill thing and therefore both subiect to a religious end the preseruation of life with a good conscience and also subiect to change according to the diuers guise of nations callings condition and occasion of prosperitie or aduersitie keeping our selues within the bounds of our Christian libertie becomming all vnto all as to winne others so to preserue our selues for their good as most desirous to be with Christ which is the best of all and yet readie to follow the Lord in any good occasion for the preseruation of life to benefit the Saints and make sure our owne election prouided that we 1. keep our selues within the compasse of our religious and ciuill callings 2. That we change not that which is vsuall to the other sex 3. That we deny not our profession if this meanes will not conceale vs being demanded particularly 4. That wee simply intend in our preseruation Gods glorie for the benefitting of others A fourth occasion of this false imputation that we haue left our first loue is our discretion in reprouing for sinne when either we cease to reprooue scorners although our soules doe not cease to weep in secret for thē and our contrary conuersation is a cōuiction of thē or reproue priuatly generally if in publike making difference of persons in regard of their calling and qualitie of their sinne sauing some with feare and yet raising vp others with the spirit of meeknes Gal. 6. 1 c. 1. Which imputation how vniust it is may appeare by the rules of the holy Ghost 1. Tim. 5. 1. Mat. 19. And also 2. By the practize of the Saints Nathan 2. Sam. 12. Paul Compare the practize in reproouing the Church of Corinth first epistle and 11. chap. and the Church of Galat. 3. chap. but aboue all the practize of our Sauiour is peerelesse in his different reproofe of the Scribes and Pharisies Mat. 23. Luk. 11. and of his Disciples Mat. 8. Mat. 26. 27. A fifth occasion of this vniust challenge that wee may lose our first loue is when the hand of God lying heauily vpon vs in some outward emptying because our estate is decaied outwardly therfore the world concludes a decay within especially if wee surcease in a measure such duties of charitie wherein before when our cup ouerflowed we abounded towards others which by this may appeare to be most vnrighteous because it is the purpose of the heart which God respects which may bee no lesse open to our brother though our purse be straitned yea being scanted of this outward deuotion may be more inlarged in spirituall almes to procure mercie for the soule and contentment in all estates Act. 3. 6. A sixth occasion there is also of this false imputation when wee rectifie our charitie by wisedome to our selues so distributing to others as that we prouide for our owne lest we be worse then infidels and so louing our neighbor as that we proue not cruell to our selues so diuiding to others that we preferre the household of faith Galat. 6. 10. both doing the best good and as we may continue hold out longest therein For which seeing wee haue the warrant of the holy Ghost as wee ought to auoide all appearance of this euill by moderation in our procuring and vsage of these things so neede wee not feare hereby any cooling of our loue Only make wee this vse of this vniust imputation as to suspect our selues in regard of our carnall loue and to trie our abiding in the loue of God by such a loue vnto our selues as may prouide for the flesh to the humbling and mortifying of the same as may further our selues and others to those durable riches which are at the right hand of our God for euermore Lastly wee may be falsely charged to haue left our first loue When encreasing in knowledge of our right in Iesus Christ and from him in these outward things wee take libertie for the vse of some things which before we refrained as being either not informed or not throughly resolued concerning them either because they are indifferent and so are all ours in Christ and being sanctified by the word and prayer may be lawfully vsed seeing to the pure all things are pure Or else being simply good are now of conscience to be embraced and cheerefully practized that they may further vs to the chiefest good Which how false an imputation it is seeing the rules of the Word and practise of the Saints haue made good 1. Cor. 9. Galat. 2. c. Therefore let vs feare the cooling of our loue in the vse of this libertie so that our consciences bee perswaded and practize warranted by these rules namely first 1. That the meanes of our encrease in knowledge bee the word of truth not the authoritie of man 2. That wee be able to discerne betweene things that differ not stumbling at euill things vnder the pretence of indifferencie nor subiecting things simply good to the nature of things indifferent making the necessarie worship of God a matter of indifferencie as the preaching of the Gospell catechizing fasting c. yea thrusting out the substance of holinesse for the complement thereof That as we despise not order so it further true deuotion so we rest not in the outside and make an idol of bodily seruice Rom. 14. 1. Phil. 9. 10. 3. That in this liberty we offend not our Christian brother neither the Magistrate by refusing what he lawfully imposeth nor the weake brother by not informing him in the true vse of these things or vsing what may iustly giue occasion either of doubting in faith or corruption in life 1. Cor. 8. Rom. 14. 4. That herein also we not only auoid what may hurt but in all spirituall wisedome doe that which may further to the best good euen the saluation of the soule 1. Cor. 9. 5. And all this to the only praise of our glorious God through Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 10. 31. Thus may wee bee falsely charged to haue left our first loue and thus may we be established against these false imputations But say what others fasten vpon me that I feare in my selfe I feele not that ioy and inward comfort I sometimes had these ouerflowings and extraordinarie sweetnesse though I