before we are healed And do not our great sinnes require a sharpe corrasiue can we be brought to sound repentance till we be cast out of our selues and but by a sentence of death euen by the terrors of hell must we not haue some sence of what we haue deserued that so we may by repentance auoide the vengeance to come And may it not now so fall out that the Lord will not heare our prayers because we regard iniquity in our hand shall Israel preuaile while the excommunicate thing remaines Are we fit for the comfort and ioy of Gods fauour so long as our sinne stands before him to grieue his spirit must he not goe vnto his place that we may seeke him diligently 8 God knoweth what is fittest for vs and he doth what is best for our present condition to bring vs to repentance And therefore in stead of complaining on God that he hath done vs wrong herein let vs in the name of God complaine against our selues What is it which he could haue done which he hath not done vnto vs And what haue not we done against him which we should not doe how haue we not in all things requited him euill for good And therefore in stead of desiring comfort let vs search and trie our hearts how we haue offended our gratious God let vs iudge our selues that we may not be iudged of him so shall we take Satans office out of his hands in accusing of our selues 9 The way to preuent satans accusation is to accuse and iudge our selues so shall we stop his mouth and confound his malice and making hereby our way vnto the throne of grace we shall find the blood of Iesus to speake better things for vs then the blod of Abel first to wash vs thorowly from our sinnes and then to minister ioy and gladnes vnto our soules 10 That we are not the greatest sinners For our further comfort herein because when we are about this practise of iudging of our selues and the Lord by this inward rod drawes vs thereto It is now Satans policie to keepe vs in these distractions and so to sucke vs in despaire by perswadings that our case herein is singular Either none are so grieuous sinners as we are or else none so deeply plunged in this extremity as our selues Therefore learne we this to resist his fiery darts First though we should be the greatest of all sinners yet shall the mercy of God appeare the greater in pardoning so grieuous a sinner more glory shall redound to his name in being so incomparably mercifull more loue is due from so great a sinner more care to please so bountifull a Father Secondly it will not appeare that we are greater sinners then any so long as we feele our sinnes and desire to be eased of them seeing these two things make vp the measure of sinne Who is the greatest sinner either not to feele sinne at all by reason of hardnesse of heart and the conscience being past seeking or else to despise and reiect the remedy against sinne though we haue some sense thereof either through Pride that we need it not or through despaire that we thinke it will doe no good Thirdly though we are not the greatest sinners in comparison of others 11 It is not vnprofitable to commence our selues to be the greatest sinner yet shall it not be amisse to comence our selues to be such partly because we know our owne estate best and not others and therefore in this respect we may esteem our case more hainous then any other and partly because we are more enflamed with the loue of Christ and so in the abundance of his loue doe discerne our vnworthinesse and corruptions more and more in our selues That so still we may more deny our selues and labour to be found in Christ not hauing our owne righteousnesse ought we not in charity to thinke others better then our selues may we not hope the best of the worst because the Lord may recouer them And is there any outwardly so vile but that our hearts tell vs we find far more fearfull corruptions within vs then possibly we can challenge others by that which appeareth outwardly and shall not our charity to others call vs more into our selues that so we may more narrowly search our owne hearts more iudge our selues that we may not be iudged of the world shall not the sence of our vilenesse make vs more compassionate vnto others that so the Lord may haue compassion on vs And can we be too vile in our eies that so we may hunger more earnestly after the mercy of God And therefore though others may be greater sinners then we yet is it wisedome for vs to feele our selues to be the greatest that so there may be no place left for going further on the score that we may now thinke it sufficient that we haue spent the time past yea too much that we haue already so prouoked our God that we may not differ our repentance any longer that the meanes of God may not be reiected of vs. If we wisely consider the policy of satan herein howsoeuer he lay to vs that we are the greatest of all sinners yet hereby he intends to plunge vs deeper in sinne to driue vs to despaire that so we may despise mercy so depriue our selues of the possibility of it And therefore to admit wee were the greatest sinners though we feele our selues to be in worse case then any this shall be a meanes to be more emptied in our selues the more to faint after the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Nay is it not satans policie by perswading vs that we are of all sinners the chiefe if he cannot plunge vs in despaire yet to make vs secure and carelesse We know the worst and therefore let vs make no bones of sinne let vs not trouble our selues with any such reckoning Gods mercies are greater Christ merit is sufficient doe we what we can Gods purpose can not be altered Thus doth satan play vpon the left hand and on right now vrging to despaire because neuer any so bad as we then prouoking to presumption be we neuer so bad And doth not our wise and gracious God bring light of this darknesse that because we are so vile therefore we not presume any further It is the wonder of Gods loue to tender grace to so great sinners and shal be the glory of our father to giue hope to such castawayes it shall be our greater comfort that he accepts such forlorne wretches It shall be our greater care now to redeeme the time and to labour more abundantly in more powerfull obedience to testifie againe our loue to so exceeding bountifull a Sauiour And shall we then doubt that our God will againe receiue vs into fauour who hath so freely loued vs being his enemies And therefore To this end call to mind former mercies Be we wise now to call to mind the dayes of
A FAMILIAR TREATISE laying downe CASES OF CONSCIENCE Furthering to perseuerance in SANCTIFICATION By Thomas Cooper preacher of Gods word Printed at London by Iohn Beale for William Welby and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Swan in Paules Church-yard 1615. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL MY HARTIE Wel-willers the Ladie Rumney Mr. Springham Mr. Slany Mr. Parkhust Mr. Clarke Mr. Vincent Mr. Mosley and Mr. Th aire and the rest of my Christian auditors and louing neighbors grace mercie and peace from God the Father through Iesus Christ our Lord bee multiplied RIght worshipfull and dearely beloued in the Lord Iesus It is the mercie of the Lord that wee are not vtterly consumed because his compassions faile not Hath not our long prosperitie hardened our hearts and lulled vs in securitie And when we say peace and safety may not a sudden destruction come vpon vs as the trauaile vpon a woman with childe and we shall not escape Doe not our impudent and desperate sinnes daily call downe for vengeance against vs in that we put the euill day farre from vs that wee may still approach to the seat of iniquity hardning our hearts yet more and more that we cannot repent And is not the enuious man busie to sow tares now wee are asleepe Are not our aduersaries watchfull and dil gent in their malicious and bloody practises against the Church of God practising daylie the ouerthrow thereof will any thing serue their turne but to roote cut and destroy and are we generally any better then such trees as are able to bee hewen downe and cast into the fire Hath this vnprofitable fig-tree for all this dressing and fencing for all this lopping and donging yet brought forth fruit worthie of repentance Surely though we should neuer so much stand vpon our iustification with Saul that wee haue fulfilled the Commandements of the Lord that we are an holy people the Lord shall finde no iniquity in vs c. yet the bleating of the sheepe and lowing of the oxen the sparing of Agag and reseruing of his offals is a notorious euidence to conuince our hypocrisie And therefore though we flatter our selues with Agag that the bitternesse of death is past because happilie the Lord in great patience hath yet waited vpon vs and put off many desperate blowes that might haue light heauilie vpon vs yet certainly when hee sees a conuenient time he will execute vengeance and wound the hairie scalpe of all those that goe on in their wickednesse And is not this a speciall euidence that we goe on in our sinnes and intend not repentance because we either hate to be reformed and haue cast the word behinde our backes or els heape vp teachers according to our own lusts which may prophecie of new wine and strong drinke to morrow shall be as to day or much more aboundant And is it not a fearefull argument of the wrath of God readie to seaze vpon vs in that wee haue chosen and embraced the world that thirsts after our blood and haue cast out that sword which should stand in the gappe to turne away the vengeance What then is the reason that we are not vtterly consumed that our aduersaries the Papists haue not had their desire Surely they shall not say where is now our God because they shal not blaspheme that great glorious Name of our God which is called vpon of vs And therfore not vnto vs oh Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy Name giue the glory euen for thy truth righteousnes sake Thogh we are not worthy of the least of Gods mercies thogh we haue deserued to be ouerwhelmed with all his plagues yet the Lord is worthy of all praise and glory and therefore he hath deliuered vs that we might glorifie him and shall not the Iudge of al the world do right wil he punish the righteous with the wicked must not Lot be taken out of Sodom before the vengeance be inflicted shall not euen one be a means to spare the Citie for his sake Behold here another ground of the patience of God euen the holy seed that yet remaines the Lord hath a litle flocke which is as deare vnto him as the apple of his eye this hath hee chosen it vnto him in Iesus Christ before the foundations of the world were laid This he hath made glorious through his beautie which he hath set vpon it this he hath promised to bee with vs to the end of the world can any thing be against vs if the lord be with vs shall not he make our enemies our footstool shal not the lord tread Satan vnder our feet blessed be God in Iesus Christ that hath made bare his mighty army in the sight acknowledgment of our enemies Did not the papists once acknowledge that God was become a lutheran do they not feel to this day that he that keeps Israel doth neither slūber nor sleep hath not our God watched ouer vs when wee haue slept in security hath not hee foght for vs when our carnal weapōs haue bin confounded hath he not got himself the glory of al our deliuerāces that so we might at length giue him the glory of his free mercies that so we might not be afraid of any euill tidings that still we might feare and depart from euil while the wicked rage are careles surely howsoeuer the pit is digged for the wicked and the consumption decreed shall passe ouer to the confounding of hypocrites howsoeuer sinner in Sion shal be afraid and feare shall take hold of the hypocrits when Gods wrath approcheth yet shall the vpright heart then lift vp their heads because their saluation draweth neere The purging of the Church of hypocrites shal be the preparing thereof to greater glorie and safetie and the anointed of the Lord shall gaine more honour and securitie when the Lord Iesus shal be more aduanced vpon his holy hill of Sion And are not our enemies hastening hereunto hath not the patience of policie enraged them more and more and doth not their wickednesse so breake out that it can no longer be endured Is it not time together with the safety of our soules to prouide also for the securitie of our liues and states Blessed bee the Lord for the vigilance and courage of the state Oh blessed bee our God for his watchfulnesse ouer vs were not all our building and watching else in vaine And is it not then more then time to keepe our God waking by our prayers and teares Is it not his time to awake out of securitie that so we may make our peace with God that he may stil for his glory preserue the peace of his Churches that he may still preuent and confound the enemies of his Church And could I now hold my peace in this day of good tydings when the Lord hath euen againe giuen vs our liues for a prey and pluckt vs as a prey out of the teeth of the deuourer Haue I not vowed
a yeerely remembrance for that great deliuerance from the gunpowder Treason and doth the glorious Lord still giue new occasions to reuiue that great deliuerance Are not his mercies renued euery morning vnto his so great is his faithfulnesse and shall not we renew our thankfulnesse by renewing our repentance Shall wee not remember from whence wee are fallen by remembring from whence we haue been deliuered that so we may iustifie the free mercie of our God in our great deliuerances and renewing our right in Iesus Christ that so we may recouer our first loue and be enabled to walke worthy of the mercies of our God in strengthening the things that are readie to die and continuing with all patience and perseuerance that no man take away our Crowne from vs Are not our earthly Crownes often shaken that so we may bee sure of the heauenly inheritance which cannot bee shaken that so we may hasten from this prison to that citie which is aboue And hath not our gratious God giuen vs euen Eagles wings that we may mount vp from the loue of this world that we may flie away from the entising vanities theeof so come to that eternall rest May we not liue by faith in the experience of these so strange and vnexpected deliuerances that he which hath deliuered doth all still deliuer vs yea for his Names sake will deliuer vs from all vnreasonable men yea from euery euill worke that so we may be made meet for that glorious inheritance And shall not this litle sparke yeeld some light hereunto till the depth of mischiefe being further discouered the candle may be lighted and set vp vpon the hill to direct all to come out of Babylon to further the Saints in their iourney to the heauenlie Ierusalem surely as it pleaseth God to lend oportunity and libertie so shall I not be wanting by Gods grace from that light to kindle such a torch that may either burne vp all the stubble of Popery or else may sufficientlie warne vs to auoid the danger thereof Meane while I haue thought good to take this occasion to maintain the soundnes of our spirituall standing and recouery out of any decayes therein that so wee may bee thereby fitted to those further mercies which the Lord hath in store for vs. And seeing it hath pleased God to make you instruments beloued of my setling in the Citie and exercise of my calling I haue accounted it my duetie to consecrate these first fruits of my setled labours vnto you beseeching the Lord to giue you vnderstanding in all things and to preserue you blamelesse and vnspotted in these euill times vnto the day of Iesus Christ to whose gratious protection I doe most hartily commend you resting in him Your worships poore remembrancer at the throne of Grace 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 we remain 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 these 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 bee in the fauour of God and so interessed in his grace And hath hee not many such pretences and colours hereunto which may so abuse his iudgement Galat. 6.5 that he may thinke himselfe to bee somewhat when he is nothing and so refusing to bee found in Christ by being lost and emptied in himselfe thereby become worse then nothing Better neuer to haue beene borne then so to be deceiued Oh how the wisedome of the flesh prooues heere enmitie against God! Rom. 8.7 Iohn 9 43. Occasions to conceiue a false conuersion 1. Complexion 2. Natures impotencie Is not this the iudgement vpon the world that they which see not might see and that they which see might bee made blinde Consider first I pray you how nature occasions this deceit Is any lesse badlie disposed by the benefit of his complexion Is any restrained from some act of euill by natures impotencie and deformitie Behold euen these to the naturall man prooue very dangerous stumbling blockes to rest in nature as affoording some shew of good more then is of others of an harder constitution as breaking out lesse into grosse euils then such who by natures ability are more prone and prouoked thereto and so to reiect the holy meanes of conuersion and is it not esteemed a sufficient measure of goodnesse to bee lesse euill then others howsoeuer the desire and fountaine of corruption be the same in all Is not the seeming good which by natures benefit shewes foorth in the world accounted currant holinesse and thereby excludeth the true power of well-doing For is this any more then what brute beasts may boast of Is the heart lesse euill because the hand cannot act nay is it not more rebellious the lesse it hath it desire do not such wish for and talke delightfully of what they cannot doe will they not sport themselues in others that can do the same will they not take their fill if power be restored or is the heart the better because through benefite of complexion we are ingenuous sociable c. are not these fitter matter for Satan to worke on to draw vs into fellowship in euill to make vs instruments to deceiue our selues and others 3. Education Especially if to this shew of natures righteousnesse Education be adioyned whereby the minde being informed in knowledge and restrained by ciuilitie natures euill is heereby more kept vnder and it seeming good set out more saleable and beautious to the sinister iudgement howsoeuer now nature being puft vp hereby hath gained no other then a weapon of vnrighteousnesse to fight against God and his word to commit sinne more dangerously by how much it is enabled to couch it more closely and smooth it more cunuingly yet this with the world passeth for a currant conuersion Must we not onely not doe euill but also doe good and can wee doe any good of our selues vntill we be in Christ and will we hunger of Christ vntill we deny our selues especially if some such change now appeare in the outward man whereby wee may either differ from the rudenesse and grosse abuses of our parents or differ from the barbarous and desperate sprouts of our childhood and vntamed youth Is it not hence conceiued that we are now conuerted seeing now our childish and youthfull vanities are restrained seeing wee are growne more sober and regular although all tends to no better then ciuill honestie to fit vs for the world that so we may more hopefully and easily swallow the baites thereof although when wee are from vnder the