The Wonderful Mystery of Spiritual Growth, Introduction
An Introduction hereunto, To the Chriſtian Reader.
IT is more then high time (Beloued in our Lord Ieſus) that wee ſhould in theſe euill daies prouide againſt a ſtorme, by caſting vp our accounts, and cleering our euidences in the fauour of God: ſeeing we hauehave had ſuch tender thereof a long time, in ſo gre…t Meaſure and varietie; and by the ſymptomes of the ſeaſon: our generall vnprofitableneſſe therein, and refuſall of the ſame; accompanied with many warnings, ſummoning vsus thereto, and yet ſo deſperatly reiected by our ſecuritie and prophaneneſſe: we are not vnlikely to be called ſhortly to account for the ſame. And therefore as one borne out of due time, and hauing ſpent the moſt part of my beſt daies in the wayes of death; ſeeing it hath pleaſed God to reſpite me hitherto and renue my spirituall life, by offering yet more gratious oportunitie and meanes to improue the ſame: I hauehave thought it high wiſedome now at length to endeuour the Redeeming thereof, by eſtabliſhing my ſelfe and others in the worke of Grace, to the daily encreaſe, and building vp of the bodie of Chriſt; that ſo we may all grow vp to a perfect ſtature, euen to a perfect man in Chriſt Ieſus.
To this end, becauſe words are but winde, and preaching without ſealing and confirming thereof by Practice & Experience, is of ſmal or no moment to build vp forward to perfection; I hauehave therefore endeuoured to ioyne with my publike Miniſterie▪ my priuate experiments in the worke of Grace: that ſo I might not be as ſounding Braſſe, or as a tinckling Cymball; partly for the approuing and improuing of the worke of Grace in my ſelfe, and alſo for the triall and encreaſe thereof in others.
And this hath beene the cauſe of my Publiſhing diuers Treatiſes in their places, as my experience and occaſions hauehave ripened the ſame.
As Firſt, The Lord hauing renued our life and meanes by that wonderfull deliuerance from the Gunpowder Treaſon, I hauehave therefore laboured to commend that great Mercy vntounto Poſteritie in diuers Treatiſes both Latine and Engliſh, vponupon the 64. Pſalme, and vponupon the Hiſtorie of H…ster vntounto the Church of God: That this being written for the Generations to come, the People ſo wonderfully new born and renued may praiſe the Lord, yea, Poſteritie might magnifie God for the great things he hath done for vsus.
Next, that we might be truly thankfull vntounto our God, in offering vntounto him our ſoules and Bodies as a reaſonable ſacrifice all the daies of our life.
To this end I publiſhed the Chriſtians daily Sacrifice: as being a liuely Image of this Spirituall Sacrifice: and a gratious direction, how to offer the ſame daily vp vntounto God in truth and righteouſneſſe.
Thirdly, becauſe contraries are beſt knowne by their contraries: in that our Profeſſion and practice of ſinceritie is reproached and hindered by the faire ſhew of Hypocriſie, ſo neerely reſembling, and ſo iuſtling out the ſame; therefore hauehave I laboured to diſcouer the differences betweene ſinceritie and hypocriſie, that ſo by the wiſe diſcerning of things that differ: wee may wiſely decline the Counterfeit, and more carefully entertaine the true Paterne.
Fourthly, Becauſe the outward proſperitie of the time, hath beene much abuſed to ſecuritie and ſpirituall Pride: and ſo hath beene a meanes of much decay in zeale and courage for the truth; therefore I hauehave ſupplied hereto a Preſeruatiue againſt Apoſtaſi…, that ſo we might ſtrengthen the things that are ready to die, and remembring from whence we are fallen, might repent, and doe the firſt workes; leaſt our Candleſticke be iuſtly taken from vsus.
Fiftly, Becauſe it hath pleaſed God to exerciſe me with many Buffetings of Satan, to preuent theſe Spirituall euils: and ſo thereby hath acquainted me in ſome meaſure with his ſleights and methods; yea, hath called me by the Magiſtrate to communicate my Experience herein, vponupon occaſion of the practiſe of Witchcraft, queſtioned by ſome in theſe Atheiſtical daies: Could I do leſſe then publiſh my Experience herein? hauehave I not giuen ſome light hereunto, in The diſcouery of the Miſterie of Witchcraft?
Sixtly, Seeing the fulneſſe of the Gentiles is well-neere come in, as a plaine euidence of ſome great alteration, both by ſome grieuous Iudgement for our contempt of the Goſpell, as alſo by ſome great MercieMercy, enſuing thereupon, in the calling of the Iewes for the perfecting of the Churches Glorie in this life. Therefore hauehave I giuen warning alſo heretofore: In the bleſſing of Iaphet, wherein the calling of the Gentiles, and fulfilling thereof, is auouched as a Preſage of ſome great ſtorme hanging ouer our heads, euen by the Gentiles abuſing and reiecting the Goſpell, and alſo a comfort of ſome gratious calme after that heauie ſtorme, by calling in of the Iew…s to make vp the breach, and repaire the old waſte places to dwell in.
And that we Gentiles that are with them to make vp one ſheepfold vnderunder Chriſt, our only ſh…pheard, may be better fitted to that glorious Vnion.
To this ende hauehave I laboured to make ſure the foundation, by diſcouering on the contrarie the hop…leſſe & fearefull eſtate of the worldling in his deſperate aduenture, by loſing his pretious ſoule for the gaining of this tranſitory world, that ſo we may not run with …he preſent ſtreame: and alſo by laying downe the maine euidence of our ſound building vponupon the Rock, in that ſacred myſterie of the Gouernment of the Thoughts; being the ſureſt and moſt comfortable euidence of our true eſtate in Grace.
And now behold that we may yet miniſter a word in due ſeaſon: when was there euer more neede of Growing in Grace; when generally there is deceit thereof in the moſt, and decay therein euen of the Best? when euer more neede of fighting the good fight of Faith, and laying hold of eternall life, by labouring and following hard after perfection; when we are ſummoned by Rumors of wars, nay by our owne vnprofitablenes, To giuegive account of our ſtewardſhip?
This is the end and vſe of this Treatiſe.
Which I am bold to call a wonderfull Myſterie: not only by the warrant of the Holy Ghoſt, That great is the Myſterie of Godlineſſe: but alſo in regard of the Meanes effecting the ſame; Chriſt Preached in a Myſterie: yea in regard of the entertainment thereof in the world, eſteeming it as a Myſterie, becauſe it is ſealed vp thereto, but ſpecially in that, euen to vsus, that are acquainted therewith: It is yet a wonderfull Myſterie, not being able to conceiue the meaſure thereof, not being able to expreſſe, what thereof we doe conceiue.
And I call it a Myſterie of growing in grace: becauſe it pleaſeth the Spirit to reſemble it vntounto vsus by Myſteries: And the way to diſcerne the truth and manner thereof, and ſo to attaine the meaſure of the ſame, is ſtill in and by a Myſterie: By the Myſterie of the Word Preached, as only effectuall thereto ordinarily: and in a Myſterie not diſcernable by ſenſe, no not alwaies by Faith, that ſtill we may liue by Faith in the iudging thereof, and by the power of Faith be led forward to perfection therein.
And therefore if I ſpeake of this great Myſterie vntounto thee in a Myſterie: I aduiſe thee in the Feare of God, to get that ſpirituall Eie-ſalue by prayer and repentance with thy God, that ſo thou maiſt ſo farre diſcerne the ſame, as that ſtill finding ſomewhat herein, whereat carnall wiſedome may ſtumble; thou doſt further helpe me with thy prayers, to giuegive thee yet further light; (for ſtill I profeſſe my ſelfe to be growing, and ſhall not faile, God willing, to giuegive thee further teſtimonie thereof, as occaſion and grace ſhall be miniſtred) that ſo thou maiſt yet more cleerely diſcerne this wonderfull Myſterie. Meane time I deſire thy patience, to beare with ſuch faylings: as either for want of exactneſſe, which neither my leaſure will afford nor weake meaſure can compaſſe; or for fayling in circumſtance, which I profeſſe my ſelfe not curiouſly to ſtand vponupon, may be offered vntounto thee. Requiring thy wiſedome to compare ſpirituall things together, and ſo ſtill crauing thy further Patience, till God offer further leaſure and meaſure of Grace, and thy renued Prayers, for both: I commend this to thy Chriſtian view and charitable cenſure, and thee and thine holy endeuours in this or in any thing whatſoeuer may further thy reckoning in Chriſt, to the gratious Protection and Bleſſing of our Wonderfull Councellor. In whom
I rest thine and the Churches ſeruant Th. Cooper.