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B12199 The sacred mysterie of the gouernment of the thoughts discouering their nature and differences, and together, resoluing such speciall doubts, which are incident hereunto. Very necessary for the tryall and safe keping of the heart. And also, for the well ordering and comfort of a Christian life. Cooper, Thomas, fl. 1626. 1619 (1619) STC 5706; ESTC S109835 100,475 547

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of God so we shal by Gods mercy make good aduantage of them So that though wee may not expect ordinarilie any such extraordinary Reuelation by dreames yet if it please God as who can restraine his power and goodnesse herein to acquaint vs hereby with some occasions to come which may tend to our owne and the generall good wee may so farre stand vpon these as to vse ordinarie means by Prayer the Word and the like for the preparing of vs to the issue and so no doubt it may proue comfortable to vs howsoeuer Wherin as we may behold the mercy of God in teaching vs this by dreames in the night So may wee haue hence a liuely euidence of our sincerity euen by the holie temper and motion of our minds in the night and so are directed to walke honestly in the day that so our mindes may become pure and holy in the night making a Couenant with our eyes and other senses that so the mind may bee lesse troubled w●th the representation thereof in the night And labouring especially to make euen with our God dayly by repentance That so our sleepe may bee more comfortable and our thoughtes peaceable and holy Especially make wee vse of such dreames as arise from the execution of generall callings as when we dreame that we preach pray aduize grieue for sin as not beeing without the motion of Gods spirit to confirme vs therein or to humble vs in the neglect therof or to trie the sincerity of the same and so to enable vs the better therevnto It being apparant that euen in the night our affections haue and may be more powerful in holy duties thē sometimes in the day Conclusion of the whole WHEREIN Of the seuerall Vses of this Doctrine of Thoughts As first To conuince the Hypocrisie and the Atheisme and prophanesse of the times 2 To confirme the weake Christian in the truth of his calling And also To rayse him vp in all such outward faylings and inward faintings of the Spirit which doe arise from the same CHAP. XVI OF THE VSES of this Treatise 1 IT serues for reproofe And that 1. of the Atheist which sayth in his heart There is no God seeing his thoughts doe eyther accuse him or excuse him 2 It condemnes all conceit of Nature abilitie and Free-will to goodnesse For if there must be a rect●fying of the Thoughts then surely they are defectiue and degenerate from what they should be and so if the Thoughtes then much more the wordes and actions which issue from the same 3 It conuinceth all Popish Religion to be no better then Atheisme and a meere Idoll seeing it whole current consists in bodily seruice not so much as requiring knowledge in the heart much lesse Faith to subdue the Imaginations thereof to the obedience of Christ 4 It confoundeth all Hypocrisie and carnal worshippe whatsoeuer since it is not the outward man but the heart and Thoughts which God respects not what wee doe but what wee meane and how wee do it 5 It condemneth all Epicures and Sadduces that deny the Immortality of the Soule For as this infinite variety of Thoughts imaginations euen when the body is most bound and senselesse of any operation doth plainly euidēce it to be a differēt thing from the body so it also proues it to be immortall and diuine as being of a spirituall nature expressed by this sudden and swift motion of such various and infinite thoughts And so not ending with the bodie as being actiue without the vse of it as exercising such actions in the body which extend to the compasse of another life namely accusing and excusing for sinne which is a plain euidence of this day of iudgement and so of the immortalitie of the soule 6 The very consideration of the Nature of thoughts argues them not to be Free that is such as are not sinfull such as we may iustifie For seeing they proceede actually from vs therefore they are corrupted Seeing they are sodaine exorbitant without present cause and deliberation therefore they are sinfull because all good is frō fit means from deliberation from knowledge from direction allowing and commanding the same Seeing they are contrary to themselues therefore they are euill seeing it is the nature of goodnesse to build vp not to destroy it selfe Nay seeing when we are about to doe good euill is present that is our thoughts will rise vppe to hinder the same this is a plain euidence that they are euill Rom. 7.10.20 8 It confoundeth all those excuses and pretences for sinne which are ordinary among men naturally to lay the blame vpon Sathan he enticed them vpon the world as if it were so poyson some and contagious that wee could not deale with it but we must bee defiled yea sometimes vpon God himself as if he compelled vs to euill Seeing the trueth is our corrupt nature is the ground and fountaine of all euill our very thoughts the first motions thereof are onely euill continually yea these are occasions and enticers of Sathan and the world to further sinne yea these as a filthy breath poyson the ayre the world and all that is about them and so the creatures being subiect to vanitie by our sinne proue occasions by diuine iustice to further the consent and act thereof as ministring such matter vnto vs as may tickle the sense and allure the will to consent and giue oportunitie and meanes to act the same 9 This condemneth their conceit and delusion that teach abstinency from mariage and the different vse of meates as if some were euill some good as if that which entred into man did defile him Where as indeed it is that onely which proceedes out of man namely his euill thoughts and imaginations which as they are polluted themselues so as a filthie leprosie they defile all other things and so to the impure all things are impure in that their consciences are defiled 1. Thes 15. where as indeede all things by creation were good and by a sanctified vse may be made good vnto vs. 1. Tim. 4.5 onely they become euill by our corruption and abuse of them 10 This also reproueth the ricenesse and superstition who vpon a conceit of pollution by the euils of others doe either most presumptuously fancy such a state of a visible Church which may be with out all corruption and imperfection both in regard of it outward forme as also in respect of the particular mēbers and the●●fore separate from all Churches and so indeede must goe out of the world to find such a perfect modell and temper of communion 1. Cor. 5. as pretending them to be polluted so necessarily defiling and polluting all that communicate with them whereas indeed neither can such a congregation bee found in this life neither doth a visible militant church require such perfection because this belongs onely to the triumphant Church It is not the euill of others which can defile me so I consent not and approue
that it may censure more 13 Discerne wee wisely betweene our Thoughts 1. such as are vnnecessary nicke wee them in the head cut wee them off presently 2. Such as are necessary discern wee of the most necessary laying aside those pursue we these Thirdly yet so as that wee wisely single them out not confounding our mindes and memories with many at once but pursuing one and bringing it to some head and vse 4 Yea though a more necessary Thought come in the way yet hold wee on in our choise till wee haue brought it to some issue 5 And whereas wee must looke for of●en interruptions from Sathan so entertaine we these as that wee giue not ouer without sight of conquest and then return we to the pursuit of our former subiect 14 Bee we constant in pe●forming the Dayly Sacrifice and restraine wee our thoughts to such particular duties as are incidēt to each season and occasion And herein auoyde we wisely al curious Speculation and diuing into hidden misteries as being a maine occasiō to stirre vp encrease blasphemous Thoughts And so also carefully auoyde wee curiosity prying into others affayres looking home especially minding our own busines that so we may preuent a world of enuious censorious thoughts Especially be we carefull of keeping the Sabboth spiritually confining our Thoughts to holy thinges and this shall bee a meanes to better them at all other occasions CHAP. VI Of diuers Markes and Rules to discern holy Thoughts by And how to difference them from all deceitfull and carnall thoughts FIrst is in regard of their Nature Forme and maner of working as ordinarily following the temper and constitution of the heart wherein they wee moulded As in the wicked good motions and Thoughts as they are rare so are they sudden and easily vanishing But in the godly they are frequent and aduised constant and effectuall Secondly they differ in regard of the Obuct The Thoughts of Gods child are vpon that one thing which is necessarie subordinating all other thoughts thereunto But the thoughts of the hypocrite though they may roue now and then after heauen yet their maine obiect is temporall happinesse and such things as may further therevnto and so subiects all conceit of heauen to the happinesse of the earth Thirdly They differ in regard of the Order and Gouernement of them The Hypocrite esteeming them as Thoughts and so Free rather as dreames imaginations then any matter to bee heeded so passeth the mouer without obseruation without imployment c. But the Godly labours to make his heart a gracious receptacle of holiest thoughts and so sets a watch ouer his hart to preuent euil thoughts couenants with his soule to entertain the good Among the good makes choyce of the most necessarie subordinates all other hereunto sets bounds to those millions of imaginations that dayly arise and erects an holy Regiment among them Confining thē wisely to a reuerent setled meditation vpon Gods word and workes to a care of conscionable managing the Affaires of his Calling to a desire how to benefite the Church of God abroade or any particular brother ● very sparingly and warily not without many cautions and exceptions letting them out to honest recreations Fourthly they differ in respect of their measure and extent and so there are some thoughts peculiar to the Elect with which the State of vnregeneration is vtterly vnacquainted As first Thoughts full of feare and astonishment all of hell and horror which first rise out of the heart when it is first striken with the sense of Gods wrath at the sight of his sinnes These are scortched in many with the verie flames of hell in their first conuersion and they doe euen fret and consume the verie marrow out of the bones and turne the best moysture of them into the drought of sommer and yet which is not peculiar to the wicked which haue some such terrors from the feare of vengeance haue their issue in most vnspeakeable comforts And these are a second sort of Thoughts proper to the Godly composed all of pure comfort ioy heauen immortalitie beeing the sweet and louely issues of the Spirit of Adoption speaking peace vnto the poore soule in the testimonie of the pardon of sinne Hence proceeds another troope of spirituall and vnutterable Thoughts after the new birth is confirmed grown vp to some good stature because now it is to encounter either with the fained ioyes of the world or with the bitter sto●mes of troubles and persecutions therefore it pleaseth the Lord to preuent and arme it with some such heauenly draughts of that immortal pleasure that so it may both despise the bitter sweetes of the world and wade thorow more cheerefully the momentany troubles of this life 1. And these vsually may be discerned by their fit seasons eyther after some zealous heate and feeling feruencie in prayer 2. Or some gracious profitable sanctifying of the Sabaoths 3. Or vpon some speciall and set humiliation performed for some speciall sinne or generall calamitie imminent or lying vpon the Chu●ch 4. Or vpon some strange imputation of the fierie and malicious tongues of the wicked when the innocent heart retyring into it se●f examining it inward euidence finds no cause of such false and cruell imputation but defence of Gods truth and profession of holinesse 5 Or when the malice of the wicked hath so farre prouoked as to compasse and enclose the poore soule that it sees no way to escape but is readie to be swallowed vp and vtterly rooted out then as a comfortable testimonie of deliuerance it pleaseth the Lord vsually to shine vnto it with some such beames of heauenly ioy that so it may not faynt vnder the burthen that it may be more then conquerour in it 6. Oft times it pleaseth God to accompany the conscionable receiuing of the Sacrament with these rauishing ioyes that so the heart may be taken vp from poring on the outward Elements to solace it selfe in that heauenly Feast of Christs all-sufficient merits 7. Specially if it please the Lord to call out any of his Saints to witnesse to his truth and to lay downe their liues for the testimony of Iesus vsually here this Ioy appeares both in their profession of it before men with that boldnesse alacritie as they vsually haue bin esteemed out of their wits in patient enduring their taunts c. as also especially in sealing vp the truth with their blood as the case of many Martyrs haue made it euident Vsually after an heauie storme of inward trouble and vexation of Consc●ence it pleaseth the Lord to returne with the Ioy of his countenance and so refresh the heart with Ioy vnspeakeable and glorious 1. Pet. 1.8 A fifth difference of the good Thoughts of the Hypocrite and sincere Christian is in regard of the seasonablenesse of them The sincere heart as it hath it Thoughts fixed on the best Obiect Namely the glorie of God and it owne
worke in vs will perfect it for his glory that where he is we may be also that we may for euer be with the Lord. Phil. 1.6 1. Thess 4.18.19 Conclusions of the whole with diuers aduertisements to the vnderstanding Reader Thus haue you deere brethren the briefe of such meditations and spirituall experience which the Lord hath affoorded mee concerning this most necessarily skill of gouerning the Thoughtes A mysterie I may truely cal it vnknowne to the natural man and such as the most spirituall may require direction in And therefore as I haue beene desirous to reueale this high mystery vnto thee so farre as the Lorde hath enabled mee for the holy Tryall of thine estate in grace and furtherance therein so I haue beene the rather enduced hereto partly to stoppe the blacke mouth of reproach and calumnie which is too open in these dayes against the power of syncerity And partly to the iust confusion of their hypocrisie who howsoeuer they presume to determine of things belonging not vnto them as of the gouernement of Churches the state of particular Christians making this the maine euidence of their zeale and sinceritie to iudge censure others yet in the meane while they are so farre from labouring the power of holinesse in these and the like experiments of the heart and it holy gouernment as who more ordinarily giue way euen to grosse and outward wickednesse among themselues who more endeauour the satisfying of the flesh in Vsurie Belly-cheare vndermining and thrusting out each other where any profit or pleasure may bee had then those that notwithstāding dreame of the Spirite and vndertake the iudgement therof so wise are they grown to cloake their owne hearts by turning the crie abroade and iudging of others so iust is the Lord to confound them in their wisedome that as hereby they harden their hearts against the voyce of the charmer charm he neuer so wisely as if they were without the reach of reforming themselues that so peremptorily vndertake the iudging of others so through the hardnesse of their hearts they are iustly giuen vp not onely to all deceiueablenesse of righteousnesse to tith mint and cūmin neglecting the greater things of the Law but also thereby to all deceit of sinne as flattring themselues in any cloaked wickednesse whatsoeuer that so they may make vp the measure thereof by deceiuing others I would this Citie were not pestered with such Caterpillars that vnder pretence of greatest sinceritie what by wisperings and flatterers what by slandering of others and aduancing of thēselues steale away the hearts of Gods people from their faithfull Teachers and exclude them from all due respect by their creeping in and encroaching vpon their consciences The wofull experience that I haue found hereof as it hath prouoked me to deale priuately with some of them in the scanning of most odious and I may almost say Iesuiticall practises so if God will my purpose is shortly if they walke not more sincerely to make Iammes and Iambres knowne to the world that so their glory may bee their shame Long haue I bin demurring this case of conscience whether that the discouery of such deceitful walking as some are iustly giuen vp vnto that vnder pretence of sinceritie reformation seeke themselues and not the glory of God the publike good might any way tend to the hinderance of the Gospell Much haue I obserued and stored vp many yeares since partly for mine owne experience and partly for the aduizing and selling of others that measuring the cause by the glorious shewes of the persons haue beene so easily embarked into the one by a too preposterous and superstitious admiration of the other Much haue I conferred with many concerning their grounded iudgements and resolutions herein And the issue that I haue found hath bene vsually either ignorance in the most that haue not beene able to defend what they hold or else pride and policy in the wiser who haue concealed their iudgements it may be to saue thē selues both wayes lest others might share with them in their contributions if resolued by them or else vndermine them in their walkings if they refuse resolution Some strange and hatefull stratagems I haue met withall fitter for machiauellists then such as pretende the highest straine of sincerity Generally I haue obserued such distraction and contrarietie in opinion some holding our corruptions simple euill some only scandalous some separating wholy from our Church for them others separating in part from our Litourgies and Sacraments some erecting a new church among our selues for the exercise of their discipline others so admitting our Church as onely to serue their present carnall endes least they should loose their exhibitions and priuate maintenance yet most giuing that liberty in priuate to scandalous euils which in publike they deny This distraction I say in seeming good and concurrence in mayne euill hath made mee not onely to seeke still for resolution where I expected it but indeed hath resolued me not any farther to seeke it from those at all who are to seeke in all other things sauing in that still in all these distractions they are wise to seek themselues caring not who loose so they may winne no● how they winne so they may haue still this visor of sincerity to couer their nakednes And therefore in this giddinesse of men I haue laboured for Resolution from my gracious God and by his mercy haue now found this Issue rather to beare with some pretended and doubtfull euils then to forbeare a necessary and apparant good wherin as I haue followed the holy examples of the blessed apostles of old my reuerēd brethrē in our Church whose faithfull walking in their Callings in those corrupt times is a sufficient warrant vnto mee of their conscionable giuing way vnto some pretended offence therein So haue I beene the rather enduced hereunto because euen such as will not submit to these things themselues happily for the maintenance of theyr credite ease profite and such like are yet earnest perswaders of others to vndergoe the labour of our Churches gouernement though themselues are so farre from putting their finger to the vpholding thereof that like the children of Edom● they crie downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Which with what Conscience they may doe as I list not now to discusse so neither should their aduice haue taken any place with mee but that I am perswaded it is the Truth of God which they are forced to acknowledge howsoeuer for by respects they will not yeelde thereunto And therfore least these mens ruffe garment may deceyue any longer I holde it a matter of conscience to God and loue to my mother to vse the best meanes I can to plucke it off and so to discouer to this end such experiments of their deceitfull walking which may iustly winde them out of the affections of Gods people and so preuent them of further detriment and spoyle But this I haue thought fit to