The Mystery of the Holy Government of our Affections, To the reader
To THE CHRISTIAN Reader.
ACcording to my Promise, in my last Treatise of the Gouernment of the Thoughts; I hauehave now supplyed thee (deare Christian) with some further directions for the wellordering and subduing of thy vnruly and rebellious Affections: A Taske as so much the more difficult, then the former, of ruling the Thoughts, by how much carnall Reason and fleshly wisedome, beares more sway heerein, and so giues more strength and warrant to the excesses thereof: so in this respect also the more necessarie to be vndertaken, as being that wherein euen the best doe much faile in the wise temper thereof, and yet are very hardly brought to discerne their aberrations therein. For what one the one side through the ignorance of the right Obiects whereon our affections are to be placed, and the right measure of Proportion to their Obiects: And on the other side, by reason of such collusions of carnall wisedome, making good our distempers therein: very lamentable it is to obserue how easily many, other wise good men, hauehave beene miserably transported into these aberrations either in the excesse or defect. As also how hardly they hauehave beene reclaimed to the right temper againe: nay, not so much as to discerne wherein they hauehave fallen. May we not obserue both these true in Ionas his case? how easily fel he through ignorance, and selfe louelove into a violent fit of rage, and how hardly was he reduced to see his error heerein. That which he should hauehave reioyced in, in the truth of Iudgement, that the Lord had merciemercy vponupon that People, voiced to destruction: wee see proues an occasion, through spirituall Pride and Selse-louelove blinding of him; that I say, proued a meanes to make him euen burst with anger, not sparing God himselfe in his rage and furie: And with what great Patience doth the glorious Lord seeke to allay his heat? how hardly is he brought, so much as to the sight of his distemper, but that he is still ready to Iustifie his fumes, though it were to the condemning of God himselfe?
The like we might exemplifie in the other affections. And had wee not then great neede of some light to further vsus heerein, both that we may see our owne errors heerein, and also be gratiously enabled to moderate the same. Accept then I pray you my endeauour heerein: And in the feare of God make vse of such directions as are afforded hereunto. I doubt not but as thou shalt perceiue a right ayme heerein, so thou wilt not measure the truth of God by my infirmities, but rather take occasion heereby to glorifie God the more, if that his power shall any whit shine throughout such mists of humane corruption. In the conclusion of my last Booke howsoeuer I may be censured to giuegive way to too much passion, yet for mine owne part, I blesse God with my soule, for giuing mee so much Patience, as that when I might hauehave righted my selfe by deeds to the vtter wracke of such who hauehave sought by slaunders and desperate practises my vtter vndoing. It hath pleased my gratious God so to guide me therein, as only to giuegive them a generall Item of their wicked designes, that so they may be brought to Repentance: which as I doe heartily pray for, so my endeauour by Gods merciemercy shall be to watch ouer my affections with more heede and resolution: that so I may keepe my peace more comfortably with my God, howsoeuer I make account still to be more and more encountered by vnreasonable men. And so I desire thee also to walke after the same Rule, labouring so farre as possibly thou maiest to be at Peace with all men, by possessing thy soule in patience and ouercomming euill with good.
And so I commend thee (heartily) to the Grace of God: wishing thee to expect shortly as heere a generall directson for the Affections in generall: so a particular discouery of each Affection in their liuely collours, that so thou maiest bee furnished with what may particularly informe thee heerein, and thereby bee enabled to walke peaceably with God and Men, to thy comfortable being in this thy Pilgrimage, and so to the better preparing of thee to thy Countrie which is aboue.
To this end, And so I rest Thy poore Remembrancer at the Throne of Grace. Th. Cooper.
End of the text · Thomas Cooper, The Mystery of the Holy Government of our Affections (1620)