The Sacred Mystery of the Government of the Thoughts, Conclusion
Concluſions of the whole, with diuers aduertiſements to the vnderstanding Reader.
Thus hauehave 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 hauehave beene deſirous to reueale this high myſtery vntounto thee, ſo farre as the Lorde hath enabled mee for the holy Tryall of thine eſtate in grace, and furtherance therein: ſo I hauehave 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 vntounto 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 giuegive 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 notwithſtā ding 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 onelyonly 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 vnderunder 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 vponupon their conſciences. The wofull experience that I hauehave 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 hauehave I bin demurring this caſe of conſcience, whether that the diſcouery of ſuch deceitful walking as ſome are iuſtly giuen vp vntounto, that vnderunder 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 hauehave 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, hauehave beene ſo eaſily embarked into the one by a too prepoſterous and ſuperſtitious admiration of the other. Much hauehave I conferred with many, concerning their grounded iudgements and reſolutions herein. And the iſſue that I hauehave found, hath bene vſually, either ignorance in the moſt, that hauehave not beene able to defend what they hold, or elſe pride and policy in the wiſer, who hauehave 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 hauehave met withall fitter for machiauelliſts, then ſuch as pretende the higheſt ſtraine of ſincerity. Generally I hauehave 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 hauehave ſtill this viſor of ſincerity to couer their nakednes; And therefore in this giddineſſe of men, I hauehave laboured for Reſolution from my gracious God, and by his mercy hauehave now found this Iſſue, rather to beare with ſome pretended, and doubtfull euils, then to forbeare a neceſſary and apparant good; wherin as I hauehave 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 vntounto mee of their conſcionable giuing way vntounto ſome pretended offence therein: So hauehave 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 hauehave 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 louelove 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 hauehave thought fit to reſerue to another time: becauſe I would not mingle mine owne affections with Gods beſineſſe, nor preuent them of that repentāce which mean while may bee gained. Which as I ſhall in the meane time heartilie pray for; ſo doe I acknowledge in the Feare of God, that as I doe reuerence ſome of them from my heart, who I am perſwaded out of tenderneſſe of conſcience dare not goe ſo farre herein as others: ſo for others which I know to walke deceitfully herein t… the tree may be iudged by the fruite, as my reſolution is not to eſteeme to be iudged of them, ſo by the grace of God, if they walke not more conſcionably and louingly in theſe differences; I will doe my beſt that they ſhall walke neither ſo couertly, nor freely, as hitherto they hauehave done, I vndertake not to iudge of the ſpirits of men peremptorily: And yet I know, that as the Lord doth vouchſafe vntounto his children that light as to diſcouer thoſe who ſay they are Apoſtles, and yet are not; ſo I hauehave found it no hard matter ſo farre to detect an hypocrice, if wee will ſee with our owne eyes & not his, as hee doth not obſcurely diſcouer himſelfe for the preſent, though wee may leaue him to God for the time to come. And why may not wee take that libertie to meaſure theyr conſcience by their contrary practice: as well as they ſpare not the perſons of our reuerend Gouernours, and faithfull Miniſters, as Time-ſeruers, prophane perſons, lims of Antichriſt…, Bellies gods, & what not: that ſo thereby they may diſgrace the gouernement and libertie of our Churches. And ſurely as my preſent caſe ſtāds, I am in a maner ē forced herunto, not ſo much to diſcouer their deceitfulneſſe, as to redeeme my holy calling from ſuch reproch and ignominie, wherewith through the ſides of my perſon they hauehave ſought moſt deſperately to wound and ſlander the ſame: Eſpecially ſeeing that it hath pleaſed God to vouchſafe me ſome conſtant libertie in the Church vponupon my voluntary endeauour, to ſeeke the peace thereof. Am I not now much more prouoked to cleare mine innocency and vprightneſſe, that the mouth of that ordinary ſlaunder may be ſtopped, that ſubiection to the Churches lawfull authoritie, is a ſufficient cloake to any groſſe wickedneſſe, that a Surpleſſe is a couerſlut to any prophaneneſſe whatſoeuer: Bleſſed be God, that as our Church vſeth not theſe ceremonies, ether to put therby any holineſſe in them, or to deriue any holineſſe from them, but only for order & obedience ſake to the godly Magiſtrate, who may lawfully determine matters of order & decencie for the churches gouernmēt, agreeable to the rules of the word: ſo it is ſupplyed with many holy men that performe herein what is meete vntounto Caeſar, and yet giuegive vntounto God what belongeth in ſome meaſure vntounto him; howſoeuer it be the cōmon crie among ſome, that to obtaine libertie in the Church hereby; is to looſe the freedome of a good conſcience, and to open a gappe to all looſeneſſe and prophaneneſſe: And am I not then conſtrained to defend my ſelfe againſt ſuch curſed ſlanders leſt my libertie now renued, may bee imputed as a cloake to hide ſuch pretended wickedneſſe, and ſo to nouriſh and continue the ſame: And can I cleare my ſelfe herein otherwiſe then laying the burthen on the right horſe. I know it is not fit to anſwere a foole, according to his fooliſhnes with raylings, reproches, &c. for this were no better then to ouercome euill with euill, and ſo to bee like vntounto him. Yet ſo to anſwer a foole according to his fooliſhnes, as to let him know himſelfe, and ſo to make him aſhamed of his folly, & reclaime him from the ſame, or make him inexcuſable: this I hold to bee Chriſtian louelove and wiſedome. And according to this rule I deſire to walke herein, and to this end I doe heartily deſire thy prayers vntounto our gratious God, that I may be led in this diſcouerie with a ſingle and honeſt heart, that all may redound to his glory and the publike good. Promiſing thee, if thou ſhalt receiue this Treatiſe for the Gouernement of thy Thoughts with an equall hand, that thou ſhalt ſhortly, God willing, be furniſhed with further directions for the well ordering of thy vnruly Affections. And ſo I doe heartily commend thee to the grace of God, whereby thou m…ſt b…e enabled wiſely … diſ…e of things … diff…, and ſo hauing tryed all things, thou mayſt hold …a… which is good, …at ſo …o… mayſt be kept b… … to the day of Ch…ſt.
In whom I rest thine and the Churches ſeruant. Tho. Cooper.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Cooper, The Sacred Mystery of the Government of the Thoughts (1619)