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.

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Author:	Cooper, Thomas, fl. 1626.
Title:	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.
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Print source:	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. London: Printed by Ber: Alsop, and are to be sold by Thomas Iones at his shop in Chancery Lane, ouer against the Rowles, 1619.
Subject terms:	Christian life -- Early works to 1800.
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Table of Contents

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title page

TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull, and my very much respected Friend, M. D. White, all health and happinesse.

Erata.

The Contents hereof.

OF THE OCCASION OF THIS TREA∣TISE, AND ME∣thode of the same, as also the Maine scope and vse therof.

CHAP. I.

CHAP. II. Of thoughts in generall. 1. What they are, 2. how they they differ from consent to sin, and such occasions thereof, 3. what are the subiects and 4. causes of them, 5 how we are to order them, 6. with the vse thereof.

Of the kinds of euill thoughts.

What is the proper subiect of them?

CHAP. II. Ʋses to be made in generall of our Thoughts.

CHAP. IV. Of good Thoughts, and such temptations as are inci∣dent hereunto.

Of the diuers kinds of good Thoughts.

The singular benefite and ad∣uantage of good Thoughts.

CHAP. V. Generall Rules for the wel ordering of the Thoughts

CHAP. VI, Of diuers Markes and Rules to discern holy Thoughts by. And how to difference them from all deceitfull and carnall thoughts.

A fifth difference of the good Thoughts of the Hypocrite and sincere Christian is in regard of the sea∣sonablenesse of them.

Ʋses of these Differen∣ces.

CHAP. VII. Of euill Thoughts in generall, What they are.

Of euil Thoughts: The cau∣ses of them.

And these are more espe∣cially the Occasions of them, in regard of our selues.

Of the diuers kindes of e∣uill Thoughts, and the occasions of them.

Generall Rules concerning e∣uill Thoughts, both for the discerning and suppressing of them.

Preseruatiues against euill Thoughts.

Rules herein are,

Ordinary Preseruatiues, and meanes to subdue them are these:

Vses in generall to be made of our euill Thoughts.

Differences betweene euill thoughts in the Godly and wicked.

CHAP. VIII. Of blasphemous Thoughts, what they are.

Whence they come.

The differences of them.

Remedy. And thus we are to deale with them first.

We shall perceiue them to bee cast in by Sathan, by these tokens. By the manner.

Causes of these iniected thoughts by Satan.

Of the dangerous issues of these blasphemous thoughts. And that first in the Mind, As that

Secondly to the Body, As

The Remedie hereof. How wee shall resist them by some such like, as these meanes.

Tryall of a good issue of these blasphemous Thoughts.

Of foure kindes of euil thoughts wherewith some men are especially troubled. Namely.

CHAP. IX. Of Melancholicke Thoughts, and such perturbations as do arise from and accom∣pany them.

What they are not.

Concerning Melancholy Thoughts. What they are.

These are Melancholy thoghts. And the inward causes of them are.

Outward Occasions are:

The Difference of these Thoughts are eyther.

And so also the Effects of them are according to the Diuersitie of Subiects, & occasions.

In the better of these.

Namely, according.

The Remedie of these Me∣lancholike Thoughts.

Cautions herein seruing for the triall of the Remedie.

Ʋses of these Melancho∣ly Thoughts.

CHAP. X. Of vaine & wandring thoghts intruding into and inter∣rupting holy dueties.

Examine we therefore first the nature of these Thoughts. What these are.

The Causes hereof.

These may be some speciall cau∣ses of these vaine and wan∣dring Thoughts. And these Thoughts are of di∣uers kindes, according to the seuerall occasions of them.

The Effects of these kinds of Thoughts are,

The Remedies hereof are.

The Triall of the Remedie: And therefore heere is the Tryall that these thoughts are in cure.

Ʋses of these wandring thoghts both for

Tentations, and Cases of Conscience; con∣cerning Thoughts and secret I∣maginations.

CHAP. XI. TENTATIONS Concerning Thoughts in generall.

Whereof, The first is, That as some thinke, Thoughts are free.

That Thought is free, And it is inferred

These are the colours and pretences that Thoughts are free.

Differences betweene resistance of Conscience and the Will.

Differences betweene the God∣ly and wicked, in not wil∣ling to sinne.

Furtherances hereunto are in many, that Thoughts are Free.

The daunger of the De∣lusion is,

The Conquest hereof, that Thoughts are not Erce,

2 And so doth also the Nature and glory of the Lawgiuer euince the same.

A third argument to proue that thoughts are not free, is from the consideration of those to whom the Laws giuen.

Lastly, that Thoughts are not free, appeares out of the Gospell.

Answer to the Reasons.

Answere to the second.

Answer to the hird.

Answer to the fourth.

Answere to the fifth.

Cases and tentations concer∣ning good thoughtson the left hand, tending to extenuate the worth of them.

The satisfaction is.

CHAP. XII. Tentations concerning good thoughts on the right hand tending to ouerrate the wurth of them.

The Conquest of these Tentationi, is

CHAP. XIII. Cases of Conscience inci∣deut hereunto.

The Answer hereunto consists,

CHAP. XIIII. Cases of conscience to be re∣solued herein. Is,

The resolution hereof

CHAP. XV. Case of dreames and noctur∣nall imaginations, what is the qualitie thereof, how wee are to iudge and deter∣mine the same.

What vse to make of the same.

CHAP. XVI. OF THE VSES of this Treatise,

A second generall vse of this Treatise of Thoughts, is for Instruction, and that ma∣ny wayes. First for the right infor∣mation of iudgement.

A third Generall Ʋse of this Doctrine is for Triall, and that many wayes.

Tryall of Encrease.

The last vse of this Treatise is for comfort, and that many wayes.

In our Regenerate Estate they also serue for comfort, and that many wayes.

Conclusions of the whole, with diuers aduertisements to the vnderstanding Rea∣der.