The mysterie of the holy government of our affections Contayning their nature, originall, causes, and differences. Together with the right ordering, triall, and benefit thereof: as also resoluing diuers cases of conscience, incident hereunto. Very necessarie for the triall of sinceritie, and encreasing in the power of Godlinesse. The first booke.

CHAP. I. (Book 1)

Of the Notion of this terme Affection, and the diuers senses thereof.

THis Name Affec∣tion, * 1.1 in our com∣mon Occasions, vsually impor∣teth these three things.

First, either those De∣sires and Motions to such seuerall Obiects as are of∣fered in the world, whe∣ther

they be good, or bad, and so it is a terme con∣uertible with Appetite. Genes. 3. 16.

Secondly, or else it is vsed in a more restrayned sense, to expresse our de∣sires to good things.

Or, thirdly it extends it selfe, to expresse those ma∣nifold passions of the mind which are the fuell to our desires, & bellowes there unto, which by the Sto∣ikes were called perturba∣tions, as conceiuing them not to stand with the tranquilitie of the minde, to interrupt and disgrace the same. By others, are called the Passions thereof: as discouering a more vio∣lent working of the same,

or some great violence offered thereunto. And are vsually called Affecti∣ons, as expressing the seue∣rall affects and desires of the mind, in the outward man. In which sense the holy Ghost calls them Members (Mortifie there∣fore your earthly members: Col. 3. 4.) as by a figura∣••iue speech signifying, that these affections exercise * 1.2 ••hemselues in our earthly ••embers, as vsing them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the expressing thereof; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ioy and Sorrow by the Countenance; Feare and Hope, by the Hands and ••eet; Anger by the whole Body, &c. And in this ••ense we take them in this Treatise, and so doe pro∣secute

them, first generally in this first Booke, & the•• particularly, according to their seuerall Distinctions hereafter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Affection, what it sig∣nifies.
• * 1.2

  Meta••••mia subiecti.