but in this place we understand by it both the apprehension of such as are represented and the judging of them after they are apprehended by way either of approbation or disallowing both these acts of the understanding the Apostle mentions Phil. 1.9 Againe although embracing seeme first to import election of the will 2. Embracing including the motions of the will and affections yet here we include under it the prosecution of things chosen with the affections of desires hopes cares joyes c. Together with the opposite motions of rejecting hating fearing shunning c. of such things as the understanding in judgement disallowes By All things we understand things of all kinds 3. All things whether naturall or spirituall or mixed 1. Natural Now Naturall things are all sorts of creatures with their severall qualities adjuncts and operations which though they are themselves naturall yet their first cause their dependences ends relations and whole order of administration are of spirituall consideration which therefore a meere naturall man can neither throughly comprehend nor at all judge of aright as the Psalmist witnesseth Psal 92.6 as a spirituall man which the Scripture calls a wise man can doe Hos 14.9 neither consequently can he make that right and holy use of them which a spirituall man may doe and doth usually Psal 64.10 Spirituall things 2. Spiritual are God himselfe in the first place whom the world hath not knowne John 17.25 as spirituall men doe 1 Iohn 2.13 and next the things freely given us of God as the Apostle termes them 1 Cor. 2.12 especially Christ with all his treasures which the Apostle affirmes none but a spirituall person can comprehend 1 Cor. 2.14 as being hid from all ages and generations and manifested onely to the Saints Col. 1.26 27. and that by God himselfe Mat. 11.25 Those things which are of a mixed nature 3. Mixed are spirituall things expressed and represented by such as are naturall as are the Word and Sacraments For in the word the phrases and formes of speech are according to nature and of use amongst naturall men but the things meant and expressed by them are spirituall And in the Sacraments the elements and the Sacramentall actions by which they are used and applied we know are naturall but those things that are represented by them are wholly Mysticall and Spirituall in both the naturall man understands the phrases expressions and rationall discourse in the Word and in the Sacraments not only the visible Elements and actions but their signification also but the things signified in both seeing they are such as eye hath not seene and that cannot be comprehended by any Naturall meanes they cannot be understood by any naturall man All the difficulty in unfolding this truth lyes in interpreting this terme Spiritually 4. Spiritually a word that may be taken in a double sense as is also the word Spirit whence it is derived For a spirit in strict signification is that which is absolutely and meerely so and in that sense the name is appropriated to God alone Iohn 4.24 According to this sense Spirituall is that which is of or belonging to God or heavenly and spirituall Comparatively a Spirit signifies that which is lesse grosse or materiall to which is opposed grosse carnall and sensuall both senses may be included under this terme in this place Againe to comprehend spiritually may be referred First to the object comprehended Which referred to the object imports 1. to comprehend that in things which is spirituall Or by a Spirituall Light to comprehend all things and so it signifies to comprehend that which is spirituall in that object Secondly it may be referred to the meanes and it signifies to comprehend things by a spirituall light or judgement Lastly referred to the manner it implies to comprehend in a Supernaturall way which we specially intend in this place though withall we include both the former senses What it is to comprehend or understand things spiritually is hard to expresse as it is hard to describe what it is to see or heare which are well knowne to such as see or heare but is impossible to be described so distinctly by discourse Resembled by sight to which faith answers The Scripture sets it out by resemblance of outward senses as Heb. 5.14 and amongst the senses sets out the two wayes of discovering things spiritually faith by sight and experience by taste So Abraham beleeving Christ by faith is said to see his day Iohn 8.56 And taste which shadowes out spirituall experience Moses to see him that is invisible Heb. 11.27 And againe we are said to taste that is prove by experience that the Lord is good 1 Pet. 2.3 both are joyned together Ps 34.8 The two severall wayes of comprehending things spiritually Faith and Experience we are now to enquire into describing them as plainely as the nature of them will give leave SECT III. Of Faith and the two sorts of faith Historicall and Iustifying FAith or beleeving is in common use of speech taken for inclining strongly in opinion unto that of which we have no infallible assurance Faith not taken here as opposed to certaine knowledge and in that sense it is opposed to knowledge which signifies assurance of some thing upon certainty Butimporting certain knowledge upon Divine testimony and that most commonly by some sense or other But amongst Divines Faith is commonly taken for a full perswasion of any truth upon Divine Testimony This Faith is usually distinguished into Historicall Temporary and Justifying Faith as for that which they tearme the faith of Miracles it concernes not the subject that we have in hand But because Temporary faith will hereafter appear to differ not in nature but onely in some degree from Historicall faith we shall need onely to entreat of that and Justifying faith at present The nature of true faith and the difference between that and the other which we call Historical will be most easily clearly discovered by setting downe a briefe description thereof True or justifying Faith described and by explaining the severall parts of it afterwards We therefore define faith to be a spirituall habite by which a Regenerate man having in himselfe upon a Divine testimony an evidence of the truth and goodnesse of the Promise and Covenant of eternall Salvation through Jesus Christ relies on him onely for everlasting life and blessednes We call Faith an habit Which is 1. An Habit yet unlike it 1. Seeing it is infused not gotten by use 2. And cannot as habits may be wholy lost because it much resembles those habits which are properly so called especially in this that it is hardly or according to truth never to be removed or wholly lost Although otherwise it differ from them in this that those naturall habits are acquired by use whereas faith is infused by the Spirit of grace if we respect the first planting of it in the heart
faile to supply you with such estates as will be best and meetest for you I assure my selfe you want neither will nor resolution to set forward the workes wherein Gods honour and the welfare of this place are so much concerned Onely I desire you to embrace the first opportunities which the Lord shall put into your hand to bring your purposes to effect Say not with the people Hag. 1.2 The time is not come that the Lords house should be built Things of publike concernment ought to be our first and chiefest care which when we labour to set forwards with all our power we engage the Lord himselfe to take care of and prosper our private affaires Now the Lord stirre up the spirits of you all as he did the spirits of Zerubbabel and Ioshuah Zech. 1.14 to take his work in hand with speed and courage and be assured of the same successe that these holy men found and besides honour to your selves and comfort in your owne hearts at present the entering into the Joy of your Lord hereafter Mat. 25.21 23. Which that you may doe and finde is and shall be the prayer of Your Humble Servant IOHN WHITE To the Author Sir NOtwithstanding yours or the Printers haste and importunity I must not let these Treatises of so much worth goe out of my hands without that due testimony which my heart gives of them As the compilement of them is close and pithy so the materials full of spirituall vigor accompanied with a strength both of Harmonious and also Argumentative Reason The subjects themselves all seasonable when enjoyments of God through Scripture Revelation without us and by Faith and spirituall experience withinus is esteemed but a living upon the letter a way beneath for infant Christians to walke with God in And both these you have here with much evidence vindicated and cleared As likewise the Morality of the fourth Commandement the conscientious observation of which hath through the blessing of God following his own institutions both elevated and preserved at its height the practicall part of the power of godlinesse in this Kingdome which is laid aside by many true professors of piety as a part of the Iewish paedagogie For the particulars themselves your Description of a spirituall man is deeply fetcht from that which constitutes him such and doth genuinely distinguish him from all other by that which is most proper to his constitution and peculiar to his Faith namely The Demonstration of the Spirit And as the subject is spirituall such are your characters given and your way of reading it exceeding spirituall even according to the Apostles owne direction comparing or suiting spirituall things with spirituall and accordingly is also full of that demonstration of the spirit which you therein make essentiall and constitutive of his faith I see how ever we may differ in Ecclesiasticks and matters of outward order a little yet in spiritualls or what is more conjunct to the inward and spiritual man we agree All our lives meet not in that part of the circumference yet in this center we unite and embrace and herein I doe rejoyce and will rejoyce for ever In your first main part concerning the Scriptures your discourse beares a comely suitablenesse to the nature and scope of that subject also For as the Historicall beleefe of their authority end and use is the foundation of all so your demonstrations thereof are formed out of and framed into a congeniall Harmony and consonancy to right Reason and containe a naturall Genealogy and story of divine Truth about them whereof one is the off-spring of the other which way of setting forth divine Truths as it carries with it the greatest conviction and as your selfe in that forementioned Treatise expresse it begets Faith Historicall which hath for its ground a rationality and consonancy to reason so it is made use of by the holy Ghost as a blessed subservient to that which you make the immediate proper cause of saving Faith The Demonstration of the Spirit For your last peece The more generall notion of such an indefinite sense of the Fourth Commandement I remember you and I long since mutually pleased our selves to have singly and apart agreed in But this your so exact particular explication and demonstration of this intent of God therein exceedes what I either did then or have since imagined could have with that rationality perspicuity even to more then a probability been made forth of the words thereof I doe herein exceedingly admire the wisdome of God in penning and ordering the words of that Fourth Commandement in such a posture whereof you have made observation as that command might become a genuine and naturall root more naturall then Abraham is to Jew and Gentiles successively First to beare that last seventh day that old Sabbath the Omega of the weeke and when that should be lopt off then to give as fresh sap to the first seventh day the Alpha of the week the Lords day Sabbath It makes me say of the Commandement with an inversion what the Apostle sayes upon the like reason of that of Love It was an old Commandement and yet is still a new one Sir as the honour you have done me to commit these Treatises to the Test of my weake judgement ere you transmitted them to the presse hath cleane taken off that little of jealousy of any strangenesse by reason of these unhappy differences in comparison of former intimacy so the quickning materials hereof have fully revived in my heart that intensenesse of Christian and Brotherly love towards you with this just cause of addition and encrease That after your having sacrificed your spirits and strength in the most publique way of service to God and his Church with more then ordinary activity and selfe-denyall you still retaine such a spirituall vigor both of Grace and judgement as this issue shewes in these yeares of old age and infirmities Thus much if any stampe of mine might arise to any such a value for a private encouragement at least be pleased to accept as it is given with all faithfulnesse from Your ancient and still true and faithfull Friend and unworthy Brother Tho Goodwin A Table of the title of the severall Chapters and Sections contained in the Treatise following Cap. 1. OF the necessity of preparation to Reading Pag. 1 Cap. 2. Sect. 1. Of the Author of the holy Scriptures Pag. 7 Sect. 2. That the holy Scriptures appeare evidently to be the word of God Pag. 18 The first Marke by which it is evident that they are so The Style and Phrase of them Pag. 19 The second Marke The Subject or Matter handled in them Pag. 25 The third Marke The powerfull effect of the Scriptures on mens hearts Pag. 33 Cap. 3. The Scriptures having God for their Author must needes be of Divine authority Pag. 45 Cap. 4. That the pen-men of holy Scriptures were holy men guided in that worke wholly by Gods Spirit Pag. 57
50.21 Thirdly the Lord by his Prophets not only denounceth in generall 3. In pointing out particularly the kinds the time and instruments of such judgements God manifests 1. That they come not casually but were the stroaks of his hand 2. That they were certaine and already prepared his judgements against his people for their rebellions against him but withall foretells the times the instruments the manner and measure of these calamities which he threatens to bring upon then partly that they might acknowledge those sad events to be not so much the effects of the power and rage of men as of the righteousnesse of a just God rewarding them as he doth all men according to their deeds and partly to assure his People of the certainty of those judgements threatned against them set out before their eies with the whole manner and order of Gods proceeding therein with all the events that should follow as being prepared and decreed by God already These Prophesies then thus answered with proportionable effects give us sufficient ground to conclude that in the judgements executed by God upon his Church nothing is left to chance or second causes but the work is ordered by the wisdome and counsell of God beforehand as it was in the crucifying of our Saviour Christ Acts 4.18 the consideration whereof may both keep us from murmuring either at the instruments or events of whatsoever befalls us as it did David Ps 39.9 2 Sam. 16.10 and besides may raise up our hearts to expect a comfortable issue of the work how unpleasant soever it seemes at present because God hath the managing of it who cannot faile in bringing any work that he takes in hand to a good issue in the end Fourthly we may observe out of these Prophesies that in the middest of the Churches sharpest afflictions 4. In these generall afflictions yet God takes speciall care of his faithfull servants 1. Either sparing them wherein God seems to powre out the fury of his wrath upon his people yet he takes special care of such as are faithfull in his Covenant whom he makes up amongst his Jewels Mal. 3.17 either sparing them in the generall destruction Ezek. 9.4 or preserving them like the three Children in the middest of the fiery furnace of affliction as he did the godly in the Babylonish Captivity 2. Or preserving them in the middest of those afflictions that come upon the Church whom he carried out of their own country for their good Ier. 24.5 6. and was a little Sanctuary to them when they were scattered among the Heathen Ezek. 11.16 So that by their own experience they found that promise made good unto them Rom. 8.28 That all things shall work together for the good of all those that love God Fifthly in the Prophesies of Gods judgements threatned against his people 5. Gods scope in these afflictions is only the purging of his Church we must especially observe what scope the Lord aimes at in the chastisements of his Church which we shall find to be not to destroy it but to purge it Isa 27.9 That when the Drosse and Tinne are taken away and purged out by casting his people into the Furnace of affliction that is when the wicked are consumed out of the middest of them by the wrath of God he may restore the Iudges as at the first and the Counsellers as at the beginning that they may be called a City of righteousnesse Isa 1.25 26. For which cause when he smites his Church he debates with it in measure and staieth his rough wind in the day of the East-wind Jsa 27.8 destroying not his Church as he doth her enemies verse 7. Her he smites with rods but them with Scorpions So that his people out of experience may truly acknowledge that God punisheth them far lesse then their deserts Ezra 9.13 Sixthly after God by those sharp afflictions hath throughly purged his Church 6. Which when he hath done he returnes to them in mercy and humbled his peoples uncircumcised hearts in such manner as is expressed Jer. 31 18 19. the Lord will remember his Covenant Levit. 26.44 45. and be jealous for Zion Zach. 8.2 and rejoyce over his people to doe them good Ier. 32.41 not only in outward blessings but more especially in cleansing them from their sinnes Ier. 33.8 and changing their hearts Ezek. 11.19 and planting his feare and writing his Law in them Ier. 31.38 that they shall not depart from the Lord Ier. 32.40 and shall at last be able out of their owne experience to say with David I know that thou in very faithfulnesse hast afflicted me But not for their sakes but for his own Names sake Psalm 119.75 And all this he will doe not for their sakes Ezek. 36.25.26 32. but for his own Names sake ver 22. Seventhly when God hath made use of the enemies of his Church 7. And when he hath used the Churches enemies to purge it he poures out his wrath upon them to the uttermost as the Rod of his Anger Isa 10.5 and hath by their hand performed his whole work upon Mount Zion verse 12. those Prophesies assure us that God will not faile to call them to account for their pride and cruelty Isa 47.6 7 11. and their plagues when they light upon them shall not be like the chastisements of Gods people but shall be like the breaking of a Potters vessell even a totall and finall destruction Isa 14.21 22. Ier. 90.39 40. and that in favour of his people to avenge them upon those that have ruled over them with rigour and used them without mercy Ier. 51.35 Eightly 8. He supports the spirits of the godly by happy times to follow especially under the Gospel the Prophets intermix the threatnings of Gods Judgements with many sweet and gracious promises of happy times to follow after those sharp trialls that they were to undergoe for the supporting and staying up of the hearts of the godly which though few of those to whom they were uttered should live to see yet if their zeale unto Gods honour and tender love unto his Church whereof themselves were members could not but raise up their hearts to embrace and rejoyce in those sweet comforts of Gods gracious promises to his Church supporting their drooping spirits by carrying on their thoughts to look beyond the present sad condition which they were to undergoe to fixe them upon that happy estate which was to follow as the Apostle supported his spirit in those manifold afflictions wherewith he was exercised by looking not at the things which are seen but at the things which being to come are not seen 2 Cor. 4.16 18. But above all this the Prophets most insist upon and labour to set out that glorious enlargement of his Church by the calling in of the Gentiles with the blessed and happy estate thereof under the government of Iesus Christ whom with the fruits of righteousnesse and peace which he shall