A89737:1411
The orthodox evangelist. Or A treatise wherein many great evangelical truths (not a few…
The orthodox evangelist. Or A treatise wherein many great evangelical truths (not a few whereof are much opposed and eclipsed in this perilous hour of the passion of the Gospel) are briefly discussed, cleared, and confirmed: as a further help, for the begetting, and establishing of the faith which is in Jesus. As also the state of the blessed, where; of the condition of their souls from the instant of their dissolution: and of their persons after their resurrection. By John Norton, teacher of the church at Ipswich in New England.The orthodox evangelist. Or A treatise wherein many great evangelical truths (not a few whereof are much opposed and eclipsed in this perillous hour of the passion of the Gospel) are briefly discussed, cleared, and confirmed: as a further help, for the begeting, and establishing of the faith which is in Jesus. As also the state of the blessed, where; of the condition of their souls from the instant of their dissolution: and of their persons after their resurrection. By John Norton, teacher of the church at Ipswich in New England.
London: printed by John Macock for Henry Cripps, 1654
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Ans. Though there be no Geometrical proportion, between the Divine Essence, and the visive power of the soul in glory; yet there may be between them, the proportion of an act, and its object. The eye of the body of Christ glorified may be supposed to have a visive power, not only adequate to, but far exceeding the light of the Sun, and so could see the Sun comprehensively; the eye of an ordinary mortal man, though his visive power be far short of the lightsome visibility in the Sun, yet he can, and doth see the Sun apprehensively, though not comprehensively. That the distance between the Creator and the creature, is not repugnant to the proportion of an act, & an object or that which terminates, and that which is terminated, is evident in the Incarnation; where the Divine Essence,1 subsisting in the second Person (which is increated) terminates the humane nature of Christ (which is a creature) being united thereunto, and the humane nature is terminated thereby. If the distance between the Divine Essence, and a creature, is not such as inferreth an impossibility of personal union, much less doth it infer an impossibility of immediate Vision.2 Might it not seem strange to question the soul of Christ (which is a creature) seeing the Essence unto which the Man-hood is united? for otherwise he, as man, should not only be without the sight of the most perfecting object, but also be without the sight of himself, and that for ever.
Ans. Though there be no Geometrical proportion, between the Divine Essence, and the visive power of the soul in glory; yet there may be between them, the proportion of an act, and its object. The eye of the body of Christ glorified may be supposed to have a visive power, not onely adequate to, but far exceeding the light of the Sun, and so could see the Sun comprehensively; the eye of an ordinary mortall man, though his visive power be far short of the lightsome visibility in the Sun, yet he can, and doth see the Sun apprehensively, though not comprehensively. That the distance between the Creator and the creature, is not repugnant to the proportion of an act, & an object or that which terminates, and that which is terminated, is evident in the Incarnation; where the Divine Essence,1 subsisting in the second Person (which is increated) terminates the humane nature of Christ (which is a creature) being united thereunto, and the humane nature is terminated thereby. If the distance between the Divine Essence, and a creature, is not such as inferreth an impossibility of personal union, much lesse doth it infer an impossibility of immediate Vision.