A89737:1426
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.
Concerning the manner of the Beatifical Vision, not to say any thing that exceeds sobriety, and yet to say something that may help our understanding, only thus; As unto the act of the understanding, there is required the object, the species or similitude of the object (or ⟨p. 333⟩else either the eminent, or formal presence thereof, which supplieth it) the faculty, and the exercise of the faculty; so unto the Beatifical Vision, there is requisite the concurrence of the object, the light of glory, the glorified understanding, and the exercise of the understanding glorified.
Concerning the manner of the Beatifical Vision, not to say any thing that exceeds sobriety, and yet to say something that may help our understanding, only thus; As unto the act of the understanding, there is required the object, the species or similitude of the object (or ⟨p. 333⟩else either the eminent, or formal presence thereof, which supplieth it) the faculty, and the exercise of the faculty; so unto the Beatifical Vision, there is requisite the concurrence of the object, the light of glory, the glorified understanding, and the evercise of the understanding glorified.
The primary object is the Divine essence it self.
In corporeal vision, sight is united to the object, by the help of the sensible species, i. e. the similitudes, image, or likeness of the object; in intellectual Vision, the understanding is united to the object, by intellectual species; but in the beatifical Vision, the Divine essence it self supplieth the place of intelligible species; for were there any other similitude of the Divine essence, it must needs be a creature; but it is impossible for a thing created to represent that which is increated; a material species is unable to represent an immaterial object; much more is a created species unable to represent the increated object, there being more distance between the light of glory, or any other conceivable created similitude, and the increated essence, than there is between a material and immaterial creature.