The orthodox evangelist. Or A treatise wherein many great evangelical truths (not a few…

So hath this Proposition been made good by plain Texts and Types, that is, by Scripture both proper and typical: The third sort of Arguments follow from Reason. The first whereof is taken from

The good pleasure of God and Christ to proceed unto Vocation according to this order. 'Tis in the works of Grace,¹ as we ordinarily see in the works of Nature;² God proceeds not immediately from one extreme unto another, but by degrees. They that be whole have no need of a Physician, but they that are sick; but go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, Mat. 9.12, 13. Here Christ, the only Physician of Souls, so cures his Elect, as that by the common work of the Spirit he maketh them sick, before by the saving work of the Spirit he maketh them well: He first maketh them to feel the need of a Physician, before he succours them according to their needs. There seems to be little or no joy in Heaven for that Convert on Earth, who was never sensible of his need of repentance, Luke 15.7. Christ professeth, he came not to call the Righteous: The very Elect then, whom yet Christ in his order came not only to call externally, but also effectually (whilst righteous in their own conceit, and insensible of their sin) he calleth not immediately to believe, but first calleth them to sensibleness of their sin, to repentance, &c. then calleth them nextly to believe. Paul had a righteousness of his own, Phil. 3.9. thought he was alive, Rom. 7.9. him Christ came to call, though in his conceited righteousness, because he was elected; but before he obtained mercy to believe, he is made sensible both of the dung and unrighteousness of his own righteousness,