A89737:728
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. Yes. But then these three things will follow.
First, Such a soul assents to, and closeth with the substance of the Doctrine of preparatory work, being made known unto it.
Secondly, Such a soul assents to, accepts of, and walks in the practise of the humbling Doctrine of the Gospel, concerning a Believer. The holy Christ-exalting, and soul-humbling Doctrine of the Gospel, virtually containeth, and evidently presupposeth the Spirit of Preparatory Work. The Spirit of Dependence and Repentance from falls and wanderings, which straying condition is called the lost condition of a believer, Psal. 119.176. doth in effect include the conviction of the lost estate of an unbeliever: inability without recovering grace to rise from sin to obedience here; being like our inability without converting grace: to rise from death to life there. That is called humiliation; this humility. In the Work of humiliation which is before faith, the soul seeth that as it is nothing, so it can do nothing without Christ. Poverty of spirit in the regenerate, Matth. 5.3. ⟨p. 162⟩hath its proportion to poverty of spirit in the irregenerate, Luke 4.18. Revel. 3.17.
Secondly, Such a soul assents to, accepts of, and walks in the practise of the humbling Doctrine of the Gospel, concerning a Believer. The holy Christ-exalting, and soul-humbling Doctrine of the Gospel, virtually containeth, and evidently presupposeth the Spirit of Preparatory Work. The Spirit of Dependance and Repentance from falls and wandrings, which straying condition is called the lost condition of a believer,