A89737:94
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.
The more principal Relative Attributes are in number,1 seven. 1. Creation. 2. Providence. 3. Lordship. 4. Benignity. 5. Mercy. 6. Redemption. 7. Justice. To which, or some of which, the rest of like nature may conveniently be referred.
- 1Relative Attributes.
Though the terms Creator, Governor, Redeemer, and Lord, do more clearly hold forth the relation between God and the creature: yet (after others) the fore-named terms are here made use of: both as sufficiently containing the relation, and better conducing to teach the Doctrine intended.
A new Relative Attribute or Predication doth not always presuppose a change in that thing unto which that new relation is given, though it always presupposeth a change in that whereunto such relation doth really belong: for example sake, Peter may sit at the right hand of John, without any change in Peter, the change being only in John, who placeth himself at Peters left hand. The Princes are said to stand on the right hand of the wall, Neh. 12.31. without any change in the wall, the change was only in them so placing themselves. So God who was not a Creator from eternity, is a Creator in time: yet this new appellation puts no change in God, but only in the creature. The second Person who was not incarnate from eternity, becometh incarnate in the fullness of time, yet without any change: the change was, and is only in the humane nature assumed, not in the divine ⟨p. 11⟩nature assuming. In these Relative Attributes, (the Creator being above the order of the creature) the extremes not being alike: the relation is not alike. The relation on Gods part is only a relation of Reason: that is, such a respect of the Creator to the creature, as is without any change in him: but on the creatures part, it is a real relation: that is, such a relation as inferreth a change in it.