The Orthodox Evangelist, Title page – Dedication
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.
For I determined not to know any thing amongst you, ſave Jeſus Christ, and him crucified, 1 Cor. 2.2.
Moreover, I will endeavour, that you may be able after my deceaſe, to have theſe things always in remembrance. 2 Pet. 1.15.
LONDON, Printed by John Macock, for Henry Cripps, and Lodowick Lloyd, and are to be ſold at their ſhop in Popes head Alley neer Lombard ſtreet. 1654.
Norton's Orthodox Evangeliſt.
To the Church, and Inhabitants, of Ipſwich in New-England. Grace and Peace in our Emanuel.
Worſhipful, Reverend, and dearly beloved in our Lord and Saviour;
PAuls deſire to make known nothing but Chriſt unto the Corinths, his Travail until Chriſt was formed in the Galatians, with other like ſpeeches, of him that breathed nothing but Chriſt: What were they elſe, but the effects of that Savior-like diſpoſition, wherewith the Lord Jeſus ſtill inſpires the Inſtrumental Saviours of Mount Sion?foreign.
This Miniſterial Spirit reſted not only upon that great Doctor of the Gentiles; but alſo reſts, and acts in its meaſure, in all the Miniſters of the Goſpel, for the calling, and compleating of the Elect, until we all come to be a perfect man. So as there is not to be found a more vigorous effuſion of the Bowels of Jeſus; in any of the hearts of the children of men, then is in the ſouls of the Miniſtry: no bowels either of civil, or natural relations exceed theirs: the love of them is wonderful, ſurpaſſing the love of Ionathan, that paſſed the love of women. By the unboſoming hereof as with a key, the Apoſtle in his Epiſtle, opens the heart of the Reader; whilſt the Coloſsians behold the ſpirit of the writer:Col. 2.2. I would to God ye knew what great conflict I have for you.
Hence (I hope) in its meaſure is this preſent labor for the truths ſake, for your ſake, for the ſake of any, that in the Lord ſhall accept thereof, and for conſcience ſake.
To this end was I born, and for this cauſe came I into the world, to bear witneſs unto the truth. So our Lord Jeſus, notwithſtanding the Truth was that which the Jews then maligned, and Pilate derided, ſee the Spirit of Chriſt an Hypocrite, and a Moraliſt, the difference between piety, Malignity, and neutrality concerning the truth.
Nothing is more contended for, nothing more contended againſt, then the truth. The Goſpel truth as it is moſt dear to God, ſo is it moſt oppugned by Satan. As the Attribute of the Holy One is the Spirit of truth: So the wicked one, is called a lyar from the beginning. Concerning it, are the greateſt thoughts of heart, the moſt intenſe endeavors of Tongues, Pens, and Swords: It being much more beloved of its followers then Life: and more hated of its oppoſers then death.
Truth is the excellency of things, where truth is there may be a bad action, but where truth is not, there cannot be a good action. Paul ſuppoſeth a man may give his Body to be burned in a good cauſe, and it profit him nothing. 'Tis not the ſuffering and the cauſe alone; both ſuffering, cauſe and Spirit, muſt concur to make a Martyr. In a bad cauſe it holds univerſally, Who hath required theſe things at your hand?
Mans interpretation of the Scripture, is not Gods mind, but mans miſtake. To confeſs and ſuffer in teſtimony to an error, is to be a falſe-witneſs, not truths witneſs: Pleaders for error, not Pillars of the truth. To add to the profeſſion of error, ſuffering for it, is to add ſin unto ſin: The latter error, worſe then the firſt: Such ſufferers are ſo far ſelfe-vaſſals, not Chriſts Martyrs. Such ſufferings, unto ſpoyling of goods, bonds, exile, the wilderneſs, or whatſoever, are worſe then loſt: a dead birth after ſore travel, is a double wo: Such tears muſt be wept for again: this ungodly ſorrow, is not to be undone without godly ſorrow. We may build, and work; but if it be Wood, Hay, Stubble, we ſhall ſuffer loſs; our work muſt be burnt, though our ſelves be ſaved, yet as by fire.
The Scripture mentions, Little children, Children, young-men, men, Fathers, and a perfect man in Chriſt: as concerning your ſelves, unto whom the dreadful bond of office hath endebted me, the weakeſt of many, to make known unto you, the truth of the Goſpel: what hath my ſoul longed, or labored for more, after your birth in Chriſt, then that you ſhould be, not only Babes, but men: both ſound, and ſtrong in the faith: Sincere, and diſtinct: that Chriſt might not only be formed, but perfected. That you might not onelyonly have a ſaving, but a ſatisfactory knowledg of him, in whom you beleeve? The end of the Goſpel is to be known, the duty and diſpoſition of the Beleever, is to know.
Even Fundamental Truths which have been the ſame in all generations, have been, and ſhall be tranſmitted more clear from age to age in the times of Reformation: until that which is perfect is come, and that which is imperfect be done away:Vid. Greynaei praefat locis com. Zeged. praefix. pag. 5. The truth held forth is the ſame; though with more of Chriſt, and leſs of man. Such addition, is no innovation, but an illuſtration, not new light, but new ſight. The looking glaſs ſlurred and cleared more or leſs, is the ſame glaſs. Columbus did not make a New World, when he made a new diſcovery of the old World.
Truth wants ſo much of its glory, as it is unſeen. The underſtanding wants ſo much of its perfection, as it is ſhort in ſeeing thereof. The Members of the New man, have their joynts: joynts not fully ſet are painful, and leſs uſeful. All unbeleif is preſumption, not faith: which hinders nouriſhment, and genders humor.
Grace, Glory, and Glorification, hold proportion with the truth. Though knowledg may be without grace, yet there can be no grace without knowledg. According to the meaſure of our approach, to an exact, total, and Adequate Union, of the underſtanding with the truth of the Goſpel: So is the glory of the truth beleeved, and the Communion of the Soul beleeving.
Men need ſtrong meat, at well as Babes need Milk; though he who is but a Babe, hath not the knowledg of a man, yet he that is a Babe labours after the knowledg of a man. Babes reſt not in being Babes. I have endeavored to ſay ſomething that might entertain the ſtronger, yet ſo as (I hope) I have ſcarce ſaid any thing, that weaker capacities. may not with due attention attain unto. Solid meat that is beſt prepared, is not digeſted without: yet is digeſted with time, and the labor of nature. The Seed which the husbandman ſoweth with pains, the Earth receiveth not without patience. 'Tis the Prerogative of God, 'tis not in the power of man to communicate underſtanding without ſtudy, and diligence: Though it be in Gods power to give, yet according to his ordinary Diſpenſation, he doth not give knowledg unto man, without labor and prayer; but he giveth unto his a ſpirit, by meditating day and night, to ſearch into the deep things of God: Who refuſeth ripe fruit becauſe it groweth higher then can be had without climbing; or the treaſures hid in the Earth becauſe they cannot be had without digging?
And who knoweth but that theſe poor ſheets may find a place with ſome others, eſpecially in the houſes and hearts of them, of whoſe houſe I am: out of whoſe heart, they cannot be, whilſt I am. That I may not be, as one altogether dead to thoſe, whom I ſhould have been glad to have lived and dyed with; yea whom I ſhould have been glad to have lived and dyed for. My abſence from them, hath named this Wilderneſs, Gerſom: their acceptance hereof, ſhall ſo far name it Ephraim: It is with God that knoweth the heart of exiles to comfort exiles.
'Tis not with me, as with Hortenſius, who though he was weak in writing, yet was he able to ſpeak; Nor as with Albericus, who though weak in ſpeech, was able in writing; but being contious of my infirmity in both, I have added the latter, to ſupply in ſome meaſure (if God ſo pleaſe) the defect of the former.
Sometimes Pauls writing is more weighty then his ſpeech, and ſome of Chriſts words after his death, were more effectual then in his Life. Hence I have deſired to ſow Seed, both by Pen and Tongue; preſent, and abſent; Alive and dead: Not knowing whether ſhal proſper moſt, either this, or that, or whether they both ſhould be alike good. Good Books help both the underſtanding, and memory. They are both Teachers, and Regiſters, like ſteeled looking-glaſſes; that do not only reflect, but continue reflecting the Image to the beholder:Segnius irritant animes, demiſſa per auros Quam quae ſunt oculis Subjecta ſidelibus— The ſpeaker haſteth on, and cannot wait the leaſure of the hearer; but the writer is always at hand, attending the capacity of the Reader. What is ſayd of the poor, with a little alteration, may be applyed to written Treatiſes; Books you have always with you, you may receive good from them when you will.
Solomon admoniſheth not to write ſuperfluouſly; Paul encourageth to write profitably.Eccle. 12.12 2 Tim. 4.13. 'Tis with books as with meats; he that refuſeth eating as the cure of an unwholeſome, or unreaſonable diet, acts the part of a murtherer, not of a Phyſitian. He is not a man, that diſtinguiſheth not between good and bad. He is not a wiſe man that diſcerneth not between exceſs, and nothing. The Pen-men of corrupt Books muſt hold up their hands as highly guilty of the evil of the times: and ſuperfluous Books, do but add to the heap of vanity, and vexation of ſpirit. Theſe loſe precious hours, thoſe loſe more precious ſouls. By way of Apologie for this Treatiſe, I ſhall only ſay the wiſe mans admonition, I have been conſcionably awful of, and have aimed at Edification.
The uſe of Books, is to communicate pertinent truth; the excellency of Books, is to do it Subſtantially, clearly, briefly. Abuſe takes not away their uſe; nay ſuch books, are the cure of evil books. The opening of Titus lips, is the means to ſtop deceivers mouths: the light of the book of the Goſpel, conſumes the Magicians books to aſhes:Tit. 1.11. Acts. 19.19. one pin, muſt be forced out by another.
After forgiveneſs begged in the Blood of Jeſus, for what is mine herein; Pardon I crave of all, pardon and acceptance as I hope for from ſome, ſo eſpecially from your ſelves, to whom as I could bequeath no greater legacy; ſo then from whom, whence could I encourage my ſelf with better expectation; for YOU are OUR glory and joy: forget not the emphaſis in the word OUR: Miniſters (compared with other Chriſtians) have little to joy in, in this world. 'Tis not with the Miniſters of the preſent, as with the Miniſters of late times; nor with exiles, as with the reſt: nor with your exiles, as with ſome others: Let this our (or if you pleaſe your) condition (for therein you have been both partakers with us, and ſupporters of us) be your provocation. A receiving encouragement whereof is the conſtant remembrance that you are our companions in this Patmos, wherein many of you were before divers of us. You know the hearts of ſtrangers, for ye are ſtrangers.
The Lord who in rich grace hath not only Sanctified the tongue of the Preacher, but alſo the pen of the Scribe unto the edification of his; So bleſs all our labours, that both Speaker and Hearer, Writer and Reader, may rejoyce together in that day, that they have not run in vain. This is the prayer of
Your Servant for Jeſus ſake, JOHN NORTON. Ipſwich in N. Eng. Octob. 7. 1652.