A52476:104
Three choice and profitable sermons upon several texts of Scripture viz. Jer. 30. 17,…Three choice and profitable sermons upon severall texts of Scripture viz. Jer. 30. 17,…
Three choice and profitable sermons upon several texts of Scripture viz. Jer. 30. 17, John 14. 3, Heb. 8. 5 : the first of them being the last sermon which he preached at the court of election at Boston, the second was the last which he preached on the Lords-Day, the third was the last which he preached on his weekly-lecture-day : wherein (beside many other excellent and seasonable truths) is showed, the Lords sovereignty over, and care for his church and people, in order to both their militant and triumphant condition, and their fidelity and good affection towards himself / by that reverend servant of Christ, Mr. John Norton ...Three choice and profitable sermons upon severall texts of Scripture viz. Jer. 30. 17, John 14. 3, Heb. 8. 5 : the first of them being the last sermon which he preached at the court of election at Boston, the second was the last which he preached on the Lords-Day, the third was the last which he preached on his weekly-lecture-day : wherein (beside many other excellent and seasonable truths) is shewed, the Lords soveraignty over, and care for his church and people, in order to both their militant and triumphant condition, and their fidelity and good affection towards himself / by that reverend servant of Christ, Mr. John Norton ...
printed by S.G. and M.I. for Hezekiah Usher of Boston, 1664
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 PREFACE TO THE READER.
AS of old it was observed, that Julian who hated the Christians with an implacable hatred, when he could invent no way worse, opened a wide way for Schisms and Divisions: In like manner hath it been the Policy of the Adversary in succeeding times, when there appears no hope of undermining the Walls of Truth by Heresy and false Doctrine, to attempt the scattering and dispersing the Assertors thereof, by raising and fomenting Schisms and Dissensions amongst them. From which Fountain, it may justly be feared, hath sprung a jealousy in the minds of sundry persons in this Country, That the Determination of the late Synod Anno 1662. if attended unto, would bring into the Churches of New-England a practice, contrary both to the Frame of their Churches, and to the judgement of those famous Worthies that at first their Churches were blest withal; when as it will be found most evident to any that shall impartially survey the Constitution and state of the said Churches, That the principal, if not the sole Reason, why the same things then agreed upon, were not long before set afoot and practised, was not any doubt or scruple about the duty of the things themselves, but the want of Agreement about the Way and Manner, how they might most conveniently and safely put in practice: which being now fully cleared up in the Propositions of the said Synod, the Aspersion cast upon their former Church-administrations, as too much favouring the way of the Separation, is not only now removed, but an Expedient found out for the holding Communion with other Orthodox Churches, in things lawful and necessary, without any prejudice to the the Purity of their Worship.
AS of old it was observed, that Julian who hated the Christians with an implacable hatred, when he could invent no way worse, opened a wide way for Schisms and Divisions: In like manner hath it been the Policy of the Adversary in succeeding times, when there appears no hope of undermining the Walls of Truth by Heresie and false Doctrine, to attempt the scattering and dispersing the Assertors thereof, by raising and fomenting Schisms and Dissensions amongst them. From which Fountain, it may justly be feared, hath sprung a jealousie in the mindes of sundry persons in this Country, That the Determination of the late Synod Anno 1662. if attended unto, would bring into the Churches of New-England a practice, contrary both to the Frame of their Churches, and to the judgement of those famous Worthies that at first their Churches were blest withall; when as it will be found most evident to any that shall impartially survey the Constitution and state of the said Churches, That the principall, if not the sole Reason, why the same things then agreed upon, were not long before set afoot and practised, was not any doubt or scruple about the duty of the things themselves, but the want of Agreement about the Way and Manner, how they might most conveniently and safely put in practice: which being now fully cleared up in the Propositions of the said Synod, the Aspersion cast upon their former Church-administrations, as too much favouring the way of the Separation, is not onely now removed, but an Expedient found out for the holding Communion with other Orthodox Churches, in things lawful and necessary, without any prejudice to the the Purity of their Worship.