A52476:94
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.
Instr. 3. A Religious Worshipper, or a man truly religious, doth not rest in this, That externals do answer the Prescript Rule of the Word, without proceeding to internal Worship. You find that God doth not only bear testimony against our Worship, but also against hypocritical Worship. First, against our Worship, or our Administrations; that (as you see) is Will-worship, and it is vain Worship, all the Institutions of men are so; they are Will-worship, i. e. there is sin and defilement in them: we must not set our posts by Gods posts. But then suppose we are brought to external worship, doth God rest here? no: do you think that God liveth on goat's blood? Psal. 50.13. And hence also, Amos 5.25. saith the Lord, you did not offer unto me your sacrifices during the space of forty years, speaking of the time in the Wilderness: It is like there was a cessation, in respect of the condition that they were in; as who should say, then I can be without Sacrifices. Jer. 7.22, 23. God saith there, He did not command Sacrifices, or external Worship, i. e. Comparatively, in respect of Obedience he commanded it not, but I Commanded them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: So God will say to us, He did not Command us to come hither, to set up the external Worship of the Gospel, i. e. comparatively, in stead of Obedience, Holiness and Righteousness: this is that which Stephen pleads, Acts 7.42, 43. Oh house of Israel, you have not offered to me slain beasts; but you had the Tabernacle of Moloch, &c. but they could not bear with Stephen when he came to this: So our Saviour Christ tell's them, They have made my House a den of thieves. Those among you that are given to injustice, drunkenness, or other scandalous ways, this, or that, I tell you, God requires not your Sacrifices, but Obey my voice, that I may be your God: this is the thing God aim's at. As for our external worship, ⟨p. 36⟩it ought indeed to be according to the Rule, but this may be, and yet as it is in Isai. 1.13, 14, 15. Your Incense is an abomination, and your solemn meetings iniquity, my soul hates them, saith the Lord, they are a trouble unto me, and when ye make many Prayers I will not hear them, your hands are full of blood, &c.