N00357:20
The safety of appearing at the day of judgement, in the righteousness of Christ
The safety of appearing at the day of judgement, in the righteousness of Christ: opened and applied. By Solomon Stoddard Pastor to the church of North-Hampton in New-England. ; [Nine lines from Philippians]The safety of appearing at the day of judgement, in the righteousness of Christ: opened and applied. By Solomon Stoddard Pastor to the church of North-Hampton in New-England. ; [Nine lines from Phillipians]
Boston: printed by Samuel Green for Samuel Phillips, 1687
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.
But it were well if none else did reject this Doctrine, but only those that do professedly plead against it▪ there be multitudes that do join in making this confession that are far from entertaining it: how high so ever mens professions •e, there are no more that do thoroughly believe this than are regenerated and effectually called: there is a kind of persuasion of it which carnal men may have, which persuasion the Scriptur•• sometime calls Faith; but it is such a persuasion […] leaves men really ignorant of this Truth: some me• ⟨p. 5⟩have a persuasion of it wrought by tradition, because it is handed down to them from former Generations, and generally received in the places where they live; or by those that they have particular esteem for: upon the same account that a Turk gives credit unto the principles of his Religion: Jer. 2.11. the Doctrine is received upon the authority and testimony of man, which leaves the Soul under such uncertainty as quite obstructs the spiritual efficacy of the truth upon their hearts. There is a persuasion that arises from rational convictions, their reason tells them that other ways of acceptance […] frivolous; that of all ways that are pretended this must needs be the true way: and they can strongly argue that there is acceptance to be obtained in this way: from the accomplishment of the covenant of works by Christ from the design of God to magnify his Grace, &c. but this persuasion is not sufficient to encourage a soul to venture himself on Jesus Christ. There fs also a persuasion that ariseth from common illumination: besides that light which is let into the hearts of m•n in their conversion▪ there is a more than ordinary illumination bestowed upon some sinners, the spirit of God gives an affecting •ight of the way of Salvation, enlightening natural Conscience with a great discovery of the way of life by Jesus Christ: this is called a tasting of the good Word of God, Heb 6.5. the fruit whereof is a rejoicing in the Gospel, Mat. 13.20