N00357:301
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.
The Safety of Appearing in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ. › Chapter 6: CHAP. VI▪
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.
2. This conviction is not the fruit of mens natural reason; natural reason tho advantaged with external revelation, cannot satisfy the heart that it is safe to appear in the righteousness of Christ: natural reason may work some conviction of this truth, and discover so much of it that a man may come to look upon it very rational and probable: but it cannot discover the certainty of it: flesh and blood can•t reveal that: natural reason may make such a discovery of this truth, that they may be urged in conscience to believe in Christ, and condemned in conscience for not believing in him, that they may think those hap•y that do believe in him: that they judg those grossly erroneous that do deny ⟨p. 116⟩this Doctrine: but yet it will not give such a conviction as can assure the soul that it is so indeed, men are apt to think that they are satisfied, that there is safety in relying on the righteousness of Christ, only they question whether God does call them as the case is circumstanced with them to rely upon him, but they delude themselves: mans reason does not discover the certainty of this truth by all the helps that the world does afford; yea, though they do partake of some inward common illumination: the nature of man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2.14. There is a twofold defect in natural reason that hinders men from receiving of this Truth.
2. This conviction is not the fruit of mens natural reason; natural reason tho advantaged with external revelation, cannot satisfie the heart that it is safe to appear in the righteousness of Christ: natural reason may work some conviction of this truth, and discover so much of it that a man may come to look upon it very rational and probable: but it cannot discover the certainty of it: flesh and blood can•t reveal that: natural reason may make such a discovery of this truth, that they may be urged in conscience to believe in Christ, and condemned in conscience for not believing in him, that they may think those hap•y that do believe in him: that they judg those grosly erroneous that do deny