N01395:151
The efficacy of the fear of Hell, to restrain men from sin. Showed in…The efficacy of the fear of Hell, to restrain men from sin. Shewed in…
The efficacy of the fear of Hell, to restrain men from sin. Showed in a sermon before the inferior court in Northampton, Decem. 3d, 1712. : Together with the benefit of the Gospel, to those that are wounded in spirit. Showed in several sermons, from Luke 4th. 18, 19. On the occasion of a more than ordinary pouring out of the spirit of God. / By Solomon Stoddard, Pastor of Northampton.The efficacy of the fear of Hell, to restrain men from sin. Shewed in a sermon before the inferiour court in Northampton, Decem. 3d, 1712. : Together with the benefit of the Gospel, to those that are wounded in spirit. Shewed in several sermons, from Luke 4th. 18, 19. On the occasion of a more than ordinary pouring out of the spirit of God. / By Solomon Stoddard, Pastor of Northampton.
printed by Thomas Fleet for Samuel Phillips, 1713
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.
1 USE. See here the great Mercy of God to many Sinners. He offers Deliverance to them from Spiritual Captivity. Bodily Captivity, especially among barbarous People, Indians or Turks, is a great Misery; but this Spiritual Captivity is much greater. Their Wants are very great; they live a ⟨p. 121⟩miserable Famished Life, they are destitute of those Spiritual Comforts that the Nature of Man craves. They are very much Debased, they live in such a way as is beneath the Dignity of Mankind. They endure abundance of Sorrows, and Wounds in their Consciences. They are exposed unto great Dangers: God pities them in this Condition, and offers Deliverance to them, when none else could do it. He is making a gracious Offer unto them. You are utterly uncapable to deliver yourselves; you have no sufficiency to procure your own Liberty. Some that have been Captives to Men, have got their Liberty by Running; some by being Victorious over them; some by promising Money for their Redemption, but you are under an utter Incapacity to procure your own Liberty. You must continue for ever in a miserable Condition, if God do not set you at Liberty: And in this Extremity God offers Deliverance to you. It would not be so strange, if your Deliverance would be any Advantage to God, but he gains nothing by it. It is indeed for his Honour to Deliver you; and so it would be for his Honour if he should refuse to Deliver you: ⟨p. 122⟩But it is no profit to him, he is Blessed for ever, whatever becomes of you. Yet he is freely offering Deliverance to you.
1 USE. See here the great Mercy of God to many Sinners. He offers Deliverance to them from Spiritual Captivity. Bodily Captivity, especially among barbarous People, Indians or Turks, is a great Misery; but this Spiritual Captivity is much greater. Their Wants are very great; they live a ⟨p. 121⟩miserable Famished Life, they are destitute of those Spiritual Comforts that the Nature of Man craves. They are very much Debased, they live in such a way as is beneath the Dignity of Mankind. They indure abundance of Sorrows, and Wounds in their Consciences. They are exposed unto great Dangers: God pities them in this Condition, and offers Deliverance to them, when none else could do it. He is making a gracious Offer unto them. You are utterly uncapable to deliver yourselves; you have no sufficiency to procure your own Liberty. Some that have been Captives to Men, have got their Liberty by Running; some by being Victorious over them; some by promising Money for their Redemption, but you are under an utter Incapacity to procure your own Liberty. You must continue for ever in a miserable Condition, if God do not set you at Liberty: And in this Extremity God offers Deliverance to you. It would not be so strange, if your Deliverance would be any Advantage to God, but he gains nothing by it. It is indeed for his Honour to Deliver you; and so it would be for his Honour if he should refuse to Deliver you: