N01395:223
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.
A. Epiphanius takes it to be a Year wherein the Lord was acceptable unto Men, and saith, That the first Year of Christs Ministry was pleasing, but afterwards they took Offence. But this is a Mistake; for they took Offence this very Day. Luk. 4.28, 29. All that were in the Synagogue when they heard these things, were filled with Wrath, and and rose up and thrust him out of the City, and led him unto the brow of the Hill whereon their City was Built, that they might cast him down Headlong. But the Meaning is, The Year of God's good Pleasure and Favour, with the respect to the Preaching the Gospel to the Poor, the healing the Broken-hearted, &c. the clear Preaching of the Gospel, and the saving Efficacy of it.
DOCTRINE. There are some special Seasons wherein God doth in a remarkable Manner ⟨p. 186⟩revive Religion among his People. God doth not always carry on his Work in the Church in the same Proportion. As it is in Nature, there be great Vicissitudes; there is Day and Night, Summer and Winter; the Moon Waxes and Wanes, the Sea Flows and Ebbs, and as it is in the civil State, there is a time of War and a time of Peace, times of Plenty and times of Scarcity, times of Health and times of Sickness, so it is in the Church. There are sometimes when the Hearts of Men are made hard. Isai. 63.17. Why hast thou hardened our Hearts from thy Fear, and made us to Err from thy ways? So there be times wherein there is a plentiful Effusion of the Spirit of God, and Religion is in a more flourishing Condition. Math. 11.12. From the Days of John the Baptist, the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence, and the Violent take it by force. Isai. 44.3. I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed, & my Blessing on thy Offspring.