N01625:121
Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Showing the virtue of Christs blood to…Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Shewing the vertue of Christs blood to…
Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Showing the virtue of Christs blood to cleanse from sin. II. That natural men are under the government of self-love. III. That the Gospel is the means of conversion. : To which a fourth is added, to stir up young men and maidens to praise the name of the Lord. / By Solomon Stoddard A.M. Pastor of Northampton.Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Shewing the vertue of Christs blood to cleanse from sin. II. That natural men are under the government of self-love. III. That the Gospel is the means of conversion. : To which a fourth is added, to stir up young men and maidens to praise the name of the Lord. / By Solomon Stoddard A.M. Pastor of Northampton.
printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1717
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.
USE, III. Of Examination.
Whether you be in a Natural Condition. If you be under the government of self-love, you are in your Natural Estate. Some particular Corruptions, which are but branches of self-love may be weakened; as Wantonness, Intemperance, &c. and yet you may be in a Natural Condition: but if self-love be weakened so that it hath not the government over you, then you are not in a Natural Condition. Grace and nothing but Grace takes away the government of self-love.
Whether you be in a Natural Condition. If you be under the government of self-love, you are in your Natural Estate. Some partitular Corruptions, which are but branches of self-love may be weakned; as Wontonness, Intemperance, &c. and yet you may be in a Natural Condition: but if self-love be weakned so that it hath not the government over you, then you are not in a Natural Condition. Grace and nothing but Grace takes away the government of self-love.
1. Quest. Do you prefer the Enjoyment of God before all Enjoyments? Worldly Enjoyments are of divers kinds: Houses, Lands, Silver, Gold, Meats and Drinks, Applause, Power and Dignities; these are the things that the hearts of many are set for. 2 Tim. 3.4. They are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. But there are some that prefer ⟨p. 57⟩the Enjoyment of God before all the World: and such Men do prefer the Enjoyment of God here before all the World. Some are very desirous to Enjoy God when they die: it is a horror to them to go to Hell: but they don't regard Gods Presence here: they can live contentedly without Communion with God here. But godly Men prefer his Presence here.