N01749:114
A treatise concerning conversion: showing the nature of saving conversion to God, and the…A treatise concerning conversion: shewing the nature of saving conversion to God, and the…
A treatise concerning conversion: showing the nature of saving conversion to God, and the way wherein it is wrought; together with an exhortation to labour after it. : To which is added, a lecture-sermon had at Boston, July 2. 1719. Wherein the way to know sincerity and hypocrisy is cleared up. / By Solomon Stoddard, Pastor of Northampton.A treatise concerning conversion: shewing the nature of saving conversion to God, and the way wherein it is wrought; together with an exhortation to labour after it. : To which is added, a lecture-sermon had at Boston, July 2. 1719. Wherein the way to know sincerity and hypocrisy is cleared up. / By Solomon Stoddard, Pastor of Northampton.
Boston: printed by J.F. i.e for D. Henchman, 1719
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.
2. They don't know it by believing that they are godly. We know many things by faith: Heb. 11.1. By faith we understand that the worlds were made by the power of God. Faith is the evidence of things not seen, Heb. 11.1. Thus men know the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead; that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; that he that believes in him will have eternal life; the resurrection of the dead. And if God should tell a saint that he hath ⟨p. 84⟩Grace, he might know it by believing the word of God. But it is not in this way that godly men do know that they have grace: It is not revealed in the word; and the Spirit of God doth not testify it to particular persons.
2. They don't know it by believing that they are godly. We know many things by faith: Heb. 11.1. By faith we understand that the worlds were made by the power of God. Faith is the evidence of things not seen, Heb. 11.1. Thus men know the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead; that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; that he that believes in him will have eternal life; the resurrection of the dead. And if God should tell a saint that he hath ⟨p. 84⟩Grace, he might know it by believing the word of God. But it is not in this way that godly men do know that they have grace: It is not revealed in the word; and the Spirit of God doth not testifie it to particular persons.
Some think the Spirit doth testify it to some; and they ground it on Rom. 8.16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. They think the spirit reveals it by giving an inward testimony to it. And some godly men think they have had experience of it; but they may easily mistake. When the spirit of God doth eminently stir up a spirit of faith, and sheds abroad the love of God in the heart, it is easy to mistake it for a testimony. And that is not the meaning of Paul's words. The Spirit reveals things to us, by opening our eyes to see what is revealed in the word: But the spirit doth not reveal new truths not revealed in the word. The Spirit discovers the grace of God in Christ, and thereby draws forth special actings of faith and love, which are evidential; but it doth not work in way of testimony. If God do but help us to receive the revelations in the word, we shall have comfort enough without new revelations.