N01749:115
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.
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.
Paul's meaning is, that the miraculous works of the Spirit are a witness to the Christian Religion. The thing that is witnessed ⟨p. 85⟩to is, that sincere Christians are the children of God; that the Christian religion is the true religion; and that all that embrace it indeed are the heirs of eternal life: And the Person that witnesseth is the Holy Ghost; he testifies to it by Miracles and extraordinary Gifts. The mighty works of the Spirit of God in the primitive times, were evidences of the truth of the Christian religion; they were wrought for that very end. Heb. 2.4. God also bearing them witness with signs and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost. 1 Thes. 1.5. Our gospel came unto you, not in word only, but also in power, and in much assurance, and in the Holy Ghost.