N01749:135
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.
THE Nature of Saving CONVERSION, AND THE Way wherein it is wrought. › MOTIVES.
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. Your lives are full of sin. Men in their natural condition are guilty of a world of sin. Some of them live in a way of profaneness: They see their mouth against the heavens, Psal. 73.9. Some live in ways of sensuality, and wallow like swine in the mire. Some live in ways of injustice; they are beasts of prey. Some are mere earth-worms, seeking an heaven upon the earth: They are under the curse of the serpent; Dust shall be the serpents meat. And such of them as are addicted to morality and religion, are serving their lusts therein. The most orderly natural men do live an ungodly life. In all the works of their calling they carry themselves sinfully; Prov. 21.4. The ploughing of the wicked is sin. In all their ⟨p. 97⟩relations they carry themselves sinfully. Under all Providences they live ungodly. When they eat and drink, they do it not as they should, for God's Glory; but are eating and drinking damnation to themselves. Yea, their very Religion is iniquity, Isai. 1.5. Their hearts are set upon carnal things; Rom. 8.5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. Though some of them whose consciences are enlightened, are reforming their lives, and crying to God for the pardon of sin, yet they are minding carnal things as well as others; they are setting up their own righteousness, and nourishing the pride of their spirits, Rev. 3.17. And they don't mind the spiritual, but the bodily enjoyments o• heaven. They pray for holiness but oppose it. Joh. 5.42. They have not the love of God in them. They praise God because of his excellency, but they don't believe him to be such an one; it is a burden to them that they suspect it, and they wish he were not such an one. They wish God did not see their hearts, and had not power to avenge himself. There is nothing but hypocrisy in all that they do. They confess their sins, and bewail their iniquities, but they have no godly sorrow. They put up earnest requests for holiness, but don't sincerely desire it. They strive against sin, and all the while are cherishing of it. They have pangs of affection but no love. They have some affection to saints, but hate real holiness.