N01749:148
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.
(1.) God will bestow converting grace upon some. We are indeed assured that all will not obtain. We are also assured that some will obtain; for there are a number of men whose names are written in the book of life. There may be more of them in one age than in another, more of them in one professing country and town than in another; but all that are elected shall obtain, Rom. 11.7. There is a number that are redeemed by Christ, that he did designedly shed his blood for: He laid down his life for his sheep, Joh. 10.15. God would never have sent him into the world, but that he designed to convert and save many sinners through him. He has promised to Jesus ⟨p. 110⟩Christ the salvation of many; Isai. 49.6. I have given him to be a light unto the gentiles, and salvation to the ends of the earth. Psal. 72.17. Men shall be blessed in him, and all nations shall call him blessed. This is the promise spoken of, Tit. 1.2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began. God has made a donation of an eternal kingdom to Christ, Mat. 16, 18. The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church. The work of conversion shall be carried on in all ages. Ordinances shall not be in vain; Mat. 28.19, 20. Go, teach all nations, baptizing them; and lo I am with you even to the end of the world. When God sends sowers to sow, some seed shall fall on good ground. The Gospel is as a Net that gathers some good fish, and some bad. As other great works of God are continued, so this work of conversion shall continue in all ages. Though satan has a kingdom in the world, yet Christ will always have a kingdom here as well as he.
(1.) God will bestow converting grace upon some. We are indeed assured that all will not obtain. We are also assured that some will obtain; for there are a number of men whose names are written in the book of life. There may be more of them in one age than in another, more of them in one professing country and town than in another; but all that are elected shall obtain,