N01749:169
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.
PROP. II. Sincerity is known by particular acts of Grace.
The habits of Grace cannot be seen immediately: As no man can see his own Soul or any of the faculties of it immediately, so he cannot see the gracious principles that are there immediately. And there is no external act of obedience that is evidential, for an ungodly man may do an external act of obedience. He may give all his goods to the poor and his body to be burned, though he has no charity. 1 Cor. 13.3. But by particular acts of grace they may know their uprightness, and by them only. If a man were to try his sincerity by his certain […] of his gracious carriages day by day, he […] ••d never attain assurance, but be under […] •al uncertainty; but by particular acts […] •race he may know it.
The habits of Grace cannot be seen immediately: As no man can see his own Soul or any of the faculties of it immediately, so he cannot see the gracious principles that are there immediately. And there is no external act of obedience that is evidential, for an ungodly man may do an external act of obedience. He may give all his goods to the poor and his body to be burned, though he has no charity. 1 Cor. 13.3. But by particular acts of grace they may know their uprightness, and by them only. If a man were to try his sincerity by his certain 〈…〉 of his gracious carriages day by day, he 〈…〉 ••d never attain assurance, but be under 〈…〉 •al uncertainty; but by particular acts 〈…〉 •race he may know it.