N01749:174
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. Ordinarily, they do […] see but few particular acts of gra•• […] is a very great difference in godly men […] this account. ⟨p. 128⟩I take it for granted, that there are not two men in ten thousand, that have just the same experience. More generally, godly men do hope and think, that they exercise grace many times every day, in their prayers, and in their callings, and in their conversation with men; but it is but now and then that they can certainly speak up to it. There be great mixtures of corruption with grace, there be many false appearances of grace, which makes them afraid whether they did indeed exercise grace; and this makes it evident, that it is thus with Saints, that many of them are for a long time under doubt whether they be indeed godly; thence we have these precepts, 2 Pet. 1.10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your selves, whether you be in the Faith. Some hypocrites are a great deal more confident than many saints. Many godly men are at a loss whether their faith be any other than what unconverted men may have. And so about their other graces; there be some saints that have assurance, but the foundation of it is, that now and then they see the plain actings of faith and love, and repentance. They see something of encouragement from their daily […] But that which begets assurance is th•• •••etimes they plainly see Grace.
2. Ordinarily, they do 〈…〉 see but few particular acts of gra•• 〈…〉 is a very great difference in godly men 〈…〉 this account. ⟨p. 128⟩I take it for granted, that there are not two men in ten thousand, that have just the same experience. More generally, godly men do hope and think, that they exercise grace many times every day, in their prayers, and in their calings, and in their conversation with men; but it is but now and then that they can certainly speak up to it. There be great mixtures of corruption with grace, there be many false appearances of grace, which makes them afraid whether they did indeed exercise grace; and this makes it evident, that it is thus with Saints, that many of them are for a long time under doubt whether they be indeed godly; thence we have these precepts,