N01749:177
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.
1. Th• […] •hat he lives in be small Such per••• […] guilty of perjury, stealing, drunk […] •on• they look upon them to be […] •ngs, and they are afraid ⟨p. 131⟩of them, but they do not much matter it if they oppress a little in a bargain, if they commend a thing two much which they are about to sell, if they break a promise, if they spend the sabbath unprofitably, if they neglect secret prayer, if they talk rudely, and reproach others; they think these things are but small things: If they can keep clear of great transgression, they hope that God will not insist upon small things; but indeed all the commands of God are established by divine authority, and that man that doth not lay weight upon little commands, keeps none as he ought to do. A small shot may kill a man as well as a cannon bullet. A small leak may sink a ship. If a man lives in small sins, that shows that he has no love to God, no sincere care to please and honour God. Little sins are of a damning nature as well as great; if they don't deserve so much punishment as greater, yet they do deserve damnation. There is contempt of God in small sins, Mat. 5.19. He that shall break one of the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of God. There is rebellion in little sins, Prov. 19.16. He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul, but he that despiseth his ways shall die. If a man says, thi• […] great command, and so lays wait […] other is a little commandment▪ […] guard it, but will allow himself […] he is in a perishing condition.
1. Th• 〈…〉 •hat he lives in be small Such per guilty of perjury, stealing, drun on they look upon them to be ngs, and they are afraid