N01749:57
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.
Two things will make this evident.
Arg. 1. The spiritual knowledge of God doth not depend upon the spiritual knowledge of other things. There needs no antecedent discoveries in order to the spiritual knowledge ⟨p. 40⟩of God. When God opens the eyes of men, and gives spiritual understanding to them, there are two ways wherein they may see the glory of God.
1. By reasoning from the works of Creation and common Providence. There is a great discovery of the glory of God in making the world, Psal. 19.1. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy works. Isai. 6.3. The whole earth is full of his glory. And when they behold the work of God, they may readily see, if their eyes be opened, that these things were made by a God of infinite power, and wisdom, and goodness. There is a self-evidencing light in these works of God, showing that they are the effects of a God of infinite glory. The world is a glass, reflecting the glory of God; and when men's eyes are opened, they may plainly see it. So in other of the great works of God; the general deluge, the burning of Sodom, the delivery of Israel out of Egypt, maintaining them in the wilderness, &c. God often puts us in mind, that he has created the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. That is an abundant manifestation to them that understand, that he is a glorious God, worthy to be believed, and loved, and obeyed. When men's eyes are opened, they see the force of the argument, they are at once satisfied about the glorious properties of God. Reason enlightened by the Spirit of God, teaches men convincingly what God is.