N01911:65
Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…
Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D. teacher of a church at Boston, in New-England ; With a preface by Dr. Owen.Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D. teacher of a church at Boston, in New-England ; With a praeface by Dr. Owen.
Boston: printed by John Allen for John Edwards, 1721
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.
Use 2. We may likewise see by this, the woeful misery of all those that remain in an Unconverted estate. But every one will be ready to say, Unconverted persons are miserable indeed, as being such as shall be excluded out of Heaven. But are we not all Converted, are we not all Christians? Alas Friends, deceive not your own Souls, I do beseech you; But therefore know, 1. They that remain ignorant in spiritual things are unconverted, 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, neither can be know them, because they are spiritually discerned So that they that are unacquainted with the things of the Spirit, are in their natural estate still. What shall we think of those then, that mock and deride at the workings of Gods Spirit upon the Soul in its first, or in after Conversion? And what shall we say of those that remain ignorant in Fundamental Points in Religion? Some ⟨p. 37⟩though they live under Gospel-Light, yet are so, if they be examined about the great matters of Religion, especially about Christ, they bewray lamentable ignorance. Certainly, if ye are not turned from darkness to light, ye are not Converted, Acts 26.18. And if the Soul be without knowledge, it is not good, Prov. 19.2. It's not possible for the Soul to be entered into the Kingdom of Heaven, & yet to live in darkness & ignorance still. 2. They that are Profane either in heart or life, are unconverted. Esau was a Type of all natural irregenerate men; and he is called a profane person, Heb. 12.16. Alas, how many such are there, whose hearts slight and despise Spiritual blessings, even as Profane Esau did? Oh the secret Profaneness and Atheism of the hearts of men and women! Whence is it that many live in a careless neglect of God, and of the things of God, and of there own Salvation by Christ, but from the Profaneness and Atheism of their hearts? Psal. 14.1, 2. So as for all those that live in any scandalous sins against the first or second Table of the Law, it is certain that they are not Converted. Hence the Apostle speaketh as you find,