N01911:77
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.
2. Try this matter by the greatness of this change which is wrought in Conversion. You heard in opening the Point, how Conversion doth imply an universal change? Is it so with you? Have you new heads, new hearts, new words, new thoughts, new lives and all? Moreover, the change wrought in Conversion is universal, in respect of entire obedience unto all Divine Commands, and an utter forsaking of every false way. Therefore it is said, the fruit of the Spirit is in [all] goodness, &c. Eph, 5.9. Where the Spirit hath wrought Grace, there is all goodness; Such a Soul doth practise all duties, and forsake all sins. It is indeed the greatest change that men are subject to. It is a marvellous change which Death brings along with it; hence Job calls his death his change; It is so by way of eminency, Job. 14.14. But Conversion brings a greater change with it: For at death the change is only in respect of place and degree, &c. But in Conversion there's a change wrought in respect of state and kind, Eph. 5.8. Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are light in the Lord. There are new and quite contrary qualities wrought in the Soul, so as the sinner converted differs as much from the sinner Unconverted, as light differs from darkness. For,
2. Try this matter by the greatness of this change which is wrought in Conversion. You heard in opening the Point, how Conversion doth imply an universal change? Is it so with you? Have you new heads, new hearts, new words, new thoughts, new lives and all? Moreover, the change wrought in Conversion is universal, in respect of entire obedience unto all Divine Commands, and an utter forsaking of every false way. Therefore it is said, the fruit of the Spirit is in [all] goodness, &c. Eph, 5.9. Where the Spirit hath wrought Grace, there is all goodness; Such a Soul doth practise all duties, and forsake all sins. It is indeed the greatest change that men are subject to. It is a marvellous change which Death brings along with it; hence Job calls his death his change; It is so by way of eminency, Job. 14.14. But Conversion brings a greater change with it: For at death the change is only in respect of place and degree, &c. But in Conversion there's a change wrought in respect of state and kind,