N02150:63
Religious societies. Proposals for the revival of dying religion, by well ordered societies for…
Religious societies. Proposals for the revival of dying religion, by well ordered societies for that purpose. : With a brief discourse, offered unto a religious society, on the first day of their meeting. : [One line from I Thessalonians]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland for John Phillips, 1724
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.
IT was once prescribed, Acquaint thy self with GOD, and be at peace. Even so, Let People Acquaint themselves with Faith, and with Repentance, and with Holiness, if they would seek peace and pursue it.
THERE are Mysteries in Faith. People often delude themselves with an Historical Faith, as if it were enough to yield some Kind of Assent unto the Truth; or with a presumptuous Faith, taking it for granted that their Sins are pardoned, whether ever they have with a distressed Soul sought for it, or no; or with an Imperfect Faith, receiving a CHRIST in some of His Offices, but not in all of them. So, forsooth, now they have Commenced Believers.
REPENTANCE has Mysteries in it. Hence People fancy, and harbour Conceits, that now and then, a, Lord, Forgive me! Or, A few sleight Convictions of what they have done when they have Sinned; Or the Reluctancies of an ⟨p. 9⟩Heart smiling of them, and roaring terrible things upon them, and compelling them to fall down on their Knees, and come to some Good Resolutions never to Offend in the like sort again; or some Terrors of the Law, which are like the Flashes of Hell-fire already singeing of them; — are the Repentance not to be Repented of.