N09311:66
The nature of saving conversion, and the way
The nature of saving conversion, and the way wherein it is wrought. By the Rev'd. learned, and eminently pious, Mr. Solomon Stoddard of Northampton, New-England, first published A.D. 1719.
Boston: : Printed for and sold by Edmund Sawyer, at his house in Newbury., 1770
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.
Multitudes that are called to come, do upon one occasion or other excuse themselves: ⟨p. 40⟩Yea, men that are in great distress for the want of forgiveness, do reject the offer. They would fain be pardoned, and pray to God to accept them upon Christ's account; but they dare not accept of the offer of mercy. They have all manner of persuasions but remain unpersuadable; they resolve to do it, they may attempt it, but do not effect it: It seems a dangerous thing, and a method to cast away their own souls; they think God would be very angry with them for obtruding themselves upon him: It seems to them a desperate adventure. But when they are convinced of the gloriousness of God, they see encouragement enough to come to Christ.
MUltitudes that are called to come, do upon one accasion or other excuse themselves: ⟨p. 40⟩Yea, men that are in great distress for the want of forgiveness, do reject the offer. They would fain be pardoned, and pray to God to accept them upon Christ's account; but they dare not accept of the offer of mercy. They have all manner of perswasions but remain unpersuadable; they resolve to do it, they may attempt it, but do not effect it: It seems a dangerous thing, and a method to cast away their own souls; they think God would be very angry with them for obtruding themselves upon him: It seems to them a desperate adventure. But when they are convinced of the gloriousness of God, they see encouragement enough to come to Christ.
They see three things especially that are encouragement to them,
1 The free Grace of God. They were wont to discourage themselves because of their unworthiness; it seemed to them as if the heart of God was turned against them, and they laboured in that, that they might get something to incline the heart of God towards them, that might appease his anger, and attract his love: But when they have the knowledge of God, they are satisfied in the freeness of his grace; they see that there is enough in his own heart to move him, that there is an infinite ocean of grace there, that his thoughts are not as our thoughts, that there is an height and depth, and length and breadth in the love of God that it passeth knowledge; that he can pity his greatest enemies, and love those that