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Solomon Stoddard (1643-1729), Pastor of First Congregational Church, Northampton Mass, and Grandfather of Jonathan Edwards, who also pastored that Church.
THere is such Light remaining in the Conscience of fallen Man, as has made him inquisitive after a way of acceptance with God: and though several particular persons do not ordinarily. concern themselves about it: yet in all Nations and Ages there have been those that have made it matter of solemn search: the abundant evidence that men have of the being, purity, justice and greatness of God, in conjunction with the testimony of their own hearts concerning their guilt, has made them
restless till they can come at some satisfaction in this point: men have been studious in many other points, from a thirst after knowledge and to gratify their curiosity; but in this enquiry they have been much influenced by the cries and disquietness of their own burdened Consciences: the fearful apprehensions of Gods anger have spurred them on to discover a way of re∣conciliation: they have not been able so to stupify their hearts with worldly occasions and carnal delights; as to let fall the consideration of this, but have been compelled from their own terrors to make that enquiry, as they Mich. 6.6, 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, &c.
Many men who have busied themselves in this enquiry have not been advantaged to attain a right resolution thereof; the Heathen Nations had lost the knowledge of the way of Salvation: something in Religion was handed down to them by tradition: and something particularly that had a reference unto Jesus Christ; especially Sacrifices: but the knowledge of the respect they had to him was quite worn out among them, and the light of nature is utterly deficient in this particular: that light is sufficient to discover to us that God is provoked with us, that knowledge flows from our understanding of the nature of God, and the experience which we have of our own sinfulness: but the way of reconciliation does exceed the discovery of reason: the light of nature does not teach us that there is any way of reconciliation; much less does it teach us what it is: the light of nature may discover to us that many pretended ways of acceptance are delusions; for it is contrary unto reason to imagine that God will take up with such things: but to determine what is the way, is clearly beyond the most raised understanding of man without divine revelation, upon a supposition that there was a possibility of any other way of acceptance for sinners besides this by Jesus Christ (and I know no ground from Scripture to say that God was confined to this way; that he was necessitated if he would save sinful man, to take this course in order to his Salvation) it will unavoidably follow that the light of nature will leave man short of this knowledge: how can the light of nature reach the free determination of the Will of God? but besides this the knowledge of the way of our acceptance with God through Christ does necessarily suppose the knowledg of those two great mysteries; that of the holy Trinity, and that of the Incarnation of the Son God, which do utterly surpass all the dictates of the light of nature: Flesh and blood reveals not those things, but the Father that is in Heaven, Mat. 16.17. hence the Gentiles were utterly mistaken as to this way of re∣conciliation; and as Paul speaks, became vain in their imaginations.
But besides these, there are many others, who have been advantaged with the light of the Gospel that have been unsatisfied in that account which the Scriptures have given concerning the way of our acceptance, and have pleaded for such methods of Salvation as the Word of God is utterly a stranger to: withal wrestling many passages of Scripture to vindicate their own delusions: thus as the Jews of old, so especially the Papists & Socinians now go about to establish a righteousness which the Gospel does not acknowledge: and fix upon a way of acceptance with God, that has no better foundation than their own sophistical reasonings, this is not to be attributed to any obscurity in the Scripture; in the matter of our Justification; but greatly to the pride that men have in their own understandings: carnal reason suggests that otherwayes are more probable than that which is commended to us by God: carnal reason is full of objections against the Doctrine of our acceptance by Christs righteousness: and men know not how to deny their own reason, they dent carry a sense upon their hearts of the imperfections and
deceits of their own reason: they know not what dim sighted things they are; carnal reason is a thing much idolized: many men have not learned that lesson to be satisfied in the testimony of God, but make their understanding the rule and measure of Principles in Religion: lay so much weight upon their own reason, that they judge things must be so as their reason represents them, loth to entertain any thing in matters of Faith, that they do not see with their own eyes, partly to the enmity of the hearts of men unto this way of acceptance by Christ: this way of Salvation is very suitable to our necessities, but no wayes suitable to our natural disposition: mans heart would sooner fall in with such a way of Salvation, wherein he might have somewhat of his own to glory in; this way tends much to the exaltation of God, and abasing and emptying of man: the spirit of man is to set up his own righteousness, and not be beholden unto the righteousness of another; which makes men unwilling to believe this Doctrine of our acceptance by Christ: and this opposition of the heart hereto prepares men to receive the contrary Doctrine: Arguments that have little strength in them will take great impression upon men of corrupt minds; where there is strength of affections, plausible pretences will gain consent; slender proofs will serve the turn where mens spirits are strongly biased.
But it were well if none else did reject this Doctrine, but only those that do professedly plead against it: there be multitudes that do joyn in making this confession that are far from entertaining it: how high so ever mens professions be, there are no more that do thorowly believe this than are regenerated and effectually called: there is a kind of persuasion of it which carnal men may have, which persuasion the Scriptures sometime calls Faith; but it is such a persuasion as leaves men really ignorant of this Truth: some men have a persuasion of it wrought by tradition, because it is handed down to them from former Generations, and generally received in the places where they live; or by those that they have particular esteem for: upon the same account that a Turk gives credit unto the principles of his Religion: Jer. 2.11. the Doctrine is received upon the authority and testimony of man, which leaves the Soul under such uncertainty as quite obstructs the spiritual efficacy of the truth upon their hearts. There is a persuasion that arises from rational convictions, their reason tells them that other ways of acceptance are frivolous; that of all wayes that are pretended this must needs be the true way: and they can strongly argue that there is acceptance to be obtained in this way: from the accomplishment of the covenant of works by Christ from the design of God to magnify his Grace, &c. but this persuasion is not sufficient to encourage a soul to venture himself on Jesus Christ."
It's an entire book: I only copied 5 pages, and it goes to 351
The Safety of Appearing in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ.
CHAP. I.
The Introduction shewing the Difficulty of Believing this Truth.THere is such Light remaining in the Conscience of fallen Man, as has made him inquisitive after a way of acceptance with God: and though several particular persons do not ordinarily. concern themselves about it: yet in all Nations and Ages there have been those that have made it matter of solemn search: the abundant evidence that men have of the being, purity, justice and greatness of God, in conjunction with the testimony of their own hearts concerning their guilt, has made them
restless till they can come at some satisfaction in this point: men have been studious in many other points, from a thirst after knowledge and to gratify their curiosity; but in this enquiry they have been much influenced by the cries and disquietness of their own burdened Consciences: the fearful apprehensions of Gods anger have spurred them on to discover a way of re∣conciliation: they have not been able so to stupify their hearts with worldly occasions and carnal delights; as to let fall the consideration of this, but have been compelled from their own terrors to make that enquiry, as they Mich. 6.6, 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, &c.
Many men who have busied themselves in this enquiry have not been advantaged to attain a right resolution thereof; the Heathen Nations had lost the knowledge of the way of Salvation: something in Religion was handed down to them by tradition: and something particularly that had a reference unto Jesus Christ; especially Sacrifices: but the knowledge of the respect they had to him was quite worn out among them, and the light of nature is utterly deficient in this particular: that light is sufficient to discover to us that God is provoked with us, that knowledge flows from our understanding of the nature of God, and the experience which we have of our own sinfulness: but the way of reconciliation does exceed the discovery of reason: the light of nature does not teach us that there is any way of reconciliation; much less does it teach us what it is: the light of nature may discover to us that many pretended ways of acceptance are delusions; for it is contrary unto reason to imagine that God will take up with such things: but to determine what is the way, is clearly beyond the most raised understanding of man without divine revelation, upon a supposition that there was a possibility of any other way of acceptance for sinners besides this by Jesus Christ (and I know no ground from Scripture to say that God was confined to this way; that he was necessitated if he would save sinful man, to take this course in order to his Salvation) it will unavoidably follow that the light of nature will leave man short of this knowledge: how can the light of nature reach the free determination of the Will of God? but besides this the knowledge of the way of our acceptance with God through Christ does necessarily suppose the knowledg of those two great mysteries; that of the holy Trinity, and that of the Incarnation of the Son God, which do utterly surpass all the dictates of the light of nature: Flesh and blood reveals not those things, but the Father that is in Heaven, Mat. 16.17. hence the Gentiles were utterly mistaken as to this way of re∣conciliation; and as Paul speaks, became vain in their imaginations.
But besides these, there are many others, who have been advantaged with the light of the Gospel that have been unsatisfied in that account which the Scriptures have given concerning the way of our acceptance, and have pleaded for such methods of Salvation as the Word of God is utterly a stranger to: withal wrestling many passages of Scripture to vindicate their own delusions: thus as the Jews of old, so especially the Papists & Socinians now go about to establish a righteousness which the Gospel does not acknowledge: and fix upon a way of acceptance with God, that has no better foundation than their own sophistical reasonings, this is not to be attributed to any obscurity in the Scripture; in the matter of our Justification; but greatly to the pride that men have in their own understandings: carnal reason suggests that otherwayes are more probable than that which is commended to us by God: carnal reason is full of objections against the Doctrine of our acceptance by Christs righteousness: and men know not how to deny their own reason, they dent carry a sense upon their hearts of the imperfections and
deceits of their own reason: they know not what dim sighted things they are; carnal reason is a thing much idolized: many men have not learned that lesson to be satisfied in the testimony of God, but make their understanding the rule and measure of Principles in Religion: lay so much weight upon their own reason, that they judge things must be so as their reason represents them, loth to entertain any thing in matters of Faith, that they do not see with their own eyes, partly to the enmity of the hearts of men unto this way of acceptance by Christ: this way of Salvation is very suitable to our necessities, but no wayes suitable to our natural disposition: mans heart would sooner fall in with such a way of Salvation, wherein he might have somewhat of his own to glory in; this way tends much to the exaltation of God, and abasing and emptying of man: the spirit of man is to set up his own righteousness, and not be beholden unto the righteousness of another; which makes men unwilling to believe this Doctrine of our acceptance by Christ: and this opposition of the heart hereto prepares men to receive the contrary Doctrine: Arguments that have little strength in them will take great impression upon men of corrupt minds; where there is strength of affections, plausible pretences will gain consent; slender proofs will serve the turn where mens spirits are strongly biased.
But it were well if none else did reject this Doctrine, but only those that do professedly plead against it: there be multitudes that do joyn in making this confession that are far from entertaining it: how high so ever mens professions be, there are no more that do thorowly believe this than are regenerated and effectually called: there is a kind of persuasion of it which carnal men may have, which persuasion the Scriptures sometime calls Faith; but it is such a persuasion as leaves men really ignorant of this Truth: some men have a persuasion of it wrought by tradition, because it is handed down to them from former Generations, and generally received in the places where they live; or by those that they have particular esteem for: upon the same account that a Turk gives credit unto the principles of his Religion: Jer. 2.11. the Doctrine is received upon the authority and testimony of man, which leaves the Soul under such uncertainty as quite obstructs the spiritual efficacy of the truth upon their hearts. There is a persuasion that arises from rational convictions, their reason tells them that other ways of acceptance are frivolous; that of all wayes that are pretended this must needs be the true way: and they can strongly argue that there is acceptance to be obtained in this way: from the accomplishment of the covenant of works by Christ from the design of God to magnify his Grace, &c. but this persuasion is not sufficient to encourage a soul to venture himself on Jesus Christ."
It's an entire book: I only copied 5 pages, and it goes to 351
