N01446:100
A guide to Christ. Or, The way of directing souls that are under the…
A guide to Christ. Or, The way of directing souls that are under the work of conversion. Compiled for the help of young ministers: and may be serviceable to private Christians, who are enquiring the way to Zion. / By Solomon Stoddard, A.M. and Pastor of the church in Northampton. ; With an epistle prefixed, by the Reverend Dr. Increase Mather.
Boston: printed by J. Allen for N. Boone, 1714
Directions How to guide Souls through the Work of Conversion.
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. To direct him how to get delivered from this self-righteous spirit, viz. by getting an understanding of the badness of his own heart: for ••t him hear never so often of the vanity of his own righteousness, yet he will trust to it, till he sees he has none, and can get none. A thorough discovery of his own heart, will break him off from trusting in himself; for then he will see nothing in himself to trust in: he will be afraid because of his duties, his strong holds will all be thrown down; but a notional conviction of the insufficiency of his own righteousness to save him, without an experimental conviction of the badness of his heart, will not deliver him from confidence in himself.
2. To direct him how to get delivered from this self-righteous spirit, viz. by getting an understanding of the badness of his own heart: for ••t him hear never so often of the vanity of his own righteousness, yet he will trust to it, till he sees he has none, and can get none. A thorow discovery of his own heart, will break him off from trusting in himself; for then he will see nothing in himself to trust in: he will be afraid because of his duties, his strong holds will all be thrown down; but a notional conviction of the insufficiency of his own righteousness to save him, without an experimental conviction of the badness of his heart, will not deliver him from confidence in himself.
SOMETIMES he complains that he does every thing from a spirit of self-love: he don't aim ⟨p. 24⟩at the Glory of God in any thing; but fear of Hell, and desire of Salvation, are the great things that do set him on work: were it not for fear of Hell he should leave off. In this Case he may be told,