N01446:124
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.
That though some desires of grace are grace, yet all desires of grace are not grace: As men may act hypocritically when they pretend to desire grace, so when they do desire grace. For
1. Many Carnal men do desire Grace. It is a common thing for Ungodly men to desire Grace, especially when terrified with the word, they desire to be Converted: Some men have slighter Convictions, and they have faint and languishing desires, and some have more smart terrors, and they have more earnest desires to be Converted: they think they would give all that they have in the World, that they were Converted: So the Foolish Virgins, Mat. 25.8.
1. Many Carnal men do desire Grace. It is a common thing for Ungodly men to desire Grace, especially when terrified with the word, they desire to be Converted: Some men have slighter Convictions, and they have faint and languishing desires, and some have more smart terrours, and they have more earnest desires to be Converted: they think they would give all that they have in the World, that they were Converted: So the Foolish Virgins, Mat. 25.8.
2. Desires of Grace may arise from natural principles. Grace is not only desirable, for its own sake, but there are several benefits that do attend it, which may make natural principles ⟨p. 32⟩crave it. Grace is an honourable thing, Heb. 11.2. it […] among men, it procures men a good name in the World; hence Pride makes men crave it: Grace is a means of many outward blessings,