N01446:137
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.
1. Acquaint him that though this is a great sin, yet it may be forgiven. There is abundance of Atheism in the hearts of men, the lives of men show that they have much of this spirit Tit. 1.16. And many persons that have complained of this, have been afterward Converted; and that some Godly men are much exercised with this temptation, Psal. 73.12, 13. And therefore though he should not make light of it, yet he should not draw up any dark conclusions against the possibility of his Salvation.
1. Acquaint him that though this is a great sin, yet it may be forgiven. There is abundance of Atheism in the hearts of men, the lives of men shew that they have much of this spirit Tit. 1.16. And many persons that have complained of this, have been afterward Converted; and that some Godly men are much exercised with this temptation, Psal. 73.12, 13. And therefore though he should not make light of it, yet he should not draw up any dark conclusions against the possibility of his Salvation.
2. Convince him that there is a God; and settle his heart about that great Truth.
3. By evidencing to him the Being of God, which he may do, especially from the Works of Creation thus. The things which we see, are made things; they are finite, compounded, corruptible, and therefore it is impossible they should be of themselves; that which is finite, is not Eternal, but was made in time, out of nothing; that which is compounded, was compounded by some other thing; that which is corruptible, has not its being from it self; we could not be of our selves, and therefore the First man, who was of the same nature with us, could not be of himself; and he that made these things, must be an Infinitely Glorious God: He that could bring the World out of