N01446:162
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. That these thoughts rise partly from the frightfulness of his Conscience. He is in a terrified condition, and so the sound of a shaking leaf will scare him; and he flees when none pursueth; he imagines dangers where there be none; he has a humbling guilty Conscience, and is afraid that he sins when he don't, and is ready to charge things upon himself without cause.
1. That these tho'ts rise partly from the frightfulness of his Conscience. He is in a terrified condition, and so the sound of a shaking leaf will scare him; and he flees when none pursueth; he imagines dangers where there be none; he has a humbling guilty Conscience, and is afraid that he sins when he don't, and is ready to charge things upon himself without cause.
2. That these thoughts arise from those contrary workings that are in his own heart. Sometimes he has a great sense of danger, sometimes he has but little sense of it: sometimes he is afraid he has committed the Unpardonable Sin, and then he is not afraid of it: he has great variety and change of frames, and whatever account he gives of the workings of his own heart, he has had some contrary workings thereunto; so that after he has told what workings of heart he had, he has reflections, because he remembers some contrary workings of heart.
2. That these thoughts arise from those contrary workings that are in his own heart. Sometimes he has a great sence of danger, sometimes he has but little sence of it: sometimes he is afraid he has committed the Unpardonable Sin, and then he is not afraid of it: he has great variety and change of frames, and whatever account he gives of the workings of his own heart, he has had some contrary workings thereunto; so that after he has told what workings of heart he had, he has reflections, because he remembers some contrary workings of heart.