N01446:163
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. 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.
SOMETIMES a man that has been seeking after peace with God a great while, leaves off for some months together, he is followed with guilt, and comes and makes his Case known unto the Minister: In this Case it is very suitable,
1. To reprove him for his backsliding, and set before him the sinfulness of what he has done, and the danger that he has exposed himself unto: he has quenched the Spirit, the tendency of whose motions was for his good; he has sinned against a great deal of light; when he was in a more hopeful way, he has relapsed into a sorrowful condition; he has lost ground, and has a great deal of his work to do over again: God must needs be greatly provoked with him.