N01446:167
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.
3. To warn them that they do not so again. They are in great danger, because they have done so already: A Beast that has once tired, is more ready to do so again: Those temptations that have prevailed upon them, are more like to prevail again; and if they get an habit of backsliding, they will be the more incurable: Custom in any evil way, naturalizes it to men: They run more readily into the same.
SOMETIMES a man goes on in a way of seeking a great while, yet seems to be at a stand, the work don't go forward: he has the same fears, the same complaints, sees nothing further into his own heart; he is like a man in a Chronic Disease, that notwithstanding all Medicines, continues much in the same posture, he is neither much worse, nor much better; like a Ship that beats upon the Coast day by day, and can't get in. In this Case the Minister may,
SOMETIMES a man goes on in a way of seeking a great while, yet seems to be at a stand, the work don't go forward: he has the same fears, the same complaints, sees nothing further into his own heart; he is like a man in a Chronical Disease, that notwithstanding all Medicines, continues much in the same posture, he is neither much worse, nor much better; like a Ship that beats upon the Coast day by day, and can't get in. In this Case the Minister may,
1. Mind him that he may quickly die. The fence of approaching Death is very terrifying, and will stir up men to do their utmost: The face of Death is terrible, and it may be very profitable to work upon them, ⟨p. 49⟩a fence that they may be quickly snatched away; they have the seeds of all Diseases in them; Gods Judgments are as a light that goeth forth. Men are commonly snatched away before they are aware: Many of the Israelites that went out of Egypt, did not live to go into Canaan: Their way is offensive to God, and so he may take them away in his anger.