N01446:176
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.
One Argument is, that his Convictions are only the workings of natural Conscience, and not from the Spirit of God: his Convictions are from the workings of his own thoughts; but he may be told, the way of the Spirits working when it does convince men, is by enlightening natural Conscience; the Spirit does not work by giving a testimony, but by assisting natural Conscience to do its work: Natural Conscience is the instrument in the hand of God to accuse, condemn, terrify, and to urge to duty: The Spirit of God leads men into the consideration of their danger, and make them to be affected therewith, Prov. 20.27. The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. When men's own hearts are stirring ⟨p. 53⟩them up to Sin, & they have many reasonings about it, that is no sign that Satan is not busy with them: So when their own hearts are accusing and frighting of them, it is no sign that the Spirit of God is not at work with them: All the regular actings of Conscience, all those Convictions that are according to the Word of God, are from the Spirit of God.
One Argument is, that his Convictions are only the workings of natural Conscience, and not from the Spirit of God: his Convictions are from the workings of his own thoughts; but he may be told, the way of the Spirits working when it does convince men, is by inlightning natural Conscience; the Spirit does not work by giving a testimony, but by assisting natural Conscience to do its work: Natural Conscience is the instrument in the hand of God to accuse, condemn, terrifie, and to urge to duty: The Spirit of God leads men into the consideration of their danger, and make them to be affected therewith, Prov. 20.27. The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. When men's own hearts are stirring ⟨p. 53⟩them up to Sin, & they have many reasonings about it, that is no sign that Satan is not busie with them: So when their own hearts are accusing and frighting of them, it is no sign that the Spirit of God is not at work with them: All the regular actings of Conscience, all those Convictions that are according to the Word of God, are from the Spirit of God.