N01446:228
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. That seeming willingness that is in many men is but feigned. They pretend a willingness to quiet their Consciences; they don't it may be feel much opposition, but they are not indeed willing; they are willing to be saved, and willing to be saved by Christ, rather than not be saved at all; and have some selfish desires that they could come to Christ, but there is no sincerity in them.
SOMETIMES the man says, that he would fain submit to the will of God, but can't tell how; he has been striving after it a great while, but cannot attain it. In this Case he may be told,
That Natural men do never sincerely strive after submission to God; they do strive to submit after a fashion, and pray that they may, because they hear that it is necessary in order to Conversion, but they are never sincere in it; they do it in a false and deceitful way: Which appears,
1. Because they are labouring to make their hearts better. They are labouring to mend themselves; and upon this account they labour after it, that they may be necessitated to submit ⟨p. 73⟩