N01446:25
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
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.
And seeing there is such a work of preparation foregoing mens Closing with Christ, it must needs be of great consequence for awakened […] to be guided aright under this mark. If men have the best Guides, yet they may mi• […] but undoubtedly many do perish for want of suitable help; some after they have been in trouble a while, do grow discourage, under apprehensions that their seeking with be in vain, and so leave off endeavouring […] up and down Gonverted Estate. Some wander up and down under fears and hopes as the Children of Israel in the Wilderness, until they dy• they ⟨p. 8⟩cannot be quiet in a way of sin, neither can they find the way of deliverance; and many others, after a little trouble are comforted under a notion of being at peace with God. Unskilful Chirurgeons make a palliate cure, and persuade them that the bitterness of Death is past: multitudes of Souls perish through […] ignorance of those that should guide them […] way to Heaven: men are nourished […] vain hopes of being in a state of Salvation, before they are got half the way to Christ.
And seeing there is such a work of preparation foregoing mens Closing with Christ, it must needs be of great consequence for awakened 〈…〉 to be guided aright under this mark. If men have the best Guides, yet they may mi• 〈…〉 but undoubtedly many do perish for want of suitable help; some after they have been in trouble a while, do grow discourage, under apprehensions that their seeking with be in vain, and so leave off endeavouring 〈…〉 up and down Gonverted Estate. Some wander up and down under fears and hopes as the Children of Isreal in the Wilderness, until they dy• they ⟨p. 8⟩cannot be quiet in a way of sin, neither can they find the way of deliverance; and many others, after a little trouble are comforted under a notion of being at peace with God. Unskilful Chyrurgeons make a palliate cure, and perswade them that the bitterness of Death is past: multitudes of Souls perish through 〈…〉 ignorance of those that should guide them way to Heaven: men are nourished vain hopes of being in a state of Salvation, before they are got half the way to Christ.