N01446:26
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.
Those therefore whose business it is […] lead Souls to Christ, had need furnish themselves with skill and understanding to handle wounded Consciences in a right manner, that they may be serviceable to them in their distresses; who would venture his Ship with […] unskilful Pilot? Who would venture his wounded Body with an Unskilful Chirurgeon? Who would willingly put his distressed Soul into the hands of an Unskilful Minister? Men should not satisfy themselves with other points of learning, but labour after that […] they may speak words in SE ASON to very one that is weary: that as Moses said to […] Father-in-law, they may be instead of eyes to than that are in the Wilderness.
Those therefore whose business it is 〈…〉 lead Souls to Christ, had need furnish themselves with skill and understanding to handle wounded Consciences in a right manner, that they may be serviceable to them in their distresses; who would venture his Ship with 〈…〉 unskilful Pilot? Who would venture his wounded Body with an Unskilful Chyrurgeon? Who would willingly put his distreised Soul into the hands of an Unskilful Minister? Men should not satissie themselves with other points of learning, but labour after that 〈…〉 they may speak words in SE ASON to very one that is weary: that as Moses said to 〈…〉 Father-in-law, they may be instead of eyes to than that are in the Wilderness.
There are two things especially serviceable to this end.
One is, that they get experience of this work in their own hearts: If they have not experience, ⟨p. 9⟩they will be but blind guides; they will be in great danger to entertain false notions concerning a Work of Conversion: they will be inclinable to think, that there is not so much necessary as is in order to Conversion; they are in danger to be deceived with pretences of mens being delivered from their own righteousness, with shows of humilitation, faith and love. Whatever Books men have read, there is […] need of experimental knowledge in a Minister, many particular things will occur that he will not meet withal in Books: it is a great calamity to wounded Consciences, to be under the direction of an unexperienced Minister.