N01446:297
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.
III. If it be considerably plain, that he is Converted and Gracious; either from his known eminency in Religion, or from an account that he gives of Communion with God, or discoveries of Christ, and gracious workings of his heart: It may be very meet, ⟨p. 92⟩To comfort him with those great and precious promises that God has made, to remember him of the freeness of Gods Grace, and the preciousness of the Blood of Christ; he may be minded of those things that are the pillars of our Faith, and the foundations of our comfort; how God in all Ages of the World has proposed this way of Salvation in this way the Saints of Old have lived and dyed: How the Faithfulness of God stands engaged for their Salvation, that their sins and iniquities are cast behind Gods back; this must be understood or spoken upon a supposition, that their work is a thorough work.
III. If it be considerably plain, that he is Converted and Gracious; either from his known eminency in Religion, or from an account that he gives of Communion with God, or discoveries of Christ, and gracious workings of his heart: It may be very meet, ⟨p. 92⟩To comfort him with those great and precious promises that God has made, to remember him of the freeness of Gods Grace, and the preciousness of the Blood of Christ; he may be minded of those things that are the pillars of our Faith, and the foundations of our comfort; how God in all Ages of the World has proposed this way of Salvation in this way the Saints of Old have lived and dyed: How the Faithfulness of God stands engaged for their Salvation, that their sins and iniquities are cast behind Gods back; this must be understood or spoken upon a supposition, that their work is a thorow work.
In Case he desires the Minister to tell what he judges about his sincerity; it may be suitable to tell him, that as far as he can discern, his heart is upright, and that the root of the matter is found in him; he must tell him that he has no infallible knowledge, God alone does know the hearts of men, there is no depending on his judgment, but so far as he can perceive, his Soul has been renewed by the Spirit of God.