N01446:36
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.
1. Daily to seek God in secret. As this is a duty, so a special means to cherish the motions of Gods Spirit in his heart: if this be neglected, it would be no wonder if his Convictions should dye away: he is also to be directed, ⟨p. 3⟩not to content himself in putting up some good requests to God •t he should open his case plainly before God, as he would do to a Physici• if he were sick: this is a way to been him from wandering thoughts in Prayer, and further to affect his own Soul with his condition. Isa. 55.6. Seek ye the Lord while be may be found.
1. Daily to seek God in secret. As this is a duty, so a special means to cherish the motions of Gods Spirit in his heart: if this be neglected, it would be no wonder if his Convictions should dye away: he is also to be directed, ⟨p. 3⟩not to content himself in putting up some good requests to God •t he should open his case plainly before God, as he would do to a Physici• if he were sick: this is a way to been him from wandring thoughts in Prayer, and further to affect his own Soul with his condition. Isa. 55.6. Seek ye the Lord while be may be found.
2. To Reform his Life, and not to indulge himself in any sins of Omission or Commission: in any external sins, nor in sinful thoughts or desires; neither in sinful actions, nor in doing good actions in a sinful manner: Men that are seeking Salvation, must not allow themselves to go on in a way of Damnation: that terror is not sufficient that will suffer men to live an unreformed Life: if men be thoroughly red, they will dread doing what wounds then Consciences; fear of Hell will make men afraid of sin: if they be thoroughly wounded, those temptations that formerly carried them […] will be overcome,