N01446:55
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.
4. That he must not be sensible of that sin only, but of all other sins; every sin being provoking to God, and deserving damnation: and particularly that his Impenitency and Unbelief is more dangerous than any former act of sin: Joh. 3.19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light
Sometimes after the man has been in trouble a while, before he has any great experience of his own heart, he has some promises come to him with a great deal of refreshing: and he hopes God has accepted him; in this case the Minister may tell him,
1. That it is a common thing for God to give encouragements unto men, before they are carried through the work of Conversion; that a• God gives them encouragements by his Word• so he does many times by his Spirit: God always maintains in the hearts of Sinners that are seeking of him, some hopes that they may obtain mercy: and sometimes he gives them very great refreshing, by some sense of the Glory of Heaven, Luke 14.15. by some superficial discoveries of Christ: Mat. 13:20. thereby holding forth some promises before them, the design whereof is to draw them on in a way of seeking, and to support them under their temptations.
1. That it is a common thing for God to give encouragements unto men, before they are carried thorow the work of Conversion; that a• God gives them incouragements by his Word so he does many times by his Spirit: God always maintains in the hearts of Sinners that are seeking of him, some hopes that they may obtain mercy: and sometimes he gives them very great refreshing, by some sense of the Glory of Heaven,