N01446:56
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.
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, Luke 14.15. by some fupersicial 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.