N01446:57
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. 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.
2. That God never gives a Faith of Assurance, before he gives a Faith of Dependence; for he never manifests his love till men are in a state of Favour and Reconciliation, which is by a faith of dependence. When men have comfortable Scriptures come to them, they are apt to take them as tokens of Gods love: but men must first be brought into Christ, by accepting the Offer of the Gospel before they are fit for such manifestations. Gods method is first to make the soul accept of the Offers of Grace, and