N01446:63
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.
AFTER he has had affection and enlargements for a while, he is wont to complain that he grows more dull, and he is afraid that his Convictions are about to leave him: In this Case he may be told,
AFTER he has had affection and inlargements for a while, he is wont to complain that he grows more dull, and he is afraid that his Convictions are about to leave him: In this Case he may be told,
1. That there is no reason to expect that his Convictions should always be in the like degree. Persons in such a Condition, are subject to many alterations, as it is with a Ship at Sea, sometimes it has a fair Wind, sometimes it blows more moderately, sometimes it is becalmed; yea, sometimes it has Storms and cross Winds: There be many Changes that pass over such men. So men in a Journey, have sometimes good way, sometimes bad; they meet with Rivers and miry places, where they cannot make speed.
1. That there is no reason to expect that his Convictions should always be in the like degree. Persons in such a Condition, are subject to many alterations, as it is with a Ship at Sea, sometimes it has a fair Wind, sometimes it blows more moderately, sometimes it is becalmed; yea, sometimes it has Storms and cross Winds: There be many Changes that pass over such men. So men in a Journey, have sometimes good way, sometimes bad; they meet with Rivers and miery places, where they cannot make speed.
2. That he must be very careful that he do nothing to quench the motions of the Spirit, 1 Thes. 5.19. There be many ways whereby men do it, sometimes by discouragement, sometimes by presumption and flattery, sometimes by rebelling against the light, sometimes by Company-keeping. Men that are much addicted to company, do commonly lose these Convictions; so by crowding themselves with Worldly Business: tho' diligence be no hindrance, yet cumbering of themselves will be a great impediment to the abiding of Convictions.