N01446:65
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.
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.
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 Companykeeping. Men that are much addicted to company, do commonly lose these Convictions; so by crouding themselves with Worldly Business: tho' diligence be no hindrance, yet combring of themselves will be a great impediment to the abiding of Convictions.
3. That it is his best way to improve the Convictions ⟨p. 12⟩that he has. Sometimes persons are wont to argue, that it will be to no purpose for them to strive. If they have not greate• Convictions, they shall but tire themselves to no purpose; and they conceive it best for them to tarry, till they have stronger Convictions a but the Seaman is wont to hoist his Sails, and improve the Wind he has, whether it be less or more: if men improve moderate Convictions, they may get forward, and do that which will further their Conversion: and if they do improve lesser Convictions, that is the way to have more: it is their duty to do it, and in that way God owns them; to him that hath shall be given. Some that have complained of the smallness of their Convictions, have within a while changed their note, and complained as much of the greatness of them, that they have been such, that they could hardly live under them.