N01446:69
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 it is a sinful thing for him to draw any conclusions about his Election. It is a secret reserved in Gods own Breast, and he cannot determine any thing understandingly about it: Deut. 29.29. Secret things belong unto the Lord our God. When he undertakes to conclude that he is not Elected, he acts presumptuously: his conclusion may be false for ought he knows; he pretends to know what he is ignorant of.
3. That Gods striving with him by his Spirit, is an hopeful sign that he is Elected, for many times is is the fruit of Election. When the Spirit convinces of Sin, it is in order to his convincing of Righteousness, Joh. 16.8. This is the course that God is wont to take with those that are Elected; frequently he lets Reprobates live in security, but he is wont to terrify the Elect in order to their Conversion; and the more earnestly the man follows after God, and labours to get into a Converted Condition, the more ⟨p. 14⟩hopeful it is that God has Elected him; for where God has appointed the end, he has appointed the means also.
3. That Gods striving with him by his Spirit, is an hopeful sign that he is Elected, for many times is is the fruit of Election. When the Spirit convinces of Sin, it is in order to his convincing of Righteousness, Joh. 16.8. This is the course that God is wont to take with those that are Elected; frequently he lets Reprobates live in security, but he is wont to terrifie the Elect in order to their Conversion; and the more earnestly the man follows after God, and labours to get into a Converted Condition, the more ⟨p. 14⟩hopeful it is that God has Elected him; for where God has appointed the end, he has appointed the means also.