A26695:110
A sure guide to heaven, or, An earnest invitation to sinners to turn to…
A sure guide to heaven, or, An earnest invitation to sinners to turn to God in order to their eternal salvation showing the thoughtful sinner what he must do to be saved / by Joseph Alleine.A sure guide to heaven, or, An earnest invitation to sinners to turn to God in order to their eternal salvation shewing the thoughtful sinner what he must do to be saved / by Joseph Alleine.
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1688
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.
God finds nothing in a man to turn his heart, but to turn his stomach: enough to provoke his loathing, nothing to provoke his love. Look back upon thy self, O Christian: Take up thy verminous rags: Look upon thy self in thy blood, Ez. 16. 6. O reflect upon thy swinish Nature, thy filthy swill, thy once beloved mire, 2 Pet. 2. Canst thou think without loathing of thy trough and draught? Open thy Sepulchre, Mat. 23. 27. Art thou struck almost dead with the hellish damp? behold thy putrid soul, thy loathsome members. O stench unsufferable, if thou dost but sense thy own putrefaction! Psal. 14. 3. Behold thy ghastly visage, they crawling Justs, thy slime and corruption. Do not thine own Clothes abhor thee? Job 9. 31. How then should holiness and purity love thee? Be astonished O Heavens at this, be moved O Earth, Jer. 2. 12. Who but must needs cry, Grace! Grace! ⟨p. 18⟩Zech. 4. 7. Hear and blush you Children of the most high; O you unthankful generation! that free grace is no more in your mouths, in your thoughts; no more adored, admired, commended by such as you. One would think you should be nothing but praising and admiring God, whatever you are. How can you make a shift to forget such grace, or to pass it over with a slight and seldom mention; What but free grace should move God to love you, unless enmity could do it, or deformity could do it, unless vomit or rottenness could do it? How affectionately doth Peter lift up his hands? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again. 1 Pet. 1. 3. How feelingly doth Paul magnify the free mercy of God in it? God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us; hath quickened us together with Christ; by grace ye are sa•ed,