A26695:90
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.
I answer, 1. That there is an infallible connection between regeneration and salvation, as we have already showed, and I itch to be farther evidencing but that 'tis against designed brevity. 2. Then men must be born again, which carries a great deal of absurdity in its very face. And why may not men be twice born in nature, as well as in grace? Why not as great an absurdity to be twice regenerated as to be ⟨p. 10⟩twice generated? But 3. and above all, This grants however the thing I contend for, that what ever men do, or pretend to receive in baptism, if they be sound afterwards to be grossly ignorant, or profane, or formal, without the power of godliness, they must be born again, or else be shut out of the Kingdom of God. So then they must have more to plead for themselves, than their baptismal regeneration.
I answer, 1. That there is an infallible connexion between regeneration and salvation, as we have already shewed, and I itch to be farther evidencing but that 'tis against designed brevity. 2. Then men must be born again, which carrys a great deal of absurdity in its very face. And why may not men be twice born in nature, as well as in grace? Why not as great an absurdity to be twice regenerated as to be ⟨p. 10⟩twice generated? But 3. and above all, This grants however the thing I contend for, that what ever men do, or pretend to receive in baptism, if they be sound afterwards to be grosly ignorant, or profane, or formal, without the power of godliness, they must be born again, or else be shut out of the Ki•gdom of God. So then they must have more to plead for themselves, than their baptismal regeneration.
Well, in this you see all are agreed, that be it more or less that is received in baptism, if (when men come to years) they are evidently unsanctified, they must be renewed again by a through and powerful change, or else they cannot escape the damnation of Hell. Friends and Brethren be not deceived God is not mocked;