A26701:341
The way to true happiness in a serious treatise /
The way to true happiness in a serious treatise / by Joseph Alleine.
London : Printed and are to be sold by Nevil Simmons, 1678
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Introduction › Chapter 6: Containing DIRECTIONS for 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.
Secondly, In all his essential perfections. Consider how the Lord hath revealed himself to you in his word: will you take him as such a God? O sinner, here's the blessedst news that ever came to the sons of men. The Lord will be thy God, Gen. 7. 17. Rev. 21. 3. if thou wilt but close with him in his excellencies. Wilt thou have the merciful, the gracious, the sin-pardoning God, to be thy God? O yes (saith the sinner) I am undone else. But he further tells thee, I am the holy, and sin-hating God. If thou wilt be owned as one of my people, thou must be holy, 1 Pet. 1. 16. holy in heart, holy in life. Thou must put away all thine iniquities, be they never so near, never so natural, never so necessary to the maintaining thy fleshly interest. Unless thou wilt be at defiance with sin, I cannot be thy God. Cast out the leaven: put away the evil of thy doings: cease to do evil, learn to do well, or else I can have nothing to do with thee, Isaiah. 1. 16, 17, 18. Bring forth mine enemies, or there is no peace to be had with me. What doth thine heart answer? Lord, I desire to have thee as such a God. I desire to be holy, as thou are holy, to be made partaker of thy holiness. I love thee, not only for thy goodness and mercy, but for thy holiness and thy purity. I take thy holiness for my happiness. Oh! be to me a fountain of holiness: set on me the stamp and impress of thy holiness. I will thankfully part with all my sins at thy command. My wilful sins I do forthwith forsake; and for my infirmities, that I cannot get rid of, though I would, I will strive ⟨p. 154⟩against them in the use of thy means. I detest them, and will pray and war against them, and never let them have quiet rest in my soul. Beloved, whosoever of you will thus accept the Lord for his God, he shall have him.
Secondly, In all his essential perfections. Consider how the Lord hath revealed himself to you in his word: will you take him as such a God? O sinner, here's the blessedst news that ever came to the sons of men. The Lord will be thy God,