N03796:309
An alarm to unconverted sinners. In a serious treatise: showing I. What conversion is…An alarm to unconverted sinners. In a serious treatise: shewing I. What conversion is…
An alarm to unconverted sinners. In a serious treatise: showing I. What conversion is not, and correcting some mistakes about it. II. What conversion is, and wherein it consisteth. III. The necessity of conversion. IV. The marks of the unconverted. V. The miseries of the unconverted. VI. Directions for conversion. VII. Motions [i.e., Motives] to conversion. : Whereunto are annexed Divers practical cases of conscience judiciously resolved. / By Joseph Alleine, late Minister of the Gospel at Taunton, in Somersetshire.An alarm to unconverted sinners. In a serious treatise: shewing I. What conversion is not, and correcting some mistakes about it. II. What conversion is, and wherein it consisteth. III. The necessity of conversion. IV. The marks of the unconverted. V. The miseries of the unconverted. VI. Directions for conversion. VII. Motions [i.e., Motives] to conversion. : Whereunto are annexed Divers practical cases of conscience judiciously resolv'd. / By Joseph Alleine, late Minister of the Gospel at Taunton, in Somersetshire.
Philadelphia: printed by B. Franklin, 1741
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
II. The whole Creation of God is against thee • whole Creation (saith Paul) gro••eth and tro• ⟨p. 89⟩i• pain, Rom. 8.22. But what is it that the Creation groaneth under? Why, the fearful Abuse that it is subject to, in serving the Lusts of unsanctified Men. And what is it that the Creation groaneth for? Why, for Freedom and Liberty from this Abuse; for the Creature is very unwillingly subject to this Bondage, Rom. 8.19, 20, 21. If the unreasonable and inanimate Creatures had Speech and Reason, they would cry out under it, as Bondage unsufferable, to be abused by the ungodly, contrary to their Natures, and the Ends that the great Creator made them for. It is a Passage of an eminent Divine, The Liquor that the Drunkard drinketh, if it had Reason as well as a Man, to know how shamefully it is abused and spoiled, it would groan in the Barrels against him, it would groan in the Cup against him, groan in his Throat, in his Belly against him, it would fly in his Face, if it could speak. And if God should open the Mouths of the Creatures, as he did the Mouth of Balaam's Ass, the proud Man's Garment on his Back would groan against him. There is never a Creature, but if it had Reason to know how it is abused, till a Man be converted, it would groan against him: The Land would groan to bear him, the Air would groan to give him breathing, their Houses would groan to lodge them, their fleds would groan to ease them, their Food to nourish them, their Clothes to cover them, and the Creature would groan to give them any Help and Comfort, so long as they live in Sin against God. Thus far he. Methinks this should be a Terror to an Unconverted Soul, to think that he is a Burden to the Creation, Luke 13.7. Cut it down, why cumbreth it the Ground? If the poor inanimate Creatures could but speak, they would say to the Ungodly, as Moses to Israel, Must we fetch you Water out of the Rock, ye Rebels, Numb. 2.10