N03796:577
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.
3. With Reference to your Practices. And here as ever you desire to come to this blessed Life of doing always those Things that please God, you must carefully follow these six Rules.
Rule 1. Look round about you to the whole Latitude and Compass of your Duty. Great is the Latitude of Christianity: the Commandment is exceeding broad, Psalm 119.96. And many Professors do scarce look more than one Way, but while they intensely mind one Thing, they neglect another. It may be while they are taken up with the Care of religious Duties, they forget relative Duties: or they are careful of personal Duties, but very remiss in the Duties that they owe to the Souls of their Families; or they complain and mourn over their own Sins, but lay not to heart other Sins: It may be they are more punctual in their more immediate Duties towards God, but are very negligent in their Duties towards Men; or they will spend much time for their Souls, but do little lay to heart the Case of the Church, and the Misery of perishing Souls that are round about them; possibly they keep the Sabbath strictly, and pray and hear, and fear an Oath, but in the mean Time make little Conscience of breaking their Promises, passing hasty and uncharitable Censures, spending time vainly, being unprofitable in their Discourse, close-handed to godly uses; suffering Sin to go unreproved; letting out their Passion at every petty Cross. Many ⟨p. 39⟩will mind their Duty to them that are within, and in the the mean Time are very short in their Duties to them that are without: This is too common a Case. Where is the Christian almost that seriously bethinks himself, what might I do to win Souls? It may be you will go on in the Company of the Godly where you may be edified, but when do you go to your poor Neighbour, whom you see to live in a sinful State, and tell him of his Danger, and Labour to gain him to Christ, Yea, so much is this great Duty neglected and out of Fashion, that I am afraid, many question whether it be a Duty or no. As if you might let Sin lye upon the Soul of your Brother, and yet be innocent, Lev 19.17. If it were but his Ox or Ass that lay ready to perish, you would make no question but it were your Duty to help him out of the Ditch: And do you think in earnest that you owe more to these than you do to his Soul? Is it to Ministers only, or to all Believers that Scripture belongs