N03796:591
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.
But now, in Things civil, it is sufficient, that you have the Allowance of the Word, though not the Commands, always provided, that the general Rules he here observed, to do all to the Glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31. And not to abuse our lawful Liberty to the Offence of others, Rom. 14.2. Now your Actions being thus justifiable, as to the Matter of them (without which it is impossible, had you never so good Intentions to please God) the Influence and Virtue of holy Ends into them will be effectual, as to turn all into religious Duties, as the Touch of the Philosophers-Stone turns the baser Metal into Gold.
Rule IV. In every Action let God be uppermost, but in religious Actions, let God be All. Let none of your Actions terminate in yourselves, but labour to be able in Sincerity, to give this Account of any Thing you set […], that this you do, because it is pleasing un• […] cause this is his Will concerning you. S• upon this Caution. Beware in •se Actions wherein Self may bear a Part, lest it should sweep Stakes and carry all. You may in you common Actions have an Eye to your outward Commodity, and comfortable Being in the World; but this must not be the chief Thing, much less the All that you design herein: For by looking no higher than Self, you incur this double ⟨p. 46⟩Mischief. 1. You lose so much from your own Account. 2. You usurp upon the great Prerogatives of God. I fear we are not aware of the fearful Evil that is in Self-seeking; It is no less than jostling God beside the Throne, and setting ourselves in his Room. It is God's great Prerogative, and the proper Worship that is due to Him as GOD, that he should be the last End of all the Operations of us his Creatures, and that all our Motions should terminate in him. Now, when we eye our own Commodity, and not God, and look to this more than unto GOD, we arrogate the Divine Prerogative to ourselves, and set ourselves above him, which is no less than heinous Idolatry. And if it be such an heinous Sin to bow down to an Image, which is but the giving God's outward Worship to the Creature, how much more to seek and honour ourselves before GOD, which is to give his inward Worship? which of all is the Principal, to the Creature: Oh! how many, that pass for good Christians, will be found heinous Idolaters? Because they have sought their own carnal Ends more than God and his Glory. And many real Christians, tho' they mainly design GOD and his Glory; yet, in many particular Actions, contract great Guilt, by looking no higher than themselves in what they do. I know you cannot be always thinking of God, yet I would have you never to forget what you have been taught; in the Entrance of every solemn Action, to remember. GOD, and make him your End. Lie down in the Name of GOD every Evening: Go f in his Name every Morning, resolving to rtake All for him. When you enter upon your Callings, sit down at your Meals, make any Journey or Visit, do it as unto the LORD, with Design to please him therein.