N03796:94
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.
And indeed, were this true, we need look no ⟨p. 8⟩f••ther to see our names written in Heaven, than only to search the Register, and see whether we were baptized: Then I would keep the Certificate of my Baptism, as my fairest Evidence for Heaven, and should come by assurance of my gracious state, with a we• Finger: Then Men should do well to carry but a Certificate of their Baptism, under the Register's Hand, when they died, (as the Philosopher would be buried with the Bishop's Bond in his hand, which he had given him for receiving his Alms in another World;) and upon sight of this, there were no doubt of their admission into Heaven.
In short, if there be no more necessary to Conversion or Regeneration, than to be turned to the Christian Religion, or to be baptized in Infancy, this will fly directly in the Face of that Scripture, Matt. 7.14. as well as multitudes of others. For First, W• will then no more say, Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way; for if all that were baptized, & of true Religion, are saved, the door is become heavenly wide, and we will henceforth say, Wide is the gate, & broad is the way that leadeth unto life; for if this be true, whole Parishes, yea, whole countries, & whole kingdoms may go in a breast; and we will no more teach, that the righteous is scarcely saved, or that there is need of such a sti• in taking the kingdom of Heaven by Violence, and striving to enter in. Surely if the way be so easy as many make it, that there is little more necessary, than to be regenerated in our Baptism, and cry God-a-Mercy, and be absolved by the Minister at our end; 'tis more ad• then needs to put our selves to such running and seeking, & knocking, & fighting, & wrestling, as the word requires as necessary for Salvation.