An Alarm to Unconverted Sinners, Title page – Author to the reader 1
AN ALARME 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. Motives to Conversion.
Whereunto are annexed divers Practical Cases of Conscience Judiciously Resolved. By Ioseph Alleine late Preacher of the Gospel at Taunton in Somerset-shire.
LONDON, Printed by E. T. and R. H. and are to sold by Nevil Simmons at the Princes Arms in St. Pauls-Church-yard. 1672.
To all the Ignorant, Carnal, and Ungodly, who are Lovers of pleasures more than God, and seek this world more than the Life Everlasting, and live after the Flesh, and not after the Spirit; These Calls and Counsels are directed in hope of their Conversion to God, and of their Salvation.
He that hath an ear to hear let him hear.
Miserable Souls.
THere is that Life and Light and Love in every true Believer, but especially in every Faithful Minister of Christ, which engageth them to long and labour for your Salvation. Life is communicative and active. It maketh us sensible that Faith is not a fantasie, nor true Religion a stage-play, nor our hopes of eternal happiness a dream. And as we desire nothing more for our selves, than to have more of the Holy Life which we have, alas! in so small a measure, so what is it that we should more desire for others? With the eye of an infallible (though too weak) faith, we see the Heaven which you neglect, and the blessed souls in Glory with Christ, whose companions you might be for ever: we see the multitudes of souls in hell, who came thither by the same way that you are going in: who are shut out of the glorious presence of God, and are now among those devils that deceived them, remembring that they had their good things here, Luke 16. 25. and how they spent the day of their visitation, and how light they once set by God, by Christ, by Heaven, by Mercy, whilest Mercy was an earnest solicitour for their hearts: And with our bodily eyes we see at the same time, abundance of poor sinners living about us, as if there were no God, no Christ, no Heaven, no Hell, no Judgment, no nor Death to be expected; as if a man were but a master beast, to rule the rest, and feed upon them, and perish with them. And if it were your own case, to see what souls do in Heaven and Hell, and at once to see how unbelievingly, carelesly and senselesly most men live on earth, as if there were no such difference in another world, would it not seem a pitiful sight to you? If you had once seen the five brethren of Dives on earth, eating, drinking, laughing and merry, clothed and faring daily with the best, and at the same time seen their brothers soul in Hell, begging in vain for a little ease, and wishing in vain that one from the dead might go warn his brethren that they come not to that place of torment, would it not seem to you a pitiful sight? would not pity have made you think, [Is there no way to open these Gentlemens eyes? No way to acquaint them what is become of their brother, and where Lazarus is, and whither they themselves are going? No one driveth or forceth them to Hell: and will they go thither of themselves? and is there no way to stop them or keep them back?] Did you but see your selves what we see by faith (believing God) and at once beheld the Saints in Heaven, the lost despairing souls in Hell, and the senseless sensual sinners on earth, that yet will lay none of this to heart, sure it would make you wonder at the stupidity of mankind. Would you not say, O what a deciver is the Devil that can thus lead on souls to their own damnation? O what a cheater is this transitory world, that can make men so forget the world where they must live for ever! O what an enemy is this flesh, that thus draweth down mens souls from God! O what a besotting thing is sin that turneth a reasonable soul into worse than a beast! What a Bedlam is this wicked world, when thousands are so busily labouring to undo themselves and others, and gratifying the Devil, against the God and Saviour, who would give them everlasting blessed life.
And as we have such a sight as this by Faith to make us pity you, so have we so much tast of the goodness of God, the sweetness of his wayes, and the happiness of believers, as must needs make us wish that you had but once tryed the same delights, which would turn the pleasures of sin into detestation. God knoweth that we desire nothing more for our selves, than the Perfection and Eternity of this holiness and happiness which we believe and tast. And should we not desire the same for you?
And being thus moved with necessary pitty, we ask of God, what he would have us to do for your salvation. And he hath told us in Scripture, that the preaching of his Gospel, to acquaint you plainly with the truth, and earnestly and frequently intreat you to turn from the flesh and world to God by Jesus Christ, is the means with which his grace is ready to concurr for your salvation, when obstinate resistance causeth not the Holy Spirit to forsake the sinner and leave him to himself, to follow his own Counsels, Lusts and Wills.
In this hope we undertook the Sacred Ministry, and gave up our selves to this great and most important work: in the great sense of our unworthiness, but yet in the sense of your souls necessity. We were not such fools at our first setting out, as not to know it must be a life of labour, self-denial and patience, and the devil would do his worst to hinder us, and that all sorts of his instruments would be ready to serve him against our labours, and against your souls. Christ our Captain saved us by patient Conquest, and so must we save our selves and you: and so must you save your selves under Christ, if ever you be saved. It was no strange thing to Paul that bonds and afflictions did every where abide him, nor did he account his life dear that he might finish his course with joy, and the Ministry committed to him by the Lord. Act. 20. 23, 24. It was no strange thing to him to be forbidden to preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved, by such as were filling up the measure of their sins, and were under Gods uttermost wrath on earth. 1 Thess. 2. 15. 16. Devils and Pharisees, and most where they came, both high and low, were against the Apostles preaching of the Gospel, and yet they would not sacrilegiously and cruelly break their Covenant with Christ, and perfidiously desert the souls of men; even as their Lord for the love of souls, did call Peter Satan, that would have tempted him to save his life and flesh, instead of making it a sacrifice for our sins. Mat. 16. 23.
What think you should move us to undertake a calling so contrary to our fleshly ease and interests? Do we not know the way of Ease and Honour, of Wealth and Pleasures as well as others? And have we not flesh as well as others? Could we not be content that the cup of reproach and scorn and slander and poverty and labours, might pass from us, if it were not for the will of God and your salvation? Why should we love to be the lowest, and trodden down by malignant pride, and counted as the filth of the world and the offscouring of all things, and represented to Rulers whom we honour, as schismaticks, disobedient, turbulent, unruly, by every Church-usurper, whom we refuse to make a God of? Why give we not over this preaching of the Gospel, at the will of Satan, that is for the everlasting suffering of your souls, under the pretense of making us suffer? Is not all this that you may be converted and saved? If we be herein besides our selves, it is for you. Could the words of the ignorant or proud, have perswaded us, that either your wants and dangers are so inconsiderable, or your other supplies and helps so sufficient, that our labours had been unnecessary to you, God knoweth we should have readily obeyed the silencing sort of Pastors, and have betaken us to some other land, where our service had been more necessary. Let shame be that hypocrites reward who taketh not the saving of souls, and the pleasing of God, for a sufficient reward, without Ecclesiastical Dignities, preferments, or wordly wealth.
I have told you our motives: I have told you our business and the terms of our undertaking. It is God and you sinners that next must tell us what our entertainment and success shall be. Shall it be still neglect, and unthankful contempt, and turning away your ear and heart, and saying, we have somewhat else to mind? Will you still be cheated by this deceiving world? and spend all your daies in pampering your guts, and providing for that flesh that must lie rotting very shortly in a grave? Were you made for no better work than this? May not we bring you to some sober thoughts of your condition, nor one hour seriously to think whither you are going? What! not to one awakened look into the world where you must be for ever? Nor one heart-raising thought of the everlasting Glory? Not one heart-piercing thought of all your Saviours love, nor one tear for all your sinful lives? O God forbid: Let not our labour be so despised. Let not your God, your Saviour and your souls be set so light by. O let there be no profane person among you like Esau, who for one morsel sold his birth-right.
Poor sinners! We talk not to you as on a stage, in customary words, and because that talking thus is our trade. We are in as good earnest with you, as if we saw you all murdering your selves, and we are perswading you to save your lives. Can any man be in jest with you who believeth God? who by faith foreseeth whither you are going, and what you lose, and where the game of sin will end? It is little better to jest with you now in Pulpit or in private, than to stand jesting over your departing souls, when at death you are breathing out your last.
Alas, with shame and grief we do confess, that we never speak to you of these things as their truth and weight deserve, nor with the skill and wisdom, the affection and fervency which beseemeth men engaged in the saving of poor souls. But yet you may perceive that we are in good sadness with you. (For God is so.) What else do we study for, labour for, suffer for, live for? Why else do we so much trouble our selves, and trouble you with all this ado, and anger them that would have had us silent? For my own part, I will make my free confession to you to my shame; that I never grow co…d and dull and pittiless to the souls of others, till I first grow too cold and careless of my own (unless when weakness or speculative studies cool me, which I must confess they often do.) We never cease pittying you, till we are growing too like you, and so have need of pitty our selves.
When, through the mercy of my Lord, the prospect of that world of souls which I am going to, hath any powerful operation on my self, O then I could spend and be spent for others. No words are too earnest, no labour too great, no cost too dear, the frowns and wrath of malignant opposers of the preaching of Christ's Gospel are nothing to me. But when the world of spirits doth disappear, or my soul is clouded, and receiveth not the vital illuminating influences of Heaven, I grow cold first to my self, and then cold to others.
Come then poor sinners, and help us who are willing at any rate to be your helpers. As we first crave Gods help, so we next crave yours: Help us, for we cannot save you against your wills, nor save you without your consent and help. God himself will not save you without you; and how should we? We know that the Devil is against us, and will do his worst to hinder us; and so will all his ministers, by what names or titles soever dignified or distinguished. But all this is nothing if you will but take our parts your selves: I mean if you will take Christs part, and your own, and will not be against your selves. Men and Devils cannot either help or hinder us in saving you as you may do your selves. If God and you be for us, who shall be against us?
And if you will help us, give over striving against God, and Conscience, give over fighting against Christ and his Spirit: take part no more with the world and the flesh which in your Baptism you renounced: set your hearts to the message which we bring you. Allow it your man-like sober thoughts; search the Scripture, and see whether these things which we speak be so or not. We offer you nothing but what we have resolvedly chosen our selves: and that after the most serious deliberation that we can make. We have many a time looked round about us, to know what is the happiness of man: And had we found better for our selves, we had offered better to you. If the world would have served our turns, it should have served yours also; and we would not have troubled you with the talk of another world: But it will not; I am sure it will not serve your turns, to make you happy, nor shall you long make that sorry self-deceiving shift with it as now you do.
But if you will not think of these things; if you will not use the reason of men, alas what can we do to save your souls? O pitty them Lord, that they may pitty themselves. Have mercy on them, that they may have some more mercy on themselves. Help them that they may help themselves and us. If you still refuse, will not your loss be more than ours: If we lose our labour (which to our selves we shall not;) if we lose our hopes of your salvation: what is this to your everlasting loss of salvation it self? And what is our suffering for your sakes, in comparison of your endless sufferings.
But, O, this is it that breaketh our hearts, that we leave you under more guilt than we found you; and when we have laid out life and labour to save you, the impenitent souls must have their pain… increased, for the refusing of these Calls? And that it will be part of your Hell to think for ever how madly you refused our Counsel, and what pains and cost and patience were used to have saved you, and all in vain. It will be so: it must needs be so: Christ saith that it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Iudgment, than for the rejecters of his Gospel-calls. The nature of the thing, and the nature of Iustice certainly tell you, that it must be so.
O turn not our complaints to God against you: Turn us not from beseeching you to be reconciled to God, to tell him you will not be reconciled. Force us not to say, that we earnestly invited you to the heavenly feast, and you would not come. Force us not to bear this witness against you, Lord we could have born all our labour and sufferings for them much easilyer, if they would but have yielded to thy grace. But it was they themselves that broke our hearts, that lost our labour, that made us preach and intreat in vain: It was easier to preach without maintenance, than without success. It was they that were worse to us than all the persecutors in the world. How oft would we have gathered them, but they would not, but are ungathered still? How many holy faithful Ministers have I known these eleven years last past, who have lived in pining poverty and want, and hardly by charity got bread and cloathing; and yet if they could but have truly said [Lord the Sermons, which I preach privately and in danger, have won home many souls to thee] it would have made all this burden easie. But I tell thee senseless impenitent sinner, thou that deniedst God thy heart, and thou that deniedst them thy Conversion, which was the end of all their labours, hast dealt much more cruelly with them, than they that denied them the Levites bread.
Poor sinners! I know that I am speaking all this to those that are dead in sin: but it is a death consisting with a natural life, which hath a capacity of spiritual life: Or else I would no more speak to you than to a stone. And I know that you are blind in sin: but it is a blindness consisting with a reasonable faculty, which is capable of spiritual Illumination: Or else I would no more perswade you, than I would do a beast. And I know that you are in the fetters of your own lusts: your wills, your love, your hearts are turned away from God, and strongly bewitched with the dreams and dalliances of the flesh and world: But your wills are not forced to this Captivity: Surely those wills may be changed by Gods grace, when you clearly see sufficient reason for to change them: Else I would as soon preach (were I capable) to Devils and damned souls. Your case is not yet desperate: O make it not desperate: There is just the same hope of your Salvation, as there is of your true conversion and perseverance, and no more: Without it there is no hope: and with it you are safe, and have no cause to doubt and fear. Heaven may yet be yours if you will. Nothing but your own wills, refusing Christ and a holy life, can keep you out. And shall that do it? Shall Hell be your own choice? And will you not, I say will you not be saved?
O think better what you do! Gods terms are reasonable: His word and ways are good and equal: Christs yoke is easie and his burden light, and his Commandments are not grievous to any, but so far as blindness and a bad and backward heart doth make them so. You have no true reason to be unwilling: God and Conscience shall one day tell you and all the World that you had no reason for it. You may as wisely pretend reason to cut your throats, to torment your selves, as plead reason against a true conversion unto God. Were I perswading you not to kill your selves, I should make no question, but you would be perswaded. And yet must I be hopeless when I perswade you from everlasting misery, and not to prefer the world and flesh before your Saviour and your God, and before a sure everlasting Joy? God forbid!
Reader, I take it for a great mercy of God, that before my head lieth down in the dust, and I go to give up my account unto my judge, I have this opportunity once more, earnestly to bespeak thee for thy own salvation. I beg it of thee, as one that must shortly be called away, and speak to thee no more, till we come unto our endless state, that thou wouldst but sometimes retire into thy self, and use the reason of a man, and look before thee whither thou art going; and look behind thee, how thou hast lived, and what thou hast been doing in the world till now; and look within thee, what a case thy soul is in, and whether it be ready to enter upon Eternity; and look above thee what a Heaven of Glory thou dost neglect, and what a God thou hast to be thine everlasting Friend or Enemy, as thou choosest and as thou livest, and that thou art always in his sight: Yea and look below thee, and think where they are, that died unconverted. And when thou hast soberly thought of all these things, then do as God and true Reason shall direct thee. And is this an unreasonable request? I appeal to God, and to all wise men, and to thy own conscence when it shall be awake. If I speak against thee, or if all this be not for thy good, or if it be not true and sure, then regard not what I say: If I speak not that message which God hath commanded his Ministers to speak, then let it be refused as contemptuosly as thou wilt. But if I do but in Christs name and stead, beseech thee to be reconciled to God, 2. Cor. 5. 19, 20. refuse it at thy peril: And if Gods beseeching thee shall not prevail against thy sloth, thy lust, thy appetite, against the desires of thy flesh, against the dust & shadows of this world, remember it when with fruitless cries and horrour, thou art beseeching him too late.
I know, poor sinner, that Flesh is bruitish, and lust and appetite have no reason: But I know that thou hast reason thy self which was given thee to overrule them; and that he that will not be a Man cannot be a Saint, nor a Happy man. I know that thou livest in a tempting and a wicked world, where things or persons will be daily hindering this. But I know that this is no more to a man, that by Faith seeth Heaven and Hell before him, than a grain of sand is to a Kingdom, or a blast of Wind, to one that is fighting or flying for his life. Luke 12. 4. O man! that thou didst but know the difference between that which the Devil and sin will give thee, if thou wilt sell thy soul and Heaven, and that which God hath promised and sworn to give thee, if thou wilt heartily give up thy self to him.
I know that thou maist possibly fall into company (at least among some sots and drunkards) that will tell thee, all this is but troublesome preciseness, and making more ado than needs: But I know withal what that man deserveth, who will believe a fool before his Maker: (For he can be no better than a miserable fool, that will contradict and revile the word of God, even the word of Grace that would save mens souls.)
And, alas, it is possible thou maist hear some of the Tribe of Levi, (or rather of Cain,) deriding this serious Godliness as meer Hypocrisy and Phanaticism, and selfconceitedness: As if you must be no better than the Devils slaves, lest you be Proud in thinking that you are better than they: That is, you must go with them to Hell, lest in Heaven you be proud Hypocrites for thinking your selves Happier than they.
It may be they will tell you, that this talk of Conversion is fitter for Pagans and Infidels to hear, than Christians and Protestants. Because such mens big looks or Coats may make the poyson the easilier taken down, I will intreat thee but as before God to answer these following questions, or to get them answered, and then judge whether it be They or We that would deceive thee? and whether, as men use to talk against Learning that have none themselves, so such men prate not against Conversion and the Spirit of God, because they have no such thing themselves?
Qu. 1. I pray ask these men, whether it be a Puritane or Phanatick opinion that men must dye? and what all the pomp, and wealth, and pleasure of the World will signifie to a departing soul? Ask them whether they will live on Earth for ever, and their merry hours, and Lordly looks will have no end? And whether it be but the conceit of Hypocrites and Schismaticks, that their Carcases must lie rotting in a darksome grave?
Qu. 2. Ask them whether man have not an Immortal soul, and a longer life to live when this is ended? Luke 12. 41.
Qu. 3. Ask them whether reason require not every man, to think more seriously of the place or state where he must be for ever, than of that where he must be but for a little while, and from whence he is posting day and night. And whether it be not wiser to lay up our treasure where we must stay, than where we must not stay, but daily look to be called away, and never more be seen on earth? Math. 6. 19, 20. 2 Cor. 4. 16, 17, 18. and 5. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8.
Qu. 4. Ask them whether God should not be loved with all our heart and soul and might? Math. 22. 37. And whether it be not the mark of an ungodly miscreant, to be a lover of pleasure more than God, 2. Tim. 3. 4. and a Lover of this world above him? 1 Ioh. 2. 15, 16. And whether we must not seek first Gods Kingdome and his Righteousness, Matth. 6. 33. and labour most for the meat that never perisheth, Joh. 6. 27. and strive to enter in at the strait Gate, Luke 13. 24. and give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure? 2. Pet. 1. 10.
Qu. 5. Ask them whether without Holiness any shall see God? Heb. 12. 14. Mat. 5. 8. Tit. 2. 14. And whether the carnal mind is not enmity to God, and to be carnally minded is not death, and to be spiritually minded, life and peace? And whether if you live after the flesh you shall not die, and be condemned? and they shall live and be saved that walk after the Spirit? And whether any man be Christs that hath not his spirit? Rom. 8. 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13.
Qu. 6. Ask them whether any man have a treasure in Heaven, whose heart is not there? Math. 6. 21. And whether this be not the difference between the Wicked and the Godly, that the first do make their bellies their Gods, and mind Earthly things, and are Enemies to the Cross of Christ (though perhaps not to his name;) and the latter have their conversation in Heaven and being risen with Christ do seek and set their affections on things above, and not on the things that are on earth, to which they are as dead, and their life is hid (or out of sight) with Christ in God, till Christ appear, and then they shall appear (even openly to all the world) with him in Glory. Phil. 3. 18, 19, 20. Col. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Qu. 7. Ask them whether is be credible and suitable to Gods word or workings, that he that will not give them the fruits of the earth without their labour, nor feed and cloath them without themselves, will yet bring them to Heaven without any care, desire, or labour of their own? when he hath bid them, Care not for the one, and called for their greatest diligence for the other: Math. 6. 25, 33. Ioh. 6. 27. Yea ask them whether these be not the two first articles of all Faith and Religion, 1. That God is; 2. That he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Heb. 11. 6.
Qu. 8. Ask them, yea ask your eyes, your ears, your daily experience in the world, whether all or most that call themselves Christians, do in good sadness thus live to God in the Spirit, and mortifie the flesh with its affections and lusts, and seek first God's Kingdom and righteousness, and love him above all, and lay up treasure and heart in Heaven? or rather whether most be not lovers of the world, and lovers of pleasure more than God, and live not after the flesh, and mind not most the things of the flesh? I mention not now the drunkards, the flesh-pleasing Gentlemen, that live in Pride, Fulness and Idleness, and Sport and Play away their precious time; nor the filthy Fornicators, nor the merciless oppressors, nor the malignant haters of a godly life, nor the perjured and perfidious betrayers of mens souls, and of the Gospel, or their Countries good; nor such other men of …eared Consciences, whose misery none questioneth, but such as are as blind and miserable. It's not these only I am speaking of; but the common, worldly, fleshly, and ungodly ones.
Qu. 9. Ask them whether the name of a Christian will save any one of these ungodly persons? And whether God will like men the better for lying and calling themselves Christians when they are none indeed? And whether they dare preach to the people, that a Christian drunkard, or a Christian fornicator, or oppressor, or a Christian worldling, needeth no Conversion?
Qu. 10. Ask them wether they say not themselves that Hypocrisie is a great aggravation of all other sin? and whether God hath not made the Hypocrites and Vnbelievers to be the standards in Hell? Luke 25. 51. And whether seeking to abuse God by a mock-religion do make such false Christians better than the poor Heathens and Infidels, or much worse? And whether he be not an Hypocrite that professeth to be a Christian, and a servant of God, when he is none, nor will be? And whether he that knoweth his masters will and doth it not, shall not have the sorest stripes, or punishment? Luke 12. 47.
Qu. 11. Ask them whether in their Baptism, (which is their Christening, as to Covenant,) they did not renounce the flesh, the world, and the Devil, and vow and deliver up themselves to God, their Father, their Saviour and their Sanctifier? And whether all or most men perform this vow? And whether a perjured Covenant-breaker against God, is fitter for salvation, than one that never was baptized?
Qu. 12. Ask them whether the holy nature of God be not so contrary to sin, as that it is blasphemy to say that he will take into Heaven, and into the bosome of his eternal delights, any unholy unrenewed soul? 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16.
Qu. 13. Ask them why it was that Christ came into the world? whether it was not to save his people from their sins, Mat. 1. 21. and to destroy the works of the Devil, 1 Iohn 3. 8. and to purifie to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2. 14. and to bring home straying souls to God, Luke 15. and to be the way to the Father? Ioh. 14. 6. And whether Christ save that soul that is not converted by him and saved from his sins? Or whether it be the dead Image only of a Crucified Iesus, that is all their Saviour, while they will have no more of him?
Qu. 14. Ask them why they believe, and were baptized into the Holy Ghost, and whether a man can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, that is not born of the Spirit as well as of Water, Iohn 3. 3, 5, 6. and that is not converted, and begins not the world as it were anew, in a teachable, tractable newness of life, like a little child? Matth. 18. 3. And whether it be not a certain truth, that If any man have not the spirit of Christ, the same is none of his, Rom. 8. 9.
Qu. 15. Ask them why Christ gave the world so many warnings of the damnableness of the Pharisees hypocrisie, if Hypocritical Christians may be saved. And what were these Pharisees? They were the Masters of the Jewish Church: The Rabbies that must have high places, high titles, and ceremonies, formal garments, and must be reverenced of all: That gave God lip-service without the heart, and made void his commands, and worshipped him in vain, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, and strictly tythed Mint and Cummin, while love, mercy and Justice were past by: Who worshipped God with abundance of ceremonies, and built the Tombs, and garnished the Sepulchres of the Saints; while they killed and persecuted those that did imitate them, and hated the living Saints, and honoured the dead. They were the bitterest enemies and murderers of Christ, on pretense that he was a blasphemer, and a seditious enemy to Caesar and the common peace, and one that spake against the Temple: They were the greatest enemies of the Apostles, and silencers of those that preached Christs Gospel, and persecuted them that called on his name. And had these no need of Conversion, because they could say, God is our Father (when the Devil was their Father, Iohn 8. 44.) and that they were Abraham's seed? And are not hypocritical Christians, drunken Christians, fornicating Christians, carnal, worldly, infidel Christians, (the contradiction is your own) persecuting Christians, false-named hypocritical Christians, as bad, yea worse, as they abuse a more excellent profession? Mat. 15. 7, 8. and 23. and 22. 18. and 6. 2, &c. Luke 12. 1.
Qu. 16. Doth not the Holy State of Heaven require Holiness in all that shall possess it? Can an unholy soul there see and love and praise and delight in God for ever, and in the Holy Society and employment of the Saints? Rev. 21. 27. Is he not liker a Mahometan than a Christian, that looketh for a sensual and unholy Heaven?
Qu. 17. What is the difference between the Church and the world? Is not the Church a holy Society of Regenerate souls? Yea the Church visible is those only that in Baptism vow Holiness and profess it. Look these hypocrites in the face, and see whether they do not blush, when they repeat in their Creed I believe in the Holy Ghost, I believe the Holy Catholick Church, and the Communion of Saints, who shall have the forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting. Ask them whether they mean Holy Adulterers, holy worldlings, holy perjured persons? Ask them whether they mean a Communion of Saints in a Tavern, in a play-house, in a gaming house, in a whore-house, or a jesting, canting stage-play Communion? If the Church be holy, be holy if you will be of the Church: If it be a Communion of Saints, make it not a Communion of swine, and make not Saints and their Communion seem odious either for their infirmities, or their crossness to your carnal interests or conceits.
Qu. 18. Ask them whether there be a Heaven, and a Hell, or not? If not, why are they pretended Christians? If there be, will God send one man to Heaven, and another to Hell, to so vast, so amazing a difference of states, if there be no great difference between them here? If Holiness no more differenced Christians from others, than saying a sermon, or saying over a prayer, doth difference one from an Infidel, where were the Iustice of God in saving some, and damning others? & what were Christianity better than the religion of Antonine, Plato, Socrates, Seneca, Cicero, Plutarch, if not much worse? Go into London streets, and when you have talk… with living prudent men, then go to the Painters shop, and see a comely picture, and to the Looking-glass and see the appearances of each passenger in a glass, and to the Periwig shops, and see a wooden head with a Periwig upon the bulk, and you have seen somewhat like the difference of a Holy Soul, and of a dead and dressed formal hypocrite, Psal. 23. 27.
Qu. 19. Ask them whether Kings and all men make not a great difference between man and man; the loyal, and the per…idious, the obedient and the disobedient? And whether they difference not themselves between a friend and a foe, one that loveth them, and one that robbeth, beateth or would kill them. And shall not the most Holy God more difference between the righteous and the wicked? Mal. 3. 17, 18.
Qu. 20. But if they are dead in every point save carnal interests, ask them why they are Preachers or Priests? And if Conversion and Holiness be a needless thing, what use they themselves are of? and why the Country must be troubled with them, and pay them tythes, and owe them reverence? When these twenty Questions are well answered, conclude that you may be saved without Conversion.
But if poor soul, thou art fully convinced, and askest, What should I do to be converted? The Lord make thee willing, and save thee from hypocrisie, and I will quickly tell thee in a few words.
1. Give not over sober thinking of these things, till thy heart be changed. Psal. 119. 59.
2. Come to Christ, and take him for thy Saviour, thy Teacher, thy King, and he will pardon all that's past and save thee, Iohn 1. 12. and 3. 16. and 5. 40. 1 Iohn 5. 11, 12.
3. Believe Gods love, and the pardon of sin, and the everlasting joyes of Heaven, that thou maist feel that all the pleasures of the world and flesh, are dung in comparison of the Heavenly delights, of Faith and Hope and holy Love, and peace of Conscience and sincere obedience.
4. Sin no more wilfully, but forbear that which thou maist forbear. Isa. 55. 7.
5. Away from Temptations, occasions of sin and evil company, and be a Companion of the humble, holy, heavenly and sincere. Psal. 119. 115. 63.
6. Wait on Gods spirit in the diligent, constant use of his own means. Read, hear, meditate, pray: Pray hard for that grace that must convert thee: wait thus, and thou shalt not wait in vain. Psal. 25. 3. and 37. 34. and 69. 6.
Pitty O Lord, and perswade these souls: Let not Christ's blood, his doctrine, his example, his spirit, be lost unto them, and they lost for ever. Let not Heaven be as no Heaven to them, while they dream and dote on the shaddows in this world. And O save this land from the greater destruction, than all our late plagues, and flames, and divisions which our sins and thy threatnings, make us fear. O Lord in thee have we trusted, let us never be confounded.
Having thus contributed my endeavour in this Preface to the furtherance of the design of this excellent book, I must tell thee Reader that I take it for an honour to commend so masculine a birth unto the World: The Midwife of Alexander or Aristotle need not be ashamed of her office. Who the Author of this treatise was; how he preached, how he lived, how he suffered (and for what) and how he died, his Life and Letters lately printed fully tell you: and I earnestly commend the reading of them to all, but especially Ministers, not to tell them what men have been here forbidden to preach Christ's Gospel, and for what, nor what men they are that so many years have done it: but to tell you what men Christ's Ministers should be: But say not, He kill'd himself with excessive Labour, and therefore I will take warning, and take my ease. For 1. He lived in perfect health all his days notwithstanding his labours, till after his hard and long imprisonment. 2. It was not the greatest labours of his times of liberty that hurt him, but his preaching 6 or 7 or 8 times a week, after that he was silenced, because he could not speak to all his people at once. O make not an ill use of so excellent an example. Say not like Iudas, What need this waste? His labour, his life, his sufferings, his death were not in vain. The ages to come that read his Life, and read this little popular treatise, and his Call to Archippus shall say, They were not in vain. And though he was cut off in the midst of his age, and his longer labours, & more elaborate writings thus prevented, take thankfully this small, but methodical, warm, and serious tractate: Read it seriously, and it cannot be but it must do thee good.
I am one that have lookt into books, and sciences, and speculations of many sorts, and seriously tell thee as a dying man, that after all my searches and experience, I have found that Philosophical enquiries into the Divine Artifices, and the Nature of things hath among a greater number of uncertainties, a great many pretty pleasant probabilities, which a holy soul can make good use of in admiring God, & may find us a lawful kind of sport: but in the moralities which Atheists count uncertainties, the knowledge of God, and our duty, and our hopes, the doctrine and practice of Holiness, Temperance, & Charity, and Iustice, and the diligent seeking & joyful hopes of life everlasting, is all the true Wisdom, the Goodness, the Rest and Comfort of a soul: whatever be our play, this is the satisfying certainty, the Business, and the beatifying improvement of our lives.
I have done, when I have sought to remove a little scandal, which I foresaw; that I should my selfwrite the Preface to his Life, where himself and two of his friends make such a mention of my name, which I cannot own; which will seem a praising him for praising me. I confess it looketh ill-favouredly in me: But I had not the power of other mens writings, & durst not therefore forbear that which was his due. Had I directed their pens they should have gone a middle way, and only esteemed me [a very unworthy servant of Christ, who yet long to see the peace and prosperity of his Church] and should have forborn their undeserved praise, as other men should have done their slanderous libels. But if the Reader get no harm by it, I assure him the use I made of it was, to lament that I am really so much worse than they esteemed me; and to fear lest I should prove yet worse than I discern my self; who see so much sin and weakness, in my betters, and much more in my self, as to make it the constant sentiment of my soul, that PRIDE of mens GREATNESS, WISDOM and GOODNESS is the first part of the DEVILS IMAGE on mans soul, and DARKNES is the second, and MALIGNITY the third.
R…. Baxter.