Friday, December 5, 2008

Sure Guide to Heaven - Introduction

It is difficult to believe that we have almost come to the end of the Puritan Reading Challenge originally suggested by Timmy Brister. December's book is A Sure Guide to Heaven by Joseph Alleine. Originally published in 1671 as An Alarme to Unconverted sinners...Whereunto are Annexed Divers Practical Cases of Conscience Judiciously Resolved, this work has undergone numerous printings over the ensuing centuries, most recently as the Banner of Truth Puritan Paperback being read this month with the shorter title.

Timmy Brister has already posted the biographical material for Joseph Alleine found in Beeke's Meet the Puritans, so I won't repeat it here. Suffice it to say that Alleine suffered many of the same difficulties encountered by faithful ministers following the 1662 Act of Uniformity.

Unlike some of the earlier Puritan books read this year, this work is a page turner, and I am already way ahead of my reading plan for this month. To demonstrate the beauty of this work I note a couple of excerpts from my reading so far:

And had you not better, O sinner, let the Word convince you now in time, and let go your false and self-deluding hopes, than have death open your eyes too late, and find yourself in hell before you are aware?

I would be a false and faithless shepherd if I would not tell you, that you who have built your hopes upon no better grounds than these before mentioned, are yet in your sins! Let conscience speak. What have you to plead for yourselves? Is it that you wear Christ's livery; that you bear His name; that you are a member of the visible church; that you have knowledge in the points of religion, are civilized, perform religious duties, are just in your dealings, have been troubled in conscience for your sins? I tell you from the Lord, these pleas will never be accepted at God's bar. All this, though good in itself, will not prove you converted, and so will not suffice to your salvation. O look to it, and resolve to turn speedily and entirely. Study your own hearts; do not rest until God has made thorough work with you; for you must be converted men, or else you are lost men. (pg 23-24)

O repent and be converted, break off your sins by righteousness. Away to Christ for pardoning and renewing grace. Give up yourselves to Him, to walk with Him in holiness, or you shall never see God. O that you would heed the warnings of God! In His name I once more admonish you. Turn you at my reproof. Forsake the foolish, and live. Be sober, righteous, and godly. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you double-minded. Cease to do evil, learn to do well (Prov 1:23 and Prov 9:6; Titus 2:12; James 4:8; Isa 1:16-17). But if you will go on, you must die. (pg. 24-25)

You begin at the wrong end if you first dispute about your election. Prove your conversion, and then never doubt your election. If you cannot yet prove it, set upon a present and thorough turning. Whatever God's purposes be, which are secret, I am sure His promises are plain. How desperately do rebels argue! 'If I am elected I shall be saved, do what I will. If not, I shall be damned, do what I can.' Perverse sinner, will you begin where you should end? Is not the word before you? What says it? 'Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.' 'If you mortify the deeds of the body you shall live.' 'Believe and be saved' (Acts 3:19; Rom 8:13; Acts 16:31). What can be plainer? Do not stand still disputing about your election—but set to repenting and believing. Cry to God for converting grace. Revealed things belong to you; in these busy yourself. It is just, as one well said, that they who will not feed on the plain food of the Word should be choked with the bones. Whatever God's purposes may be, I am sure His promises are true. Whatever the decrees of heaven may be, I am sure that if I repent and believe, I shall be saved; and that if I do not repent, I shall be damned. Is not this plain ground for you; and will you yet run upon the rocks? (pg. 30)

No comments: