An Alarm to the Unconverted

p. 1Mr. JOSEPH ALLEINE'S CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.

DEarly Beloved, and longed for, I gladly acknowledge my self a debtour to you all, and am concerned, as I would be found a good steward of the houshold of God, to give to every one his portion. But the Physician is most sollicitous for those Patients, whose case is most doubtful and hazardous, and the Fathers bowels are especially turned towards his dying child. The numbers of the unconverted souls among you, call for my most earnest compassions, and hasty diligence to pluck them out of the burning, Iud. 23. and therefore to these first I shall apply my self in these lines.

But whence shall I fetch my arguments, or how shall I choose my words? Lord, wherewith shall I wooe them? whereby shall I win them? Oh that I could but tell! I would write unto them in tears, I would weep out every argument, I would empty my veins for ink, I would petition them on my knees; verily p. 2(were I able) I would, (O how thankfully I would!) if they would be prevailed with to repent and turn.

How long have I travelled in birth with you? how frequently have I made suit to you? how often would I have gathered you? how instant have I been with you? This is that I have prayed for, and studied for, for many years, that I might bring you to God: O that I might but do it! Will you yet be intreated? O what a happy man might you make me, if you would but hearken to me, and suffer me to carry you over to Jesus Christ?

But, Lord, how insufficient am I for this work! I have been many a year wooing for thee, but the damsel would not go with me. Lord, what a task hast thou set me to! Alas wherewith shall I pierce the scales of Leviathan, or make the heart to feel that is firm as a stone, hard as a piece of the nether milstone! Shall I go and lay my mouth to the grave, and look when the dead will obey me and come forth? shall I make an oration to the rocks? or declaim to the mountains, and think to move them with arguments? shall I give the blind to see? From the beginning of the world was it not heard, that a Man opened the eyes of the blind. But thou, O Lord, canst pierce the scales, and prick the heart of the sinner. I can but shoot at rovers, and draw the bow at a venture; do thou direct the arrow between the joints of the harness, and kill the sin, and save the soul of the sinner, that casts his eye into these labours.

p. 2But I must apply my self to you, to whom I am sent: yet I am at a great loss. Would to God I knew how to go to work with you! p. 3would I stick at the pains? God knoweth, you your selves are my witnesses, how I have followed you in private, as well as in publick, and have brought the Gospel to your doors; testifying to you the necessity of the new birth, and perswading you to look in time after a found and through change. Beloved, I have not acted a part among you, to serve my own advantage; our Gospel is not yea, and nay. Have not you heard the same truths from the Pulpit, by publick labours, and by private letters, by personal instructions? Bretheren, I am of the same mind as ever, that holiness is the best choice; that there is no entring into Heaven, but by the streight passages of the second birth: that without holiness you shal never see God, Heb. 12. 14. Ah my beloved! refresh my bowels in the Lord. If there be any consolation in Christ, any comfort of love, any fellowship of the spirit, any bowels and mercies, fulfil you my joy. Now give your selves unto the Lord: 2 Cor. 8. 5. Now set your faces to seek him. Now set up the Lord Jesus in your hearts, and set him up in your houses. Now come in, and kiss the Son, Psal. 2. 12. and embrace the tenders of his mercy. Touch his Scepter, and live: why will you die? I beg not for my self; but fain I would have you happy: This is the prize I run for, and the white I aim at. My souls desire and prayer for you is, that you may be saved. Rom. 10. 1.

The famous Lycurgus, having instituted most strict and wholesome laws for his people, told them, he was necessitated to go a journey from them, and got them to bind themselves in an p. 4oath, that his laws should be observed, till his return. This done, he went into a voluntary banishment, and never returned more, that they might, by vertue of their oath, be engaged to the perpetual observing of his laws. Methinks I should be glad of the hard conditions, which he endured (though I love you tenderly) so I might but hereby engage you throughly to the Lord Jesus Christ.

p. 4Dearly beloved, would you rejoice the heart of your Ministers? Why then, embrace the counsels of the Lord by me: forgo your sins: set to prayer: up with the worship of God in your families: keep at a distance from the corruptions of the times. What greater joy to a Minister, than to hear of souls born unto Christ by him, and that his children walk in the truth? 2 I◊h. 4.

Brethren, I beseech you suffer a friendly plainness and freedom with you in your deepest concernments. I am not playing the oratour to make a learned speech to you, nor dressing my dish with eloquence, wherewith to please you. These lines are upon a weighty errand indeed, viz. to convince, and convert, and save you. …