An Alarm to the Unconverted 1 of 5 — Joseph Alleine

An Alarm to the Unconverted Sinner

An Alarm to the Unconverted Sinner. By Joseph Alain. Introduction. An Earnest Invitation to Sinners to Turn to God. Dearly Beloved, I gladly acknowledge myself a debtor to you, and am concerned as I would be found a good steward of the household of God to give to everyone his portion.

But the physician is most concerned for those patients whose case is most doubtful and hazardous, and the father's pity is especially turned towards his dying child. So unconverted souls call for earnest compassion and prompt diligence to pluck them as brands from the burning, Jude 23.

Therefore it is to them I shall first apply myself in these pages. But from where shall I fetch my argument? With what shall I win them? O, that I could tell! I would write to them in tears, I would weep out every argument, I would empty my veins for ink, I would petition them on my knees.

O, how thankful should I be if they would be prevailed upon to repent and turn! How long I have labored for you! How often would I have gathered you! This is what I have prayed for and studied for these many years, that I might bring you to God.

O, that I might now do it! Will you be yet entreated? But, O Lord, how insufficient I am for this work! Alas, with what shall I pierce the scales of Leviathan, or make the heart feel that his heart is a nether millstone?

Shall I go and speak to the grave, and expect 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 make the blind to see?

From the beginning of the world was it not heard that a man opened the eyes of the blind. John 9 .32. But, O Lord, thou canst pierce the heart of the sinner. I can only draw the bow and adventure, but do thou direct the arrow between the joints of the harness.

Slay the sin, and save the soul of the sinner that cast his eyes on these pages. There is no entering into heaven but by the straight passage of the second birth. Without holiness you shall never see God.

Hebrews 12 .14. Therefore give yourselves unto the Lord now. Set yourselves to seek him now. Set up the Lord Jesus in your hearts, and set him up in your houses. Kiss the sun. Psalm 2 .12. And embrace the tenders of mercy.

Touch a scepter, and live, for why will you die? I do not beg for myself, but would have you happy. This is the prize I run for. My soul's desire and prayer for you is that you may be saved. Romans 10 .1.

I beseech you to permit a friendly plainness and freedom with you in your deepest concern. I am not playing the orator to make a learned speech to you, nor dressing the dish with eloquence in order to please you.

These lines are upon a weighty errand indeed, to convince and convert and save you. I am not baiting my hook with rhetoric, nor fishing for your applause, but for your souls. My work is not to please you, but to save you.

Nor is my business with your fancies, but with your hearts. If I have not your hearts, I have nothing. If I were to please your ears, I would sing another song. If I were to preach myself, I would steer another course.

I could then tell you a smoother tale. I would make pillows for you and speak peace. For how can Ahab love this Micaiah that always prophesies evil concerning him? 1 Kings 22 .8. But how much better are the wounds of a friend than the fair speeches of the harlot, who flatters with her lips till the dart strike through the liver?

Proverbs 7 .21 -23 6 .26. If I were to quiet a crying infant, I might sing him into a happier mood, or rock him asleep. But when the child is fallen into the fire, the parent takes another course. He will not try to steal him with a song or trifle.

I know if we succeed not with you, you are lost. If we cannot get your consent to arise and come away, you will perish forever. No conversion, no salvation. I must get your good will, or leave you miserable.

But here the difficulty of my work again occurs to me. O Lord, choose my stones out of the brook. 1 Samuel 17 .40 -45. I come in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. I come forth like the stripling David against Goliath, to wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this world.

Ephesians 6 .12. This day let the Lord smite the Philistine, spoil the strong man of his armor, and give me the captives out of his hand. Lord, choose my words, choose my weapons for me. And when I put my hand into the bag, and take out a stone and sling it, do thou carry it to the mark, and make it sink not into the forehead, but into the heart of the unconverted sinner, and smite him to the ground like Saul of Tarsus.

Acts 9 .4. Some of you do not know what I mean by conversion, and in vain shall I attempt to persuade you to that which you do not understand. Therefore for your sakes I will show what conversion is. Others cherish secret hopes of mercy, though they continue as they are.

For them I must show the necessity of conversion. Others are likely to harden themselves with the vain conceit that they are converted already. To them I must show the marks of the unconverted. Others, because they feel no harm, fear none, and so sleep is upon the top of a mast.

To them I shall show the misery of the unconverted. Others sit still, because they do not see the way of escape. To them I shall show the means of conversion. And finally, for the quickening of all, I shall close with the motives to conversion.

Mistakes About Conversion

Chapter 1. Mistakes About Conversion. The devil has made many counterfeits of conversion, and cheats one with this and another with that. He has such craft and artifice in his mystery of deceits that, if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect.

Now that I make here the ruinous mistake of some who think that they are converted when they are not, as well as remove the troubles and fears of others who think they are not converted when they are, I shall show you the nature of conversion, both what it is not and what it is.

We will begin with the negative. Conversion is not to take in upon us a profession of Christianity. Christianity is more than a name. If we will hear Paul, it is not lie in word, but in power. 1 Corinthians 4 .20.

If to cease to be Jews and pagans, and to put on the Christian profession had been true conversion, is this all that some would have to be understood by it? Who better Christians than they of Sardis and Laodicea?

These were all Christians by profession, and had a name to live only. But because they had a name, they are condemned by Christ, and threatened to be rejected. Revelation 3 .14 and 16. Are there not many that name the name of the Lord Jesus, that do not depart from iniquity?

2 Timothy 2 .19. And profess they know God, but in words deny him. Titus 1 .16. And will God receive these for true converts? What? Converts from sin? When they still live in sin? It is a visible contradiction.

Surely if the lamp of profession would have served a turn, the foolish virgins had never been shut out. Matthew 25 .12. We find not only professing Christians, but preachers of Christ, and wonder-workers rejected because they are evil workers.

Matthew 7 .22 and 23. Conversion is not putting on the badge of Christ in baptism. Ananias and Sapphira, and Sam and Magus were baptized as well as the rest. How many make a mistake here? Deceived and being deceived, dreaming that effectual grace is necessarily tied to the external administration of baptism, so that every baptized person is regenerated, not only sacramentally, but really improperly.

Hence men fancy that because they were regenerated when baptized, they need no further work. But if this were so, then all that have been baptized must necessarily be saved, only because the promise of pardon and salvation is made to conversion and regeneration.

Acts 3 .19. Matthew 19 .28. And indeed, were conversion and baptism the same, the men would do well to carry but a certificate of their baptism when they died, and upon sight of this there were no doubt of their admission into heaven.

In short, if there is nothing more to conversion or regeneration than to be baptized, this will fly directly in the face of that scripture, Matthew 7 .13 and 14, as well as multitudes of others. If this is true, we shall no more say, Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way.

For if all that are baptized are saved, the door is exceeding wide, and we shall henceforth say, Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to life. If this is true, thousands may go in abreast, and we will no more teach that the righteous are scarcely saved, or that there is need of such a stir in taking the kingdom of heaven by violence, in striving to enter in.

1 Peter 4 .18. Matthew 11 .12. Luke 13 .24. Surely if the way be so easy as many suppose, that little more is necessary than to be baptized and to cry out, Lord, have mercy, we need not put ourselves to such seeking and knocking and wrestling as the word requires in order to salvation.

Again, if this is true, we shall no more say, Few there be that find it, we will rather say, Few there be that miss it. We shall no more say that of the many that are called, only a few are chosen. Matthew 22 .14.

And that even of the professing Israel, but a remnant shall be saved. Romans 9 .27. If this doctrine is true, we shall no more say with the disciples, who then shall be saved, but rather who then shall not be saved.

Then, if a man be baptized, though he is a fornicator, or a reller, or a covetous man, or a drunkard, yet he shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 5 .11 6, 9, 10. But some will reply, such as these, though they receive regenerating grace and baptism, are since fallen away, and must be renewed again, or else they cannot be saved.

I answer, 1. There is an infallible connection between regeneration and salvation, as we have already shown. 2. Then man must be again born again, which carries a great deal of absurdity in his face. We might as well expect men to be twice born in nature as twice born in grace.

3. And above all, this grants the thing I contend for, that whatever men do or pretend to receive in baptism, if they are found afterwards to be grossly ignorant, or profane, or formal, without the power of godliness, they must be born again.

John 3 .7. Or else be shut out of the kingdom of God. So then they must have more to plead for themselves in their baptismal regeneration. Well, in this you see all are agreed, that, be it more or less, that is received in baptism, if men are evidently unsanctified, they must be renewed by a thorough and powerful change, or else they cannot escape the damnation of hell.

Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whether it be your baptism, or whatever else you pretend, I tell you from the living God, that if any of you be a prayerless person, or a scoffer, or a lover of evil company,.

Proverbs 13 .20. In a word, if you are not a holy, strict, and self-denying Christian, you cannot be saved. Hebrews 12 .14. Matthew 15 .14. Conversion does not lie in moral righteousness. This does not exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, and therefore cannot bring us to the kingdom of God.

Matthew 5 .20. Paul, while unconverted, touching the righteousness which is in the law, was blameless. Philippians 3 .6. The Pharisee could say, I am no extortioner, adulterer, unjust, and so on. Luke 18 .11.

You must have something more than all this to show, or else, however you may justify yourself, God will condemn you. I do not condemn morality, but I warn you not to rest in it. Piety includes morality, as Christianity does humanity, and as grace does reason, but we must not divide the tables.

Conversion does not consist in an external conformity to the rules of piety. It is manifest that men may have a form of godliness without the power. 2 Timothy 3 .5. Men may pray long. Matthew 23 .14. And fast often.

Luke 18 .12. And hear gladly. Mark 6 .20. And be very forward in the service of God, though costly and expensive. Isaiah 1 .11. And yet be strangers to conversion. They must have more to plead for themselves than that they go to church, give alms, and make use of prayer to prove themselves sound converts.

There is no outward service, but a hypocrite may do it, even to the giving of all his goods to feed the poor and his body to be burned. 1 Corinthians 13 .3. Conversion is not the mere chaining up of corruption by education, human laws, or the force of affliction.

It is too common and easy to mistake education for grace. But if this were enough, who a better man than Jehoash? While Jehoiada, his uncle, lived, he was very forward in God's service and calls upon him to repair the house of the Lord, 2 Kings 12 .2 -7.

But here was nothing more than good education all this while. For when his good tutor was taken away, he appears to have been but a wolf chained up and falls into idolatry. In short, conversion does not consist in illuminating their conviction or in a superficial change or partial reformation.

An apostate may be an enlightened man, Hebrews 6 .4, and a Felix tremble under conviction, Acts 24 .25, and a Herod do many things, Mark 6 .20. It is one thing to have sin alarmed only by convictions and another to have it crucified by converting grace.

Many, because they have been troubled in conscience for their sins, think well of their case, miserably mistaking conviction for conversion. With these, Cain might have passed for a convert who ran up and down the world like a man distracted under the rage of a guilty conscience till he stifled it with building and business.

Other think that because they have given up their riotous ways and are broken off from evil company or some particular lust and are reduced to sobriety and civility, they are now real converts. They forget that there is a vast difference between being sanctified and civilized.

They forget that many seek to enter into the kingdom of heaven and are not far from it and arrive to the almost of Christianity and yet fall short at last. While conscience holds a whip over them, many will pray, hear, read, and forbear their delightful sins, but no sooner is the lion asleep than they are at their sins again.

Who more religious than the Jews when God's hand was upon them? Yet no sooner was the affliction over than they forgot God. You may have forsaken a troublesome sin and have escaped the gross pollutions of the world, and yet in all this not have changed your carnal nature.

You may take a crude mass of lead and mold it into the more comely proportion of a plant and then into the shape of an animal and then into the form and features of a man, but all the time it is still lead.

So a man may pass through various transmutations from ignorance to knowledge, from profanity to civility, then a form of a religion, and all this time he is still carnal and unregenerate. His nature remains unchanged.

Hear then, O sinners, hear as you would live. Why should you willfully deceive yourselves or build your hopes upon the sand? I know you will find hard work that goes to pluck away your hopes. It cannot but be an unpleasant to you, and truly it is not pleasing to me.

I said about it as a surgeon when about to cut off a mortified limb from his beloved friend, which of necessity he must do, though with an aching heart. But understand me, beloved. I am only taken down to ruinous house, which otherwise will speedily fall of itself and bury you in the ruins, that I may build it fair, strong, and firm forever.

The hope of the wicked shall perish. Proverbs 11 verse 7. And had you not better, O sinner, let the word convince you now in time, and let go your false and self-deluding hopes, and have death open your eyes too late, and find yourself in hell before you are aware.

I should be a false and faithless shepherd if I should 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 is it that you have 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 trouble 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 till God has made thorough work with you, for you must be other men, or else you are lost men. But if these persons come short of conversion, what shall I say of the profane person?

It may be he will scarcely cast his eyes on or lend his ear to this discourse. But if there be any such reading or within hearing, he must know from the Lord that made him that he is far from the kingdom of God.

May a man keep company with the wise virgins, and yet be shut out, and shall not a companion of fools, much more be destroyed? May a man be true in his dealings, and yet not be justified before God? What then will become of you, O wretched man, whose conscience tells you that you are false in your trade and false to your word?

If men may be enlightened and brought to the external performance of holy duties, and yet go down to perdition for resting in them and sitting down on this side of conversion, what will become of you, O miserable families that live without God in the world?

What will become of you, O wretched sinners, with whom God is scarcely in all your thoughts, that are so ignorant that you cannot pray or so careless that you will not? 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 ye at my reproof! Forsake the foolish and live! Be sober, righteous and godly! Wash your hands, ye sinners! Purify your hearts, ye double-minded! Cease to do evil! Learn to do well! Proverbs 1 .23 9 .6.

The Nature and Divine Source of Conversion

Titus 2 .12. James 4 .8. Isaiah 1 .16 -17. But if ye will go on, ye must die! Or an alarm to unconverted sinners. Chapter 2. The Nature of Conversion. I dare not leave you with your eyes half opened, like him that saw men as trees walking.

The word is profitable for doctrine as well as reproof. Ye therefore, having thus far conducted you by the shells and rocks of so many dangerous mistakes, I would guide you at length into the haven of truth.

Conversion, then, in short, lies in the thorough change both of the heart and life. I shall briefly describe it in its nature and causes. First, the author of conversion is the Spirit of God and therefore it is called the sanctification of the Spirit.

2 Thessalonians 2 .13. And the renewal of the Holy Ghost. Titus 3 .5. This does not exclude the other persons in the Trinity, for the apostle teaches us to bless the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope.

1 Peter 1 .3. And Christ is said to give repentance to Israel. Acts 5 .31. And is called the everlasting Father. Isaiah 9 .6. And we his seed, and the children which God hath given him. Hebrews 2 .13.

Yet this work is principally ascribed to the Holy Ghost, and so we are said to be born of the Spirit. John 3 .5 .6. So then conversion is a work above man's power. We are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1 .13. Never think you can convert yourself. If ever you would be savingly converted, you must despair of doing it in your own strength. It is a resurrection from the dead. Ephesians 2 .1. A new creation.

Galatians 6 .15. Ephesians 2 .10. A work of absolute omnipotence. Ephesians 1 .19. Are not these out of the reach of human power? If you have no more than you have had by your first birth, a good nature, a meek and chaste temper, and so on, you are a stranger to true conversion.

This is a supernatural work. Ephesians 2 .21. The efficient cause of conversion is both internal and external. Ephesians 2 .22. The internal cause is free grace alone. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but of his mercy he saved us, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost.

Titus 3 .5. Of his own will begat he us. James 1 .18. We are chosen and called to sanctification. Not for it. Ephesians 1 .4. God finds nothing in man to turn his heart, but enough to turn his stomach.

He finds enough to provoke his loathing, but nothing to excite his love. Look back upon yourself, O Christian. Reflect upon your swinish nature, your filthy swill, your once beloved mire, 2 Peter 2. Behold your slime and corruption.

Do not your own clothes abhor you, Job 9 .31. How then should holiness and purity love you? Be astonished, O heavens, at this! Be moved, O earth! Who but must needs cry, Grace, grace! Zechariah 4 .7. Hear and bless you, children of the Most High.

O unthankful men, that free grace is no more in your mouths, in your thoughts, no more adored, admired, and commended by such as you. One would think you should be doing nothing but praising and admiring God wherever you are.

How can you forget such grace or pass it over with a slight and formal mention? What but free grace could move God to love you unless enmity could do it, unless deformity could do it? How affectionately Peter lifts up his hands.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again. How fumingly does Paul magnify the free mercy of God in it. God, who is rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us, hath quickened us together with Christ.

By grace are you saved. Ephesians 2 .4 .5. 2. The external cause is the merit and intercession of the blessed Jesus. He has obtained gifts for the rebellious. And through him it is that God worketh in us that which is well pleasing in his sight.

Hebrews 13 .21. Through him are all spiritual blessings bestowed upon us in heavenly places. Ephesians 1 .3. He intercedes for the elect that believe not. John 17 .20. Every convert is a fruit of his travail.

Never was an infant born into the world with that difficulty which Christ endured for us. All the pains that he suffered on the cross were our birth pains. He has made sanctification to us. 1 Corinthians 1 .30.

He sanctified himself, that is, set apart himself as a sacrifice that we might be sanctified. John 17 .19. We are sanctified through the offering of his body once for all. Hebrews 10 .10. It is nothing, then, but the merit and intercession of Christ that prevails with God to bestow on us converting grace.

If you are a new creature, you know to whom you owe it to Christ's pangs and prayers. The foal does not more naturally run after the dam nor the suckling to the breast than a believer to Jesus Christ.

And where else should you go? If any in the world can show for your heart what Christ can, let them do it. Does Satan claim you? Does the world court you? Does sin soothe for your heart? Why, were these crucified for you?

O Christian, love and serve your Lord while you have a being. 3. The Instrument of Conversion is Personal and Real. First, the personal instrument is ministry. In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

1 Corinthians 4 .15. Christ's ministers are they that are sent to open men's eyes and to turn them to God. Acts 26 .18. O unthankful world, little do you know what you were doing when you were persecuting the messengers of the Lord.

These are they whose business it is under Christ to save you. Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? Isaiah 37 .23. These are the servants of the Most High God that show unto you the way of salvation.

Acts 16 .17. And do you requite them thus, O foolish and unwise? O sons of ingratitude, against whom do you sport yourselves? These are the instruments that God uses to convert and save sinners. And do you revile your physicians and throw your pilots overboard?

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. 2 The Real Instrument is the Word. We are begotten by the word of truth. It is this that enlightens the eye, that converts the soul. Psalm 19 .7 -8.

That makes us wise to salvation. 2 Timothy 3 .15. This is the incorruptible seed by which we are born again. 1 Peter 1 .23. If we are washed, it is by the word. Ephesians 5 .26. If we are sanctified, it is through the truth.

John 17 .17. This generates faith and regenerates us. O ye saints, how should you love the word? For by this you have been converted. You that have felt its renewing power, make much of it while you live.

Be ever thankful for it. Tie it about your neck. Write it upon your hand. Lay it in your bosom. When you go, let it lead you. When you sleep, let it keep you. When you wake, let it talk with you. Proverbs 6 .21 -22.

Say with the psalmist, I will never forget thy priests, as for by them thou hast quickened me. Psalm 119 .93. You that are unconverted, read the word with diligence. Flock to where it is powerfully preached.

Pray for the coming of the Spirit in the word. Come from your knees to the sermon, and come from the sermon to your knees. The sermon does not prosper, because it is not watered by prayers and tears, nor covered by meditation.

Salvation, God’s Glory, and the Whole-Person Change

4. The final cause or end of conversion is man's salvation and God's glory. We are chosen through sanctification to salvation. 2 Thessalonians 2 .13. Called that we might be glorified. Romans 8 .30. But especially that God might be glorified.

That we should show forth His praises. 1 Peter 2 .9. And be fruitful in good works. O Christian, do not forget the end of your calling. Let your light shine, let your lamp burn. Let your fruits be good in many and in season.

Let all your designs fall in with God's, that He may be magnified in you. 5. The subject of conversion is the elect sinner, and that in all his parts and powers, members and mind, whom God predestinates, them only He calls.

Romans 8 .30. None are drawn to Christ by their calling, nor come to Him by believing, but His sheep, those whom the Father has given Him. 6. A factual calling runs parallel with the eternal election.

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 saith 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. What can be plainer? Do not stand still, disputing about your election, but set to repenting and believing.

Cry to God for converting grace. Reveal things belong to you, in these busy yourself. It is just as one well said, that they who will not feed on the plain fruit 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? More particularly, this change of conversion extends to the whole man. A carnal person may have some shreds of good morality, but he is never good throughout the whole cloth.

Conversion is not a repairing of the old building, but it takes all down and erects a new structure. It is not the sewing on a patch of holiness, but with the true comfort, holiness is woven into all His powers, principles, and practice.

The sincere Christian is quite a new fabric, from the foundation to the top stone. He is a new man, a new creature. All things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5 .17. Conversion is a deep work, a hard work.

It makes a new man in a new world. It extends to the whole man, to the mind, to the members, to the motions of the whole life. 1 The Mind. Conversion turns the balance of the judgment so that God and His glory outweigh all carnal and worldly interests.

It opens the eye of the mind and makes the scales of its native ignorance fall off and turns men from darkness to light. The man that before saw no danger in his condition now concludes himself lost and forever undone.

Acts 2 .37. Except renewed by the power of grace, he that formerly thought there was little hurt in sin now comes to see it to be the chief of evils. He sees the unreasonableness, the unrighteousness, the deformity and the filthiness of sin, so that he is affrighted with it, loathes it, dreads it, flees from it, and even abhors himself for it.