by Joseph Alleine (although my copy is is from 1978 and called 'Alleine's Alarm'). At least one version is also available free from Google Books.Required reading
The first reading is a gentle start with just the biographical introduction given by Iain Murray and Alleine's own Introduction.
My notes and thoughts
Nice brief introduction from Iain Murray.
Good quote about Alleine: ‘His warm disposition found him many friends, but if their visits interrupted his studying time ‘he had no leisure to let them in, saying, “It is better that they should wonder at my rudeness than that I should lose my time; for only a few will take notice of the rudeness, but many may feel my loss of time.’ If only more of us who preach the gospel felt that to neglect our studies for a few, means many go hungry.
Interesting also to note that Alleine’s ‘Alarm’ influenced Whitefield and Spurgeon. I can only hope that reading this book will make me even a pale shadow of those two great evangelists.
In Alleine's introduction I liked that he is upfront about his goal – no hidden agendas with this guy: ‘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.’
No comments:
Post a Comment