Required reading
Sure Guide to Heaven (Puritan Paperbacks) by Joseph Alleine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Chapter 6 (Points 1 to 5)
My notes and thoughts
Alleine moves to provide the solution to the sinner's problem, which is the point that he has been working toward: 'This is the aim of all that has been spoken hitherto, to bring you to set your heart upon turning to God. I would not trouble you, nor torment you before the time with the thoughts of your eternal misery, but in order that you may make your escape.'
16 directions are given (5 are today's reading)
1) Set it down that it is impossible to get to heaven unconverted
2) Labor to get a thorough sight, sense and feeling of your sins. I like the method that Alleine gives to do this. Look at the quantity of sins, the results of your sins in this life, the results of your sins in the next life, the quality of the sins ('black as hell'). Then he encourages us to consider our original sin and particular sins. How few of us encourage a sinner to do such a thorough examination of their sins? But we should: 'Do not be like a desperate bankrupt that is afraid to look over his books. Read the records of conscience carefully. These books must be opened sooner or later.'
3) Strive for a deep sense of present misery
4) Look out of yourself for help
5) Renounce your sins. So many good lines: 'You cannot be married to Christ except you be divorced from sin...spare but one sin and God will not spare you. Your sins must die or you must die for them...the life of your soul must go for the life of that sin.'
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