What They Said

“Two sorts of peace are more to be dreaded than all the troubles in the world: peace with sin, and peace in sin.”

Joseph Alleine

“Converting grace puts God on the throne, and the world at His footstool; Christ in the heart, and the world under His feet.”

Joseph Alleine

“Here is the root of man's misery by the fall.  He is turned aside to the creature, and gives that esteem, confidence and affection to the creature--which is due to God alone.”

Joseph Alleine

“This was the bane of the Pharisees. Oh how many a poor soul is undone by this, and drops into hell before he discerns his mistake! He performs his `good duties' and so thinks all is well, but does not perceive that he is actuated by carnal motives all the while. It is too true that even with the really sanctified many carnal ends will often creep in; but they are the matter of their hatred and humiliation, and never come to be habitually prevalent with them, and bear the greatest sway. But when the main thing that ordinarily moves a man to religious duties is some carnal end - as to satisfy his conscience, to get the reputation of being religious, to be seen of men, to show his own gifts and talents, to avoid the reproach of being a profane and irreligious person, or the like - this reveals an unsound heart. Oh Christians, if you would avoid self-deceit, see that you mind not only your actions but your motives. ”

Jospeh Alleine

(A Sure Guide to Heaven - pg 74)

“O soul! do not think when your sins pursue you, that a little praying and reforming your ways will pacify God. You must begin with your heart. If that is not renewed, you can no more please God than one who, having unspeakably offended you, should bring you the most loathsome thing to pacify you; or having fallen into the mire, should think with his filthy embraces to reconcile you. ”

Jospeh Alleine

(A Sure Guide to Heaven - pg 55)

“The final cause or end of conversion is man's salvation, and God's glory. We are chosen through sanctification to salvation (2 Thess ii 13), called that we might be glorified (Rom viii 30), but especially that God might be glorified (Is lx 21), that we should show forth His praises (l Pet ii 9), and be fruitful in good works (Col i 10). 

O Christian, do not forget the end of your calling. Let your light shine, let your lamp burn, let your fruits be good and many and in season (Ps i 3). Let all your designs fall in with God's, that He may be magnified in you (Phil i 20). ”

Jospeh Alleine

(A Sure Guide to Heaven - pg 29)

“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' (Jn i 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 (Eph ii 1) a new creation (Gal vi 15; Eph ii 10), a work of absolute omnipotence (Eph i 19). Are not these out of the reach of human power? If you have no more than you had by your first birth, a good nature, a meek and chaste temper etc., you are a stranger to true conversion. This is a supernatural work.”

Jospeh Alleine

(A Sure Guide to Heaven - pg 26)

“While unconverted you are a very servant to sin; it reigns over you, and holds you under its dominion, until you are brought within the bonds of God's covenant. There is not such another tyrant as sin. O the vile and fearful work that it engages its servants in!”

Joseph Alleine

“Ah, how many poor souls doth this sin kill in the dark, Hos. iv. 6, while they think verily they have good hearts, and are in the ready way to heaven!  This is the murderer that dispatcheth thousands in a silent manner, when (poor hearts !) they suspect nothing, and see not "the hand that mischieves them. You shall find, whatever excuses you have for ignorance, that it is a soul-undoing evil, Isa. xxvii. 21, 2 Thess. i. 8, S Cor. iv. 3.  Ah! would it not have pitied a man's heart to have seen that woful spectacle, when the poor Protestants were shut up a multitude together, in a barn, and a butcher comes, with his inhuman hands warm in human blood, and leads them one by one, blindfold, to a block, where he slew them (poor innocents!) one after another, by the scores, in cold blood?  But how much more should our hearts bleed, to think of the hundreds in great congregations, that ignorance doth butcher in secret, and lead them blind, fold to the block?  Beware this be none of your case ; make no pleas for ignorance: if you spare that sin, know that it will not spare you. Will a man keep a murderer in his bosom?”

Jospeh Alleine

“God finds nothing in man to turn His heart, but enough to turn his stomach.”

Joseph Alleine

"Will you still be cheated by this deceitful world, and spend all your days in pampering your guts, and providing for the flesh, that must be rotting shortly in a grave? Were you made for no better use than this? May not we bring you to some sober thoughts of your condition? Not one hour seriously to think whither you are going? What! not one awakened look into the world where you must be for ever?"

Joseph Alleine