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Life and Death of the Rev. Joseph Alleine

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Life and Death of the Rev. Joseph Alleine — ^H---i (^^jiPztA:^^ y."-^ OF THE Theological Seminary, PRTNCETON, N. J. BX 9339 .A6 L5 1840 Life and death of the Rev. Joseph Alleine Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2009 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://www.archive.org/details/lifedeathofrevjoOObaxt 4» : LIFE AND DEATH OF THj: REV. JOSEPH IlLEINE, A. B. AUTHOR OF "an ALARM TO THE UNCONVERTED," &C. ^VRITTE^r by /^ THE REV. RICHARD BAXTER, HIS WIDOW, MRS. THEODOSIA ALLEINE, AND OTHER PERSONS, TO WHICH ARE ADDED, HIS CHRISTIAN LETTEKS, FULL OF SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS, TENDING TO THE PROMOTING OF THE POWER OF GODLINESS, BOTH IN PERSONS AND FAMILIES. WITH A RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE BY ALEXANDER DUFF, D.D., ONE OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND'S MISSIONARIES TO INDIA. FRO]\I THE LAST EDINBURGH EDITION. NEW-YORK ROBERT CARTER, 53 CANAL-STREET. 1840. SAMUEL ADAMS, PRINTER, CORNER OF ANN AND GOLD-STREETS. RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE. The followiug work consists of the Life and Letters of the Rev. Joseph Alleine, the author of the celebrated " Alarm to the Unconverted." In an age when high-sounding profession is so apt to be substituted for self-denying action, and an outward life of boisterous activity in defending the bulwarks of Zion is so apt to supercede the inward life of spiritual enjoyment and communion with the God of Zion, I know not a more sea- sonable or precious boon that can be conferred on the Church of Christ than the reprint of this rare and unique volume, —containing, as it does, the life and letters of one of the holiest and most devoted men that ever appeared as a leader in the army of the faithful. "N^VTiat a rich variety of gifts and graces did this eminent servant of God possess, and how harmoniously blended! What solidity of understanding and ripeness of judg- ment. What clear, sound, and comprehensive views of evangelical truth. What calm, yet fervent devotion—what all-pervading, yet enlivening seriousness. What transport- ing delight in secret meditation, prayer, and thanksgiving. ^tWiat an almost intuitive acquaintance with the labyrinthine windings of a heart that is deceitful above all things and IV RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE. desperately wicked, and what a searching power in expos- ing its ingenious subterfuges. What penetrating spiritual sagacity in detecting Satan's manifold devices, and what experienced wisdom in directing to the appropriate weapons of defence in the armoury of heaven. What holy skill in expounding the word of God, and what undaunted faithful- ness in applying it to the endlessly diversified states of the human soul. What inextinguishable zeal—what ceaseless activities in his Master's service. What unquenchable thirstings after the conversion of lost sinners—what unslum- bering watchfulness in warning and edifying saints. What profound humility and self-abasement in the sight of God. What patience and forbearance—what meekness and gene- rosity—what affability and moderation—what a peace-mak- ing kindness of disposition —what a melting tenderness of address, in his intercourse with man. What noble self-de- nial—what heroic self-sacrifice. What cheerfulness of re- signation in the midst of cruel sufferings, bonds, and im- prisonment. What sublime majesty of spirit in the season of approaching dissolution. What triumphant faith—what tranquil, yet rapturous joy. What ardent longings to bask in the cloudless beamings of the Eternal Sun ! Christian Reader ! Are you tempted to doubt whether this be not an exaggerated portraiture of the intellectual and spiritual endowments of Joseph Alleine ? If so, I can on- ly beseech you with all earnestness, in the language of Phi- lip, to "come and see." I beseech you to come and prcryer- fully peruse the whole of this intensely interesting volume. And after having done so, you may be prepared to say whether the half has been told you. RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE. V But, Christian Reader, bear in mind that it is not in or- der to extort from you a barren admiration of the character and attainments of a fellow-mortal, however lofty, that this language of urgent invitation is employed. Oh ! no. Such a result were worse than idle and unprofitable ; it were idola- trous, and therefore God-dishonouring. One grand object is to arouse and quicken, and humble you. Should the perusal of this Volume impress your mind, in any proportionable degree, as it has impressed the writer of these lines, it will convict you of an unexpected and almost incredible amount of shortcomings ; — it will probe to the quick many a festering wound, and bruise, and pu- trefying sore : — it will strip of its covering and lay bare a many lurking source of self-deception ; —it will sink you a thousand fathom down in your own estimation : — it will drive you with lowlier prostration of spirit than ever to the foot of the Cross. And if this be the effect produced on your mind, rest assured that the lowest depth of self-humili- ation before God, will prove but the threshold to the noblest height of exaltation in the Lord, your Righteousness. Another grand object, therefore, is to purify, and enlarge, and exalt you to " the stature of a perfect man in Christ Jesus." What ^' a burning and a shining light " was Alleine in the midst of a dark, crooked, and perverse generation ! And what divine grace made him, may not divine grace make you. Christian reader 1 And should the perusal of this volume prove the means, through God's blessing, of en- ticing you to strive and imitate the bright example of living Christianity which it portrays, in as far as it is in imitation of the divine original—Christ—the all-perfect exemplar of 1* ! VI RECOMMENDATORY TREFACE. his people—the chief among ten thousand and altogethe r lovely, —yours will be a rich reward now, and an ample revenue of glory hereafter. Why is it that the Church of Christ has been for ages and generations studded with such poor, shrunken, sapless, life- less forms ? Because there is a foul and treasonable spirit abroad, that leads the vast majority of nominal professors to strive how far they can descend in mingling with the smoke and dust of perishable vanities, without wholly forfeiting the character of Christians ; —instead of striving how far they rise aloft to the altitude of a '^walk and conversation in heaven," without, at the same time, ceasing to discharge any of the best and noblest functions of humanity on earth. In this respect, what an almost unparalleled model is pre- sented in the life and labours of Joseph AUeine Again, why is it that, in our day, we hear men so seldom or so languidly discourse of the comforts of Christ, the con- solations of the Spirit, and the joys of the Gospel, so em- phatically pronounced by Heaven itself to be " glad tidings ?' Because the grace and gift of faith is in general so feeble and staggering,—because the dominant fashion is to specu- late ingeniously, and talk fluently, about faith and the things of faith, instead of vigorously acting faith and appropriating the things of faith, throughout the wide domain of Christian experience and practice. This, this must be the reason, why we so often find even the best of men in our day, lying half torpid in a freezing atmosphere, or creeping mournful- ly along, in the dark vale of sighs and groans, and tears and complainings, instead of boldly soaring on Faith's pinions to the warm and sunny regions that gladden the summits of ! RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE. Vll the " delectable mountains." How strongly contrasted is all this with the SAveet, fervid, ecstatic utterances of faith, from the lips and pen of Joseph Alleine I His truly was that elevating, ennobling faith which is, in a divine sense, *Uhe substance of things hoped for, the evi- dence of things not seen." He listened to the voice of his Redeemer, saying, "Fear not : I am he that liveth, and was dead ; and behold I am alive for ever more : and I have the keys of hell and death,-—and because I live, ye shall live also." This gracious declaration of the compassionate Al- mighty, Redeemer, our Author strongly believed, and the object of its assurance he eagerly grasped as his own,—and therefore did he feel joyously and speak strongly. And why should he not? In the midst of the darkness and gloom, the fears and the doubtings, the shifting and the frenzies, of a world lying in wickedness, what infinite consolations are such words calculated to convey ? In exchange for life with its delusive hopes and shadowy enjoyments, and death with its convulsive struggles and ghastly terrors,— to be trans- ported to the realms of day,—to be enrolled as a citizen in the New Jerusalem,—to be endowed with the prerogatives of royalty, among thrones and dominions, principalities and powers,—to become as it were like the great I Am, an in- habitant of Eternity, —an immeasureable incomprehensible eternity of light and life, and love and joy ! —Oh, is not such a prospect the very consummation of blessedness And yet, this was the very prospect which our Author so constantly laboured to realize, through faith, as already his enabled to rejoice own ; —and therefore was he with a joy unspeakable and full of glory. Vlll RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE. And now, Christian reader, whatever ground or reason you have for believing that you are a Christian at all, in the proper sense of that term, have you not precisely the same ground and reason for believing with all your mind and strength, that heaven with its "purchased possession" is yours ? This was the faith of Joseph AUeine.
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