Customer Reviews

An Alarm to the Unconverted

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First, a little history with respect to this book: I operated a small Christian bookstore in the early 80's, and I was careful about what books I stocked. I earned some scorn from those who thought that I had no right to exercise this "censorship" even within my own business. Nevertheless, I looked with a reasonably cautious eye on those items that filled the shelves. Baker Book House a few years earlier had published a paperback entitled "An Alarm to Unconverted Sinners." I had trusted their standards and ordered a few copies. That edition reflected the English of the mid 1600's, and so in places it was a little difficult to read--but it was so very powerful. The plight of the unconverted and the absolute necessity of conversion were preached with power and conviction from a man who knew truth and who knew God. This wasn't a pointy cold finger jabbing at you from a cruel and aloof man bent on scolding you, but rather the desperate and earnest plea from a friend for the souls of those still content in their godlessness.

Joseph Alleine conveys a powerful message. I was so convinced of the necessity of the message getting out that I ordered 100 copies (I seldom sold more than 20 copies of any book except the Bible itself). And, I provided these copies without charge. It took several weeks (months?) for the stack to disappear, and to be honest I did not receive the feedback that I thought would follow. I continued to stock the book for selling after the initial free distribution, yet sales were minimal. But I offer no apologies for Alleine's writing--it needs none.

Now, Sovereign Grace Publishers (Indiana) has put out more of a contemporary version, so the language barriers aren't quite as significant. I am a little concerned that "An Alarm to Unconverted Sinners" has been shortened to "An Alarm to the Unconverted" (perhaps to not offend), but as a former bookseller I can tell you that a cover and title can (unfortunately) make or break a book as far as sales go. However, it would not be possible to effectively water down the message inside unless the original intent and manuscript were both fully abandoned-and they have not been. I suspect that God Himself has had a hand in this volume never disappearing in 350 years. How many of the latest bestsellers of today will be around in another 350 years?

And so I now find myself some 20 years later re-reading my yellowed copy and ordering again a few for sharing with others. Conviction of sin is only properly accomplished by the Holy Spirit, and it is no one's calling to be self-righteous and judgmental. Alleine is tough, but he is simply reaffirming Biblical truth.

I could offer countless quotes, but a quick glance in my dated copy has left me with two: "Poor sinner, thou hast fallen off from God, and hast engaged His power and wrath against thee; yet know, that of His abundant grace He doth offer to be thy God again in Christ." And the dreadful alternative: "Wilt thou make light of all the terrors of the law, of all its curses and thunders, as if they were but the threatenings of a child? Dost thou laugh at hell and destruction, or canst thou drink the envenomed cup of the Almighty's fury, as if it were but a common potion?"

Joseph Alleine died at the age of thirty-four, after much persecution for the cause of Christ. You would do well to learn what drove and empowered this man.

Christian, do yourself a favor and read this book. And when you do, give it to one of your friends. The author is an old Puritan who had mighty revivals in his own ministry, being blessed to see many conversions under his own preaching. In this book, he takes some of those convicting truths that he preached and in this printed form, commends them to do their work to lead souls to repentance and eternal life. If you are a saint of the Living God, this book will edify you and help to equip you with words and spur you to zeal to reach the lost. If you are yet unconverted, or do not know whether you are converted or not, this book can be a mighty blessing in laying down in the most clear and simple terms what it means to be converted, and help you on the road to Heaven. This book has been reprinted and renamed, "A Sure Guide to Heaven".

I so enjoyed reading this book that I found it hard to put down. If you aren't a believer, you should be prepared to be converted. Joseph Alleine did a superb job.