Probably the most famous book that Joseph Alleine ever wrote was his “Alarm to the Unconverted.” It was that book, together with Richard Baxter's “Call to the Unconverted” that Charles Hadden Spurgeon resorted to in his time of conviction of sin: “Oh those books, those books!” he later wrote, “ I read and devoured them.” And no wonder, for scarcely is there another book like Baxter's “Call”, unless it be Alleine's “Alarm” when it comes to the convicted soul seeking out the true path of repentance and faith in Christ. And what Alleine's “Alarm” is to the seeking soul, his “Covenant Comforts” is to the man or the woman who has found Christ, or rather been found of Christ, and is looking to Him for all needed grace on the path that leads to everlasting bliss. This is what “Covenanting with God” is all about. It's the believer paraphrasing to his own heart all that God has promised to be to him and do for him as he walks this pilgrim road that leadeth unto life, and this is the theme that old Joseph Alleine took up to give his people at Taunton as a light on a dark road when he was separated from them.
The Act of Uniformity of 1662 had seen the majority of the Puritans ejected from their pulpits and severed from their congregations, and Joseph Alleine was no exception. Cast into Ilchester jail, he decided to minister some comfort to his separated flock and took in hand to write God's covenant promises to His people that their souls might be established. The book, of course, required to be licensed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and as this was not obtained, it was seized and ordered to be burnt in the King's kitchen. One of the palace officials, however, discovering that there was a ready market for this little volume, rescued the unburnt copies and sold them for his own profit. His treachery was discovered and the copies that he had not managed to sell were again condemned, this time to have their pages blackened with ink and then confined to the flames. Undaunted by the fate of his work – which could easily become his own fate – Joseph Alleine produced a second edition and at least one copy of this was used in a remarkable way to the saving of a sinner's soul. The copy was stolen from a bookstall in Yorkshire, but was later returned by the thief with the humble confession that its pages had been the means of his conversion.
And so, the history of the little volume itself is a vindication of the message of its pages, that God is working His covenant purposes out for the good of His people, and from the promise of that everlasting covenant they may draw all comfort for “each perplexing path of life.” Here are a few extracts from Alleine's work; may they bless your soul, dear reader.
“Hear, O ye ends of the earth, the mighty God, the Lord hath spoken: gather my saints unto Me, those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. Behold, I establish my covenant between Me and you. By my holiness have I sworn that I will be your covenant friend. I lift up my hand to heaven, I swear I live for ever; because I live, you shall live also. I will be yours: yours to all intents and purposes; your Refuge and your Rest; your Patron and your Portion; your Heritage and your Hope; your God and your Guide. While I have, you shall never want; and what I am to Myself, I will be to you –”
“Here I seal you your pardon. Though your sins be as many as the sands, and as mighty as the mountains, I will drown them in the deeps of my bottomless mercies. I will be merciful to your unrighteousness; I will multiply to pardon; where your sins have abounded, my grace shall superabound; though they be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Behold, I declare myself satisfied, and pronounce you absolved: the ransom is paid, your debts are cleared, your bonds are cancelled. Whatever the law, or conscience, or the accuser hath to charge upon you, here I exonerate you, I discharge you. I, even I, am He that blotteth out your transgressions, for my name's sake. Who shall lay anything to your charge, when I aquit you? What though your enemies are many? More are they that are with you than they that are against you; for I am with you. What though they are mighty? They are not Almighty; your Father is greater than all, and none shall pluck you out of my hands. Who can hinder my power, or obstruct my salvation? My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.”
AMEN
This Page Title – “Covenant Comforts” by Joseph Alleine The Wicket Gate Magazine "A Continuing Witness". Internet Edition number 83 – placed on line March 2010 Magazine web address – www.wicketgate.co.uk |