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“The Prevalence of wrong motives in holy duties.  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 humilitation, 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 reproach of being a profane and irreligious person, or the like – self-deceit, see that you mind not only your actions but your motives.”

Just thought I would share a bit of good news, Brynley was born at 1128pm on 2-11-10!  Will be back to the 12 hidden sins soon.  God bless all!

“Formality in religion.  Many rest in the outside of religion and in the external performance of holy duties.  And very often this most effectually deceives men, and more certainly undoes them than open profaneness; as it was in the Pharisee’s case.  They hear, they fast, they pray, they give alms, and therefore will not believe but their case is good.  Whereas, resting in the work done, and coming short of the heart-work and the inward power and vitality of religion, they fall at last into the burning, from the flattering hope and confident persuation of their being all set on the way to heaven.  Oh dreadful case, when a man’s religion shall serve only to harden him, and effectually to delude and deceive his own soul!”

“Secret reserves in closing with Christ.  To forsake all for Christ, to hate father and mother, yea, a man’s own life for Him, ‘This is a hard saying’ (Lk. xiv. 26).  S0me will do much, but they will not have the religion that will save them.  They never come to be entirely devoted to Christ, nor to be fully resigned to Him.  They must have the sweet sin; they mean to do themselves no harm; they have secret exceptions for life, liberty, or estate.  Many take Christ thus, and never consider His self-denying terms, nor count the cost; and this error in the foundation mars all, and ruins them forever (Lk. xiv. 28-33).”  pg 48

Over the course of the next several days we will be examining the twelve hidden sins that Joseph Alleine has described in his book, An Alarm to the Unconverted.

Let us start by reading Alleine’s prayer, his very thoughts and heart.  “Help, O all-searching Light, and let Thy discerning eye disclose the rotten foundation of the self-deceiver.  Lead me, O Lord God, as Thou didst the prophet, into the chambers of imagery, and dig through the wall of sinners’ hearts, and reveal the hidden abominations that are lurking out of sight in the dark.  O send Thy angel before me to open the sundry wards of their hearts, as Thou didst before Peter, and make even the iron gates fly open of their own accord.  And as Jonathan no sooner tasted the honey but his eyes were enlightened, so grant, O Lord, that when the poor deceived souls with whom I have to do shall cast their eyes upon these lines, their minds may be illuminated, and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and be converted, and Thou mayest heal them.” pg 44

Introduction:

“A man may be free from open pollutions, and yet die at last by the hand of some unobserved iniquity; and there are these twelve hidden sins, through which souls go down by numbers into the chambers of eternal death.  These you must search carefully for, and take them as black marks wherever they are found, revealing a graceless and unconverted state; and as you love your lives, read carefully with a holy jealousy of yourselves, least you should be the persons concerned.” pg 48

Sin #1

“Gross wilful ignorance (Hos. iv. 6).  O how many poor souls does this sin kill in the dark, while they think verily they have good hearts, and are all set for heaven.  This is the murderer that dispatches thousands in a silent manner, when they suspect nothing, and do not see the hand that destroys them.  You shall find, whatever excuses you make for ignorance, that it is a soul-ruining evil (Is. xxvii. 11; 2 Thess. i. 8; 2 cor. iv. 3).  Ah, whould it not have grieved a man’s heart to see that dreadful spectacle when the poor Protestants were shut up in a barn, and a butcher came, with his hands warmed in human blood, and led them one by one, blindfold, to a block where he slew them one after another, by scores, in cold blood?  But how much more should your hearts bleed to think of the hundreds that ignorance destroys in secret and leads blindfold to the block.  Beware that this is not your case.  Make no plea for ignorance; if you spare that sin, know that it will not spare you; and would a man keep a murderer in his bosom?” pg 48