'WHY will ye die? why will ye perish? why will you not have compassion on your own souls? Can your hearts endure, or can your hands be strong, in the day of wrath that is approaching? It is but a little while before all your hopes, your reliefs, and presumptions will forsake you, and leave you eternally miserable. Look unto me, and be saved;—come unto me, and I will ease you of all sins, sorrows, fears, burdens, and give rest unto your souls. Come, I entreat you;—lay aside all procrastinations, all delays;—put me off no more;—eternity lies at the door'.
...'This is the manner of the dispensation in the gospel, even to beg of people that they would be good to their souls. Christ, as it were, became a beggar himself, and the great God of heaven and earth begs our love, that we would so care for our souls that we would be reconciled unto him'
Quotes taken from ADDING TO THE CHURCH—THE PURITAN APPROACH TO PERSUADING SOULS
by Erroll Hulse
...worth pondering... How will you respond?
Judging from that quote, it looks like a terrible book for actually converting atheists. It references things from the Bible that atheists don't believe (do no connect with reality) and, therefore, offers no reason to join the church. Appealing to a desire to protect oneself from misery is at least a universal feeling, but the inclusion of unbelievable ideas makes it look like the author has no real advice to offer.
ReplyDeleteThat's the problem... atheist do not possess a correct view of reality and hence show no compassion for their own souls, though their days will pass, their plans will be shattered, and though they cannot excape what is to come; for while you may seek to set aside the truth or even to shake your fist at God, your fears will prevail against you, your outward prosperity will come to an end, as will your confidence and all your comfort, for the grave is no hope, and beyond this, apart from redemption and faith, you will not escape the the judgment & wrath of God.
ReplyDelete(How arrogant of man, who being finite, weak, and even powerless apart from revelation to possess knowledge of the metaphysical to presume he is arbiter & judge of reality)