A36315:278
Captives bound in chains made free
Captives bound in chains made free by Christ their surety, or, The misery of graceless sinners and their recovery by Christ their saviour by T. Doolittle.
London: printed by A.H. for Tho. Parkhurst, 1674
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. The very will of man is enthralled▪ That though man hath a liberty of will as to natural actions and to civil actions, and to outward spiritual actions, he can come and hear if he will, he can set upon the outward duty of prayer if he will; he can read the Word of God, if he will, yet he hath no liberty of will to supernatural actions without the grace of God, as to believe on Christ, to love God above all; man must have a will as well as a power from God to do these things. Phil. 2. 13. It is God that giveth us to will and to do of his own good pleasure. And this is a sore bondage, though a natural man feel it not, and is not sensible of it.
2. The very will of man is inthralled▪ That though man hath a liberty of will as to natural actions and to civil actions, and to outward spiritual actions, he can come and hear if he will, he can set upon the outward duty of prayer if he will; he can read the Word of God, if he will, yet he hath no liberty of will to supernatural actions without the grace of God, as to believe on Christ, to love God above all; man must have a will as well as a power from God to do these things. Phil. 2. 13. It is God that giveth us to will and to do of his own good pleasure. And this is a sore bondage, though a natural man feel it not, and is not sensible of it.
3. In bondage by reason of punishment, being liable to all the curses, plagues and punishments threatened for sin in the Word of God, both in this life and that which is to come, to sickness, and sorrows, to pain and griefs, to death at last, and to hell and damnation after death. And in this estate man doth need a Redeemer, and a Ransom, and is utterly and eternally undone if he be not delivered from this bondage.
3. In bondage by reason of punishment, being liable to all the curses, plagues and punishments threatned for sin in the Word of God, both in this life and that which is to come, to sickness, and sorrows, to pain and griefs, to death at last, and to hell and damnation after death. And in this estate man doth need a Redeemer, and a Ransome, and is utterly and eternally undone if he be not delivered from this bondage.