N00887:13
Christianus per ignem. Or, A disciple warming of himself and owning of his Lord:…
Christianus per ignem. Or, A disciple warming of himself and owning of his Lord: with devout and useful meditations, fetched out of the fire, by a Christian in a cold season, sitting before it. A work though never out of season, yet more particularly, designed for the seasonable and profitable entertainment, of them that would well employ their leisure [sic] by the fire-side. : [Three lines in Latin from Alsted]Christianus per ignem. Or, A disciple warming of himself and owning of his Lord: with devout and useful meditations, fetch'd out of the fire, by a Christian in a cold season, sitting before it. A work though never out of season, yet more particularly, designed for the seasonable and profitable entertainment, of them that would well employ their liesure [sic] by the fire-side. : [Three lines in Latin from Alsted]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1702
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.
THE INTRODUCTION.
ONE of the Best Things, that can be done for other men, by any man, who would make it his Business to Do Good unto all, is to suggest and supply Good Thoughts unto them. Tho it may be disputed, whether this be the First Proposition, whereof any man can be certain, as a New Philosophy has taught us, I think, therefore I am; yet it is no New Divinity to teach, that As Men Think, so they are. That Noble Faculty of Thinking, wherewith a man is enabled, and ennobled above the Beasts of the Field, being well or ill employed, will either turn men into Fellows for Angels, or make men worse than the Beasts that perish. The Infinite Perfections of God, the Wonderful Mysteries of the Lord Jesus Christ, the amazing Circumstances of the Future State, the various Preparations of men in this world, and other Circumstances referring to that State; the Illustrious Operations of the Almighty both in Creation, and in Government; and His various Dispensations towards our Selves in ⟨p. 8⟩particular; such things as these, are most proper, and worthy, and useful for a Rational and a Renewed Soul to Think upon. And a man full of Good, and Wise, and Right Thoughts upon these Great Themes, will be a Good man, and furnished for the Doing of much Good unto many others.
ONE of the Best Things, that can be done for other men, by any man, who would make it his Business to Do Good unto all, is to suggest and supply Good Thoughts unto them. Tho it may be disputed, whether this be the First Proposition, whereof any man can be certain, as a New Philosophy has taught us, I think, therefore I am; yet it is no New Divinity to teach, that As Men Think, so they are. That Noble Faculty of Thinking, wherewith a man is enabled, and enobled above the Beasts of the Field, being well or ill employ'd, will either turn men into Fellows for Angels, or make men worse than the Beasts that perish. The Infinite Perfections of God, the Wonderful Mysteries of the Lord Jesus Christ, the amazing Circumstances of the Future State, the various Preparations of men in this world, and other Circumstances referring to that State; the Illustrious Operations of the Almighty both in Creation, and in Government; and His various Dispensations towards our Selves in