N00887:160
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.
Christianus per Ignem. Or, A Disciple WARMING himself And OWNING hi… › Meditation 10: Meditation X.
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.
On Green Wood in the Fire.
Observing a Stick of Green Wood laid on the Fire, I thought on those words of our Lord, Luk. 23. 31. If they do these things in a Green Tree, what shall be done in the Dry? And I took the Gloss of the Blessed Old Theophylact upon it: If the Romans may do such things to me, that am a Tree full of Sap, and Fruit, what shall not they do to you, that are a people destitute of both: If you had any Good in you, you might have been spared: but now you are [Greek or Hebrew], As a Dry Tree, fit for nothing but Fire and Perdition.
OBserving a Stick of Green Wood laid on the Fire, I thought on those words of our Lord, Luk. 23. 31. If they do these things in a Green Tree, what shall be done in the Dry? And I took the Gloss of the Blessed Old Theophylact upon it: If the Romans may do such things to me, that am a Tree full of Sap, and Fruit, what shall not they do to you, that are a people destitute of both: If you had any Good in you, you might have been spared: but now you are 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, As a Dry Tree, fit for nothing but Fire and Perdition.
The Jews called Good men, Green Wood, and Ill men, Dry Wood: [compare, Ezek. 20. 47.] By the same Token, they have an Old Adage among them, Two Dry Sticks will soon burn up one Green Stick: Meaning, That Good men which are few, will soon find many Ill men too hard for them. I see Green Wood cast into the Fire, as often as I see Gracious, and Watchful and Fruitful Christians in Affliction: which is a Sight of daily Observation. But what is the use that I should make of such a Sight? It was a Saving of R. Solelomen, Cum Deus Judicium facit in Justis, timetur et Laudatur; nam fi in illis hoe facit, quanto magis in Impiis? Let me with an Humbling and Trembling Heart, confess before the Lord; Lord, Thy Fiery Rebukes are dispensed unto far more Holy and Useful men than I am; I adore thy Sovereignty, that such a Dry Stick as I, be not presently consumed in the Fire of thy Wrath: And I would walk in Fear before thee: my Flesh trembles for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy Judgments.