Captives bound in chains, made free by Christ their surety

As when many persons be in bondage, and are taken captives, that cannot give a ransom for themselves, the King's Son pays it down for them, but the King and his Son do propound certain conditions to the Captives, that if they will acknowledge him to be their Redeemer, and will become his servants and his subjects, and be obedient to his Laws, they shall have the benefit of the ransom, but not else; now so many as shall refuse these conditions, must remain, and die, and perish in their fetters, though a sufficient ransom were given for Redemption; so it is in this case, which is easy to apply.

As when many persons be in bondage, and are taken captives, that cannot give a ransom for themselves, the King's Son pays it down for them, but the King and his Son do propound certain conditions to the Captives, that if they will acknowledge him to be their Redeemer, and will become his servants and his subjects, and be obedient to his Laws, they shall have the benefit of the ransome, but not else; now so many as shall refuse these conditions, must remain, and die, and perish in their fetters, though a sufficient ransome were given for Redemption; so it is in this case, which is easy to apply.

I beseech you therefore, Sirs, do not any longer flatter and deceive your selves with such groundless hopes of being delivered by the death of Christ from your slavery and bondage, without faith in him, and repentance for your sin. These things that I am now a preaching, and you are hearing, are of everlasting concernment to your Souls. And I desire to preach as one that doth believe, I must give an account to God, what doctrine I deliver, and that you would hear with that seriousness and diligent attention, ⟨p. 101⟩as those should do, that do believe you must give an account to God at the great day, for what you hear, and how you do obey it; I charge you therefore in the name of the great eternal God, whose Truths I do declare unto you, that you do not hence forward hope for deliverance from Hell and wrath to come though Christ hath died, except you do believe on him, become new creatures, forsake your sin, be sanctified and made holy; and love him above all, and count all things but dross in comparison of the excellency of Jesus Christ; that you do not continue drunkards, and yet hope you shall be saved, that you do not continue to love your sins, and the world more than Christ, or remain unholy and unconverted, and yet think or hope that Christ's death shall save your Souls. If you do, and if you will still so do, let God be witness for me, and let all those that fear God in the Congregation be witnesses for me, and let the consciences of these Captives themselves be witnesses for me, that I have plainly from the Word of God given warning to you, that you do not perish by this deceit; bear witness that I do declare, that those that have been Drunkards, Swearers, Profane, Liars, Hypocrites, if they do repent and turn, become holy and believing persons, they may, they shall be