Captives bound in chains, made free by Christ their surety

CHAP XII. Containing the Uses of the Whole.

Use 1. Then search your hearts, and examine narrowly and throughly what you are, bondmen, or freemen, or free; whether yet Captives, or redeemed and set at liberty. The Misery of spiritual Captives you have heard doth exceed the misery of Captives by men. And ⟨p. 198⟩the good estate of such as are made free by Christ, you have also heard; now say to thy self, Tell me, O my Soul, which of these two is thy state and thy condition; one of them is thy condition, but which it is, is worthy of thy strictest search, and most diligent enquiry. Are thy fetters knocked off, and thy bonds broken, and thy chain cut, and thou delivered? or art thou yet held fast by them! Take heed, O my Soul, of being mistaken in this point. If thou takest it for granted, that thou art made free, when yet thou art in bonds, and leavest thy body in this mistake, thou art lost for ever; if on the other hand thou sayest thou art a captive still, when thou art made free, thou will lose the comfort of thy freedom, and wilt spend thy time and life in complaints, and griefs, and fears, which thou shouldst spend in praising and admiring God for his love and mercy in bringing thee out of thy captivity.

Use 1. THen search your hearts, and examine narrowly and throughly what you are, bondmen, or freemen, or free; whether yet Captives, or redeemed and set at liberty. The Misery of spiritual Captives you have heard doth exceed the misery of Captives by men. And ⟨p. 198⟩the good estate of such as are made free by Christ, you have also heard; now say to thy self, Tell me, O my Soul, which of these two is thy state and thy condition; one of them is thy condition, but which it is, is worthy of thy strictest search, and most diligent enquiry. Are thy fetters knocked off, and thy bonds broken, and thy chain cut, and thou delivered? or art thou yet held fast by them! Take heed, O my Soul, of being mistaken in this point. If thou takest it for granted, that thou art made free, when yet thou art in bonds, and leavest thy body in this mistake, thou art lost for ever; if on the other hand thou sayest thou art a captive still, when thou art made free, thou will lose the comfort of thy freedom, and wilt spend thy time and life in complaints, and griefs, and fears, which thou shouldst spend in prasing and admiring God for his love and mercy in bringing thee out of thy captivity.