N03999:292
Captives bound in chains, made free by Christ their surety
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. Doolittel [sic]. ; [Three lines from Isaiah]
Boston: printed by Rogers & Fowle for J. Edwards, 1742
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Liberty to the Captives. › Chapter 12: Containing the Uses of the Whole.
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.
1. Labour to convince thy self that thou wast born in bondage, a slave by nature to Satan and Sin. The Pharisees did not believe that they were in bondage, and therefore ⟨p. 204⟩did not look out to Christ to be made free, Joh. 8.33. This is the undoing of multitudes, that they conclude their condition to be good, when it is not so; and they conclude before they try. Did you but see your bonds, and understanding your slavery, Ministers would have hopes that by their Sermons they may do you good.
2. Work upon thy heart by serious consideration, thy misery and deplorable condition while thou art in a state of bondage. When by diligent search thou hast found thy self in a bondage-condition, hold thy thoughts unto this subject till thou art awakened and affected with it; think with thy self, and say, Oh my soul! being […] a Captive to Satan and to Sin, thou art yet an enemy to God, a slighter of Christ, under the guilt of all thy sin, in danger of damnation; awake, arise, and look about thee, and get out of this condition, lest it be too late for ever.
2. Work upon thy heart by serious consideration, thy misery and deplorable condition while thou art in a state of bondage. When by diligent search thou hast found thy self in a bondage-condition, hold thy thoughts unto this subject till thou art awakened and affected with it; think with thy self, and say, Oh my soul! being 〈…〉 a Captive to Satan and to Sin, thou art yet an enemy to God, a slighter of Christ, under the guilt of all thy sin, in danger of damnation; awake, arise, and look about thee, and get out of this condition, lest it be too late for ever.