N03999:295
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.
4. Make application of the Word of God, when you hear it, unto your selves. This is spoken unto me, this is my misery, and this is my condition, and this is my danger; and mercy offered to sinners, is offered unto me; and Christ is tendered unto me to help me out of my woeful state of bondage. The Minister maketh Uses of the Doctrine he delivers, but all this is ineffectual, till you take it and lay it home to your own hearts: for want of this, you sit and hear like people not concerned; you sit and hear without affection, and go away without the due and powerful effect of the Word upon your ⟨p. 206⟩hearts. Let Conscience tell thee, thou art the Drunkard, the Hypocrite, the Unbeliever; that is threatened and in danger of damnation.
4. Make application of the Word of God, when you hear it, unto your selves. This is spoken unto me, this is my misery, and this is my condition, and this is my danger; and mercy offered to sinners, is offered unto me; and Christ is tendered unto me to help me out of my woful state of bondage. The Minister maketh Uses of the Doctrine he delivers, but all this is ineffectual, till you take it and lay it home to your own hearts: for want of this, you sit and hear like people not concerned; you sit and hear without affection, and go away without the due and powerful effect of the Word upon your ⟨p. 206⟩hearts. Let Conscience tell thee, thou art the Drunkard, the Hypocrite, the Unbeliever; that is threatned and in danger of damnation.
5. Look up to God through the Ordinance, and beyond the Minister that doth speak unto thy heart and conscience. Ministers might speak, and Conscience might not speak; Minister and Conscience might both speak; Conscience seconding the Minister, that saith, Thou art in a dreadful condition while thou art in spiritual bondage: Yes, saith Conscience too, so thou art; and yet till God shall speak, thou wilt not hearken. Oh then when you come to the place where sinners are made free, look up to God that he would speak unto your hearts.