N03999:309
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.
9. Consider what it was that was the price that Christ did give to make you free from your captivity. Men might be Surety for men to pay a sum of money; but Christ became our Surety to the shedding of his own most precious blood. Men might give some money to redeem a Captive from Turkish slavery; but Christ himself, his Life, his Soul and Body, to bring us from our bitter bondage, and miserable captivity. Thus take some time to ponder upon the Lord your surety, that did so freely undertake the ransoming of your captivated Souls. Which was the fourth head to get your ⟨p. 214⟩hearts affected with this privilege of being set at liberty.
9. Consider what it was that was tha price that Christ did give to make you free from your captivity. Men might be Surety for men to pay a sum of money; but Christ became our Surety to the shedding of his own most precious blood. Men might give some money to redeem a Captive from Turkish slavery; but Christ himself, his Life, his Soul and Body, to bring us from our bitter bondage, and miserable captivity. Thus take some time to ponder upon the Lord your surety, that did so freely undertake the ransoming of your captivated Souls. Which was the fourth head to get your ⟨p. 214⟩hearts affected with this priviledge of being set at liberty.
Fifthly, Consider, That God was pleased to accept of the undertaking of Christ, and what he hath laid down for your ransom from captivity. God might have exacted the debt from man that did owe it. It is a voluntary act for a man to become a surety, no man is to be compelled to it; and it is a voluntary act of the creditor to accept of such a surety, they are both free and at their choice; but when the one offers himself to become bound, and the other doth accept of his suretyship, then is the debtor or prisoner relieved.
Fifthly, Consider, That God was pleased to accept of the undertaking of Christ, and what he hath laid down for your ransom from captivity. God might have exacted the debt from man that did owe it. It is a voluntary act for a man to become a surety, no man is to be compelled to it; and it is a voluntary act of the creditor to accept of such a surety, they are both free and at their choice; but when the one offers himself to become bound, and the other doth accept of his suretiship, then is the debtor or prisoner relieved.