A Golden Chain

Thus much for the comforts: Now follow the duties, and they are also three. First as Christ Jesus when he was dead rose again from death to life by his own power, so we by his grace, in imitation of Christ, must endeavour our selves to rise up from all our sins both original and actual unto newness of life. This is worthily set down by the Apostle, saying,¹ We are buried by baptism into his death, that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father, so we also should walk in newness of life: and therefore we must endeavour our selves to show the same power to be in us every day, by rising up from our own personal sins to a reformed life. This ought to be remē bred of us, because howsoever many hear and know this point, yet very few do practise the same. For (to speak plainly) as dead men buried would never hear though a man should speak never so loud: so undoubtedly among us there be also many living men, which are almost in the same case. The ministers of God may cry unto them daily, and iterate the same thing a thousand times, and tell them that they must rise up from their sins and lead a new life, but they hear no more then the dead carcass that lieth in the grave. Indeed men hear with their outward ears, but they are so far from practising this duty, that many judge it to be a matter of reproach and ignominy. And those which make any conscience of this duty, how they are laden with nicknames and taunts, who knoweth not? I need not to rehearse them: so odious a thing now a days is the rising from sin to newness of life. Sound a trumpet in a dead mans ears, he stirs not: & let us cry for amendment of life till breath go out of our bodies, no man almost saith, What have I done? And for this cause undoubtedly, if it were not for conscience of that duty which men ⟨p. 394⟩owe unto God, we should have but few ministers in England. For it is the joy of a minister to see the unfeigned conversion of his people: whereas, alas, men generally lie snorting in their corruptions, and rather go forward in them still, then come to any amendment; such is the wonderful hardness that hath possessed the hearts of most men. He which hath but half an eye may see this to be true. Oh! how exceeds Atheism in all places, contempt of Gods worship, profanation of the sabbath:

Thus much for the comforts: Nowe followe the duties, and they are also three. First as Christ Iesus when he was dead rose againe from death to life by his owne power, so wee by his grace, in imitation of Christ, must endeauour our selues to rise vp from all our sinnes both originall and actuall vnto newenesse of life. This is worthily set downe by the Apostle, saying,