A Golden Chain

The repentant sinner is he, that shall find favour in the sight of God at that day. The consideration hereof may move us to change our lives. Those which were never yet humbled for their sins, let them now begin: and those which have already begun, let them go forward and continue. But the devil will cry in the hearts of some men, that this exhortation is as yet needless: for the day of judgement ⟨p. 426⟩is not near, because all the signs thereof are not yet passed. Ans. Suppose the day of judgement be far off, yet the day of thy death cannot be so: for the common saying is true, to day a man, to morrow none. Now look as death leaveth thee, so shall the day of judgement find thee. Impenitent Cain died long since, and yet the day of judgement when it cometh, shall find him impenitent still. The same thing may be said of Saul, Ahithophel, and Judas. They died desperately and impenitent, & the Lord shall find them so at his coming. So will it be with thee, whatsoever thou art that repentest not. Death may come upon thee, the next day or the next hour, therefore watch and pray. Prepare thy self against the day of death, that at the day of judgement thou mayest be found worthy to obtain favour in the sight of the Lord. Security doth overwhelm the world; but let us for our parts learn to prepare our selves daily: for if the day of death do leave thee unworthy, then the Lord Jesus at his coming shall find thee unworthy: and the devil shall stand before thee and accuse thee, thy conscience shall condemn thee, and hell shall be ready to swallow thee up. If this admonition take no place in thy heart, then at the day of judgement it shall stand against thee, and be a bill of indictment to thy further condemnation.

The repentant sinner is he, that shall find fauour in the sight of God at that day. The consideration hereof may mooue vs to chaunge our liues. Those which were neuer yet humbled for their sinnes, let them nowe beginne: and those which haue alreadie begunne, let them goe forwarde and continue. But the deuill will crie in the hearts of some men, that this exhortation is as yet needelesse: for the day of iudgement ⟨p. 426⟩is not neere, because all the signes thereof are not yet passed. Ans. Suppose the day of iudgement be farre off, yet the day of thy death cannot be so: for the common saying is true, to day a man, to morrowe none. Nowe looke as death leaueth thee, so shall the day of iudgement finde thee. Impenitent Cain died long since, and yet the day of iudgement when it commeth, shall finde him impenitent still. The same thing may bee said of Saul, Achitophel, and Iudas. They died desperatly and impenitent, & the Lord shall finde them so at his comming. So will it be with thee, whatsoeuer thou art that repentest not. Death may come vpon thee, the next day or the next houre, therefore watch and pray. Prepare thy selfe against the day of death, that at the day of iudgement thou maist be found worthie to obtaine fauour in the sight of the Lord. Securitie doth ouerwhelme the worlde; but let vs for our parts learne to prepare our selues daily: for if the day of death doe leaue thee vnworthie, then the Lord Iesus at his comming shall finde thee vnworthie: and the deuill shall stand before thee and accuse thee, thy conscience shall condeme thee, and hell shall be readie to swallowe thee vp. If this admonition take no place in thy heart, then at the day of iudgement it shall stand against thee, and be a bill of inditement to thy further condemnation.