A Golden Chain

Secondly, this rule doth as it were, lead us by the hand, to the consideration the fearful estate of many people among us. We have had for the space of thirty years and more the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, and the more plentifully by reason of the schools of learning. But what hath bin the issue of it? I doubt not but in many it hath been the means of their conversion & salvation: but to speak generally of the greater part there is little or no fruit to be seen. The most after this long preaching remain as blind, as impenitent, as heard hearted, and as unreformed in their lives as ever they were, though they have heard the Lord calling them to repentance from day to day, and from year to year. Well if this rule be the trueth of God, as no doubt it is, then I say plainly, that there is a most fearful judgement of God among us. My meaning is not to determine or give sentence of any mans person, of any town or people, nevertheless this may be avouched, that it is a terrible and dangerous sign of the wrath of God, that after this long and daily preaching, there is still remaining a general hardness of heart, impenitency, and want of reformation in the lives of men. The smiths stithy, the more it is beaten the harder it is made: and commonly the hearts of men, the more they are beaten with the hammer of Gods word, the more dull, secure, and senseless they are. This being so, it stands every man in hand to ⟨p. 471⟩look to his own estate. We are careful to fly the infection of the bodily plague: oh then! how careful should we be to fly the common blindness of mind and hardness of heart, which is the very plague of all plagues, a thousand fold worse then all the plagues of Egypt? And it is so much the more fearful, because the more it takes place, the less it is perceived. When a malefactor on the day of assize is brought forth of the jail, with great bolts and fetters to come before the judge, as he is going all men pity him and speak comfortably unto him: but why so? because he is now to be arraigned at the bar of an earthly judge. Now the case of all impenitent sinners is far more miserable, then the case of this man: for they lie fettered in bondage under sin and Satan;

Secondly, this rule doth as it were, lead vs by the hand, to the consideration the fearefull estate of many people among vs. We haue had for the space of thirtie yeares and more the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, and the more plentifully by reason of the schooles of learning. But what hath bin the issue of it? I doubt not but in many it hath beene the meanes of their conuersion & saluation: but to speake generally of the greater part there is little or no fruite to be seene. The most after this long preaching remaine as blinde, as impenitent, as heard hearted, and as vnreformed in their liues as euer they were, though they haue heard the Lord calling them to repentance from day to day, and from yeare to yeare. Well if this rule bee the trueth of God, as no doubt it is, then I say plainely, that there is a most fearefull iudgement of God among vs. My meaning is not to determine or giue sentence of any mans person, of any towne or people, neuerthelesse this may be auouched, that it is a terrible and dangerous signe of the wrath of God, that after this long and daily preaching, there is still remaining a generall hardnesse of heart, impenitencie, and want of reformation in the liues of men. The smithes stithie, the more it is beaten the harder it is made: and commonly the hearts of men, the more they are beaten with the hammer of Gods worde, the more dull, secure, and senselesse they are. This beeing so, it standes euery man in hand to