A Golden Chain

Lastly, if this be true, that God of his goodness and endless mercy towards mankind, hath prepared life everlasting, yet not for all men, but for the elect whose names are written in the book of life, we must above all things in this world seek to be partakers of the same. Let us receive this as from the Lord, and lay it to our hearts, whatsoever we do evening or morning, day or night, whether we be young or old, rich or poor; first we must seek for the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness. If this benefit were common to all and not proper to the Church, less care might be had: but seeing it is proper to some alone, for this very cause let all our studies be to obtain the beginnings of li•e everlasting given in this life. For if we have it not, whosoever we be, it had been better for us that we had never been borne, or that we had been borne dogs and toads then men: for when they die, there is an end of their misery; but man, if he loose everlasting happiness, hath ten thousand millions of years to live in misery and in the torments of hell: and when that ⟨p. 523⟩time is ended, he is as far from the end of his misery as he was at the beginning. Wherefore, I pray you, let not the devil steal this meditation out of your hearts, but be careful to repent of all your sins, and to believe in Christ for the pardon of them all; that by this means ye may come to have the pawn and earnest of the spirit concerning life everlasting, even in this world. What a miserable thing is it, that men should live long in this world, and not so much as dream of another till the last gasp. Let us not suffer Satan thus to abuse and bewitch us: for if we have not eternal life in this world, we shall never have it.

Lastly, if this be true, that God of his goodnesse and endles mercy towards mankind, hath prepared life euerlasting, yet not for all men, but for the elect whose names are written in the booke of life, we must aboue all things in this world seeke to be partakers of the same. Let vs receiue this as from the Lord, and lay it to our hearts, whatsoeuer we doe euening or morning, day or night, whether we be young or old, rich or poore; first we must seeke for the kingdome of heauen and his righteousnes. If this benefit were common to all and not proper to the Church, lesse care might be had: but seeing it is proper to some alone, for this very cause let all our studies be to obtaine the beginnings of lie euerlasting giuen in this life. For if we haue it not, whosoeuer we be, it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne, or that we had beene borne dogges and toades then men: for when they die, there is an ende of their miserie; but man, if he loose euerlasting happinesse, hath ten thousand millions of yeares to liue in miserie and in the torments of hell: and when that