A Golden Chain

Euseb. Nay, that I will never grant: for I am certainly persuaded of the favour and mercy of God even to the salvation of my soul.

Euseb. Nay, that I will neuer grant: for I am certainly perswaded of the fauour and mercie of God euen to the saluation of my soule.

Timoth. Oh show me that, that is the thing I earnestly desire, to be assured of Gods special goodness, even by your experience.

Timoth. Oh shewe me that, that is the thing I earnestly desire, to be assured of Gods speciall goodnes, euen by your experience.

Euseb. According as God hath given me to feel the same, so will I show it you. And first of all the dealing of God towards me is a good argument to me. In the first commandment, God hath commanded me to take him to be my God, and in the Lords prayer he teacheth me to call him father: he hath created the world generally, and every creature particularly for man, and so for me, to serve for my commodity, necessity, & admonition. Also he hath made me for his own image, having a reasonable soul, body, shape, where he might have made me a Toad, a Serpent, a swine, deformed, frantic. Moreover, he hath wonderfully preserved me in my infancy, childhood, youth, middle age hitherto from manifold dangers and perils: all which do confirm in me a persuasion of Gods fatherly love: and that I should not doubt hereof: where I might have been borne of Turks, lo it was the will of God, that I should be borne of Christian parents, and be brought into Gods Church by baptism, which is the Sacrament of adoption, and requireth faith, as well of the remission of my sins as of sanctification, and holiness to be wrought of God in me by his grace and holy spirit: where I might have been borne in an ignorant time and religion, God would that I should be borne in these days and in this country where is more knowledge revealed then ever was here or in many places else is. Where I might have been of a corrupt judgement, and entangled with many errors of Papistry, and of the Family of Love, and of the schism of Browne, by Gods goodness my judgement is reformed, and he hath lightened mine eyes to see, and my heart to embrace his sincere trueth. By all which things I do confirm my faith of this, that God always hath bin, is, and will be for ever my father, and at my departing forth of this world will give me the crown of everlasting glory. Secondly, when as man is evermore doubting of the promises of God be they never so certain, God of his infinite mercy to prevent all occasions of doubting, promiseth to give his own spirit as a pledge, pawn, or earnest penny unto his children of their adoption, & election to salvation. Now, since it pleased God to call me from hypocrisy to be a member of his Church, I feel that in my self which I never felt or heard of before.