A Golden Chain

Euseb. There is no body here but you and I, and I take you to be a Christian and a faithful friend: therefore I will show a little of my experience. The last year by reason of the dearth, I and my family were put to great pinches, and most commonly we had nothing but bread and water: hereupon I bethought me how I might get somewhat to relieve my family: it came into mind that in our town a rich man had a great flock of sheep, and that I might take one of them without any hurt of him. I was very loath at the first: but because there was such great stealing of sheep, and I was in extremity, in the night I went among his sheep and took a lamb, and I told my family that it was given me: I presently killed it, the skin and the entrails I buried in my backside, the flesh we dressed by quarters, and did eat it with thanksgiving (as my manner is) but surely very coldly, and me thought my prayer was abominable in Gods sight. After I had thus done: we fared well for the space of two days, but I felt my heart hardened, and my lips were almost locked up, that I could not as I was wont praise the Lord. The third night after, I went with a quiet conscience (me thought) to my bed, and then I slept soundly till three of the clock in the morning, but I dreamed that one came to carry me to prison, upon that on a sudden I awaked, and being afraid looked about me, and fell to consider why I should be afraid, and I remembered that I had sinned against God by robbing my neighbour: O then my fear increased, and I thought that hell gaped to devour me, and the law looked upon me with such a terrible countenance, and so thundered in mine ears, that I durst not abide in my bed, but up and to go. Then the devil assailed me on every •ide, to persuade that God had cast me away: saying, they that be Gods, have power to keep his laws, thou hast not, but breakest them: therefore thou art a cast-away and a damned creature, and hell gapeth and setteth open his mouth to devour thee. And I thought with my self that I had been always a rank hypocrite: for as the clouds of the air do cover the sun, so that sometimes a man cannot tell by any sense that there is any sun, the clouds and winds hiding it from our sight:

Euseb. There is no bodie here but you and I, and I take you to be a Christian and a faithfull friend: therefore I will shew a little of my experience. The last yeare by reason of the dearth, I and my familie were put to great pinches, and most commonly we had nothing but bread and water: hereupon I bethought me how I might get somewhat to relieue my familie: it came into minde that in our towne a rich man had a great flocke of sheepe, and that I might take one of them without any hurt of him. I was very loath at the first: but because there was such great stealing of sheepe, and I was in extremitie, in the night I went among his sheepe and tooke a lambe, and I tolde my familie that it was giuen me: I presently killed it, the skinne and the entralles I buried in my backside, the flesh we dressed by quarters, and did eate it with thanksgiuing (as my manner is) but surely very coldly, and me thought my praier was abominable in Gods sight. After I had thus done: we fared well for the space of two daies, but I felt my heart hardned, and my lippes were almost locked vp, that I could not as I was woont praise the Lord. The third night after, I went with a quiet conscience (me thought) to my bed, and then I slept soundly till three of the clocke in the morning, but I dreamed that one came to carrie me to prison, vpon that on a sudden I awaked, and being afraid looked about me, and fell to consider why I should be afraid, and I remembred that I had sinned against God by robbing my neighbour: O then my feare increased, and I thought that hell gaped to deuoure me, and the law looked vpon me with such a terrible countenance, and so thundered in mine eares, that I durst not abide in my bed, but vp and to goe. Then the deuill assayled me on euery ide, to perswade that God had cast me away: saying, they that be Gods, haue power to keep his laws, thou hast not, but breakest them: thrfore thou art a cast-away and a damned creature, and hell gapeth and setteth open his mouth to deuoure thee. And I thought with my selfe that I had beene alwaies a ranke hypocrite: for as the clowdes of the ayre doe couer the sunne, so that sometimes a man cannot tell by any sense that there is any sunne, the clowdes and winds hiding it from our sight: