A Golden Chain

Euseb. It is indeed: yet in the faithful it will be so: for they have in their hearts a persuasion, that whereas they are damned in themselves, yet in Christ the mercy of God is most plentiful to their salvation, and all this God confirmeth and sealeth unto them by his holy spirit, and therefore they cannot but ⟨p. 637⟩love God again, and that with a fervent love even above all things in the world, and so they love all Gods creatures, and even their enemies, because they bear the image of God whom they love: like as I have a friend & love him, I love all of his name, all his kindred, and all that appertain unto him. And by the way, here is a good way to know whether we have faith or not• though faith only justify and make the marriage between our soul and Christ, and is properly the marriage garment, yea, and the sign Tau, that defendeth us from the smiting and power of evil angels, and is also the rock on which Christs church is built, and standeth against all weather of wind and tempest: yet is faith never severed from hope and charity: then if a man will be sure that his faith is perfect, let him examine himself whether he love the law: and in like manner if he will know whether he love the law, that is, love God and his neighbour, then let him examine himself whether he believe in Christ only for the remission of sin, & obtaining the promises made in the Scripture. And even so let him compare his hope of the life to come with faith, and love, and to the hatred of sin in his life, which hatred the love of the law engendereth in him. And if they accompany not one another all three together, then let him be sure all is but hypocrisy.

Euseb. It is indeede: yet in the faithfull it will be so: for they haue in their hearts a perswasion, that wheras they are damned in themselues, yet in Christ the mercie of God is most plentifull to their saluation, and al this God confirmeth and sealeth vnto them by his holy spirit, and therefore they cannot but ⟨p. 637⟩loue God againe, and that with a feruent loue euen aboue all things in the world, and so they loue all Gods creatures, and euen their enemies, because they beare the image of God whome they loue: like as I haue a friend & loue him, I loue all of his name, all his kinred, and all that appertain vnto him. And by the way, here is a good way to know whether we haue faith or not though faith onely iustifie and make the mariage betweene our soule and Christ, and is properly the marriage garment, yea, and the signe Tau, that defendeth vs from the smiting and power of euill angels, and is also the rocke on which Christs church is built, and standeth against all weather of wind and tempest: yet is faith neuer seuered from hope and charitie: then if a man will be sure that his faith is perfect, let him examine himselfe whether he loue the law: and in like manner if he will know whether he loue the law, that is, loue God and his neighbour, then let him examine himselfe whether he beleeue in Christ onely for the remission of sinne, & obtaining the promises made in the Scripture. And euen so let him compare his hope of the life to come with faith, and loue, and to the hatred of sinne in his life, which hatred the loue of the law ingendreth in him. And if they accompanie not one another all three together, then let him be sure all is but hypocrisie.