A09339:3778
A Golden Chain
A golden chain: or The description of theology containing the order of the causes of salvation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seen in the table annexed. Hereunto is adjoined the order which M. Theodore Beza used in comforting afflicted consciences.A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1600Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1600
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The kinds of death are two, as the kinds of life are, bodily and spiritual. Bodily death is nothing else but the separation of the soul from the body, as bodily life is the conjunction of body and soul: and this death is called the first, because in respect of time it goes before the second. Spiritual death is the separation of the whole man both in body and soul from the gracious fellowship of God. Of these twain, the first is but an entrance to death, and the second is the accomplishment of it. For as the soul is the life of the body, so God is the life of the soul, and his spirit is the soul of our souls, and the want of fellowship with him brings nothing but the endless and unspeakable horrors and pangs of death.
The kindes of death are two, as the kindes of life are, bodily and spirituall. Bodily death is nothing else but the separation of the soule from the bodie, as bodily life is the coniunction of bodie and soule: and this death is called the first, because in respect of time it goes before the second. Spirituall death is the separation of the whole man both in bodie and soule from the gracious fellowship of God. Of these twaine, the first is but an entrance to death, and the second is the accomplishment of it. For as the soule is the life of the bodie, so God is the life of the soule, and his spirit is the soule of our soules, and the want of fellowship with him brings nothing but the endlesse and vnspeakable horrours and pangs of death.
Again, spiritual death hath three distinct and several degrees. The first is, when a man that is alive in respect of temporal life, lies dead in sin. Of this degree Paul speaks when he saith,1 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. And this is the case of all men by nature, who are children of wrath and dead in sins and trespasses. 2The second degree is the very end of this life when the body is laid in the earth, and the soul descends to the place of torment. The third degree is in the day of judgement, when the body and soul meet again and go both to the place of the damned, there to be tormented for ever and ever.