A Golden Chain

Now then considering our conjunction with Christ is the foundation of all our joy and comfort in life and death, we are in the fear of God to learn this one lesson, namely, that while we have time in this world, we must labour to be united unto Christ, that we may be bone of his bone & flesh of his flesh. This very point is as it were a flagon of wine to revive our souls when they be in a sown at any instant. And that we may be assured that we are certainly joined to Christ, we must show our selves to be members of his mystical body by the daily fruits of righteousness and true repentance. And being once certainly assured in conscience of our being in Christ, let death come when it will, and let it cruelly part asunder both body and soul, yet shall they both remain in the covenant, and by means thereof be reunited and taken up to life eternal. Whereas on the contrary, if men be out of the covenant and die out of Christ, their souls go to hell, and their bodies rot for a time in the grave, but afterwards they rise to endless perdition. Wherefore I say again and again, labour that your consciences by the holy Ghost may testify that ye are hewing stones in the Temple of God, and branches bearing fruit in the true vine: and then ye shall feel by experience, that the pangs of death shall be a further degree of happiness then ever ye found in your lives, even then when ye are gasping and panting for breath.

Now then considering our coniunction with Christ is the foundation of all our ioy and comfort in life and death, we are in the feare of God to learne this one lesson, namely, that while we haue time in this world, we must labour to be vnited vnto Christ, that we may be bone of his bone & flesh of his flesh. This very point is as it were a flaggon of wine to reuiue our soules when they be in a sowne at any instant. And that we may be assured that we are certenly ioyned to Christ, we must shew our selues to be members of his mystical bodie by the daily fruits of righteousnes and true repentance. And beeing once certenly assured in conscience of our beeing in Christ, let death come when it will, and let it cruelly part asunder both bodie and soule, yet shall they both remaine in the couenant, and by meanes thereof be reunited and taken vp to life eternall. Whereas on the contrarie, if men be out of the couenant and die out of Christ, their soules goe to hell, and their bodies rotte for a time in the graue, but afterwards they rise to endlesse perdition. Wherefore I say againe and againe, labour that your consciences by the holy Ghost may testifie that ye are huing stones in the Temple of God, and braunches bearing fruit in the true vine: and then ye shall feele by experience, that the pangs of death shall be a further degree of happines then euer ye found in your liues, euen then when ye are gasping and panting for breath.