A Golden Chain

Thus we see what be the duties which we are to perform in the very pangs of death, that we may come to eternal life. Some man will happily say, if this be all to die in faith and obedience and to surrender our souls into Gods hand, we will not greatly care for any preparation before hand, nor trouble our selves much about the right manner of dying well: for we doubt not, but that when death shall come, we shall be able to perform all the former duties with ease. Ans. Let no man deceive himself by any false persuasion, thinking with ⟨p. 810⟩himself that the practise of the foresaid duties is a matter of ease: for ordinarily they are not, neither can they be performed in death, unless there be much preparation in the life before. He that will die in faith must first of all live by faith: and there is but one example in all the bible of a man dying in faith that lived without faith; namely, the thief upon the cross. The servants of God that are endued with great measure of grace do very hardly believe in the time of affliction. Indeed when Job was afflicted he said, Though the Lord kill me, yet will I trust in him: yet afterward, his faith being overcast with a cloud, he saith, that God was become his enemy, and that he had set him as a mark to shoot at: and sundry times his faith was oppressed with doubting and distrust. How then shall they that never lived by faith nor inured themselves to believe, be able in the pang of death to rest upon the mercy of God. Again, he that would die in obedience, must first of all lead his life in obedience: he that hath lived in disobedience can not willingly and in obedience appear before the judge when he is cited by death the sergeant of the Lord: he dies indeed, but that is upon necessity, because he must yield to the order and course of nature as other creatures do. Thirdly, he that would surrender his soul into the hands of God must be resolved of two things; the one is that God can; the other is, that God will receive his soul into heaven and there preserve it till the last judgement. And none can be resolved of this, except he have the spirit of God to certify his conscience that he is redeemed, justified, sanctified by Christ, and shall be glorified. He that is not thus persuaded, dare not render up and present his soul unto God. When David said, Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit;¹

Thus we see what be the duties which we are to performe in the very pāgs of death, that we may come to eternall life. Some man will happily say, if this be all to die in faith and obedience and to surrender our soules into Gods hād, we will not greatly care for any preparation before hand, nor trouble our selues much about the right manner of dying well: for we doubt not, but that when death shall come, we shall be able to perform all the former duties with ease. Ans. Let no man deceiue himselfe by any false perswasion, thinking with