A09339:3866
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.
This being so, I do again renew my former exhortation, beseeching you that ye would practise the duties of preparation in the course of your lives, leading them daily in faith and obedience, and from time to time commending our souls into the hand of God, & casting all our works upon his providence. They which have done this, have made most happy & blessed ends. Enoch by faith walked walked with God, as one that was always in his presence, leading an upright and godly life, and the Lord tooke• him away that he should not see death. 1And this which befell Enoch, shall after a sort befall them also that live in faith and obedience: because death shall be no death but a sleep unto them, and no enemy but a friend to body and soul. On the contrary let us consider the wretched and miserable ends of them that have spent their days in their sins without keeping faith and good conscience. The people of the old world were drowned in the flood: the filthy Sodomites and Gomorrheans were destroyed with fire from heaven: Dathan and Abiram with the company of Core swallowed up of the earth, Core himself (as it seemsa by the text) being burnt with fire: wicked Saul and Ahithophel and Judas destroy themselves. Herod is eaten up of worms and gave up the ghost:3 Julian the Apostate smitten with a dart in the field, died casting up his blood into the air and blaspheming the name of Christ. Arius the heretic ⟨p. 811⟩died upon the stool scouring forth his very entrails. And this very age affords store of like examples. Hof•meister a great Papist, as he was going to the council of Ralisbone to dispute against the defenders of the gospel,4 was suddenly in his journey prevented by the hand of God, and miserably died with horrible roaring, and crying out in the university of Louvain. Guarlacus a learned Papist falling sick,5 when he perceived no way with him but death, he sell into a miserable agony and perturbation of spirit, crying out of his sins how miserably he had lived, and that he was not able to abide the judgement of God, and so casting out words of miserable desperation said, his sins were greater then they could be pardoned, and in that desperation ended his days.