A Golden Chain

Again, that we may be further induced to the practise of these duties, let us call to mind the uncertainty of our days: though we now live, yet who can say that he shall be alive the next days or the next hour. No man hath a lease of his life. Now mark, as death leaves a man, so shall the last judgement find him: and therefore if death take him away unprepared, eternal damnation follows without recovery. If a thief be brought from prison either to the bar to be arraigned before the judge, or to the place of execution, he will bewail his misdemeanour past, and promise all reformation of life; ⟨p. 812⟩so be it, he might be delivered, though he be the most arrant thief that ever was. In this case we are as felons or thieves: for we are every day going to the bar of Gods judgement, there is no stay nor standing in the way, even as the ship in the sea continues on his course day and night whether the mariners be sleeping or waking: therefore let us all prepare our selves and amend our lives betime, that in death we may make a blessed end. Ministers of the Gospel do daily call for the performance of this duty: but where almost shall we find the practise and obedience of it in mens lives and conversations? Alas, alas, to lend our ears for the space of an hour to hear the will of God is common: but to give heart and hand to do the same, is rare. And the reason hereof is at hand: we are all most grievous sinners, and every sinner in the terms of Scripture is a fool: and a principal part of this folly is to care for the things of this world, and to neglect the kingdom of heaven, to provide for the body and not for the soul,¹ to cast and forecast how we may live in wealth and honour and ease, and not to use the last forecast to die well. This folly our Saviour Christ noted in the rich man that was careful to enlarge his barns, but had no care at all for his end or for the salvation of his soul. Such an one was Ahithophel, who (as the Scripture terms him) was as the very oracle of God for counsel, being a man of great wisdom and forecast in the matters of the common-wealth, and in his own private worldly affairs: and yet for all this he had not so much as common sense and reason, to consider how he might die the death of the righteous, and come to life everlasting. And this folly the holy Ghost hath noted in him.

Againe, that wee may bee further induced to the practise of these duties, let vs call to minde the vncertaintie of our daies: though we now liue, yet who can say that hee shall bee aliue the next daie or the next houre. No man hath a lease of his life. Nowe marke, as death leaues a man, so shall the last iudgement find him: and therfore if death take him away vnprepared, eternal damnation followes without recouerie. If a theife bee brought from prison either to the barre to be arraigned before the iudge, or to the place of exeqution, he will bewaile his misdeameanour past, and promise all reformation of life;