A Golden Chain

As for our neighbours, those especially that are of Christs Church, they are to be known of us on this manner: When we are to do• any duty unto them, we must not barely respect their persons, but Christ crucified in them, & them in Christ. When Paul persecuted such as called on the name of Christ, he then from heaven cried, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Here then let this be marked, that when the poor comes to us for relief, it is Christ that comes to our doors, and saith, I am hungry, I am thirsty, I am naked: and let the bowels of ⟨p. 825⟩compassion be in us towards them as towards Christ, unless we will hear that fearful sentence in the day of judgement, Go ye cursed into hell, &c. I was hungry, and ye fed me not: I was naked, and ye did not clothe me, &c.

As for our neighbours, those especially that are of Christs Church, they are to be known of vs on this manner: When we are to do• any dutie vnto them, we must not barely respect their persons, but Christ crucified in them, & them in Christ. When Paul persecuted such as called on the name of Christ, he thē f•om heauē cried, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Here then let this be marked, that when the poore comes to vs for releefe, it is Christ that comes to our dores, and saith, I am hungrie, I am thirstie, I am naked: and let the bowels of ⟨p. 825⟩compassion be in vs towards them as towards Christ, vnles we wil heare that fearefull sentence in the day of iudgement, Go ye cursed into hell, &c. I was hungrie, and ye fed me not: I was naked, and ye did not cloath me, &c.

Thirdly, the right knowledge of our selves ariseth of the knowledge of Christ crucified, in whom and by whom we come to know five special things of our selves. The first, how grievous our sins are, and therefore how miserable we are in regard of them. If we consider our offences in themselves, & as they are in us, we may soon be deceived, because the conscience being corrupted often erreth in giving testimony, and by that means maketh sin to appear less then it is indeed. But if sin be considered in the death & passion of Christ, whereof it was the cause, and the vileness thereof measured by the unspeakable torments endured by the son of God: and if the greatness of the offence of man be esteemed by the endless satisfaction made to the justice of God, the least sin that is will appear to be a sin indeed, and that most grievous and ugly. Therefore Christ crucified must be used of us as a mirror or looking glass, in which we may fully take a view of our wretchedness and misery, and what we are by nature. For such as the passion of Christ was in the eyes of men, such is our passion or condition in the eyes of God: and that which wicked men did to Christ, the same doeth sin and Satan to our very souls.