A Golden Chain

O Jesus Christ Saviour of the world, give me thy holy and blessed Spirit that I may judge my self, and be as vile and base in mine own eyes as thou wast vile before the Jews: also unite me unto thee by the same spirit, that in thee I may be as worthy to be accepted before God, as I am worthy in my self to be detested for my sins. When thou readest, that he was clad in purple and crowned with thorns, mocked and spit upon, behold the everlasting shame that is due unto thee, and be ashamed of thy self, & in this point conform thy self to Christ, & be content (as he was) to be reproached, abused, and despised, so it be for a good cause. When thou readest, that before his crucifying, he was stripped of all his clothes, think it was that he being naked might bear thy shame on the cross, and with his most precious and rich nakedness cover thy deformity. When thou readest the complaint of Christ, that he was forsaken of his father, consider how he suffered the pangs and torments of hell as thy pledge and surety. Learn by his unspeakable torments what a fearful thing it is to sin against God, and begin to renounce thy self, and detest thy sins, and to walk as a child of light, according to the measure of grace received. When thou comest to die, set before thine eyes Christ in the midst of all his torments on the cross: in beholding of which spectacle to thy endless comfort, thou shalt see a paradise in the middest of hell: God the father reconciled unto thee, thy Saviour reaching out his hands unto thee to receive thy soul unto him; and his cross as a ladder to advance it to eternal glory. Whereas he cried aloud with a strong voice at the point of death, it was to show that he died willingly without violence or constraint from any creature, and that if it had so pleased him, he could have freed himself from death, and have cast his very enemies to the very bottom of hell. When thou readest that he commended his soul into the hands of his Father, consider that thy soul also (so be it thou wilt believe in him) is delivered up into the hands of God, and shall be preserved against the rage and malice of all thine enemies, and hereupon thou mayest be bold to commend thy spirit into the hands of God the father.

O Iesu Christ Sauiour of the world, giue me thy holy and blessed Spirit that I may iudge my selfe, and be as vile and base in mine owne eyes as thou wast vile before the Iewes: also vnite me vnto thee by the same spirit, that in thee I may be as worthie to be accepted before God, as I am worthie in my selfe to be detested for my sinnes. When thou readest, that he was clad in purple and crowned with thornes, mocked and spit vpon, behold the euerlasting shame that is due vnto thee, and be ashamed of thy selfe, & in this point conforme thy self to Christ, & be content (as he was) to be reproched, abused, and despised, so it be for a good cause. When thou readest, that before his crucifying, he was stript of al his cloathes, thinke it was that he beeing naked might beare thy shame on the crosse, and with his most pretious and rich nakednesse couer thy deformitie. When thou readest the complaint of Christ, that he was forsaken of his father, consider how he suffered the pangs and torments of hell as thy pledge and surety. Learne by his vnspeakable torments what a fearefull thing it is to sinne against God, and begin to renounce thy selfe, and detest thy sinnes, and to walke as a child of light, according to the measure of grace receiued. When thou commest to die, set before thine eyes Christ in the midst of all his torments on the crosse: in beholding of which spectacle to thy endlesse comfort, thou shalt see a paradise in the middest of hell: God the father reconciled vnto thee, thy Sauiour reaching out his hands vnto thee to receiue thy soule vnto him; and his crosse as a ladder to aduance it to eternall glorie. Wheras he cried aloud with a strong voice at the point of death, it was to shew that he died willingly without violence or constraint from any creature, and that if it had so pleased him, he could haue freed himselfe from death, and haue cast his very enemies to the very bottom of hell. When thou readest that he commended his soule into the handes of his Father, consider that thy soule also (so be it thou wilt beleeue in him) is deliuered vp into the hands of God, and shall be preserued against the rage and malice of all thine enemies, and hereupon thou maist be bolde to commend thy spirit into the hands of God the father.