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.

The affirmatiue part.

Thou shalt preserue the chastitie of thy neighbour.

Chastitie is the puritie of soule and bodie, as much as belongeth to genera∣tion. The minde is chaste, when it is free, or at the least, freed from fleshly con∣cupiscence. The bodie is chaste, when it putteth not in execution the concu∣piscences of the flesh. 1. Thess. 4.••. This is the will of God, euen your sanctification, and that ye should abstaine from fornication. 4. That ••uery one of you should knowe how to possesse his vessell in holines and honour, 5. And not in the lust of concupiscence, euen as the Gentiles, which know not God. 1. Cor. 7.34. The vnmarried wom••n ca∣reth for the things of the Lord, that shee may be holy both in bodie and spirit.

There are two especiall vertues which preserue chastitie, Modestie, and So∣brietie. Modestie is a vertue which keepeth in each worke an holy decorum, or comelines: and it is seene, I. in the countenance and eyes, namely, when they neither expresse, nor excite the concupiscence of the heart. Iob. 31.1. I made a couenant with mine eye, why then should I thinke on a maid? Gen. 24.64. Rebekah lift vp her eyes, and when she saw Izhak, she lighted downe from the camel. 65. So she tooke a vaile, and couered her face. Prou. 1••.13. Shee caught him, and kissed

him, and with an impudent face said vnto him, &c. II. In words: when a mans talk is decent, in speaking of such things, we cannot but be ashamed of. Gen. 4.1. Then Adam knew Heuah his wife: who, &c. Psal. 51.1. A Psalme of Dauid, when the Prophet Nathan came vnto him, after he had gone into Bethsheba. Esay 7.20. In that day shall the Lord shaue with a rasor that is hired, euen by them beyond the riuer, by the King of Ashur, the head and the haire of the feete, and it shall con∣sume the beard. Iudg. 3.24. When he was gone out, his seruāts came: who seeing that the doores of the parlar were shut, they said, Surely he couereth his feete, (that is, he doth his easement) in his summer chamber. Againe, a mans talke must be little and submisse Matth. 12.19. Behold my seruant whome I haue chosen, he shall not striue, nor crie, neither shall any man heare his voice in the streetes. Prou. 10.19. In many words there cannot want iniquitie: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. And it is a note of a strumpet to be a giglot, and loud tongued. Prou. 7.11. Shee is babling and loud. In apparell, we must obserue an holy comelinesse. Tit. 2.••. The elder women must be of such behauiour, as becommeth holinesse. Holy comeli∣nesse is that which expresseth to the eie the sinceritie, that is, the godlines, tem∣perance, and grauitie either of man or woman. This decencie wil more plain∣ly appeare, if we consider the endes of apparell, which are in number fiue. 1. Necessitie, to the ende that our bodies may be defended against the extremity of parching heate, and pinching colde. 2. Honestie, that that deformitie of our naked bodies might be couered, which immediately followed the transgressi∣on of our first parents. 3. Commoditie, whereby men, as their calling, worke, and trade of life is different, so do they apparell themselues: and hence it is, that some apparell is more decent for certaine estates of men, then other. 4. Fru∣galitie, when a mans attire is proportionable to his abilitie and calling. 5. Di∣stinction of persons, as of sexe, ages, offices, times, and actions. For a man hath his set attire, a woman hers, a young man apparelled on this fashion, an olde man on that. And therefore it is vnseemely for a man to put on a womans ap∣parell, or a woman the mans. Deut. 22.5. The woman shall not weare that which pertaineth to the man, neither shall a man put on womans raiment: for all that doe so, are an abomination to the Lord thy God.

To set downe precisely out of Gods word what apparrell is decent, is very hard: wherefore in this case, the iudgement and practise of modest, graue, and sincere men, in euery particular estate, is most to be followed, and men must rather keepe too much within the bounds of measure, then to step one foot without the precincts. Concerning the purging of excrements of nature, care must be had, that they bee cast foorth into some separate and close place, and there also couered. Deut. 23.12. Thou shalt haue a place without the host, whither thou shalt resort. 13. And thou shalt haue a paddle among thy weapons, & when thou wouldest sit downe without, thou shalt digge therewith, and returning, thou shalt co∣uer thine excrements. 14. For the Lord thy God walketh in the middest of the camp to deliuer thee: therefore thine host shall be holy, that he see no filthy thing in thee, & turne away from thee. 1. Sam. 24.4. And he came to the sheepe-coats by the way, where there was a caue, and Saul went in to couer his feete.

Sobrietie is a vertue, which concerneth the vsage of our diet in holines. For the better obseruation thereof, these rules may serue: I. The cheifest at the

banket, let him consecrate the meates to God, by saying grace. 1. Sam. 9.13. The people will not eate, till he (that is, Samuel) came, because he wil blesse the sacri∣fice: and then eate they, that be bidden to the feast. Mark. 6.39. He commanded thē to make them all sit downe by companies vpon the grasse, &c. 41. And he tooke the fiue loaues and two fishes, and looked vp to heauen, and gaue thankes. Act. 27.35. When he had thus said, he (that is, Paul) gaue thankes in the presence of them all, & when he had broken bread, he began to eate. II. It is lawefull to furnish a table with store of dishes not onely for necessity, but also for the good entertain∣ment of a friende, and for delight. Luk. 5. 29. Leui made him (that is, Iesus) a great feast in his owne house, where there was a great company of Publicans, and of other that sate at tabe with him. Psal. 104.15. He giueth wine that maketh glad the heart of man, & oyle to make the face shine, & bread that strengtheneth mans heart. Ioh. 12.2. There they made him a supper, and Martha serued, but Lazarus was one of them that sate at table with him. 3. Then tooke Marie a pound of oyntment of Spikenard, very costly, and annointed Iesus feete. III. Choose the lower roome at a banquet, and rather then be troublesome, sit as the master of the feast assig∣neth thee. Luk. 14.7. He spake a parable to the guests, when he marked howe they chose out the chiefe roomes, and said, 8. When thou shalt be bidden of any man to a wedding, set not thy selfe downe in the chiefest place, least a more honourable man then thou be bidden of him. 9. And he that bade both him and thee, come and say, Giue this man roome. 10. But goe and sit downe in the lowest roome, that when he that bade thee, commeth, he may say vnto thee, Friend, sit vp higher. Prou. 25.5. Stād not in the place of great mē, &c. IV. Man must eate at due times, not at vn∣seasonable houres. Eccl. 10.16. Woe be to thee, O land, whē thy Princes eate in the morning. 17. Blessed art thou, O land, when Princes eate in time. V. Man must eate and drinke moderately, so that the body may receiue strength thereby, & the soule be more fresh and liuely, to performe the actions of godlines. Luk. 21. 34. Take heede to your selues, least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfet∣ting and drunkennesse. Prou. 23.29. To whome is woe? &c. Euen to them that tarry long at wine, to them that goe and seeke mixt wine. 3. Looke not thou vpon the wine when it is red, and when it sheweth his colour in the cup, and goeth downe pleasantly, &c. Prou. 25.16. If thou hast found hony, eate that is sufficient for thee, least thou be ouer full, and vomit. Prou. 31.4. It is not for Kings to drinke wine, nor for Princes strong drinke. 5. Least he drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction. VI. We must then especially regard these things, when we eate at great mens tables. Prou. 23.1. When thou sittest to eate with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee. 2. Put the knife to thy throate, if thou be a man giuen to thine appetite. 3. Be not desirous of his dainty meates: for it is a de∣ceiueable meate. VII. Godly mirth at meate is tollerable. Act. 2.46. They did eate their meat togither with gladnes and singlenes of heart. VIII. Table talke (according as occasion of talke is offered) must be such as may edifie. Such was Christs talke at the Pharises table. Luk. 14. from th•• 1. verse to the 16. verse. IX. See that after the banquet ended, the broken meate be not lost, but reserued. Iohn 6.12. When they were satisfied, he said vnto his Disciples, Gather vp the broken meate which remaineth, that nothing be lost. X. At a feast leaue som∣what. Ruth. 2.14. Shee did eate, and was sufficed, and left thereof.

Chastitie is double: one of single life, another in wedlocke. They that are single, must I. with great care keepe their affections and bodies in holinesse. Psal. 119. 9. Howe shall a young man purge his waies! by directing the same after thy word. 1. Ioh. 2. 13. I write vnto you fathers, because ye haue knowne him, that is from the beginning. I write vnto you young men, because ye haue ouercome that wic∣ked one. 14. I write vnto you babes, because ye haue knowne the Father. Eccl. 12.1. Remember thy creator in the daies of thy youth, whiles the euill daies come not, nor the yeares approch, wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them. II. They must fast often. 1. Cor. 9.27. I beate downe my bodie, and bring it into subiection, least by any meanes, after I haue preached to others, I my selfe should be reprooued. III. They must take heede they burne not in lust: for, 1. Cor. 7.9. It is better to marry then to burne.

Chastitie in wedlocke, is when the holy and pure vse of wedlocke is obser∣ued, Heb. 13.4. Mariage is honourable among all, & the bed vndefiled: but whore∣mongers and adulterers God will iudge. To preserue puritie in wedlocke, these cautions are profitable: I. Contracts must be in the Lord, and with the faithful onely. Malac. 2.11. Iudah hath transgressed, and an abomination is committed in Israel, and in Ierusalem: for Iudah hath defiled the holinesse of the Lord, which he loued, and hath maried the daughter of a strange god. 1. Cor. 7.39. If her husband be dead shee is at libertie to marrie with whome shee will, onely in the Lord. II. Both parties must separate themselues in the time of a womans disease, and at ap∣pointed fasts. Ezech. 18.6. 1. Cor. 7.5. Defraud not one another, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may giue your selues to fasting and praier, and againe come together, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinencie. III. Wedlocke must be vsed rather to suppresse, then to satisfie that corrupt cōcupiscence of the flesh, and especially to enlarge the Church of God. Rom. 13.14. Put on the Lord Ie∣sus Christ, and take not care of the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof. IV. It must bee vsed with prayer and thanksgiuing. 1. Tim. 4.3,4.