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.

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Title: 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.
Author: Perkins, William, 1558-1602.
Publication: [Cambridge] :: Printed by Iohn Legat, printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge,; 1600.
Rights/Permissions: To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
Subject terms: Theology, Doctrinal -- Early works to 1800.; Salvation -- Early works to 1800.; Predestination -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item: http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A09339.0001.001
Cite this Item: "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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A09339.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 25, 2025.

Pages

The XV. errour.

It is possible to fulfill the Law in this life.

The Confutation.

The Law is euangelically fulfilled, by beleeuing in Christ; but not legally, by doing the works thereof. Reason. They which are carnall cannot possibly fulfill the law of God: but the most regenerate, so long as they liue in this life, are carnall in part. Rom. 7.14. I am, saith Paul of himselfe, carnall, and sold vn∣der sinne. Prou. 20. Who can say, Mine heart is pure, I am pure from sinne? Eccles. 7. There is none so iust vpon earth, which doth good, and sinneth not. Psal. 130. If thou, Lord, obserue what is done amisse, Lord who shall abide it? We are daily taught to pray vnto God, Forgiue vs our sinnes. Exception. Indeede if the iustice of the faithfull be absolutely considered, it is imperfect, but as God doth exact it of our frailtie, it is perfect. Answer. This is but the fansie of some doting Iesuite. For this sentence of the Law is simple, eternall, and immooueable, Cursed is e∣uery one that continueth not in all things which are written in this booke to do them. Neither may we imagine, that God will not therefore exact the ful accompli∣shing of the law, because we are fraile. For we are creatures and debters: now we know that the debt doth not decrease, by reason of the debters pouertie.

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Obiect. The faithfull are said to be perfect in this life. Ans. There is a two∣fold perfection, the one incomplete, the which is an endeauor or care to obey God in the obseruation of all his precepts; the other is tearmed complet, this is that iustice which the lawe requireth, namely, a perfect and absolute iustice, according to that measure which man performed to God in his innocency. In the first sense the faithfull are said to be perfect, not in this latter.