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.

1. The meaning.

THese wordes containe a reason of all the former petitions: whereby wee are mooued to craue things needfull at Gods hand.

Thine is] Earthly kings haue kingdome, power, and glorie, Dan. 2.37. Yet not from themselues, but from God, whose vicegerents they are on earth. There∣fore to make a difference betweene Gods kingdome, power, and glorie, and those of earthly kings, it is said, Thine is the kingdome, &c. that is, that God hath all these in himselfe, and from himselfe, and men from him.

The kingdome] These words, 1. Chro. 26.11. are fully expounded, Thine, O Lord, is greatnesse, power, and victorie, and praise: and all that is in heauen & earth is thine; thine is the kingdome, and thou excellest as head ouer all, &c. The king∣dome is said to bee Gods, because hee is absolute professour and owner of all things that are; and also hath soueraigne rule ouer all things at his will. Nowe out of this first propertie of God we may gather a strong motiue to induce vs to praie vnto him alone. For seeing all things are his, both in heauen and earth whatsoeuer; therfore we must come to him for the graces and blessings which we desire.

The power] Oftentimes earthly princes haue kingdomes, yet want power: but God hath kingdome and power also: yea his power is infinite, and he can doe all that he will, and more then he will: as for those things which come of impotencie, he can not doe them; and if he could, he should not be omnipo∣tent. And as he is omnipotent in himselfe, so all the power which any creature hath, is from him alone.

Question. How can this be, seeing the deuill hath power to sinne; which is not from God? Ans. To sinne is no power, but rather a want of power: other∣wise all the strength and power Satan hath, is of God.

And frō this second propertie is taken another motiue to mooue vs to pray vnto God. Because all power beeing his, we can neuer doe any of the things which we aske, but by power receiued from him.

Thine is the glorie] This third propertie of God, ariseth from the two for∣mer, for seeing the title and interest in all things, and the power whereby they are disposed and gouerned, is of God: therefore it followes that all glory is his: yea in him is fulnesse of glorie, and the glorie of the creature is all of him. To sinnefull men belongs nothing but shame and confusion. Dan. 9.7.

This third propertie ministreth a third motiue to induce men to pray vnto God alone. For seeing all glorie by right is his, therefore we must inuocate hi•• holy name, that in so doing, we may giue him the glorie due vnto him.

For euer] The words in the originall are, for ages. Now an age signifies the space of an hundred yeares: but here it is taken for eternitie: because eternitie is nothing but multiplication of ages. And as eternitie is here noted by ages, so on the contrarie we read, that eternitie is taken for a certaine and distinct time. Gen. 17.8. God promiseth Abraham to giue him the land of Canaan for an euerlasting possession: that is, for a long season. For els Abrahams seed should inherit the land vntill this time, which it doth not. Wherefore, as often the whole is put for the part, vz. eternitie for a certaine time: so here the part is put for the whole, ages for eternitie. This also makes a difference betweene earthly princes and the mightie Iehouah. They haue kingdome, power, and glorie for a short time, but he absolutely and for euer.