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.

A DIALOGVE CONTAINING THE CON∣FLICTS betweene Satan and the Christian.

Sathan.

OVile helbound, thou art my slaue and my vassall, why then shakest thou off my yoke?

Christian.

By nature I was thy vassal, but Christ hath redeemed me.

Sathan.

Christ redeemeth no reprobates such as thou art.

Christian.

I am no reprobate.

Sathan.

Thou art a reprobate, for thou shalt be con∣demned.

Christian.

Lucifer, to pronounce damnation, belongeth to God alone: thou art no iudge, it is sufficient for thee to be an accuser.

Sathan.

Though I cannot condemne thee, yet I knowe God will con∣demne thee.

Christian.

Yea but God will not condemne me.

Sathan.

Goe too let vs trie the matter. Is not God a Lord and a King ouer thee? and may he not therefore giue thee a lawe, to keep, and punish thee with hell fire, if thou breake it?

Christian.

Yes.

Sathan.

And hast thou kept the lawe of this thy Lord and King?

Christian.

No.

Sathan.

Let vs proceed further: Is not the same Lord also a most righteous iudge? And therefore a most sharp reuenger of sinne?

Christian.

Yes truely.

Sathan.

Why then wilt thou flatter thy selfe thou hypocrite: God cannot winke at thy sinnes, except he should be vniust. Wherefore there is no reme∣die, thou art sure to be damned: hel was prouided for thee, and now it gapeth to deuoure thee.

Christian.

There is remedie enough to deliuer me from condemnation. For God is not onely (as thou affirmest) a Lord and a iudge, but also a sauing, and a most mercifull father.

Sathan.

But thou firebrand of hel fire, and child of perdition, looke for no mercie at Gods hands, because thou art a most grieuous sinner: for,

• 1 Original sin runneth wholly ouer thee, as a loathsome botch or leprosie.
• 2 Thy mind knoweth not the things that be of God.
• 3 In the law of God thou art stark blind, sauing that thou hast a few prin∣ciples of it to make thee inexcusable.

• 4 The Gospel is foolishnes and madnes vnto thee: thou makest no better account of it then of thine owne dreame.
• 5 Thy conscience is corrupt, because it flattereth thee, and excuseth thy sinne.
• 6 Thy memorie keepeth and remembreth nothing, but that which is a∣gainst Gods word: but things abominable and wicked, it keepeth long.
• 7 Thy will hath no inclination to that which is good, but onely to sinne and wickednes.
• 8 Thy affections are set onely on wickednes: they are as mightie gyants and princes in thee, they haue thee at cōmandement. Remēber, that for very anger thou hast bin sicke: that the lust of thy flesh hath driuen thee to madnes: for∣get not thy Atheisme, thy contempt of Gods word, thy inward pride, thy en∣uie, hatred, malice, thy couetousnesse, and infinit other wicked desires, which haue led thee captiue, and made thee outragious in all kind of naughtines.
• 9 Thy actuall sinnes committed partly in secret, partly in publike, are most filthie and most infinite. Remember how in such a place, at such a time, thou diddest commit fornication: in another place thou diddest steale, &c. God saw this I warrant thee: yea, all thy sinnes are written in his booke: wherefore thou cursed wretch, all hope of mercie is cut off from thee.

Christian.

* 1.1But Gods mercie farre exceedeth all these my sinnes: and I can not be so infinite in sinning,* 1.2 as God is infinite in mercie and pardoning.

Sathan.

Darest thou presume to thinke of Gods mercie? why, the least of thy sinnes deserueth damnation.* 1.3

Christian.

* 1.4None of my sinnes can feare me, or dismay me. Christ hath borne the full wrath and vengeance of his Father vpon the crosse, euen for me, that I might be deliuered from condemnation,* 1.5 which was due vnto me.

Sathan.

If Gods purpose were not to condemne thee, perswade thy selfe, he would neuer lay so many afflictions and crosses on thee, as he doth. What is this want of good name? this weaknesse and sicknesse of thy bodie? these terrours of the minde? this dulnesse and frowardnes of thy heart? what are all these (I say) and many other euills, but the beginnings and certaine flashings of the fire of hell?

Christian.

* 1.6Nay, rather my afflictions are liuely testimonies of my saluation. For God as a louing father, partly by them, as with scourges chasteneth my disobedience,* 1.7 and bringeth me into order: partly conformeth me vnto my Sa∣uiour Christ,* 1.8 and so by little and little, laieth open to me mine owne sinnes, that I may dislike my selfe and hate them:* 1.9 and maketh me to renounce the world, thy eldest sonne, and stirreth me vp to call vpon him, and to pray ear∣nestly with grones & sighes,* 1.10 which I am not able to expresse with any words as I feele them.

Sathan.

Thy afflictions are heauie, and comfortlesse, therefore they can not be arguments of Gods fauour.

Christian.

Indeede their nature is to bring griefe and heauines to the soule, but I haue had ioy in the midst of my afflictions,* 1.11 & strength sufficient to beare them,* 1.12 and after them haue bin many waies bettered, which befalleth to none of the wicked: and for that cause, it is a great perswasion to me that I shall not

be damned with the wicked world,* 1.13 but in spite of all thy power, passe from death to euerlasting life.

Sathan.

After these thy manifold afflictions, thou must suffer death, which is most terrible, and a very entrance into hell.

Christian.

Death hath lost his sting by Christs death: and vnto me it shal be nothing els but a passage vnto euerlasting life.

Sathan.

Admit thou shalt be deliuered from hell by Christ, what will this a∣uaile thee, considering that thou shalt neuer come to the kingdom of heauen? for Christs death onely deliuereth thee from death eternall, it cannot aduance thee to euerlasting life.

Christian.

I am now at this time a member of Christs kingdome, and after this life shall raigne with him for euer in his euerlasting kingdome.

Sathan.

Thou neuer didst fulfill the law,* 1.14 therefore thou canst not come in∣to the kingdome of heauen.

Christian.

Christ hath perfectly fulfilled euery part of the law for me: and by this his obedience imputed vnto me, I my selfe doe keepe the law.

Sathan.

Be it so, for all this, thou art farre enough from the kingdome of heauen, into which no vncleane thing shall euer enter: then, although that Christ hath suffered death, and fulfilled the law for thee; yet thou art in part vncleane: thy cursed nature and the seedes of sinne are yet remaining in thee.

Christian.

Christ in the virgins wombe was perfectly sanctified by the holy Ghost:* 1.15 and this perfect holines of his humane nature is imputed to me: euen as Iaacob put on Esaus garments to get his fathers blessing: so I haue put on the righteousnes of Christ, as a long white robe couering my sinnes, and ma∣king me appeare perfectly righteous, euen before Gods iudgement seate.

Sathan.

Indeede God hath made promise vnto mankinde of all these mer∣cies and benefites in Christ: but the condition of this promise is faith, which thou wantest, and therefore canst not make any account, that Christs suffe∣rings, Christs fulfilling the law,* 1.16 Christs perfect holinesse, can doe thee any good.

Christian.

I haue true sauing faith.

The conflicts of Sathan with the strong Christian.

Sathan.

THou saiest that thou hast true faith, but I shall sift thee and disprooue thee.

Christian.

The gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against my faith, doe what thou canst.

Sathan.

Tell me then, doest thou thinke that all the world shall be sa∣ued?

Christian.

No.

Sathan.

What, shall some be saued, and some condemned?

Christian.

So saith the word of God.

Sathan.

Thou then art perswaded that God is true euen in his merciful pro∣mises, and that he will saue some men, as Peter and Paul, and Dauid, &c. and this is the onely beleefe, by which thou wilt be saued.

Christian.

Nay, this I beleeue, and more too, that I particularly am in the number of those men which shall be saued by the merit of Christs death and passion: and this is the beleefe that saueth me.

Sathan.

It may be thou art perswaded that God is able to saue thee: but that God will saue thee, that is, that he hath determined to aduance this thy bodie, and this thy soule into his kingdome, and that he is most willing to performe it in his good time; herein thou wauerest and doubtest.

Christian.

Nay Sathan,* 1.17 I in mine owne heart am fully perswaded, that I shall be saued, and that Christ is specially my redeemer: and (O Lord) for Christs sake, helpe thou my doubting and vnbeleefe.

Sathan.

This thy full perswasion is onely a phantasie, and a strong imagi∣nation of thine owne head: it goeth not with thee as thou thinkest.

Christian.

It is no imagination, but truth which I speake. For me thinkes I am as certen of my saluation as though my name were registred in the Scrip∣tures (as Dauids and Pauls are) to be an elect vessell of God:* 1.18 and this is the te∣stimonie of the holy spirit of Iesus Christ, assuring me inwardly of my adop∣tion, and making me with boldnes and confidence in Christ, to pray vnto god the Father.

Sathan.

Still thou dreamest and imaginest, thou louest and likest thy selfe, and therefore thou thinkest the best of thy selfe.

Christian.

* 1.19Yea, but God of his goodnesse hath brought forth such tokens of faith in me, that I cannot be deceiued.

• I. I am displeased with my selfe for my manifold sinnes, in which somtime I haue delighted and bathed my selfe, Rom. 7.15.24.
• II. I purpose neuer to commit them againe, if God giue me strength, as I trust he will.
• III. I haue a very great desire to be doing those things which God com∣mandeth.
• IV. Those that be the children of God: if I doe but heare of them, I loue them with my heart, and wish vnto them as to my selfe. 1. Ioh. 3.14.
• V. My heart leapeth for gladnesse, when I heare of the preaching of the word.
• VI. I long to see the comming of Christ Iesus, that an end may be made of sinning, and of displeasing God. Apoc. 22.70.
• VII. I feele in my heart the fruits of the spirit, ioy, loue, peace, gentlenes, meeknes, patience, temperance: the works of the flesh I abhorre them, forni∣cation, adulterie, vncleannes, wantonnes, idolatry, strife, enuie, anger, drunken∣nes, bibbing and quaffing, and all such like. Gal. 5. 19,20,22.

All these cannot proceede from thee, Sathan, or from my flesh, but onely from faith which is wrought in me by Gods holy spirit.

Sathan.

If this were so, God would neuer suffer thee to sinne as thou doest.

Christian.

* 1.20I shall sinne as long as I liue in this world, I am sure of it; because I am taught to aske remission of my sinnes continually. But the manner of my sinning now is otherwaies then it hath beene in times past. I haue sinned here∣tofore with full purpose and consent of will; but now doubtles, I doe not. Be∣fore I commit any sinne, I doe not goe to the practising of it with deliberati∣on,

as the carnall man doth, who taketh care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh: but if I doe it,* 1.21 it is flat beside my minde and purpose: in the doing of any sinne, I would not doe it, my heart is against it, and I hate it, and yet by the tyrannie of my flesh being ouercome I doe it: afterward, when it is committed, I am grie∣ued and displeased at my selfe, and doe earnestly with teares aske at Gods hand forgiuenes of the same sinne.

Sathan.

Indeede, this is very true in the children of God: but thou art solde vnder sinne and with great pleasure doest commit sinne, and louest it with thy whole heart: otherwise, thou wouldest not fall to sinne againe after repen∣tance, and commit euen one and the same sinne, so often as thou doest. Thou hypocrite, this thy behauiour turneth all the fauour of God from thee.

Christian.

Indeed it is dangerous to fall againe into the same sinne after re∣pentance: yet it is the order of the Prophets to call men to repentance which haue fallen from the feare of God,* 1.22 and from the repentance which they pro∣fessed: and God in thus calling them, putteth them in hope of obtaining mer∣cie. And the law had sacrifices offered euery day for the sinnes of all the peo∣ple, and for particular men, both for their ignorances, and their voluntary sins: which signifieth, that God is readie to forgiue the sinnes of his childrē though they sinne often.* 1.23 Abraham twise lied and swore that Sara was not his wife. Io∣seph sware twise by the life of Pharao. Dauid committed adulterie often, be∣cause he tooke vnto him Bathsheba, Vriahs wife, and also kept sixe wiues, and ten concubines. Gods will is, that men forgiue till seuentie seuen times: and therefore he will haue much more mercie. And for my part, so oft as I shal fall into the same sinne, so oft I shall haue Christ my aduocate and intercessour to the Father for me, who will not damne me for the infirmitie which he findeth in me, I will abstaine from externall iniquitie, and I will not make my mem∣bers seruants vnto sinne: and so long I trust my imperfections shall haue no power to damne me: for Christs perfection is reputed to be mine by faith, which I haue in his blood:* 1.24 God is not displeased, if my body be sicke and sub∣iect to diseases: no more is he displeased at the disease and sicknes of the soule. A naturall father will not slay the bodie of his child, when he is sicke, and ab∣horreth comfortable meates:* 1.25 and my heauenly father will not condemne my soule, although through the infirmitie of faith, and the weaknes of the spirit, I commit sinne, and often loath his heauenly word, the foode of my soule. Nay, (which is a strange thing) I know it by experience, that God hath turned my filthie sinnes to my great profit, and to the amendment of my life: like as the good Phisitian, of rancke poyson is able to make a soueraigne medecine to preserue life.

Sathan.

Well, be it so, that now thou art in the state of grace, yet thou shalt not continue so: but shalt before death depart from Christ.

Christ.

I know I am a member of Christs mysticall bodie: I feele in my selfe the heauenly power, & vertue of my head Christs Iesus: & for this cause I can not perish, but shal cōtinue for euer, & raigne in heauē after this life with him.

The conflicts of Sathan with the weake Christian.

Sathan.

Thy minde is full of ignorance and blindnes, thy heart is ful of ob∣stinacie, rebellion, and frowardnes against God: thou art wholly

vnfit for any good worke; wherefore thou hast no faith, neither canst thou be iustified, and accepted before God.

Christian.

If I haue but one drop of the grace of God, and if my faith be no more then a little graine of mustard seede,* 1.26 it is sufficient for me: God requireth not perfect faith, but true faith.

Sathan.

Yea, but thou hast no faith at all.

Christian.

I haue had faith.

Sathan.

Thou neuer hadst true faith: for in time past, when according to thine opinion thou didst beleeue, then thou hadst nothing but a shadow of faith and a foolish imagination, which all hypocrites haue.

Christian.

* 1.27I will put my trust in God for euer, and his former mercies shew∣med me heretofore strengthen me now in this my weaknes.

• 1 He created me when I was nothing.
• 2 He created me a man, when he might haue made me an vgly toad.
• 3 He made me of comely body, and of good discretion, whereas he might haue made me vgly, and deformed, franticke and madde.
• 4 I was borne in the daies of knowledge, when I might haue bin borne in the time of ignorance and superstition.
• 5 I was borne of Christian parents, but God might haue giuen me either Turkes or Iewes, or some other sauadge people for my parents.
• 6 I might haue perished in my mothers wombe, but he hath preserued me, and prouided for me by his prouidence euen vnto this houre.
• 7 Soone after my birth, God might haue cast me into hell, but contrari∣wise I was baptized, and so receiued the seale of his blessed couenant.
• 8 I haue had by Gods goodnes some sorrow for my sinnes past, and haue called on him, in hope and confidence that he would heare me.
• 9 God might haue concealed his word from me, but I haue heard the plē∣tifull preaching of it: I vnderstand it, and haue receiued comfort by it.
• 10 Lastly, at this time God might powre his full wrath on me: which he doth not, but mercifully maketh me to feele mine owne wants, that I might be humbled, and giue all glorie vnto him for his blessings. Wherefore, there is no cause why I should be disquieted: but I will trust still in the Lord, and depend on him, as I haue done.

Sathan.

Thou feelest no grace of the holy Ghost in thee, nor any true to∣kens of faith, but thou hast a liuely sense of the rebellion of thy heart, and of thy lewd and wretched conuersation: therefore thou canst not put any confi∣dence in Christs death and sufferings.

Christian.

* 1.28Yet I will hope against all hope, & although, according to mine owne sense and feeling, I want faith: yet I wil beleeue in Iesus Christ, and trust to be saued by him.

Sathan.

Though the children of God haue bin in many perplexities, yet neuer any of them haue beene in this case, in which thou art at this present.

Christian.

* 1.29Herein thou prouest thy selfe to be a lying spirit: for the prophet Dauid saith of himselfe, that he was foolish, and as a beast before God: and yet he euen then trusted in God. And Paul was so ledde captiue of sinne, that he was not able to doe the good he would, but did the euill which he hated:

and so in great pensiuenes of heart, desired to be deliuered from this world, that he might be disburdened of his corrupt flesh.

Sathan.

Thou miserable wretch, doest thou feele thy selfe gracelesse, and wilt thou beare the face of a Christian? and by thy hypocrisie offend God? as thou art, so shew thy selfe to the world.

Christian.

Auoide Sathan, Christ hath vanquished, and ouercome thee for my cause, that I might also triumph ouer thee. I am no hypocrite: for whereas I haue had heretofore some testimonie of my faith, at this time I am lesse mo∣ued, though faith seeme to be absent: like as a man may seeme to be dead, both in his own sense, and by the iudgement of the physitian, and yet may haue life in him: so faith may be, though alwaies it doe not appeare.

Sathan.

But thou art a man starke dead in sinne, God hath now quite forsa∣ken thee: he hath left thee vnto me to be ruled: he hath giuen me power ouer thee, to bring thee to damnation: he wil not haue thee to trust in him any lon∣ger.

Christian.

Strengthen me good Lord; remember thy mercifull promises, that thou wilt reuiue the humble,* 1.30 and giue life to them that are of a contrite heart.

Sathan.

These promises concerne not thee, which hast no humble and con∣trite, but a froward, a rebellious heart.

Christian.

Good Lord forget not thy former mercies: giue an issue to these temptations of mine enemie Sathan. And you my brethren, which know my estate, pray for me, that God would turne his fauourable countenance to∣wards me:* 1.31 for this I know, that the praier of the righteous auaileth much, if it be feruent.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Isa. 1.18.
• * 1.2

  Act. 1.23. ••8.
• * 1.3

  1. Tim. 1.15.
• * 1.4

  Ps. 103.11. 12,13.
• * 1.5

  Isa. 53.2,3, 4.5.
• * 1.6

  Heb. 12.6•• 9. 10.
• * 1.7

  1. Pet. ••.21.
• * 1.8

  Gen. 42. 21.
• * 1.9

  1. Cor. 11. 12.
• * 1.10

  Rom. 8.26.
• * 1.11

  Rom. 5. 8,3.
• * 1.12

  Rom. 8.28.
• * 1.13

  Ps. 119.71.
• * 1.14

  Rom. 5. 8,3, 4.
• * 1.15

  Rom. 2. 3. Ioh. 16. 1••.
• * 1.16

  Ioh. 3.14, 15
• * 1.17

  Iob. 1. 12,13 Ioh. 6.35.54 Mark. 9.23.
• * 1.18

  2. Cor. 1. 22. Eph. 1. 14. Rom. 8.18.
• * 1.19

  Act. 1 3.9. 1. Thess. 1.3.
• * 1.20

  Rom. 7.15. Mat. 26.65. 72.74,75.
• * 1.21

  Rom. 13. 14.
• * 1.22

  Isa. 1.8. Ier. 2.1.
• * 1.23

  Gen. 12. 14, 15. Gen. 20. 2,3. Gen. 42. 25.
• * 1.24

  1. Ioh. 21. Dan. 9.6.
• * 1.25

  Rom. 8.28.
• * 1.26

  Mat. 27.28.
• * 1.27

  Psal. 77.5.
• * 1.28

  Psal. 32. 1. 2. Cor. 5.21.
• * 1.29

  Psal. 73.22, 23. Rom. 7. 12, 25.
• * 1.30

  Isa. 57.15.
• * 1.31

  Iam. 5.16.