A07163:245
The sick mans salve Wherein the faithful christians may learn both how to behave…The sycke mans salue VVherin the faithfull christians may learne both how to behaue…
The sick mans salve Wherein the faithful christians may learn both how to behave them selves patiently and thankfully, in the time of sickness, and also virtuously to dispose their temporal goods, and finally to prepare them selves gladly and godly to die. Made and newly recognised by Master Tho. Becon. 1561.The sycke mans salue VVherin the faithfull christians may learne both how to behaue them selues paciently and thankefully, in the tyme of sickenes, and also vertuously to dispose their temporall goodes, and finally to prepare them selues gladly and godly to die. Made and newly recognised by Maister Tho. Becon. 1561.
London: printed by John Day, 1561London: printed by Iohn Day, 1561
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
That we ought in all our prayers for temporal things, to submit our will to the good will and pleasure of God, and no more to desire of him, then may stand with his blessed will. Christ our Lord and saviour teacheth us in that common prayer, which we call the Pater noster, where we pray on this manner.1 Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. This manner of praying,2 practised the Leper, which came unto Christ to be healed of his Leprosy. Lord (saith he) if thou ⟨p. 120⟩wilt, thou art able to make me whole. Here this faithful Leper confessed Christ through the almighty power of his Godhead to be able for to cleanse him, and to make him whole, not withstanding he submitted his will to the will of Christ, that if the Lord Christ, thought it not mete to make him whole, but that it was better for his salvation to continue a leper still, he refused not to suffer that plague of leprosy upon his body even unto the very death. Thus affected, neighbour Epaphroditus, must we all be whensoever we ask any temporal or worldly thing of God. And this trade follow you in this your sickness, when you pray unto God. Desire God to remove this your disease from you, and to bless you again with the benefit of health, that you may live long & see good days on earth, yet in these ⟨p. 121⟩your prayers be content to submit your will to his godly will, yea though death should follow, knowing that if death do ensue of this your sickness, it shall be no loss, but advantage unto you, as saint Paul sayeth:3 Christ is to me life, and death is to me advantage. On this manner did Christ our elder brother submit his will unto the will of his heavenly father, as you afore heard, and so humbled himself, that he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Note now what followeth:4 wherefore God hath also exalted him on hie and given him a name, which is above all names, that is the name of Jesus every knee should bow, both of things in heaven and things in the earth, and things under the earth, & that all tongues should confess, that Jesus Christ is the Lord unto the praise of God