A07163:393
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.
If thou hast much, give plenteously, if thou hast little, do thy diligence gladly to give of that little. For so gatherest thou thy self a good reward ⟨p. 213⟩in the day of necessity. For mercy delivereth from all sin & from death, and suffereth not the soul to come in darkness. A great comfort is mercy before the hie God unto all them that show it. In the time of thy youth take heed thou defilest not thy self with whoredom, but bring an honest & chaste body unto the blessed state of honourable wedlock. And when the ripeness of thy age doth require thee to marry: take heed whom thou chosest to be thy yokefellow. Follow not the corrupt manners of the wicked worldlings, which in choosing their wives, have their principal respect unto the worthiness of the stock: unto the wealthiness of the friends, unto riches, beauty, and such other worldly vanities. Consider thou rather the godliness than the worthiness of the maids parents, the honest and ⟨p. 214⟩virtuous bringing up of her, her chaste and sober behaviour, her Christen and godly manners, her modesty, gravity, sobriety, and womanliness, her faith, obedience, humility, silence, quietness, honesty, housewifeliness, and such other fruits of Gods spirit. Let her be no Papist, nor Anabaptist. nor Epicure, but one of the household of faith, and such one as feareth the Lord God unfeignedly. With such one couple thy self in the fear of God,1 and know her to be the gift of God, as Solomon sayeth: house and richesse may a man have by the heritage of his elders, but a discrete wife is the gift of the Lord. Therefore when thou art once joined with her in the holy order of Matrimony: seek after no strange flesh, beware of whoredom,2 entangle thy self with no other woman's love, but ⟨p. 215⟩be glad with the wife of thy youth. Let her breasts alway satisfy thee & hold thee ever content with her love. And if God send thee children thank him for them,3 and study to bring them up in the fear, nurture & doctrine of the Lord, that they may learn to know God, even from the very cradles.