A07163:478
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.
Yea, Christ him self although most innocent & without all sin, after he was once clad with our flesh, and had taken on him our nature, became mortal, and to pay our ransom unto God the father,1 and to set us again at liberty, he suffered death, even the death of the cross.2 Is the servant greater then his Lord? Or the disciple above his master? Our Lord hath trodden the way a fore us, and shall we his servants refuse to follow him? Our master hath given us an example to die, and shall we his disciples disdain ⟨p. 304⟩to practise the like▪ If death had been cast only upon our backs, which live in this age, so might the burden have been thought unrighteous and intolerable, but forasmuch as our ancestors have already tasted of death and are gone, why should we that now live bear so impatiently this common chance? On this condition came we all into the world, that we should leave it again.3 For we be hear but strangers and sojourners, as were all our fathers.4 Our days on the earth also are but as a shadow, and there is none abiding. Our days pass away swiftly, and we are gone.5 The days of man are the days of an hireling, yea wind and nothing.6 Man is like unto vanity, and his days pass away like a shadow.7 Where is there any man that liveth, and shall not se• death?8 man that is borne of a woman, ⟨p. 305⟩hath but a short time to live, and yet the time that he liveth, he is full of misery. He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. He flieth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one state.