A07163:479
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.
It is highly for our profit to die, why are we than enemies to our selves? We can not cease to sin, except we die, why do we than not hast to flee from so great an evil? We shall never come unto the true life where felicity both joyful and eternal is, except we die, why than make we so little speed to hast thither, where so many good things shall be given us? We shall never have the fruition of Gods majesty, & the blessed company of the heavenly spirits, except we die: why then do we not pray daily unto yt lord our god to deliver us from this stinking sink of evils (I mean this world) ⟨p. 307⟩that we may come and enjoy his most glorious presence? The very Heathen, which knew not God a right, but only dreamed of the immortality of the soul, & looked for a better life after this, they knew not why they should fear death, but wished death and died both valiantly and joyfully, and shall we being christians which know God and his holy word, and unto whom so much comfort, hope, and everlasting life is promised, refuse gladly and willingly to die? What a saying of an Ethnic is this?1 O immortal God, how is that pleasant and joyful journey to be wished for, which being once done and past,2 there remaineth no sorrow, no care, no pensiveness. Again, O that goodly and pleasant day, when it shall be my chance •o leave this filthy & troublesome world, and come to their company ⟨p. 308⟩that inhabit the heavens. I• God would suffer me, that I being of this age, might become an infant and sucking child again, I would utterly refuse it, neither would I by any means call the race that I have run back again, that I might again be young. For what pleasure & commodity hath this life? yea rather what displeasure, incommodity, pain, travel & trouble hath it not? But let it be granted that it hath pleasure, certes: yet hath it ether satiety or measure. And nature in this world hath given us a place to tarry in for a while, but not to dwell & to continue in it. The Heathen writers in their monuments call death a changing for a better life, a quiet sleep: a removing from mortality unto immortality, from trouble: unto quietness, from the shadow of a life: unto a very & uncounterfet