A07163:480
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.
Of these things may we easily learn, what opinion the very Heathen conceived of death, and shall we that profess Christ, know God,1 believe his word and call our selves dead unto the world, recount death an evil thing,2 and be loth to go unto it, when God calleth us, as though there were no resurrection of the body, no immortality of the soul, no life after this, no fellowship with god, and with the heavenly spirits? The Jews also being persuaded of the resurrection of the body, and of the immortality of the soul, die joyfully & with a lusty courage, which notwithstanding for their unbelief in Christ are damned: and shall ⟨p. 310⟩we which are christians tremble and shake at the name of death, as though after our death we should be in worse case then we be now, when to say the truth, the faithful christians do than chiefly begin to live, when they depart from this world. All good men have ever desired to depart from this vile and wretched life, and to go unto that joyful and blessed state of immortality.3 David that Prince-like Prophet crieth out and saith. Woe is me, and sorry am I for it, that I must yet longer abide in this world. Again. Like as the hart desireth the water brooks,4 so longeth my soul after thee, O God. My soul is a thirst for God, yea even for the living God: when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?5 Also in an other place he saith. O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of hosts? ⟨p. 311⟩My soul hath a desire & longing to enter into the courts of the Lord my heart & my flesh rejoice in the living God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they shall be alway praising thee. One day in thy courts is better then a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, then to dwell in the tents of ungodliness. In another Psalm he prayeth on this man •er.