A Golden Chain

And thus much of the first duty which a sick man is to perform unto himself, namely that he must by all means possible arm & strengthen himself against the fear of death: now followeth the second duty which is concerning the body: and that is that all sick persons must be careful to preserve health and life till God do wholly take it away. For Paul saith,¹ None of us liveth to himself, neither doth any die to himself: for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords. For this cause we may not do with our lives as we will, but we must reserve the whole disposition thereof unto God, for whose glory we are to live and die. And this temporal life is a most precious jewel, and as the common saying is, life is very sweet; because it is given man for this end, that he might have some space of time wherein he might use all good means to attain to life everlasting. Life is not bestowed on us, that we should spend our days in our lusts and vain pleasures, but that we might have liberty to come out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of grace, and from the bondage of sin into the glorious liberty of the sons of God: and in this respect special care must be had of preservation of life, till God do call us hence.

And thus much of the first dutie which a sicke man is to performe vnto himselfe, namely that he must by all meanes possible arme & strengthen himselfe against the feare of death: now followeth the second dutie which is concerning the bodie: and that is that all sicke persons must be careful to preserue health and life till God doe wholly take it away. For Paul saith,¹ None of vs liueth to himselfe, neither doth any die to himselfe: for whether we liue, we liue vnto the Lord, or whether we die, we die vnto the Lord: whether we liue therefore or die we are the Lords. For this cause we may not doe with our liues as we will, but we must reserue the whole disposition thereof vnto God, for whose glorie we are to liue and die. And this temporall life is a most pretious iewell, and as the common saying is, life is very sweete; because it is giuen man for this ende, that he might haue some space of time wherein he might vse all good meanes to attaine to life euerlasting. Life is not bestowed on vs, that we should spend our daies in our lusts and vaine pleasures, but that we might haue libertie to come out of the kingdome of darknes into the kingdome of grace, and from the bondage of sinne into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God: and in this respect speciall care must be had of preseruation of life, till God doe call vs hence.