A09461:110
A salve for a sick man. or, A treatiseA salve for a sicke man. or, A treatise
A salve for a sick man. or, A treatise containing the nature, differences, and kinds of death as also the right manner of dying well. And it may serve for spiritual instruction to 1. Mariners when they go to sea. 2. Soldiers when they go to battle. 3. Women when they travel of child.A salve for a sicke man. or, A treatise containing the nature, differences, and kindes of death as also the right manner of dying well. And it may serue for spirituall instruction to 1. Mariners when they goe to sea. 2. Souldiers when they goe to battell. 3. Women when they trauell of child.
London: printed by John Legat, 1611London: printed by Iohn Legat, 1611
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.
For the text saith, when he saw that his counsel was despised,1 he saddled his ass, and arose, & went home into his city, and put his household in order, and went and hanged himself. And the five foolish virgins contented themselves with the blazing lamps of a bare profession, never seeking for the horn of lasting oil of true and lively faith, that might furnish and trim the lamp both in life and death. But let us in the fear of God, cast off this damnable folly, first of all seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and leading our lives in faith and obedience that we may die accordingly.
For the text saith, when he saw that his counsell was despised,1 he sadled his asse, and arose, & went home into his cittie, and put his houshold in order, and went and hanged himselfe. And the fiue foolish virgins contented themselues with the blasing lamps of a bare profession, neuer seeking for the horne of lasting oyle of true and liuely faith, that might furnish and trimme the lampe both in life and death. But let vs in the feare of God, cast off this damnable folly, first of all seeking the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse, and leading our liues in faith and obedience that we may die accordingly.
And thus much of the first point of doctrine, namely, that ⟨p. 185⟩there is a certain way whereby a man may die well: now I come to the second. Whereas therefore Solomon saith, that the day of death is better then the day of birth, we are further taught that such as truly believe themselves to be the children of God, are not to fear death overmuch. I say overmuch; because they must partly fear it, and partly not. Fear it they must for two causes: the first, because death is the destruction of humane nature in a mans own self & others: and in this respect Christ feared it without sin; and we must not fear it otherwise then we fear sickness, and poverty, and famine, with other sorrows of body and mind, which God will not have us to despise or lightly to regard, but to feel with some pain, because they