A09461:20
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.
Having thus found the nature and differences and kinds of death, it is more then manifest, that the text in hand is to be understood, not of the spiritual, ⟨p. 14⟩but of the bodily death: because it is opposed to the birth or nativity of man. The words then must carry this sense: the time of bodily death in which the body and soul of man are severed asunder, is better then the time in which one is borne and brought into the world.
Hauing thus found the nature and differences and kindes of death, it is more then manifest, that the text in hand is to be vnderstood, not of the spiritual, ⟨p. 14⟩but of the bodily death: because it is opposed to the birth or natiuitie of man. The words then must cary this sense: the time of bodily death in which the body and soule of man are seuered asunder, is better then the time in which one is borne and brought into the world.
Thus much of the first point, now followeth the second: & that is, how this can be true which Solomon saith: that the day of death is better then the day of birth. I make not this question to call the scriptures into controversy, which are the truth it self, but I do it for this end, that we might without wavering be resolved of the truth of this which Solomon avoucheth. For there may be sundry reasons brought to the contrary. Therefore let us now handle the question: the reasons, or objections ⟨p. 15⟩which may be alleged to the contrary, may all be reduced to six heads. The first is taken from the opinion of wise men, who think it the best thing of all, never to be borne, & the next best to die quickly. Now if it be the best thing in the world not to be borne at all, then it is the worst thing that can be to die after a man is borne. Answ. There be two sorts of men; one that live and die in their sins without repentance; the other, which unfeignedly repent & believe in Christ. Now this sentence maybe truly avouched of the first: of whom we may say as Christ said of Judas, It had bin good for him that he had never bin borne. But the saying applied to the second sort of men is false. For to them that in this life turn to God by repentance,