A09461:53
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.
The third duty in our general preparation, is in this life to enter into the first degree of life eternal. For as I have said, there be three degrees of life everlasting, and the first of them is in this present life: for he that would live in eternal happiness for ever, must begin in this world to rise out of the grave of his own sins, in which by nature he lies buried, and live in ⟨p. 76⟩newness of life, as it is said in the Revelation, He that will escape the second death, 1must be made partaker of the first resurrection. And Paul saith to the Colossians, that they were in this life delivered from the power of darkness,2 and translated into the kingdom of Christ. And Christ saith to the church of the Jews, the kingdom of heaven is amongst you. Now this first degree of life is, when a man can say with Paul I live not, but Christ lives in me: that is, I find partly by the testimony of my sanctified conscience, and partly by experience, that Christ my redeemer by his spirit guideth and governeth my thoughts, will, affections, and all the powers of body & soul, according to the blessed direction of his holy will. Now that we may be able ⟨p. 77⟩truly to say this, we must have three gifts and graces of God, wherein especially this first degree of life consists. The first is saving knowledge, whereby we do truly resolve our selves that God the father of Christ is our father, Christ his son our redeemer, & the holy Ghost our comforter. That this knowledge is one part of life eternal,3 it appears by the saying of Christ in John. This is life eternal, that is, the beginning and entrance to life eternal, to know thee the only God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ. 4The second grace, is peace of conscience which passeth all understanding: and therefore Paul saith; that the kingdom of heaven is righteousness, peace of conscience, and joy in the holy Ghost. 5