A09461:96
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.
Now because true faith is no dead thing, it must be expressed ⟨p. 156⟩by especial actions; the principal whereof is invocation, whereby either prayer or thanksgiving is directed unto God. When death had seized upon the body of Jacob, he raised up himself, and turning his face towards the beds head, leaned on the top of his staff by reason of his feebleness, and prayed unto God: which prayer of his was an excellent fruit of his faith.1 Jobs wife in the middest of his affliction said unto him to very good purpose.2 Bless God and die. I know and grant that the words are commonly translated otherwise, Curse God and die: but (as I take it) the former is the best. For it is not like that in so excellent a family, any one person, much less a matron and principal governor thereof, would give such lewd and ⟨p. 157⟩wretched counsel; which the most wicked man upon earth, having no more but the light of nature, would not once give, but rather much abhor and condemn. And though Job call her a foolish woman, yet he doth it not because she went about to persuade him to blaspheme God; but because she was of the mind of Jobs friends, and athought that he stood to much in a conceit of his own righteousness. Now the effect & meaning of her counsel is this: bless God, that is, husband, no doubt thou art by the extremity of thine affliction at deaths door; therefore begin now at length to lay aside the great overweening which thou hast of thine own righteousness, acknowledge the hand of God upon thee for thy sins, confess them ⟨p. 158⟩unto him giving him the glory, pray for the pardon of them, & end thy days. This counsel is very good and to be followed of all: though it may be the applying of it (as Job well perceived) is mixed with folly.
Now because true faith is no dead thing, it must be expressed ⟨p. 156⟩