The physyke of the soule wherin thou shalt finde many Godly emplastures [and] confortable salues agaynst al spiritual diseases very necessary to be red of the true christians in these last and perilous dayes. Set forth by Thomas Becon.

The Physyke Of the soule .

The diseases whe● with out bodyes are troubled , & the death which oure b●dyes ilyke maner must of necessite suffer , do very greatelye vexe & disquiete oure mindes , yea and that with no smal feare and trembling : insomuche that many tymes , euen at the naminge of thē●or when any mencion of th●m is made a● all , we shake and tremble for feare . Certes , the nature of man , whych had rather not to be , than to be euel at ease or dysquyeted , when these euylles are at hand , can noue otherwise , then waxe pale and be sorowful , but yet can ther not chaunce to man a more fearse or more horrible , or cruel misfortune , than the dysease of the soule & the death of the same . But for asmuche as euery man doth drede and fle with all haste p●ssyble the punishementes troubles dyseases , sicknesses , and thys death of the body : verely we ought muche more to auoyd and eschue the causes of these euelles : I meane , sinne and vngodlines , and to feare the heauy dyspleasure of God whych throw oure innumerable offences we pro●oke so many tymes agaynst vs . When we be diseased ●n our body , we runne streght way●s vnto a Phisycian , wee spare no cost in thys behalfe . Nothyng is to deare for the health of our lyfe . We lashe out oure monie plenteously in biynge remedyes & salues , that thys earthly vessel and sheal , which notwithstanding , shal shortlye after decaye , may be recouered and amended . Why do we not lykewyse wyth a● muche study and care , couete and seeke after remedyes against the diseases of the Soule ? seing● they bee muche more greuous , and beyond al measure more peryllous .

What should it profyt a man , yf he had all the riches of the world , lyued an whole thousand yeares , and enioyed also al the most denty and fine Pelasures of thys Lyfe , and were troubled wyth no paynes of syknes dysease or any other myserye , yf yet for al that hys soul in the meane season were infecte wyth the dampnable wyckednes and poyson of synne , and beinge oppr●ssed with the tyranny of sathan had the displeasure of God , & after the departure of thys lyfe be dampned for euer ? Math. ●x therfore Chryst monisheth vs saiyng , watch , for ye know not the daye nor the houre , whan the Sonne of Man wyll come . And becau●e we shoulde not follow lyght Tryf●lynge and Vyle thynges : and despyce thynges whyche are muche 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 the most nigh , certen and suer waye to come vnto teue felicitee ▪ Math. vi . welth ioye or pleasure , when he saieth : seek ▪ first the kingdome of god and the ryghtteousnes of it and al thinges shal be ●ast to you .

We take thought & turmoyle oureselues daye and nyghte to gett vs a liuing , & to make suer our ritches and suche other vayne and transytory thinges , whiche lytyl helpe vs yea , whiche many tymes also are the cause of most greuous miseries , and horrible sines : but in sekyng and ▪ prouiding for heuenly goodes ? how sluggysh are we ? how negligent ? how vncircumspect ? how dastardelyke what more horryble blindnes and madnes can ther be / I beseche you ? whyl we lyu● wealthly & make frolycke chere we neuer remember the lyfe that is to come , nor yet the deathe that we 〈…〉 we 〈…〉 & red● to dye , and whan we should go to the battel and fight valiauntly , then a● the last we b●gynne to thinke of gettyng ar●ours and wepons against Satan and of amendyng our life . Thes t●inges shew euidently , that we be very weake and slender in fayth , & but a litel exercised in the christen warefare . God haue marcy on vs . AMEN . And although it be so the euery age is apt to repent and amend & that no repentance is to late so that it be done before the departure of this lyfe , yet I counsel & monysh al men euen from the verye harte , that no man do prolonge and differ the act of repentance vnto this last and most bytter agony . For they also do very ●ardly s●onde and remayne ▪ which al the tyme of ther lyfe / enioyyng prosperous health , haue en●rmed and Prepared theym selues vnto this howr of departure , and yet defend them selfes with great labor and Busynes from the Assaultes , graftes , gulles and subt●ltes of that most cruel and crafti enemy . What shal become than of them , whiche without al feare of God haue ledde a stinckyng , dissolut and vnthryfty lyfe , yea and that wythout any repentaunce ? how , I pray you shall they striue ? hou shal the● resyste ?

●ut seynge ther is in euery place a gret multytude of men , & for asmuche as the ministers of the Gospell are not alwaye in presence , nether can they geue ther dyligence to al menne at al tymes : I being greately desyrous to help al menne , haue wrytten this maner , way & forme of confortyng , o●deryng and monyshīg the sycke , gathered out of gods word especyally for them , whiche as yet are rude and not perfectly instructed wyth the sentences of the holy Scripture vnto suche chaunces , that they either redyng thes thinges ▪ or hearyng thes thinges redde before them , maye conceaue hope and sure and true comforte , that they dispayre not and peryshe in that most bytter agony and conflicte of deathe .

A man therfore liyng on his bedde thorowe the greuous disease wh●● wyth he is vex●d , and beyng i●i●operdye of his Lyfe , is assayled and ouerwhelmed with dyuers and greuous temtacions , wherwith he must fyght valeauntly . But aboue all , this is the most bytter and most greuous tentacyon / whan the moste heauy , displeasaunt & lothesom Image of deathe is prese ●t before owre eyes , and whan we see or consyder the most cherful lyght of this lyfe , & al ower kynnesfolkes or frendes , howe we muste forsake theym and go awaye from theym , yea , and not 〈…〉 in this worlde , which be most dere and pleasaunt to vs . Besydes this the synnes also which we haue committed against the wil of god & his cōm●ūdement , come streight wayes into our minde , & brasting in with gret vyolence , are renewed & waxe fresh , and seme manymo , yea & more heynous & abominable , than they euer appeted before ▪ & do by thys meanes torment , vexe trouble & disquie● the conscience wonderf●lly . For after the consideratyon of the ●hinges afore sayd , death , the iudgment of god hel , dampnacion , feare & ●rembling , cō●lockīg together as it w●t a swarm of bees , and vexe our olde man with most violent & t●oublous stormes of most greuous sorowes & feates and with most sharp and bitter engynes of sorow & heuynes ●hey shake and assayle our breastes .

In thes agonies except our breast be strengthened and made sure with greate and constant faith , it shal be ●eopardus , lest we being made wery & dashed out of countenaunce thorow thes greuous and myghty tentacyons / do fall vnto desperacyon . For those thinges whych com vnto our remembraunce when we be sicke , seme vnto vs most horryble and moste haynous , yea and that for none other cause , than that oure fayth is weake and slender , and not as yet growen vnto such perfection , that trusting on gods word , is able to lay hande on those exceading and ī●stymable treasures and ryches of the sonnes of god , I meane / remyssyon of al our sinnes thorow christ , the resurrection of our flesh , that felouship of al the elec● , so gretely to be desired & longed for : to conclude , euerlasting life , and that al these thinges are frely 〈…〉 for christes sake . In these articles of our faith should we exercyse our selues dayly & after that we haue dyligently weied them & earnestly pondred them , repose them in our minde . We ought also often tymes to come vnto the communion and that holy table of the Lord , yet so the we fyrste proue and Examine oure selues dyligently , lest we vn●euerently handle so holy a thing : and though it be conuenient at al other tymes to eatè the supper of the lord , for our confort : yet is it now moste necessarye & we haue in the tyme of our sykenes an vrgent cause to do it . Truly , it is a pytyfull thing and a thinge worthy to be lamented / that now many yeres thys sacrament of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ hath ben both vnworthely and vnreuerntly handled , yea of very many most extremely despited How horrible and haynous a synne 〈…〉 punished now adayes do abundantly testify : and S. Paule spake of it before . i Cor. xi . God haue mercy on vs and lighten the ●ies of our mind that we leauing so Turrian vnsemely & horrible errour , may ones repent and a●end We shal therfor of●ē times come vnto this table with high study of godlynes and deuocyon , that our mindes beyng recreated , chered & conforted with that heuenly m●ate of the soule , faith & charite maie be ●ncreased and made strong in vs . Moreouer we ought alwaie dilygentlye to remember all the articles ●f our ●atholyke faith , but in the agonies of death foure are nerest of al , with greate ●iligence to be weied & pondred of vs , that is to saye , the articles of the church or congregation of sayntes of remyssyon of sines by christes bloud , of the resurreccion of the flesh , and of euerlasting lyfe .

Fyrst / as death is the payne of sine , so lykewyse are diseases many tymes sent vs of God for oure synnes , Ioan. v. P●a vxx● v iii Deu. xx viii●ii . Re. xxiiii . as it is manyfest in dyuers places of the scrypture . we ar punyshed also oftentymes to proue and try oure fayth / for then is it p●rc●aued , how derely we loue god how greatly we trust vnto hym , when we be oppressed & troubled wyth any heauy crosse . Therfor loke that here before al thynges , thou tur●est al thyne hert al thy mynd / and al thy sences vnto God , and that thou doest truly repent and that thou doest lament and confesse thy synnes before God , for the whych al we haue deserued , eue●n the most rightuous wrath of God and most greuous p●yne . Notwithsta●dyng , the most plenteous comfort or absolucion , as they cal it , or remyssion of synnes , whych chryst ordeined in the church , thou shal require of the Gospel of Iohn . Ion. xx . Thys exceadynge greate treasure is dayly opened and offred to thee . Take ye , saith Christ● the holy goost . Whose sinnes ye fo●geue , ar forgeuen them , and whose synnes ye retayne , are retayned . Note , after that we haue prayed and obteyned the forgeuenes of synnes , wythout doubte the payne & disease & the trouble that is layd vpon vs , shall ceasse and leaue vs , or els accordyng to the syngular good wyll of God , it shall turne vnto the saluacyon of the diseased . For beleue this for an vndoubted trueth , that theyr payne or cross● ( seme it neuer so greuous a yoke and burthen to the flesh ) is a very fa●herly rodde or chastisement , wherwith god calleth thee , being hys sonne vnto hym , and withdrawethe and allureth thee awaye from synninge . Certes , God loueth vs most tenderly . He fauoureth vs , euen from the very har●e , & he doth all thynges for thys purpose euen that he maye amende vs and do vs good . For whome he loueth , he cor●ecteth and chasteneth and seourgeth hym in thys vale , that he maye not be tormented after thys lyfe wyth the euerlasting punishement of hel fire . Neyther shalt thou doubt , but most certenly persuade thy self , that G●d is thy most louyng father , and m●●t entierly desyreth thee / althoughe he pretendeth neuer so greatly to be angry wyth thee ▪ Thys is not the anger of a Tiraunt , nor of a butcher , but of a father that most de●elye louethe vs , which would not that we should be destroyed , but that we should correcte our maners , amend and obt●ine health and Saluacion . Thys is as sure as God is in heauen / if we had fayth to beleue it . Therfore fyrst of al , aske forgeuenes & remission of all thy synnes , But in Chrstis name : But wyth an harte that truly repenteth / that thou mayst be at a poynt with God , and that thou mayst haue hym good , fauourable and mercyful to thee . After that also mayst thou desire god , that he wil deliuer ther from the affliccion & disease / that is layd vpon thee . So teacheth vs Iesus the Sonne of S●●ach , Sonne , saith he ●espyse not thy selfe in thy sykenes But praye vnto the Lorde and he shal heale thee . Eccl: xxxvi●i So praieth Dauid lykewyse : Psal , lxx●i● . rem●ber not our old wickednesses : but let thy mercies soone ouertake vs . helpe vs O God ower Sauiour O thou lord god of pou●rs turne vs . how long wil thou be angry ▪ Sh●w vs thy countenaunce , & we shall be safe . First he desireth remission of sinnes , that he ma●e be iustyfi●d by the grace of god : afterward he praieth god , to turne awy his wrath And when thou praiest to be deliuered & eased of the crosse whiche do burden thee , thou shalt alway adde this vnto it : let thy most holye & good wyll be don ▪ O heuenly father , for we shal not better prouide for oure selfes than that moste trusty father wyl do which is of infinyt power , ● ysoō & vnmesurable goodnes , which in no place turneth away his eyes from vs which taketh great care for vs / whiche hathe the heares of ower heade numbred , which maketh alyue , quickeneth , norisheth , couerethe , cherisheth , saueth and defendeth al thinges which aforeseeth and prouideth for al thinges moch more & better / then the creatures can wysh .

There are thre thynges , whych in the agony of deathe do most greuously dysquiet vs and trouble our myndes with greate feare that is to saye Synne , Death hel or Dampnation .

Synne

The synnes wherin we haue 〈◊〉〈…〉 ●pent oure lyfe , wherwithe also we haue moste greuously offended both God and our neighbour , when we remember them lyeng vpon our bed sycke , we are stricken with a wonderful feare and sorowe as Paule sayth , indignacion & wrath●afflyction , Rom. ii . & grefe of mynde , ●s against euery soule of man that doth euell .

Death .

Oure olde man and flesh are verye loth to dye . Therfor when death is at hand , the hart of man is troubled disquieted , & in a mane● ouerthrowen wyth such sorowes & thought ●akynge , as no tunge can expresse . For fearfull nature , and our natural man feareth beyond al measure lest that when he is ones dead & layd in hys graue , he should neuer returne and lyue agayne : yea he thyncketh that he is past all hope and conforte .

Hell and dampnacion .

When these thinges come into his mynd , man is streight wayes afraid lest he should vtterly be cast awaie from the face of god , and seeth none other thing then euerlasting death . Here ought he to be on a good ●onfort : here ought he to take hart vnto him , that by no meanes he be fai● herted and so fal into desperacion . O most merciful god , O most fauorable father , A godly prayer graunte I besech thee and helpe , that while we are yet in good health and lusty , we maie lerne to feare thee , we maye regarde and loue thy worde , we maie set thee alwaye before vs to be that scope and pricke , wher vnto we maie direct al our dedes / & that we always remēbrīg thys most bitter agony and greuous conflicte , maye arme and make our selues strong against it , that we geuing our selues to godlynes and to the true feare of thee , maye appointe all that euer we do vnto thy glory and enioye euerlastinge lyfe . AMEN

When thy synnes do disquyet & trouble thy conscience , them cal to remembraunce , ●●at the Sonne of God came doune from heauen into this world , and that he being made man layed vpon him al thy synnes & the synnes of al the worlde : and that for them he willyngly suffered death on the crosse , and made satisfaction for theim all , yea and for our sakes sustained most greuous paynes , to bring vs out of deth . This most precious bloud of Christ was shed also for thy saluacion . Of this death also art thou partaker if thou dost beleue that christ dyed as wel for thee as for Peter & Paule . Neither oughtest thou to doubte , but that he dyed as wel for thy sake , as for Paules . For thou arte baptised into the death of christ . This ought to confort the : this ought to lif● vp & stablish thy mind . For seyng thou art baptised 〈◊〉 the death o● christ , 〈…〉 Rom. vi . the death of christ shal bring thee help & saluation , by the death of christ the shalt dye to synne , by the deathe of christe thou shalt receaue perfect & ful remission of al thy sines : to conclude by the deth of Christ thou shalt rise againe into anew & euerlasting lyfe . For baptisme is a bargain couenaun●e & signe of gods grace & fauour in which thou art reconciled to god , that throw it thou mayst haue a mery and quyett conscience for y ere mission of thy sinnes thorowe the resurrection of christ . ●he ●upper ●● the lorde . Christ also speketh vnto thee without doubt in the institucion of his supper , wher he professeth & euidently declareth , ●ath . xxvi . that his bloud was shed for the remissyon of sinnes . Now therfore , althoughe thou hast lyued a lyfe neuer so sinful and vnpure yet is ther no cause that thou shul●est despere , but rather that without any tar●aunce thou shuldest without cesing cal vpon the name of the lord the thou maiest be saued , & pray after this maner .

O moost mercyfull God , Rom. ● A pray●● O father of all mercye the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst , be mercyfull to me a synner , haue pytie on me , and quickly helpe me poore wretche for the most bytter , but yet the most precious passion and death of Iesus Chryst thy onelye begotten sonne , and our only redeme● and sauioure . AMEN .

Entre not into iudgemente wyth thy seruaunte , O Lord . Handle me not accordynge to my desertes and Merites , neyther rewarde me after mine iniquit●e , but for thyne infinite and vnmeasurable bountie and exceding great mercy , receaue me . I myserable & weake creature am in thy hande / I am thy boundseruaunt and thy debtout . O most gentle god , O moste fauourable father , forsake me not ▪ cast me not away pore wretch that t. I am . I am thine with al that euer I can make . No man is able to confort me , no man is able to deliuer me , no man is able to helpe me , but thou alone . Thou arte the true helper in adu●●sitie , thou arte the moost sure & ●●esent conforte in all necessitie , thou alone arte oure helpe , our bulworcke , oure fortresse and our most mightie and strongly defenced towre . Thou , O God , art oure refuge / thou art oure strenght , thou art our helpe● in all our ●ribulacions . In thee , O Lorde / do I truste let me not be confounded . Let me neuer be put to shame , let me not be disceaued of my hope , but preserue me for thyne owne ryghtuousnes sake . Bow downe thine eare vnto me / make haste to delyuer me . Be my defender , O God , and my strong holde that thou mayest saue me . For thou art my strength & my refuge , yea thou art my God , and my destenyes are in thy handes . Lyghten thy countenaunce vpon thy seruaunte , saue me for thy mercyes sake , O Lorde . &c.

Finis