CHrist our Lorde and Sauiour , considering what and how great carnall securitie and fleshly quietnes reigneth in mortall men of all ages , Colos. iii. yea , and that in them , that professe godlynesse , that is to saye : Christians , whiche by their profession ar dead vnto the world , and haue their lyfe hydden with Christ in God , in somuche that they being occupied about worldlye and transitory thinges , which sone perish and come to naught , do vtterly neglecte the thinges that appertaine vnto the saluation of their soules : in many places of his holy Gospell admonisheth vs to watche and to make prouision for our latter ende , least we be found vnready whan we shall be called out of the worlde . In the Gospell of blessed Mathewe he hath these words : Math. xxiiii . watch , for you know not what hour the Lord will come . Of this be ye sure , that if the good man of the house knew what hour the thief would come he would surely watche , and not suffer his house to be broken vp . Therfore be ye also ready . For in suche houre as ye thinke not , wil the sonne of man come . In S. Markes Gospell also he sayth . Watch , for ye know not when the maister of the house wil come , Mark . xiii at euen or at midnight , or at the cockcrowing or in the dauning , least if he come sodenly , he finde you sleping . And that I say vnto you , I say vnto all . Watch ▪ Yea take hede , watche and pray , for ye know not when the time is . Again in the Reuelation of blessed Iohn he sayth . Behold I come as a thiefe . Apoca. xvi . Blessed is he that watcheth and kepeth his garmentes , that he walke not naked , and men see his fylthines . Apoca. xxii . Item , Behold I come shortly , and my rewarde is with me , to geue euery man according as his dedes shall be . i. Thes. v . The holy Apostle S. Paule lykewyse exhorteth vs , that we sleepe not as other doo , but that we watche & be sober , nether that we fall into fleshly quietnes , promysing our selues long lyfe , healthe and reste in this worlde , least soden destruction fall vpon vs .

For the day of the Lorde ( sayth he ) shall come euen as the thief in the night . Certes our mortall estate declareth euidently , that we be so bound vnto death , that we are not certen of our lyfe not one houre . Out of hand may death oppres vs , for any certentie that we haue of the contrary . What thing is your lyfe , sayth S. Iames ? Iacob . iiii . It is a vapour that appeareth for lyttle tyme , and then vanisheth away . Iob. ix . My dayes , saith Iob , are more swift then a runner , yea they are passed awaye as the shyppes that bee good vnder sayle , and as the Egle that flyeth vnto the pray . Agayne he saith : Man that is borne of woman , hath but short tyme to lyue , and is ful of mysery . He commeth vp and is cut downe lyke a floure . Iob. xiiii . He flyeth as it were a shadow and neuer continueth in one state . The Prophet also sayth : Esay . xl . All fleshe is grasse , and all the glory thereof is as the floure of the field . The grasse is withered , the flower falleth away : Euen so is the people as grasse , when the breathe of the Lord bloweth vpon them . Thus sewe the misery , vanitie and shortnes of our mortall life painted out before our eies and that these thynges are true , dayly experience proueth . Notwithstandinge such is our blindnes , fondnes and madnes that we vtterly forget the vncertentie of this our wretched and short lyfe and promyse our selues the florishyng yeares of Nestor , Gene. v. or the long lyfe of Methuselah . We may right well be lykened to that vngodly richman , of whom we rede in the Gospel of Luke , Luke . xii . whiche made prouision for a great nomber of yeares , promising him selfe long to liue vpon the face of the earth , & forgetting him selfe to be mortall and bound vnto death . But when he thought least of death and was moste busily occupied in getting and gatheringe together the goodes of the world , God sayd vnto him : thou foole , this night wil they fetch away thy soul again from thee . Then whose shal those thinges be , which thou hast prouided ? Psal. xxxix . The Psalmograph saythe : He heapeth tresure vpon treasure , and yet knoweth he not for whome he gathereth it . After this sort do we behaue our selues at this day . We moyle and turmoyll our selues in studiyng & deuising how we may come by the giftes of glassy fortune . We refuse no paynes , no laboures to become ritche and welthy in worldly goodes . Yea so blynded are our heartes , that the nerer we approche vnto the end of our life , the more studious , carefull & diligent are we to get the substaunce of this worlde . We remember not this saying of the holy Apostle . i. Tim. vi . Godlines is great rytches , if a man bee content with that he hath . For we brought nothing into the world neither may we cary any thinge out . But when we haue fode and raiment , Psal. xxxix . let vs therwith be content . The holy scripturs calleth vs straungers and Pilgrims in this worlde , i. Pet. ii . & declareth that we haue here no continuyng city , Heb. xiii . but we seke one to come . Notwithstanding as though ther were none other life after this , or els as though we should for euer here remaine and neuer departe , we trauaile about the getting of worldly substaunce . Iere. viii . Al , as the Prophet saith , euen from the lowest vnto the hiest set their myndes on filthy lucre . Esay . lvi . They are shameles dogges , that bee neuer satisfied . Hereto agreeth the saying of the Apostle , Philip. ii . all seke their owne auauntage and not that , whiche shuld set forth the glory of Iesus Christ . And as in couetousnes , so lykewyse in all other abhominable sinnes do we moste wickedlye walke . And all thinges come to passe , because we remember not the shortnesse of this lyfe and forget our latter end . This considered the wiseman right well , when he saith : Whatsoeuer thou takest in hand , remember thy end , and thou shalt neuer do amisse , Eccle. vii . Deut. xxxi● Moses also saith , O that men would ones be wyse and vnderstande , and make prouision for their latter end . There is not a stronger bit to brydle our carnall affectes , nor a better scholemaister to keepe vs in an order then the remembraunce of our latter end , then to remember that we shall not alway here remaine , that we ar but straungers and pylgrims in this world , that we shall leaue behynde vs , whatsoeuer worldly substaunce we haue here , ether painfully gotten or carefully kept , that we shal die the death , that we shal appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ and receaue accordinge to the workes whiche we haue doone in this lyfe , either euerlasting glory or perpetuall payne . But these thinges seeke we not to remember , but rather to forget , and therfore fall we into all kynde of vngodlynes and dissolution of lyfe . And when the tyme commeth , that God visiteth vs with sickenes or otherwyse plageth vs for our euill behauour , then doo we not prepare our selues vnto the crosse , as we ought submitting our selues to the good pleasure of God , and beyng contented paciently and thanckfully to receaue what so euer is layde vpon vs at the appoyntment of God , but we rather murmur and grudge against God , and with vnwillyng hartes suffer that louing visitation of God , almoste wishinge that there were no God to plage and punishe vs , but that we myght here liue continually and go forth to sinne frely & without punishement . And when death approcheth , & no remedy can be found against the violence therof , then doo the vngodly & wicked liuers beholding the miserable face of their conscience , which presenteth vnto them nothing but sin , the wrath of God hel fyre , & euerlasting damnation , begin to despaire & strayght yeld them selues to the pleasure of Sathan to bee for euer and euer tormented in that lake that burneth with fire & brimston , Apoca. xxi . them selues their soules and consciences consenting and assentinge thereunto . For what other end can be loked for of a wicked & vngodly lyfe ? Is it to be thought , that he whiche thorow sinne hath serued the deuill all the tyme of his lyfe , can at his latter end loke for the enheritaunce of euerlasting glory , wherewith God rewardeth them the painfully labour to serue him in holynes and righteousnes al the dayes of their lyfe ? i. Cor. ix . S. Paul saith . So run , that ye may obtayn , that is to say , so trayne your lyfe in all Godlynes and vertue to the vttermost of your power whyle ye lyue in this worlde , that after ye haue finished your course here , ye may enioy the glorious reward of eternal life . A corruptible crowne is not obtained without great pains taking , & shall we loke for an euerlasting crown by leding an vngodly and wanton lyfe ? ii . Tim. ii . No man is crowned , sayth the apostle , except he fighteth lawfully . In this world therfore , wherein our life is nothing but a knighthod or warfar , Iob. vii . must we lawfully , valeantly & mightely fight & striue against our ennemies the deuill , the world & the flesh , and by feruent and diligent prayer vnto God so triumphe ouer them thorow the help of our graund captain Christ , that we may haue a glorious spoill of our ennemies , & garnishe our selues with al kind of victorious & roial robes I meane , all good workes & godly vertues . Wher such a life is led , there must a good end be , and euerlasting life may with a fre conscience and assured hope be loked for . And to bring this to passe . Who laboureth not to the vttermoste of his power , namely if he be of God , & loketh for a better and more blessed lyfe after this ? How we shuld fight against our aduersaries and leade a good life in this world I haue declared aboundantly heretofore in many of my bokes . In this treatise , whiche I haue nowe in hand , entitled ( The Sickemans Salue ) my mynd is to shew vnto the faithfull christians , how they ought to make prouision for their latter end , that they may depart in the faythe of Christ , and be of the number of those of whome it is written . Blessed are the dead , whiche die in the Lord. Apoca. xiiii . Psal. cxvi Again . Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his sainctes . For what shuld it profit a man to wyn all the worlde , Mat. xvi . if at the last he loseth his soule ? Therefore in this my worke I haue declared first of all , The contentes of this boke . how the faithfull christians ought to behaue them selues paciently and thankefully in the tyme of syckenesse .

Secondly , howe they should vertuously dispose their temporall goodes .

Thirdly , after what manner they ought to prepare them selues gladly & Godly to die .

Finally I haue enterlased many confortable exhortations vnto the sycke , and diuers godly & necessary prayers , some to be sayd of them that are sicke , & some of other for suche as are diseased .

This treatise , after that I had finished it , calling to remembraunce howe greatly I am bound to your right worshipfull Maistership , considering also your most harty zeale and feruent affection toward the true and Christen religion ( all superstition and papistry layd asyde ) I thought it my bounden dutie to sende vnto you as a testimonie of my good wyll and thankefull hart toward you , moste entirely desiryng you to accept and take in good part this my lyttle gift , although much more base then it may seme in any part worthy to recompence the least poynt of your vnfayned frendship dyuers wayes heretofore declared vnto me .

God preserue your right worshypfull Maistershyp , with the moste vertuous Gentlewoman your wyfe , and all your godly chyldren in continuall health and prosperous felicitie . Amen .