¶ The physic of the soul, wherein thou shalt find many Godly emplastures & comfortable salves against all spiritual diseases very necessary to be red of the true christians in these last and perilous days. Set forth by Thomas Becon.  Math. xi. 
Come unto me all ye that are sick & diseased, and I shall release you of your pains.  
Imprinted at london the tenth day of julii. ●nno Domini. M.D.xlix. And are to be sold by William hill remainig at the Sign of the Hill in Paul's Church Yard.  
Benedic Anima mea Domino.   

The physic Of the soul.  
The diseases whe● with out bodies are troubled, & the death which our bodies ilyke manner must of necessity suffer, do very greatly vex & disquiet our minds, yea and that with no small fear and trembling: insomuch that many times, even at the naming of thē●or when any mention of th●m is made a● all, we shake and tremble for fear. Certes, the nature of man, which had rather not to be, than to be evil at ease or dysquyeted, when these evils are at hand, can nove otherwise, then wax pale and be sorrowful, but yet can there not chance to man a more fierce or more horrible, or cruel misfortune, than the disease of the soul & the death of the same. But for asmuch as every man doth dread and i'll with all haste passyble the punishments troubles diseases, sicknesses, and this death of the body: verily we ought much more to avoid and eschew the causes of these evils: I mean, sin and ungodliness, and to fear the heavy displeasure of God which throw our innumerable offences we provoke so many times against us. When we be diseased ●n our body, we run straightly way●s unto a Phisycian, we spare no cost in this behalf. Nothing is to dear for the health of our life. We lash out our money plenteously in buying remedies & salves, that this earthly vessel and sheal, which notwithstanding, shall shortly after decay, may be recovered and amended. Why do we not likewise with a● much study and care, covet and seek after remedies against the diseases of the Soul? seing● they be much more grievous, and beyond all measure more perilous.  
What should it profit a man, if he had all the riches of the world, lived an whole thousand years, and enjoyed also all the most denty and fine Pelasures of this Life, and were troubled with no pains of sickness disease or any other misery, if yet for all that his soul in the mean season were infect with the damnable wickedness and poison of sin, and being oppressed with the tyranny of sathan had the displeasure of God, & after the departure of this life be dampened for ever? 
Math. ●x  therefore Chryst monisheth us saying, watch, for ye know not the day nor the hour, when the Son of Man will come. And because we should not follow light Tryf●lynge and Vile things: and despise things which are much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most nigh, certain and sure way to come unto teve felicity▪ 
Math. vi.  wealth joy or pleasure, when he saith: seek▪ first the kingdom of god and the ryghtteousnes of it and all things shall be ●ast to you.  
We take thought & turmoil ourselves day and night to get us a living, & to make sure our riches and such other vain and transitory things, which little help us yea, which many times also are the cause of most grievous miseries, and horrible sins: but in seeking and▪ providing for heavenly goods? how sluggish are we? how negligent? how uncircumspect? how dastardelyke what more horrible blindness and madness can there be/ I beseech you? while we live wealthly & make frolycke cheer we never remember the life that is to come, nor yet the death that we 〈…〉 we 〈…〉 & red● to die, and when we should go to the battle and fight valiantly, than a● the last we begin to think of getting ar●ours and weapons against Satan and of amending our life. Thes things show evidently, that we be very weak and slender in faith, & but a little exercised in the christian warfare. God have mercy on us. AMEN. And although it be so the every age is apt to repent and amend & that no repentance is to late so that it be done before the departure of this life, yet I counsel & monish all men even from the very heart, that no man do prolong and differ the act of repentance unto this last and most bitter agony. For they also do very hardly shonde and remain▪ which all the time of their life/ enjoying prosperous health, have enarmed and Prepared themselves unto this hour of departure, and yet defend themselves with great labour and Business from the Assaults, grafts, gulls and subt●ltes of that most cruel and crafty enemy. What shall become than of them, which without all fear of God have led a stinking, dissolute and unthrifty life, yea and that without any repentance? how, I pray you shall they strive? how shall the● resist?  
●ut saying there is in every place a great multitude of men, & for asmuch as the ministers of the gospel are not alway in presence, nether can they give their diligence to all men at all times: I being greatly desirous to help all men, have written this manner, way & form of comforting, ordering and monyshing the sick, gathered out of god's word especially for them, which as yet are rude and not perfectly instructed with the sentences of the holy Scripture unto such chances, that they either reading thes things▪ or hearing thes things red before them, may conceive hope and sure and true comfort, that they despair not and perish in that most bitter agony and conflict of death.  
A man therefore lying on his bed thorough the grievous disease wh●● with he is vexed, and being i●i●operdye of his Life, is assailed and overwhelmed with divers and grievous temtations, wherewith he must fight valiantly. But above all, this is the most bitter and most grievous temptation/ when the most heavy, displeasant & lotheson Image of death is press ●t before hour eyes, and when we see or consider the most cheerful light of this life, & all ower kinsfolks or friends, how we must forsake them and go away from them, yea, and not 〈…〉 in this world, which be most dear and pleasant to us. Besides this the sins also which we have committed against the will of god & his commandment, come straight ways into our mind, & brasting in with great violence, are renewed & wax fresh, and seem manymo, yea & more heinous & abominable, than they ever appeted before▪ & do by this means torment, vex trouble & disquiet the conscience wonderfully. For after the consideration of the things afore said, death, the judgement of god hell, damnation, fear & trembling, cō●lockīg together as it w●t a swarm of bees, and vex our old man with most violent & troublous storms of most grievous sorrows & feats and with most sharp and bitter engines of sorrow & heaviness ●hey shake and assail our breasts.  
In thes agonies except our breast be strengthened and made sure with great and constant faith, it shallbe ●eopardus, lest we being made weary & dashed out of countenance thorough thes grievous and mighty temptations/ do fall unto desperation. For those things which come unto our remembrance when we be sick, seem unto us most horrible and most heinous, yea and that for none other cause, than that our faith is weak and slender, and not as yet grown unto such perfection, that trusting on god's word, is able to lay hand on those exceeding and ī●stymable treasures and riches of the sons of god, I mean/ remission of all our sins thorough christ, the resurrection of our flesh, that fellowship of all the elect, so greatly to be desired & longed for: to conclude, everlasting life, and that all these things are freely 〈…〉 for Christ's sake. In these articles of our faith should we exercise ourselves daily & after that we have diligently weighed them & earnestly pondered them, repose them in our mind. We ought also often times to come unto the communion and that holy table of the Lord, yet so the we first prove and Examine ourselves diligently, lest we unreverently handle so holy a thing: and though it be convenient at all other times to eatè the supper of the lord, for our comfort: yet is it now most necessary & we have in the time of our sickness an urgent cause to do it. Truly, it is a pitiful thing and a thing worthy to be lamented/ that now many years this sacrament of the body and blood of jesus Christ hath been both unworthily and unreverntly handled, yea of very many most extremely despited How horrible and heinous a sin 〈…〉 punished now adays do abundantly testify: and S. Paul spoke of it before. i Cor. xi. God have mercy on us and lighten the ●ies of our mind that we leaving so Turrian unseemly & horrible error, may once repent and a●end We shall therefore of●ē times come unto this table with high study of godliness and devotion, that our minds being recreated, cheered & comforted with that heavenly m●ate of the soul, faith & charity may be ●ncreased and made strong in us. Moreover we ought alway diligently to remember all the articles ●f our ●atholyke faith, but in the agonies of death four are nearest of all, with great diligence to be weighed & pondered of us, that is to say, the articles of the church or congregation of saints of remission of sins by Christ's blood, of the resurrection of the flesh, and of everlasting life.  
first/ as death is the pain of sine, so likewise are diseases many times sent us of God for our sins, 
joan. v. P●a vxx● v iii Deu. xx viii●ii. Re. xxiiii.  as it is manifest in divers places of the scripture. we are punished also oftentimes to prove and try our faith/ for than is it p●rc●aued, how dearly we love god how greatly we trust unto him, when we be oppressed & troubled with any heavy cross. Therefore look that here before all things, thou turnest all thine heart all thy mind/ and all thy senses unto God, and that thou dost truly repent and that thou dost lament and confess thy sins before God, for the which all we have deserved, eue●n the most righteous wrath of God and most grievous p●yne. Notwithstanding, the most plenteous comfort or absolution, as they call it, or remission of sins, which christ ordained in the church, thou shall require of the Gospel of john. 
jon. xx.  This exceeding great treasure is daily opened and offered to thee. Take ye, saith Christ● the holy ghost. Whose sins ye forgive, are forgiven them, and whose sins ye retain, are retained. Note, after that we have prayed and obtained the forgiveness of sins, without doubt the pain & disease & the trouble that is laid upon us, shall cease and leave us, or else according to the singular good will of God, it shall turn unto the salvation of the diseased. For believe this for an undoubted truth, that their pain or cross (seem it never so grievous a yoke and burden to the flesh) is a very fatherly rod or chastisement, wherewith god calleth thee, being his son unto him, and withdraweth and allureth thee away from sinning. Certes, God loveth us most tenderly. He favoureth us, even from the very har●e, & he doth all things for this purpose even that he may amend us and do us good. For whom he loveth, he cor●ecteth and chasteneth and seourgeth him in this vale, that he may not be tormented after this life with the everlasting punishment of hell fire. Neither shalt thou doubt, but most certainly persuade thyself, that G●d is thy most loving father, and m●●t entirely desireth thee/ although he pretendeth never so greatly to be angry with thee▪ This is not the anger of a tyrant, nor of a butcher, but of a father that most de●elye loveth us, which would not that we should be destroyed, but that we should correct our manners, amend and obt●ine health and Salvation. This is as sure as God is in heaven/ if we had faith to believe it. Therefore first of all, ask forgiveness & remission of all thy sins, But in Chrstis name: But with an heart that truly repenteth/ that thou mayst be at a point with God, and that thou mayst have him good, favourable and merciful to thee. After that also mayst thou desire god, that he will deliver there from the affliction & disease/ that is laid upon thee. So teacheth us jesus the Son of S●●ach, Son, saith he despise not thyself in thy sickness But pray unto the Lord and he shall heal thee. 
Eccl: xxxvi●i  So prayeth David likewise: 
Psal, lxx●i●.  rem●ber not our old wickednesses: but let thy mercies soon overtake us. help us O God ower Saviour O thou lord god of pou●rs turn us. how long will thou be angry▪ Sh●w us thy countenance, & we shall be safe. First he desireth remission of sins, that he ma●e be iustyfi●d by the grace of god: afterward he prayeth god, to turn awy his wrath And when thou prayest to be delivered & eased of the cross which do burden thee, thou shalt always add this unto it: let thy most holy & good will be done▪ O heavenly father, for we shall not better provide for oure selfes than that most trusty father will do which is of infinyt power, ● ysoō & unmeasurable goodness, which in no place turneth away his eyes from us which taketh great care for us/ which hath the hears of ower head numbered, which maketh alive, quickeneth, nourisheth, covereth, cherisheth, saveth and defendeth all things which aforeseeth and provideth for all things much more & better/ than the creatures can wish.  
There are three things, which in the agony of death do most grievously dysquiet us and trouble our minds with great fear that is to say Sin, Death hell or Damnation.  

Sin  
The sins wherein we have 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ●pent our life, wherewith also we have most grievously offended both God and our neighbour, when we remember them lying upon our bed sick, we are stricken with a wonderful fear and sorrow as Paul saith, indignation & wrath●afflyction, 
Rom. two.  & grief of mind, ●s against every soul of man that doth evil.   

Death.  
Our old man and flesh are very loath to die. Therefore when death is at hand, the heart of man is troubled disquieted, & in a mane● overthrown with such sorrows & thought ●akynge, as no tongue can express. For fearful nature, and our natural man feareth beyond all measure lest that when he is ones dead & laid in his grave, he should never return and live again: yea he thinketh that he is past all hope and comfort.   

Hell and damnation.  
When these things come into his mind, man is straight ways afraid lest he should utterly be cast away from the face of god, and seeth none other thing then everlasting death. Here ought he to be on a good ●onfort: here ought he to take heart unto him, that by no means he be fai● hearted and so fall into desperation. O most merciful god, O most favourable father, 
A godly prayer  grant I beseech thee and help, that while we are yet in good health and lusty, we may learn to fear thee, we may regard and love thy word, we may set thee alway before us to be that scope and prick, where unto we may direct all our deeds/ & that we always remembering this most bitter agony and grievous conflict, may arm and make ourselves strong against it, that we giving ourselves to godliness and to the true fear of thee, may appoint all that ever we do unto thy glory and enjoy everlasting life. AMEN  
When thy sins do disquiet & trouble thy conscience, them call to remembrance, ●●at the Son of God came down from heaven into this world, and that he being made man laid upon him all thy sins & the sins of all the world: and that for them he willingly suffered death on the cross, and made satisfaction for them all, yea and for our sakes sustained most grievous pains, to bring us out of death. This most precious blood of Christ was shed also for thy salvation. Of this death also art thou partaker if thou dost believe that christ died as well for thee as for Peter & Paul. Neither oughtest thou to doubt, but that he died as well for thy sake, as for Paul's. For thou art baptized into the death of christ. This aught to comfort thee: this aught to lif● up & establish thy mind. For seeing thou art baptized 〈◊〉 the death o● christ, 
〈…〉 Rom. vi.  the death of christ shall bring thee help & salvation, by the death of christ the shalt die to sin, by the death of christ thou shalt receive perfect & full remission of all thy sins: to conclude by the death of Christ thou shalt rise again into anew & everlasting life. For baptism is a bargain couenaun●e & sign of god's grace & favour in which thou art reconciled to god, that throw it thou mayst have a merry and quyett conscience for y ere mission of thy sins thorough the resurrection of christ. 
●he ●upper ●● the lord.  Christ also speaketh unto thee without doubt in the institution of his supper, where he professeth & evidently declareth, 
●ath. xxvi.  that his blood was shed for the remission of sins. Now therefore, although thou hast lived a life never so sinful and unpure yet is there no cause that thou shouldst despere, but rather that without any tar●aunce thou shouldest without ceasing call upon the name of the lord the thou mayest be saved, & pray after this manner.  
O most merciful God, 
Rom. ● A pray●●  O father of all mercy the father of our Lord jesus Chryst, be merciful to me a sinner, have pity on me, and quickly help me poor wretch for the most bitter, but yet the most precious passion and death of jesus Chryst thy only begotten son, and our only redeemer and saviour. AMEN.  
Entre not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord. Handle me not according to my deserts and Merits, neither reward me after mine iniquit●e, but for thine infinite and unmeasurable bounty and exceeding great mercy, receive me. I miserable & weak creature am in thy hand/ I am thy boundseruaunt and thy debtout. O most gentle god, O most favourable father, forsake me not▪ cast me not away poor wretch that t. I am. I am thine with all that ever I can make. No man is able to comfort me, no man is able to deliver me, no man is able to help me, but thou alone. Thou art the true helper in adversity, thou art the most sure & ●●esent comfort in all necessity, thou alone art our help, our bulworcke, our fortress and our most mighty and strongly defenced tower. Thou, O God, art our refuge/ thou art our strength, thou art our helpe● in all our ●ribulacions. In thee, O Lord/ do I trust let me not be confounded. Let me never be put to shame, let me not be deceived of my hope, but preserve me for thine own righteousness sake. Bow down thine ear unto me/ make haste to deliver me. Be my defender, O God, and my strong hold that thou mayest save me. For thou art my strength & my refuge, yea thou art my God, and my destinies are in thy hands. Lyghten thy countenance upon thy servant, save me for thy mercies sake, O Lord. etc.  
Finis