The Sick Mans Catechism, Title page – Dedication
THE SICKE-MANS Catechisme, OR Path-way to felicitie.
Wherin is contained great variety of sound directions and most s…e cosolations Collected and con…ri…ed into Questions and Answers, out of the best Diuines of our time, BY THOMAS DRAXE Minister of Gods Word, Wherevnto is annexed two most comfortable and powrefull prayers.
LONDON. Imprinted for Henry Holland, and are to be sold by I. W. at Christ Church dore
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL LEARned, religious and Martiall Gentleman, Sir Richard Warbarton Knight, grace, peace, and plentifull increase of all holynesse and happinesse.
AMongst all the temporary and ordinary penalties and punishmēts of mās transgression: surely, sicknesses, diseases, malladies, aches, yea most of all, death it selfe, together with all their seuerall accidents, and temptations, are most grieuous, yrkesome, and vnwelcome. For they are simply in themselues, and in their owne nature cō sidered, plagues and curses, & they produce fearefull effects, in the vnregenerate, namely impatiency, vnquiet nesse, horrour, blasphemy, desperation, and the practise of vnlawfull cures and remedies. Wherefore it is (right worshipful) a worke of no meane art, skil & experience, soundly to catechize the sick, to rectifie their iudgements, to bring thē to a true sense & confidence of sin, to begette faith in them, to cause them in hope and patiency to wait vponupon God, & to prepare them to dye well and blessedly; but it is opus & labor. It requyreth the tonge of the learned, and a messenger (or interpreter) one of a thousand, such as hauehave bin of late times Mr Spineus, and Mr Perkins, two bright and glo rious stars in the French and English Firmament, but now Saintes in heauen, who hauehave learnedly and largely trauaild in this point.
Wherefore it may s…eme a needles matter for any man to write further of this subiect, & my self may bee thought morebolde then wise, in presuming to put forth any newe matter, or to change or ad ought: yet because no mans worke is absolutely perfect, and for that variety of treatises is both delightsome and desireable, and because the fraile memory, and the simple capacity of very many cannot comprehend large and profound discourses, but best profiteth by short and easy instructions.
I hauehave vppon these groundes, drawne and contracted the large treatises of the aboue-named Authors into plaine and compendious questions & answers, with diuers additions and illustrations of mine owne, hoping that in the dilligent reading hereof, the ignorant shall get knowledge, the wauering finde resolution, the distressed receiue comfort, the presumptious bee humbled, the tempted armed against Satans assaultes, and all that are well affected, bee prepared for God, and directly guided to eternall glory. Wherefore vppon this expectation, & also induced by the earnest request of a much respected friend, I hauehave thought good to publish it, and vponupon due consideration, to consecrate and commend it to your fauourable protection & patronage. For first, you are very learned, and wil iudge well, you are most kind and curteous, and wil take all in good part, and you are vnfainedly relligious, and wil giuegive intertainment to any matter of godlynesse. Secondly you in an heroicall zeale and r…solution, hauehave both in the time of Queen Elizabeth a Princesse of most renowned memory & of incomparable excellency, & sithence, fought for Christ & his blessed Gospell, and therefore what thing more pleasing vntounto you then matters of religion & consciēce? Lastly hauing receiued so manifold kindnesses from you, I can by none other meanes better testifie my thankful heart. Thus intreating your worshippe to read, accept off, and make vse of my Catechisme, and yeelding you many thankes for all your fauours, I heare most humbly take my leaue.
God almighty who hath giuen you recouery of health, and increase of spirituall comfort in a religious Cittie, perfit both the one and the other in you; blesse and protect you and your most godly and vertuous Lady, grant you both a long and blessed life in this world, and consumation of holynesse and happinesse in the world to come.
February. 12. 1609. Your Worships in the Lord at commaund THOMAS DRAXE.