The Sick Mans Catechism, Chapter 17
The xvii. Chapter. Of Physicke, and preseruation of bodily health.
Question. WHat is the duty that the sicke are to performe to their bodies?
Ans. They ought to be carefull to preserue health and life vntill God take it wholy away.
Que. Then it is lawfull for any man to kill himselfe?
Ans. No, for wee must in no wise depart out of our standing vntill God out heauenly generall command vsus.
Secondly eueryevery man is bound to cherish and nourish his owne body and …. 5. 29.therefore he must not destroy it.
Thirdly all murder is forbiden and interdicted, and therfore much more the killing of a mans selfe.
Fourthly if a man kill him-selfe hee doth not escape misery but runne into it.
Fiftly if it be a wickednesse to kill another man for to ease him of present paiae, then it is a more horrible wickednes to kill himselfe.
Lastly the killing of a mans selfe is commonly and generally noted for a marke of a reprobate and faithlesse man.
Que. Why must we preserue life and health?
A. For two reasons, first that we may hauehave time and place to prepare out selues for eternall life.
Quest. Then long life is good?
Answ. It is a great blessing, for herein Ioh. 9.men hauehave time to repent, whereas after death there is no time and place for repentance and reconciliation.
Quest. What is the second reason?
Answ. That wee may referre and reserue the whole disposition of our liues to GOD, for whose glorie we ought as well to line as to die.
Q. In preseruation of life what things are to be considered?
Ans. The meanes, and the right vse of them.
Que. What are the meanes?
Ans. Good and holesome Physicke, for it to an ordinance of God, and whereof …in. 20. 7we hauehave sufficient warrant and practise in holy Scripture, and therfore we must estéeme and vse it, as a blessing of God. Isai. 1. 6, 7.
Obie. But Phisicke cannot change Gods eternal decrée, or saue vsus from his anger, why then should it be vsed?
An. Because the …nd and the meanes are not to be diuided, for God hath ordained the one as well as the other. Wherefore as in war, f…ine, pestilence, which are Gods roddes and chasticements, we may lawfully vse the meanes to lessen or auert them, so wée may and must in Physicke, but wée must commit the issue and euent to GOD alone.
Quest. Whome must wée entertaine for Physitions
A. Not Sorcerers, Wisards, Enchanters, or any that vse and practise any superstitious meanes, for this is the ready and néerest way both to temporall & eternall misery, but onelyonly men appointed for their sincerity of religiō, learning conscience and experience.
Ob. But by charmes, inchantments, and the s…ell of Wisards; many recouer out of their sickenesse, therefore we may lawfully vse them.
Answ. The consequent is not good, namely the effect is good, Ergo the meanes are good, for Satan is very expert in Physicke, and God many times, partly for the triall of his seruants and partly the more to harden and blind the wicked, permitteth c…res to be done by the ministerie of Satan. 2. The. …. 10. And thus much of the meanes of health.
The second section. Of the manner of vsing the meanes.
Que. In what things doth the right vse of meanes consist?
Ans, In thrée.
Quest. What are those thrée meanes?
Ans. First, the body is not onelyonly to bee prepared by Physicke, but the soule also by true humiliation, prayer, and repentance.
Q. Why must the soule be thus prepared?
Ans. Because sickenesse) otherwise curable) is by reason of the impenitency of the sick, many times, made vncurable.
Q. What is the second meanes?
Ans. Wee must be assured by Gods word, that the Phisicke prescribed is lawfull, and we must not depend vponupon the Phisition (as some doe) but by praier craue Gods blessing.
Q. What is the third meanes?
An. The right and perculiar end of Physicke, which is to continue mans life vntounto his naturall period, namely vntill the radicall heat and moisture be wholy consumed.
Qu. What is the Phisitians duty?
An. First he must in the absence of Ministers exhort the sicke to prayer and repentance.
Secondly, when he perceiueth maninifest signes of death in the sicke, admonish the sicke of death, that casting of all confidence in outward helpes hee may wholy rely vponupon Gods mercy.
And thus much of the duties which the sicke man oweth to him-selfe.