by repeated acts to root it in his heart it being the best Disposition he can die in in order to his perfect enjoyment of God after his Dissolution And First For the bringing him duly to consider how much God deserves our Love let him make use of such Words as these Thou knowest Dear Brother that the Sum of all the Evangelical Law is That we should love God with all our Hearts with all our Souls with all our Minds and with all our Strength and this not only with regard to our selves because it is necessary and profitable for us and without which we cannot be happy but also with respect to Him and his Divine Attributes who being transcendently Good and Wise and Almighty and Gracious and Merciful and possessing all Perfections above utterance or Conception it ought to be our great desire that all Men should acknowledge Him for such and pay Him the Honour Obedience and Love due to so Supream a Being Who by his Own Nature and as the Fountain of all Goodness possesses the Virtues of the Saints and Angels and of all other Creatures Visible and Invisible their greatest Perfections how admirable soever they may appear to us being at the best but faint glimpses and reflections of his immense Light and Glory And thus you see how much we are bound to love God for his own sake whom to behold is alone sufficient to make both Angels and Men happy Let the Minister also observe to him that God has even prevented us by his Love and a greater Love than ever Father bore towards Son than ever Friend bore towards Friend than ever Husband bore towards Wife And that upon this account it is He has given Himself the three Titles of Father Friend and Husband to the end that by these endearing Appellations which express the greatest tenderness among Men He might make us sensible how great the Love is He bears towards us If a King that loves his Subjects deserves from them a reciprocal Love 't is surely very fit and just that though we were even vile enough not to love God for his own sake yet at least out of common gratitude we should love Him because He has first loved us Moreover let him be admonished to love God for the Benefits he has receiv'd at his Hand and this under a double Consideration I. With regard to the Order of Nature For his Creation and Being for his Immortal Soul capable of Eternal Happiness for the use and preservation of his Senses for the Rank assign'd all other Creatures in subservience to his Aid Pleasure and Convenience And then let him be put in mind that 't was not for any need He had of him that God had heaped all these Benefits upon him but purely out of an abundant Love and Goodness and for which He expects no return of Profit or Reward but only a mutual and reciprocal Love II. With regard to the Order of Grace That the Father Everlasting forbore not to give his own Son to redeem him from the Slavery of the Devil and perpetual Torments That this beloved Son humbled himself even to the Death of the Cross to purchase Eternal Glory for him That the Holy Ghost has many times been pleas'd to descend into his Soul to purifie it from its Spots and Blemishes and replenish it with his Divine Inspirations That He it is that comforts him in his Sickness that allows him time to prepare himself to die as behoves a pious Christian and has preserv'd him from being snatch'd away suddenly In short let the Minister present to his Consideration the Pleasures which God has provided for him Pleasures so great and ravishing as exceed the power of Mortal Man with Tongue to express or Thought to conceive And from all this leave him to judge with what fervency and faithfulness he ought to love Him Again The Minister may encline his heart to the Divine Love by way of Prayer causing him to repeat after him some Words of the Holy Scripture like these Lord Thou hast said that we ought to love Thee with all our Hearts and with all our Souls Oh! if it be thy blessed Will encrease in me this Divine Charity I feel a great desire of loving Thee and if in this Life I cannot do it to the degree I wish Lord grant I may in the Eternal State For whom have I in Heaven but Thee and whom upon Earth can I desire in Comparison of Thee Thou art the God of my Life and my Portion for ever Grant that I may not only love Thee above all the Creatures in the World but that I may love nothing but Thee and for Thy sake that so I may look upon Thee as my only Good both in this Life and in that which is to come O infinite Goodness Who shall give me power and strength to love Thee infinitely When will that blessed State come that Thou alone shalt have the sole possession of my Heart When shall I be wholly Thine who am by so many ties and on so many accounts bound to be so O let it come that blessed Time when God shall possess me fully and entirely and when I shall be able to offer my self to Him without reserve Lord who hast loved me with an Eternal Love Who createdst me of nothing who savedst me when I was worse than nothing and hast so often restored to me Thy Heavenly Grace when I had lost it by my Sins If I owe my Soul to Thee so many ways what do I not owe Thee for Thy Self who art so Holy and Merciful To the rest of Thy transcendent Favours be pleas'd to add that of inflaming my Heart so as I may love Thee without bounds or measure O Blessed Spirit who art that immense Love proceeding from the Father and the Son Who vouchsafest to fill us with Thy Divine Gifts Encrease I beseech Thee every moment the Love I have and shall ever continue to have for Thee Lastly The Minister shall engage him to a Love of God by some eminent Instances of the Great Love of the Saints towards Him whether from the Lives of the Holy Apostles or other Blessed Martyrs and Confessors of Jesus Christ raising there-from an Occasion of exciting him to Acts of Contrition and the acknowledging himself a miserable Sinner who contrary to the Example of those Holy Men had so often abandoned his God and Creator for the sake of the World and vilest of its Creatures directing him at the same time to lift up his heart to the Eternal Father in these Words Lord who hast prevented me by thy manifold Blessings I own my self to be that miserable Sinner that ungrateful Slave that Wicked Wretch who have despised Thee even Thee my Creator and my Father In the Name and for the sake of Thy dear Son Christ Jesus my Redeemer I implore Thy Pardon O Father of Mercy Wash away all my Iniquities and have mercy upon me Thy poor Creature who am the Work
of thy own Hands Assist me in this last Period of my Life Comfort thou my sad and afflicted Soul and preserve it from being taken out of Thy Arms by the infernal Spirits O Blessed JESU who gavest Thy most precious Blood for my Sanctification and Salvation be Thou pleased to render it efficacious to me in this my last Hour I acknowledge I have many and many times forfeited the Grace Thou bestowedst on me in my Baptism when I was first consecrated to Thee But Thy Mercy is far above my Transgressions Apply to my Soul the Merits of Thy Death and let me at this moment of my Departure feel the gracious Effects of Thy infinite Goodness and Power Me O Lord the unworthiest of Thy Creatures who with an humble and contrite Heart and a Soul full of Love to Thee and confidence in Thy Mercy do in a ready expectation of my sudden Dissolution cry unto Thee Lord JESU receive my Spirit Amen CHAP. VIII What the Minister is to do when coming to a Sick Person he finds every thing already done necessary for the disposing him to die as a good Christian HItherto we have spoken of what the Minister is to do for the disposing the Sick Person to die well But if he finds him to be already well prepar'd to have receiv'd the Holy Sacrament and to require only some Body with him to entertain him in those Godly Dispositions the Minister having first satisfied himself that he has still the use of his Understanding and is in a condition to hear what he shall say may read to him something out of the Gospel and repeat over him the usual Prayers of the Church And then proced 1. To the supplying what if ought that is necessary may have been omitted in his Preparation 2. To the exciting him to further Acts of Faith Hope and Charity and comforting him in his Afflictions and Pains 3. To the recommending his Soul to God 4. and Lastly To the saying something for the Edification of such as are present To the First Having desired those that shall be about the Patient's Bed to withdraw a little he shall ask him as we have said at the latter end of the Fourth Chapter whether he feels a calm in his Conscience or whether he be doubtful and desirous of further information in any thing concerning his Salvation And if he be the Minister ought diligently to attend both to the hearing him and giving him satisfaction therein Or if he says no and yet the Minister suspects the Case to be otherwise with him let him advise him to bethink himself whether he has not forgot to repent of some secret Sin or whether he has not been too reserv'd in some certain Particulars such as the Restitution of the Honour or Goods he may have taken away from his Neighbour Which Restitution if he be really convinc'd he ought to make let him forthwith do it himself if possible or at least order it to be done as soon as may be And in case he has not sufficient for it let him be brought faithfully to promise that if it should please God to restore him to his health again he would omit nothing for the giving satisfaction to all he is indebted to In like manner the Minister is to inform himself whether he has Children or had the discharging of any Publick Offices or the like that so he may ask him proper Questions concerning the same respectively and avoid what else would be less useful As to the Second Head namely the Exciting the Patient to Acts of Faith c. The Minister is to consider the bent of his Mind For if he be one that is Pious and accustom'd to Divine Meditation and able to pray and meditate by himself 't will be convenient that he be let alone for sometime without interruption But because his Sickness may have brought him low and there may be cause to fear that by reason of the weakness of his Mind as well as that of his Body he may not be able to support himself in his holy Cogitations the Minister may gently ask him whether he is not willing to be assisted therein To which if he replyes that he is devoutly entertaining himself the Minister shall desire him to communicate his Meditations to him that he may be also profited thereby This is a very useful Caution For by it the Minister will discover whether there be no delusion or temptation mixt in his thoughts And if he finds him as it often happens to need a Subject to be given him to meditate upon he shall propose to him some comfortable Words of our Saviour as these recorded in St. Mathew's Gospel Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest Or some others relating to the Mystery of his Passion and especially such as he may be thought to like best and be most edified by remembring him of Christ's Sufferings upon the Cross and the excessive Torments and reproachful Death He underwent for our Sins whose heinousness required so severe a Punishment in his Sacred Person By which means he may at once be excited to Contrition and a necessary Confidence of obtaining Heaven which the Redeemer of the World has thus purchas'd for him with his most precious Blood If the Patient has not strength sufficient to meditate by himself and yet has enough of his Senses remaining to be able both to hear and to be affected with the Words of Exhortation then the Minister will do well to continue him in the Exercise of his Contrition Faith Hope and Charity as we have said in the 2d 5th 6th and 7th Chapters and having represented to him how great and ignominious those Torments were which our Blessed Saviour endur'd he shall add that our Sins must certainly have been very enormous to have stood in need of so extraordinary a Remedy Let him if he be able say Lord Have mercy upon me Christ Have mercy upon me a poor wretched Sinner I am sorry from my heart that ever I have offended Thee O forgive me all my iniquities Encrease my repentance and support it and supply its defects with the Merits of Thy Blood O Merciful Saviour be favourable unto my Soul that longeth after Thee and nothing but Thee And for the exciting his Faith let him call to mind that Jesus Christ though of one and the same Substance with the Father Co-eternal and Coequal with Him in all his Perfections yet has been willing so far to humble himself as even to take our Flesh upon Him and die on the Cross for our Salvation and then let him adore Him as the Saviour and Redeemer of the World It will be also very proper for the Comfort and Edification of his Relations and other Persons present that he openly declare the Profession of Faith he dies in saying I protest before Heaven and Earth that I die in the Catholick and Apostolick Faith hoping to be saved through the sole
Merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Then he shall rehearse the Apostles Creed or if he cannot himself do it endeavour to follow in heart and mind the Minister that shall pronounce it for him who at the same time may encrease his Hopes of Salvation by remembring him of Christ's great Love to him by whose Sufferings it is that the Gates of Heaven do now stand open ready to receive him by whose Wounds and Torments he is heal'd and by whose Death he shall obtain Everlasting Life and Happiness The Minister shall also represent to him the precious Blood which ran from his Saviour's Feet Hands and Head and from all his Sacred Body even from his Side that was so barbarously and inhumanly pierced with a Spear He shall likewise put him in mind of the Crown of Thorns that was set on his Head out of derision and contempt of the Scourges that cruelly tore his Flesh as if He had been a Slave of the Blows He received upon His Sacred Face which were not only painful and dolorous but full of ignominy and confusion All which he shall lay before him in order to the raising his Confidence and perswading him that Jesus Christ did thus suffer and humble Himself for no other end but his Redemption making him sensible that God who has done so much for him surely will not now abandon him at a time when he has the greatest need of his Assistance and telling him therefore that if the Devil inwardly reproaches him and endeavours to affright him with the heinousness of his Sins he must boldly answer him My God in whom I believe and repose my trust has by his Blood shed on the Cross wash'd them away and is now at the Right Hand of his Father making intercession for me and shewing Him His Body still cover'd as it were with that most precious Blood by which He made full Satisfaction and Atonement for all my Transgressions And then go on in these Words My God I put my trust in Thee O shut not up the Bowels of Thy tender Mercies from me Arise O God of my Salvation and scatter abroad all my Enemies Let them that hate Thee flee before Thee Even as the smoke let them vanish away and melt at Thy Presence as Wax melteth before the Fire But let Thy Servant rejoyce In short the Minister shall again and again exhort him to Charity and a Love of God by the several Motives before propos'd and above all the rest by that of the exceeding great Love which the Son of God has shewn in dying for us Whereupon he shall cry-out with David What reward shall I give to the Lord for all the benefits that he has done unto me I cannot better express my love to Him than by receiving this his Visitation with patience and humility Most ready I am O Lord to embrace Death it self to the end my Soul may be united to Thee for evermore In like manner ought he to resign himself into the Hands of God and commend his Spirit to His Mercy To Thee O Lord I give up my Soul for Thou hast both created and redeemed it Thine I am yea Thine alone Therefore Thy Holy Will be done in me and by me Be Thou only pleased to inlighten mine Eyes that they may readily discover the Snares which the Enemy is laying for me and never suffer them to be surpris'd by the slumber of Death If he languishes by slow degrees and remains sensible in his last Agony the History of Christ's Passion shall be read to him out of the Gospel together with some Chapters of St. Paul's Epistles as the 1st and 2d to the Corinthians the 2d to Timothy and the two last Chapters of the Revelation of St. John choosing the Places in those Chapters that are proper for a Dying Person and passing over the rest Some Psalms may be also recited to him suitable to the occasion In a Word let not the Minister abandon him one Minute whilst he appears to have the least remainder of Sense For at this last Moment it is as St. Gregory tells us upon the Nineteenth Chapter of St. Luke that the Devil redoubles his Endeavours to destroy us So that the Minister continuing his Exhortation to him may if he finds him capable thereof desire him to pursue his Applications to God after this manner Lord I believe that Thou art my God and my Redeemer I humbly beg of Thee the pardon and forgiveness of all my Sins I am exceedingly sorry for the Commission of them and wish my Sorrow were still greater If I have omitted any thing that Thou requirest for my Repentance Lord I pray Thee give me a due sense thereof and fit me for Thy Self Supply all my imperfections and make me such as Thou would'st have me to be Lord I do for Thy sake freely forgive whatever wrongs and injuries I have received and heartily ask forgiveness of them whom I have any ways offended If I have ought that is another's due I desire to restore it as far as my Abilities will permit In Thee O Lord I place all my Hope though I know my self unworthy of the least of Thy Mercies Thy Sufferings and Thy Blood assure me of my Salvation Both my Life and my Death are in Thy Hands Do Thou with me as it shall seem good to Thee 'T is sufficient for me to love and bless Thee to all Eternity If the Sick Person be in a condition of bearing with any more Discourse the Minister shall go on in the same Method of assisting him to lift up his Soul to God and to that end make use of the Words mention'd in the 5th 6th and 7th Chapters of this Book not omitting to admonish him to beg of God to accept the Prayers whether publick or private put up by the Church or his Friends for him As to the Third Head Which respects the Minister's solemn Recommendation of the Dying Person 's Soul to God the proper time to go about it is when he perceives him to be struggling with the Pangs of Death and just upon the point of his Departure The Form thereof is prescribed by the Church To which if he finds the Patient to continue longer than he expected and possest of any remains of his Senses he may add such further Sentences of Scripture as he shall judge convenient like these O Son of David have mercy upon me Haste Thee to deliver me make haste to help me O Lord. With how much Sincerity Zeal and Attention this last Office ought to be performed I hope no good Christian much less those of the Sacred Function whose more particular Province it is need to be admonish'd As to the Fourth Head Which concerns the Edification of those that are present we shall treat thereof in the last Chapter of this Book CHAP. IX What means are to be us'd when the Patient does not resign himself as he ought to the Will of God and is afraid of Death through a
by him and causing those that are present to join with him therein In short let his whole Discourse be plain tender and affectionate particularly with Persons of Piety and Understanding who are not to be spoke to by way of Instruction but as it were only to refresh their Minds with those Virtues they have already known and practis'd But if the Minister has no knowledge of or acquaintance with the Sick Person the first thing he is to do when he goes to his House is to get information concerning him with respect to the Qualities and Circumstances above mention'd Viz. Whether he be a Man of Learning or not Whether of a meek and sweet Nature whether he has still his Senses good and the use of his Reason Whether he is at the point of Death Whether he has been already visited by any other Minister and has receiv'd the Sacred Viaticum What Course of Life he has led Whether there be any particular thing of which he ought to be put in mind necessary to his Salvation Whether he lies under any secret trouble or affliction and whether he has his Hearing so good as to be able to hear what may be spoken softly to him As soon as the Minister is come into the Sick Person 's Chamber let him begin his Exhortation with greeting him in an affectionate manner that so by his Civility he may render himself the more agreeable and welcome to him Then if he finds it convenient he may ask him some Questions about the State of his Conscience but this he must do gently and with a modest liberty And when the Sick Person shall give him Answers he ought to hear him patiently taking care not to disturb him with any Discourse forrein to the purpose or with vain repetitions And thus having made himself acquainted with his Temper and Disposition of Mind let him not omit any thing of Gentleness Tenderness or the like that may win the Sick Person to a Confidence in him whereby he may the more easily perswade him of what he shall say and in case he be oblig'd to come again the Patient may receive him with pleasure and delight CHAP. II. What things are requisite for the disposing a Sick Person to die well THEY are two-fold Some absolutely necessary which are such as may put him into a State of Grace Others only useful to the comforting him and strengthening his Hope To which is to be added the Disposal of his Body and of his Estate for the benefit of his Relations And though there are different ways of effecting this according to the Condition he is in and the time he has for it yet we shall hereafter treat thereof as if he had all the leisure he could desire for the same and from thence shall proceed to speak of what he ought to do when he wants time and his Understanding grows weaker What therefore the Minister is principally to take care of is to put the Patient into a State of Grace To which end he ought to dispose him to the receiving of the Blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper which is the Channel whereby the Holy Ghost descends into our hearts He must also read to him some proper Places in the Gospel and the Service for the Sick And that done he may go on to the asking him Questions and let his Discourse fall upon his Distemper insinuating to him that the Physicians are apprehensive of his Life and therefore he should not rely too much upon Human Means or what Help his Friends and Relations can give him but put his whole Trust and Confidence in God Who loving him with an unbounded Love and being able to do all things will if it be for the good of his Soul restore him to his Health again or else afford him those means whereby he may attain to Everlasting Bliss That he ought with all his heart to turn himself towards Jesus Christ his most true Friend whose Love to him extended so far as to the shedding even his Blood for him as himself expresseth it in his Holy Gospel Who is the only Faithful Friend that never abandons us at the point of Death whereas our other Friends either will not or cannot in that last moment be of any avail to us Who is also a Wise Physician that is able not only to cure the Body so as to continue it still in life for many Years but even to heal the Soul too and make it happy for evermore Having thus spoken to him and hereon inlarg'd according to his discretion the Minister should in the next place ask him whether he has any thing which troubles his Conscience and ought to be reveal'd so that if he finds his Distemper to be violent and dangerous he may admonish him forthwith to disburthen himself by Confession But if he be in no present danger of Death he may be allow'd more time for it to the end he may the better recollect himself of all he has done amiss and heartily beg God's pardon for the same the Minister putting him in mind of the Words of the Prophet to this purpose In the bitterness of my Soul O Lord will I call to remembrance before Thee all the Years that I have spent in Sin But in case the Patient desires no time to examine himself and the Minister knows that this is only to avoid the trouble of searching his Conscience perhaps out of fear that in reflecting upon his sinful Life past he may unhappily meet with some new Temptation or at the best not reap much fruit there-from he ought to perswade him that to be re-established in Grace he must without delay make an humble Confession of all his Sins to Almighty God and according to the Advice of the Son of Sirach in his Ecclesiasticus not defer his Conversion from day to day Forasmuch as we cannot promise to our selves one hour longer and that according to our Repentance or Obdurateness of Heart we shall be for ever happy or miserable On which occasion let the Minister remember him of what the Wiseman saith That delay of Conversion has been the Destruction of many Sinners who flattering themselves with the hopes of long life often fall into a Delirium and lose their Senses or else are surpris'd by a sudden Death and so being prevented of time and opportunity to repent are irrecoverably lost adding that he who is not ready to be converted to day will be less so to morrow In short the Minister ought to stir him up to a true Contrition of heart by representing to him the heinousness of his Sins yet with such moderation as not to affright him and cast him into Despair It will be sufficient that he make him sensible of the Majesty of that God he has offended before whom the Angels themselves tremble of his inflexible Justice which severely punishes the Devils and all Reprobates and no less of his Holiness that bears so great a hatred to Sin that whoever
dies in impenitence though formerly he may have led a Righteous Life must expect to be adjudg'd to Everlasting Flames Yet let the Minister as is said before take care not to affright the Patient especially if he be naturally timorous but rather increase and support his Contrition by laying before him God's Mercies and Goodness in the order both of Nature and Grace shewing him what great Love He had for him in not sparing his only begotten Son but delivering him up to the Death of the Cross for the Redemption of him and all penitent Sinners What Glory He has prepar'd for him in Heaven How good and gracious He is and worthy of our Love and Praise who has both made him out of nothing and adopted him in his Son and our Redeemer Christ Jesus And so the Minister shall continue with an affectionate tenderness to represent to him that this is that Good God he has offended by his manifold Sins and for which therefore he ought sensibly to be afflicted and heartily repent Which having said the Minister may here make a pause and give the Sick Person time to reflect upon what he has now spoken so as he may be excited to Contrition And then he shall raise his Hope again and animate his Love by telling him that the same God forgives him all his Sins who in his infinite Mercy waited for his Repentance and has promised by his Prophet that at what time soever the Sinner shall return to Him He will pardon his iniquities and remember them no more That his Saviour has his Arms stretched out upon the Cross ready to embrace him and put him into the possession of Heaven which He has purchased for him with his Precious Blood After this let the Minister exhort him to say both with Heart and Mouth as the Publican in the Gospel Lord have mercy upon me a poor Sinner And with David Lord forgive me all my Sins Have mercy upon me O Lord according to thy great Goodness according to the multitude of thy Mercies do away mine Offences Wash me throughly from my Wickedness and cleanse me from my Sin O turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and in misery Against Thee O my God! have I sinn'd and done evil in thy sight And if thou Lord wilt be extream to mark what I have done amiss I cannot abide it O enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified My soul cleaves unto the dust O quicken thou me according to thy Word I am full of heaviness because I have offended thee My Soul also is sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me O be thou merciful unto me and help me for I put my trust in Thee Remember not O Lord the Sins and Offences of my Youth but according to thy mercy think thou upon me Turn thy face from my Sins and put out all my misdeeds O let me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit withinme Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Lord I am thine O save me and deliver me Shew the light of thy countenance upon me Make hast to help me O Lord Thou art my Helper and my Redeemer O Lord make no long tarrying Cast me not away in this time of distress forsake me not now my strength fails me but draw nigh unto my soul and save it for thy mercies sake Bow down thine Ear O Lord and hear me for I am poor and in misery Be merciful unto me O Lord for my spirit waxeth faint Comfort the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul For thou Lord art good and gracious and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee Give ear Lord unto my Prayer and ponder the voice of my humble desires In the time of my trouble I will call upon Thee for Thou hearest me Teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy Truth O knit my heart unto Thee that I may fear thy Name Lord Thou knowest all my desire and my groaning is not hid from Thee My heart panteth my strength has failed me and the sight of my Eyes is gone from me There is no health in my flâ—sh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my Sin Take thy plague away from me I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand O hide not thou thy face from me nor cast thy Servant away in displeasure Thou hast been my succour leave me not neither forsake me O God of my Salvation Hear my prayer O Lord and with thine ears consider my calling Hold not thy peace at my tears For thy hand is heavy upon me day and night and my moisture is like the drought in summer O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen These Divine Sentences or some of them or the like with which the Book of Psalms is abounding the Minister may use according as he shall judge most proper and suitable to the Capacity of the Sick Person and the Condition he shall find him in to the end he may still keep him in a state of Contrition and remove from his heart all inclinations to Sin But as we have intimated before let him take great care that this Contrition of his be not imperfect and grounded only upon fear of Punishment but be excited and supported by a true Love of God and perfect Charity towards all Men. And when the Minister shall perceive the Patient to be thus throughly affected with the sense of his Sins and to express a hearty Sorrow for them and fervent Love towards his offended Creator let him for his Comfort declare to him In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that upon his sincere Repentance all his Sins are done away and will never more be remembred That the Gracious and Merciful God has passed by and forgiven his Iniquities and Transgressions has now received him into his Favour and will shortly admit him into the Company of his Holy Angels and Blessed Saints That He will make him sit at Table with him in the Kingdom of Glory and replenish him with Joy and Felicity for ever more But before this Declaration be made 't is necessary that the Minister exhort him to take his Sickness and if it should so please God his Death too with patience and submission it being a Tribute we are all obliged to and acceptable to God when freely paid He must also admonish him that if he has any Goods in his possession that belong to his Neighbour he should if possible make immediate Restitution
conjunction with him and giving him an Explanation of its Contents From which if the Patient shall think himself in some measure inlightened but not yet sufficiently acquainted with some certain Articles thereof the Minister may prudently and dexterously instruct him concerning the same without any shew of catechising of him but by way of Prayer exhorting him to say after him Lord I commend my Soul to Thee O most Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Spirit One only God in Three Persons and Unity of Substance have mercy upon me I commit my self to Thee O Father Almighty who hast created Heaven and Earth and all things visible and invisible I commend my self to Thee O Blessed JESU Saviour of my Soul who wast sent from Heaven by the Father Eternal Who wast conceived by the Operation of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin MARY Who Suffer'dst Dyedst and wast Buried Who didst descend into Hell and rosest again on the Third Day Who ascendedst into Heaven and art sitting on the right Hand of God the Father Almighty From whence Thou shalt come to Judge all Men who are to rise again in their own Bodies giving Life to such of them as shall have dyed in Grace and adjudging the Reprobates to Eternal Fire I commend my self to Thee Holy Spirit who proceedest both from the Father and the Son and whom together with these Two Divine Persons I adore with one and the same Adoration who inlivenest and sanctifiest One Catholick and Apostolick Church on Earth in which Thou hast ordain'd Two Sacraments for the Remission of Sins and Communion with Thy Self I beseech Thee I humbly intreat Thee through Thine Own Merits O sweet JESU my Redeemer by Thy tender Love and Mercy and by all that Thou hast done and suffered for me to lead me to those Mansions of Eternal Bliss and Glory which Thou hast prepar'd for those that love Thee Amen The same thing may be done also by way of Oblation as I Offer up my Heart and my Soul to Thee O Lord who c. Or by way of Supplication as Have mercy upon me O Lord c. Or Lastly by way of Thansgiving as I thank Thee O most Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost One only God in Three Persons who hast created c. as before The Minister may also instruct the Patient by raising his Hope towards God and shewing him what Father he has by Creation and at the same time explaining to him those Articles of Faith that respect the Divinity Then by shewing him who his Redeemer is and acquainting him with the Mystery of the Incarnation And lastly by telling him who is his Comforter discoursing to him of the Holy Spirit and of the Graces which he communicates to us In like manner may he teach him the Articles of his Belief by causing him to ponder the Benefits and Favours God has done him by representing to him that the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost have created all Things for him and that Jesus Christ who is the Word equal to his Father has been willing to put on Human Flesh in order to his Redemption from Sin and Death and the purchasing for him a Crown of Everlasting Glory All these different Ways of explaining the Articles of the Christian Faith to One that is not throughly acquainted with them may also be very useful to those that are the most perfect therein not for instructing but inciting them to Acts of Faith especially when drawing near to Death it being very necessary at that juncture to fix in the Patient a Belief of those Blessings he hopes to enjoy to all Eternity CHAP. VI. How the Minister is to raise and exercise the Hope of the Sick Person FIRST of all he must examine how his Soul is affected there being three sorts of Dispositions to be found in Sick Persons Some have little Hope with much Fear whether proceeding from a Natural Timorousness and the remembrance of their Sins that perhaps are very many and heinous or from the Craft and Malice of the Devil who having propos'd to them while they were in health God's Mercy alone abstracted from his Justice for the more easie inducing them to a Security in Sinning does now they are approaching Death and Judgment present to their Eyes the Severity of God's Justice unattended with his Mercy to the end he may cast them into Despair concerning their Salvation and so harden them to a thorough impenitence Others there are who on the contrary exceed in Hope even to Presumption as thinking of nothing but the Virtuous Actions and good Works they fancy to have done and regarding only the Divine Mercy and infinite Merits of Christ without reflecting at all upon their Sins or the Judgments denounced by God against them The third and last sort are such as have neither Hope nor Despair in whom it is therefore expedient to excite the former by the Means we shall next endeavour to shew referring it to another place to speak of raising the Hope of the Timerous and moderating that of the Presumptuous As the principal Object of Hope is God He being the Author of that Felicity we look for so there are two Things which the Minister is chiefly to attend to with regard to this Head The one is the raising and fixing the Sick Person 's Hope upon the Glory Eternal The other is the exciting him to a Christian Confidence that he shall attain to it He may raise his Hope and strengthen his Courage by telling him that within a little time the Torments and Afflictions which always accompany this present Life will be at an end He may comfort him also with that which made the Prophet rejoyce namely The glad Tidings of his being now going to the House of God Wherein he shall feel no more Pains nor Cares nor Grief the same Prophet assuring us that no Harms no Sufferings no Torments no Fears shall ever come nigh the Everlasting Mansions Where also as St. John says God shall wipe away all Tears from our Eyes The Minister shall endeavour to lift up his Heart and Mind to the Heavenly Jerusalem that Divine City and sure Refuge from all our Enemies where the World the Flesh and the Devil shall no longer be able to pursue after us and where we shall reap the Eternal Fruits of our Victories over them and be Crowned with immortal Life and Glory It may inspire the Sick Person with some sort of Joy too to put him in mind that he will shortly return his acceptable Thanks to Almighty God for his having led him as it were through Fire and Water into a Place of true Refreshment and Delight Let him repeat sometimes the Words which God spake by his Prophet Isaiah Behold I will extend Peace to them like a River and Glory like a flowing stream that is I will cause their hearts to overflow with joy and tranquility Let him remember with St.
Paul that God's Children have no abiding and continuing City upon Earth but ought to long for the New Jerusalem which is above Let him cry out with David O how amiable are thy Tabernacles Thou Lord of Hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for Thy Courts O Lord For there to dwell but one day or be a Door-keeper in Thy House is far better and more pleasant to me than were I to live Thousands and ten Thousands of Years in the Palaces of Worldly Men. Let him possess his mind with the unspeakable Joy he will feel in the Company of so many Saints and Blessed Spirits that do and shall ever love each other with a most perfect Love that resemble so many glorious Kings who reign not as the Kings of the Earth for a little while and that too in continual troubles and disquiets but in the Kingdom of the Living where there are none but the Children of God and where Sorrow and Death shall never come Let care be used to remove from his Soul all sort of reluctance or difficulty he may conceive of parting with his Body by making him sensible that at present 't is nothing but Filth and Corruption and Weakness and Infirmity and in lieu thereof will rise again all Glorious Spiritual and Immortal Let him be put in mind of what is intimated to us in Exodus That Man shall never see God so long as he lives in the Flesh For as the Apostle saith God inhabits an inaccessible Light That therefore out of this World we must get before we can enjoy that Glory so sull of Beauty and Sweetness the sole fruition whereof makes up the Felicity of the Blessed For which reason it is that Life Eternal is said in the Gospel to consist only in the full Knowledg and Love of God A Bliss so great as no Eye ever saw no Ear ever heard nor has it enter'd into the heart of Man to conceive Such is to be the Felicity of the Elect Who as David saith shall be satisfied and refreshed with those Rivers of Pleasure that continually flow from God as the Well of Life Let him be exhorted to say with the same Royal Prophet Like as the Hart desires the Water-brooks so longeth my Soul after Thee O God! My Soul is a-thirst for God yea even for the Living God O when shall I come to appear before the presence of God Must my Confinement continue yet longer And shall my Soul never be dissolv'd from this Body that she may for ever abide with Christ my Saviour These or the like Sentences according to his discretion the Minister shall make use of uttering them in such a manner as the Patient may distinctly hear them and if he can repeat them after him in order to their making the greater impression upon his mind Thus far of the Means for raising his Hope Now for the exciting his Confidence and Assurance of obtaining the Happiness he is labouring after the Minister may use these three several ways First By moving him to the Exercise and Performance of those good Works and Virtues his Condition shall leave him capable of such as Alms and pious Legacies Wherein he must yet be very cautious how he prompts his Zeal so far as to give any just occasion of murmur or dissatisfaction to his Friends and Relations But let him not spare exercising him in all the inward Acts of Faith Hope Charity and Contrition which no Doubt will give him great Confidence especially if he be fervent and continue in the practice thereof Secondly By Consideration that is fixing his Thoughts upon those things he shall say to him in order to his obtaining this Confidence And here he may entertain him after this manner Though the Glory of God infinitely exceeds your poor Merits yet fear you not God in his Mercy will supply your Defects and support your Weakness and comfort your Heart Be fully perswaded that he to whom Grace and Glory belong will bestow them on you inasmuch as he is infinitely Good and is pleased to make you and all sincere Believers happy You are his Son and He your Father and a Father full of Love and Tenderness who is far more desirous to receive you into Heaven than your self can be to obtain it Why should you therefore at all doubt of your being now going to possess Eternal Joy and Felicity For that alone it was He created you Nor came Jesus Christ to die upon the Cross for any other End than to open to us the Gates of Heaven which the Disobedience of our First Parents had shut upon us He has also wash'd in his Precious Blood the Sins you have committed He has given you his Sacraments and preventing Grace that hath wrought Contrition in your heart so as to make you Heir of his Kingdom Consider that He who so often sought for you during the whole Course of your Life even whilst you despised and highly provoked him will shew so much the more Mercy and Favour to you now that you humbly prostrate your self before Him with a truly broken and contrite heart Again The Minister may comfort the Sick Person and more and more establish his Trust and Confidence in God's Mercy by continuing to speak to him in this sort Dear Brother look-up chearfully towards Jesus Christ and never grow weary of thinking of what he did and suffer'd for your sake for the space of Three and Thirty Years He lived here upon Earth Who though very God and King of Glory was willing to subject himself to pains and contempt and at last to a shameful Death upon the Cross for your Salvation Be you perswaded that so many Sufferings will not be lost but will certainly procure you Everlasting Rest and Glory This All-merciful God who for your sake was pleas'd to take Human Flesh upon Him and hath left a sensible Memomorial of that his infinite Love to you in the Blessed Eucharist In a word who has adopted you to be Partaker of his Kingdom How can he now deny or reject you seeing you so well dispos'd to receive the Impressions of his Holy Spirit and so patiently submitting to all the Afflictions wherewith He thinks fit to try your Fidelity Consider that He is your Advocate and Intercessor with the Father and is prevailing with Him at this very time I am speaking to you for the Pardon of your Sins Apply your self to Him and say O Holy JESU my Redeemer accept I beseech Thee my Love and my Repentance Wash all my Sins in thy most precious Blood Cover my Unrighteousnesses and Imperfections with thy Merits and Righteousness and thus adorned present me unto God the Father that so I may be acceptable to Him for Thy sake and through Thy Dear Self O my Sweet Saviour All these things may be useful likewise to raise a true Christian Confidence in them who are afraid of Death Of whom we have promised to speak by and by Another Means to excite Hope in
forever live with Christ who is my Life And these of the Wise Son of Sirach Fear not the Sentence of Death Remember them that have been before thee and that come after For this is the Sentence of the Lord over all flesh And why art thou against the pleasure of the most High There is no inquisition in the grave whether thou hast liv'd ten or an hundred or a thousand years Let him represent to him St. Hilarion surpris'd by Thieves who with Sword in Hand are just going to murther him when astonish'd to see him so unconcern'd and asking him why he fear'd not Death 'T is answered he because I have been a long time preparing my self for it He may also observe to him the Words of St. Cyprian who says that such only ought to fear Death as lack Faith and have no Hope of reigning with Christ To all which the Minister may superad divers Examples and Sayings of other Saints and Martyrs who have wish'd and long'd for their Dissolution whereby to pacifie and calm the trouble with which the Sick Person 's mind is disturbed Thirdly The last means we propos'd for removing the Patient's Fear of Death is by Ejaculatory Prayers the Minister teaching and assisting him to say after this manner O my God! I feel the horrors of Death upon me but as much as in me lies I sacrifice them to Thee and am ready to die if it be thy Pleasure I humbly submit my will to Thine O Lord who hast created me preserved me and by a special Grace caused me to be born within thy Church to the end I might be saved What reward shall I give unto Thee for all these Benefits I will receive at Thy Hand this Cup of my Death which Thou presentest to me I take it O my God with all my heart in testimony of my Love and Submission to Thee If Thou O Lord hast so decreed it notwithstanding my natural reluctance thereto I am most ready and willing to die hoping my Death will through thine infinite Goodness be follow'd by Eternal Rest O Father of Mercy and God of all Comfort I thank Thee that I am now come to my last hour which will put an end to all my Sins I thank Thee especially that Thou hast been pleas'd to afford me time to prepare my self for Death O help Thou me in my troubles and anguishes Strengthen my Soul that stands surrounded with the dangers of Hell Support my weakness and be my strong Defence against Satan that so I may die in Thy Favour and Love I know that my Redeemer lives and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth And though after my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my flesh will I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold and not another Lord I beseech Thee encrease my Faith and Confidence in Thee and comfort thou me in all my Afflictions Thus may the Minister entertain the Sick Person in devout Meditations and Prayers making use also of such other Words and Sentences as he shall judge proper for the raising his Soul and fixing his Thoughts and Desires upon God CHAP. X. What is to be said to a Sick Person whose unwillingness to die proceeds from an excessive Love for the Things of this World OThers there are who are very loath to think of Death not so much like those mentioned in the preceding Chapter from an over-fondness of Life it self as a difficulty of quitting some particular Things and Circumstances attending it such as Riches and Honours and Pleasures and above all the Persons they most dearly love their Wives and Children c. On which last account the Poor Man's Case claims our greatest pity and attention For whilst his heart is fill'd with grief and anxious thoughts what will become of his distressed Family the Devil ne're fails to lay hold on this Occasion to divert his Mind from the Business of his Salvation If therefore the Minister find this to be the Condition of the Patient having first exhorted those that are present humbly to implore Almighty God to allay his Disquiets and render his Mind free and composed to the end he may think of nothing but Eternity let him make use of the following Means for comforting him And in the First place let him cause all such Persons to withdraw whether Wife or Children or others whose presence may attract the Patient's Affection to this World and keep up those melancholy thoughts he is in taking care to prevent as much as possible his being spoken to about them further than he shall think of absolute necessity with regard to their future Settlement After which he may proceed to inform him that this Disquiet of his is not only useless both to himself and Family but most prejudicial to his Soul in that it obstructs its due Preparation for Death That the Poverty under which he leaves his Family is an Evil that soon or late will have an end but the Torments of the other World have none and that therefore in these last moments of his Life he ought to entertain no other thoughts but how to avoid his own Eternal Misery That his Family is under the Conduct of the Divine Providence that loves them and will watch over them and bestow on them Temporal Goods sufficient perhaps too great a measure thereof so that instead of afflicting himself with the Consideration of the sad Condition he leaves them in he ought on the contrary to rejoyce in God and to lift up his Heart and Mind to Him and to beg his Grace to forget and reject whatever respects not his Everlasting Salvation with full perswasion that God to whom he is to recommend his Wife and Children as Christ when ready to die did his Disciples will be their Protector and Helper and Defender who being also more their Father than he himself is of his own Children and governing all things both in Heaven and on Earth by his Almighty Providence will supply them with whatsoever is necessary as well for their Bodies as their Souls This Trust and Confidence the Minister shall say to him will be more available to the good of your Family then all the disquieting thoughts you can entertain about them For God is Merciful and will grant us every thing we ask according to his Will Moreover remember that he who undertakes a long Journey should not carry ought about him that is combersom You are setting-out upon your Journey to Eternity and may within a little time appear before the Tribunal of God Take upon you therefore no such unnecessary Burden as that of the care of your Wife and Children Peradventure they have been the cause of your committing many Sins in the course of your Life Beware they be not that of your undoing now Disburthen your heart of this heavy Load that so it may be able to raise it self up to God and savour nothing but things Eternal Consider
the Days of Salvation pass away apace and when once gone it being for ever out of our power to recall them again we ought to employ them with the Care and Circumspection becoming good Christians by weaning our selves without delay from the Things of this World and dispossessing our Hearts of all other Thoughts but what relate to God alone Nor need we any other Arguments than the sight of this very Dead Body to convince us how vain and transistory how deceitful and perishable all those false Enjoyments are which the Devil makes use of to dazzle our Eyes and allure us to Sin Neither Riches nor Honours are able to procure one Minute's Respit from the Stroke of Death When she summons we must immediately obey and quit them all nay and our very Bodies too as straightly as we are ty'd to them and resign them to unavoidable Corruption In a word That the Goods of this World are so far only to be desired as may serve for the necessary support of our selves and enable us to be assisting to others From whence he may take occasion of saying something to them about the Settlement of their Temporal Concerns advising them to make their Wills and Testaments whilst in a state of perfect Health and Understanding that so they may be able to deliberate the more maturely thereon and dispose of their Estates with the greater satisfaction to themselves as well as Justice and Equality to others by a due regard to Relation Friendship and Deserts it often happening where this Caution is not us'd that a Feaver or some other violent Distemper surprises a Man and puts it out of his power to do the Good he intended to have done Or some of his greedy Friends and Relations finding him in a helpless condition do by their tiresome importunities oblige him to make an unequal Testament Or lastly not to mention more of the many inconveniencies arising from this neglect he dies Intestate and leaves his Estate for a Prey to the Lawyers and a standing occasion of Discord in his Family But when by a prudent timely and just disposal of his Earthly Possessions he has convey'd the Blessings of Peace Plenty and Prosperity to his Family When by an upright and unspotted Life he has preserved himself fit to enter into the Holy of Holies the Sacred Mansions of the Most High And last of all when by his Merciful Deeds he has secur'd to himself Mercy from his Blessed Saviour Oh! with what unspeakable Comfort may he end his days and with what Confidence and Alacrity appear before the Tribunal of God to receive his Everlasting Reward applying to himself the Words of the Revelation I heard a Voice from Heaven saying to me Write From henceforth blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their Labours and their Works follow them Thus much in case the Patient shall die IF it shall please God to restore him to his health again The Minister is to visit and congratulate him thereon and with so much the more fervency by how much the more dangerous his Sickness has been Which will give him the fairer Opportunity of inlarging upon and rendring him sensible of God's transcendent Mercies to him and the Gratitude on his part due for the same A Debt he may tell him no other ways to be discharg'd than by his making such good use of this Visitation as may tend to the Glory of God the Edification of his Neighbour and the Amendment of his own Life for the future In order whereto the Minister shall remind him of what pass'd between them during his Illness upon the Subject of his Spiritual Welfare Of the Difficulties met with in his Preparation for Death for want of a timely regard thereto Of the Defects in his Repentance still remaining to be supply'd Of the particular Frailties against which he is chiefly to arm himself for the time to come And Lastly Of his Pious Vows and Resolutions concerning these or any other Points founded upon the Condition of his Recovery and requiring to be now confirm'd and made good Adding thereto to conclude all That as when Sick he desired and had the Publick Prayers of the Church as well as those of his Private Friends so is it meet and his bounden Duty that having received the Benefit of them in his Redemption from the Grave and the Gates of Death he should now Give Thanks unto the Lord with his whole heart not only secretly but among the Faithful and in the Congregation Where he ought also with the first Opportunity to Offer his Vows unto the Most High by receiving the Cup of Salvation and calling upon the Name of the Lord with humblest Supplications for the Assistance of his Holy Spirit towards enabling him duely to perform the same In the mean time and ever continuing fervent in his Private Devotions and sering himself in some measure therein with the Prayer and Thanksgiving hereto annext Which God of his Infinite Mercy accept Amen A PRAYER and THANKSGIVING to be offer'd to GOD by One newly Recover'd from a dangerous SICKNESS O MOST GRACIOUS GOD and MERCIFUL FATHER Who art a Physician to the Sick Strength to the Weak Comfort to the Afflicted Relief to the Needy and Succour to the Helpless I Thy poor Wretched Creature having so deeply tasted of Thy Mercies do with a profound sense of Thine Infinite Goodness and of my own unworthiness yeild Thee most humble and hearty Thanks and Praise for Thy manifold Benefits and Favours towards me and particularly for that Thou hast been pleased in so fatherly a manner to visit me and to bring me back from the Grave and from the Gates of Death restoring me to my former Health and Strength LORD What shall I render unto Thee as for all other so more especially for this tender Mercy of thine in thus sparing me longer in the Land of the Living and affording me still a larger space for my Repentance Thou hast chasten'd and corrected me but hast not given me over unto Death Thou hiddest not Thy Face from me when I was in trouble Thou hast not made my Life like them that go down into the pit nor cast Thy Servant away in Displeasure O sanctifie this Thy Fatherly Correction to me that it may prove an effectual Means for my Thorough-amendment And grant I humbly beseech Thee that through the Assistance of Thy Divine Spirit I may be enabled hereafter to make such good use of the Time which Thy unspeakable Goodness hath now inlarged to me and so husband and improve the same to Thy Service as that it may not repent Thee to have lent it me Grant that I may seriously ponder and admire Thy transcendent Favours to me and my just Obligations of Gratitude to Thee as well as Encouragement continually to depend upon Thee and may without further delay set about the Business Thou hast appointed for me here even the 〈◊〉 Business of my Eternal Salvation 〈◊〉 I may spend the precious Remainder of my â—ife in a constant practice of my Duty towards Thee O MY GOD and towards my Neighbour and my self That I may redeem the time which alas I have so unworthily mispent by living in ignorance and after the Corruptions and Vanities of the World And that considering how short this my time is which is but a Vapour that vanishes away I may never imploy it in making provision for the Flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof but live in Righteousness Purity and Holiness all my days That I may apply my Heart to that true Wisdom which is to know and serve Thee That I may begin even here on Earth that blessed Work I shall continue in Heaven to all Eternity namely to love and adore Thee and to walk before Thee with all humility and uprightness to Praise Laud and Magnifie Thy Holy Name for Thy great Glory and for Thy Goodness-sake Inlighten my mind that I may have a more perfect Knowledge of Thee and inflame my heart with a greater Love towards Thee Teach me to do the thing that pleases Thee for Thou art my God Let Thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the Land of Righteousness O give me grace to do Thy Will in all Things and to delight in nothing more than in obeying Thy Laws and Commandments wherein there is Great Pleasure and Great Reward And to all the Favours I have already received at Thy Merciful Hand LORD Vouchsafe to add this one more That I may never depart from Thee or be abandoned by Thee but that I may in my whole Life please Thee and in my Death praise Thee That when ever Thou shalt see fit to call me out of this World I may be ready to obey Thy Heavenly Summons and to follow Thee and be admitted into Thine Everlasting Kingdom of Bliss and Glory with this most sweet and comfortable Invitation of my BLESSED SAVIOUR's Well done Good and Faithful Servant Enter thou into the Joy of thy Master Grant this O MERCIFUL FATHER for Thine own sake and for the sake of this Dear Son of Thy Love for whom I and all that is within me give Praise and Adoration to Thee and in whose most prevailing Name I further implore Thy Divine Majesty humbly and earnestly praying as He Himself has taught me in his Holy Gospel Our Father c. FINIS