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
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
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
thereof and not leave it to be done by his Heirs or Executors who perhaps will forget it as soon as he is dead What we have here said of Restitution is to be understood of things that are undoubtedly another Man's or Debts that he has legally contracted and admit of no dispute But if it be a doubtful Debt and the Sick Person be able to give a clear account of it he must by all means be advis'd to do it in order to the restoring what is not his own Or if he cannot presently clear the Matter as may happen in the Case of a Guardian to a Minor or a Steward or Agent to One of a great Estate or Dealings he must be told that he ought by a special Clause in his Last Will and Testament to oblige his Heirs Executors or Administrators under a certain penalty to prepare immediately after his Death the Accounts he should have given-in himself had he lived and what shall be found to be remaining due to pay without delay And if he ow'd a clear Sum which he was not then in a condition to pay he ought likewise to oblige his said Administrators to discharge it as soon as may be But if it were at all possible 't would be much better and safer for him to make all those Restitutions himself before his Death than to charge them that come after him therewith Again if the Sick Person be publickly known to have been at Enmity with any one he ought not only to be now in Charity with him but if possible see him and as his Hatred has made a noise in the World so it would not be amiss that his Reconciliation were made before Witnesses to remove the Scandal occasioned thereby And if it was he that gave the first offence to his Neighbour he ought to send to him to beg his Pardon for his misbehaviour and make him satisfaction for the Wrong he may have done him This is meant of publick Injuries But if it be a private Grudge or Spleen Prudence requires That Satisfaction should be made in private and only with the Persons concern'd therein And if he is under an Obligation of repairing the Honour and Reputation which by Slander he may have taken away from his Neighbour let him do it in the best manner he can either by himself or another by word of Mouth or in Writing And Lastly If he has had the misfortune to incur the Publick Censure of the Church he should be exhorted to an humble submission and acknowledgment of his Crime This being over the Minister shall more particularly dispose him to receive the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper preparing him thereto by Acts of Faith Hope and Charity and above all a profound Humility before God who has said by his Prophet That he dwelleth with him that is of a contrite and humble Spirit CHAP. III. Advice to be given to a Sick Person concerning his Relations his Body and his Estate THE Minister having done with the Patient in whatever he thought necessary for the good of his Soul he must now proceed to the advising him to think of his Relations to declare where he will be Buried and to dispose of his Worldly Goods Of which he might have put him in mind before he administred the Holy Sacrament to him But if he omitted it then he ought now to do it and first of all to offer to him the consideration of his Wise and Children especially if the latter be under Age that he may appoint an honest and careful Person for their Guardian whom he can trust with their Education and Estate And in case he has any Daughters not yet dispos'd of that he may leave them according to his Ability wherewith to live either a Single or Married Life as it shall please God to order it And if he has Nephews or other Relations under his Care or Servants he owes any Wages to or is in conscience oblig'd to provide for that he be not remiss in his Justice and Charity to every of them In like manner if the Sick Person has had the Management and Administration of any one's Estate or Affairs or has been in any Publick Employment or concerned in any part of the King's Service let the Minister exhort him strictly to examine his Conduct and Behaviour with relation thereto that if he finds any thing respecting the discharge of such his Duty or Trust that troubles his Conscience he may tell it him or cause it to be told by some body else to the Parties concerned He should be ask'd also what Place he desires to be Buried in in case he has not yet declared it But above all should be desired to prohibit any superfluous Pomp at his Funeral which does not in the least contribute to the Salvation of the Soul but is commonly done by the Friends and Relations out of Pride and Vain-glory Shewing him that a good Christian ought to direct and enjoyn that his Burial be made in an humble and modest and decent manner and at most but suitable to his Quality and Condition In the making his Will and disposing of his Estate let the Minister exhorâ— him carefully to avoid all unjust Partialities which are often-times very ill grounded Or if he has made his Will already 't is fit he be ask'd whether he has any thing to add to take from or alter in it which may be done by a Codiciâ— annext putting him in mind to order therein the payment of his Domesticks Wages and what other Debts he owes If his Estate be so considerable as to admit of Pious Legacies the Minister may shew him the Order he ought to observe herein And much better and safer it would be for him to see the Distribution of his own Charities before he dies than to charge his Heirs or Administrators with them it too often falling out that they prove very hard and backward in the acquitting themselves therein Whereas if he saw the same done in his Life-time the Poor would reap the greater benefit and himself the more satisfaction from it and he might say with St. Lawrence The hands of the Needy have carried up my Alms to Heaven And if among his pious Legacies he designs to found an Hospital or Almshouse or ought of this kind that may remain a Monument to Posterity let him take great care that he does it not more out of Pride and a Vain-glorious Expectation of being celebrated for his Munificence than through a sincere Love to God making him sensible that those Foundations that are laid purely for Charity-sake and the Service of God and true Religion are infinitely more pleasing and acceptable to Him than the bestowing of a Man's whole Estate upon the Poor with any other prospect or intention Upon which the Minister shall advise him to make a serious reflection and to take notice also that though the Foundation of Hospitals and other Places of Charity be a very commendable Work yet the
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
said before of God Himself who being Omniscient cannot be mistaken in his knowledge and being the very Truth cannot deceive or impose upon Us by false Revelation CHAP. XIII How to comfort a Sick Person that is mistrustful of God's Mercy and troubled with Desparing Thoughts 1. THE Minister is to examine the chief Motive of his Distrust whether it be that he is still linked to some beloved Sin that he cannot easily part with such as Hatred or Covetousness or Carnal Lust or the like Of which we shall treat in the Seventeenth Chapter Or whether there lies something hid in his Heart which he ought to repent of the Minister exhorting him at the same time to make a sincere Confession of his Sins to God and throughly bewail them whereby to remove his diffidence and set his Soul entirely at peace 2. If the Patient has no Cause to mistrust God's Goodness to him but is terrified only with the remembrance of his past Sins or the Temptations he is now disturbed with then let the Minister excite his Hope First towards God whom he has offended by telling him that God is always ready to forgive him That he is a Merciful Father That his Graces are infinite That He is full of Tenderness and Compassion and that His Love far surpasses the Sins of Men That He prevents and assists us by the inspirations of his Holy Spirit and pardons our Iniquities when we are truly sorrowful for them Secondly towards Christ with these Words Our Sins we must confess are many and great but God has laid them all upon Jesus Christ by whose Sufferings we are redeemed from them And forasmuch as we were not able to make Satisfaction for them by reason of our own unworthiness his Love for us has extended so far as to give his only Son to be a Saviour to us His Humility has brought down and destroy'd our Pride His Patience our Passions His Charity our Hatred His Cross our Luxury and His Obedience even to die for us has blotted out all our Transgressions And as the least of his Torments was sufficient to satisfie the Justice of God so through these infinite Merits of his may we ask of Him both the Remission of our Sins and Inheritance of His Kingdom Let the Patient for his Comfort remember that he is to have for his Judge this same Jesus who is now at the right Hand of God making Intercession for him and call to mind how gracious He was to St. Peter whom He pardoned almost the same moment he denied Him Let him think of the Charitable Words He pronounced upon the Cross on behalf of his very Enemies Father forgive them for they know not what they do and those he spake to the Penitent Thief That the self-same day he should be with him in Paradise In short let him be perswaded that God has a greater desire to save him than he himself can have to be saved and therefore he has not the least cause to be diffident of his Mercy 3. The Minister may sustain his Hope and Confidence in God's Goodness and Mercy by the Example of divers Holy Persons that remitted the injuries done to them as Joseph David St. Stephen and others teaching him therefrom that if these who were but Men had so much Meekness and Charity as to forgive their very Persecutors what ought not we to expect from God the Fountain of Mercy Whose Goodness will appear still the greater by how much more numerous the Sins are which He pardons to us That therefore provided he has a broken and contrite Heart he needs not in the least apprehend his being rejected or abandoned for though his Transgressions were more heinous than those of the Devils themselves the Cross of Christ is sufficient for the abolishing of them We do not mean that the Minister should say all these things at once and in the Order here prescribed as if he made a set Discourse to him but that he use his Discretion in speaking them by little and little and at several times according as he shall find the Patient in a Condition of hearing him and of receiving Comfort therefrom He may also introduce and relate in few words the History of the Prodigal Son of Mary Magdalen of the Samaritan and of the Cananitish Woman mention'd in the Gospel with that of the whole People of the Jews whom God conducted into the Land of Promise notwithstanding their continual Rebellions and Unfaithfulnesses Let him likewise put the Patient in mind of the Passage in Ezekiel where God says He will forget the iniquities of a Sinner at what hour soever he shall turn and repent That Pardon is in the Gospel it self secured to us upon Condition of our forgiving our Enemies and therefore we ought not to doubt of Forgiveness at God's hand if we for his sake freely and entirely forgive them that have offended us Thus shall the Minister support his Hope by continually saying before him God's Mercies and Promises of Pardon to us for the sake of Christ's Blood that was shed for all Sinners and assuring him that God will not fail to assist him by his Grace nor will suffer him to fall away and miscarry in what concerns his Eternal Salvation Which having said and added thereto what else he may think fit for the same purpose he shall admonish the Patient to apply himself to God in this manner Lord I am an ungrateful Son yet still thy Son Thou having both created me and adopted me in Jesus Christ Thy very Son Co-substantial with Thee O Lord in Thee I have put my trust let me never be confounded I am a prodigal Child I acknowledg that I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee and am no more worthy to be called Thy Son But O my God! are not Thy Mercies greater than my Transgressions Let him say with St. Anselm Lord though I have kindled lust in my Heart can I have quenched Mercy in Thine Though I have commited Sins for which Thou mayst justly condemn me hast thou departed from that Goodness and Clemency by which Thou wast wont to pardon and indulge me Have mercy upon me O my Father For thine own sake and for thy dear Son Jesus Christ ' s sake forgive me all that is past I do earnestly repent I am heartily sorry for all my Misdoings Abolish them in the death and wash them away in the Blood of my Blessed Redeemer Let him also say with Job Though thou should'st kill me yet will I hope in Thee And with David Why art Thou so vexed O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me O put thy trust in God and remember that He is Thy Comfort and Defence Lord enter not into judgment with thy Servant I fly to thy Clemency I implore thy Mercy not thy Justice Judge me not O Lord according to my Deserts Deal not with me after my sins neither reward me after mine iniquities All which let the Patient be advis'd
fly for shelter to his Redeemer who by his Death has deliver'd him from the Empire of Satan and from the Power of Darkness Adding thereto what-ever he shall think proper to keep up the Patient's Hope and dispose him in case he be restored to Health again to do what shall be directed him for the good of his Soul and security of his Eternal Salvation 4. If this Obstinacy proceeds from his adhering to some particular Sin that he is loath to disengage himself from such as the being possess'd of Goods unlawfully gotten which he knows not how to think of restoring the Minister shall represent to him that in all appearance his last Minute is now drawing nigh when he will not be able to avoid leaving these Goods behind him which he refuses to make Restitution of That his Soul is just going to be separated at once from his Body and all those Worldly Pleasures he so fondly embraces and will not renounce and that within a little time he will be summon'd before the Tribunal of God where he must expect to receive Sentence according as he has done whether good or bad If the fear of leaving his Children in want be the main Obstruction to his performance of this Essential part of his Duty let him be advis'd to consider how great an Enemy he will be to himself thus to expose both his Body and Soul to the danger of Everlasting Flames only to enrich his Children who far from being the better for this ill-gotten Wealth may live to curse it as an Occasion of their utter Ruin and Damnation That indeed with much greater Pleasure and Satisfaction he should cast them upon the Divine Providence who if they prove Virtuous will not fail to take careof them and give them a far better and more secure Settlement than any they could have procured to themselves by this unlawful Treasure Which joyn'd with a lively Representation of God's infinite Goodness and Love to us the Favours we daily receive from his Hands and the Glory which He is preparing for us compared with the dreadful Torments of Hell and the miserable State of the Damned Souls may prevail upon him to prefer Spiritual Riches and Enjoyments before all other Considerations And as he shall be observ'd to be most affected with any of the foregoing Motives such Motive may be prudently insisted on to the softening of his heart and making it contrite 5. Lastly If a drouzy Laziness be the Sole Impediment to his Preparation for Death the Minister shall awaken him from this Spiritual Lethargy by shewing him the great danger his Soul is in offering him the assistance of his Advice and Prayers and exhorting him to confess his Sins to God with a Declaration of God's readiness to pardon him on condition of his sincere and hearty Repentance In short whatever may be the Cause of his Reluctance the Minister shall as we have said already desire his Friends and Relations not only themselves to pray for him but to procure him the Publick Prayers of the Church not ceasing to admonish the Patient also while he is able to pray for himself Which the Minister perceiving he is not likely to remain long in a capacity of doing by reason of his approaching Dissolution he ought by no means to abandon him but on the contrary redouble his Fervor in recommending his Soul to God and administring Ghostly Comfort to him to the last moment unless it be that he knows some other particular Minister that may be more acceptable to him whom in such Case he shall cause to be sent for especially if he be a Man of Authority by his Office and Reputation By all which Holy Means and the Blessing of God attending them the Patient being brought as we hope he will to a through Repentance and fit Composure for receiving it the Blessed Sacrament shall be administred to him whereby his Conscience will be much quieted and his Friends and Relations comforted CHAP. XVIII What in the last place the Minister is to do if the Patient dies and What in-case it shall please God to restore him to his Health again With regard on the one hand to the Standers-by and on the other to the Person Recover'd HAving conducted the Patient through all the Circumstances of his Illness and as we hope left nothing wanting towards the Security of his Everlasting Salvation it remains only that we suppose this Sickness of his to terminate either in his Death or Recovery and instruct the Minister how to make the proper Uses of both Events If Death be the Issue the first thing calling for the Minister's regard is the Comforting of the Friends and Relations of the Party Deceas'd A Subject so copious that to be particular therein would be as endless as superfluous I shall therefore content my self with mentioning some of the common Topicks of Consolation on this Occasion and leave it to the Minister's Discretion to inforce and inlarge upon them according to the various Circumstances of Persons Time and Place This then in general may be said to all That they ought by no means to give way to a Grief that cannot possibly avail them any thing but may by being too far indulg'd prove both highly displeasing to God and prejudicial to their own Healths That they are not to look upon those as lost whom God is pleas'd to take to Himself And as to this Separation from their Departed Friend it will not be of any long continuance forasmuch as within a little while they shall meet him again in a happy and joyful Resurrection Nay that 't is even still in their power to possess him as fully as ever they did whilst in the Flesh if as all good Christians should labour to do they possess God with Whom and in Whom he now is On which account if their Love to him was sincere they ought instead of repining at his Death to rejoyce at his being thus remov'd from the Calamities and Miseries of this World into the Bosom of Eternal Bliss and Glory Whereby having brought them into a Condition of attending to and profiting by his Ghostly Admonitions the Minister is to represent to them and the rest of the Company the Necessity of preparing our selves for Death whilst we are in Health by frequently receiving of the Lord's Supper and strictly examining our Lives and Conversations especially upon the Article of doing right to our Neighbour as being that which commonly most burthens our Consciences when we come to die And how near we may be to this last Moment God only knows who has number'd our Days and set bounds to our Lives beyond which we shall not pass That therefore it highly imports us to think seriously thereon and so to regulate all our Actions as if we liv'd under a constant Expectation of it Let him observe to them how precious the present time is and how worthy of being laid hold on for the security of our Eternal Happiness That