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 too great Love of this Life p. 68. 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 p. 77. Chap. XI What is to be done to a Sick Person that is Impatient p. 84. Chap. XII How those Persons ought to be managed that lie under Temptations against the Faith p. 89. Chap. XIII How to comfort a Sick Person that is mistrustful of God ' s Mercy and troubled with Despairing Thoughts p. 94. Chap. XIV What is to be said to such as shew too great a Confidence and presume too far upon their Salvation p. 101. Chap. XV. How a Sick Person is to be managed when bereft in a great measure of his Senses and Understanding p. 104. Chap. XVI What the Minister is to do when he finds the Sick Person posess'd of his Speech and Understanding but likely to die very soon p. 107. Chap. XVII How the Minister is to apply himself to a Sick Person who has the Vse of his Reason but no Disposition to such things as are necessary to the making a Happy End p. 109. 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 p. 117. Being concluded with A Prayer and Thanksgiving to be offer'd to GOD by One newly Recover'd from a Dangerous Sickness p. 124. THE Dying Man's Assistant OR Short Instructions For those who are concern'd in the Preparing of Sick Persons FOR DEATH CHAP. I. The Duty of a Minister in assisting Persons who are in danger of Death THOSE whom it shall please Almighty God to call to the Assistance of Dying Christians in order to their making a Happy End ought well to consider that this is an Office of the highest Consequence for as much as no less than our Neighbour's Salvation may depend thereon As we die but once so if in the last moment of our Lives we omit ought that is necessary to our Eternal Welfare we are gone for ever the Fault is irreparable And what should still the more excite the Zeal and Charity of Ministers on this Occasion is this Consideration That oftentimes the Divine Providence marks out some particular Persons to contribute to the Salvation of others who without their Assistance might eternally perish But though this were not so certain it is that they who are aiding to Dying Persons may perform their Duty in such a manner as to dispose them at least to die in more abundant Grace and contribute to their enjoying a greater degree of Felicity in Heaven If it be an Act of Charity to preserve in Grace those that are in Health by exhorting them to a frequent Participation of the Blessed Sacrament and the Use of other Pious Means What ought the Minister's Zeal to be in assisting those poor Souls that are drawing near the time of their Departure it being certain that wheresoever the Tree shall fall be it on the South or be it on the North there it will for ever lie Let the Minister therefore remember that of himself he is by no means capable of performing this important Part of his Ministry but must apply himself to God for the Assistance of his Holy Spirit herein A Sick Person has often-times his Mind disturb'd through the violence of his Distemper and sometimes a Prospect of Hell too raises in him an inward Terror and Disquiet and whil'st he is in this Agony and just upon the point of giving up the Ghost the Devil n'ere fails to use all his Arts for improving the little time that remains to his final Destruction The Consideration of all which should oblige the Minister humbly to acknowledge his own Weakness to be mistrustful of his own Strength and repose in God alone all his Hopes of contributing to the Salvation of Dying Persons His intention of assisting them in the Condition they are in must be sincere remembring they are the Images of God and Members of Jesus Christ who has redeemed them with his Blood and appointed him in his stead to take care of their Salvation and that by how much the better End they make so much the more God will be glorified Let all these Motives serve to raise in him a fervent desire of saving them by all the Means the Divine Providence shall inspire him with Let him every day ask of God the Talent necessary for this Function Let him pray for the Sick in general and particularly for those to whom he is called Let him renew his Zeal by Exultations of the Heart and short and frequent Ejaculations which he may apply to them and let him recommend their Souls to God not only in his private Prayers but above all in the Publick Prayers of the Church 'T is advisable that the Minister think afore-hand of what he is to say or do on this Occasion and so to order and dispose it in his memory as to omit nothing that may be necessary both for the Comfort of the Sick Person and Edification of those that are present This he ought to be very intent upon forasmuch as the same things are not always proper to be said or at least not to be said in the same manner but must be caâ—efully suited to Time and Place and the Disposition he shall find in the Patient of hearing them A Person of Quality is to be dealt with after a quite disferent manner from one of a low Condition They that abound with Wit and Learning and are of a sweet Temper and have exercised themselves in the Practice of Devotion are not to be addressed to in the same Stile as those that are ignorant rude and of a moâ—ose Nature To the former a few Words well chosen and seasonably spoken are sufficient Whereas the latter need common things to be said to them adapted to their Apprehensions and those to be also inlarged upon But here the Minister is to consider whether they retain or have lost their Sences whether their Distemper puts them to great Torment or not whether they may for some time be spoken to or whether their Pain will not permit it All which shews that there is a great deal of Prudence requisite in the Minister for his making a good and seasonable use of those Things he has prepar'd speaking them sometimes interruptedly and by intervals sometimes softly and at other times in a different tone to the end the Sick Person may the better relish them be less troubled therewith and reflect on the same with more leisure He may also propound Questions to him if he perceives in him Strength and Understanding enough to answer them And above all he must not omit Praying
THE Dying Man's Assistant OR Short Instructions For those who are concern'd in the Preparing of Sick Persons FOR DEATH Being also No less Worthy the Consideration of all Good Christians in time of Health As shewing the Importance of an Early Preparation for their Latter End with regard as well to their Temporal as Eternal State O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Deut. 32. 29. LONDON Printed for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultry 1697. THE PREFACE JVdging the SUBJECT of this TREATISE above the needing any Arguments to perswade the World of its Importance I shall trouble the READER with no other PREFACE than may just suffice for the facilitating his Application of it to Practice Nor to this purpose do I think any thing more necessary than the imprinting in his mind a clear and succinct Idea of its Design Which in short is this The whole being intended for A Compleat Set of Instructions shewing how to assist and dispose a Sick Person in order to his making a Happy End is divided into XVIII Chapters In the First of which I have represented to the MINISTER the Zeal and Charity the Humility and Sincerity the Patience and Attention the Prudence and Conduct requir'd on his part towards the due Performance of this SACRED OFFICE Tâ—â—â—â—gh the Body of the Work I have consider'd the SICK PERSON under all the various Circumstances of Virtue or Frailty incident to Mankind in that Condition and have attempted to lay down the most proper and effectual Means for improving the One and removing the Other whether by force of Argument or manner of Application and Address Wherein great distinction is to be made according to the different Quality Capacity and Temper of the PATIENT In a Word the MINISTER has here ready digested and ia Terms for the most part taken out of the SCRIPTURE or FATHERS Forms of Prayer and Ejaculations both for his own Vse and the SICK PERSON 's with whatever else I judged conducive to the stating a good Christian in a perfect Readiness for his Dissolution having therein had so much regard to his Temporal Affairs in conjunction with his Spiritual as concerns the providing by a prudent just and timely Disposal of his Estate for his doing Right to All Good to as Many as may be and preserving Peace and Amity in his Family And Lastly As the PATIENT's Illness shall terminate in his Death or Recovery I have made it the Subject of the XVIII Chapter to shew the MINISTER how to improve both Events to Edification the former with respect to the Standers by the latter to the Person Recover'd WHICH Instructions tho' I have all along directed to the MINISTER as falling within his proper Province yet would I by no means be understood to restrain them to his use alone there being God knows too many Accidents in the way of obstructing his Assistance to put the Patient 's Everlasting Salvation upon that Issue Thus far only I would urge it that when by any reasonable Endeavours the Minister's Aid may be procured 't is without Dispute to be preferr'd But that failing it is not barely allow'd to but incumbent on every good Christian whether Relation Friend or other best qualified for it to put in Practice any such Part of this Treatise as he shall think may most avail the SICK PERSON in his Last Minutes with Exception only to the Administration of the Holy Sacrament of the LORD's SUPPER which the Church has thought fit from a due regard to the Sacredness thereof to reserve to herself not doubting but through the Mercy of GOD the Person desiring it will in such Case reap equal Benefit from his good Intentions as if he actually received the same And this being said methinks there should need nothing more to perswade any one that professeth Christianity of the necessity of his endeavouring to render himself capable of discharging this Duty were it meerly in Charity to his Neighbour without other Motive thereto But when to that shall be added the yet further Considerations of his being also taught hereby not only how to regulate his own Life whilst in Health so as to leave little to be done when it shall please God to visit him with the like Summons but even of this Little to know how then more readily to acquit himself by being prepared to make the best Advantage of the MINISTER's Assistance Or Lastly under the want of that to be able to make his own Peace with GOD before he go hence and be no more seen I say when all these Considerations shall be duly weigh'd I cannot suppose it possible for him to doubt its being a Concern of the Last Importance What remains is Christian Reader that with the same sincerity wherewith I have thus endeavour'd to represent to you the Design and Use of this little Tract I also own the many Defects and Frailties of its Author Diverse Repetitions may appear therein less grateful to you and which I will not presume to say were impossible to be avoided But I doubt not of your thinking more favourably of them when you shall consider that the Whole is not to be us'd at once but such Part only as shall be found most applicable to the Condition of the Patient not to mention how little unmindful I have been on this Account of making References from one Chapter to another where the Discourse would admit it without interruption The rest you are desired by your Charity to excuse and supply carrying it all along in your Thoughts that the Chief Intent of this Work was the GLORY of GOD and SALVATION of MEN's SOULS For which therefore as I am not much in pain about your Censure so neither do I ask your Thanks but only to be remember'd in your Prayers as you shall always be in mine Who am your Fellow-Christian and Faithful Servant in the LORD THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS Chap. I. THE Duty of a Minister in assisting Persons who are in danger of Death Pag. 1 Chap. II. What things are requisite for the disposing a Sick Person to die well p. 8. Chap. III. Advice to be given to a Sick Person concerning his Relations his Body and his Estate p. 20. Chap. IV. What the Minister ' s Duty is when he finds the Sick Person has not done all that is necessary for him in order to his dying as a good Christian p. 26. Chap. V. How Sick Persons especially such as are not very perfect in their Belief ought to be exercis'd in the Faith p. 30. Chap. VI. How the Minister is to raise and exercise the Hope of the Sick Person p. 34. Chap. VII The Means for exciting Charity in a Sick Person p. 49. 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 Christain p. 57. Chap. IX What means are to
too great Love of this Life SOME there are who afflict themselves too much at the approach of Death through an over-great fondness of this Life the grief they conceive of parting with it being such that they cannot submit themselves to the Pleasure of God but die much against their Wills Which ill disposition produces in the Heart of a Sick Person these three dismal Effects I. That by how much the greater his reluctance is so much the more he is troubled and confounded with the apprehension of Death according to the Son of Sirach's Saying O Death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions II. That by this Reluctance of his he not only deprives himself of the Comfort he would receive from his voluntary Resignation to Death but runs a great risque of offending God III. That he does not prepare himself as he ought for Death nor can resolve to think of his Eternal State And the Condition of such a One is so much the more deplorable in regard no body dares speak to him of Dying But on the contrary they are apt to turn their Discourse upon the hopes of his Recovery for the sake of entertaining him in an agreeable idea though in the end most pernicious to him by reason of its diverting him from the thoughts of his Salvation As therefore they tender his Eternal Welfare let both the Minister and his Friends take heed that he be not thus dallied with when his Condition is become dangerous but that he be in a prudent manner apprised of the same to the end he may examine the State of his Soul making him sensible that his Preparation for Death will be no impediment to his Recovery if it pleases God to spare him longer in this Life But if he cannot resolve to die let the Minister endeavour to bring his mind over by Arguments Examples and Words in Form of Ejuculatory Prayers First By Arguments which the Minister is to ground as much as he can on the Holy Scripture to the end they may be not only in themselves the stronger but of more Authority and Force with the Patient For Example he shall with St. Paul tell him That it is appointed for all Men once to die That on this condition it is we are born and wherein no distinction is made between Princes and Subjects That we all die soon or late and flow like the Waters into the Bowels of the Earth yea we are like Water that is spilt on the ground from whence it cannot be gathered up He shall also represent to him that though he should recover his Health he may in a little time relapse again and not have the means he now has for his Preparation That he ought to look upon himself as a Pilgrim travelling through this World as through strange Regions in his Way to Heaven which is his Native Country That he should consider the many Tokens God has given him of his Love and that which he at present gives him in assisting him with his Grace That God now calls him to Himself in order to the making him happy and that a longer Life here might be ruinous to him by the snares and inticements of this Sinful World That Death is not terrible to the Righteous but meerly a Passage to Eternal Glory And better is the day of our Death than that of our Birth forasmuch as we are born to die and do only die to live forever In short That Christ assures us in his Gospel that whosoever believes in him shall have Everlasting Life and that his Death shall be but the beginning of his Eternal Happiness Moreover let the Patient be induced to reflect on the Miseries of this present Life Let him as much as he is able call to mind the whole Course of his Life from his Infancy to this very moment and consider before God whether he has pass'd one day of it without affliction That we are to expect here nothing but Sufferrings God having set us in this World as in a Valley of Tears to live in a constant State of Penitence That therefore we ought not to be grieved when God is pleased to remove us from the Place of our Exile into our own Country and far from wishing our selves Citizens of this World we should with St. Paul remember that here we have no continuing City but are to look for one that is to come which will abide for ever Let him further consider that being now under the Gospel we should be so much the more desirous to die because Jesus Christ has by his Merits open'd Heaven to us That Death is both the End of a false and perishable Life and the Entrance into a Happy and Eternal State That God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living That a Christian ought to raise himself above the things of this World and solely to fix his Thoughts and Hopes upon his Saviour That this Life is a continual Warfare with our Lusts and Passions and Death the welcome End of this War and Beginning of our Rest That the Spirit of God declares those and those only to be happy that die in his Grace because they are going to enjoy an Everlasting Peace In a word let the Minister omit nothing that may conduce to the perswading him to receive his Death with Submission making him sensible that how averse soever he be to it yet die he must and that since neither Life nor Death are within his power or disposal he can never be at rest till he submits himself with all humility and resignation to the Will and Pleasure of Almighty God Secondly The Minister may perswade the Sick Person to a willingness to die by laying before him several Examples of this kind carrying force and authority with them and in the first place that of Christ himself who in the Garden of Olives foreseeing the Torments that were waiting for Him at Jerusalem was seized with fear and pray'd to the Father to deliver Him therefrom but immediately after submitting himself to Him added these Words Not as I will but as Thou wilt That he ought to imitate this Sacred Model of Self-resignation by a free Offering of his Life to God notwithstanding the terror he has of Death and all the reluctances of Nature thereto Let him also be put in mind of David who finding himself over-whelm'd with the Miseries of this present Life us'd frequently to cry out to God in terms like these Wo is me that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech and to have my Habitation among the Tents of Kedar My soul has long dwelt with them that hate peace Many are my Persecutors and mine Enemies Consider my affliction and deliver me I long for thy Salvation O Lord Whereto he may add the words of St. Paul O wretched Man that I am Who shall delive me from this body of Death I ardently desire to be dissolved that I may
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
that both your Life it self and all the Goods you have enjoy'd in this World were not yours but God's who lent them you only for your use as means of engaging your Love to him And if he takes them away again you have no reason to complain but your Duty is freely to lay them down remembring that Jesus Christ who is Lord of all died upon the Cross naked and divested of all Worldly Desires You know that God took from Job all that he possess'd and yet that Prince said only this Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb and naked shall I return thither The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Endeavor to be as disintangled and loose from the World as that Holy Person was Which Exhortations the Minister shall conclude with moving the Patient to repeat after him some Sententious Prayers like these Deliver me O Lord from all affections for the things of this World and fix in my heart the sole desire of possessing thee How amiable are thy Dwellings O Lord of Hosts My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh crieth out for the Living God For one day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God than live in the Palaces of Worldly Princes There shall I be satisfied as it were with marrow and fatness and shall drink of thy Pleasures as out of the River For with Thee is the Well of Life and in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore Whereto the Minister may add according to his discretion what of any of the foregoing Chapters he shall judge necessary for putting the Sick Person into a frame of dying like a good Christian Thus far of those whose Reluctances to Death proceed from a too great Love of this Life and the Pleasures and Satisfactions attending it For such whose terrors arise only from an imagination that there may not be time enough remaining for them to explain as they ought some particular Matters which disturb their Consciences For such we say till we come to give them more ample Instructions in the sequel of this Discourse let us in the mean time excite them to be very good Husbands of those Moments which are yet behind which may not be so few as they apprehend Let them employ the same in Self-Examination Prayer and Communion in an immediate Restitution of what is not their own or if that cannot be in providing by their Testament or Codicil that it be done with all possible Expedition as we have said in the preceding Chapters And lastly for such as are troubled to die for this only reason because they had resolved to alter their Course of Life and propos'd to themselves the doing of many pious Works they must be perswaded to resign themselves up to the Will of God and instead of that Good which they intended to have done to offer up their Lives to Him as a Sacrifice with a disposition humbly and readily to receive whatever it shall please his Divine Providence to determine concerning them Than which they cannot offer to God any thing greater or more acceptable CHAP. XI What is to be done to a Sick Person that is Impatient IMpatience in a Sick Person may proceed from either of these two Causes The languishing Condition which the Severity of his Distemper has reduced him to Or Poverty which leaves him destitute of the Helps and Remedies necessary for his Recovery The Case being such the Minister is in the first place to comfort him by assuring him how much he is grieved to see him in that deplorable Condition and using all the Means he can to procure him Ease and Relief that so he may the more effectually perswade him of his partaking sincerely with him in his affliction Which charitable manner of proceeding cannot fail of winning his Heart and engaging him to hearken with more patience and willingness to whatever shall be said to him concerning his Salvation Then let the Minister represent to him that his Impatience is so far from diminishing his illness that it does but encrease it and deprive him of the Comfort and Satisfaction he would reap from the taking this his Visitation with patience and submission the best and most effectual Means for rendring those Evils lighter and more supportable which are not within Human power to remove For according to the saying of St. Chrysostome Tribulations do pursue with much greater vehemence those that fly from them than those that receive them without murmuring or repining Moreover he should be admonished to consider That God sends these afflictions only for him to make a good use of them as Helps for his Sanctification That therefore instead of being grieved and displeased thereat he ought to praise and thank His Divine Goodness for them as being Graces necessary to his Eternal Salvation That upon this account it is that Solomon will not have us to fly from the Chastisements of the Lord nor grow weary and impatient under the troubles He is pleas'd to dispense to us He correcting only those He loves and administring thereby an occasion to us of drawing Consolation from the very pains which He inflicts on us provided we bear them with due Meekness and Resignation Let him reflect on the vast Number of Sins he has committed and the severe punishment he deserves for them The consideration of which will certainly if any thing oblige him with the deepest Contrition and humility to commit himself into the Hands of God and readily embrace whatever troubles or anguishes his Divine Wisdom shall think fit to exercise him with even Death it self in hopes of appeasing God's wrath thereby and rendring Him more favourable and gracious to him Of which the Minister may give him Confidence Adding that Afflictions are only sent us to take off our Minds from this World and raise them to the Contemplation of Things Eternal and that God is pleased to be with the Afflicted who are of a yielding and submissive Spirit Saying by his Prophet I am with him in trouble I will deliver him and he shall glorifie me In a word let him seriously consider that we are visited with pains and griefs to try our Virtue exercise our Faith and encrease our Contrition and that for this Cause it is that the Son of Sirach advises us to receive all kinds of Afflictions with humbleness of heart for as Gold is try'd by the Fire so are Men by the Tribulations of this present Life Lastly The Minister shall represent to him that Heaven is prepared for those that patiently suffer in this World that the Hand of God does by Calamities polish us as it were like Stones of which He will Build his Heavenly Jerusalem and that therefore in order to our being made happy we ought submissively to bear whatever Burthen He
his Speech and Understanding but likely to die very soon WHEN the Minister is called to One that has receiv'd a mortal Wound for which no Remedy can be expected he is to admonish him presently to confess his Sins and beg Pardon of God and all Mankind whom he has offended and to be in Charity with the whole World And if he finds him not throughly affected with the sense of his Offences nor the danger he is in he shall gently represent to him the heinousness of his Crimes and his great ingratitude towards so Gracious a God who has declared Himself willing to remit all his Transgressions upon condition of his sincere Repentance having so loved him as to have given his own Son to die for him With which Discourse if the Minister perceives the Patient to be moved and made sensible of the Errors his Life and truly Penitent he shall give him Confidence in God's Mercies through the Merits of the ever Blessed Jesus and pronounce to him the ample Pardon which his Heavenly Father has granted him of all his Sins and for the yet further confirming him in this Hope shall administer to him the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper and continue to exercise him in those Acts of Charity Justice and Devotion that are mentioned in the foregoing Chapters particularly the Fifth Sixth and Seventh If there be any time remaining the Patient shall be put in mind to request the Publick Prayers of the Church which both the Minister and his Friends are to take care of procuring for him that being so recommended to God he may receive the benefit of those joynt-Joynt-Prayers which are most prevailing with the Almighty and as such may not be a little conducive to the Salvation of his departing Soul CHAP. XVII How the Minister is to apply himself to a Sick Person who has the Vse of his Reason but no Disposition to such things as are necessary to the making a Happy End WHEN the Sick Person shews an unwillingness to prepare himself as he ought for dying well the Minister shall desire his Friends and Relations to put up their earnest Prayers to God that He would be pleased to touch his heart with a sense of his Sins and exciâ—e a true Contrition in him To which purpose it may also be convenient that some of his Friends in whom he reposes greatest Confidence or such as have influence or Authority over him apply themselves to him and admonish him to be attentive to what shall be said to him in order to his Preparation for Death that in case it should please God to take himout of this World he may be forever happy in the next Then shall the Minister begin with accosting him in a meek and tender and affectionate manner by which he may not a little contribute to his Salvation For this will engage him the more readily to give ear to him and so may at length draw him unawares to a sence of his deplorable Sinful State and of the absolute necessity of his obtaining Mercy through Repentance and Faith in Christ's Merits And in the next place the Minister shall represent to him that God does often visit us with Sickness to awaken us from the slumber of Sin as Christ did the Man sick of the Palsie mention'd in the Gospel whom after having heal'd him he discharged with this Admonition Go and sin no more lest a worse thing happen to thee That God is able still to restore him to his former Health if it seem meet to him but having sent this Affliction for his amendment expects he should first make that good use of it For the quickening him wherein he may be put in mind of the Words in Ecclesiasticus by which we are advised not to defer our Conversion one moment lest Death surprise us in the midst of our Sins and we become thereby irrecoverably lost Let him therefore apply himself incessantly to the Business o his Salvation and perform the Means necessary thereto while Time and Opportunity serve him for them The effect of which he will very soon be sensible of in the great Comfort he will draw therefrom both for appeasing the Wrath of God and sheltering him from the Assaults of the Devil Nor may it be altogether in vain to excite him to his Duty by Motives of Honour telling him what a Blot it will be to his Reputation What Shame and Infamy will for ever attend his Name and of what ill consequence it may be to his Children and Relations when it shall be remembred that he died in a State of Sin and Impenitence But if all these Admonitions shall notwithstanding prove ineffectual the Minister must try to find out the true cause of his Obstinacy as whether he be an Atheist or Infidel or has led a loose and dissolute Life and not only committed many enormous Crimes and Immoralities but persisted therein for several Years without any remorse or thoughts of Repentance and for which he thinks there is no Pardon now to be hop'd for Or whether he has made a Contract with the Devil or is so tied to some beloved Sin that he knows not how to bid Farewel to it Or lastly whether it arises only from Laziness and the trouble of Examining his Conscience 1. The Minister discovering that the Patient is an Atheist or Infidel is to lay before him what we have said concerning Faith in the Twelfth Chapter without entring into any Dispute with him unless he goes about to maintain his Errors In which Case he must be answer'd and confuted by solid Arguments But much better it were to avoid all dispute if possible for fear of exasperating him and preventing his coming to that calm and charitable temper of mind wherein he ought more especially to be at this juncture 2. If his Obstinacy proceeds from the Multiplicity and heinousness of his Crimes then shall the Minister raise his Hope by what we have set down in the Sixth and Thirteenth Chapters adding for his yet greater Confidence that were all the Sins both of Men and Devils joyn'd together in one and the very same Person they would appear nothing in comparison of the Divine Mercy and might be wholly done-away by one single Drop of Christ's Blood That God knows whereof we are made He is not ignorant of our Natural Frailty and propensity to Sin and therefore is ready to pardon us when-ever we make our application to Him for it with a truly penitent and contrite heart 3. If he has enter'd into a Contract with the Devil and that is found to be the real cause of his Despair the Minister must comfort him and establish in him a necessary Christian Hope by shewing him that he is not at all oblig'd to keep his Word with such a Traitor and Enemy as that Hellish Fiend though he had even sign'd the Obligation with his own blood That it is lawful for him to deceive the Deceiver of all Men and that he ought to
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