THE

MANNER OF VISITING THE SICK;

ок,

ASSISTANCE THAT IS TO BE GIVEN TO SICK AND DYING PERSONS BY
THE MINISTRY OF THE CLERGY.

And, therefore, they who all their lifetime derive blessings from the Fountain of Grace, by the channels of ecclesiastical ministers, ought then more especially to do it in the time of their sickness, when their needs are more prevalent, accord-Lord;" to open by degrees all the labyrinths of sin (those innumerable windings and turnings ing to that known apostolical injunction: Is any man sick among you, let him send for the which insensibly lead men into destruction,) which elders of the church, and let them pray over him," &c.

These are the constituent and essential parts of a true repentance; which may severally be displayed from the following motives of reason and Scripture, as opportunity shall serve, and the sick man's condition permit.

the nature of his sickness, every act of visitation | once, but requires the utmost self denial and resois to be proportioned. If his condition be full of lution to put it in execution, consisting in general pain and infirmity, the exhortation ought to be of the following particulars:-1, A sorrowful shortened, and the minister more "instant in sense of our sins: 2. An humble confession of prayer:" and the little service the sick man can them: 3. An unfeigned abhorrence and forsaking do for himself should be supplied by the charitable of them, and turning to the Lord our God with all care of his guide, who is in such a case to speak our hearts: 4. A patient continuance in wellmore to God for him than to talk to him: "prayer doing to the end of our lives. of the righteous," when it is "fervent," hath a promise to "prevail much in behalf of the sick" person: but exhortations must prevail by their own proper weight, and not by the passion of the speaker; and, therefore, should be offered when the sick is able to receive them. And even in this assistance of prayer, if the sick man joins with the minister, the prayers should be short, fervent, and ejaculatory, apt rather to comply with his weak condition, than wearisome to his spirits, in tedious and long offices. But in case it appears he hath sufficient strength to go along with the minister, he is then more at liberty to offer up long petitions for him.

After the minister hath made this preparatory entrance to this work of much time and deliberation, he may descend to the particulars of his duty, in the following method.

SECTION III.

The first part of a true repentance is a sorrowful sense of our sins, which naturally produceth this good effect, as we may learn from St. Paul, (2 Cor. vii. 10,) where he tells us, that "godly sorrow worketh repentance." Without it, to be sure, there can be no such thing; for how can a man repent of that which he is not sorry for? or, how can any one sincerely ask pardon and forgiveness for what he is not concerned or troubled about?

A sorrowful sense, then, of our sins, is the first part of a true repentance, the necessity whereof may be seen from the grievous and abominable nature of sin; as, 1. That it made so wide a separation betwixt God and man, that nothing but the blood of his only begotten Son could suffice to atone for its intolerable guilt: 2. That it carries along with it the basest ingratitude, as being done and move, and have our being:" 3. That the conagainst our heavenly Father, "in whom we live, sequence of it is nothing less than eternal ruin, in that "the wrath of God is revealed against all impenitent sinners;" and "the wages of sin is death,"-not only temporal but eternal.

Of instructing the sick Man in the nature of Repentance, and Confession of his Sins. THE first duty to be rightly stated to the sick man, is that of repentance; in which the minister cannot be more serviceable to him than by laying before him a regular scheme of it, and exhorting From these and the like considerations, the him at the same time to a free and ingenuous de penitent may further learn, that to be sorry for claration of the state of his soul. For unless they our sins is a great and important duty. That it know the manner of his life and the several kinds does not consist in a little trivial concern, a superand degrees of those sins which require his peni- ficial sigh, or tear, or calling ourselves sinners, &c. tential sorrow or restitution, either they can do but in a real, ingenuous, pungent, and afflicting nothing at all, or nothing of advantage and certain-sorrow: for, can that which cast our parents out ty. Wherefore the minister may move him to this in the following manner:

of Paradise at first, that brought down the Son of God afterwards from heaven, and put him at last to such a cruel and shameful death, be now thought to be done away by a single tear or a groan? Can so base a piece of ingratitude, as rebelling against the Lord of glory, who gives us all submission? Or can that which deserves the torwe have, be supposed to be pardoned by a slender ment of hell, be sufficiently atoned for by a little indignation and superficial remorse?

1. That repentance is a duty indispensably necessary to salvation. That to this end, all the preachings and endeavours of the prophets and apostles are directed. That our Saviour "came down from heaven," on purpose "to call sinners to with a deep and afflicting sorrow; a sorrow that True repentance, therefore, i ever accompanied repentance." That as it is a necessary duty at will make us so irreconcilable to sin, as that we all times, so more especially in the time of sick-shall choose rather to die than to live in it. For ness, when we are commanded in a particular so the bitterest accents of grief are all ascribed to manner to set our house in order." That it is a ing sorely," or "bitterly;" a a true repentance in Scripture; such as a "weepnight;" a "repenting in dust and ashes;" a weeping day and &c. Thus holy David: "I am troubled, I am "putting on sackcloth;" "fasting and prayer," bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long, and that by reason of mino iniquities, which are gone over my head, and, as a heavy burden, are too heavy for me to bear:" Ps. xxxviii. 4, 6. Thus Ephraim could say: "After that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth:" Jer. xxxi. 19.

work of great difficulty, consisting in general of a "change of mind," and a "change of life." Upon which account it is called in Scripture, "a state of regeneration, or new birth;" a "conversion from sin to God;" a "being renewed in the spirit of our minds;" a "putting off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts of the flesh," and a "putting on the new man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness." That so great a change as this, is not to be effected at

Matt. ix. 13.

And this is the proper satisfaction for sin which | God expects, and hath promised to accept; as, Ps. li. 17: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

Rev. ii. 26. Hence our religion is said to be a continual warfare, and we must be constantly "pressing forward toward the mark of our high calling," with the apostle, lest we fail of the prize.

And this it is which makes a death-bed re

2. The next thing requisite in a true repentance, is confession of sins, which naturally fol-pentance so justly reckoned to be very full of lows the other; for if a man be so deeply afflicted hazard; such as none who defer it till then, can with sorrow for his sins, he will be glad to be rid depend upon with any real security. For let a of them as soon as he can; and the way for this, man be never so seemingly penitent in the day of is humbly to confess them to God, who hath pro- his visitation, yet none but God can tell whether mised to forgive us if we do. "I said, I will con- it be sincere or not; since nothing is more comfess my sins unto the Lord," saith the Psalmist; mon than for those who expressed the greatest "and so thou forgavest the wickedness of my signs of a lasting repentance upon a sick bed, to sin," Ps. xxxii. 6. So, Prov. xxviii. 13, and forget all their vows and promises of amendment, 1 John i. 9: "If we confess our sins, God is as soon as God had removed the judgment, and faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to restored them to their former health. "It hap cleanse us from all unrighteousness." So the re-pened to them according to the true proverb," as turning prodigal went to his father with an humble confession of his baseness, and was received into favour again.-Luke xv. 18, 19.

And because the number of our sins are like the hairs of our head, or the sand of the sea, and almost as various too in their kinds as their numbers; confession must needs be a very extensive duty, and require the strictest care and examination of ourselves: for "who can tell how oft he offendeth?" saith David; "O, cleanse thou me from my secret faults!"

St. Peter says, "The dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire," 2 Pet. ii. 22.

The sick penitent, therefore, should be often reminded of this:-that nothing will be looked upon as true repentance, but what would terninate in a holy life: that, therefore, he ought to take great heed, that his repentance be not only the effect of his present danger, but that it be lasting and sincere, "bringing forth works meet for repentance," should please God mercifully to prove him by a longer life.

The penitent, therefore, should be reminded, that his confession be as minute and particular as But here it is much to be feared, that after all it can; since the more particular the confession his endeavours to bring men to a sight of themis, to be sure, the more sincere and safe the re-selves, and to repent them truly of their sins, the pentance.

3. A third thing requisite in a true repentance, is an unfeigned abhorrence and forsaking of sin, and turning to the Lord our God with all our

hearts.

spiritual man will meet with but very little encouragement: for if we look round the world, we shall find the generality of men to be of a rude indifference, and a seared conscience, and mightily ignorant of their condition with respect to another For so we find them expressly joined together world, being abused by evil customs and princiby St. Paul, when he charges those whom by ples, apt to excuse themselves, and to be content vision he was sent to convert, to change their with a certain general and indefinite confession; mind, and "turn to God, and do works meet for so that if you provoke them never so much to repentance:" Acts xxvi. 20. And a little before, acknowledge their faults, you shall hardly ever he says, he was sent "to open their eyes, and turn extort any thing farther from them than this, viz. them from darkness to light, and from the power" That they are sinners, as every man hath his of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sin:" ver. 18. And we shall always find, when we are commanded to cease from evil, it is in order to do good.

The penitent, therefore, must be reminded, not only to confess and be sorry for his sins, but like wise to forsake them. For it is he only "who confesseth and forsaketh his sins, that shall have mercy:" Prov. xxviii. 13. And this forsaking must not be only for the present, during his sickness, or for a week, a month, or a year; but for his whole life, be it never so protracted: which is

the

4. Last thing requisite in a true repentance, viz. "a patient continuance in well-doing to the end of our lives." For as the holy Jesus assures us, that "he that endureth unto the end shall be saved;" so does the Spirit of God profess, that "if any man draw back, his soul shall have no pleasure in him" Heb. x. 38. Hence we are said to "be partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end," Heb. iii. 14, but not else; for it is to "him only that overcometh, and keepeth his works to the end," that our Saviour hath promised a reward:

* απηγγέλλον μετανόειν,

infirmity, and they as well as any; but, God be thanked, they have done no injury to any man, but are in charity with all the world." And, perhaps they will tell you, "they are no swearers, no adulterers, no rebels, &c. but that, God forgive them, they must needs acknowledge themselves to be sinners in the main," &c. And if you can open their breasts so far, it will be looked upon as sufficient; to go any farther, will be to do the office of an accuser, not of a friend.

But, which is yet worse, there are a great many persons who have been so used to an habitual course of sin, that the crime is made natural and necessary to them, and they have no remorse of conscience for it, but think themselves in a state of security very often when they stand upon the brink of damnation. This happens in the cases of drunkenness and lewd practices, and luxury, and idleness, and misspending of the sabbath, and in lying and vain jesting, and slandering of others; and particularly in such evils as the laws do not punish, nor public customs shame, but which are countenanced by potent sinners, or wicked fashions, or good-nature and mistaken civilities. In these and the like cases, the spiritual man

must endeavour to awaken their consciences by such means as follow:

Arguments and general Heads of Discourse, by | from us, and to incorporate them into our affections,

4. To this may be added a general display of the neglect and omission of our duty; for in them lies the bigger half of our failings: and yet, in many instances, they are undiscerned; because our consciences have not been made tender and perceptible of them. But whoever will cast up his accounts, even with a superficial eye, will quickly find that he hath left undone, for the generality, as many things which he ought to have done, as he hath committed those he ought not to have done: such as the neglect of public or private prayer, of reading the Scriptures, and instructing his family, or those that are under him, in the principles of religion: the not discountenancing sin to the utmost of his power, especially in the personages 3. Let the sick man, in the scrutiny of his con- of great men: the "not redeeming the time," science and confession of his sins, be carefully re- and "growing in grace," and doing all the good minded to consider those sins which are no where he can in his generation: the frequent omissions condemned but in the court of conscience: for there of the great duty of charity, in visiting the sick, are certain secret places of darkness, artificial relieving the needy, and comforting the afflictblinds of the devil, which he uses to hide our sinsed: the want of obedience, duty, and respect to

parents: the doing the work of God negligently, or not discharging himself with that fidelity, care, and exactness, which is incumbent upon him, in the station wherein the providence of God hath placed him, &c.

5. With respect to those sins which are committed against man, let the minister represent to the sick man that he can have no assurance of his pardon, unless he is willing to make all suitable amends and satisfaction to his offended and injured brethren; as for instance, if he hath lived in enmity with any, that he should labour to be reconciled to them; if he is in debt, that he should do his utmost to discharge it; or if he hath injured any one in his substance or credit, that he should endeavour to make restitution in kind for the one, and all possible satisfaction for the other, by humbling himself to the offended person, and beseeching him to forgive him.

capable of it, by a religious and holy conformity to all the forementioned particulars respecting his condition and circumstances, he may then give him the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. And it is the minister's office to invite sick and dying persons to this holy sacrament, provided they dis cover a right sense of their duty. And,

Note, That the Holy Sacrament is not to be administered to dying persons, when they have no use of their reason to join with the minister in his celebration of it. For the sacraments operate not of themselves, but as they are made efficacious by the joint consent and will, and religious acts and devotion of the party that receives them. And therefore all fools, and distracted persons, and children, and lethargical and apoplectical people, or that are any ways senseless and incapable of human and reasonable acts, are to be assisted only by

prayers.

6. If the sick person be of evil report, the minis- Note also, That in cases of necessity, where the ter should take care, some way or other, to make sacrament cannot be so conveniently administered, him sensible of it, so as to show an effectual sor- the sick may be admonished to receive it spiriturow and repentance. This will be best done by ally, i. e. by representing the symbols of the body prudent hints, and insinuations, of recalling those and blood of our Lord to his mind, and applying things to his mind whereof he is accused by the them to himself by faith, with the same preparavoice of fame, or to which the temptations, perhaps, tions of faith and repentance, as if they were realof his calling, more immediately subject him. Orly present. For no doubt but God, in such a case, if he will not understand, when he is secretly prompted, he must be asked in plain terms concerning these matters. He must be told of the evil things which are spoken of him in public, and of the usual temptations of his calling.

And it concerns the minister to follow this advice, without partiality, or fear, or interest, or respect of persons, in much simplicity and prudence, having no other consideration before him, but the conscientious discharge of his duty, and the salvation of the person under his care.

7. The sick person is likewise to be instructed concerning his faith, whether he has a reasonable notion of the articles of the Christian religion, as they are excellently summed up in the Apostle's Creed.

8. With respect to his temporal concerns, the sick is to be advised to set every thing in order, and (if he hath not already) to make his will as soon as he can. For if he recovers, this cannot be detrimental; but, if he dies, it will be of great comfort and satisfaction to him. And here it must be remembered that he distribute every thing according to the exact rules of justice, and with such a due care, as to prevent all law-suits and contentions for the future: and, if he be able, he is to be admonished to do something likewise out of charity, and for the sake of his poor brethren.

who considers all things with exact justice, and chiefly respects the sincerity of our hearts and intentions, will excuse the absence of the outward and visible sign, when necessity, and not contempt or neglect, was the occasion of it.

SECTION IV.

Of applying spiritual Remedies to the unreasonable Fears and Dejections of the Sick.

IT sometimes happens that good men, especially such as have tender consciences, impatient of the least sin, to which they are arrived by a long habit of grace, and a continual observation of their ways, overact their part, and turn their tenderness into scruples, and are too much dejected and doubtful concerning their future salvation. In such a case, the minister is to represent to them, that the man who is jealous of himself, is always in the safest condition: that if he fears on his death-bed, it is but what happens to most considering men; and that therefore to fear nothing then, is either a singular felicity, or a dangerous presumption.

But to restrain the extravagance of fear, let him 9. In all the course of his visitation, the minis- be reminded of the terms of the Gospel:-that it ter should frequently be exhorting the sick man is a covenant of grace and mercy to all: that to patience and a blessed resignation to the will of "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinGod; and not to look upon his sickness as barely ners:" that he continues our " Advocate in heaven," the effect of second causes, but as inflicted on him and daily "intercedes" with his Father for us: by Divine Providence for several wise and good that the whole heavenly host rejoices at the conends: As, for the trial of his faith; the exercise of version of a sinner: that the angels are deputed by patience; the punishment of his sins; the amend- God, to be our guardians against violent surprises ment of his life; or for the example of others, who, and temptations: that there are different degrees seeing his good behaviour in such a day of cala- of glory in heaven; so that, if we arrive not at the mity, may glorify their Father which is in heaven: greatest, we may yet hope, by divine mercy, that or else, that it is for the increase of his future wel-we should not be excluded the less: that God hath fare, in order to raise him the higher in glory hereafter, by how much the lower he hath been depressed here.

10. When the spiritual man hath thus discharged his duty, and the sick hath made himself

promised to hear the "prayers of the righteous" for his servants: that he labours with us by his Spirit, and as it were "beseeches us, in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to him," 2 Cor. v. 20: that, of all his attributes, he glories in none so much as