confer with their minister about the state of their souls, and in times of sickness to desire his advice and help, before their strength and understanding fail them: for this, and what follows of this title, see the Directory. 3. the minister being sent for, is to repair to the sick, and to apply himself with all tenderness and love to his soul, instructing him out of the Scripture, that diseases come not by chance, or by distempers of body only, but by the wise hand of God; and whether it be laid upon one out of displeasure for sin, for his correction or amendment, or for trial and exercise of his graces, or for other special and excellent ends, all his sufferings shall turn to his profit, if he sincerely labour to make a sanctified use of God's visitation, neither despising his chastening, nor waxing weary of his correction. 4. If the minister suspect him of ignorance, he shall examine and instruct him in the principles of religion, and in the nature, use, excellency and necessity of the graces of the Spirit of God. He shall stir up the sick person to examine himself, to search and try his former ways, and his state towards God. If the sick person shall declare any scruple, doubt, or temptation, that is upon him, instructions and resolutions shall be given to settle him. But if it appear that he hath not a due sense of his sins, endeavours ought to be used to convince him, of the guilt, pollution and desert of them; and withal, to make known the danger of delaying repentance, and to rouse him out of a stupid secure condition, to apprehend the justice and wrath of God, before whom none who are out of Christ can stand: care must be taken that the sick person be not cast down into despair, by such a severe representation of the wrath of God due to him for his sins, as is not mollified by a seasonable propounding of Christ and his merits, for a door of hope to every penitent believer. 5. If the sick person have endeavoured to walk in the ways of holiness, and to serve God in uprightness, although not without many failings and infirmities; if his spirit be broken with the sense of sin, or cast down through the sense of the want of God's favour, then it will ; or, be fit to raise him up, by setting before him the freeness and fulness of God's grace, the sufficiency of Christ's righteousness, and the gracious offers in the Gospel: It may be also useful to shew him, that death hath no spiritual evil to be feared by those who are in Christ, because sin, the sting of death, is taken away by him, who hath delivered all that are his from the bondage of the fear of death. Let advice also be given, as to beware of an ill-grounded persuasion on mercy, or on the goodness of his condition for Heaven, so to disclaim all merit in himself, and to cast himself wholly upon God for mercy, in the sole merits and mediation of Jesus Christ. 6. When the sick person is best composed, may be least disturbed, and other necessary offices about him least hindered; the minister, if desired, shall pray with and for him, confessing and bewailing original and actual sin, acknowledging it to be the cause of all misery; imploring God's mercy for the sick person through the blood of Christ, beseeching that God would open his eyes, cause him to see himself lost in himself, make known to him the cause why God smiteth him, reveal Jesus Christ to his soul for righteousness and life, give unto him his Holy Spirit to create and strengthen faith, to work in him comfortable evidences of his love, to arm him against temptations, to take off his heart from the world, to furnish him with patience and strength to bear his present visitation, and to give him perseverance in faith to the end; that if God shall please to add to his days, he would vouchsafe to bless all means of his recovery, renew his strength, and enable him to walk worthy of God, by a faithful remembrance and diligent observing of his vows and promises of holiness and obedience: And if God hath determined to finish his days, by the present visitation, he may find such evidence of his interest in Christ, as may cause his inward man to be renewed, while his outward man decayeth. 7. The minister shall admonish him also, as there shall be cause, to set his house in order, thereby to prevent inconveniences, to take care for the payment of his debts, and to make restitution or satisfaction where he hath done any wrong, to be reconciled to those with whom he hath been at variance, and fully to forgive as he expects forgiveness. He may also improve the present occasion, to exhort those about the sick person to consider their own mortality; and in health, so to prepare for sickness, death and judgment, that when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, they may appear with him in glory. When sick persons desire the prayers of the congregation, it is like an intimation and suit to those who have any moyen with God to pray for them in secret, and continue so to do, as well as in public. TITLE VII, Of Burial of the Dead, Lyke-wakes, and Dirgies. 1. By the Directory for worship, upon the day of burial, the dead body is to be attended decently, suitable to the rank of the deceased party, to the burial-place, and there immediately interred, without any ceremony. It is most convenient that at such occasions we have me. ditations and conferences suited thereto, and that the minister, as upon other occasions, so at this time, if he be present, may put them in remembrance of their duty. 2. By the old Book of Discipline in Mr Knox's time, annexed to the old paraphrase of the Psalms, after burial, the minister, if present, and desired, goeth to the church, if it be not far off, and maketh some comfortable exhortation to the people, touching death and the resurrection; but by the act of Assembly 1638, sess. 23, 24, art. 22. all funeral sermons are discharged. 3. By the act of Assembly 1643, sess. 9. they discharge burials, and hanging of honours, broads, and arms of persons, of whatsoever quality, within the kirk where the people meet for public worship; for perhaps at some times the people would be incommoded. with open graves. Bishop Hall of Norwich was of opinion, that God's house was not a mere repository for the bodies of the greatest saints. 4. By the acts of Assembly 1645, sess. 8, Assembly be fit to raise him up, by setting before him the freeness and fulness of God's grace, the sufficiency of Christ's righteousness, and the gracious offers in the Gospel: It may be also useful to shew him, that death hath no spiritual evil to be feared by those who are in Christ, because sin, the sting of death, is taken away by him, who hath delivered all that are his from the bondage of the fear of death. Let advice also be given, as to beware of an ill-grounded persuasion on mercy, or on the goodness of his condition for Heaven, so to disclaim all merit in himself, and to cast himself wholly upon God for mercy, in the sole merits and mediation of Jesus Christ. 6. When the sick person is best composed, may be least disturbed, and other necessary offices about him least hindered; the minister, if desired, shall pray with and for him, confessing and bewailing original and actual sin, acknowledging it to be the cause of all misery; imploring God's mercy for the sick person through the blood of Christ, beseeching that God would open his eyes, cause him to see himself lost in himself, make known to him the cause why God smiteth him, reveal Jesus Christ to his soul for righteousness and life, give unto him his Holy Spirit to create and strengthen faith, to work in him comfortable evidences of his love, to arm him against temptations, to take off his heart from the world, to furnish him with patience and strength to bear his present visitation, and to give him perseverance in faith to the end; that if God shall please to add to his days, he would vouchsafe to bless all means of his recovery, renew his strength, and enable him to walk worthy of God, by a faithful remembrance and diligent observing of his vows and promises of holiness and obedience: And if God hath determined to finish his days, by the present visitation, he may find such evidence of his interest in Christ, as may cause his inward man to be renewed, while his outward man decayeth. 7. The minister shall admonish him also, as there shall be cause, to set his house in order, thereby to prevent inconveniences, to take care for the payment of his debts, and to make restitution or satisfaction where he hath done any wrong, to be reconciled to those with whom he hath been at variance, and fully to forgive as he expects forgiveness. He may also improve the present occasion, to exhort those about the sick person to consider their own mortality; and in health, so to prepare for sickness, death and judgment, that when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, they may appear with him in glory. When sick persons desire the prayers of the congregation, it is like an intimation and suit to those who have any moyen with God to pray for them in secret, and continue so to do, as well as in public. TITLE VII, Of Burial of the Dead, Lyke-wakes, and Dirgies. 1. By the Directory for worship, upon the day of burial, the dead body is to be attended decently, suitable to the rank of the deceased party, to the burial-place, and there immediately interred, without any ceremony. It is most convenient that at such occasions we have me. ditations and conferences suited thereto, and that the minister, as upon other occasions, so at this time, if he be present, may put them in remembrance of their duty. 2. By the old Book of Discipline in Mr Knox's time, annexed to the old paraphrase of the Psalms, after burial, the minister, if present, and desired, goeth to the church, if it be not far off, and maketh some comfortable exhortation to the people, touching death and the resurrection; but by the act of Assembly 1638, sess. 23, 24, art. 22. all funeral sermons are discharged. 3. By the act of Assembly 1643, sess. 9. they discharge burials, and hanging of honours, broads, and arms of persons, of whatsoever quality, within the kirk where the people meet for public worship; for perhaps at some times the people would be incommoded with open graves. Bishop Hall of Norwich was of opinion, that God's house was not a mere repository for the bodies of the greatest saints. 4. By the acts of Assembly 1645, sess. 8, Assembly |