DireElions how to deal··with t!Je Sick. ~, I 2. QL!.e!l. But what{haU we J, in a-doubtfnl cafe,'whtn we lznor• not whuher t!te pcrfon be re- ~rff. 4• nrwtd and truly penitent 11r not; which is the c&[e of mojl that we b.1vt to deaJ with? An{w. AnfrP. You an tell whether the gr:mndt of your hope or of your fear concerning theQ'l be the greater; and· accordingly your fpeech mull be mixt and tempered, and yourcounfels or comforts given with the< Conditions and Suppofitions' exprefi. 9· '3· Q::efr. But r>hat order would you have u1 obferve in JPeakJng to the ignorant and "ngadly, ~tjl. 5• wben the time it JO jhort ? Anfw. I. Labour to awa"sn them to a lively fcnfe of the change which is at hand, tl\at they may Anfw, undcrfiand the necd!ity of looking after the !late of their fouls. 2. ·Then lbcw them what arc rhe term'> of falvation, and who "they are that the Gofpel doth judge to falvation or daiJJnation. 3· Next advife them to try which of thefe i< their condition, and to deal faithfully, feeing felf– jiattery may undo them, but can do them no good•. 4· Then heiE them in the tryal: q. d. [.lfit have been fo or fo with you, tbenyou may Jtnow that thu u yoHr caft. J .5· Then tell.them the R~afons of your jtart if you fear they are unconvert~~ or of your hopu, tf ¥ou hope mdeed t~at It IS better with them. 6. Then exhort them conditiOnally ( 1f thef are yet m ac:arnal unfanCltfied O:ate ), ro lamc:nt it, and be bumbled and penitent, for their finful and ungodly life. 7 f And then tell them the Remedy, in Chrift and the l:loly Gho!l, and the Promifc or Covenant of Grace. 8. And lallly tell them their prejtnt J~tty, that this Remedy may prove cffedual to their falvarion. And if you have 'fa much intcreft oi authority as maked1 it fit for you, excite them by convenient quellions fo far to open their cafe as may dire6t you, and as by their anfwers may fhew whether they truly refolve for a holy lifC, if God reflor~ them, aud wh~th~r their hearts indeed bechanged or' not. ~· 14· D ire&. 7· If J'U are n>t able to i"fllu/1 them aJ you fhould, read fame g"d Boolz to Dire/1. 7• them, which i1 m~jf ft~itable totiJtir cafc ;- Such as Mr. PerkJnr Rij!ht art of DyingweU: The Praliice nf Piety in the Dited onsfor the Sick: Mr. E!i. Lawrwces Treatife of Sick.,.mfl, or what elfe is mofi luitable to them. And bcqufc mofl are thcm(elves unable for counfelling the fick aright, anCl you may not have a firBook at hand; I lbalf' here fubjoyn a brief Form or two for fuch to Read to the Sick rhar can endure no Ion~ difcouifc, t\nd otfier books will help you to forms of Prayer with t)jem, .if you cannot pray withoutfuch help. · §• r 5· D ire&. 8. Judge not of the jlatt of mens foulJ, by tbofi carriagu in their fi</zne[s, which Dirc/1. 8. procred from their difiafeJ or bQdily dijlemper. Many ignorant people judge of a man by the mmner of hisdying: If one die in 'calm;efs'and clearriefs of tJnder!hnding, and a few good words, they think that (his is to die like a Saint. WhereaS in Confumptions, arid oft in Dropfies, and other fuch Chronical difeafes, this is ordinary with good and bad: And in a Feaver thats violent, or a Phrenfie or D ifiraltion, the bcfi man that is, may d.ie without the ufe of Rea{on: Some difeafes will make one blockifh and heavy and unapt to fpeak: and fome' confifl: with as n;mch freedom of fpeech, as in time of health. The fiate of mens fouls mull not be judged of, by fuch accidental unavoidable things as thefe. ' ·9· 16. Dire&. 9· Be neither unnaturaUy fenfle{s 4t the death •f friendJ, nor txcef!ively dejelled or af- DirtU·9• jliatd. Tomak_e light of the Death of Relations and friends, be they good or bad, is a fign of a very vitiOU'i nature; that is fo much fllftfo, as not much to regard the Lives of others: And he that regardcth not the Life of his friends is little to be trutl::d in his lower concernments ! I fpeak not this of thofe per{ons whofe temper alloweth them not to weep : For there may be as deep a regard and farrow in fome that have no tears, as in others that abound with them. But I fpeak of a n:lUghty {tlfij1J nature, that is little affected with any ones concernmems but in own. 1· 17. Yet your grief for the death of friends, mull: be very different both · in degree and J,J 1 td. I· for ungodly friend! you mull grieve for their own fakes, becaufe if they dyed fuch, they ace loll for ever. 2· For your Godly friend! you mull mourn for the fake of your fdves and others be– caufe God hath removed fuch as were bleffings to thofe about them. 3· For choice M1giflrat~ and Minillers and other ~nfi:rurnents of publick good, your farrow mufibe greater, bec.tufe of the corn. mon lofs, and the judgement thereby inflicted on the World. 4· For old tryed Chriflians, that have overcome the world, and lived fo long till age and weaknefs make them aimolt unfer· viccable to the Church, and who groan to be unburdened and to be with Chrilt, your farrow fhould be lean, and your joy and thanks for their happincfs fhould be greatcfl. But cfpeci•lly abhor th.: nature that ft::cretly is glad of the death of Parents, (or little forrowful) becaufe that their efiates arc fain to you, or you are enriched, or fet at liberty by the'1r death. God fcldom leaveth this fin unrcvenged, by fiJrne heavy judgements even in this life. 9· fS. Direct. 10. To overcome your inordinotc g,ricf for the deat~ of your relatiom, coNfider thr[c Direti. 10 • tiJi~JU. foUorviPg. I· !hat excefs ot farrow is your fin: And finninl is an ill ufe to bema.de of your Ht!p. "Cl:nfl affi•Cbon. 2· That lt. t~nd~th to a great deal more : It unfi.rteth you for many duties which you excerlivegrief .are .bound eo, a~ to ReJOI~e .m God, a~d to be.Thankful for mercies, and cheerful in his Love and :;f~~;n~lth Pra.rfcand Serv1ce: An.d IS 1ta fm~ll h~ tounfit your fclves for the greatetl duties? 3· If you are fo troubled at ~ods d1fpofal of hJS own, what doth your WiY but rife up againfl the will of God; as.lf you grudged at rhe exercifc of his Dominion and Governrn~nt, that is, that he is God ! who is wJfcfi and Btil and fittc!l to difpofe ofall mens lives? Is it God or you? Would you not have God to be the Lord of all, and to difpofe of Heaven and earth, and of the lives and Crowns of the greatelt Princes ? If you would nor, you would not have him to be God. If you would is it n~t unreafon~blc that )'DU or your fri'endJ only fhould be excepted from his difpofal? 4 • If your frtends are m Heaven, how unfuitable is ir, for you to be overmuch mourning for them, when Pppp they
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