Fourth Rule. What inquiries he should make of the attendants concerning the sick. Fifth Rule. more disabled to have a becoming care for his soul. He should also closely inquire of those who wait the sick concerning the age, conupon dition of life, learning, morals, and other circumstances less known to him: for by how much the more accurately the Curate has knowledge of these things, by so much the more easily will he be able, when he visits him, to speak the things which it becomes him to single out, (being previously apprized and well-informed with respect to those circumstances,) general and too little profitable discourse being laid aside, he will be able-a matter of no small moment--to suit his conversation to the condition of the sick. He should inquire of the medical man who The things has the care of the sick, whether he considers concerning which he should charge attendant. his patient near death, and should charge him, the medical if he shall perceive approaching symptoms of death, neither to conceal them from the sick, nor from those who wait on him, lest the sick being deceived with a vain hope of his recovery, should dangerously delay the neces sary care of his soul, and lest those who attend him be wanting in those offices which it behoves them to perform to a friend at the point of death. person be what advice should give wait upon If the person visited, by reason of frenzy, Sixth Rule. or some short delirium, (which often is the If the sick case,) should be incapable of receiving ghostly delirious, counsel, the Curate should admonish the at- the Curate tendants concerning those things which he to those who wishes to be said to the sick, if at any time the sick. he should recover his senses; and further should enjoin them that they be careful to send for him (the Curate) when they first perceive that any sober counsel can avail anything with the sick. advise those who must sick, that they withhold If so great a love for friends should inter- Seventh Rule. pose that the sick person cannot contemplate He should death with a calm mind, in order that he may necessarily cheerfully compose himself to meet it, the wait upon the Curate should advise those who must neces- from him and sarily attend him in his sickness, that they do make not not allow him to be excited by these earthly affections, nor by the unnecessary access of wife, children, or of any other persons most even mention of those whose name or presence they perceive would too much excite him. First Rule. The Curate, sick person with whom dear to him, nor by an unseasonable mention of them; he should also furnish them with arguments by which they may be able to dissuade the neighbours, should they unreasonably desire to be admitted to a frequent sight of the dying person. Rules included under the Fourth Division. The Minister of God's Word, the more if he visit a thoroughly he is acquainted with the person he visits, the more aptly will he be able to acquainted, address him, and more advantageously apply premeditated to his case passages from Holy Writ: it he is not may use a and general form of address. Second Rule. And dis will, however, sometimes fall to his lot to visit sick persons very little known to him, and in this case it is necessary that he confine himself to general discourse; he may also make use of some premeditated form of address which is equally suited to any stranger, and such a form of address the reader will meet with in the first division of rules. If the Curate can search out from the re course with plies of the person visited any thing respecting ing those he extracts conversation. his former manner of life, he should especially him concerndiscourse concerning the same, commending things which things worthy of commendation, and censuring from him in those deserving blame. And with respect to the latter he should teach him how much they are to be blamed, how hurtful, how hateful to God, and should, moreover, show him in what manner they may for the future be avoided. If he can formation person's con how far the If he can learn nothing respecting the for- Third Rule. mer life of the sick person from his replies, glean no ina conjecture may be formed by a skilful Curate, from the sick from his age and vocation, and the place in versation, which he passed his life when in health; to every age, station, and abode, there vices attendant, and I would recommend Curate to discourse concerning each of those of age, worldinto which he suspects the sick person to have been most inclined to fall. for Curate may are concerning conjecture his past life the from the cir cumstances ly calling, &c. But he must suspicion un But it will be right for him to intimate Fourth Rule. towards the close of his discourse, that he by not upon no means charges the sick person with any of justly charge the faults he has enumerated, since he is igno- should exrant whether he ever committed them, and that why he has F him, and plain to him to him cer tain sins. enumerated he has only mentioned them, in order to assist him in remembering his faults, and that he ought to impute it to the providence of God, if, being conscious of none, some secret sin should be opportunely recalled to his mind. Fifth Rule. He should tell the sick that it little The Curate may also add, that it is of very little consequence what men may think conmatters what cerning the sick person, but that by making a full confession of his sins to God, and being truly penitent for the same, he will be accounted innocent by God. men may think respecting him, but that if penitent God will think well of him. Sixth Rule. The Curate should promise to observe secrecy and to give counsel. By how much the more confidentially the person visited converses and freely discloses to him as to a trustworthy physician the the sick good secret diseases of his soul, it will without doubt be the duty of the Curate to inform him, that he is bound by his office to keep secret those things which, under the seal of confession, he has entrusted to him, as well as to give him the most wholesome counsel he is able, nor does it matter whether the person who seeks counsel be known to him or |