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The Curate

ous; and yet notwithstanding I would recomed to pursue mend the Curate to pursue the following

recommend

the following

steps:

First, by means of

steps:

First, let him try of what avail those general general ex- exhortations will be, by which I have advised that any sick person should be moved to a strict examination of his life.

hortations.

Secondly, by interrogations.

Thirdly, by

showing the

advantage of

and con

In the next place, let him make use of such interrogations as I have already described, unless he shall foresee that they will be asked in vain, or that by their aid he shall prevail but little with the sick let

Him, in the third place, treat more fully and necessity and in detail concerning the absolute necessity of examination that examination, and the utility and even fession. gain which he may with good reason expect from a free and open confession of offences; he may also discourse respecting the imprudence, or rather madness, of those who being deterred by sloth, or fear, or shame, or by any other cause, fail to perform so necessary, so profitable, a duty.

Fourthly, by an inquiry

In the fourth place, let him with the utinto the im- most diligence inquire what it is that chiefly

which deter

son, and

removal.

renders the sick person unwilling either to pediments call to remembrance his past life, or reveal the sick perthe errors he discovers to the Curate, who their most assuredly will not divulge them, but give to him the best advice; and that hindrance, whatever it may be, being removed, let the Curate proceed to his office: for example, if the sick has delayed the examination of his life, because he is slothful and would altogether avoid the labour thereof, then the Curate should, by every means in his power, endeavour to rouse the sick from his lethargy, and excite the torpid to action; and to this end he

may address him thus:

be said to the

is deterred

"You know, my Brother, that that man what should cannot be admitted into heaven who has not sick when he truly repented, and you may be assured that by sloth. he cannot be accounted truly to have repented who has not strictly unburdened his conscience; for the true penitent mourns for the wickedness he has committed; he detests, he resolves against the same; he implores God to pardon it, and makes, as far as he is able, satisfaction to all whom he has at any

time injured. Now this can never be performed by him who is so far from even mortifying the perverseness and enormity of his offences, that, his conscience not yet being searched, he does not indeed know what offences he has committed. Come, therefore, lay aside destructive sloth, and now at last earnestly strive to work out your salvation with fear and trembling; recal to mind as far as you are able the things in which you have at any time offended, nor account the undertaking wearisome, for easier will it prove than you imagine; and even if it were more laborious, you ought to endure it, and you will be able to do so with invincible spirit if you from henceforth duly estimate that great reward with which your labour will be hereafter recompensed: and seriously consider on the other hand those exceeding great punishments for the wicked, which will torment you through all ages, if you now slothfully refuse that needful undertaking. What, I pray you, Brother, would you think of him who, uncertain of any other opportunity of

obtaining riches, should let slip the one that presents itself, merely because he is averse to all exertion? Would you not account him foolishly slothful, and more to be blamed than pitied, if you beheld him struggling with want? And unless you be an unfair judge, you will not pass a less, but much more severe judgment upon yourself, should you sleep during the time in which you ought and have opportunity to work out your eternal salvation, and if abusing the present season by indulging in foolish thoughts, idle words, or unlawful actions, you slowly turn yourself to those things on which must necessarily depend your everlasting happiness, and which are of that kind, that if you perform them in faith you are sure of obtaining salvation, but if they be omitted will most certainly render you incapable of happiness. Now, therefore, at last arouse, now courageously take in hand the work you have to perform; should profear not its weight, for I will relieve you in part, assistance, in being ready, if you desire, either to recite a full order to dicatalogue of sins, or briefly to go through the the sick.

H

The Curate

mise his

minish the labours of

What should be said when the sick is deterred by

Commandments of God, and point out what vices are forbidden by each; and this I am ready willingly to do, not that I may craftily extort from you secrets which you desire to conceal, but that I may as a friend assist you in calling to remembrance your offences, in order that you may more easily attain to a knowledge of your sins, which you ought to confess to God." The Curate can then proceed, by what method he likes, to detail all those offences which can be committed against either table of the Decalogue, and especially those into which the sick has been, from his situation in life or prevailing temperament of body, most prone to fall.

If the sick should be very averse to a due examination of his life, because he is afraid a fear of dis- the horrible insight into its deformity may fill

covering his
own deformi- him with terrors, then the Curate

ties.

may

tell him, that those appalling terrors which he supposes would follow close upon the unpleasant recollection of his offences, can far easier be borne than those which otherwise will disturb him through all eternity; and that it is not

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