Man, thee behoveth oft to have this in mind, So God me help and Halidam, he died a poor man. He that gives with his own hand shall be sure to find it, and the poor shall find it; but he that trusts executors with his charity, and the economy and issues of his virtue, by which he must enter into his hopes of heaven and pardon, shall find but an ill account, when his executors complain he died poor. Think on this. To this purpose wise and pious was the counsel of Salvian: "Let a dying man who hath nothing else of which we may make an effective oblation, offer up to God of his substance: Let him offer it with compunction and tears, with grief and mourning, as knowing that all our oblations have their value, not by the price, but by the af fection; and it is our faith that commendeth the money, since God receives the money by the hands of the poor, but at the same time gives, and does. not take the blessing; because he receives nothing. but his own, and man gives that which is none of his own, that of which he is only a steward, and shall be accountable for every shilling. Let it therefore he offered humbly, as a creditor pays his debts, not magnifically as a prince gives a donative; * Written upon aWall in St. Edmund's Church, in Lombard Street. and let him remember that such doles do not pav for the sit, but they ease the punishment; they are not proper instruments of redemption, but instances of supplication, and advantages of prayer: and when we have done well, remember that we have not paid our debt, but shewn our willingness to give a little of that vast sum we owe; and he that gives plentifully according to the measure of his estate, is still behind hand according to the measure of his sins. Let him pray to God that this late oblation may be accepted; and so it will, if it sails to him in a sea of penitential tears or sorrows that it is so little, and that it is so late." 6. Let the sick man's charity be so ordered, that it may not come only to deck the funeral and make up the pomp; charity waiting like one of the solemn mourners; but let it be continued, that besides the alms of health and sickness, there may be a rejoicing in God for his charity long after his funerals, so as to become more beneficial and less public; that the poor may pray in private, and give God thanks many days together. This is matter of prudence; and yet in this we are to observe the same regards which we had in' the charity and alms of our lives; with this only dif ference, that in the funeral alms also of rich and able persons, all public religious customs are to be duly observed, and decency and solemnity, and the expectations of the poor, and matter of public opinion, and the reputation of religion; in all other cases let thy charity consult with humility and prudence, that. it never minister at all to vanity, but be as full of advantage and usefulness as it may 7. Every man will forgive a dying person: and therefore let the sick man be ready and sure, if he can, to send to such persons whom he hath injured, and beg their pardon, and do them right. For in his case he cannot stay for an opportunity of convenient and advantageous reconcilement; he cannot then spin out a treaty, nor beat down the price of composition, or lay a snare to be quit from the obligation and coercion of laws; but he must ask forgiveness downright, and make him amends as he can, being greedy of making use of this opportunity of doing a duty that must be done, but cannot any more, if not now, until time returns again, and tells the minutes backwards, so that yesterday shall be reckoned in the portions of the future. 8. In the intervals of sharper pains, when the sick man amasses together all the arguments of comfort, and testimonies of God's love to him and care of him, he must needs find infinite matter of thanksgiving and glorification of God; and it is a proper act of charity and love to God, and justice too, that he do honour to God on his death-bed for all the blessings of his life, not only in general communications, but those by which he hath been separate and discerned from others, or supported and blessed in his own person: Such as are [In all my life-time I never broke a bone, I never fell into the hands of robbers, never into public shame, or into noisome diseases; I have No. 11. 21 not begged my bread, nor been tempted by great and unequal fortunes; God gave me a good understanding, good friends, or delivered me in such a danger, and heard my prayers in such particular pressures of my spirit.] This or the like innumeration and consequent acts of thanksgiving are apt to produce love to God, and confidence in the day of trial; for he that gave me blessings in proportion to the state and capacities of my life, I hope also will do so in proportion to the needs of my sickness and my death-bed. This we find practised as a most reasonable piece of piety by the wisest of the heathens. So Antipater Tarsensis gave God thanks for his prosperous voyage into Greece: And Cyrus made a handsome prayer upon the tops of the mountains, whien by a phantasm he was warned of his approaching death: Receive, [O God] my father, these holy rites by which I put an end to many and great affairs; and I give thee thanks for thy celestial signs and prophetic notices, whereby thou hast signified to me what I ought to do, and what I ought not. I present also very great thanks that I have perceived and acknowledged your care of me, and have never exalted myself above my condition, for any prosperous accident. And I pray that you will grant felicity to my wife, my children and friends, and tỏ me a death such as my life hath been. But that of Philagrius in Gregory Nazianzen is cucharistical, but it relates more especially to the blessings and advantages which are accidentally consequent to sickness: I thank thee, O Father and Maker of all thy children, that thou art pleased to bless and to sanctify us even against our wills, and by the outward man purgest the inward, and leadest us through crossways to a blessed ending, for reasons best known unto thee. However, when we go from our hospital and place of little intermedial rest in our journey to heaven, it is fit that we give thanks to the major-domo for our entertainment. When these parts of rehgion are finished, according to each man's necessity, there is nothing remaining of personal duty to be done alone, but that the sick man act over these virtues by the renewings of devotion, and in the way of prayer; and that is to be continued as long as life, and voice, and reason dwell with us. SECT. X. Acts of Charity, by way of Prayer and Ejaculation: which may be also used for Thanksgiving, in case of Recovery. (Psalm xvi. 2, 3, 5.) O My soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord; my goodness extendeth not to thee: But the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance, and of my cup; thou maintainest my lot. (Psalm xviii. 30-32.) As for God his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God, except the Lord? Or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. |