Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

averse to ask persons to expose themselves to great risk, who might be delicate or unwilling to refuse if invited, or might not know the full danger of infection; and he might have much cause for regret, if, having communicated at his request, they took the disorder, and even came to die. Whether co-recipients "cannot be gotten" on account of their own refusal, or because the danger of infection is so great and notorious as to render it unadvisable to ask them, seems equally to fulfil the condition of the rubric.

On a review of the whole matter as set forth in this and other rubrics, we may be allowed to observe, that there remains a desideratum in the directions of the Church on this subject, which is thus expressed by Bishop Cosin: "If there might be here some indulgence given, that in case the sick person doth so earnestly desire the Sacrament, that he cannot be in a quiet state of mind without it, it may be delivered to him by the Minister, though there be no contagion in the sickness, when others cannot be gotten to communicate with him, it would be to the greater satisfaction, both of him and the Minister, who is here restrained to that case only."

Before leaving the subject of the Communion of the sick, it seems fitting to make allusion to a case of some difficulty which not unfrequently arises; viz., in a very long and dangerous illness where the sick person has received the holy Communion, and continues to live on for several weeks, or even months, without hope of eventual recovery. In such a case it becomes a question whether the sick man should be invited to receive it again, or even several times; and if so, at what intervals. On a subject in which so much must depend on the earnestness and real piety of the particular sick person, or on his previous habit of Communion, no general rule can be given. Thus much, however, may be suggested by way of advice: while ever there are temptations to be struggled with, the sick man may well "renew his strength," by the reception of the holy

* Additional Notes, p. 70, at the end of Dr. Nicholls' Commentary on Book of Common Prayer.

Communion; while ever there are afflictions to be endured, he may well look for consolation in "the most comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of CHRIST;" while ever there are sins to be repented of, (as impatience, hasty words, undue thoughts,) and faith to be maintained and perfected, he may well seek for grace by the receiving that holy Sacrament in remembrance of His LORD's "meritorious Cross and Passion; whereby alone we obtain remission of our sins, and are made partakers of the kingdom of heaven." And as temptations and afflictions are wont to be heavier, the remembrance of former sins deeper, and the need of a firm faith greater, at the approach of death, it seems especially fitting that, if any considerable time has elapsed since the Communion has been received, it should be again administered as that hour draws near. While, however, on the one hand, to press the repetition of Communion on one who never received before his illness, whose preparation for his once receiving it was a great exertion, and whose mind and heart (possibly from former neglects) are incapable of great and deep piety, would be altogether injudicious; hurtful perhaps to him, and injurious to the dignity of the Sacrament; so, on the other hand, it would be a great neglect on the part of the Minister, that one who had received it regularly in the time of his health should not have at least as frequent opportunities of receiving it now in his going down to the grave; or that those of great devotion, real earnestness, and deep repentance, should not be led, and even invited to renew their union with their LORD, at such intervals as their love for Him prompts them to while He prolongs their days.

That the reception of the holy Communion has been during sickness repeated by devout members of our Church, the following few examples, out of many, may suffice to prove.

Elizabeth, Lady Capel, "towards the latter part of her sickness, twice received the Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of CHRIST, and both times with expressions of devotion and reverence."* The celebrated • English Churchwomen, p. 76.

[ocr errors]

Doctor Hammond, on his death-bed, "on the 20th of April, being Good Friday, solemnly received the Sacrament; and again on the 22nd of April, which then was Easter day.' Lady Elizabeth Hastings in her last illness "had the holy Sacrament administered to her every Sunday."+ Doctor Grabe "received the Communion of our LORD's Body and Blood with great devotion several times during his severe visitation, to fortify him in his passage to eternity."

The sick man having been thus visited, examined, and prepared, and having received the holy Communion, the seal of his reconciliation to GOD, is thus fitted, as far as human ministrations can fit him, to leave the world; or, in the event of recovery, to enter it again in a chastened and pure spirit. The Church therefore does not actually prescribe any further ministration for him; except indeed a prayer when there appears little -hope of recovery, and a commendatory prayer to be said over him at the time of his departure; or an expression of his thanksgiving on his perfect recovery and restoration to the Church. She seems therefore to leave it open to her Ministers to use such devotional offices as they shall think fit (so that they be in union with and subjective to her teaching), should occasion for them arise, either by the sick man's lingering on after his Visitation and Communion, or by his slowly re-covering. For though no other office than she has prescribed can be essentially necessary, if all her directions in the Visitation and Communion Offices have been rightly observed, yet if the sick man slowly and gradually sinks until his death, after the reception of the Communion, the Priest will naturally feel himself called upon to visit him constantly, and to continue to prepare him for the hour of his departure; and as evidently the repetition of any part of the Visitation Office is then unsuitable, we have provided forms for his use in such visits.

* He died on the 25th.-Fell's Life of Hammond.
+ English Churchwomen, p. 355.

Nelson's Life of Bishop Bull, p. 223.

The first he will desire to use on his next visit after the sick man's reception of the holy Communion is one which refers especially to that Sacrament, and to the benefits he has therein received, and to his obligations to nourish the grace thereby vouchsafed to him. This we have endeavoured to provide in the Office to be used after Communion (p. 185*); and the occasion and manner of using it have been fully set forth (p. cxxxix). But however if the sick man lingers on for many days, or if he recovers, it is still most necessary and important to treat him in succeeding ministrations as truly repentant, and as having availed himself of the means GOD has provided for his restoration and pardon. With this object in view we have compiled an Office for a sick penitent (p. 101). This should never be used until the examinations contemplated in the rubric of the Visitation Office after the Creed have been made, and until after the ministry of reconciliation has been afforded to the sick, whether by the use of the latter portion of the Visitation Service, or the pronunciation of absolution, and (in all ordinary cases) the adminisExperience has tration of the holy Communion. proved the comforting effects of the use of these Offices after repentance has thus been manifested, and the Eucharist received.

It may not unfrequently happen that the sick man may continue to live on from day to day for some time, yet still in great and constant danger of death, and almost beyond the expectation of those about him. In this case the Minister in his visits, and in all prayers and ministrations which he uses with him, will, of course, desire to keep the fact of the near approach and probability of death in view. In such a case, the Psalm, Scripture, and Prayers (pp. 251-260) may be used with advantage; or the Prayers alone may be used, combined, of course, with the opening of the Office (p. may be 237). Or the Litany for one not likely to live said over him; or if he lingers on for some time in such a state of great danger, these may be alternated, using one on one occasion, the other on another. Or, again, some of the prayers (pp. 257,258) may be said on one

day, and some on another, according as the sick man is able to bear it, and the Minister in his discretion judges fit.

On the Priest's last visit, and when the symptoms of approaching death have set in, the Office of commendation into the hands of GOD may well be used. In saying this Office the Priest should aim at great distinctness and deliberation, as the faculties of the dying person becoming obscured and dulled, require such assistances to enable them to realize and enter into the prayers. But if the dying man has become insensible by the near approach of death, this Office may still be said over him, with his relatives and those about him, up to the time of death; and will (besides its intrinsic value in striving with GOD by prayer for His acceptance of the dying,) often prove a great consolation and help to them, as embodying and giving vent to their last prayers for their dying friend. The Church has sanctioned and indeed enjoined the use of prayer at such a moment, by setting forth the Commendatory prayer for a person at the point of departure; and we believe we have acted strictly in accordance, with her intention, in combining with the use of that Prayer forms which her greatest Divines have provided for the same purpose. As the construction and language of that Office presume the patient's death to be at hand, and no other prayers to be used after it, the Priest should never use it until he is satisfied, either from his own observation or the assurance of experienced persons, that the premonitory symptoms of immediate dissolution have appeared, or unless the dying person is evidently in extremis. And it will be for the consideration of the Clergyman whether it is not advisable for him to desire that he may be summoned the moment such symptoms appear, in order that he may comfort and sustain the sick in his last

"Her spirits faint; till no more pulse perceivable, with the most ardent prayers and offices of the holy man, who continually attended, he earnestly, and we all devoutly recommend, and she quietly renders up her happy soul to her Blessed REDEEMER."Life of Mrs. Godolphin, p. 150. She had been for some time insensible.

« AnteriorContinuar »