The rule and exercises of holy dying in which are described the means and instruments of preparing our selves and others respectively, for a blessed death, and the remedies against the evils and temptations proper to the state of sicknesse : together with prayers and acts of vertue to be used by sick and dying persons, or by others standing in their attendance : to which are added rules for the visitation of the sick and offices proper for that ministery.

To the Right Honourable and most truly Noble RICHARD Lord VAVGHAN, Earl of CARBERY, Baron of EMLIN, and MOLIN∣GAR; Knight of the Ho∣nourable Order of the BATH.

My Lord,

I Am treating your Lordship as a Ro∣man Gentleman did Saint Augustine and his Mother; I shall entertain you in a Charnel house,

and carry your meditations a∣while into the chambers of death, where you shall finde the rooms dressed up with melancholy arts, and fit to converse with your most retired thoughts, which begin with a sigh and proceed in deep consideration, and end in a holy resolution. The sight that S. Au∣gustine most noted in that house of sorrow was the body of Caesar clothed with all the dishonours of corruption, that you can sup∣pose in a six moneths burial. But I know that without pointing, your first thoughts will remem∣ber the change of a greater beau∣ty, which is now dressing for the brightest immortality; and from her bed of darknesse calls to you to dress your soul for that change which shall mingle your bones with that beloved dust, and carry your soul to the same Quire, where you may both sit and sing

for ever. My Lord it is your dear Ladies Anniversary, and she de∣served the biggest honour, and the longest memory, and the fairest monument, and the most solemne mourning; and in order to it give me leave (My Lord) to cover her Hearse with these following sheets; this book was intended first to minister to her piety; and she desired all good people should partake of the advantages which are here recorded: she knew how to live rarely well, and she desired to know how to dye; and God taught her by an experi∣ment. But since her work is done and God supplyed her with pro∣visions of his own, before I could minister to her, and perfect what she desired, it is necessary to present to your Lordship those bundles of Cypresse which were intended to dresse her Closet, but come now to dresse her Hearse.

(My Lord) both your Lordship and my self have lately seen and felt such sorrows of death, and such sad departure of Dearest friends, that it is more then high time we should think our selves neerly concerned in the accidents; Death hath come so neer to you as to fetch a portion from your very heart; and now you can∣not choose but digge your own grave and place your coffin in your eye when the Angel hath dressed your scene of sorrow and meditation with so particular and so neer an object; and therefore as it is my duty, I am come to mi∣nister to your pious thoughts, and to direct your sorrows that they may turn into vertues and advantages.

And since I know your Lord∣ship to be so constant and regular in your devotions, and so tender in the matter of justice, so ready

in the expressions of charity and so apprehensive of religion, and that you are a person whose work of grace is apt, and must every day grow towards those degrees, where when you arrive you shall triumph over imperfection, and choose nothing but what may please God, I could not by any compendium conduct and assist your pious purposes so well as by that which is the great argu∣ment and the great instrument of holy living, the consideration and exercises of death.

My Lord, it is a great art to dye well, and to be learnt by men in health, by them that can discourse and consider; by those whose understanding, and acts of reason are not abated with fear or pains, and as the greatest part of death is passed by the preceding years of our life, so also in those

years are the greatest preparation to it: and he that prepares not for death, before his last sicknesse, is like him that begins to study Philosophy when he is going to dispute publikely in the faculty. All that a sick and dying man can do is but to exercise those ver∣tues, which he before acquired, and to perfect that repentance which was begun more early. And of this (My Lord) my Book I think is a good testimony, not onely because it represents the vanity of a late and sick-bed re∣pentance, but because it contains in it so many precepts and medi∣tations, so many propositions and various duties, such forms of ex∣ercise, and the degrees and diffi∣culties of so many graces which are necessary preparatives to a holy death, that the very learn∣ing the duties require study and skill, time and understanding in

the wayes of godlinesse; and it were very vain, to say so much is necessary, and not to suppose more time to learn them, more skill to practise them, more op∣portunities to desire them, more abilities both of body and mind then can be supposed in a sick, amazed, timerous, and weak per∣son; whose naturall acts are dis∣abled, whose senses are weak, whose discerning faculties are lessened, whose principles are made intricate and intangled, up∣on whose eye sits a cloud, and the heart is broken with sicknesse, and the liver pierced thorow with sorrows and the strokes of death. And therefore (my Lord) it is intended by the necessity of affairs, that the precepts of dying well be part of the studies of them that live in health, and the dayes of discourse and understanding: which in this case hath another

degree of necessity superadded; because in other notices, an im∣perfect study may be supplied by a frequent exercise, and a renew∣ed experience: Here, if we pra∣ctise imperfectly once, we shall never recover the errour: for we die but once; and therefore it will be necessary that our skill be more exact, since it is not to be mended by triall, but the actions must be for ever left imperfect, unlesse the habit be contracted with study and contemplation before hand.

And indeed I were vain, if I should intend this book to be read and studied by dying persons: and they were vainer that should need to be instructed in those graces which they are then to exercise and to finish. For a sick bed is on∣ly a school of severe exercise, in which the spirit of a man is tried, and his graces are rehearsed: and

the assistances which I have in the following pages given to those vertues which are proper to the state of sicknesse, are such as sup∣pose a man in the state of grace; or they confirm a good man, or they support the weak, or adde degrees, or minister comfort, or prevent an evil, or cure the little mischiefs which are incident to tempted persons in their weak∣nesse; this is the summe of the present designe, as it relates to dy∣ing persons. And therefore I have not inserted any advices proper to old age, but such as are com∣mon to it and the state of sick∣nesse; for I suppose very old age to be a longer sicknesse, it is la∣bour and sorrow when it goes be∣yond the common period of na∣ture; but if it be on this side that period, and be healthfull, in the same degree it is so, I reckon it in the accounts of life; and there∣fore

it can have no distinct consi∣deration. But I do not think it is a station of advantage to begin the change of an evil life in: It is a middle state between life and death-bed, and therefore although it hath more of hopes, then this, and lesse then that, yet as it par∣takes of either state: so it is to be regulated by the advices of that state, and judged by its senten∣ces.

Onely this: I desire, that all old persons would sadly consider that their advantages in that state are very few, but their inconve∣niences are not few: Their bo∣dies are without strength, their prejudices long and mighty, their vices (if they have lived wicked∣ly) are habituall, the occasions of their vertues not many, the pos∣sibilities of some (in the matter of which they stand very guilty) are past, and shall never return

again (such are, chastity, and many parts of self-deniall;) that they have some temptations pro∣per to their age, as peevishnesse, and pride, covetousnesse, and talking, wilfulnesse and unwil∣lingnesse to * 1.1 learn, and they think they are protected by age from learning anew, or repenting the old; and do not * 1.2 leave, but change their vices: And af∣ter all this, either the day of their repentance is past, as we see it true in very many, or it is expi∣ring and towards the Sun-set, as it is in all; and therefore although in these, to recover is very possi∣ble, yet we may also remember that in the matter of vertue and repentance, possibility is a great way off from performance; and how few do repent, of whom it

is onely possible that they may; and that many things more are required to reduce their possibi∣lity to act: a great grace, an assi∣duous ministery, an effective cal∣ling, mighty assistances, excellent counsell, great industry, a watch∣full diligence, a well disposed mind, passionate desires, deep apprehensions of danger, quick perceptions of duty, and time, and Gods good blessing, and ef∣fectuall impression and second∣ing all this, that to will, and to do, may by him be wrought to great purposes, and with great speed.

And therefore it will not be amisse, but it is hugely necessary, that these persons who have lost their time and their blessed op∣portunities should have the dili∣gence of youth, and the zeal of new converts, and take account of every hour that is left them, and pray perpetually, and be ad∣vised

prudently, and study the interest of their souls carefully, with diligence, and with fear; and their old age which in effect is nothing, but a continuall death-bed, dressed with some more or∣der and advantages, may be a state of hope, and labour, and ac∣ceptance, through the infinite mercies of God in Jesus Christ.

But concerning sinners, really under the arrest of death, God hath made no death-bed cove∣nant, the Scripture hath recorded no promises, given no instructi∣ons; and therefore I had none to give, but onely the same which are to be given to all men that are alive, because they are so, and because it is uncertain when they shall be otherwise; But then this advice I also am to insert. That they are the smallest number of Christian men, who can be divi∣ded by the characters of a certain

holinesse, or an open villany: and between these, there are many degrees of latitude, and most are of a middle sort, concerning which we are tied to make the judgements of charity, and pos∣sibly God may do so too; But however, all they are such to whom the rules of holy dying are usefull and applicable, and therefore no separation is to be made in this world; but where the case is not evident, men are to be permitted to the unerring judgement of God, where it is evident, we can rejoyce or mourn for them that die.

In the Church of Rome they reckon otherwise concerning sick and dying Christians then I have done. For they make profession, that from death to life, from sin to grace, a man may very certain∣ly be changed, though the ope∣ration begin not before his last

hour, and half this, they do upon his death bed▪ and the other half when he is in his grave: and they take away the eternal punishment in an instant, by a school distincti∣on or the hand of the Priest; and the temporal punishment shall stick longer, even then when the man is no more measured with time, having nothing to do with any thing of, or under the sun; but that they pretend to take away too, when the man is dead; and, God knowes, the poor man for all this, payes them both in hell. The di∣stinction of temporal and eternal is a just measure of pains, when it referres to this life and another; but to dream of a punishment temporal when all his time is done, and to think of repentance when the time of grace is past, are great errours; the one in Philosophy, and both in Divinity, and are a huge folly in their pretence, and

infinite danger if they are be∣lieved; being a certain destructi∣on of the necessity of holy li∣ving, when men dare trust them, and live at the rate of such do∣ctrines. The secret of these is soon discovered: for by such means though a holy life be not ne∣cessary, yet a priest is; as if God did not appoint the Priest to mi∣nister to holy living, but to ex∣cuse it; so making the holy calling not onely to live upon the sins of the people, but upon their ruine; and the advantages of their fun∣ction to spring from their eternal dangers. It is an evil craft to serve a temporal end upon the death of souls; that, is an interest not to handled but with noblenesse and ingenuity, fear and caution, dili∣gence and prudence, with great skill, and great honesty, with re∣verence and trembling, and seve∣rity: a soul is worth all that,

and the need we have requires all that; and therefore those do∣ctrines that go lesse then all this, are not friendly, because they are not safe.

I know no other great difference in the visitation and treating of sick persons, then what depends upon the article of late repen∣tance; for all Churches agree in the same essential propositions, and assist the sick by the same in∣ternal ministeries; as for exter∣nal, I mean unction, used in the Church of Rome, since it is used when the man is above half dead, when he can exercise no act of understanding, it must needs be nothing; for no rational man can think that any ceremonie can make a spiritual change without a spiritual act of him that is to be changed; nor work by way of nature, or by charme; but mo∣rally and after the manner of rea∣sonable

creatures; and there∣fore I do not think that mini∣stery at all fit to be reckoned among the advantages of sick persons. The Fathers of the Councel of Trent first dispu∣ted and after their manner at last agreed, that extream unction was instituted by Christ. But after∣wards, being admonished by one of their Theologues, that the A∣postles ministred unction to in∣firm people before they were Priests (the Priestly order ac∣cording to their doctrine being collated in the institution of the last Supper) for fear that it should be thought that this unction might be administred by him that was no Priest, they blotted out the word [insti∣tuted] and put in its stead [insinuated] this Sacrament;* 1.3 and that it was published by Saint Iames. So it is in their Do∣ctrine:

and yet in their anathe∣matismes, they curse all them that shall deny it to have been [insti∣tuted] by Christ. I shall lay no more prejudice against it, or the weak arts of them that maintain it, but adde this onely, that there being but two places of Scripture pretended for this ceremonie, some chief men of their own side have proclaimed those two invalid as to the institution of it; for Suarez sayes that the unction used by the Apostles in S. Mark 6.13. is not the same with what is used in the Church of Rome; and that it cannot be plainly ga∣thered from the Epistle of Saint Iames, Cajetan affirms, and that it did belong to the miraculous gift of healing, not to a Sacrament. The sick mans exercise of grace formerly acquired, his perfect∣ing repentance begun in the dayes of health, the prayers and coun∣sels

of the Holy man that mini∣sters, the giving the Holy Sacra∣ment, the Ministery and assistance of Angels, and the mercies of God, the peace of conscience and the peace of the Church are all the assistances and preparatives that can help to dresse his lamp. But if a man shall go to buy oil, when the Bridegroom comes, if his lamp be not first furnish'd, and then trimmed, that in his life, this upon his death-bed, his stati∣on shall be without doors, his portion with unbelievers, and the unction of the dying man shall no more strengthen his soul, then it cures his body, and the prayers for him after his death shall be of the same force as if they should pray that he should return to life again the next day, and live as long as Lazarus in his return. But I consider, that it is not well, that men should pretend any thing

will do a man good when he dies, and yet the same ministeries and ten times more assistances are found for fourty or fifty years together to be ineffectual; can ex∣treme unction at last cure what the Holy Sacrament of the Eu∣charist all his life time could not do? Can prayers for a dead man do him more good then when he was alive? If all his dayes the man belonged to death and the do∣minion of sin, and from thence could not be recovered by Ser∣mons, and counsels, and perpe∣tual precepts, and frequent Sacra∣ments, by confessions and abso∣lutions, by prayers and advoca∣tions, by external ministeries and internal acts, it is but too certain that his lamp cannot then be fur∣nished; his extreme unction is onely then of use when it is made by the oil that burned in his lamp in all the dayes of his expecta∣tion

and waiting for the coming of the Bridegroom.

Neither can any supply be made in this case by their practise of praying for the dead: though they pretend for this the fairest precedents of the Church and of the whole world. The Heathens they say did it; and the Jews did it, and the Christians did it; some were baptized for the dead in the dayes of the Apostles; and very many were communicated for the dead* 1.4 for many ages af∣ter: Tis true they were so, and did so: the Hea∣thens prayed for an easie* 1.5 grave and a perpetual spring, that Saffron would rise from their beds of grasse. The Jews prayed that the souls of their dead might be in the garden of Eden, that they might have their part in Paradise, and in the world

to come, and that they might hear the peace of the fathers of their generations sleeping in Hebron: and the Christians prayed for a joyful resurrection, for mercy at the day of judgement, for the hastning of the coming of Christ, & the king∣dom of God; and they named all sorts of persons in their prayers, all I mean but wicked persons, all but them that liv'd evil lives; they named Apostles, Saints, and Mar∣tyrs; and all this is so nothing to their purpose, or so much against it, that the prayers for the dead used in the Church of Rome are moct plainly condemned, be∣cause they are against the do∣ctrine and practises of all the world; in other forms to other purposes, relying upon distinct doctrines, until new opinions be∣gan to arise about S. Augustines time, and changed the face of the proposition. Concerning prayer for

the dead the Church hath received no commandment from the Lord; and therefore concerning it we can have no rules, nor proporti∣ons, but from those imperfect re∣velations of the state of departed souls, and the measures of cha∣rity, which can relate onely to the imperfection of their pre∣sent condition, and the terrors of the day of judgement: but to think that any suppletory to an evil life can be taken from such devotions after the sinners are dead may incourage a bold man to sin, but cannot relieve him when he hath.

But of all things in the world me thinks men should be most careful not to abuse dying peo∣ple; not onely because their condition is pitiable, but because they shall soon be discovered, and in the secret regions of souls, there shall be an evil report con∣cerning

those men who have deceived them; and if we be∣lieve we shall go to that place where such reports are made, we may fear the shame and the amazement of being accounted impostors in the presence of An∣gels, and all the wise holy men of the world. To be erring and in∣nocent is hugely pitiable, and in∣cident to mortality, that, we can∣not help; but to deceive or to destroy so great an interest as is that of a soul, or to lessen its ad∣vantages by giving it trifling and false confidences, is injurious and intolerable. And therefore, it were very well, if all the Churches of the world would be extremely curious concern∣ing their offices and ministeries of the visitation of the sick; that their Ministers they send be holy, and prudent; that their instru∣ctions be severe and safe; that

their sentences be merciful and reasonable; that their offices be sufficient and devout; that their attendances be frequent and long; that their deputations be special, and peculiar; that the doctrines upon which they ground their offices be true, material and holy; that their ceremonies be few; and their advices wary; that their se∣paration be full of caution; their judgements not remisse; their remissions not loose and disso∣lute; and that all the whole mi∣nistration be made by persons of experience and charity; for it is a sad thing to see our dead go forth of our hands; they live incuriously and dye without re∣gard, and the last scene of their life, which should be dressed with all spiritual advantages, is abused by flattery and easie pro∣positions, and let go with care∣lesnesse and folly.

My Lord, I have endeavou∣red to cure some part of the evil as well as I could; being willing to relieve the needs of indigent people in such wayes as I can, and therefore have described the du∣ties which every sick man may do alone, and such in which he can be assisted by the Minister; and am the more confident that these my endeavours will be the better entertained, because they are the first intire body of directions for sick and dying people that I re∣member to have been published in the Church of England: In the Church of Rome there have been many, but they are dressed with such Doctrines which are some∣times uselesse, sometimes hurt∣full, and their whole designe of assistance which they commonly yeeld, is at the best imperfect, and the representment is too care∣lesse and loose for so severe an

imployment: So that in this af∣fair I was almost forced to walk alone, onely that I drew the rules and advices from the fountains of Scripture, and the purest chan∣nels of the Primitive Church, and was helped by some experience in the cure of souls. I shall mea∣sure the successe of my labours, not by popular noises or the sen∣tences of curious persons, but by the advantage which good peo∣ple may receive; my work here is not to please the speculative part of men, but to minister to practise, to preach to the weary, to comfort the sick, to assist the penitent, to reprove the confi∣dent, to strengthen weak hands and feeble knees, having scarce any other possibilities left me of doing alms, or exercising that charity by which we shall be judged at Doomsday. It is enough for me to be an underbuilder in

the House of God, and I glory in the imployment; I labour in the foundations, and therefore the work needs no Apology for being plain, so it be strong and well laid. But (My Lord) as mean as it is, I must give God thanks for the desires and the strength, and next to him, to you for that opportunity and little portion of leisure which I had to do it in; for I must ac∣knowledge it publikely (and be∣sides my prayers, it is all the re∣compence I can make you) my being quiet I owe to your Inter∣est,* 1.6 much of my support to your bounty, and many other collate∣rall comforts I derive from your favour and noblenesse. (My Lord) because I much honour you, and because I would do honour to my self, I have writ∣ten your Name in the entrance of my Book, I am sure you will

entertain it because the designe related to your Dear Lady, and because it may minister to your spirit in the day of visitation when God shall call for you to receive your reward for your charity and your noble piety, by which you have not onely en∣deared very many persons, but in great degrees have obliged me to be

My Noblest Lord

Your Lordships most thank∣full and most humble servant TAYLOR.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vel quia nil rectum nisi quod placuit ••ibi ducunt, Vel quia turpe putant parere mino••ibus, & quae Imberbes didicere, senes per∣denda fateri.
• * 1.2

  Tenellis adhuc infantiae suae persuasionibus in senectute puerascunt Mamertus.
• * 1.3

  Concil. Trid. hist lib 4.
• * 1.4

  Tertul de Monog. S. Cyprian l. 1. ep. 9 Sa. Athan q. 33. S. Cyril. myst. cat. 5. Epiphan. Haeres. 75. Aug. de haeres. c. 33. Concil. Carth. 3. c. 29
• * 1.5

  Dii majorum um∣bris tenuem & sine pondere terram

  Spirantes{que} crocos & in urna perpetuum yer.

  Pers. Sat. 7.
• * 1.6

  Otia das nobis sed qualia fo∣rat ulio•• Meccenas Placco Virgilio. que m••.