CHAP. XV. The Parson Comforting.
The Parson's Comforting
The parson promptly visits any afflicted parishioner, having prepared a store of consolations from Scripture and tradition, and during his visits urges confession, charitable works, and reception of the holy Sacrament.
When anyone in his parish is sick, or suffers the loss of a friend or property, or is distressed in any way, the Country Parson always offers his best comforts—and he would rather go to them than send for the one who is suffering, even though in ordinary circumstances they can and should come to him.1 To this end, he has thoroughly absorbed all the points of consolation, since he uses them constantly—such as those drawn from God's general providence, extended even to the lilies; from his particular providence toward his Church; from his promises; from the examples of all the saints who ever lived; from Christ himself, who accomplished our redemption through sorrow alone; from the benefit of affliction, which softens and shapes the stubborn human heart; from the certainty of both deliverance and reward, if we do not give up; and from the wretched comparison of the brief griefs of this life with the weight of joys to come.23 Besides this, when he visits the sick or those who are otherwise afflicted, he follows the Church's counsel—namely, by persuading them to make a particular confession, working to help them understand the great good of this ancient and pious practice, and how necessary it is in some cases. He also urges them to do some pious charitable works as a necessary evidence and fruit of their faith, especially at that time. As for receiving the holy Sacrament—how comforting and sovereign a medicine it is to all sin-sick souls, and what strength and joy and peace it gives against all temptations, even to death itself—he plainly and generally communicates this to the distressed or sick person, so that their hunger and thirst for it may come from themselves rather than from his persuasion.456
Read the original English
THe Countrey Parson, when any of his cure is sick, or afflicted with losse of friend, or estate, or any ways distressed, fails not to afford his best comforts, and rather goes to them, then sends for the afflicted, though they can, and otherwise ought to come to him. To this end he hath throughly digested all the points of consolation, as having continuall use of them, such as are from Gods generall providence extended even to lillyes; from his particular, to his Church; from his promises, from the examples of all Saints, that ever were; from Christ himself, perfecting our Redemption no other way, then by sorrow; from the Benefit of affliction, which softens, and works the stubborn heart of man; from the certainty both of deliverance, and reward, if we faint not; from the miserable comparison of the moment of griefs here with the weight of joyes hereafter. Besides this, in his visiting the sick, or otherwise afflicted, he followeth the Churches counsell, namely, in perswading them to particular confession, labouring to make them understand the great good use of this antient and pious ordinance, and how necessary it is in some cases: he also urgeth them to do some pious charitable works , as a necessary evidence and fruit of their faith, at that time especially: the participation of the holy Sacrament, how comfortable, and Soveraigne a Medicine it is to all sin-sick souls; what strength, and joy, and peace it administers against all temptations, even to death it selfe, he plainly, and generally intimateth to the disaffected, or sick person, that so the hunger and thirst after it may come rather from themselves, then from his perswasion.
Notes
- 1 ↩Early modern 'cure' means the pastor's pastoral charge or parish, not medical treatment.
- 2 ↩Rendered as 'wretched comparison': the pitiable disproportion between brief earthly grief and the weight of eternal joy, not a comparison that produces misery as its purpose.
- 3 ↩Understood as God's particular providence toward his Church, parallel to 'general providence' earlier in the sentence.
- 4 ↩Private confession of particular sins, following Church counsel; not a generic admission of sinfulness only.
- 5 ↩Paired with 'sick person'; rendered as 'distressed' (afflicted in mind or condition), not modern political 'disaffected'.
- 6 ↩'Comfortable' means comforting; 'sovereign' means supremely effective as a remedy.
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