The works of George Swinnock, M.A

CHAP. VII. How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness, in visiting the Sick.

Fifthly, Thy duty is to exercise thy self in visiting the sick; The Visitation of the sick, is a work of as great weight as any (enjoined us) relating to others, and as much neglected and slighted in its management, as almost any duty commanded. Sickness is so common, and Death so ordinary, that with most their frequency takes away the sense of them, and charity in many sickens and dieth as fast as others bodies. The generality of pretended Christians, like the Priest and the Levite, if they see a man wounded, both in his body and soul, though it be to death, pass on the other side of the way, not caring to meddle with any that are in misery. They tell us they are true members of Christ, but like a bag of suppurated blood, they feel nothing, neither have any communion with the body. Many on their dying beds, whose souls are worse and more dangerously sick then their bodies, may speak to their Minister or Neighbour (for the duty belongs to the People as well as the Pastor) almost in the words of Martha to Christ; Sir, If thou hadst been here, my soul had not dyed; Some visit the sick, but rather out of a complement, then out of conscience, or to profit themselves more then their Neighbours. The Ingenuous Heathen Seneca, ⟨p. 555⟩will tell such; If a man visit his sick friend, and watch at his Pillow for charity sake, and out of his old affection, we approve it; but if for a Legacy, he is a Vulture, and watcheth only for the carcass. The discourse of these is chiefly about worldly affairs, and nothing about the great concernments of eternity. Others sometimes go about the work, but perform it so ill, administering Cordials, when there is need of Corrosives, sowing Pillows under their sick friends heads, that they may die easily; or if they tell them of their danger, they do it so coldly and carelessly, and by halves, that as he said, there is plus periculi a medicamento quam morbo, More danger from the Physic then the disease their soul-sickness is curable, but the unsuitable medicines they take, make it incurable. It may be said of many a soul, as Adrians Counsellors said of him; Multitudo medicorum, &c. Many Physicians have killed the Emperor; Ah! How dreadful is it, when unskilful and unfaithful Mountebanks, undertake to tamper and trifle with immortal souls, that are just entering into their eternal estates; Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.