Pastoral Tenderness and the End of Life

By Pastor Benjamin Glaser - Posted at Thoughts From Parson Farms:

Learning to Ready Ourselves For the Difficulties and Trials of Sickness and Death

Good Morning,

The next section of the DPW is titled On the Visitation of the Sick. While most of the comments to come focus on the duties and responsibilities of the minister there are certainly applications which can be made both to elders and deacons as well as all the members of the local church. It is an interesting insight into what life was like in the Seventeenth Century. Sickness and death were far less sanitized than they are today. A pastor then could expect to spend most of his time nurturing souls nearing the end of life rather than brainstorming for the next outreach vision statement or coming up with a new, fresh marketing scheme. Existence was far more serious back in those days. Hence why we read almost a positive take on the place of illness in the life of the Christian, and have a whole portion of a Directory for Public Worship, which testifies to how the man of God is to use it for the blessing of the covenant community. There is much we can learn for our own life in the advice given in the below. Read it slow, meditate on its richness.

Here are the opening paragraphs:

IT is the duty of the minister not only to teach the people committed to his charge in publick, but privately; and particularly to admonish, exhort, reprove, and comfort them, upon all seasonable occasions, so far as his time, strength, and personal safety will permit.

He is to admonish them, in time of health, to prepare for death; and, for that purpose, they are often to confer with their minister about the estate of their souls; and, in times of sickness, to desire his advice and help, timely and seasonably, before their strength and understanding fail them.

Times of sickness and affliction are special opportunities put into his hand by God to minister a word in season to weary souls: because then the consciences of men are or should be more awakened to bethink themselves of their spiritual estate for eternity; and Satan also takes advantage then to load them more with sore and heavy temptations: therefore the minister, being sent for, and repairing to the sick, is to apply himself, with all tenderness and love, to administer some spiritual good to his soul, to this effect.

As with the other parts of the DPW there is much more going on than meets the eye. God in His grace brings various trials into our lives in order to teach, prepare, and make ready the soul for eternal life. We would be wise to remember that our home is not here and therefore our hope is not bound on the circumstances of our time on the earth. We certainly do not discount the truth of pain and the way it affects us as it waves over our hearts and minds. However, the Lord’s purpose in allowing us to suffer is neither capricious nor pointless. It teaches us much of faith.

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