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Of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction

1. What ought to be our beleefe touching the Sacrament of Extream Vnction?

THat certes which the1 Catholike Church doth constantlye teache: to witte; that this is a sacred signe, ordained in consecrated oile, that thereby heauenly vertue may by Gods ordinance be applied vnto sicke persons, for the health not only of their soules, but of their bodies also.

Vnto which Sacrament Sainte IAMES the Apostle, giueth most cleare and euident testimony, for as much as he hath written these verie wordes:2 Is any man sicke among you? Let him bring in the Priestes of the church & let then pray ouer him, anoiling him with oile in the name of our Lord. And the praier of faith shal saue the sick: And our Lord shal lifte him vp: And if he be in sinnes they shalbe remitted him.

2. What doth the Apostle teach by these wordes?

HEE sheweth first of all that the Elemente, or matter of this Sacrament, is oile consecrated (as noteth well3 S. BEDE, by the benediction of a Bishoppe. And it signifieth4 cherefulnesse of minde, & an internall strengthening which through the grace of God, the sicke man feeleth by the vertue of this Sacrament.

Then doth the same Apostle set downe the proper minister of this Sacramente: to witte, a5 Priest, who with praier is decently to exercise this holy vnction. Neither was it without some signification of the minister of this Sacrament written of the Apostles; that,6 They annointed with oile many sicke, and healed then.

Furthermore, the parties that receiue this Sacrament; are by Saint IAMES called sicke persons:7 because, as the manner, & custome of the Church is; this holy vnction is onelie celebrated in grieuous and daungerous sickenesses.

3. What is the profite and effect of this Sacrament?

FIrst it auaileth to remission of8 such sinnes as the sicke person hath not already purged by the remedies of Penance: that he may before all thinges be eased of the burden, and cured of the maladie of his sinnes.

Then profiteth it also, either to driue away, or to9 asswage the infirmity of the body; so farre forth as it is expedient for the sicke person to be deliuered of the same.

Last of all, it is of force to minister comforte, and confidence: of which certes there is speciall neede, in that last agony and departure; at what time the10 dying man must haue very sore conflictes, both with most bitter paines, & also with most horrible feendes. Wherefore although bodily health bee not alwaies hereby restored vnto the sicke person, who often chaunceth to die after this vnction receiued: yet a peculiar grace is giuen in this Sacrament, to beare the force & troublesomnesse of the disease more con stantly; & to take death it selfe more easily. And this is it, that by his Apostles God hath promised:11 The praier of faith shall saue the sicke: And our Lorde shall lift him vp: And if he be in sinnes, they shal be remitted him.

To the signifieng certes of which effects, euen the nature, and natiue force of oile doth fitlie agree, as12 THEOPHILACTE sheweth. Wherfore it behoueth vs exactly to obserue that which13 S. AVGVSTINE doth most holesomelie admonishe: So often as anie infirmitye chaunceth, let him that is sicke receiue the Body and Bloode of Christ, and after that let him annoint his body: that, that which is written may be accomplished in him: Is 14 any man sicke? Let him bring in the Priests and let them praie ouer him, annoiling him with oile in the name of our Lord. And the praier of faith shall saue the sicke. And our Lorde shall lifte him vp: And if he be in sinnes they shall be remitted him.

Footnotes

  1. Con. Nic. ex Arab. Latinum factun can. 69. Con. Const. ses. 15. Flor. & Trid. sess. 14. Innoc. 1. ep. 1. ad Decentium. ca. 8. Pet. Dam. ser. 1. in. dedicat. Eccles. Bern. in vita Mala. Conc. Worm. can. 72. Cabil. 2. cap. 48. Melden. apud Burchar. lib. 4. can. 75. & apud. Iuonem. part. 1. cap. 269. Aquisgr. 2. can. 8. Mogunt. sub Rabano. Alcuinus. lib. de offic. cap. 12. Hugo. lib. 2. de Sacram. par. 15. cap. 2. & 3. Orig. hom. 2. in Leuit. Chrys. lib. 3. de Sacerd. Aug. in speculo. & in serm. 215. de temp. ↩

  2. Iac. 5, 14. & Ibid. Beda. ↩

  3. In cap. . Mar. & in . Luc & in . Iac. Innoc. 1. vt supra. Conc. Meld. vt supra. ↩

  4. Theoph. in ca. 6. Mar. ↩

  5. Chry. li. 3. de sacerd. & Orig. ho. 2. en Leuit. ↩

  6. Mar. 6, 13 & 61. Theoph. & Beda. ↩

  7. Pet. Clu lib. 1. mirac. cap 20. & li. 2. cap. 32. ↩

  8. Bern. in vita Mal. Conc. Trid. vt supra. Pet. Clun. li. . ep. 1. ↩

  9. Ibidem Bern. ↩

  10. Cyril. Al. in orat. de xitu animae. Greg. lib. 2. mor cap. 17. & 18. ho. 39. in Euang. Clim. grad 6. Eus. Emis. ho. 1. ad monac. Seuer. Sulp de uans. S. Mart. ↩

  11. Iac. 5, 15. ↩

  12. In cap. 6. Mar. ↩

  13. Ser. 215. de temp. vide etiam de rect Cath. cnuers. & de visit insir lib. 2. c. 4. iten in speculo. ↩

  14. Iac. 5, 14. ↩

Chapter 15 of 36