ON THE SACRAMENT OF EXTREME UNCTION

It hath, moreover, seemed good to the holy synod, to subjoin to the preceding doctrine on penance the one following touching the sacrament of Extreme Unction, which was regarded by the Fathers as the completion, not only of penance, but also of the whole Christian life, which ought to be a perpetual penance. First, therefore, concerning its institution, it declares and teaches, that our most clement Redeemer, who would have his servants at all times provided with salutary remedies against all the weapons of all their enemies, like as, in the other sacraments, He prepared the greatest aids, by the which, during life, Christians may preserve themselves whole from every more grievous evil of the spirit, so did He guard the close of life by the sacrament of Extreme Unction, as with a most firm defence. For although our adversary seeks and seizes opportunities throughout our whole life, to be able in any way to devour our souls; yet, there is no time wherein he more vehemently strains all the powers of his cunning to ruin us utterly, and, if he possibly can, to make us fall even from trust in the divine mercy, than when he perceives the end of our life to be impending.

CHAPTER I

Concerning the Institution of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction

Now, this sacred unction of the sick was instituted by Christ our Lord, as truly and properly a sacrament of the new law, hinted at indeed in Mark, but recommended and promulgated to the faithful by James the apostle, and brother of the Lord. Is any, he saith, sick among you? Let him bring in the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick; and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. In which words, as the Church hath learned from apostolic tradition, received from hand to hand, he teaches the matter, the form, the proper minister, and the effect of this salutary sacrament. For the Church hath understood the matter thereof to be oil blessed by a bishop, seeing that the unction most aptly represents the grace of the Holy Ghost, with which the soul of the sick person is invisibly anointed; and furthermore, that those words, “By this unction,” &c. are the form.

CHAPTER II

On the Effect of this Sacrament

Moreover, the thing [signified], and the effect of this sacrament, are explained in those words; And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. For this thing is the grace of the Holy Ghost; whose anointing cleanses away sins, if there be any still to be expiated, and the remains of sin; relieves and strengthens the soul of the sick, by exciting in him a great confidence in the divine mercy; whereby the sick being relieved, bears more easily the inconveniences and pains of sickness; and more readily resists the temptations of the devil, who lies in wait for his heel; and sometimes obtains bodily health, when it is expedient for the welfare of the soul.

CHAPTER III

On the Minister of this Sacrament, and on the Time when it ought to be administered

And now, as pertains to the prescribing who ought to receive, and who to administer this sacrament, this also was only obscurely delivered in the words aforesaid. For it is also shown there, that the proper ministers of this sacrament are the elders of the Church; by which name are to be understood, in that place, not the elders by age, or the foremost amongst the people, but, either bishops, or priests by them rightly ordained by the laying on of hands by the presbytery. It is also declared, that this unction is to be applied to the sick, but especially to those who lie in such danger as to seem placed at their departure from this life: whence, also, it is called the sacrament of the departing. But if the sick should recover, after having received this unction, they may again be aided by the succour of this sacrament, when they fall into another like danger of death. Wherefore, they are on no account to be hearkened unto, who, contrary to so manifest and clear a declaration of the apostle James, teach that this unction is either a human figment, or is a rite received from the fathers, which neither hath a command from God, nor a promise of grace: nor those who assert that it hath already ceased, as though it were only to be referred to the grace of healing in the primitive church; nor those who say that the rite and usage which the holy Roman Church observeth in the administration of this sacrament is repugnant to the declaration of the apostle James, and that it is, therefore, to be changed into some other: nor finally, those who affirm that this Extreme Unction may without sin be contemned by the faithful: for all these things are most manifestly at variance with the distinct words of so great an apostle. Neither, assuredly, does the Roman Church, the mother and mistress of all others, Observe aught else in administering this unction, as regards those things which make up the substance of this sacrament, but what the blessed James has prescribed. Nor indeed can the contempt of so great a sacrament be without a heinous sin, and an injury to the Holy Ghost himself.

These are the things which this holy œcumenical synod professes and teaches, and proposes unto all the faithful of Christ, to be believed and held, touching the sacraments of Penance and Extreme Unction. But it delivers the following canons to be inviolably observed; and, perpetually condemns and anathematizes those who assert the contrary.