The sins to which the sick and dying are most exposed are evil and
trifling thoughts, unthankfulness, impatience, peevishness, and
hypocrisy. To the first two of these men are liable on any remission
of pain, or appearance of approaching amendment. There is no other
cure for these than an immediate return to prayer and meditation.
These remedies will also keep us from murmuring and ill-temper.
Hypocrisy may seem a strange vice to impute to a sick or dying
person, but it is not uncommon. It is shown in seeking compassion and
kindness by counterfeiting the appearance of greater suffering than
really belongs to our cases, or in the affectation of more faith, or
resignation, or humility, or peace of conscience than either our own
hearts or God will sanction. The desire of worldly praise will
sometimes linger so late, and cling so closely about the affections
of man, that some persons continue to act a part until their voice
and senses fail them.
Let the difficulty of the duties which a sick man has to perform, and
the number and greatness of the temptations to which he is liable, be
an argument with us to leave as little as possible to be done in that
state of weakness and alarm (H. E. I. 4251-4258).--_Reginald Heber:
Sermons,_ vol. i. pp. 92-111.