THE ORDER

FOR

The Visitation of the Sick.

When any person is sick, notice shall be given thereof to the Minister of the Parish; who, coming into the sick person's house, shall say,

Peace be to this house, and to all that dwell in it.

¶ When he cometh into the sick man's presence, he shall say, kneeling down,

LORD, look down from heaven, behold,

visit, and relieve this thy servant. Look, upon him with the eyes of thy mercy; give him comfort and sure confidence in thee; defend him from evil thoughts, and keep him in perpetual peace and safety, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

HEAR us, most merciful Saviour: Extend thy accustomed goodness to this thy servant, who is grieved with sickness. Sanctify, we beseech thee, this thy fatherly correction to him ; that the sense of his weakness may add strength to his faith, and seriousness to his repentance : that if it shall be thy good pleasure to restore him to his former health, he may lead the resi

due of his life in thy fear, and to thy glory: or else give him grace so to take thy visitation, that after this painful life ended, he may dwell with thee in life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ Then shall the Minister exhort the sick person after this form, or other like:

DEARLY beloved, know this, that your heavenly Father is the Lord of life and death, and of all things to them pertaining; as youth, strength, health, age, weakness, and sickness. Wherefore, whatsoever your sickness be, know you certainly that it is God's visitation. And for what cause soever this sickness be sent unto you; whether it be to try your patience for the example of others, and that your faith may be found, in the day of the Lord, laudable, glorious, and honorable, to the increase of glory and endless felicity; or else it be sent unto you to correct and amend in you whatsoever doth offend the eyes of your heavenly Father; know you certainly, that if you truly repent you of your sins, and bear your sickness patiently, trusting in God's mercy, for his dear Son Jesus Christ's sake, and render unto him humble thanks for his fatherly visitation, submitting yourself wholly unto his will, it shall turn to your profit, and help you forward in the right way that leadeth unto everlasting life.

¶ If the person visited be very sick, then the Minister may end his exhortation in this place, or else proceed : TAKE therefore in good part the chastisement

of the Lord: for he whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye castaways and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. These words, good brother, are written in holy Scripture, for our comfort and instruction; that we should patiently, and with thanksgiving, bear our heavenly Father's correction, whensoever, by any manner of adversity, it shall please his gracious goodness to visit us. And there should be no greater comfort to Christian persons, than to be made like unto Christ, by suffering patiently adversities, troubles, and sicknesses. For he himself went not up to joy, but first he suffered pain; he entered not into his glory, before he was crucified. So truly our way to eternal joy, is to suffer here with Christ; and our door to enter into eternal life, is gladly to die with Christ; that we may

rise again from death, and dwell with him in everlasting life.

The sick person shall answer.

All this I steadfastly believe.

Then shall the Minister examine whether he repent him truly of his sins, and be in charity with all the world; exhorting him to forgive, from the bottom of his heart, all persons that have offended him; and if he hath offended any other, to ask them forgiveness; and where he hath done injury or wrong to any man, that he make amends to the uttermost of his power. And if he hath not before disposed of his goods, let him then be admonished to make his Will, and to declare his debts, what he oweth, and what is owing unto him, for the better discharging of his conscience, and the quietness of his executors. men should often be put in remembrance to take order for the settling of their temporal estates, whilst they are in health.

But

¶ And then the Minister shall say the Collect following:

Let us pray.

MOST merciful Father, who, according to the multitude of thy mercies, dost so put away the sins of those who truly repent, that thou rememberest them no more; open thine eye of mercy upon this thy servant, who most earnestly dersireth pardon and forgiveness. Renew in

him, most loving Father, whatsoever hath been decayed by his own carnal will and frailness; preserve and continue this sick member in the unity of the Church; consider his contrition, accept his tears, assuage his pain, as shall seem to thee most expedient for him. And forasmuch as he putteth his full trust only in thy mercy, impute not unto him his former sins, but strengthen him

with thy blessed Spirit ; and when thou art pleased to take him hence, take him unto thy favor, through the merits of thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Here the Minister may use any part of the service of this Book, which, in his discretion, he shall think convenient to the occasion; and after that shall say,

UNTO God's gracious mercy and protection

we commit thee: The Lord bless thee and keep thee; The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace both now and evermore.

Amen.

¶ Prayers which may be said with the foregoing service or any part thereof, at the discretion of the Minister.

TA Prayer for a sick Child.

MERCIFUL Father, to whom belong the issues of life and death; look down from heaven, we humbly beseech thee, with the eyes of mercy upon this child, now lying upon the bed of sickness: Visit him, O Lord, with thy salvation; deliver him in thy good appointed time from his bodily pain, and save his soul for thy mercies' sake; that if it shall be thy pleasure to prolong his days here on earth, he may live to thee, and be an instrument of thy glory, by serving thee faithfully, and doing good in his generation or else receive him into those heavenly habitations, where the souls of those who sleep in the Lord Jesus enjoy perpetual rest and felicity Grant this, O Lord, for thy mercies' sake, which continueth world without end. Amen.

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