FOR

THE VISITATION OF THE SICK.

thanks for his fatherly visitation, sub-unto God in your baptism. And mitting yourself wholly unto his will, forasmuch as after this life there it shall turn to your profit, and help is an account to be given unto the you forward in the right way that righteous Judge, by whom all must

leadeth unto everlasting life.

If the person visited be very sick, then the Minister may end his Exhortation in this place, or else proceed:

be judged, without respect of persons; I require you to examine yourself, and your estate, both toward GOD and man; so that, accusing and condemning yourself for your own

know whether you do believe as a
Christian man should, or no.
Here the Minister shall rehearse the articles of
the Faith, saying thus:
DOST thou believe in GoD the
Father Almighty, Maker of heaven

TAKE therefore in good part the chastisement of the LORD: for, as faults, you may find mercy at our Saint Paul saith in the twelfth chap- heavenly Father's hand for CHRIST'S ter to the Hebrews, Whom the LORD sake, and not be accused and con loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth demned in that fearful judgment. every son whom he receiveth. If ye Therefore I shall rehearse to you the endure chastening, GOD dealeth with articles of our faith; that you may 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 bastards, and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave and earth ? them reverence: shall we not much And in JESUS CHRIST his only. rather be in subjection unto the Fa. begotten Son our Lord? And that he ther of spirits, and live? For they was conceived by the HOLY GHOST, verily for a few days chastened us born of the Virgin Mary; that he after their own pleasure; but he for suffered under Pontius Pilate, was our profit, that we might be partakers crucified, dead, and buried; that he of his holiness. These words, good went down into hell, and also did rise brother, are written in holy Scrip- again the third day; that he ascended ture, for our comfort and instruction; into heaven, and sitteth on the right that we should patiently, and with hand of God the Father Almighty; thanksgiving, bear our heavenly Fa- and from thence shall come again at ther's correction, whensoever, by any the end of the world, to judge the manner of adversity, it shall please quick and the dead?

his gracious goodness to visit us. And dost thou believe in the HOLY And there should be no greater com- GHOST; The holy catholic Church; fort to Christian persons, than to be The communion of saints: The remade like unto CHRIST, by suffering mission of sins; The resurrection of patiently adversities, troubles, and the flesh; and everlasting life after sicknesses. For he himself went not death?

up to joy, but first he suffered pain:

he entered not into his glory, before

The sick person shall answer,

All this I steadfastly believe.

he was crucified. So truly our way 1 Then shall the Minister examine whether he

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. Now, therefore, taking your sickness, which is thus profitable for you, patiently, I exhort you in the name of GOD, to remember the profession which you made

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. But men should often be put in remembrance to take order for the settling of their temporal estates, whilst they are in health

The Exhortation before rehearsed may be said before the Minister begin his prayer, as he shall

see cause.

Adding this:

O SAVIOUR of the world, who The Minister shall not omit earnestly to move by thy cross and precious blood hast such sick persons as are of ability, to be liberal redeemed us; save us, and help us, And then the Minister shall say the Collect we humbly beseech thee, O LORD.

to the poor.

following.

Let us pray.

Then shall the Minister say,

THE Almighty LORD, who is a O MOST merciful GOD, who, ac- most strong tower to all those who put cording to the multitude of thy mer- their trust in him, to whom all things cies, dost so put away the sins of in heaven, in earth, and under the those who truly repent, that thou re- earth, do bow and obey, be now and memberest thein no more; open thine evermore thy defence; and make thee eye of mercy upon this thy servant, know and feel, that there is none other who most earnestly desireth pardon name under heaven given to man, in and forgiveness. Renew in him, most whom, and through whom thou mayloving Father, whatsoever hath been est receive health and salvation, but decayed by the fraud and malice of only the name of our Lord JESUS the devil, or by his own carnal will

CHRIST. 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,

and frailness; preserve and continue this sick member in the unity of the Church; consider his contrition, accept his tears, assuage his pain, as UNTO GOD'S gracious mercy shall seem to thee most expedient for and protection we commit thee: The him. And forasmuch as he putteth LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The his full trust only in thy mercy, im- LORD make his face to shine upon pute not unto him his former sins, thee, and be gracious unto thee: The but strengthen him with thy blessed LORD lift up his countenance upon Spirit; and when thou art pleased thee, and give thee peace both no to take him hence, take him unto thy and evermore. Amen. favor, through the merits of thy most dearly beloved Son JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen.

I Then shall the Minister say this Psalm:
Psalm 130. De Profundis.

OUT of the deep have I called unto thee, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice. O let thine ears consider well the

voice of my complaint.

If thou, LORD, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss; O LORD, who may abide it?

For there is mercy with thee: therefore shalt thou be feared.

I look for the LORD, my soul doth wait for him; in his word is my trust. My soul fleeth unto the LORD, before the morning watch; I say, before the morning watch.'

O Israel, trust in the LORD, for with the LORD there is mercy; and with him is plenteous redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel from all his sins.

Prayers which may be said with the foregoing

service, or any part thereof, at the discretion of the Minister.

A Prayer for a sick Child.

O ALMIGHTY GOD and merci ful Father, to whom alone 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 instru ment of thy glory, by serving theo faithfully, and doing good in his ge. neration: 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, in the same thy Son

our Lord JESUS CHRIST, who liveth whatsoever defilements it may have and reigneth with thee and the HOLY contracted in the midst of this mise. GHOST, ever one GOD, world without end. Amen.

1 A Prayer for a sick person, when there appear O FATHER of mercies, and GOD of all comfort, our only help in time of need; we fly unto thee for succor in behalf of this thy servant, here ly ing under thy hand in great weakness

but a small of recovery.

A Prayer for persons troubled in mind or in conscience.

rable and naughty world, through the lust of the flesh, or the wiles of Satan, being purged and done away, it may be presented pure and without spot before thee. And teach us who survive, in this, and other like daily spectacles of mortality, to see how frail and uncertain our own condition is; and so to nuanber our days, that we may seriously apply our hearts to of body: look graciously upon him, that holy and heavenly wisdom, O LORD; and the more the outward whilst we live here, which may in man decayeth, strengthen him, we the end bring us to life everlasting, beseech thee, so much the more con- through the merits of JESUS CHRIST tinually with thy grace and holy thine only Son our Lord. Amen. Spirit, in the inner man: give him unfeigned repentance for all the errors of his life past, and steadfast faith in thy Son JESUS, that his sins may be done away by thy mercy, and his pardon sealed in heaven, before he go hence, and be no more seen. We pity and compassion upon this thy know, O LORD, that there is no word impossible with thee; and that, if thou things against him, and makest him wilt, thou canst even yet raise him to possess his former iniquities: thy up, and grant him a longer continu. wrath lieth hard upon him, and his ance amongst us: yet, forasmuch as soul is full of trouble: but, O merciin all appearance the time of his dis- ful GOD, who hast written thy holy solution draweth near, so fit and preword for our learning, that we, pare him, we beseech thee, against through patience and comfort of thy the hour of death, that after his de- holy Scriptures, might have hope; give parture hence in peace, and in thy him a right understanding of himself, favor, his soul may be received into and of thy threats and promises; that thine everlasting kingdom; through he may neither cast away his confithe merits and mediation of JESUS dence in thee, nor place it any where CHRIST thine only Son, our Lord and

Saviour. Amen.

of departure.

A Commendatory Prayer for a sick person at O ALMIGHTY GOD, with whom do live the spirits of just men made

O BLESSED LORD, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comforts, we beseech thee, look down in afflicted servant. Thou writest bitter

but in thee. Give him strength against all his temptations, and heal all his distempers: break not the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax shut not up thy tender mercies in displeasure; but make him to hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice:

perfect, after they are delivered from their earthly prisons; we humbly deliver him from fear of the enemy, commend the soul of this thy servant, and lift up the light of thy counte our dear brother, into thy hands, as nance upon him; and give him peace, into the hands of a faithful Creator, through the merits and mediation of and most merciful Saviour; most JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen. humbly beseeching thee, that it may be precious in thy sight: wash it, we pray thee, in the blood of that immaculate Lamb, that was slain to take away the sins of the world; that end, and whose mercies cannot be

A Prayer which may be said by the Minister,
in behalf of all present at the Visitation.
O GOD, whose days are without

numbered; make us, we beseech thee, honor of thy mercy through eternal deeply sensible of the shortness and ages, it may be to thy unspeakable uncertainty of human life; and let thy glory, that thou hast redeemed the HOLY SPIRIT lead us through this soul of this thy servant from eternal vale of misery, in holiness and right- death, and made him partaker of the eousness, all the days of our lives: everlasting life, which is through that, when we shall have served thee JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen. in our generation, we may be gath-A Thanksgiving for the beginning of a recovery. ered unto our fathers, having the tesGREAT and mighty God, who timony of a good conscience; in the bringest down to the grave, and bringcommunion of the catholic Church; est up again; we bless thy wonderful in the "confidence of a certain faith; goodness, for having turned our heain the comfort of a reasonable, reli viness into joy and our mourning gious, and holy hope; in favor with into gladness, by restoring this our thee our God, and in perfect charity brother to some degree of his former with the world: All which we ask health. Blessed be thy name that through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. thou didst not forsake him in his sick

Amen.

ness; but didst visit him with comA Prayer which may be said in case of sudden forts from above; didst support him surprise and immediate danger. in patience and submission to thy O MOST gracious Father, we fly will; and, at last, didst send him unto thee for mercy in behalf of this seasonable relief. Perfect, we bethy servant, here lying under the seech thee, this thy mercy toward sudden visitation of thine hand. If him; and prosper the means which it be thy will, preserve his life, that shall be made use of for his cure: there may be place for repentance: that being restored to health of body, but, if thou hast otherwise appointed, vigor of mind, and cheerfulness of let thy mercy supply to him the want spirit, he may be able to go to thine of the usual opportunity for the trim- house, to offer thee an oblation with ming ot his lamp. Stir up in him great gladness; and to bless thy holy such sorrow for sin, and such fervent name for all thy goodness toward him, love to thee, as may in a short time through JESUS CHRIST Our Saviour: do the work of many days: that to whom with thee and the HOLY among the praises which thy saints SPIRIT, be all honor and glory world and holy angels shall sing to the without end. Amen.

THE COMMUNION OF THE SICK.

Forasınuch as all mortal men are subject to many sudden perils, diseases, and sicknesses, and ever uncertain what time they shall depart out of this life; therefore, to the intent they may be always in readiness to die, whensoever it shall please Almighty God to call them, the Ministers shall diligently from time to time (but especially in the time of pestilence, or other infectious sickness) exhort their parishioners to the often receiving of the Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ, when it shall be publicly administered in the church; that so doing, they may, in case of sudden visitation, have the less cause to be disquieted for lack of the same. But if the sick person be not able to come to the church, and yet is desirous to receive the Communion in his house; then he must give timely notice to the Minister, signifying also how many there are to communicate with him (which shall be two at the least;) and all things necessary being prepared, the Minister shall there celebrate the Holy Communion, beginning with the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, here following:

The Collect.

tise every one whom thou dost reALMIGHTY everliving GOD, ceive; we beseech thee to have mercy Maker of mankind, who dost correct upon this thy servant visited with those whom thou dost love, and chas-thine hand; and to grant that he may