Do you propose to live and die in the Communion of this Church, in which you were baptised?

Our Lord tells us, what a blessing it is to be a member of that church, of which he is the head.

"I am (saith he) the vine, ye are "the branches; as the branches cannot "bear fruit unless they abide in the vine, no more can ye, unless ye abide " in me."

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In short, a member of Christ's church has a right to the forgiveness of sins,-to the favour of God, to the merits of Christ, to the assistance of the Holy Ghost, and to the ministry of the holy angels. Blessings which you can never be sufficiently thankful for.

Do you firmly believe, that God, in consideration of Christ's sufferings, will forgive all such as with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him?

But then you must consider, that forgiveness of sins is to be hoped for only in God's own way, that is, by the ministry of those to whom God has committed the word of reconciliation.

And that the promise of forgiveness of sins should be no pretence for continuing in sin in hopes of pardon.

Do you believe that we shall all rise again, some to everlasting Happiness, and some to everlasting Misery?

If this faith be in you of a truth, it will convince you of the vanity of this world, its profits, pleasures, honours, fame, and its idols; so that you will not, as unbelievers do, look for your portion here.

Do not you see what a mercy it is, when God punisheth sinners in this life, since they whose punishment is -deferred to the next, must suffer everlastingly?

And if the difficulties of repentance and an holy life affright you, consider this one thing, Who can dwell with everlasting burnings?

Remember the words of Christ to the penitent Thief,-This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.

Let the expectation of that happy day, and a faith and hope full of immortality, make you diligent to make your calling and election sure, and sweeten all the trouble and difficulties of doing it.

And may Almighty God strengthen and increase your faith, that you may die in this belief, and in the peace and communion of the church! Amen.

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The sick Christian having thus professed his faith in God, the next thing necessary to be inquired into, is the truth of his repentance. The Church therefore orders that now the Minister shall examine (not exhort him to it only) whe ther he repent him truly of all his sins.

And verily in this the church consulted the necessities of Sick Persons who generally are not able to attend to long exhortations, and are too apt to forget what is said to them after this manner; and may be brought to know the true state of their souls, by the Clergyman examining them, that is by short, plain, and proper questions.

But this may be deferred till the next visit, and the Clergyman may now prepare to take leave of the Sick Man, by addressing him in some such manner as the following;

As you have now, my Christian Brother, professed your faith in God, and answered some plain, and, I trust, not improper questions which I have put to you concerning it, I am directed by our church in the next place, to inquire into the truth of your repentance; but as I must be careful not to make my visits too long, and thereby weary both your mind and

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and your body, I think that I should leave you now, and come to you again at no distant time, to examine whether you repent truly of all your sins: but before I leave you I will again beg you to join with me in prayer, that God would support you under your sickness, enable you to bear patiently what it shall be his will to lay upon you, and in his good time either to restore you to your health, or, when you shall have completed the great work of repentance, to remove you from a state of misery to everlasting happiness, for which blessings let us devoutly pray;

Ŏ most gracious God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ hast united us all in one body, that we should love one another, and if one member suffers, all the members should suffer with it; we humbly implore thy tender mercies towards this thy servant, of whose afflicted condition we desire to have a compassionate sense and feeling.

Look graciously upon him, O Lord, and visit him with thy salvation. Vouchsafe him such consolations from above, as we should desire for ourselves, were we in his circumstances. Give him a true penitent heart for all the offences he hath at any time committed; together with a lively

lively faith in thy Son Jesus, who came into the world to save sinners. Give him

the comfort of an holy hope that thou acceptest his, we trust, true repentance and faithful devotion to thee. Support him by this hope under all his pains, and enable him patiently to submit to thy fatherly correction. Send him help now in time of need both for his soul and for his body. Bless whatever means are, or may be used for his recovery; and if it be thy good pleasure, restore him speedily to his former health, and inspire him with a serious resolution to serve thee more zealously all his days.

Or if thou hast otherwise resolved in thy wise counsels, deliver him from the fear of death; assist him in his last agony; give him an easy and chearful passage out of this life, and send thy holy angels to conduct him into rest and peace with our Lord Jesus, for the sake of the same Jesus Christ. Amen *.

¶ Adding this,

O Saviour of the world, who by thy cross and precious blood hast redeemed

*The prayer is copied from "The Clergyman's "Companion in visiting the Sick," there said to be from Bishop Patrick, € 5

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