Visitatio Infirmorum. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the Church; and let them pray over him . . and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the LORD shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. S. James v. 14, 15. Canon Irbii. Ministers to visit the sick. WHEN any person is dangerously sick in any parish, the Minister or Curate, having knowledge thereof, shall resort unto him or her (if the disease be not known or probably suspected to be infectious,) to instruct and comfort them in their distress, according to the order of the Communion Book, if he be no preacher; or, if he be a preacher, then, as he shall think most needful and convenient. And when any is passing out of this life, a bell shall be tolled, and the Minister shall not then slack to do his last duty. And after the party's death, if it so fall out, there shall be rung no more than one short peal, and one other before the burial, and one other after the burial. B Preces Privatae. ¶ The Priest's thoughts on his way to the sick man's house. BEFORE thou prayest, prepare thyself; and be not as one that tempteth the LORD. Ecclus. xviii. 23. O LORD, it is a great presumption that one sinner should dare to commend another to Thy Divine Majesty, especially the greater the less; and who would not fear to undertake it? But Thy commandment it is, by Thy holy Apostle S. James, that when any one is sick, the elders should be called for, and should pray for the sick person; and their prayers Thou dost promise to receive, and to save and forgive the sins of those so prayed for. O LORD, forgive us our sins, that so we may be meet to pray for others, and that so we may make our prayer unto Thee in an acceptable time. ¶ His private prayer when he enters the sick man's room. O ETERNAL JESUS, Thou great lover of souls, Who hast constituted a ministry in the Church to glorify Thy Name, and to serve in the assistance of those that come to Thee professing Thy discipline and service; Give grace to me, the unworthiest of Thy servants, that I, in this my ministry, may purely and zealously intend Thy glory, and effectually may minister comfort and advantages to this sick person (whom GoD assoil from all his offences); and grant that nothing of Thy grace may perish to him by the unworthiness of the minister: but let Thy SPIRIT speak by me, and give me prudence and charity, wisdom and diligence, good observation and apt discourses, a certain judgment and merciful dispensation, that the soul of Thy servant may pass from this state of imperfection to the perfections of the state of glory, through Thy mercies, O Eternal JESUS, Who livest and reignest with the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT now and ever. Amen. The Priest's Private Prayer after saying any office. STABLISH the thing, O GOD, that Thou hast wrought in us; For Thy temple's sake at Jerusalem. O LORD, our Strength in weakness, to Thee we entreat and pray in all meekness of manner, and from the bottom of our hearts; Grant that no defect of manner or infirmity in devotion, may hinder Thy grace from accompanying the office we have now used in behalf of this Thy servant. That which Thou mightest justly deny to our unworthiness, deny not, we beseech Thee, to Thine own gracious goodness, but hear us for the merits of Thy SON JESUS CHRIST, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen. Enquiries To be made concerning the sick party, from friends or relatives. As to 1. Sex? 2. Age? 3. Condition in life? 4. To what communion he belongs? Whether 1. Duly baptized? 2. Learned, instructed? 3. Sound in { mind? memory? 4. The sense of hearing perfect? Whether 1. Patient, or unquiet? 2. Cheerful, or dejected? Whether he have been used to go to Church? Whether when in good health he have found comfort in hearing, reading, or repeating particulars? Whether he hath ever, or often, received the Holy Communion? Whether he be afraid of death? Whether there be any material point, whereof he ought to be admonished? Inquiries to be made of the sick man. 1. Such of the foregoing as may not have been satisfactorily answered. 2. Whether the sick man says How often? Whether this morning? What prayers? his prayers? 3. Whether he {meditates? thinks of GOD? 4. Whether he reads religious books? If so, what books? If not, Is he disposed to read them? 5. Whether he was ever before seriously ill? If so, Did he profit by it? 6. Whether any remarkable providence has happened to him in the course of his life? If so, what use did he make of it? Memorandum. words. To take occasion out of his own |