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¶ THE ORDER FOR THE VISITATION OF

THE SICK.

The Presbyter, entering 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,

REMEMBER not, Lord, our iniquities, nor the iniquities of our forefathers. Spare us, good Lord; spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever. Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

¶ Our Father, which art in heaven, &c. And lead us not into temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and

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Presbyter. O Lord, save thy servant :

Answer. Which putteth his trust in thee.

Presbyter. Send him help from thy holy place:

Answer. And evermore mightily defend him.

Presbyter. Let the enemy have none advantage of him:

Answer. Nor the wicked approach to hurt him. Presbyter. Be unto him, O Lord, a strong tower: Answer. From the face of his enemy.

Presbyter. O Lord, hear our prayers:

Answer. And let our cry come unto thee. Presbyter. O 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 the danger of the enemy, and keep him in perpetual peace and safety, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. HEAR Us, Almighty and most merciful God and Saviour: extend thy accustomed goodness to this thy servant, which is grieved with sickness; visit him, O Lord, as thou didst visit Peter's wife's mother, and the captain's servant. So visit and restore to this sick person his former health, (if it be thy will;) or else give him grace so to take thy visitation, that after this painful life ended, he may dwell with thee in life everlasting. Amen.

Then shall the Presbyter or Minister exhort the Sick person after this form, or other like:

DEARLY beloved, know this, that Almighty God is

the Lordof life and death, and over all things to them pertaining, as youth, strength, health, age, weakness, and sickness. Wherefore, whatsoever your sickness is, know you certainly that it is God's visitation. And for what cause soever this sickness is sent unto you; whether it be to try your patience for the example of other, and that your faith may be found in the day of the Lord, laudable, glorious, and honourable, 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 Presbyter or Curate may end his exhortation in this place.

TAKE, therefore, in good worth the chastisement of the Lord. For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth; yea, as Saint Paul saith, he scourgeth every son which he receiveth. If ye endure chastisement, he

offereth himself unto you, as unto his own children. What son is he that the father chastiseth not? If ye be not under correction, (whereof all true children are partakers,) then are ye bastards, and not children. Therefore, seeing that when our carnal fathers do correct us, we reverently obey them; shall we not now much rather be obedient to our spiritual Father, and so live? And they for a few days do chastise us after their own pleasure; but he doth chastise us for our profit, to the intent he may make us partakers of his holiness. These words, good brother, are God's words, and 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. 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 unto God in your baptism. And forasmuch as after this life there is account to be given unto the righteous Judge, of whom all must be judged without respect of persons; I require you to examine yourself and your state, both toward God and man: so that, accusing and condemning yourself for your own faults, you may find mercy at our heavenly Father's hand, for Christ's sake, and not be accused and condemned in that fearful judgement. Therefore, I shall shortly rehearse the Articles of our Faith, that you may know whether you do believe as a Christian man should, or no.

Here the Presbyter or Minister shall rehearse the Articles of the Faith, saying thus:

Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty?

(And so forth, as it is in Baptism.)

Then shall the Presbyter or Minister examine whether he 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 have offended other, to ask them forgiveness; and where he hath done injury or wrong to any man, that he make

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