The Order for the Visitation of the Sick

The Order for the

Visitation of the Sick

And the Communion of the Same

¶ The Priest entering into the sick persons house, shall say.

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

When he cometh into the sick mans presence, he shall say this psalm.

Psalm 143. Domine, exaudi.

HEAR my prayer, O LORD, and consider my desire; * hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness' sake.
    2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant; * for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
    3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; * he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead.
    4 Therefore is my spirit vexed within me, * and my heart within me is desolate.
    5 Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works; * yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands.
    6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee; * my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land.
    7 Hear me, O LORD, and that soon; for my spirit waxeth faint: * hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
    8 O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning; for in thee is my trust: * show thou me the way that I should walk in; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
    9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies; * for I flee unto thee to hide me.
    10 Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; for thou art my God: * let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.
    11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy Name's sake; * and for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
    12 And of thy goodness slay mine enemies, * and destroy all them that vex my soul; for I am thy servant.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

With this anthem.

REMEMBRE 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 forever.

Lord have mercy upon us.
Christ have mercy upon us.
Lord have mercy upon us.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Answer. But deliver us from evil. Amen.
The Minister. O lord save thy servant.
Answer. Which puts his trust in thee.
Minister. Send him help from thy holy place.
Answer. And evermore mightily defend him.
Minister. Let the enemies have none advantage of him.
Answer. Nor the wicked approach to hurt him.
Minister. Bee unto him, o lord, a strong tower.
Answer. From the face of his enemies.
Minister. Lord hear my prayer.
Answer. And let my cry come unto thee.

Minister. Let us pray.

O LORD look down from heaven, behold, visit, and relive 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 enemies, and keep him in perpetual peace, and safety: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hear us, almighty and most merciful God, and Savior: Extend thy accustomed goodness to this thy servant, which is grieved with sickness: Visit him, o Lord, as thou diddest visit Peters wife’s mother, and the Captain’s servant. And as thou preserved Tobit and Sara by thy Angel from danger: So restore unto this sick person his former health, (if it be thy will), or else give him grace so to take thy correction, that after this painful life ended, he may dwell with thee in life everlasting. Amen.

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

DEERLY beloved, know this that almighty God is the Lord over 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 Gods visitation. And for what cause so ever 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 honorable, to the increase of glory, and endless felicity: Or else it be sent unto you to correct and amend in you, whatsoever doeth offend the eyes of our 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 to his will; it shall turner to your profit, and help you forward in the right way that leadeth unto everlasting lyfe.* Take therefore in good wise, the chastisement of the lord: For whom the lord loveth he chastiseth. Yea, (as saint Paul says,) he scourges every son, which he receives: if you endure chastisement, he offereth himself unto you as unto his own children. What son is he that the father chastises not? If ye be not under correction (whereof all the true children are partakers), then are ye bustards, and not children. Therefore seeing that when our earthly fathers doe 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 doe chastise us after their own pleasure: but he doeth chastise us for our profit, to the intent he may make us partakers of his holynes. These words, good brother, are Gods words, and written in holy scripture for our comfort and instruction, that we should patiently and with thanksgiving, bear our heavenly fathers 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, then 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 fathers hand, for Christ’s sake, and not be accused and condemned in that fearful judgment. Therefore I shall shortly rehearse the articles of our faith, that ye may know whether you do believe as a Christian man should believe, or no.

Here the minister shall rehearse the articles of the faith saying thus.

DOEST thou believe in God the father almighty?

And so forth as it is in Baptism.

Then shall the 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 amends to his uttermost power. And if he have not afore disposed his goods, let him then make his will. (But men must be oft admonished that they set an order for their temporal goods and lands when they be in health.) And also to declare his debts, what he oweth, and what is owing to him: for discharging of his conscience, and quietness of his executors. The minister may not forget nor omit to move the sick person (and that most earnestly) to liberality toward the poor.

¶ Here shall the sick person make a special confession, if he feels his conscience troubled with any weighty matter. After which confession, the priest shall absolve him after this form: and the same form of absolution shall be used in all private confessions.

OUR Lord Jesus Christ, who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners, which truly repent and believe in him: of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences: and by his authority committed to me, I absolve thee from all thy sins, in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost. Amen.

And then the priest shall say the collect following.

Let us pray.

O MOST merciful God, which according to the multitude of thy mercies, does so put away the sins of those which truly repent, that thou remember them no more: open thy eye of mercy upon this thy servant, who most earnestly desireth pardon and forgiveness: Renew in him, most loving father, whatsoever hath been delayed by the fraud and malice of the devil, or by his own carnal will, and frailness: preserve and continue this sick member in the unity of thy Church, consider his contrition, accept his tears, assuage his pain, as shall be seen 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 take him unto thy favor: through the merits of thy most dearly beloved son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Then the minister shall say this psalm.

Psalm 71. In te, Domine, speravi.

IN thee, O LORD, have I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion, * but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness; incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
    2 Be thou my stronghold, whereunto I may alway resort: * thou hast promised to help me, for thou art my house of defence, and my castle.
    3 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the ungodly, * out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
    4 For thou, O Lord GOD, art the thing that I long for: * thou art my hope, even from my youth.

5 Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born: * thou art he that took me out of mymother's womb: my praise shall be alway of thee.
    6 I am become as it were a monster unto many, * but my sure trust is in thee.
    7 O let my mouth be filled with thy praise, * that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long.
    8 Cast me not away in the time of age; * forsake me not when my strength faileth me.

9 For mine enemies speak against me; * and they that lay wait for my soul take their counsel together, saying,
    10 God hath forsaken him; * persecute him, and take him, for there is none to deliver him.
    11 Go not far from me, O God; * my God, haste thee to help me.
    12 Let them be confounded and perish that are against my soul; * let them be covered with shame and dishonour that seek to do me evil.

13 As for me, I will patiently abide alway, * and will praise thee more and more.
    14 My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation; * for I know no end thereof.
    15 I will go forth in the strength of the Lord GOD, * and will make mention of thy righteousness only.
    16 Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up until now; * therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works.
    17 Forsake me not, O God, in mine old age, when I am gray-headed, * until I have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to all them that are yet for to come.
    18 Thy righteousness, O God, is very high, * and great things are they that thou hast done: O God, who is like unto thee!

19 O what great troubles and adversities hast thou showed me ! and yet didst thou turn and refresh me; * yea, and broughtest me from the deep of the earth again.
    20 Thou hast brought me to great honour, * and comforted me on every side:
    21 Therefore will I praise thee, and thy faithfulness, O God, playing upon an instrument of music: * unto thee will I sing upon the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

22 My lips will be glad when I sing unto thee; * and so will my soul whom thou hast delivered.
    23 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long; * for they are confounded and brought unto shame that seek to do me evil.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Adding this Anthem.

O SAVEOUR of the world save us, which by thy cross and precious blood hast redeemed us, help us we beseech the, O God.

Then shall the minister say.

THE almighty Lord, which is most strong tower to all them that put their trust in him, to whom all things in heaven, in earth, and under earth, doe bow and obey: be now and ever more thy defense, and make thee know and feel, that there is no other name under heaven given to man, in whom and through whom thou mayest receive health and salvation, but only the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

¶ If the sick person desire to be anointed, then shall the priest anoint him upon the forehead or breast only, making the sign of the cross, saying thus,

As with this visible oil thy body outwardly is anointed: so our heavenly father almighty God, grant of his infinite goodness, that thy soul inwardly may be anointed with the holy ghost, who is the spirit of al strength, comfort, relief, and gladness. And vouchsafe for his great mercy (if it be his blessed will) to restore unto thee thy bodily health, and strength, to serve him, and send thee release of all thy pains, troubles, and diseases, both in body and mind. And howsoever his goodness (by his divine and unsearchable providence) shall dispose of thee: we, his unworthy ministers and servants, humbly beseech the eternal majesty, to do with thee according to the multitude of his innumerable mercies, and to pardon thee all thy sins and offences, committed by all thy bodily senses, passions, and carnal affections: who also vouchsafe mercifully to grant unto thee spiritual strength, by his holy spirit, to withstand and overcome al temptations and assaults of thine adversary, that in no wise he prevail against thee, but that thou mayest have perfect victory and triumph against the devil, sin, and death, through Christ our Lord: Who by his death hath overcome the Prince of death, and with the father, and the holy ghost evermore liveth and reigneth God, world without end. Amen.

Then shall be said the following psalm

Psalm 13. Usquequo, Domine?

HOW long wilt thou forget me, O LORD; for ever? * how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
    2 How long shall I seek counsel in my soul, and be so vexed in my heart? * how long shall mine enemy triumph over me?

3 Consider, and hear me, O LORD my God; * lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death;
    4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him: * for if I be cast down, they that trouble me will rejoice at it.
    5 But my trust is in thy mercy, * and my heart is joyful in thy salvation.
    6 I will sing of the LORD, because he hath dealt so lovingly with me; * yea, I will praise the Name of the Lord Most Highest.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.