Vizitation of the Sick. Declarative The Collect, "O most merciful God, fession differs also from the other forms of Absolution in the Morning and Evening Prayer, and in the Communion Office, which are expressed in general and more precatory terms. This, however, contains the medieval indicative clause, dispensing pardon, as well as an earnest prayer that pardon may be granted. But it must be observed that the rubric directs it to be used after a special confession for the unburdening of a troubled conscience, and then only if the penitent humbly and heartily desire it.2 The Collect that follows is in fact the original absolution, or reconciliation of a dying penitent, found in the old formularies of the English Church, and in the Sacramentary of Gelasius: 3 Deus misericors, Deus clemens, qui secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum peccata pœnitentium deles, et præteritoru criminum culpas venia remissionis evacuas: respice super hunc famulum tuum N. sibi remissionem omnium peccatorum suorum tota cordis contritione poscentem. Renova in eo, piissime Pater, quicquid diabolica fraude violatum est: et unitati corporis ecclesi tuæ membrum infirmum, peccatorum percepta remissione, restitue. Miserere, Domine, gemituum ejus : miserere lacrymarum: miserere tribulationum atque dolorum : et non habentem fiduciam nisi in tua misericordia ad sacramentum reconciliationis admitte. Per Christum Dominum nostrum De Extrema Unctione. Priusquam ungatur infirmus, incipiat sacerdos antiphonam: Salvator mundi. Deinde dicatur Psalmus, In te Domine spe 1 Anciently Absolution was given by imposition of hands and prayer; the one as the means of procuring, and the other as the rite of declaring the reconciliation of the penitent to God and to His Church. The declarative form, Ego te absolvo, was not used before the twelfth or thirteenth century. See Bingham, Antiq. XIX. 2, §§ 4-6; Hooker, Ecci. Pol. VI. 4, § 15. 2 The rubric of 1549 directed this Absolution to be used also in all private confessions:' hence this is the form referred to in the Exhortation to the Communion, as the 'absolutie of the Priest,' 'comfort and absolutio as of the ministers of God and of the Church.' The direction was omitted in 1552; and this Absolution was n so precisely ordered in any case, the substitution of the phrase aft this sort' for 'after this form.' The rubric concerning Confession, and th Absolution, are omitted in the Amer can Prayer Book. 3 Palmer, Orig. Lit. ch. viii. 4 Maskell, Mon. Rit. 1. pp. 83 sq The ceremony of Extreme ravi.1 Finito Psalmo cum Gloria Patri, tota dicatur antiph.: Salvator mundi salva nos, qui per crucem et sanguinem redemisti nos: auxiliare nobis te deprecamur Deus noster . Visitation of the Sick. Ps. lxxi. and The Benedictions. Of the two benedictions which conclude the Office,2 the first was composed by our Reformers in 1549; and the second, taken from the solemn form of blessing appointed to be used by the Jewish priest, was added at the last revision in 1661, together with the four Occasional Prayers, For a sick Child; For a sick Person, The Occawhen there appeareth small hope of recovery; A commen-Prayers. datory Prayer for a sick Person at the point of departure;3 Unction, as now used by the Church of Rome, cannot be traced to an earlier date than the end of the twelfth century. Riddle, Christian Antiq. p. 716. 1 In the American Prayer Book, Ps. cxxx., De profundis, is appointed. 2 The First Prayer Book (1549) contained also the following form of anointing:-'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 all 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 how soever 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 ghostly strength by His Holy Spirit to withstand and overcome all 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. Usque quo Domine. Ps. xiii.' 3 The last hours of an AngloSaxon were thus occupied, according to Leofric's Missal: Incipit ordo in agenda mortuorum. Mox autem ut eum viderint ad extremum propinquare communicandus est de sacrificio sancto etiam si comedisset ipsa die quia communio erit ei defensor et adjutor in resurrectione justorum et ipsa eum resuscitabit. Post communionem susceptam, legendæ sunt passiones dominicæ ante corpus infirmi seu a presbyteris, seu a diaconibus, usque egrediatur anima de corpore. Primitus enim ut anima de corpore egressa fuerit, ponatur super cilicium et canantur VII. Psalmi poenitentiales, et agenda et lætania prout tempus fuerit. Finitis autem sanctorum sional Communion and A Prayer for Persons troubled in mind or in conscience.1 of the Sick. Communion with re served Ele ments (1549). 'The Cele bration of the Holy Communion for the Sick' (1549). The Communion of the Sick. The rubric of 1549 directed that, if a sick person was to receive the Communion on the same day in which there was a celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the church, the Priest should reserve at the open Communion so much of the sacrament of the Body and Blood as should serve the sick person, and so many as should communicate with him, if there were any. Service to be used in this case was, the general Confession, the Absolution, with the comfortable sentences of Scripture, the distribution of the elements, and the Collect, 'Almighty and everliving God, we most heartily thank Thee, &c.' The If there was no open Communion on that day, the Curate was directed to visit the sick person afore noon, and to celebrate the Holy Communion in the following form:2 'O praise the Lord, all ye nations, laud Him, all ye people; for His merciful kindness is confirmed towards us, and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Glory be to the Father, &c.' Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Without any more repetition. Lord, have mercy upon us. The Priest. The Lord be with you. Answer. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. Almighty everliving God, &c. nominibus mox incipiatur antiph. a recovery. 2 In the ancient Church private consecrations of the Eucharist were 1 The American Prayer Book con- sometimes used (Palmer, Orig. Lit. tains also A Prayer which may be 11. 232); but the ordinary custom ap said by the Minister in behalf of all pears to have been to send the conpresent at the visitation; A Prayer secrated elements to the absent, whewhich may be said in case of sudden ther sick or in prison, by the hands surprise and immediate danger; and of the deacon. See Bingham, Antiq. A Thanksgiving for the beginning of xv. 4, §§ 8-13. The Epistle. Heb. xii. My son, despise not, &c. The Preface. The Lord be with you. Answer. And with thy spirit. Lift up your hearts, &c. Unto the end of the Canon. If more sick persons were to be visited on the same day, the Curate was ordered to reserve a sufficient portion of the elements from the first consecration, and immediately to carry it and minister it unto them. At the revision in 1552, all mention of reservation of the consecrated elements was omitted. The rubric directed that 'having a convenient place in the sick man's house, where the Curate may reverently minister, and a good number to receive the Communion with the sick person, with all things necessary for the same, he shall there minister the Holy Communion.' And the only change in the Service from that of the public Communion was the use of the special Collect, Epistle, and Gospel. Communion of the Sick. The Com munion of the Sick (1552). The shortened Communion of the Sick At the last revision in 1661, the number 'three, or two at the least,' was mentioned as requisite to form a company of communicants with the sick person;1 and (1661). the direction was given to shorten the Service in such private administrations, by commencing with the special Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, and then passing to the Communion Office at the Address to the Communicants, 'Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you, &c.' ་ If the Visitation Service is used at the same time, the Priest ends that Service after the Prayer, 'O most 1 This first appears in the Prayer to this rule is that, in a time of conBook for Scotland (1637),-'a suffi- tagious sickness, 'upon the special cient number, at least two or three.' request of the diseased, the Minister The rule is the same as for a public may only communicate with him:' Communion, that there must be this rubric was added in 1552, when 'three at the least' to communicate such private administrations were with the Priest. The only exception otherwise forbidden. Communion of the Sick. Spiritual Communion merciful God, &c.;' and, instead of the Psalm, proceeds to the Collect of the Communion of the Sick, and thence to the Address to the Communicants, as before.1 The rubric which points to spiritual communion, as a topic of consolation to one who is unable to partake of the material elements,2 is taken from the ancient Office of extreme unction: Deinde communicetur infirmus nisi prius communicatus fuerit: et nisi de vomitu vel alia irreverentia probabiliter timeatur: in que casu dicat sacerdos infirmo :-Frater, in hoc casu sufficit tibi vera fides, et bona voluntas: tantum crede, et manducasti.3 This rubric does not imply that the actual participation of this sacrament is a matter of indifference. Like the other sacrament of Baptism, it must be received where it may be had. But a faithful Christian need not fear separation from the love of Christ, if 'either by reason of the extremity of sickness, or for want of warning in due time to the Curate, or for lack of company to receive with him, or by any other just impediment,' he do not receive the sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood in his last extremity. SECT. V.-The Order for the Burial of the Dead. The ancient Church treated the bodies of the dead with a care suited to the belief of the resurrection of the body. Hence, instead of consuming them by fire, the The following was the shortened Prayer without any Psalm.' Service ordered in 1549:- The An- 2 See this subject treated, and suitthem: Remember not, Lord, &c. able devotions provided, by Bishop Lord, have mercy upon us, &c. Our Jeremy Taylor (Worthy Commun Father, &c. Let us pray. O Lord, cant, ch. vii. § 3, Works, VIII. pp. look down from heaven, &c. With 238 sq.) and Bishop Wilson (Instruc the first part of the Exhortation and tions on the Lord's Supper, Append. all other things unto the Psalm. And 'Concerning Spiritual Communion,' if the sick desire to be anointed, then Works, II. pp. 130 sqq.). shall the Priest use the appointed 3 Maskell, Mon. Rit. I. p. 89. |