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THE

CLERGYMAN'S COMPANION

IN

VISITING THE SICK.

CONTAINING

1. RULES FOR VISITING THE SICK.

II. THE OFFICE FOR THE VISITATION OF THE

SICK.

III. THE COMMUNION OF THE SICK,

IV. A GREAT VARIETY OF OCCASIONAL PRAYERS FOR THE SICK; COLLECTED FROM THE WRITINGS OF SOME OF THE MOST EMINENT DIVINES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

TO WHICH ARE ADDED

THE OFFICES OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BAPTISM.

WITH ADDITIONS AND ALTERATIONS.

PREFACE.

THIS collection has been so much esteemed that it has passed through nine editions. Having now become exceedingly scarce, it was thought proper to reprint it.

The Rules for Visiting the Sick, in five sections, are extracted chiefly from the works of Bishop Taylor. The Occasional Prayers are taken from the devotional tracts of Bishop Patrick, Mr. Kettlewell, and other pious and judicious divines. But in this Edition, the antiquated style of those writers is corrected, and improved; at the same time, a spirit of rational piety, and unaffected simplicity, are carefully preserved.

A prayer by Dr. Stonehouse, and four by Mr. Merrick, the celebrated translator of the Psalms, are added to the old collection.

The offices of Public and Private Baptism, though no ways relating to the Visitation of the Sick, are retained; as, in the present form, they will be convenient for the Clergy iu the course of their parochial duty.

CANON LXVII.

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 communion, if he be no preacher; or, if he be a preacher, then as he shall think most useful and con

venient.

It is recommended to the Clergy to write out the prayers, which are to be used by the Sick themselves, or by the persons whose devotions they wish to assist, and to leave the copies with them.

THE MANNER

OF

VISITING THE SICK;

OR,

THE ASSISTANCE THAT IS TO BE GIVEN TO SICK AND DYING PERSONS BY THE MINISTRY OF THE CLERGY.

SECT. I.

IN all the days of our spiritual warfare, from our bap-` tism to our burial, God has appointed his servants the ministers of the church, to supply the necessities of the people, by ecclesiastical duties; and prudently to guide, and carefully to judge concerning, souls committed to their charge.

And, therefore, they who all their lifetime derive blessings from the Fountain of Grace, by the channels of ecclesiastical ministers, ought then more especially to do it in the time of their sickness, when their needs are more prevalent, according to that known apostolical injunction. "Is any man sick among you, let him send for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him," &c.

The sum of the duties and offices, respectively implied in these words, may be collected from the following rules.

SECT. II.

Rules for the manner of visiting the sick.

I. LET the minister be sent to, not when the sick is in the agonies of death, as it is usual to do, but before his

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