The benediction which concludes the office is found in the ancient manuals of the churches of Salisbury and York, though not exactly in the place which it now occupies; but these manuals varied as much from each other in the arrangement of their prayers and benedictions as the position of the present benediction does from either of them. It is also found in a pontifical of the monastery of Lyre, in France, seven hundred years old. Almighty God, who at the beginning did create our first parents Adam and Eve, and didst sanctify and join them together in marriage; pour upon you the riches of his grace, sanctify and bless you, that ye may please him both in body and soul, and live together in holy love unto your lives' end. Amen. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui primos parentes nostros Adam et Evam sua virtute creavit, et in sua sanctificatione copulavit, ipse corda et corpora vestra sanctificet et benedicat, atque in societate et amore veræ dilectionis conjungat. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen г. The office of matrimony is followed by an exhortation or address from the presbyter to the persons newly married, instructing them in their relative duties. It does not seem that such an exhortation was used in the English churches before the reform of our offices in the time of Edward the Sixth; but the rituals of the churches of Liege and Milan contain directions for a similar exhortation in this place. S r Man. Sarisb. fol. 50. Man. Ebor. ordo in Sponsalibus. 8 Martene, p. 648. 650, 651. CHAPTER VIII. VISITATION OF THE SICK. It has ever been customary for the presbyters of the church to visit the sick, and after praying for them, and (if necessary) reconciling them to the church by the blessing of absolution, to communicate to them the sacraments of our Lord's body and blood". For these purposes the English ritual contains a formulary, which has for the most part been used from a period of remote antiquity in our churches. Almost all the succeeding directions and prayers are found in the ancient manuals of Salisbury and York, and some of them may be traced to the primitive ages. Formerly, the sick were anointed with oil; but as the original object of this was to "save" or procure a miraculous recovery of the infirm, by remission of the temporal punishment which they had merited for their sins, and such cures had long ceased in the church, it was thought unnecessary to be continued. Nor did the sick receive any injury by this; for on repentance, accompanied by the a Concil. Nicæn. 1. can. 13. Concil. Gangr. can. 6. Carthagin. 4, can. 76, 77, 78. Aurelianens. 2, can. 12. Aurausic. 1, can. 3. Toletan. 1, can. 18. Concil. Agathens. can. 15. Dionys. Alex. Epistola ad Fabium, ap. Euseb. Hist. lib. vi. c. 44. See Bingham, Antiq. book xv. c. 4, sect. 9; and Martene, de Antiq. Eccl. Rit. lib. iii. c. 11, p. 546, &c. The absolution of penitents in sickness appears to have been effected iu the first ages by administering to them the holy Eucharist. b See Clagget on Extreme Unction, part i. § 3, p. 13, &c. benediction and prayer of the priest, and the worthy reception of the sacraments of Christ's body and blood, they obtained remission of all their sins. ¶ The minister of the parish .. coming 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. Ans. Spare us, good Lord. T Then the minister shall say, Let us pray. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, &c. Min. O Lord, save thy servant; Answ. Which putteth his trust in thee. Min. Send him help from thy holy place; Answ. And evermore mightily defend him. Min. Let the enemy have no advantage of him; Answ. Nor the wicked approach to hurt him. Min. Be unto him, O Lord, a strong tower, Answ. From the face of his enemy. Min. O Lord, hear our prayers; Answ. And let our cry come unto thee. Minister. 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 who is grieved with sickness. Sanctify, we beseech thee, this thy fatherly correction to him; that the sense of his weakness may add strength to his faith, and seriousness to his repentance: that, if it shall be thy good pleasure to restore him to his former health, he may lead the residue of his life in thy fear, Vers. Esto ei, Domine, turris fortitudinis, Resp. A facie inimici. Vers. Domine, exaudi orationem meam; Resp. Et clamor meus ad te veniatc. Respice, Domine, de cœlo, et vide et visita hunc famulum tuum N. Et benedic eum sicut benedicere dignatus es Abraham, Isaac, et Jacob. Respice super eum, Domine, oculis misericordiæ tuæ, et reple eum omni gaudio et lætitia et timore tuo. Expelle ex eo omnes inimici insidias, et mitte Angelum pacis qui eum custodiat et domum istam in pace perpetua. Per Christum Dominum nostrum d. Exaudi nos, omnipotens et misericors Deus, et visitationem conferre digneris super hunc famulum tuum N. quem diversa vexat infirmitas: visita eum, Domine, sicut visitare dignatus es socrum Petri puerumque centurionis, et Tobiam et Saram per sanctum angelum tuum Raphaelem. Restitue in eo, Domine, pristinam sanitatem, ut mereatur in atrio domus tuæ dicere, Castigans castigavit me Dominus, et morti c Man. Sarisb. fol. 88. VOL. II. d Ibid. fol. 89. Q and to thy glory or else give him grace so to take thy visitation, that after this painful life ended, he may dwell with thee in life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶ Then shall the minister exhort the sick person after this form, or other like. Dearly beloved, know this, that Almighty God is the Lord of life and death, and of 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 .... 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...... And forasmuch as after this life there is an account to be given unto the righteous Judge....I require you to examine yourself and non tradidit me; Salvator mundi. Qui cum Deo Patre et Spiritu Sancto vivis et regnas Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen. Deinde priusquam.... infirmus ... • . communicetur, exhortetur eum sacerdos hoc modo. Frater charissime, gratias age omnipotenti Deo pro universis beneficiis suis, patienter et benigne suscipiens infirmitatem corporis, quam tibi Deus immisit, nam si ipsam humiliter sine murmure toleraveris, inferet animæ tuæ maximum præmium et salutem.... Et frater charissime, quia viam universæ carnis ingressurus es, esto firmus in fide: qui enim non est firmus in fide, infidelis est, et sine fide impossibile est placere Deo. Et ideo si salvus esse volueris, ante omnia opus est ut teneas catholicam fidem, quam nisi integram inviolatamque servaveris, absque dubio in æternum peribis .. Deinde bonum et valde expediens est, ut sacerdos exprimat infirmo xiv articulos fidei, quorum VII primi ad mysterium. Trinitatis, et VII alii ad Christi humanitatem pertineant: ut si forte prius in aliquo ipsorum erraverit, titubaverit, vel du .... e Man. Sarisb. fol. 88. |