It is the Pastor's duty to give spe

cial attention & symp'thy to each member of his flock. Acts: 20: 20.

Of the visitation of the Sick.

The office of a true and faithful Pastor not

only demands that he publicly instruct the flock over which he is placed, but also as far as possible privately admonish, reprove and comfort each one in particular.

But man is never more in need of divine instruction and comfort, than when suffering under an afflictive dispensation, when visited by calamity and sickness, and especially when overtaken by the sorrows of death.

tention.

1. Why the sick For under such afflictions, a man's conneed special at-science is more apt to be disquieted than at any other time, inasmuch as he feels himself as it were summoned to judgment of God. And moreover the assaults of Satan are more violent at such times, who hopes utterly to crush the poor, sick, and troubled heart, and finally precipitate the soul into the dark abyss of despair.

2. Why Pastors owe such faithfulness to

Wherefore as Ministers are the servants of God, and God is pleased, along with the sick. Ps. 6: 10; other glorious names, to reveal Himself Jer. 57: 16. Jespec ally under this, that He is "the refuge of the distressed, and saveth those that are of a broken and contrite heart," it is the duty of all Ministers to console distressed hearts, with all symp uhy, faithfulness and diligence, and direct them, according to the gospel, unto Jesus Christ, who promiseth to help them in those exceedingly precious words: “Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”—Matth. xi: 23.

mencement of his

To what the Pastor In visiting a sick person, the Minister shall have special must primarily pay attention to the particuregard in the com-lar state of his mind, and ascertain what his visits to the sick. i grief and distress may be; whether he is Jmerely concerned about his bodily sufferings or the fear of death, or whether he is more particularly troubled on account of his sins and their penalty, or is otherwise tempted. When this has been duly ascertained, he shall impart suitable instruction and comfort wisely and prudently adapting the medicine to his sickne-s, condition, and perplexity, and tak ing care to say neither too little nor too much.

But inasmuch as all the sick are not afflicted with the same anxiety and distress, and therefore no such form of instruction and comfort can be prescribed as would be suitable for all cases;

the following points may nevertheless (according to circumstances) be presented and dwelt upon.

Truths to be impressed upon the minds of the sick.

Cause of all sickness.

First: That our sicknesses do not come upon us accidentally, but from the hand of God, in His paternal providence, so that we may be brought to feel our sins as the cause of all our misery and wo, humble ourselves before God, and implore His grace and help. Wherefore the minister must see well to it, that the sick acknowledge and feel their sins, and heartily deplore and repent of them. Should this not be the case, he must faithfully hold up the law of God, and so set their sins before their eyes, in order that they may know and feel the merited wrath of God against sin, and awake to a desire for mercy. For without such knowledge and conviction they will not be suscep. tible of true and solid comfort.

The grace of God for the pardon of

sin.

But as soon as the sick give evidence of such grief of heart, they shall not be further alarmed, but encouraged with the promises of the gospel. And thus in the second place, he shall proclaim unto them the grace of God in Jesus Christ, promised in the gospel to all penitent and believing sinners. John : 16; Matth. xi: 28; Ezek. xxxiii: 11; Rom. viii: 1, 31-34, 38, 39, &c.; 1 Tim. i: 15; John i: 7, 9; Is. liii: 4, 5.

And such comfort can be very appropriately derived from the first question of the Catechism, and impressed by the scriptures there quoted, or others of like import; as for instance that their sick and afflicted body, as confined to the bed of disease, together with the weary and distressed spirit, belong unto the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed by His precious blood from sin, and all the power of the devil, and will be preserved unto eternal life. In the saine manner the articles of our christian faith may be explained, the minister showing from the word of God, how each one, especially the last four, afford consolation to the sick and afflicted.

Exhortation to In the third place, the minister shall present patience. Sgood reasons drawn from the word of God, why the sick should resign themselves wholly to the will of God, so that should it please their allwise and faithful Father in heaven, to call them away in their sickness from this vale of tears, they may cheerfully renounce their weary and wasting life, and everything earthly, and prepare themselves for an eternal and blessed life above; not permitting wife or children, or friends, or pleasures or riches, or whatever else the world may possess, that is counted desirable, to distress them. Especially since there is

no comparison between those things which we leave behind, and those awaiting us in heaven. Our wives and children will be well provided for by the Lord, who is the Father of the widow and orphan. Our kind and dear friends, whom we leave, will soon follow us to our eternal home. Temporal possessions are perishing, and could not long comfort us. Whilst there we shall find fulness of joy, and at God's right hand pleasures for evermore. Phil. i: 23; Matth. x: 37; 1 Cor. vii: 29, 30, 31; Philip. i 8, 9; Ps. 68: 6; 46: 9; 2 Sam. xii: 23; Ps. 49: 18; xvi: 11; 1 Cor. ii: 9.

It may be proper also sometimes, when the sick are visited for the first time, to address them with the following exhortation, or something similar thereto :

Beloved Friend, since our heavenly Father hath visited you with bodily infirmity, it becomes you to receive this fatherly chastisement of the Almighty with patience, casting yourself upon His own good and gracious pleasure, in full assurance, that all things shall work together for good to them that love God. And that you may properly do this, consider diligently the following points set forth in the word of God. First, that all bodily afflictions are sent upon men by the Lord, on accoant of sin. For death came by sin, together with all the miseries belonging to the kingdom of death; so that had sin not entered the world, neither death nor disease would ever have afflicted mankind. But since we are brought under sin by the fall of our first parents Adam and Eve, through the instigation of the Devil, we are also subject to the punishment threatened against sin by God, which is death, and all the infirmities, sicknesses, misery and wo, that lead to death.

death.

Christ redeems On the other hand however, that we may from sin and not despair in our sins, and sicknesses, and temptations, nor perish in the fear and anguish of death, you must consider that God, of His great compassion and mercy, appointed and gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, to be our Mediator, Redeemer, and Saviour. He assumed our nature, and offered Himself in the same for the satisfaction of our sins, all which were heaped upon Him by our Heavenly Father, as we are assured in His blessed Gospel. And now all are commanded to repent, believe and trust, that for the sake of this satisfaction and atonement of Jesus Christ His Son, He is willing again to become our reconciled Father forever, to forgive all our sins, as though we never had committed any, and to grant unto uз the Holy Ghost, by whom we may be renewed in the image of God, unto eternal life. And further we are to be as

sured, that He will raise up our bodies in the last day by His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, re unite them with the soul, and make them like unto His own most glorious body, and admit us. as His own redeemed people, to the heavenly inheritance, to joys which no eye hath seen, no ear heard, and no heart conceived; all which is also confirmed and sealed unto us by the right use of the holy sacraments.

Assurance of he

For as certainly as we and our children are pardon of sin by baptized with water, by which bod ly defilebaptism. ments are removed so certainly are we also washed, cleansed and sanctified by the blood and Sprit of Christ, from our inward impurities. That is, God has, for the sake of the shedding of Christ's blood, pardoned all our sins, and sanctifies us by His Holy Spirit unto eternal life.

By the holy And as certainly as we see, in the Holy Supper, supper. Sthat the bread of the Lord is broken, and the cup extended to us, and we eat and drink of the bread and wine in remembrance of Him, so certainly is also the body of our Lord Jesus Christ offered and broken and His blood shed on the cross for us, and thus become the true manna, the proper meat and drink for our souls unto eternal life.

We are therefore to feel assured, by the promised grace of God, offered to us in the gospel and in the holy sacraments, that no sins are so great and grievous, as to exclude us from the mercy of God in Jesus Christ; and thus we may comfort ourselves with true faith in the merits of His sufferings and death, and embrace the same with hearty confidence.

In the third place, we must surrender our will entirely to that of our gracious and eternally righteous Father, not being terrified or alarmed at death, knowing that the temporal death of believers is only a sleep, and no death, yea an end of all the inisery and wretchedness of this sinful life, and the door of entrance into eternal life. Neither should our husbands, wives, or children, father, mother, or friends, or aught that may be dear to us in this world, distress us, because we must be torn from them, and bid them adieu, seeing that nothing we forsake here is worthy of comparison with the felicity we shall find in heaven; and that our heavenly Father who hath hitherto preserved us, will also be a Father to those whom we leave behind, that He will have compassion on them, and provide for them, as He hath hitherto done for us.

Wherefore beloved Friend, possess your soul in patience, and commend yourself, soul and body, unto your faithful heavenly Father, and unto your Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath redeemed

you, not doubting but that He will lay nothing upon you beyond your strength, and help you to bear all, and so oider the issue of your affliction, that you shall not only be able to endure t, but that it shall be promotive of His glory and your eternal welfare and salvation. It is your duty also cheerfully to forgive any that may have wronged you, even your enemies, and patently await promised deliverance. And should it please the Lord to raise you up again from your sick bed, and restore you to health, it will become you to exercise yourself more diligently than ever in earnest and sincere repentance and in holiness of life, remem ing the command of Christ: behold thou art made whole, sin no more lest a worse thing come upon thee.”

And inasmuch as it is the duty of Pastors to visit the sick of their flock not only once but frequently, and without waiting for special invitation, in order that these visits may not be fruitless, they should read a chapter of the sacred scriptures to them, unless their weakness or illness should forbid it. Among those most appropriate for the comfort of the afflicted are the following: John 10, 14, 15, 16, 17; Luke 15; Rom. 5, and 8; 1st Cor. 15; 2 Cor. 4, 5; Is. 53; l's. 22, 23, 25, 27, 42, 51, 91, 103, &c.

Should however the debility or suffering of the sick not allow of their listening to an entire chapter or Psalm, brief passages of scrip ure, selected from among the most consoling may be slowly repeated and impressed on their mind, such as Matth. ix: 2, Be of good cheer, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee. | John 1: 7, The blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanse h us from all sin. Phil. 1: 21, 23, For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain, &c. Ps. 73: 25, 26, Whom have I in heaven but Thee, and there is none upon earth, &c. Rom. xiv: 8, For whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we die, &c. Ps. 37: 5, 7, Commit thy way unto the Lord, &c. Job xix: 25, I know that my Redeemer liveth, &c. Ps. xxx: 5, For His anger endureth but for a moment, &c.

The Pastor shall also unite in prayer with these present, wherever the circumstances will allow of it, using either the following language, or something similar thereto :

Prayer with the Sick.

Everlasting and most merciful God and Father, in whose hand lieth life and death, and who dost so continually preserve us, that without Thy will not a hair can fall from our head, and by Whom all things that befal us in this life are made subservi