¶ When any person is sick, notice shall be given thereof to the Minister of the Parish; who, coming into the sick person's house, shall say,

PEACE be to this house, and to all that dwell

in it. (From the Visitation of the Sick.)

For Jesus said, "Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again." (S. LUKE x. 5, 6.)

"Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give unto you." (S. JOHN xiv. 27.)

"The Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (PHIL. iv. 7.)

CHAPTER I.

THE USE OF SICKNESS.

"Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth." HEB. xii. 6.

SICKNESS is in some way the result of sin. It is an evil, brought into the world through the Fall of man, and not properly belonging to the nature of man as he was created. And So, when our Blessed Lord came, He spent His days on earth chiefly in "healing all manner of sickness and disease amongst the people," being moved with compassion at the sight of suffering.

Yet God is the supreme Ruler of all things. Without Him not a sparrow falleth on the ground. And sickness can only happen to any one of us by His permission.

Therefore, we may well ask, If sickness is an evil why does God permit it to come to us?

The heathen have generally looked upon God as cruel and loving to punish and inflict pain. But the Bible reveals God only as the Author of good. For instance, S. James says that from Him cometh" every good gift and every perfect gift," and that His goodness never varies or

changes into something else, because with Him' "is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." And S. John simply describes Him thus, "God is love."

Therefore we are sure that sickness is permitted to come only because it is good for us. We believe that God is thus visiting us in love to work out His good purpose concerning us.

"Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth." What comfort there is for the sufferer in these words! For if we accept them, sickness becomes to us only a fresh proof of God's love.

But now comes the question, what is the special use of this sickness to me?

No doubt the purpose of sickness varies according to circumstances. To the man who is going headlong to ruin, sickness or an accident comes mercifully to stop him, and, if he will, to turn him. To another who has been thinking only of living in this world, it comes to remind him of another world. Or it comes just to correct in us what is amiss and displeasing to God, or to try our faith, about which S. James says, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (that is, trials); knowing this

that the trying of your faith worketh patience, that ye may be perfect."

Others are earnestly striving to serve God. And to them sickness comes as a season of special value, because it brings them opportunity for more thorough devotion of self to God, either in patient waiting and enduring, or in active works of thoughtfulness for others.

But there is one great use of sickness which really includes all these various purposes, and it is this-sickness brings us nearer to God. In health when all goes well we very easily forget God; but in sickness the thoughts turn naturally to Him. The man who has almost forgotten how to pray, will in serious sickness turn at once to God for help, and so be led to the Saviour of sinners. And he who has always looked to God for help will then find by experience how very near He is; and so learn still more to trust Him, who is "a very present help in time of trouble."

Therefore, whatever may be the particular reason for your sickness, "know you certainly that it is God's visitation;" a fresh sign of His love; God's call to draw you nearer to Himself, and so prepare you for the life to come.

Prayer that Sickness may be a Blessing1.

ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, who

rulest all things both in heaven and earth; bless I pray Thee this sickness to me that it may be profitable to my soul's health. Help me firmly to believe Thy word, "Whom the Lord loveth He correcteth;" and draw me hereby closer to Thyself that I may henceforward trust and love Thee better. And of Thy mercy grant me such gifts of Thy Holy Spirit that I may gain Peace with Thee, and be made ready to meet Thee when Thou shalt call me hence; through the merits and mediation of Thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Or,

Almighty, everliving God, Maker of mankind, who dost correct those whom Thou dost love, and chastise every one whom Thou dost receive; I beseech Thee to have mercy upon me Thy servant visited with Thine hand, and to grant that I may

1 Many of the following Prayers and Readings are taken from "THE PARISH PRIEST'S Book of Offices and Instructions for the Sick;" by the same Author, published by Messrs. Bell and Sons. The reader will find that the Prayers are in every case followed by one or more Collects. It is hoped that these introductory Prayers will help to supply the mind with suitable thoughts of Prayer; though many persons may prefer to express such thoughts through the more compressed, as well as more familiar words of the accompanying Collect.