Pastoral care is also known as “the cure of souls”, and in the Anglican system a minister’s responsibility is their “cure.” Herbert speaks in today’s passage about ministering to afflicted and suffering people within his cure, and how to apply the medicine of the gospel to them.

Even if they are well enough to come to church or visit the vicarage, the ideal pastor goes to them. The purpose of the visit is not just to hold hands and “be” with the one who is suffering, but to bring biblical consolation and encouragement to them in time of need.

Following the Book of Common Prayer’s official liturgical practices for the Visitation of the Sick, Herbert suggests that a particular and careful confession of sins is peculiarly appropriate at this time. Not all sickness is a direct punishment for sin of course (See Job; John 9:1-3; Luke 13:1-5). Yet suffering illness or grief can give us an opportunity for reflection on our mortality and hence our own personal need for repentance. As the BCP says, “Here shall the sick person be moved to make a special confession of his sins, if he feel his conscience troubled with any weighty matter.”

He is also warmly positive about the practice of sharing the Lord’s Supper with the afflicted. This is not just a hangover from the Roman practice of extreme unction, but as a tangible word has unique spiritual benefits in such a situation, Herbert claims.

CHAPTER 15
The Parson Comforting

The country parson, when any of his cure is sick, or afflicted with loss of friend, or estate, or any ways distressed, fails not to afford his best comforts, and rather goes to them than sends for the afflicted, though they can and otherwise ought to come to him.

To this end he has throughly digested all the points of consolation, as having continual use of them, such as are from God’s general providence extended even to lilies (Matthew 6:28); from his particular, to his church; from his promises, from the examples of all saints that ever were; from Christ himself, perfecting our redemption no other way than by sorrow; from the benefit of affliction, which softens and works the stubborn heart of man; from the certainty both of deliverance, and reward, if we faint not; from the miserable comparison of the moment of griefs here with the weight of joys hereafter.

Besides this, in his visiting the sick or otherwise afflicted, he follows the church’s counsel, namely, in persuading them to particular confession, labouring to make them understand the great good use of this ancient and pious ordinance, and how necessary it is in some cases.

He also urges them to do some pious charitable works, as a necessary evidence and fruit of their faith, at that time especially. The participation of the holy sacrament, how comfortable and sovereign a medicine it is to all sin-sick souls; what strength, and joy, and peace it administers against all temptations, even to death itself, he plainly and generally intimates to the disaffected, or sick person, that so the hunger and thirst after it may come rather from themselves, than from his persuasion.