against thee, but that thou mayest have perfect victory and triumph against the devil, sin, and death, through Christ our Lord Who by his death hath overcomed" the prince of death, and with the Father and the Holy Ghost evermore liveth and reigneth God, world without end. Amen.

Usque quo,
Domine?

Psalm xiii.

How long wilt thou forget me, (O Lord,) for ever: how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I seek counsel in my soul, and be so vexed in mine heart how long shall mine enemy triumph over me? Consider, and hear me, (O lord my God) : lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death. Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him : for if I be cast down, they that trouble me will rejoice at it. But my trust is in thy mercy : and my heart is joyful in thy salvation. I will sing of the lord, because he hath dealt so lovingly with me: yea, I will praise the Name of the Lord the most Highest. the, &c. As it was in the, &c.

Glory be to

[Here follows immediately THE Communion of THE SICK.]

slain to take away the sins of the
world;
that whatsoever defilements

it may have contracted in the midst
of this miserable and naughty world,
through the lusts of the flesh, or the
wiles of Satan, being purged and
done away, it may be presented
pure and without spot before thee.
And teach us who survive, in this
and other like daily spectacles of
mortality, to see how frail and un-
certain our own condition is, and
so to number our days, that we may
seriously apply our hearts to that
holy and heavenly wisdom, whilst
we live here, which may in the end
bring us to life everlasting, through
the merits of Jesus Christ thine
only Son our Lord. Amen.

$318. A Prayer for persons troubled

in mind or in conscience.

O BLESSED Lord, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comforts, we beseech thee look down in pity and compassion upon this thy afflicted servant. Thou writest

bitter things against him, and makest him to possess his former iniquities; thy wrath lieth hard upon him, and his soul is full of trouble: But, O merciful God, who hast written thy holy Word for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of thy holy Scriptures might have hope; give him a right understanding of himself, and of thy threats and promises, that he may neither cast away his confidence in thee, nor place it any where but in thee. Give him strength against all his temptations, and heal all his distempers. Break not the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Shut not up thy tender mercies in displeasure; but make him to hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Deliver him from fear of the enemy, and lift up the light of thy countenance upon him, and give him peace, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

a In one ed., 1549,

[Here follows immediately THE COMMUNION OF THE SICK.]

THE

COMMUNION OF THE SICK.

§320. Forasmuch as all mortal men be subject to many sudden perils, diseases, and sicknesses, and ever uncertain what time they shall depart out of this life: Therefore to the intent they may be always in a readiness to die, whensoever it shall please Almighty God to call them, the curates! shall diligently from time to time, but specially in the plague time", exhort their parishioners

b

to the oft receiving (in the church) of the holy Communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ: which if they do, they shall have no cause, in their sudden visitation, to be unquieted for lack of the same. But if the sick person be not able to come to the church, and yet is desirous to receive the Communion in his house, then he must give knowledge over night, or else early in the morning to the curate, signifying also how many be appointed to communicate with him.

Second Edw. VI. 1552.

THE COMMUNION OF THE SICK. § 320. Forasmuch as all mortal men, &c.

[Same as 1549, to] appointed to communicate with him. [In eds. 1552, and all after, 321, &c., હૈ omitted.]

$322. And having a convenient place in the sick man's house, where the Curated may reverently minister, and a good number to receive the communion with the sick person, with all things necessary for the same, he shall there minister the holy communion.

Elizabeth, 1559.

THE COMMUNION OF THE SICK.

§ 320. Forasmuch as all mortal men, &c.

[Same as 1549.]

§ 322. And having a convenient, &c. [Same as 1552.]

James I. 1604.

THE COMMUNION OF THE SICK.

§ 320. Forasmuch as all mortal men, &c.

[Same as 1549.]

§ 322. And having a convenient, &c. [Same as 1552.]

§ 321. And if the same day there be a celebration of the holy Communion in the church, then shall the Priest reserve (at the open Communion) so much of the sacrament of the body and blood, as shall serve the sick person, and so many as shall communicate with him (if there be any); and so soon as he conveniently may, after the open Communion ended in the church, shall go and minister the same, first to those that are appointed to communicate with the sick (if there be any), and last of all to the sick person himself. But before the curate distribute the holy Communion, the appointed general confession must be made in the name of the communicants, the curate adding the absolution with the comfortable sentences of scripture following in the open Communion: and after the communion ended, the Collect®.

ALMIGHTY and everliving God, we most heartily thank thee, &c. b

§ 322. ¶ But if the day be not appointed for the open communion in the church, then (upon convenient warning given) the curate shall come and visit the sick person afore noon.

And having a convenient place in the sick man's house (where he may reverently celebrate) with all things necessary for the same, and not being otherwise letted with the public service or any other just impediment; he shall there celebrate the holy communion after such form and sort as hereafter is appointed.

it shall be publickly administered in the Church; that so doing, they may in case of sudden visitation, have the less cause to be disquieted for lack of the same. But if the sick person be not able to come to the Church, and yet is desirous to receive the Communion in his house; then he must give timely notice to the Curate, signifying also how many there are to communicate with him (which shall be three, or two at the least) (§ 322) and having a convenient place in the sick man's house, with all things necessary so prepared, that the Curate may reverently minister, he shall there celebrate the holy Communion, beginning with the Collect, Epistle and Gospel here following.

b This thanksgiving will be found, § 127, P. 257, but no direct reference is given. The Collect, with the preceding rubric, is wholly omitted in eds. 1552, and all eds. afterwards.

$323. THE CELEBRATION

of the Holy Communion for the Sick.

O PRAISE the Lord, all ye nations, laud him, all ye people: for his merciful kindness is confirmed toward us, and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, &c.

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

The Priest. The Lord be with you.
Answer. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

}

Without any more repetition.

ALMIGHTY everliving God, maker of mankind, which i dost correct those whom thou dost love, and chastisest* every one whom thou dost receive: we beseech thee to have mercy upon this thy servant visited with thy1 hand, and to grant that he may take his sickness patiently, and recover his bodily health

(if it be thy gracious will), and whensoever his soul shall depart from the body, it may without spot be" presented unto thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

§ 325. The Epistle.

My son, despise not the correction of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth, him he correcteth, yea and he scourgeth every son, whom he receiveth.

§ 326. The Gospel.

VERILY, verily I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlast

ing life, and shall not come unto damnation, but he passeth from death unto life.

B b