with me yea, I will praise the
name of the Lord the most
Highest.

Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.

The Coumunion of the Sick.

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 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. And if the same day there be a celebra

tion 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.

And having a convenient place in the sick man's house, where the Curate 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.

ALMIGHTY everliving God, Maker of mankind, which 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 thy 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.

r may be without spot 1552.

B b

The Epistle. Heb. xii.

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.

The Gospel. John v.

VERILY, verily I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come unto damnation; but he passeth from death unto life.

At the time of the distribution of the holy sacrament, the Priest shall first receive the communion himself, and after minister to them that be appointed to communicate with the sick, (if there be any,) and then to the sick person. And the sick person shall always desire some, either of his own house or else of his neighbours, to receive the holy communion with him, for that shall be to him a singular great comfort, and of their part a great token of charity.

And if there be more sick persons to be visited the same day that the Curate doth celebrate in any sick man's house, then shall the Curate (there) reserve so much of the sacrament of the body and blood as shall serve the other sick persons, and such as be appointed to communicate with them, (if there be any ;) and shall immediately carry it, and minister it unto them.

At the time of the distribution of the holy sacrament, the Priest shall first receive the communion himself, and after minister unto them that be appointed to communicate with the sick.

¶ But if any man, either by reason of extremity of sickness, or for lack of warning given in due time to the Curate, or by any other just impediment, do not receive the sacrament of Christ's body and blood; then the Curate shall instruct him, that if he do truly repent him of his sins, and steadfastly believe that Jesus Christ hath suffered death upon the cross for him, and shed his blood for his redemption, earnestly remembering the benefits he hath thereby, and giving him

s warning in due time to the Curate, or for lack of company to receive with him, or by any other 1552.

hearty thanks therefore, he doth eat and drink spiritually the body and blood of our Saviour Christ profitably to his soul's health, although he do not receive the sacrament with his mouth.

The Order for the Burial of the Dead.

The Priest, meeting the corpse at the church stile, shall say, or else the Priests and Clerks shall sing, and so go either s into the church, or towards the grave.

I AM the resurrection and the life, (saith the Lord :) he that believeth in me, yea, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall not die for ever. John xi.

I KNOW that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall rise out of the earth in the last day, and shall be covered again with my skin, and shall see God in my flesh: yea, and I myself shall behold him, not with other, but with these same eyes. Job xix.

We brought nothing into this world, neither may we carry any thing out of this world. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. Even as it pleaseth the Lord so cometh things to pass. Blessed be the name of the Lord. 1 Tim. vi. Job i.

When they come at the grave, whiles the corpse is made ready to be laid into the earth, the Priest shall say, uor else the Priest and Clerks shall sing,

MAN that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, like a flower; he flieth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay. Job ix.

¶ In the midst of life we be in death of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, which for our sins justly art moved? Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death. Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not up thy merciful eyes to our prayers; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee.

s unto 1552.

t as it hath pleased 1552.

u or the Priest 1552.

x

justly art displeased 1552.