7. A Prayer for a sick Person, when there appeareth small hope
of recovery. O Father of mercies, &c.

258. A commendatory Prayer for a sick person at the point of
departure. O Almighty God, &c.

259. A Prayer for persons troubled in mind or in conscience. O
Blessed Lord, &c.

THE COMMUNION OF THE SICK.

260. 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 especially in the time of pestilence, or other infectious
sickness) exhort their Parishioners to the often receiving of the
holy Communion of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ, when
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.

261. 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,) 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.

The opening direction of this rubric evidently contemplates regular
and frequent opportunities of access to the public administration
of the Holy Communion in church, such as would suffice for times
of great danger and distress; and therefore implies frequent
celebrations as a permanent system. Otherwise, it would be mere
hypocrisy to exhort men to the often receiving thereof, and that,
not only in time of pestilence, &c., but generally and habitually.
A special order for those not able to come to church was unknown
in the Church until 1549. Previously to that date no provision was
made for their case, except by the reservation of some of the
Blessed Sacrament from the open Communion in the church, and its
conveyance to them afterwards; and in the Book of 1549, the order
was introduced for use on such days as there was no open Communion
in church. The word 'reverently' may be best satisfied by as near
an approximation to the c