OR HOMILIES APPOINTED TO BE READ IN CHURCHES IN THE TIME OF QUEEN ELIZABETH OF FAMOUS MEMORY. IN TWO PARTS, TO WHICH ARE ADDED, THE CONSTITUTIONS AND CANONS ECCLESIASTICAL AND THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. FOURTH EDITION. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. MDCCCXVI. THE PREFACE, As it was published in the Year 1562. CONSIDERING how neceffary it is, that the Word of God, which is the only food of the foul, and that most excellent light that we muft walk by, in this our moft dangerous pilgrimage, fhould at all convenient times be preached unto the people, that thereby they may both learn their duty towards God, their Prince, and their neighbours, according to the mind of the Holy Ghoft, expreffed in the Scriptures, and alfo to avoid the manifold enormities which heretofore by falfe doctrine have crept into the Church of God; and how that all they which are appointed Minifters have not the gift of preaching fufficiently to inftruct the people, which is committed unto them, whereof great inconveniences might rife, and ignorance ftill be maintained, if some honeft remedy be not speedily found and provided: the Queen's moft excellent Majefty, tendering the fouls health of her loving fubjects, and the quieting of their confciences in the chief and principal points of Christian religion, and willing alfo by the true setting forth and pure declar a 2 declaring of God's Word, which is the principal guide and leader unto all godlinefs and virtue, to expel and drive away as well corrupt, vicious, and ungodly living, as alfo erroneous and poifoned doctrines, tending to fuperftition and idolatry, hath by the advice of her most honourable Counsellors, for her discharge in this behalf, caused a Book of Homilies, which heretofore was fet forth by her most loving Brother, a Prince of moft worthy memory, Edward the Sixth, to be printed anew, wherein are contained certain wholesome and godly exhortations, to move the people to honour and worship Almighty God, and diligently to ferve him, every one according to their degree, state, and vocation. All which Homilies her Majefty commandeth and ftraitly chargeth all Parfons, Vicars, Curates, and all others having fpiritual cure, every Sunday and Holy-day in the year, at the ministering of the holy Communion, or if there be no Communion ministered that day, yet after the Gospel and Creed, in fuch order and place as is appointed in the Book of Common Prayers, to read and declare to their parishioners plainly and diftinctly one of the said Homilies, in fuch order as they stand in the book, except there be a Sermon, according as it is enjoined in the book of her Highnefs' Injunctions; and then for that cause only, and for none other, the reading of the faid Homily to be deferred unto the next Sunday or Holy-day following. And when the forefaid Book of Homilies is read over, her Majesty's pleasure is, that the same be repeated and read again, in such like fort as was before before prescribed. Furthermore, her Highness com- mandeth, that, notwithstanding this order, the faid ecclefiaftical perfons fhall read her Majefty's In- junctions at fuch times, and in fuch order, as in the book thereof appointed; and that the Lord's Prayer, the Articles of the Faith, and the Ten Com- mandments, be openly read unto the people, as in the faid Injunctions is specified, that all her people, of what degree or condition foever they be, may learn how to invocate and call upon the name of God, and know what duty they owe both to God and man: so that they may pray, believe, and work according to knowledge, while they fhall live here, and after this life be with him that with his blood hath bought us all. To whom, with the Father |