ADVERTISEMENT TO THIS FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. From the thirty-nine Articles of Religion of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. ARTICLE XXXV. "The second Book of Homilies, the several titles whereof we have joined under this Article, doth contain a godly and wholesome Doctrine, and necessary for these Times, as doth the former Book of Homilies, which were set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth; and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly, that they may be understanded of the People. Of the Names of the Homilies. 1. Of the right Use of the Church. 3. Of repairing and keeping clean of Churches. 4. Of good Works: first of Fasting. 5. Against Gluttony and Drunkenness. 6. Against Excess of Apparel. 7. Of Prayer. 8. Of the Place and Time of Prayer. 9. That Common Prayers and Sacraments ought to be ministered in a known Tongue. 10. Of the reverent Estimation of God's Word. 11. Of Alms-doing. 12. Of the Nativity of Christ. 13. Of the Passion of Christ. 14. Of the Resurrection of Christ. 15. Of the worthy Receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. 16. Of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost. 17. For the Rogation-days. 18. Of the State of Matrimony. 19. Of Repentance. 20. Against Idleness. 21. Against Rebellion. "[This Article is received in this Church, so far as it declares the books of Homilies to be an explication of Christian doctrine, and instructive in piety and morals. But all references to the constitution and laws of England are considered as inapplicable to the circumstances of this Church, which also suspends the order for the reading of said Homilies in Churches until a revision of them may be conveniently made, for the clearing of them, as well from obsolete words and phrases, as from the local references.]" From the Journal of the House of Bishops, in General Convention of the same Church, on the 20th day of May, 1814. "The House of Bishops, taking into consideration, that the two Books of Homilies are referred to in the 35th Article of this Church, as containing a body of sound Christian doctrine; and knowing, by their respective experience, the scarcity of the volume, rendering it difficult for some candidates in the ministry to possess opportunities of studying its contents, propose to the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies, to make it a standing instruction to every Bishop, and to the Ecclesiastical Authority in every State destitute of a Bishop, to be furnished (as soon as may be) with a copy, or copies, of said work, and to require it to be studied by all candidates for the ministry within their respective bounds: under the expectation, that when offering for or dination, the knowledge of its contents will be indispensa bly required." In consideration of the above documents, and for the carrying of the design of the letter of them into effect, the Editor is encouraged to present to the public this first American Edition of the Homilies of the Church of England. Although in the recognition of them by the Episcopal Church, there is an exception of whatever is peculiar to the circumstances of a foreign country; and although the obsolete words and phrases are a considerable discouragement to the reading of these compositions in ohurches, agreeably to their original design; yet will they be found exceedingly edifying to the members of the Episcopal Church in general, on the grounds intimated in the note to the preceding article, their being “an explication of Christian doctrine, and instructive in piety and morals.” The Clergy have a more important interest in the publication; the contents of it being referred to in the promise, which they subscribe at their ordination. The extent in which the Homilies are to be considered as pledging the subscriber of them relatively to doctrine, is well expressed by Bishop Burnet, as follows: "In these Homilies the Scriptures are often applied as they were then understood; not so critically as they have been explained since that time. But by this approbation of the two Books of Homilies, it is not meant that every passage of Scripture, or argument that is made use of in them, is always convincing, or that every expression is so severely worded, that it may not need a little correction or expla nation: All that we profess about them, is only that they ❝ contain a godly and wholesome doctrine." This rather relates to the main importance and design of them, than to every passage in them. Though this may be said concerning them, that considering the age they were written in, the imperfection of our language, and some lesser defects, they are two very extraordinary Books. Some of them are better writ than others, and are equal to any thing that has been writ upon those subjects since that time. Upon the whole matter, every one who subscribes the Articles, ought to read them, otherwise he subscribers a blank; he approves a book implicitly, and binds himself to read it, as he may be required, without knowing any thing concerning it. This approbation is not to be stretched so far, as to carry in it a special assent to every particular in that whole volume; but a man must be persuaded of the main of the doctrine that is taught in them."* In addition to the above it should be recollected, that in estimating the Homilies as evidence of the opinions of the reformers, a difference should be regarded between the two books. The first of them was made a public document of the Church in the reign of Edward VI. The other was prepared in the same reign; but not published until about four years after the accession of Elizabeth. That they were then re-considered, and somewhat altered, is reasonable to be supposed; and indeed there is internal evidence of the fact. |