The Books of Homilies: A Critical Edition

The two Books of Homilies, along with the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal, have long been basic documents of the Church of England, and are valuable in showing how Anglican doctrine shifted during the Reformation, as well as being of considerable historical importance.
The first book, published in 1547, early in the reign of Edward VI, was partly, though not entirely, the work of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, and the inspiration appears to have been his. This was intended to raise the standards of preaching by offering model ser mons covering particular doctrinal and pastoral themes, either to be read (particularly by unlicensed clergy) or to provide preachers with additional material for their own sermons.
The success of the venture led Bishop Edmund Bonner, who had contributed to Cranmer’s book, to produce his own Book of Homilies in 1555, during the reign of Queen Mary. The Second Book of Homilies, published in 1563 (and in a revised form in 1571) appears in turn to have been influenced by both Cranmer’s and Bonner’s books.
The present edition brings together all three books, edited and introduced by Revd Dr Gerald Bray.

Table of Contents

Biblical and Other Ancient Names
Introduction
THE FIRST BOOK OF HOMILIES
The Preface (1547)
The Preface (1562)
1. A Fruitful Exhortation to the Reading and Knowledge of Holy Scripture
2. A Sermon of the Misery of All Mankind, and of His Condemnation to Death Everlasting, by His Own Sin
3. A Sermon of the Salvation of Mankind by Only Christ Our Saviour, From Sin and Death Everlasting
4. A Short Declaration of the True, Lively and Christian Faith
5. A Sermon of Good Works Annexed Unto Faith
6. A Sermon of Christian Love and Charity
7. Against Swearing and Perjury
8. A Sermon, How Dangerous a Thing it is to Fall From God
9. An Exhortation Against the Fear of Death
10. An Exhortation Concerning Good Order and Obedience to Rulers and Magistrates
11. A Sermon Against Whoredom and Uncleanness
12. A Sermon Against Contention and Brawling
BISHOP BONNER’S HOMILIES
1. The Homily of the Creation and Fall of Man
2. The Homily of the Misery of All Mankind, and of His Condemnation to Everlasting Death, by His Own Sin
3. The Homily of the Redemption of Man
4. An Homily Declaring How the Redemption in Christ is Appliable to Us
5. An Homily of Christian Love, or Charity
6. The Homily Declaring How Dangerous a Thing the Breach of Charity is
7. The Homily of the Church, What it is, and of the Commodity Thereof
8. An Homily of the Authority of the Church, Declaring What Commodity and Profit We Have Thereby
9. An Homily of the Primacy, or Supreme Power, of the Highest Governor of the Militant Church
10. Another Homily of the Primacy
11. An Homily Declaring that in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar is the Very Body and Blood of Our Saviour Christ
12. An Homily of Transubstantiation
13. The Homily Wherein is Answer Made to Certain Common Objections Against the Presence of Christ’s Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Altar
THE SECOND BOOK OF HOMILIES
An Admonition to All Ministers Ecclesiastical
1. An Homily of the Right Use of the Church or Temple of God, and of the Reverence Due Unto the Same
2. An Homily Against Peril of Idolatry and Superfluous Decking of Churches
3. An Homily for Repairing and Keeping Clean and Comely Adorning of Churches
4. An Homily of Good Works, and First of Fasting
5. An Homily Against Gluttony and Drunkenness
6. An Homily Against Excess of Apparel
7. An Homily or Sermon Concerning Prayer
8. An Homily of the Place and Time of Prayer
9. An Homily Wherein is Declared that Common Prayer and Sacraments Ought to be Ministered in a Tongue that is Understanded of the Hearers
10. An Information for Them Which Take Offence at Certain Places of the Holy Scripture
11. An Homily of Almsdeeds and Mercifulness Toward the Poor and Needy
12. An Homily or Sermon Concerning the Nativity and Birth of Our Saviour Jesus Christ
13. An Homily for Good Friday, Concerning the Death and Passion of Our Saviour Jesus Christ
14. An Homily of the Resurrection of Our Saviour Jesus Christ for Easter Day
15. An Homily of the Worthy Receiving and Reverent Esteeming of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ
16. An Homily Concerning the Coming Down of the Holy Ghost and the Manifold Gifts of the Same. For Whitsunday.
17. An Homily for the Days of Rogation Week. That All Good Things Cometh From God.
18. An Homily of the State of Matrimony
19. An Homily Against Idleness
20. An Homily of Repentance and of True Reconciliation Unto God
21. An Homily Against Disobedience and Wilful Rebellion Subject Index
Names Index
Scripture Index
Author Index