many readers, to whom it is more satisfactory to be permitted to exercise their own judgment in weighing the importance of various readings, than to be compelled to acquiesce in the decision of an editor. An edition of the Homilies in folio with various readings was published in the year 1816, by a society in London called "The Prayer Book and Homily Society." The various readings of this edition are collected from not fewer than ten different editions, several of which, however, are entirely destitute of authority. The editor has not published the whole of his collation, but has merely selected such readings as appeared to him to be important. The text of the present edition was formed for the most part on the principle of adhering to the last recension published by public authority, that is to say, to the edition of 1623, which probably was not only reprinted, as stated in the titlepage, but also revised by authority of the crown, the alterations of the text being by far too numerous and important to have been made by the printer, or by an editor employed by him. As no later recension has ever been made by public authority, the edition of 1623 has some claim to be considered as the standard text of the Homilies, and to be compared with the Bible of 1611, and the Book of Common Prayer of 1662. Except in a very small number of instances a, the present editor has so far deferred to the authority of the edition of 1623, as to admit no reading, which is not found either in that edition, or one of those which preceded it. The text of the Homilies is now purged of a great number of unauthorized and erroneous readings, which had gradually crept into it between the publication of the edition of 1623 and the present time. To adhere strictly to the edition of 1623, without frequent reference to former editions, would have been impracticable, on account of the numerous errors of every sort, by which that edition is defiled. Many of those errors are undoubtedly de a One of the most remarkable of these instances is as follows. P. 16, 21. "Let us be glad to receive this "precious gift of our heavenly father." There seems to be no doubt that to re ceive is the true reading. All the early editions, however, including that of 1623, read to revive. The editor has not found to receive in any edition prior to 1673. rived from the copy which the printer useda; but it is also certain, that many of them are to be attributed to his own negligence b. The alterations intentionally introduced into the text of this edition, are for the most part injudicious and unnecessary, and sometimes injurious to the sense. Upon the whole, the early editions of queen Elizabeth's recension exhibit a much better text of the Homilies, than the edition of 1623. In the present edition, the Homily against Rebellion has been printed with very few deviations from its original form. In a future edition, it may perhaps be thought advisable to restore the text of queen Elizabeth throughout the whole volume, with the exception of some particular expressions. That text is not only better in itself than that of king James the first, but it also seems to be sanctioned by the thirty-fifth Article of Religion, as far at least as regards the second book. Fortunately, however, the variations in the different editions of the Homilies, numerous as they are, are almost universally verbal or grammatical. It is very remarkable, that one of the symbolical books of the church of England, which has passed through the hands of so many editors, and has been altered in almost every edition, should have received so few alterations of any importance as to doctrine c. One of the a It would not be difficult to ascertain the edition, from which that of 1623 was copied. The latest preceding edition which the present editor has seen, was printed in quarto by Edward Allde, in the year 1595. If no edition appeared between 1595 and 1623, it is somewhat remarkable that a period of twenty-eight years should elapse withont an edition of the Homilies, which were so frequently reprinted both before 1595 and after 1623. P. 58, 8. " by the negligence of them that chiefly ought to have [preferred God's commandments, and to have] preserved the pure and heavenly doctrine left by Christ." P. 69, 32. "That by true Christian charity, God ought to be loved [above all things, and all men ought to be loved], good and evil, friend and foe." P. 424, 6, "That which is boru [of the flesh, saith Christ, is flesh, and that which is born] of the spirit is spirit." In these three passages, the words inclosed in brackets are omitted in the edition of 1623. The first and second omissions are made in some of the preceding editions. In the following passage those copies only of the edition of 1623 in which the first pages have been reprinted, omit the words inclosed in brackets: P. 11, 12. " it is called the best part, which Mary did choose, for it hath in it everlasting [comfort. The words of holy scripture be called words of everlasting] life: for they be God's instrument, ordained for the same purpose. The addition of the words wrought in faith in the following passage can hardly be considered as an alteration of that nature. P. 62, 29. "And travailing continually during your life thus in the keeping the commandments of God, (wherein standeth the pure, principal and right honour of God, and which, wrought in faith, God hath ordained to be the right trade and path way unto heaven,) you shall not principal uses of a collation of the various editions, is the conviction which it produces, that the Homilies have not been tampered with by any sect or party among us, for the purpose of making them express sentiments different from those of the original compilers. The necessity of supplying the public demand for a new edition with as little delay as possible, has prevented the present editor from paying proper attention to the marginal references, which have long been observed to stand in need of a thorough revision a. A future editor will also do well in either regulating on some fixed principle the use of the Italic character in the body of the work, or in abolishing it altogether. It only remains to offer the respectful thanks of the Delegates of the Clarendon Press to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, as well as to several societies in this university, for the material assistance derived from the liberal communication of rare editions preserved in their respective libraries. fail, &c." Gentleman's Magazine, October, 1806, p.921. "In fact, the references want a thorough revision; but there are circumstances which render this no easy work." These words are extracted from a letter understood to have been written by the late Bishop of London, Dr. John Randolph, then Bishop of Oxford, and Regius Professor of Divinity. CERTAIN SERMONS OR HOMILIES APPOINTED BY THE KING'S MAJESTY TO BE DECLARED AND READ BY ALL PARSONS, VICARS AND CURATES, EVERY SUNDAY * In Grafton's edition of 1549 the following words are added to the original title: Newly imprinted, and by the king's highness authority divided. In Whitchurch's edition of the same year, the addition is as follows: Newly imprinted in parts, according as is mentioned in the book of common prayer. In the edition of 1562 the whole title is thus changed: Certain Sermons appointed by the queen's majesty, to be declared and read by all parsons, vicars, and curates, every sunday and holiday in their churches: and by her grace's advice perused and overseen, for the better understanding of the simple people. Newly imprinted in parts, according as is mentioned in the book of common prayers. B |