Bishop Edmund Bonner
The Preface of the Bishop of London to the Reader
Whereas in the time of the late outrageous and pestiferous schism, being here in this church, and realm of England, all godliness, and goodness, was disputed, and in a manner banished, and the catholic trade, and doctrine, of the church (with a new envious and odious term) called, and named papistry, like also as devout religion, and honest behaviour of men, was accounted, and taken for supersitition and hypocrisy. And thereupon (by sundry ways and wiles) pernicious, and evil doctrine, was sown, planted and set forth, sometimes by the proceeding preachers sermons, sometimes by their printed treatises, sugared all over with loose liberty (a thing indeed most delectable and pleasant unto the flesh and unto all unruly persons), sometimes by reading, playing singing and other like means, and new devices, by reason whereof great insolency, discord, contention and much inconvenience, daily more and more, did ensue, to the great dishonour of God, the lamentable hurt, and destruction, of the subtleties, and the notable reproach, rebuke, and slander of the whole realm.
The people whereof, by sundry wicked persons were borne in hand that they had gotten God by the foot, and that they were brought out of tyranny, darkness and ignorance into liberty, light and perfect knowledge, when in very deed, they were brought from the good to the bad. And from God’s blessing (as the proverb is) into a warm sun, infected with all error, and naughtiness drowned in sensuality and malice, and armed with unshamefast boldness, presumption and arrogance, taking upon them to be guides, instructors and teachers of other, where they themselves were in very deed utterly blind, ignorant and void of knowledge, only bent to destroy all good rule and order.
I have for these causes, and other honest considerations, thought (considering the cure and charge I have of all such as are of my Diocese of London) it to be meet, convenient, and necessary for my part, earnestly to travail and labour, with my chaplains and friends, both that errors, heresies and naughty opinions may clean be weeded, purged and expelled out of my Diocese (a great help whereto is given by diverse provisions made by the King’s and Queen’s most excellent Majesties, and especially by that godly proclamation, which of late was sent forth by their Graces, concerning the bringing in of certain heretical and naughty books) and also that a very pure, sincere and true doctrine of the faith and religion of Christ, in all necessary points of the same may faithfully, plainly and profitably be set forth within my said Diocese, to the good erudition and instruction of the people within the same.
And therefore have at this present, for mine own diocese, caused this present book, with homilies thereunto adjoined, to be set forth, that the said people (according to the will and commandment of the great king and prophet David) may decline from evil and do that thing which is good. On the order of this book is this. First because without faith it is impossible to please God, there shall be in the beginning something spoken of faith, to know what it is, and how it is to be taken here in this book. Secondly because the sum and pith of our Christian faith is briefly collected and compassed in effect in our common creed therefore the said creed, to teach us what, and how to believe, shall plainly and truly be set forth, and also declared. Thirdly, because there are 7 sacraments of Christ’s Catholic Church, where in God does ordinately work and participate unto us his special gifts and graces here in this life, therefore in the third place, they said seven sacraments shall be set forth and expounded. Fourthly, because the 10 commandments are the highway ordained by God in which everyone in this life must walk if he will come into the bliss of heaven, therefore the said 10 commandments shall orderly be set forth and have also their declaration. Fifthly, because we ourselves, as of ourselves are unable to do good and therefore need always the assistance, grace, aid, and help of Almighty God, without which we neither can continue in this life neither yet do anything acceptable in the sight of God, whereby to attain the life to come, therefore in the fifth place there is a room for prayer, as whereby to obtain grace and help at God’s hands. And that prayer is their set forth which Christ himself being here in this world did make and give to his disciples, that is to say, the paternoster, which contain it in it all things necessary for a Christian man here in this life, and this paternoster hath also his exposition.
Sickly, because the Ave Maria is a prayer taken out of scripture and contain it in it to bless it matter and a joyful rehearsal and magnifying of God in the work of Christ’s incarnation wrote in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary and she thereby worthy to be honoured and worshipped therefore the set Ave Maria with the declaration there of is in order following the said paternoster.
Seventhly, because parsons, vicars and curates, are commanded by the law, to read and declare unto their parishioners the seven deadly sins, the eight beatitudes, and certain other things, therefore in the 7th and 8th places there are set forth at length the said things with exposition and declaration of the same. And all be it these things so set forth, being read and declared unto the people, deliberately and plainly, may seem sufficient and the people thereby bound of reason to be content there with all, as having all those things which in any wise are requisite unnecessary for their souls health yet to the intent that they shall have no cause to murmur oh grudge coma for lack of certain books in the English tongue for their instruction or yet for lack of preaching unto them, they shall in the ninth place of this book, though they cannot read, have certain homilies, to be on the Sundays and Holy Days by their parsons, vicars or curates, read unto them in the English tongue, trusting that the people thus ordered and taught, would take this my doing in good part, and study as well too profit themselves thereby, as I and my chaplains have been studious and careful here in to do them good.
And the king of kings, and Lord of Lords, give us also plentifully of his grace, that every one of us, in all parts, may do our duties, and that we all may live in rest and quiet nis and especially in the unity of Christ’s Catholic Church, and his religion, loving and serving God, with all our heart, in holiness and righteousness all the days of this our life, so that finally we may attain to the life that never shall fail, but continue forever, which grant unto us the father, the son, and the Holy Ghost, preferring our good king and queen in all joy and Felicity, long to continue, to their glory and our comfort, Amen.