'There are few parishes in which a sermon is not preached every Lord's Day': the rubric directing a sermon at the Holy Communion

Then shall follow the Sermon, or one of the Homilies already set forth, or hereafter to be set forth, by authority.

In considering the rubric following the Creed in the Communion Office, John Shepherd - in his A Critical and Practical Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer, Volume II (1801) - begins by referring to patristic practice, noting how preaching was a significant aspect of the life of patristic churches:

From the second century at least sermons were delivered on Sundays, and occasionally on other Holidays. At certain solemn seasons, sermons were preached every day, and in some Churches, two or more sermons were delivered before the same Assembly. A Presbyter or Priest first spoke the word of exhortation: he was followed by another, and the President or Bishop concluded; the last place being always reserved for the most honourable person. In some places likewise they had sermons twice a day, that is, at two different times of the day; but this is to be understood only of the larger Churches in great cities; for in villages and smaller towns sermons were not frequent.

This rooting of the Prayer Book rubric in patristic practice is then followed by ancient precedent for the preaching office being regularly exercised in the ministry of presbyters in their parishes:

It would appear, that no sermons were preached in the country parishes of the Gallican Church till after the beginning of the sixth century. For the second Council of Vaison (A.D.529) enacts, that "for the edification of all the Churches, and for the advantage of the whole of the people, Presbyters shall have the power of preaching in all parishes, as well as in cities".

Shepherd may very well have been contemplating at this point the charge in the Ordering of Priests: "preach the Word of God". The Church of England, in following ancient practice that presbyters should exercise the preaching office, thus ensured regular preaching:

In this Country there are few parishes in which a sermon is not preached every Lord's day.

Shepherd also provides an18th century Anglican summary of patristic preaching. While sermons "were commonly expositions of Scripture", they could also be thematic - addressing, for example the doctrine associated with particular feasts or the matters of civic occasions - or engage in apologetics:

The sermons were commonly expositions of Scripture: but some were panegyrics on Saints and Martyrs: some were suited to particular occasions or Festivals: for instance, to the Nativity, Easter, Pentecost, &c. and others were such defences of Christian doctrines against erroneous opinions, as the circumstances of the time seemed to require.

In the context of Georgian Anglicanism, this is worth noting for three reasons. Firstly, exposition of Scripture should be the common character of the sermon. As Jeremy Taylor instructed his clergy:

Let every Minister be careful that what he delivers be indeed the Word of God: that his Sermon be answerable to the Text; for this is Gods Word, the other ought to be according to it.

Secondly, however, there will be times when the sermon, while always faithful to Scripture, may have a character that is not straightforwardly expository. As Shepherd implies, preaching on feasts may have a doctrinal character - something Taylor also indicated:

Let every Preacher in his Parish take care to explicate to the people the Mysteries of the great Festivals, as of Christmas, Easter, Ascension-day, Whitsunday, Trinity Sunday, the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary; because these Feasts containing in them the great Fundamentals of our Faith.

The "particular occasions" mentioned by Shepherd might also be taken to refer to civic occasions (routinely observed in parishes throughout the long 18th century and, of course, still - rightly - a feature of parish life), when we might describe the sermon as thematic in character, rather than expository.

Thirdly, Shepherd's reference to "defences of Christian doctrines against erroneous opinions" might lead us to recall the wise counsel offered to preachers by various Supreme Governors of the Church of England, directing that parish clergy avoid doctrinal controversy in their preaching. We see this, for example, in Directions Concerning Preachers issued by James VI/I in 1622 (on the matter of predestination) and William III's Directions to our Archbishops and Bishops in 1695 (on Trinitarian disputes). Again, Taylor directed his clergy with wisdom on this matter:

Let not the Preacher make an Article of Faith to be a matter of dispute; but teach it with plainness and simplicity, and confirm it with easie arguments and plain words of Scripture, but without objection; let them be taught to believe, but not to argue.

For the ordinary parson, particularly in those country parishes mentioned by Shepherd, preaching commonly be the exposition of Scripture, with the doctrines of the faith taught plainly and simply at the great festivals, and setting forth Christian duties of governed and governors on civic occasions.

What, however, of those parishes without a presbyter, charged to "preach the Word of God"? The rubric, of course, refers to the Homilies - and any alternatives "hereafter to be set forth, by authority". Shepherd notes ancient precedence for this:

From the Council of Vaison it appears, that in cases of exigency, that is, where the priest was either sick or infirm, deacons were permitted to read the Homilies composed by the Holy Fathers. At this time it was so unusual for deacons to do any thing in the Church, except to assist the officiating priest, and to read the appointed portions of Scripture, that the Council thought it necessary to give a reason for this permission ; and add, "If the deacons are worthy to read what Christ spoke in the Gospel, why should they be thought unworthy to recite in public the Exposition of the Holy Fathers?" That Homilies were anciently read in the Church, is proved, by what is related of our Alcuin, who by the command of Charlemagne is reported to have collected and arranged all the Homilies of the most celebrated Fathers on the Gospels throughout the year.

While, as Shepherd hints, the ministry of the deacon in the Church of England included permission "to preach, if he be admitted thereto by the Bishop", his account does provide a defence of the reading of the Homilies. In doing so, he raises the question for contemporary Anglicans of the need for something akin to the Book of Homilies for those parish and congregational contexts in which there is no licensed preacher (whether priest, deacon, or lay reader). The words Shepherd quotes from the Council of Vaison can also be applied this context: if a lay person can read the Scriptures at Morning or Evening Prayer, in the absence of an authorised preacher, why can they not also read a suitable homily? Note too, by the way, how the precedents established Vaison and Alcuin both assume that such homilies would have an expository character.

Shepherd, in other words, has reminded us that when the rubric in the Communion Office directs "Then shall follow the sermon", it is pointing to a significant aspect of divine service in the Prayer Book and the 18th century Church of England, rooted in patristic practice, and inherent to the Ordinal's understanding of the office and work of a priest. It is because of this that it should still be the case that "there are few parishes in which a sermon is not preached every Lord's Day".