Humbly address'd to the most Reverend the LONDON Printed and Sold by J. Lewis in Paternofter-Row, near [17517 210. f. 46. MONG the great Numbers of those Reverend and Learned Clergy of our Church, who have ftedfaftly adhered to our prefent excellent Liturgy, I have providentially met with two very remarkable ones; one of them defending that excellent form of found Words by his ingenious and well-digested Difcourfes, and the other by his Writings. When I first began to print the Lives of thofe eminent Perfons robo compiled our English Common-Prayer, one of thefe pious Divines not only helped me to divers good Customers to the fame, in the higher Clafs of Life, but also by his own free good Will, did himself fubfcribe handfomely and generously towards the Expence of this Undertaking; and the other did what lay in his power to forward the fame, both by recommending the Work, and encouraging me by all warrantable Means to profecute fo laudable an Enterprize, especially at a Time when the Enemies of our excellent Establishment arife, even out of her own Bofom, to rend and difturb ber Order and Devotion: And this was done by the following Letter, fent unto me, just upon my beginning the Work; wherein he courageously attacks thofe who are fallen into Error, and want to have their erroneous Notions eftablish'd by Law, in the following Emphatical Lines. The a (2) The Copy of a Letter from one of his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury's Clergy, to the Editor of the Lives of the Compilers, &c. Dear Sir, Ive Feb. 13, 1751 Very much applaud, and as heartily thank you, for your truly Proteftant, and as truly Christian Undertaking. How neceffary is it, at this Time, when fo many Deifts, Arians, Socinians, Pelagians, and Papifts, all ANTICHRISTS! like the Scribes and Pharifees of old, fitting in Mofes's Seat, are at the Head of CHRIST's Church! And where confequently must be the Chriftianity of the People? Christianity? (literally) that Unction that should diftinguish Chriftians from the reft of Mankind? Surely, none can truly call themselves of CHRIST, Chriftians, but such as, being drawn, awakened, called, and difpofed by that infpired Repentance that maketh the Kingdom of Heaven at Hand: Are ANOINTED by his own Spirit INTO the Pri vileges and Bleffings of the Gofpel, viz. Pardon, Peace, Holiness and Love, the fulfilling of the Law, That Deifm and Popery in particular, have a long time, among Nominal Chriftians, been prevailing Underhand, for now they begin (Deifm (Deifm efpecially) to appear openly; is too too evident, from the Contempt that the Doctrines of the Gofpel (that is, of Salvation. from the Dominion of Sin*, and its Wages, through Grace) as alfo of the Reformed Churches, have been, and are, under: Not to mention their deplorable Effect, that unparalell d Corruption of Manners, fo much complained of by thofe, who yet fee not how to remedy It, that Corruption of Manners, I fay, which neither Human Wisdom, nor Reafon, nor Law can withstand, for they are weak through the Flesh, nay Nothing, but that Gofpel of our SAVIOUR GOD! which the Apostle fo juftly calls, the Power of God to Salvation!‡ ' *་ Dear Sir, let any juftifiable Thing be done to prevent a Change of our Liturgy; though fome very few, and as inconfiderable Things might be better exprefs'd; and the Calendar amended, by taking in, instead of Tobit, Judith, Bell, and Sufanna, the whole Book of Numbers, and Chronicles; of the Song of Solomon, and Ezekiel; and above all, that Divine Book! fo full of the Deftinies of God's Church both militant and triumphant-both conflicting with, and overcoming through CHRIST, the Devil, Sin, and Death; I mean **Matt. i. 21. + Rom. viii. 3. ti. i. 16. the |