TO THE RIGHT REVEREND AND HONOURABLE SHUTE LORD BISHOP OF SARUM AND CHANCELLOR OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER. MY LORD, HONOURED long ago by your Friendship, and diftinguished of late, among the first, by your voluntary and unfolicited Patronage, it would ill become me to appear in public without paying You my tribute of Gratitude, and expreffing my warmest ac knowledgements knowledgements for Favours, rendered doubly obligatory by the mode of conferring them. But there will appear a peculiar propriety in the introduction of your Lordship's Name at the head of this Work, when it is known that it was You, who first prompted the Author to undertake, and afterwards encouraged him, perhaps too juftly diffident of his own Abilities, to persevere in it. If therefore there fhould be found any thing useful or valuable in these Sheets, it must all be placed to the account of Your unwearied zeal in recommending and enforcing, upon principle, the cultivation of Sacred Literature. It would be arrogance in ma to imagine, that my weak Voice could have any influence in guiding the Public Applaufe. But the World will daily receive the most substantial! proofs, that your Lordfhip comes not behind the most illustrious off Your Predeceflors in any akamegholwant of of the Qualifications, which conftitute or adorn the Character of a truly Chriftian Bishop. That You may long live to fignalize those Virtues, which must neceffarily tend to advance the Credit of our moft Holy Religion, confirm the Happiness of Your Diocese, and greatly endear You both to God and Man, is the unfeigned and ardent Prayer of, MY LORD, Your Lordship's most dutiful and most devoted Servant BENJAMIN BLAYNEY. |