Religion of the whole Year! Here by you give the clergy an Oppor tunity of inftructing the "People (what if I had hid themfelves?) in based fome of the moft momentous Do112 son i dug LA ctrines of pure, and original Chri ftianity, and of reviewing thofe ancient Authorities on which they are grounded, and in a most particular Manner, of oblerving, how exactly our Church of England is model'd, and built upon the Plan of the Primitive Church of CHRITTO fpeak freely, hereby you have made ita Part of our Yearly Duty, to opens and engage the Minds of the People upon, fome felect Subjects, which we could not otherwife have made Choice of, in the ordinary Course of our Ministry, without thei -ilя Cenfure I lat Cenfure of being unfeafonable, at 27007 LIVA Herefy, and Schifm at a Bay, and fecures the Chriftian Religion from giving Ground among us, more may be owing (with the Grace of God) to the Efficacy and Influence of this solemn annual Exercife, than can be imagined: For which, and all your other Munificences, you have the Prayers of all honest and good People, here, continually; but more especially, as often as they are thus occafionally affembled by you in Publick Worship: And, furely, their Prayers are not unregarded by that Almighty and Gracious Being, who fo marvellously preferves, and lengthens out a Life 1 Life fo beneficial, precious, and dear to us, as yours is. After this it is little to fay, and yet I must not conclude without assuring you, that you have the unfeigned Thanks of all who fear God, and with well to Religion, and particularly of, SIR, Advertisement TO THE READER. HIS LENT-LECTURE was foundTed by Mr. COLSTON, about twelve Tears ago, the first Sermon, at the Opening of it, being preach'd at All-Saints, on Afh-Wednesday, March 9, 1708. And Provifion is made by him for a Sermon every Wednesday and Friday throughout the Lent, Fourteen in all; and the Parochial Clergy (which are ufually near about that Number) take their Turns in the Service; the laft Preacher reading Prayers for the next who fucceds him: And as they make one Remove forward in their Turns every Tear, (the Preacher on Afh-Wednesday moving the next Year to Good b Good-Friday, and so onward, in like manner all the Reft) every one who lives to it, will, in fourteen Tears Time, be engaged on all the Sub jects, and will have, by this Rotation, a dis ftinet and new One every Tear, 'till the Whole are gone over. The SUBJECTS, in the mean Time, are to remain fixed, unalterable, and perpetual in the following Order, viz. (beginning on Afh-Wednesday) 1. Of the Lent Faft. 2. Against Atheismm or Infidelity. 3. Of the Catholick Church. 4. Of the Excellency of the Church of England. 5. Of the Powers of the Church. 6. Of Baptism. 7. Of Confirmation. 8. Of Confeffion and Abfolution. 9. Of the Errors of the Church of Rome. 10. Of Enthusiasm or Superftition. 11. Of Reftitution. 12. Of Attending the Publick Worfhip. 13. Of Frequenting the Holy Communion. 14. Of the Paffion of our Bleffed Lord; ending on Good-Friday. Now, by this Account, the Lecture having fubfifted but Twelve Tears, it happens that Two of the Subjects are wanting, in the Courfe of Sermons here published; which it is hoped, however, are not unacceptably Supply'd. THE |