TO THE Right Honourable and truly Noble THOMAS EARL of DANBY,&c. Lord High TREASURER O F ENGLAND. May it please your Lordship, Τ O prefent a Book of Devotions to a Perfonage of fo grand Employments, may perhaps be cenfured by fuch as pretend, that Prayers are the duty and concern of none but Ecclefiafticks; but your Lordship was fo early acquainted with thefe Devotions of the Church, in the Family of a moft Pious and Loyal A 2 Father, Father, and doth fo conftantly use them in your own, that Imay be confident your Lordship believes the daily obfervance of them to be neceffary and advantageous for all degrees of Men, especially for thofe whofe great affairs require more than Ordinary Aides from Heaven; and confequently I am fecured your Lordship will not esteem this an improper Addrefs. Indeed this Litany being one of the best Offices of the best of Churches, and frequently offered with great Devotion to the Majefty of Heaven, might feem too excellent to be dedicated to the nobleft upon Earth; but fince all its Excellencies cannot fecure it from the contempt and oppofition of Atheism and Innovation, it both deferves and needs the greatest Patron. We live in fuch an Age, as makes it neceffary for our very Prayers to become Petitioners, and caufes our Litany it felf to make Supplication to your Lordship, and to all of Eminence and Authority, to use their Power and Intereft for the Protection of these facred Remains of our Fore fathers Piety. If the Liturgy had no Enemies but fuch as were ingenuous, and if thofe that oppofe it had no ends to ferve but thofe of ConScience and Vertue, we might hope to win them by Jhewing that the Words of thefe Prayers are extracted out of Scripture and Primitive Forms, the Matter pious and comprehenfive, the Method curious and exact, the Compofers fuch as Reformed Religion, and fome of them fealed that and theje Holy Offices with their blood. They that that only defire to worship God with acceptance would not wish for better Forms; but when Principles of Pride and Love of novelty cause mento difgrace or complain of fuch Prayers as thefe, we may justly call in the Aides of Authority, and hope it will be thought neither poffible nor neceffary, pru dent nor fafe, for the Government to fatisfic fuch Perfons by any Change; I am fure 'tis a fign of an Evil Generation, that our admirable Liturgy, which is the Glory of our own, and the Wonder or Envy of all other Churches, should be fo unwor thily neglected by fome, despised and oppofed by others amongst our felves; but it is no fign,that thofe Prayers are faulty, which have not the multitude for their admirers (a), fince the greateft is usually the worst Part of a Nation: it is fufficient honour to the common Prayers that the moft Learned and Loyal Perfons, the best and most folid Chriftians do reverence and efteem them: And would to God the Fudgment and Example of fuch Men, and the Arguments of this Difcourfe,might perfwade the negligent to attend more frequently upon them, the profane to speak more reverently of them, and the diffenting to enquire more impartially into them, that we might all with one heart pray by thefe Forms, and live agreeably to the fame; for then we should be acceptable to (a) Non enim tam benè cum rebus humanis a gitur ut meliora pluribus placerent. Sen.de vit. beat.c.2. Пoru's μ is § är Spar Laert.vit.Diog. God, God, eafie to our Governours, and as universally happy as Piety and Peace can make us. Wherefore the Protection of thefe Prayers will, I hope, be thought worthy the Care of all that are concerned for the publick good, and particularly of your Lord Jhip, who have endeared your felf to the best of Mafters, and obliged all good Men by your prudent and faithful endeavours for the welfare of this Church and State. So that I have great reafon to publish this Illuftration of our Litany under your Lordship's honourable and obliging Name, hoping that Se great an Interest and Example being added to my endeavours, may win the affections and respect of all fober and moderate men, and reconcile them to thefe Offices. And though fuch as are the Enemies of all goodness, and fuch as are impatient of the wifeft Commands of their Superiors should yet retain their obstinacy; I shall be satisfied abundantly, if what is here faid may confirm your Lordship, and all the honourable and eminent Sons of this Church That thefe Holy Prayers do deferve to be used with the greatest Devotion,and defended by the beft fecurities, that Law and pious Magiftrates can give them: 1 fball only add, that your Lordship may justly be fuppofed to challenge a peculiar Intereft in the Litany, and to have a particular kindness for it. Since your Lordship is conflantly commemora therein, and prayed for, under the feveral Titles of one of the Logos of the Council, one of the Mobility, and of the Principal Magiftrates of |