то

Sir Robert and Lady Lawley,

то

WM. TAYLER, ESQ. WARDEN,

J. DUNCUMB, ESQ. and W. WEBB, GENT. CAPITAL BURGESSES,

OF

SUTTON COLDFIELD;

AND

The principal Inhabitants of the Parish,

THE FOLLOWING DISCOURSE IS

WITH THEIR ASSENT,

DEDICATED

BY THEIR MOST RESPECTFUL,

MOST OBLIGED, AND OBEDIENT

HUMBLE SERVANT,

FRA. BLICK.

THE

ADDRESS.

MY GOOD FRIENDS,

UNFEIGNEDLY reluctant as I was to

comply with your request, and to enter upon a public vindication of my principles and conduct in my miniftry; I am now compelled to do it. My Retor fays, that he has thought it his duty to bring what he calls this feeming charge against me, but what I cannot but call a direct and abfolute one, that "he and many other perfons re"member too well poffibly to be mistaken, "that I have in this and other difcourfes "delivered doctrines contrary to the facred Scriptures, the church of England, and

"the

"the promise I folemnly made in the pre"fence of God at my Ordination." An asfertion that I fhudder at, and which, if founded in fact would expofe me deservedly to public cenfure. He adds "that unless "I fubmit the Sermon to his perufal mi

66

nutely to examine it, or print it, he is "driven to say, that I have preached doc"trines totally inconfiftent with, or contradic"tory to the fcriptures, and the doctrines of "the church, which I have folemnly en"gaged to maintain, and ruinous to the "fouls of those, who heard and believe "them." I therefore adopt the latter mode, and both the Sermon and the Letters fhall lie publicly before you; and I hope and trust, that (after your private declarations in my favour) you will by fome public teftimony express your approbation, not only of my principles in this particular discourse, but of the general tenor of my doctrines and conduct in the miniftry. I have now lived among you feveral years, experiencing many instances of personal affection, and flattered by numerous teftimonies of applause, and I have

have maintained, or believe I have, that, according to the doctrines of the Scriptures, and of our Church in her eleventh Article, no man was juftified by his own merit, or his own works, but by the imputed righte ousness of Chrift alone, and that though no man could hope to obtain that eternal reward which was purchased for him by the blood of Chrift, and by the fatisfaction he made, except by faith in him, yet have I always ftrongly endeavoured to inculcate that no one could have that practical faith, unless he fhewed it by a moral, holy, and virtuous life, which was pleafing and acceptable to God. See the twelfth Article.

These were the fentiments, that in con

junction with your late most respected and moft revered Paftor, I long endeavoured to enforce. Under his patronage I almost began the office of my miniftry. He set me a bright example of diligence in his vocation, of rectitude in his conduct, and of piety in his devotion. He was frequently pleased to express an approbation of my endeavours in the