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Robert Nelson, Efquire.

SIR,

Trold,

Hefe Apologies for the Chriftians of old, need none now, I hope, for themselves in a Chriftian Government; and they are so much of a Complexion with the Perfon they are infcrib'd to, that whoever is not difpleas'd with the one, cannot poffibly take Offence at the other. Nor am I in danger of Flattery upon a Subject, where fhould I take the greatest Liberty, I should be juft. But while fome Hackney Orators let out their Praises at fuch a mercenary and mischievous rate, and make no Scruple of extolling Men to Heaven in spite of a Life of Sin; Silence upon this occafion would be next to Sacrilege; and to pass over the brightest and perfectest Examples of the Age, A 2 would

would be an Omiflion, that few would pardon, but those Examples themselves,

No Man certainly has ftudied the Ancients to better purpose than your self; you have tranfcrib'd them in your Soul; they are the Glafs you drefs by, and a more beautiful Figure, a fairer Image of Primitive Christianity is hardly to be hop'd for. You write, and you live fo exactly after thefe old Saints, that I am really at a stand which to recommend moft, the Copy, or the Original, whether You and Your Works, or Them and Theirs. For tho' the Rules and Examples in these Books, are wonderfully infinuating and agreeable to a well difpo fed Mind, yet Ink and Paper, Notion and Picture, are but cold Things, and warm nothing in comparison of Flesh and Blood, nothing in refpect of that Wifdom and Goodnefs we fee with all the Charms of Life and Action about it. And a more charming Object in the World there is not, than an accomplish'd Christian, one who fhines with all the Graces of a polifb'd Integrity.

You

You want indeed, (and blessed be God for it) the Advantage of their fie ry Trials to illuftrate one fide of your Virtue, to make your Fidelity more blazing but whether the Wind or the Sun, Temptations of the rougher or the fofter kind, have the greater Power, is not easie to determin; but History seems to fay, that good Men have wrapt their Religion fafter about 'em in bad Weather, and that Profperity has fpoil'd more Chriftians than Perfecution. To you then, good Sir, I take the Liberty of addreffing these Discourses, upon nỏ other Account, but because I know you live the great Things in them; and because Love has a Power of making Slaves more effectually than Interest; à Captive of which Quality, I profess my felf to be; and whoever fhall live but half the time I have done under the Enchantments of a Conversation so wife and gracious, fo inftructive and beneficent, and every way so ingaging, will find it hard, extremely hard, to be lefs your Servant than I am. In plain Terms A 3

there.

therefore, I am forc'd to make you this Prefent, nor was there any avoiding it, but by falling out with my felf; and fo much Self-indulgence, if you will not approve, I hope, for once, you will pardon.

Give me Leave likewife to remind you, Sir, who it was that propos'd the Undertaking, and encourag'd it to the End. You gave me the Confidence to believe, that by a Work of this Nature I might do fome Service to the Christian Faith, and the Christian Morals, when fome Moderns were doing their beft to reform us out of both. You thought that Men long engag'd in the Fashions and Vices of the Age, and who had Gods for their Turn, would be extremely inquifitive and well fatisfy'd, before they parted with every thing in Hand, for fomething in Reverfion; and that fuch a fudden Deadness to this World, and fo lively a Passion for the next, fuch Stri&nefs of Difcipline, and Purity of Manners, that amazing Magnanimity, Patience, and

Loyalty

Loyalty under the most provoking In juries, that ftrange Spirit of Humility, Meekness, and univerfal Charity, which make up a great Part of these Apologies, are fo expreffive and beautiful a Scene of the Powers of True Religion, and have kindled fuch pure Fires, and gentle Paffions in your own Breaft, that you was of Opinion, whoever read and compar'd them with the prefent Reverse of things, muft needs be very far gone not to be affected with the Comparison, and to be fo far touch'd at least, as to admire what he will not practise.

But above all, the many bold Appeals here recorded, the triumphant Challenges to Emperor and Senate, to put the Truth of the Chriftian Religion upon this If fue; that if they would bring any one of thofe falfe Prophets, that pafs'd for infpir'd, to their Tribunals, and if any ordinary Christian did not in the Name of Jefus caft out the evil Spirit, and put the Prophet to Silence; and not only fo, but if he did not force Æfculapius, A 4

Apollo,

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