THE LIFE OF ROBERT NELSON. i oJ M E M O IJl S OF THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE PIOUS ROBERT NELSON. C^Ji MEMOIRS LIFE AND TIMES OF THE PIOUS ROBERT NELSON, AUTHOR OF THE '^ COMPANION TO THE FESTIVALS AND FASTS OF THE CHURCH." ( BY REV. C. F. SECRETAN, M.A., INCUMBENT OF HOLY TRINITY, WESTMINSTER. Mttfi portrait. LONDON : JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. i860. The Right of Tranjlat'ion is Refer-ved. LONDON : BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. PREFACE. The prefent is the firft attempt at an extended biography of the " pious " Robert Nelfon, (as he was commonly ftyled by his cotemporaries,) fmce his deceafe in 17 14. A memoir, as is well known, was promifed to the public * immediately after his death ; his friend Dr. Francis Lee f having undertaken the tafk, going over his papers for that purpofe with one of his executors, and being intrufted, it would feem, with a colle6lion of letters written to him by different eminent perfons. Lee, however, died rather fud- denly, Auguft 23, 1719, at Gravelines, whither he had gone on bufinefs, having publifhed no further account of Nelfon than what occurs in his " Life of Kettlewell." And the only contemporary memoir that appeared was a flight fketch of Nelfon's Life and Writings, publifhed by Curll, J * The Pollboy of Feb. 15, 17 14, containing an announcement of Nelfon's " Addrefs to Perfons of Qu^ality/' adds " And for preventing any injury that may be done to the memory of fo great a man, or to the publick, by any unfaithful, imperfeft, and furreptitious accounts, the hiftory of his life is undertaken by a friend fufficiently inftru6ted and furnifhed with materials for the fame." f Thorefby's " Correfpondence," vol. iv., p. 300. " Dr. Lea, a phyfician, is preparing materials for Mr. Nelfon's Life 5 he has publifhed Mr. Nelfon's ' Address to Perfons of Qiiality ' upon the fubjeit of religion." J My only knowledge of this is from the accompanying advertifement, the firft of the two vols. (1715) being all I have feen : — "The Works of the late Pious and Learned Robert Nelfon, Efej., 10 i n:QQ-^> VI PREFACE. in an epitomifed edition of his works. Tlie notices fup- plied by Nicholls, in his ^^ Anecdotes of Bowyer," and in his '* Literary Anecdotes and lUuftrations ;" a careful fketch of Nelfon's life in the '^Biographia Britannica;" a very flight memoir prefixed to an edition of his ^'Chriftian Sacrifice" in 1841, by the Rev. W. B. Hawkins; and a Life of Robert Nelfon, in Mr. Teale's ''Lives of EnglifK Laymen " ( 1 844), form the only attempts which have fince been made to preferve the memory of this devout, learned, laborious, and munificent member of our Church. In addition to the above fources of information, the following materials have been mployed in the prefent work : — Four letters from Nelfon to John Johnfon, of Cran- brook ; printed by Brett, in 1748. Fifteen letters from Nelfon to Dr. Mapletoft, preferved in the '' European Magazine," vols, xv., xvi. Sixteen letters from Nelfon to Dr. Charlett, from the Ballard MSS. in the Bodleian ; four of which have been previoufly publifhed by Aubrey. Thirty-fix letters and fhort notes from Nelfon to Wanley, from the Harleian MSS. in the Britilli Mufeum ; in great part printed by Mr. Teale. containing the following Treatifes : — I. The Whole Duty of a Chriftlan. II. The Praflice of true Devotion, in relation to the End, as well as the Means of Religion. III. A Letter to a Roman Prieft concerning the pre- tended miracles and infallibility of their Church. IV. The great Duty of frequenting the Chriftian Sacrifice, and the Nature of the Preparation required, with fuitable Devotions. V. The Life and Character of Bifliop Bull. VI. An Addrefs to Perfons of Q^iality and Eftate, concerning the different methods of doing good. VII. A Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church of England. VIII. Some Account of Mr. Nelfon's Life and Writings; with a true copy of his Laft Will and Teftament. Alfo his Character, by Dr. Marfhall. The whole compendioufly metiiodifed for the life of families. Two volumes. Price 6j." PREFACE. Vll One letter from Nelfon to Archbifhop Sharp, from the Mifcellaneous Papers of Dr. Birch, in the Britifh Mufeum. Two letters from Nelfon to Hilkiah Bedford, from the Rawlinfon MSS. in the Bodleian. Lord Melfort's Correfpondence with Nelfon, from the Lanfdowne MSS. in the Britifh Mufeum. I have alfo to exprefs my acknowledgments and thanks To J. H. Markland, Efq., D.C.L., for the commu- nication of two letters from Nelfon to the firft Schoolmafter of the Blue-coat School, Bath, and for other proofs of kindly intereft in the prefent work; To the Right Honourable Lord Malmefbury, for accefs to the letters of the Levant Company, in the Library of the Foreign Office, which have fupplied feveral particulars refpedling Nelfon's family ; To the Rev. T. B. Murray and the Rev. E. Hawkins, for ready accefs to the Journals of the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge, and the Society for the Propagation of the Gofpel, of both of which Nelfon was an early and zealous member ; To the Rev. J. B. Deane, Re6tor of St. Martin's, Out- wlch ; To the Rev. Robert Gibfon, Redor of St. Mary Ab- church, and St. Laurence Pountney ; To the Rev. Thos. Maurice, Vicar of Driffield, in the county of Gloucefter ; To the Rev. H. W. Hickes, Redor of Cranford, Mid- dlefex ; and To the Rev. John Back, Redor of St. George the Martyr, Queen Square, for obliging tranfcripts Vlll PREFACE. from, or for ready accefs to, the regifters of their refpedlive parlfhes. From thefe and other fources it is hoped that a biography of Robert Nelfon has now been produced, fufficiently extended to do juftice to the memory and example of one whofe name is a houfehold word with thoufands among us who yet know nothing more of him than the name ; but whofe orthodox teaching and charitable labours and fober piety, in a latitudinarian age, and amid all the bitternefs of religious partifanfhip, are admirably calculated to fupply a pattern and encouragement to ourfelves, amid fimilar trials at the prefent day. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. nelson's early life. PAGE Robert Nelfon's birth and parentage. — His education at St. Paul's School, and at Dryfield under Biftiop Bull. — Nelfon's friendfhip with Maple- toft. — Two letters to Mapletoft. — He becomes a member of the Royal Society — Nelfon's friendfhip with Tlllotfon. — He goes abroad with Halley ; refufes Savile's offer of Court preferment ; marries Lady Theophlla Lucy.— More letters to Mapletoft. — Lady Nelfon becomes a Roman Catholic, and writes in the Controverfy. — Nelfon's Traft againft Tranfubftantiation. — He goes abroad a fecond time, and becomes a Jacobite. — His Correfpondence with Lord Melfort. — His Letter to an Englifh Prieft at Rome. — He returns to England and joins the Nonjurors. — He attends Tillotfon's death-bed and befriends his widow .......•• i CHAPTER II. nelson with the nonjurors. Nelfon's acquaintance with the nonjuring Prelates. — His friendftiip with Kettlewell. — Letter to Archbifhop Sharp refpefting him. — His account of Kettlewell's ficknefs and death. — He edits his works. — Ken's letter to Nelfon.— Nelfon's friendftiip with Hickes.— Hickes' commendation and defence of Nelfon's writings. — Thos. Bowdler. — Nelfon's letter to Pepys.— Spinckes, Collier, and Lee.— The Shot- tifbrooke Nonjurors. — Mr. Cherry of Shottifbrooke Houfe. — Brokeft)y j his letter to Nelfon. — Dodwell ; confults with Ken and Nelfon on quitting the nonjuring Communion. — His correfpondence b Contents. PAGE with Burnet, publiflied by Nelfon. — Nelfon's letter to a friend on quitting the nonjuring Communion. — He is received into theEfta- bliftied Church by Archbifhop Sharp. — His motives for the change. — Still continues a Jacobite. — Two letters to Mapletoft. — Nelfon reviews Harbin's Book on Hereditary Right. — Nelfon's letter to Bedford. — Nelfon prefents the book to Queen Ann. — Procures a mitigation of Bedford's fentence" ....... 49 CHAPTER III. nelson's ways and methods of doing good. The Religious Societies vindicated by Nelfon. — Societies for the Refor- mation of Manners approved by him. — Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge ; its origin and early operations. — Nelfon elefted a Member. — His correfpondence with Wanley, the Secre- tary. — Extrafls from the Society's Minutes. — Letters in behalf of the Archbilhop of Gochtan. — The Charity Schools ; their eftablifhment and religious character. — Nelfon's ftiare in promoting them. — Further extrafls from the Minutes of the S. P. C. K. — Letters to Mr. Dixon of Bath. — Extrads refumed. — Nelfon's letters to Lord Oxford in reference to the Charity Schools. — Society for the Pro- pagation of the Gofpel in Foreign Parts ; Its origin and labours. — Nelfon's fliare in them. — Minutes of the S. P. G. — Nelfon's thoughts on Miffions. — The defigns of Dr. Bray, — Nelfon advocates his plan for Parochial Libraries. — The Commiflion for building new Churches. — Nelfon a Commiflioner. — St. George's Chapel, Ormond- ftreet. — Nelfon's fuggeftions for building churches. — Charitable Defideranda enumerated by him. — Theological Seminaries needed. — Charity Schools for Blackguard Boys. — Nelfon's " Addrefs to Perfons of Quality and Eftate" . ...... 90 CHAPTER IV. ROBERT nelson's DEVOTIONAL WRITINGS. (i). The Pra£lice of True Devotion, 1698. — Quotations. — (2). Exhor- tation to Houfekeepers, 1702. — Extraft. — (3). Companion to the Feftivals and Fafts, 1704. — Similar works by previous and fub- Contents. xi PAGE fequent writers. — Its extraordinaiy popularity. Prized by Bonwicke and others. — Abftraft of Subjefls. — Quotations. — Obfervance of Holydays in Nelfon's time. — (4). The Chriftian Sacrifice, 1706. — Nelfon's opinion of Frequent Communion. — Practice of Bonnell and others. — Celebrations at the London Churches. — Nelfon's doctrine of the Euchariftic Sacrifice, taught by Lake, Ken, Bull, Beveridge, and others. — Attacked by Trimnell and others. — (s). Inftruflions for Confirmation . . . . . . . , . .156 CHAPTER V. ROBERT NELSON IN HIS FAMILY RELATIONS, Robert Nelfon's relatives. — His mother; he attends her on her death-bed. — His wife; his account of her illnefs. — His ftep-fon, Sir Berkeley Lucy ; he bequeaths to him his Library. — His father-in-law, the ift Earl Berkeley. — His brother-in-law the 2nd Earl — Nelfon fummoned to his death-bed. — The Countefs Berkeley ; her character by Swift, — Nelfon's acquaintance with Swift. — Letter to him on Lord Berke- ley's Epitaph. — The Hanger family. — Nelfon's Letters to George and Gabriel Hanger. — Gabriel Hanger's after life . . . 180 CHAPTER VI. nelson's CORRESPONDENTS AND FRIENDS. The Rev. Dr. Mapletoft. — Six Letters to him. — Humphry Wanley ; his connection with Nelfon. — Two Letters recommending him to a place in the Paper-office. — The Rev, Dr. Grabe; his opinions and works. — Nelfon's character of him. — Two Letters to Lord Oxford refpefting him. — Rev, Dr. Charlett, Mafter of Univerfity Coll. Oxon. — Eleven Letters to him. — Letter to Harley on the formation of a Tory Miniftry. — Letter of Compliment to the Poet Prior. — Ralph Thorefby, the Yorkfhire Antiquary. — Notices of Nelfon in his Diary. — Rev, Wm. Reeves, Tranflator of the early Chriftian Apologifts. — Extracts from his Prefatory Letter to Robert Nelfon. — Rev, John Johnfon, author of the " Propitiatory Oblation " and the "Unbloody Sacrifice." — Four Letters to him . . . , 20S xii Contents. CHAPTER VII. nelson's closing years. PAGE Nelfon's friendfhip with Bull. — Correfpondence with Bofluet. — Bull's corruptions of the Romifh Church. — Nelfon's endeavours for the afiiftance of Bowyer. — Letter to Wanley. — Nelfon's Portrait of a Country Parfon in his Life of Bull. — He criticifes Samuel Clarke, — Clarke's 'Scripture Doftrine of the Trinity.' — Nelfon edits Knight's reply. — Nelfon's declining health. — Leaves town for Kenfington. — Entrufts Lee with his 'Addrefs to Perfons of Quality.' — Writes a Preface to the ' Chriftian's Exercife.' — Lee's letter of confolation in his ficknefs. — A few particulars of his laft days. — His burial. — His character from Dr. Marfhall's Funeral Difcourfe . 254. APPENDIX. 1. Robert Nelson's Will 281 2. A Complete List of Robert Nelson's Writings . . 290 3. A Prayer which Mr. Nelson made for his own private USE 29Z 4. Epitaph on Robert Nelson's Tomb 295 INDEX 299 MEMOIRS PIOUS ROBERT NELSON, F. R. S. CHAPTER I. Robert Nelfon's birth and parentage. — His education at St. Paul's School, and at Dryfield under Bifhop Bull. — Nelfon's friendftiip with Mapletoft. — Two letters to Mapletoft. — He becomes a member of the Royal Society, — Nelfon's friendfhip with Tillotfon. — He goes abroad with Halley ; re- fufes Savile's offer of Court preferment j marries Lady Theophila Lucy. — More letters to Mapletoft. — Lady Nelfon becomes a Roman Catholic, and writes in the Controverfy. — Nelfon's Traft againft Tranfubftantia- tion. — He goes abroad a fecond time, and becomes a Jacobite. — His Correfpondence with Lord Melfort. — His Letter to an Englifh Prieft at Rome. — He returns to England and joins the Nonjurors. — He attends Tillotfon's death-bed and befriends his widow. The Pious Robert Nelfon was born June 22nd, and baptized July 8th, 1656, at a time when the church of which he was defigned to prove fo bright an ornament and fo able a member was lying helplefs and in difgrace under the iron hand of Cromwell. When our Zion was at her loweft, God was raifing up a reftorer of her defolate places ; and in the competence which Robert Nelfon inherited from his infancy, in the ftill richer inheritance of his parents' piety, and in the fingular excellence of difpofition with which he was gifted, we may difcern traces of that Provi- dence which was preparing him to become the promoter of true religion, and an example of charity and goodnefs. 2 Life and Times of the He was the Ton of Mr. John Nclfon, a wealthy Turkey merchant of the city of London, by Dellcia, the daughter of Captaui Lewis Roberts, alfo an eminent trader to the Levant. Mr. John Nelfon Teems to have fprung from a family of humble condition in Suffolk, and to have acquired a con- fiderable fortune during a refidence at Aleppo. We find him a leading merchant there, and adling as treafurer of the Levant Company In their factory on the fpot, in 1645. -^'"^ 165 1 he had fettled In London, and in his place at the Board of the Levant Company was interefting himfelf to fend out as chaplain to his friends at Aleppo, Mr. Robert Frampton, better known in after years as the nonjuring bifhop of Gioucefter.* And this prepares us for the diftafte he exprefTes In his will for the Intruding minlftry of the time, and for his requeft to be " privately buried by an orthodox minlfter in the evening. "f His refidence was in Suffolk Lane, and he was Interred accordingly (Sept. 14, 1657) * The future biographer of Bifliop Frampton may be glad of an extraifl from the Letters of the Levant Company refpe6ling him: — "1655, Sept.17. To Conful at Aleppo — As for a Minifter, we have now at laft (after much trouble and Iblicitude herein) fixed upon a perlon in whom we are confident you will think yourfelvcs well fatisfiedjone Mr. Frampton, who, as he came recommended to us with extraordinary charaflers of worth from others, fo himl'elf hath fince given us very fufficitnt teftimony of his merits, in refpeft whereof we have ad- vanced his falary to dollars 400 per annum." "Nov. 18. To the fame. — Who being to take his pafTage upon the Golden Fleece, now ready to depart, we are willing to accompany him with this our fecond recommendation, and can do no lefs than make this addition to the character you liave already received, that the more experience we have had of him, the better we are fatisfied with our choice, and are the more confident of your contentment and happinefs under his miniftry. He brings thither with him the feverai books mentioned in the enclofed lift, which (upon notice of your great want) have been pro- vided by the company's order, and at their charge, and are to remain there for the ufe of him and of fucceeding minillers." — Signed by John Nelfon and others, •f- So of Sir Thomas Abdy, we are told " He was buried at 10 of the clock at night, it being the hour he ufually went to bed, and he appointing by his will that his executors fhould put him into his grave at the time that mortals go to their reft." Autobiography of Sir John Bramfton, p. 220. Pious Robert Nelfon. 3 in the parlfh church of St. Laurence Pountney, where he had already buried his eldeft child John.* His wife Delicia — Delitias, her more fcholarly fon pre- ferred to fpell it — was the daughter of Captain Lewis Roberts, who had come to London from Beaumaris in Anglefea, and was for many years an aftive member of the Levant Company, as well as the author of feveral works on trade.f He was buried March 12, 1640, in a vault which he had purchafed beneath the church of St. Martin's Out- wich, Bifhopfgate, where his daughter, Delicia Nelfon, with other members of his family, was afterwards laid. She had herfelf requefted in her will to be buried " Either in St. Laurence Pountney churchyard, in which church before it was burnt down, lay interred the body of my dear hufband and my eldeft fon John, or in St. Martin's Outwich, where my dear mother lies interred." In another claufe, fhe bequeaths to Ann Lordell, her niece " my Teftament which was my mother's, which I ufually read in." And flender as thefe materials are, they are yet fufficient to indicate the character of Robert Nelfon's mother, and enable us to judge of the piety and affedion with which fhe trained the childhood of her "dear and loving fon," as fhe calls him. Of the three children of this marriage, John, Robert, * Extiads from the Regifter of St. Laurence Pountney : — "Chriftenings. Robert, the fonne of John Nelfon, merchant, and Delicia, his wife, July 8th, 1656. Gabriell, the fonne of John Nelfon, merchant, and Delicia, his wife, borne the 17th of July, and baptized the 29th, 1657. " Burials. July the 26th, 1656. John, the fonne of John Nelfon, marchant, and Delicia, his wile, Sept. the 14th, 1657. Mr. John Nelfon, marchant." t "The Merchant's Map of Commerce," 1638. A Poetical Teftimony is pre- fixed by Ifaac Walton. This work, a large folio, reached a 4th edition in 1700, "Warfare Epitomized." 1640. "TheTrcafure of Traffic. Dedicated to the High Court of Parliament now aflembled," 1641. APoembyLewisRoberts is alfo prefixed to Fletcher's "Purple Ifland," 1633. B 2 4 l-'tfe and Times of the and Gabriel, Robert was the only one who furvived his infancy, and, being but two years old at his father's death, was brought up under the joint guardianfhip of his mother, and her brother, Mr. Gabriel Roberts, afterwards knighted. Of his boyhood we have no further account, than that he was a moft beautiful child, that he fhewed a ftrength and vivacity of underftanding beyond his years, and for the fweetnefs of his difpofition was exceedingly beloved by everyone. Sir Gabriel Roberts, who had no fon of his own, was extremely fond of him, and uncle and nephew feem always to have retained the warmeft attachment for each other. He received his earlieft education at St. Paul's School, in the city of London, where he contrafted a fchool- boy friendfhip with Edmund Halley the mathematician, who, nearly fifty years after, could affectionately acknow- ledge "the uninterrupted courfe of friendfhip, which has always fubfifted between us ever fince our childhood."* From St. Paul's School, however, he was foon removed by the affe(5lion of his mother to the village of Dryfield, near Cirencefter, where fhe took up her abode with her fifter Ann, the wife of George Hanger, Efq., formerly a Levant merchant at Smyrna, and an intimate of Nelfon's father in London, but now fettled on his paternal eftate of Dryfield, or Driffield, in Gloucefterfhire. Robert Nelfon's removal to Dryfield forms a providen- tial asra in his life. Dr. George Bull, the learned author of the *'Defenfio Fidei Nicen^ " fo highly praifed by Boffuet, afterwards bifhop of St. David's, was then redor of the neighbouring parifh of St. Peter with St. Mary Siddington, and to this able and orthodox inftruftor Mrs. Nelfon now committed the education of her fon. To Bifhop Bull's inftruftions Robert Nelfon owed whatever learning he • A letter to Robert Nelfon, Efq., at the end of Brokefby's "Life of Dod- ^vell." Lond. 1715. 8vo. Pious Robert Nelfon. 5 poffefTed ; for though his name* was afterwards entered at Trinity College, Cambridge, he feems never to have gone into refidence or to have profecuted his (ludies at the Univer- fity. To the influence of Bull's teaching we muft likewife afcribe the refpedl for primitive antiquity and for church authority which diftinguifhes Nelfon's writings. In the family of his uncle, in London, he might have contracted a very different theological bias : Sir Gabriel's daughters married into diflenting families ;t Tillotfon, who was now preaching before crowded city congregations at St. Law- rence Jewry, was his favourite divine ; and Dr. Kidder, the latitudinarian fucceffor of Bifliop Ken, was redor of his parifli church of St. Martin's Outwich. Tillotfon had early taken notice of Nelfon ; the goodnefs of heart which difliinguiflied each of them would naturally generate a mutual efl:eem, and in fpite of their difparity of years, they foon contracted a friendfhip of unufual warmth. And that, notwithftanding fuch perfonal attachment to the great preacher of latitudinarian religion, Nelfon fhould have formed theological opinions of fo oppofite a complexion, can only be attributed to the influence of Bifliop Bull, to whom (among many other obligations) the Church of England owes it that his young pupil grew up a Robert Nelfon inftead of merely a Robert Boyle, an earneft and attached churchman, as well as a pious and charitable Chrifl:ian. To his early tutor's memory Nelfon has left a worthy tribute in his " Life and Hifl:ory of thofe Controverfies in which he * His name appears at the end of the lift of Penfioners, and at the head of the Fellow Commoners admitted in 1678. Coles MSS. Brit. Mus. vol. xiv. p. 330. f Dorcas Roberts married Sir John Fryer, who was Lord Mavor in 172 1, and to whom fhe bore twins that fame year, Gabriel and Delicia, who were baptized by a diflenting minifter. Delicia Roberts, named after Nelfon's mother, was married firft to Philip Wolff, Esq., fecondly to Alderman Deacle, M.P. for Evefham, thirdly to Rev. Obadiah Hughes, D.D., an eminent dilTenting preacher. 6 hife and "Times of the was engaged ; " a work which he undertook at the requeft of the bifhop's fon, and which (he could not but confefs) no one was better qualified to execute. " For I had maintained," he writes, " a long and intimate friendfliip with his lordfhip, which gave me an opportunity of being acquainted with his folid and fubftantial worth ; I had frequently fat at his feet as he was a preacher, and as often felt the force of thofe diftinguifhing talents which enabled him to fhine in the pulpit; but, above all, I had preferved a grateful remembrance of thofe advantages which I had received from him in my education, part of which was committed to his care and direction. " Nelfon was ftill refiding with his mother at Dryfield, in 1678, at the clofe of which year we find their names recorded in the parifib regiiler""' as contributors to the brief for rebuilding St. Paul's Cathedral ; and an equally charac- teriftic memento of his connexion with the place is to be found in a fervice of communion plate, ftill in ordinary ufe at the church, confifting of a paten, flagon, and chalice, each of which bears the infcription — " The gift of Robert Nelfon, Efq., who departed this life the 16th of January, 17 14. Declared in his laftvvili and teftament to be for y*' ufe of y*" Church of Dryfield, in y® county of Gloucefter." The Hangers of Driffield became extind in the year 1824; their manfion had been previoufly demolifhed, the timber cut down and fold, and the eftate diflipated by the two lafl: heads of the family, William and George Hanger, Lords Coleraine, and the only intereft now attaching to the * Extra6l from Reglfter of Driffield. " Contributions at Driffield, given to the Briefe for y^ repairs of St. Paul's Church in London, 06lob. 13, 1678 : Geo. Hanger, Efq", a Guynny . . i/. u. 6d. Mrs. Anne Hanger, his wife . . . o/. loj. od. Mrs. Delicia Nelfon, widow, of Lond", a Guynny . . . . 1/. is. 6d. Mr. Rob. Nelfon, a Londoner, her fon, a Guynny . . . . i/. is. Gd.^'' (and feven others.) Pious Robert Neljon. 7 fecluded village is owing to the memorials that it contains of Robert Nelfon's youth. The attainments which he here acquired under Bull's tuition, and the chara6ler which was now beginning to form in him, are exhibited in two letters, which about this time he took occafion to addrefs to another early friend, Dr. Mapletoft, upon the news of his marriage. Dr. Mapletoft was an eminent phyfician of the day, profefTor of phyfic at Grefham College, and the intimate acquaintance of Sydenham, whofe works he edited. To Robert Nelfon he would be attradled, not fo much by any fimilarity of fcientific purfuits, as by that kindly efteem which a good man would feel towards a pure and pious youth. His own earneftnefs in religion (owing, doubtlefs, in part, to his early education in the family of his great uncle and godfather, Nicholas Farrar, at Gidding,) induced him, a few years later, to retire from the praftice of phyfic, and to feek the holy orders of the church. He obtained the living of St. Lawrence Jewry, in 1685, and devoted himfelf moft affiduoufly to the duties of his parifh, providing every houfehold with a colle6lion of fuitable books of devotion, in his lift of which appears Nelfon's " Exhortation to Houfekeepers to fet up the worfhip of God in their Families." He took a leading part in the early delibera- tions of the Society for the Propagation of the Gofpel in Foreign Parts, in the promotion of Dr. Bray's defigns, and in the other charitable endeavours of the time. With Robert Nelfon — who feems never to have loft a friend he once poiTefled — he always maintained a clofe and frequent correfpondence ; and the two letters to him which follow have an efpecial intereft, as the earlieft produdtions of his young friend's pen, although the ftiff and laboured con- gratulations which they contain form but a poor introduc- tion to the natural exprefTions and plain good fenfe of Nelfon's later letters. Life and Times of the London, the 12 Dec. 1679.* "Dear and Honoured Sir, — As foon as I came to town, which was about ten days ago, I made a ftrid inquiry concerning your welfare, which I counted myfelf not a little concerned in, by reafon your many favours and obligations, bcfidcs the juft value of your perfon, have engaged me to a particular refpe(5l and efteem for yourfelf, fo that my own happinefs will be much increafed by any addition to your fatisfadtion. I was foon Informed of the alteration of your condition, and that you had made the grand experi- ment of human life, which feldom admits of any mean, but carries us to the utmoft boundaries of happinefs or mifery ; and being well fatisfied that your great prudence would fecure the former of the two extremes — for nullum numen abejl^ ft fit prndentia — I thought it no ways difagreeable to cono;ratulate your prefent enjoyment. Nay friendfhip and affedion obliged me to exprefs my juft refentment, and be afTured that the news of your great felicity under your prefent circumftances finds a welcome reception from no one more than from myfelf, the only reafon that forbids my regret for your abfence here in town. I heartily wifh thofe ideas and notions you framed of matrimony may be exceeded in the pofTcfTion, that propriety and enjoyment may whetten the edge of your affections, and that no part of your happinefs may leave you now it ceafes to be imaginary. And though Thales, who was a wife man, would feem to infinuate as if marriage was never convenient for the wife ; yet, as Alex, ab Alex, obferves well, ' licet hdc ambage verborum fapienti muiquam uxorem ducendam demonfiraret) veriintamen qui h^ec propenfo judicio explorare vultj profeB.0 in conjugiis multa inveniet commoda iifui vita neceffaria^ fine quibus vix homini fapienti ccelibem vitam diicere expediaty' ike. Nay all nations have honoured thofe that are married, and punifhed Celibacy. Even the Utopians, that feemed to have the moft refined and abftrac5ted notions of things, would have thofe that lived fingle punifhed, as ufelefs in a commonwealth. The creation of the world * European Magazine, Vol. xv., pp. 11, 12. Pious Robert Neljon. o would be to little purpofe without it, for humano generi immortalitatem tribuit; and therefore indigne vivit -per quern nan vivit et alter : nay it is the opinion of fome, that it is impoflible to be faved without it. — It would be endlefs to profecute all the arguments, and enumerate all the authori- ties in its behalf; though I am fenfible there has a great deal been faid on the other fide. However, if it confifted with my intereft and conveniency, and the objed gratified my inclinations, it is not the rant and fatyre of a Poet, or the declamation of an Orator, that fiiould prevail fo far as to make me fufpend the execution of that, for which my motives were fo fpecious and plaufible. But for all my zeal I am fliill mei juris free as ever, and have yet no profpedl of being otherwaies; and fiiall alwayes pray that all the advantages of your condition may center in your match ; that you may be long happy in the embraces of an excellent wife, bleffed with a profperous offspring, which may inherit your virtues as well as efl:ate, and then all other incon- veniences may be well difpenfed with. As to news, what we now mofl; talk of, is the prorogation of the Parliament till the 1 1 th of Nov. with a provifo that the King may call them fooner if he pleafes. It is their petitioning has enraged him, and he fwears by God they may knock out his brains, but fhall never cut ofi^ his head. For all this, they fay they will ftill go on in getting fubfcriptions : the confequence I am afraid may be bad. I cannot enlarge becaufe Mrs. Firmin fends for my letter, and fays, it will be too late, if it does not go prefently. My humble fervice to your Lady, Mr. Dent, and my Lady Brograve and all the good company, and be afiured that I am *' Your obliged humble fervant, " Robert Nelson. " All your devout friends are much your fervants. " My mother prefents her humble fervice to you and your Lady. '' To my worthy friend the much honoured Dr. Mapletoft, att Hamwelly, in Hartfordfhire." TO IJfe and 'Times of the London, 2d January, 1679. " Worth y Sir, — I am very fenfible that the true ground and reafon of moft of the difappolntments many men meet with In the grand tranfa6lions of their lives, proceeds not foe much from the nature of things themfelves, as from thofe extravagant conceptions they form of them ; and tliat the chiefcft ingredient of their unhappinefs is the falfe opinion they have entertained of fublunary enjoyments, whereby their expedations are raifed to fo high a pitch, that as 'tis not in the capacity of things to gratify, fo they were never defigned for that purpofe ; which gave occafion to that noble faying of Epidetus, homines perttirbantur non rebus ^ fed ijs qiias de rebus hahent opinionibus ; and to that of Seneca to the fame {tn{eyf<^pius opinione quam re labor amus. Now, a wife man, that takes a true eftimate of all thofe things which make the greateft figure in the world, will never promife himfelf complete fatisfa6lion, becaufe they are not the adequate objefts of his defires. He knows that the beft ftate of things here has a great mixture, and he is the happy man whofe condition admits of the lead incon- veniency, a total exemption being no wife the privilege of human nature. And hereupon I could lay a fure founda- tion for your happinefs, fince thofe notions I have obferved you to entertain, will never tend to diminifli it. Befides, your prefent circumftances muft greatly enhance it ; for according to the Italians (for whofe acquaintance I muft always acknowledge myfelf debtor to yourfelf) fenza moglie al latOy rhuomo non e bealo* Sir, I was lately to wait upon Madam Houblon, who made ftri6l enquirys after you. Your letter enabled me to give her full fatisfacflion in all points; tho', fhe fayes, fhe reckons you fo difcreet a perfon, that now you are married, you'll never complain of any inconveniencies, but make the beft of a bad market. How- ever, I look upon this as meafuring other people's corn by our own bufhell, imagining our fentiments muft be the rule for others to ftecr by ; notwithftanding, I was fo far obliged as to be efteemed among your friends and acquaintance, * Dr. Mapletoft publiftied (in 1707) acoUeflion of'SeleiSl Proverbs, Italian, Spanifti, French, Englifh, Scotch, &c., chiefly moral." Pious Robert Neljon. i i which is no fmall addition to my own chara6ler. According to the company men keep in town, you well know we have our apprehenfions of pubHc affairs. In fome places we are told, the petition for the parliament's fetting goes on, and that 'tis countenanced by men of credit and reputation : in another place, you fhall hear it expofed, and confidently affirmed, that none but the rafcality and fanaticks are enga2;ed in it. I heard from pretty good hands yefterday, that the parliament would be diflblved before the 26th January ; 'tis hoped, in order to call a new one. We exped: the Duke of York here in ten days : the defign of his fudden return is not known. We talk mightily of a letter the Prince of Orange has fent to the King; fome fay, to perfuade him to a ftridl alliance with Holland ; others, to forewarn him of the defigns of the Monfieur againft him, who has, 'tis faid, drawn down many of his men to Dunkirk and Calice ; but I think every fpring of late years has afforded us difcourfe of a French invafion. Your friend and fchoolfellow, Mr. Dryden, has been feverely beatten, for being the fuppofed author of a late very abufive lampoon. There has been a good fum of money offered to find who fet them on work : 'tis fiiid, they received their orders from the Duchefs of Portfmouth, who is concerned in the lampoone. My humble fervice pray to your lady, who I am glad to hear thrives fo bravely, as to give hopes of an hans en kelder * ; the like to the reft of the good company ; and be affured that I am *' Your obliged humble fervant, " Robert Nelson. ** My mother's fervice attends you and your lady. " To the worthy Dr. Mapletoft, att Hamels, in Hartfordihire." Nelfon's acquaintance with Dr. Mapletoft may have introduced him to the diftinguifhed men of fcience, who, as members of the Royal Society, now held their weekly meetings at Grefham College, in the city, and who ele6bed * Literally, Jack in the cellar; a humorous cxprelTion of the day iox iufans in liter 0, I 2 Life and Times of I he him into their body on April i, 1680.* That, at the age of twenty-four years, he fhould have fought admifTion into the Royal Society, would imply an early intereft in natural fcience which he hardly feems to have retained in after life, when the more congenial labours of the religious focieties of the day engaged all his fympathy and lelfure. The Minutes of the Royal Society do not exhibit him as a very frequent attendant at its meetings, or as taking any perfonal part in its debates ; and we may infer a little indifference to its objc6ls when we find him noted (together with his ftepfon, Sir Berkeley Lucy, and his old friend Dr. Maple- toft) as a defaulter in his weekly contributions, and fummoned to pay up the fubfcription which he had fuffered to fall into arrear.f And it was probably as a tribute of refped: to his chara6ler and pofition, rather than to his fcientific attainments, that, at a later period of his life, he was appointed, in company with Sloane and Halley, on the Council of the Society. In the year 1680, alfo, commences Nelfon's correfpon- dence with Tillotfon, for our acquaintance with which we are indebted to the fragments of the letters which have been preferved by Birch in his life of the archbifhop. Thus, in July of this year, we find Tillotfon writing to his young friend, (who had recently been vifiting him at his deanery at Canterbury,) in vindication of a hafty and iil-advifed fermon that he had preached in April at Whitehall before the Court. In this difcourfe Tillotfon had pufhed his principle of latitude in matters of do(5lrine to an extreme that no honeft faith in revelation could tolerate, and he had ventured on the extraordinary pofition, that no man, (unlefs miraculoufly commifTioned) had a right to propa- gate his religious convidions without the confent of the * Birch's " Hiftory of the Royal Society," vol. iv. p. 32. f "Minutes of the Royal Society, 1699-1712." MSS. Brit. Mus. 3342. Pious Robert Nelfon. 13 civil magiftrate. Such an expreflion of indifference to all religious truth raifed a ftorm of ridicule and indignation. " Sir, fir," exclaimed a courtier to the king, '' do you hear Mr. Hobbes in the pulpit?" Hickes poured out his invedive againft fuch a betrayer of the Faith. Patrick was in confternation at fuch fentiments from his friend: " It is plain that he was not awake, nor had his wits about him when he wrote it." Howe offered his animadverfions on behalf of the diffenters. And we cannot wonder that Nelfon fhould have expreffed himfelf concerned at fuch opinions proceeding from one whom he refpedted and efteemed, while Tillotfon faintly attempts to excufe him- felf in reply. In the following month of Auguft we find them correfponding on a fubjed where they were furer of mutual fympathy, viz., the remarkable converfion of the Earl of Rochefter, afterwards recorded by Burnet. A few days later Nelfon joins his uncle. Sir Gabriel Roberts, in afking Tillotfon's intereft to procure the redory of Barnes, in Surrey, for their friend Dr. Kidder ; and Tillotfon owns the force with which the recommendation comes to him from his young friend, *' as of all men moft likely to command me in anything you fhould defire:"* while later in the year again, the differing tendency of their minds upon matters of religion betrays itfelf in the inquiries that Nelfon makes, refpedling the dean's rumoured demolition of fome architecftural ornaments in his cathedral ; in reply to which Tillotfon writes back to his friend at Dryfield, that he '^ Only took down the fun over the fkreen behind the communion-table, which was done with fo little noife that feveral days paffed before it was taken notice of to be removed ; and nothing done beiides, not fo much as the table ftirred out of its place. "f Nelfon's vlfit to his mother at Dryfield feems to have * Birch, p. 53. f Idem, p. 77- 14 Life iiT^d Times of the been preparatory to the tour he was about making on the Conthient, in company with his old fchoolfcllow Edmund Hailey.* Halley was a few months younger than his friend, but had already raifed himfclf to diftindlion among the aftronomers of the day. When but twenty years of age, he had been fent by Charles II. to St. Helena, in order to perfe(5l a catalogue of fixed ftars in the Southern hemi- fphere. He had juft returned from a fcientific mifTion to Dantzic, whither he had been fent at the inftance of the Royal Society ; and he was now proceeding to France and Italy, in order to communicate with the aftronomers of the Continent. The two friends quitted England at the clofe of 1680, and on their journey, between Calais and Paris, obtained their firft view of the celebrated comet, upon which Halley founded his cometary theory. It furnifhed matter for correfpondence between Nelfon and Tillotfon, who ftill continued a frequent interchange of letters ; the dean taking advantage of his young friend's arrival amid the temptations of Parifian life, in order to exprefs in the warmeft of terms his confidence and efteem : " If I am able, I need not to advife you in anything, fo well am I afiiired of your virtue and good condud:. I pray for you continually, that God would preferve you, and return you fafe and the fame to us, and give you all the advantages you exped;ed, and will, I am fure, endeavour to make by your travels. I never know how to part from you, but my bufinefs calls me off." Tillotfon's commendation of Nelfon's youthful prin- ciples takes off the air of eulogium from fome verfes of an admirer, who thus defcribes his early piety and goodnefs : f * Biograph. Britan. ait. Halley. f From "A Poem in Memory of Robert Nelfon, Efq. Daphnin aJ aftra feremus, amavit nos quoque Daphnis." 1 7 1 5. Pious Robert Nelfon. 15 " Happy the man, whom Heaven did fo compofe That every Vh-tue from his temper flows ; So juft the frame, he wants not Reaibn's art To win the paflions, nor to warm the heart ; Through heedlefs youth by happy impulfe goes, And loves the Virtue that not yet he knows." Nelfon's principles were now about to receive their earlieft trial. He had carried with him to Paris a letter of introdudion to Henry Savile, the Englifh envoy, which Tillotfon had procured for him from the Earl of Halifax, Savile's brother. Lord Halifax writes, November -^f, i68o:"-'- " I am defired by my very good friend the Dean of Canterbury, to recommend this gentleman, Mr. Nelfon, to your kind reception, which as you give it by your place to everyone that fpeaketh Englifh, fo I am fure you will not refufe it more particularly to him, that he may join with all our other travellers in your praifes for an affable minillier." The publifhed correfpondence between Halifax and his brother yields but a poor impreffion of Henry Savile's charader, as that of a place-hunting courtier, dubious in his morals and mercenary in his dealings. And it was probably fome felfifh intereft of his own, rather than the efleem he afFeded for Nelfon's charader, which prompted a propofal for purchafing a place at Court, which he fhortly made to his new acquaintance. It was in April, 168 i, that Nelfon, being flill at Paris, received from Savile, then on a vifit to London, a propofition which, if accepted, would have expofed his early manhood to all the corruption of Charles the Second's Court, which might have given an entirely different complexion to all his after life, and (combining with his perfonal attachment to the royal family) might have changed the earneft and munificent Churchman into the mere intriguing Jacobite * "Savile Correfpondence," printed for the Camden Society, 1858, p. 168. l6 Life and Times of the politician. And the offer was not without temptation to one whofe perfon and fortune and accomplifhments pecu- liarly fitted him to fhine amid the gaieties of a Court, and whofe only foible, it has been faid,* was his fondnefs for richnefs of drefs and diftindion of perfonal appearance. Nelfon himfelf feemed inclined to take the propofal into confideration, but dutifully referred it to the maturer judgment of his friends at home, who made Tillotfon their fpokefman on the occafion. He writes from London, on the 28th of April, as follows rf " But now to the main bufinefs, to which I find your Uncle fo abfolutely averfe, that he did not think fit your Mother fhould be acquainted with it. It is well, if you efcape chiding from him. As for myfelf, than whom no perfon in the world can wifh you better, fince you are pleafed to repofe that kind confidence in me, as to afk my advice, I will faithfully give it. In the prefent uncertainty of things, I woyld not have you venture fo confiderable a fum, as thofe places go at ; and unlefs Jomebody grow better, which I hope God will grant, the temptations, to which a man mufl; be expofed in that ftation, are like to be fo violent, as would fet the firmeft virtue hard, even my friend's, of whom I have fo good an opinion. Your Mother hath butjuft maftered the trouble of your abfence, which, I underftand by your Aunt Hanger, was for a great while very grievous to her ; and therefore you will, I am fure, be very tender of giving any new occafion. I will wait upon Mr, Savile, and make the befi; acknowledgements I can of his great civilities and favours to you, and let him know how your friends (land affeded in this matter, to whofe judgement and determination you have referred it." And in the next letter of the dean, addreffed to Nelfon at Saumur, on the 2nd of June, 1681, he thus continues the fubjed: :J "I wifli your good opinion of my judgement were as well grounded, as that of my fincere friendfiiip and * Seward'b "Anecdotes," ii. 90, f Birch, p. 8+. J Idem, p. 85. PioHS R.ohert Nelfon. 17 afledion for you moft certainly is. Your mother is perfecflly well fatisfied, as I told her (he had great reafon, fince you referred yourfelf to the advice and judgment of your friends ; by which I aflured her you would moft certainly govern your refolution. I fhall be glad to fee England fo happy, as that the Court may be a fit place for you to live in. 1 waited on the embafiador, and made the beft acknowledgements to him I could of his great favours and civilities to you, and particularly in that kind offer he had made you. But I told him that your friends had no mind to it, efpecially as things now are ; and I knew you would do nothino; asainft their inclination ; with which he was well fatisfied, declaring the very great kindnefs and efteem he had for you and for your friend Mr. Halley, in which I did not contradidl him." It was with a remembrance furely of his own temptation and danger at this period of his life, that Nelfon, amid his meditations for All-Saints' day, wrote the following para- graph of advice as to the choice of our company. " It concerns all good Chriftians to take care in this point ; for the contagion of vice is powerful, and their greateft fecurity is in ftanding at a diftance from it ; the frailty of virtue is great, therefore all cautions fhould be ufed not to expofe it to an infedious air. But young men, when they firft appear in the world, ought to have a par- ticular regard to it, their future happinefs, both temporal and eternal, depending fo much upon the qualifications of thofe they converfe with. Though they have received good principles in their education, yet they want practice to con- firm the habits of virtue and courage, to refift the allure- ments of vice. They are apt to catch at any thing that indulges and countenances their irregular appetites. The misfortune is, when they want prudence moft, they have leaft of it ; therefore it is happy when they will liften to the advice of their parents, or fome experienced relation, who is able to diredl them in an affair of fuch confequence." Relinquifhing his thoughts of Court life in England, Nelfon now proceeded from Saumur, on his travels to 1 8 Life and 'Times of the Lyons and RomCj at which latter place he parted company with his friend Halley, who now returned to England. His own {lay at home is remarkable, as procuring him the acquaintance of Lady Theophila Lucy, (widow of Sir Kingfmill Lucy, of Broxbourne, Bart., and daughter of George, the firll: earl of Berkeley,) who is faid to have become fo violently enamoured of his perfon that fhe could not forbear expreffing her affedlion for him, and who in the following year became his wife. They returned to England in company, in Auguft, 1682, Nelfon proceeding to his mother at Dryfield, and paying a pafling vifit on his road to his faithful friend at Canterbury, Lady Lucy going to her father's feat of Durdans, near Epfom. It was but two days after her arrival, (Auguft 20, 1682,) that the honor of the Berkeley family was fhamefully outraged by the abdu6lion of her younger fifter, Henri- etta, then but eighteen years old, by the Lord Grey of Warke, who was himfelf married to another fifter, the Lady Mary. Lady Lucy haftened after her fifter's feducer to Guildford, and in vain endeavoured to recover her to her family ; and on the melancholy trial* which followed in the fubfequent November, fhe was the only member of it who feemed to be able to fpeak at once with felf-poffefTion and fpirit. Her endeavours were unfuccefsful to retrieve the character of her fifter ; nor did happier refults follow from a moft earneft letter of remonftrance which Tillotfon addrefTed to Lady Henrietta, and which Nelfon, from refpedl to his friend, whofe epiftolary talent he greatly admired, or from fympathy with the family with which he was about to be allied, was at the pains of tranfcribing for himfelf. His own marriage with Lady Lucy was deferred till after the trial of Lord Grey for the offence, November 23, * State Trials, vol. ix. p. 290. Pious Robert Nelfon. 19 1682, and may pofTibly have taken place with a privacy of which the melancholy circumftances of the Berkeley family would afford fufficient explanation. There is no reafon to fuppofe but that their union received the approval of their friends on either fide, and, as far as fortune and pofition were concerned, it was a fufficiently fuitable alliance. If Nelfon was but of plebeian extradion, Lord Berkeley had himfelf married the daughter of a London merchant; Lady Lucy had an ample fettlement, and Nelfon's fortune feems always to have been confiderable, his father having left him in his infancy a houfe and land at Cretingham in Suffolk, with £3000 in money, to which muff be added a fhare in the refidue of the paternal eftate, and the fucceffion to his younger brother Gabriel's inherit- ance, befides the natural accumulations of his own minority. A fuppofed difparity of years between Nelfon and his wife is a matter which has been thought more open to exception. " She was old when he married her," is the blunt account of an early biographer.* She had borne three children to her former hufband, and her fon. Sir Berkeley Lucy, was now twelve years old ;t yet fhe is ftated to have been only about twenty-eight at the time of her fecond marriage, in the affidavit made on the occafion by Sir Gabriel Roberts,^ while Robert Nelfon was now twenty-fix years of age. So fmall a difference in their ages was not likely to prove a bar to the happinefs of their married life. Nelfon watched over his wife's declining health, with confcientious and * Anecdotes of Bowyer, p. 3. t Gent. Mag. xxix. p. 551. "i7S9- Nov. 19. Ob. Sir Berkeley Lucy, aged 87." X March 24th, 1682-3. Sir Gabriel prays for licence of marriage in St. Laurence Jewry. No entry of the marriage however is to be found m the Regifter of that Church, nor yet in that of St. John's, Clerkenwell, where Lord Berkeley's town houfe was fituated, or in that of Cranford, Middlefex, to which feat he removed after the difgrace which had fallen on his family at Durdans. The Regifter of Epfom Parilh (in which Durdans is fituated) does not go back beyond 1694. c 2 20 Life and Times of the unwearied attention,* during an union of three-and- twenty years. His friend Smallridge bears teftimony in his epitaph to his conjugal affecflion : — (earn) Aquifgrunum ufque valetudinis Recuperandae caufa. profifcentem, lubenter Comitatus, ad extremum vitae terminum Summo amore fovit, morte divulfam Per novem annos fuperftes plurimuni defideravit. It may be more conclufive to remark, that he was always on the beft of terms with the family of his wife, and a con- ftant and welcome gueft of Lord Berkeley's at Cranford ; and that in his laft will he provided for his interment in Cranford churchyard by her fide. He continued for a few years after his marriage to live in London, refiding in the parifh of St. Martin in the Fields, whence he addrefTed the following letters f to his friend Dr. Mapletoft, at Ipfwich : — \ London, the 3d May, 1684.. "Dear Sir, — I could not pofiibly refift fo fair an opportunity, as Mr. Taylor, the bearer hereof, gives me of writing to you. The true friendfhip I have for you makes me intereft myfelf in all your concerns, and I cannot but rejoyce that you are fixed to your fatisfadlion, though I fufFer for the want of your good company ; and I have that concern for the welfare of the public, as patiently to fubmit when I am fure fuch fenfibie advantages will accrue to it. Mr. Taylor, Sir, defired me to recommend him to * That this attention on the part of the hufband was hardly merited by the amiability ot" the wife, feems hinted in the awkward eulogium of the rhymfter previoudy quoted, who reprefents his hero as choofmg Virtue rather than Pleafure, In Lucy's beauty Virtue did appear. So fhone her eyes, fuch was her voice and air. Awfully kind and lovingly fevere. A portrait of Lady Theophila Nelfon is faid to be preferved in Berkeley Caftle. Mufgrave Adverfaria. Brit. Mus. Art. Nelfon. \ European Magazine, vol. xv., pp. 91, 186. \ Dr. Mapletoft had been appointed to a Leflurefhip in that town, in the previous January. Pious Robert Nelfon. 1 1 your acquaintance, and he being to fettle at Ipfwlch, is not ignorant of the advantages of your friendfhip. I have known him ever fince I have had the happinefs to be related to my Lord Berkley's family, and have al wales found him a man of a very good temper, and to have given fufficient proofs of his good condud ; which good qualities being joined with fobriety and learning, as they make him in a great meafure fit for the great chara6ter he bears of being one of God's immediate fervants, fo I am fure they will entitle him to your refpeft ; and if I have the vanity to think that your efteem of him will not be leflened by my recommendation, your pardon is due to the prefump- tion of one that fincerely loves you. Pray be fo kind as to let me know the ftate of my aunt Applewhite's condition, not as if you enquired from me, but from yourfelt ; one ot her fons I have provided, and in the laft hard weather fent her 5I. I fliall do much as you fhall advife me. My humble fervice to Mrs. Mapletoft. No man wifhes you more real happinefs than, Sir, *' Your moft afFe6tionate friend and fervant, ^'R. Nelson." " To my worthy friend Dr. Mapletoft, att Ipfwitch/' ^' Though, Sir I have not yet anfwered your letter, yet I took care to fatisfy the contents of them, and have paid to Mr. Firmin 15]. los. which pays all the debts and includes the quarteridge befides : for the time to come if you will be pleafed to give me credit every quarter-day, I will be fure to repay it here to Mr. Firmin ; which I defire to be put in mind of, not only as it may prove an help to my memory, but alfo as it may fecure m.e your correfpondence four times a year. I am forry any reafon has prevailed with my aunt to negledl her duty to God in the public worfhip. Pray fatisfie yourfelf of her amend- ment in that particular, or elfe fhe will incurr my difplea- fure ; and if you pleafe let her know that except I have a good account of her attendance at Church, I fhall be dif- couraged in my kindnefs to her. The charadler I have had of her makes me think her very unfit for keeping a 22 hife and Times of the Tchool, but if fhe cannot employ herfelf otherwales, 'tis better than being idle. The Court is come to be my neighbour att St. James, where 'twill continue till Eafter Munday, before which time 'tis expected the Queen- Dowager will be removed to Somerfet-houfe. Two days ago arrived the Duke of Ormond, and was received by the King with all pofTible demonftrations of kindnefs and civility. The common topicks of difcourfe at Court are the bufiness of the Coronation and the Election of Par- liament men, neither of which fubjedls can afford you any news, unlefs you would be diverted by the ridiculous claims that are made by feveral that hold lands of the Crown. My humble fervice to Mrs. Mapletoft. " I am. Sir, " Your moft affedlionate humble fervant, "R. Nelson." London, 5th April, 1685. " To Dr. Mapletoft, att Ipfwich, in Suffolk." Date torn off.* " I RETURN you. Sir, my thanks for the pains you have taken in my relation's concern, which though I can only acknowledge, yet being a piece of charity, you will not fail of a reward from a better hand. My mother has fent her a piece of ftuff to clothe her and her children, which may be equivalent to the 40s. you defired for her. The King this day met his parliament, but has deferred fpeak- ing to them concerning the reafons of calling them till they had taken the oaths and tefl. My Lord Keeper com- manded them from the King to choofe a Speaker : they immediately without any conteft chofe Sir John Trevor, who this afternoon has his Majefty's approbation. The Houfe of Lords is adjourned till Friday, when 'tis ex- pefted the King will make his fpeech ; the time between this and that will be taken up in fvvearing the members. My humble fervice to Mrs. Mapletoft. " I am, Sir, ** Your obliged humble fervant, *'R. Nelson." * Sir John Trevor was chofen Speaker, 19 May, 1685. Pious Robert Neljon. 23 It was during this refidence in London that Nelfon's attachment to his wife was feverely tefted by the avowal of her converfion to the Roman Catholic faith. Her change of religion was owing to the converfations fhe had had at Rome with Cardinal Howard, and fubfequently at Paris with the celebrated BolTuet. Philip Howard had been placed at Cremona for education by his grandfather, the Earl of Arundel, collector of the marbles bearing his name ; he had taken holy orders in the Roman Church, and after a fhort ftay in England upon the Reftoration as chaplain to Queen Catherine, he received a cardinal's hat from Pope Clement X. in 1675. At Rome he adled as patron of the Englifh Romanifts, and was commonly called the Cardinal of England ; while to Lady Theophila he would have a further fpecial introdudlion from his relationfhip with the Berkeley family. Boffuet, the celebrated Bifhop of Meaux, was now in the height of his reputation, and bore no inconfiderable part in the Romanift movement, which was now taking place in England under the reftored Stuarts. Among his perfonal converts are to be reckoned Lord Lovat, the unfortunate Jacobite leader of 1745, who was admitted by him into the Romifh church at Paris, in 1703 ; and Lord Perth, the Chancellor of Scotland, whofe converfion was owing to the perufal of his celebrated " Expofition of the Catholic Faith." The different controverfial works of BofTuet were tranf- lated and publifhed in London, immediately upon their appearance in Paris, and engaged the pens of our ableft divines. James II. had formed the defign of inviting him over into England, for the purpofe of holding a conference with the leading theologians of the Anglican church. The examples, the perfuafions, the threats of the Englifh court were now all exerted on the Romifh fide. The Duchefs of York, the daughter of Clarendon, printed her reafons for 24 J-if^ ^^^d Times of the her conveifion ; and Charles II. left for publication after his deceafe the motives which he had been too cowardly or carelefs to avow during his life. Places of honour and truft were fhowered upon Roman Catholics. Henry Savile had to choofe between his office of Vice-Chamberlain and the Proteftantifm which he had paraded at Charenton. A ftream of diftinguifhed converts followed. James Cecil, Earl of Sallfbury, with his Countefs and his two brothers, deferted the faith of which the founder of their family, Elizabeth's great ftatefman, had been fo fturdy a fupporter. Sir Ellis Leighton, the brother of the Archbifhop, joined the religion of the dominant powers. Sir Thomas Grof- venor loft his lady — the Elizabeth Ebury who brought the Weftminfter eftates into his family — to the church that was in fafhion at court. And Samuel Pepys durft not prefs his wife to go to church for fear fhe fhould " declare herfelf a Catholique," and deny him. Peter Manby, the Dean of Londonderry, Sclater the minifter of Putney, Charnock, and Maffey, and Obadiah Walker the Mafter of Univerfity, headed the renegade churchmen, while Dryden and Wycherly brought the homage or the fupport to their newly adopted faith which literary ability could offer. Lady Theophila Nelfon was thus but one of the many who now yielded to the current of theological opinion, and was carried into the bofom of the Romifh church, from which no endeavour of her hufband or of his friends was able afterwards to reclaim her. Tillotfon, as was natural, exerted himfelf upon the occafion, and was at the pains to addrcfs to her a long letter of remonftrance, concluding to the following effed,* *^That he did not doubt her ladyfhip was as much wearied in reading fo long a letter as himfelf was in writing it, and that fhe might imagine his time lay heavy upon his • Birch's Life, p. 120. Pious Robert Nelfon. 25 hands, but the truth was, that everything which related to Mr. Nelfon lay fo near his heart, that he could not fay lefs upon fuch an occafion." Nelfon is alfo faid* to have enlifted his friend Hickes in a fimilar effort, and the dean is ftated to have written or at leaft to have publifhed on Lady Theophila's account, his " Letters to a Popifh Prieft upon occafion of a Young Gentlewoman's departing from the Church of England to that of Rome." But Nelfon was not known to Hickes till a later period of his life, when they were made acquainted by their mutual friend, the meek and pious Kettlewell. The volume alluded to, moreover, was not publifhed till 1705, but a year before Lady Nelfon's death, and an infpe6lion of the letters will fhow that the gentlewoman intended was a very different perfon, with whom Hickes was brought into communication by her brother in 1703. And the mifapprehenfion which has identified her with Lady Nelfon muft have been grounded on a very curfory glance at the title-page of the volume, and the dedicatory epiftle that follows to Robert Nelfon, Efq. But whoever might be the divines againft whom Lady Theophila had to maintain her newly- formed opinions, fhe was abundantly able to defend her caufe. And fhe is faid to have added to the vaft array of controverfial pamphlets, which then made their appearance on either fide, 457 of which are enumerated by Francis Peck in his Catalogue,f without exhaufting the titles of every one. BofTuet was now anfwered by Wake, and by Dodwell. John Goter, the author of " The Papifl Reprefented and Mifreprefented," received replies from Dr. Clagett, and from Williams, after- wards Billiop of Chichefter. Godden's Conference found * Nichols, " Lit. Anec." i. 17. ■f- " A Catalogue of the Dilcourfes written for and againft Popery in the time of King James II. By Francis Peck. London. 1735." 26 Life and 'Times of the an afTailant in Stillingfleet, then Dean of St. Paul's, while Lewis Sabran engaged againft Sherlock. Andrew Pulton, the head of the Jefuit eftablifhment in the Savoy, held a conference in Long Acre with Tenifon, the vicar of St. Martin's in the Fields. Atterbury was the apologift of our Reformation, Smallridge wrote upon Church-government, and Burnet vindicated our orders. Either fide affected to find their champions in the ranks of the people. Thomas Ward, a Romanifl fchoolmafl:er,and a quondam Guardfman, entered the lifts with Tenifon, as " a Catholic Soldier ; " while " a Proteftant Footman, living with Madam H ■ in Mark-lane", defended Sherlock's '' Prefervative from a Jefuit." Lady Nelfon is faid* to have been the author of " A Difcourfe concerning a Judge of Controverfy in Matters of Religion, fhowing the necefTity of fuch a Judge," which appeared in 4to. in 1686. It was thought deferving of an elaborate reply f on the Proteflant fide by fo eminent a writer as Sherlock, and it is written with a vivacity and clearnefs which yield no mean imprefTion of the intelled:ual capacity of the lady whom Nelfon had efpoufed. But the moral trial mufl not efcape our notice which would refult from fuch a determined contrariety of religious opinion as now exifled between Nelfon and his wife. The Chriftian biographer will accept her converfion as part of 1 God's providence for difciplining his foul. And moft fitting it was that one fo favoured as he was with the world's fmiles, and fo richly endowed with natural gifts, and wanting nothing, as men would fpeak, to make him I happy, fhould have one fuch vexation at his heart, as a I continual occafion for felf-government and watchfulnefs. • Birch, p. 120. \ "A Dilcouife concerning a Judge of Controverfies in Matters of Religion, being an Anlwer to fome Papers averting the necefTity of fuch a Judge. With an addrefs to wavering Proteftants, (hewing what little reafon they have to think of any change in their Religion. 1686." Pious Robert Nelfon. 27 The feceflion of his wife to the Romifh Church has the further advantage of giving additional prominence to Nelfon's own firm and deliberate adhefion to our Reformed religion. The claims of the Church of Rome were thus brought before him, in the clofeft way, at an early period of his life ; and the efFec5t was only to elicit from him the ftrongeft exprefiion of his diffent from, and his repugnance to, her diftinftive errors. He too became a pamphleteer in the abforbing controverfy of the day, and was the author of an anonymous tradl on Tranfub- ftantiation, which appeared at the beginning of 1688. A challenge had been thrown down upon the Romanift fide in " A Seeker's Requeft: to Catholic Priefts and Pro- teftant Minifl:ers for fatisfying his Confcience in the truth of what he ought to believe of the Lord's Supper;" the writer feigning to be a plain man, who underftood neither Greek nor Latin, afking for only one or two exprefs texts of Scripture, for or againfh the do6lrine of the real Prefence, as taught in the Church of Rome, and declaring himfelf " refolved to be either Catholic or Protefl;ant, as the verdi6t upon this trial fiiall go." This brought out (as was intended), '* the Catholic Anfwer to the Seeker's Requeft," appealing to St. John vi. 48, and to the words of Inftitution, St. Matthew xxvi. 16 ; and coarfely threatening to '^ unkennel the fox," and expofe the Proteftant refort to metaphorical inter- pretation : — " If they go to figures and parables, we know how to handle them." To this candid and elegant pair of controverfialifts, Nelfon thought proper to reply in his " Tranfubftantiation contrary to Scripture, or the Pro- teft ant's Anfwer to the Seeker's Requeft." He had evi- dently been brought into perfonal collifion with the writers, and felt himfelf bound to take notice of their produc- tions, for the fake of a friend in whom he was interefted. This trad pofiefi^es a natural intereft, as the earlieft pub- 2 8 Life and T'imes of the lication which proceeded from his pen; and this circum- ftance, with the rarity of its occurrence, will be fufficient apology for fomewhat lengthy quotations. It opens with a vivacity and a pleafantry of manner, which will be ftrange to thofe who are only acquainted with his fubfequent devotional compofitions : *' Sir," he begins, *' You are the pleafmtcfl; Seeker I ever met with ; for you firft fuppofe controverfies already determined, ^n<\ t\iQr\ feek a way to refolve them. What greater difpute have we had, than whether the title of Catholick juftly belongs to thofe of the Church of Rome, fo as to exclude all that are not of her communion .' But this you give up in the perfon of a Seeker , calling thofe Catholicks by way of diftinftion from us, who call us by the name of Hereticks. If you do not know the meaning of the word, you are a Seeker indeed ; if you do, and give it fo to them as to exclude us, we do by no means allow you to be a Seeker ; for you have found that which none but the Donatifts had found before you, viz. that a leg or arm may be called the whole body. But in this matter I am the greateft Seeker of the two, for I am to feek both for fenfe and reafon in it. ** Call us Froteftants as often as you pleafe ; it puts us in mind of errors renounced by us under that name which we are not afhamed of, as long as we know there was fo great reafon for it ; and we think we have reafon enough to fatisfie any impartial Seeker ; but for blind Seekers there is nothing fo proper as an implicit faith and tranfubftan- tiation. Of all fubje6ls methlnks a Seeker fhould not have pitched on tranfubrtantiation, unlefs he were to feek for his fenfes ; and of all places he fhould not have fought for it in Scripture, unlefs he were refolved as well to feek where it was not, as where it was to be found." '^ Indeed the Scriptures are fo flight a foundation for the fuperftrudure of Tranfubftantiation, that the moft difcern- ing men of the communion of the Church of Rome, who have been eminent tor learning, have frankly con- felt the whole matter ; and thought their faith in this Pious Robert Ne/fon. 29 particular wanted an adventitious fupport, which has made them (though in vain) call upon ancient Fathers, and the authority of the Church for help at time of need. Now one would have thought this might be taken notice of by one that fets up for a Seeker .• but 'tis a fign you are but lately engaged in this employment, and have made but a little progrefs in your defign ; or elfe you could never think it reafonable to oppofe the authority of one unknown anfwerer of that communion, to the profeft opinion of fo many great divines in that Church. But becaufe I am willing to further the propofal of an impartial enquiry, fo agreeable to Proteftant principles, and fo con- trary to Popifh ones : I will dire6l you to places which you may examine at your own leifure, where you will find this point freely granted by our adverfaries. ''Amongft thefe I fhall begin with Scotus, who held (faith Bellarmine), that there was not one place of Scrip- ture fo exprefs, that without the determination of the Church, it would evidently compel a man to receive Tranfubftantiation. To him I may add Cardinal Alliaco* Gabriel Biel,j- Fifher Bifhop of Rochefter, J and Cardinal Cajetan, § who faith, particularly, that thefe words, * This is my body,' are not fufficient to prove it, fetting afide the authority of the Church, fince there is nothing appears from the Go/pel to enforce one to believe that they are to be taken properly. Which words are fo exprefs that they were left out in the Roman edition by the order of Pope Pius the V. as Suarez faith. || " I fhall conclude this point with Bellarmine, who after he had recited the opinion of Scotus, that there is no place of Scripture fo exprefs, &c. adds, *And that is not alto- gether improbable : For although the Scriptures feem to us to be fo clear, that they compel a man not obftinate ; yet it may defervedly be doubted, feeing the moft learned and acute men, fuch as Scotus was, thought otherwife.' And as it's confeffed of the words of confecration, ' This is my body,' fo the 6th chapter of St. John has undergone the * In 4 Sent, q. 6, art. i. § In 3 P- Tho. q. 75, art. i. f In Can. Mis. Le6l. 40. || Tom. 3, Disp. 46. \ Contra, Capt. Babyl. n. 8. JO Life and Times of the fame fate. Albertinus, who went to the bottom of this controverfie in his excellent Treatife de Euchar.^ reckons up about thirty learned of feveral degrees in the Roman communion, who reject the application of that chapter as not ferving to this purpofe. Methinks thefe full and free concefTions fhould fufficiently fatisfie you how little they of the Church of Rome lay the ftrefs of this caufe upon the clearnefs of Scripture ; and 'tis likely if you had known it, you would have been difcouraged in your attempt." He then proceeds to examine the paflages which the Anfwerer had alleged, as conclufive for the do6trine of tran- fubftantiation. And he ventures to argue at length that the difcourfe of our Saviour in the fixth chapter of St. John's Gofpel had no fpecial reference to the Sacrament ; an interpretation in which he does but follow Bifhop Jeremy Taylor, to whom he was alfo indebted for his previous lift of authorities, but which our own church diftin6lly negatives in her communion office, where fhe borrows from this chapter to exprefs the benefits we receive by the Holy Sacrament: — '* For then we fpiritually eat the fleflT of Chrift and drink his blood, then we dwell in Chrift and Chrift in us." Upon the fecond pafTage alleged, viz., the fentence of confecration, " This is my body," with more juftice Nelfon exclaims,'* Where is one word here of all that makes up the dodlrine of tranfubftantlatlon ? " "Where, that the T'/z/j, whatever it means, is the true body and bloody together with the foul and divinity of our Lord JefiiSy in the f elf -fame fubjlance wherein he was burn of the Virgin ? Where, that this true body and blood, is tridy , really y and fibftantially contained under the forms of bread and wine ? Where, that the bread and wine are upon confecration turned into the true body and blood of Chrift ? And with fubmiflion to you, I would only afk. What is the T'/z/'j, of which Chrift faith, it is my body ? * L. 1 c. 390, p. 20. Pious Robert Nelfon. 3 i If it be bread, then the bread is in the literal fenfe, the fubftance of Chrift's body, and fo overthrows the change pretended to be made in tranfubftantiation ; for a thing cannot be faid to be changed into what it is already ; if by the This is not meant the bread, then the bread could never be turned into the body of Chrift by virtue of the words. This is my Body; let the Anfwerer take his choice." He proceeds to argue that, — '^ There are many things in our bleffed Saviour's insti- tution, and adminiftration of the holy Supper, that cannot have a literal fenfe. As, when he faith, ^ This is my body, which is broken for you;' before it was broken. * This cup is the New Teftament in my blood,' St. Matt, xxvi., 26, 28 ; I Cor. xi. 24. " And then, if we give a figurative explication of the words, * This is my body ; ' we may by fo doing no more depart from the true fenfe of them, nor in the Anfwerer's prophane phrafe, no more give Chrift the lye, than they themfelves, or we do, when both do take the cup for the wine in the cup ; and the wine in the cup for the fign or feal of the New Teftament." He urges that we have the very letter of Scripture in our favour, declaring that there is no fubftantial change of the elements upon confecration, but that they remain of the fame fubftance, and are as really and properly bread and wine after confecration as before. For St. Paul calls it five times bread after he had related the inftitution, i Cor. xi. 26, 27, 28; x. 16, 17; and the whole folemnity had from it the name of ''breaking bread," Acts ii. 42 ; xx. 7; and our Saviour himfelf, after he had faid " This is my blood," in the next verfe calls it "the fruit of the vine." St. Matt. xxvi. 28, 29 ; St. Markxiv. 24, 25. He argues that the words, " This is my body," muft be underftood figuratively, the bread being the figure, the reprefentation, the memorial, the communication of Chrift 's body. He is 32 Life and 'J'mes of the careful to add, that it by no means follows that the Sacra- ment is nothing but a figure. " For we always efteem this Sacrament as a divine infti- tution and means of grace, and that by a worthy partici- pation of it, we partake of that grace which is thereto promifed, therein exhibited, and thereby conveyed. So that though we own it to be a figure of Chrift's body^ and that it's to be celebrated /;/ remembrance of His death ; yet that 'tis only a figure, and on/y a remembrance, is a pure invention." He concludes by addreffing a farcaftic obfervation to the Seeker on the infincerity of fuch an appeal to Scripture by a Romanift. " I fhall obferve but one thing more, and that Is the applaufe and commendation the CathoHc Anfwerer gives to your zeal to know the truth, by trying what Scriptures they have for it, and what the Proteftants have againft it, and that he is fiir from blaming you in that procedure. I am afraid this is but a copy of his countenance. I am fure 'tis very oppofite to the do(5lrine and pra6lice of the Church of Rome, which has long time difcovered the evil eiFeds of being too familiar with the Bible, and therefore has wifely lockt it up in a language unknown to the common people, and fuflers it to be read only by thofe who entirely fubmit their underfhandings to the fenfe of their Church. Alas ! This dangerous book has given birth to many a peftilent herefie ; and fhould people be too bufie with it, the infedlion would increafe, and foon overfpread the world ; at beft 'tis apt to raife chimasras in good people's minds, and where they have their mother the Church at hand, how unfafe it is to feek for any farther diredlions. Befides, the fame reafon he gives for trying this dodlrine by Scripture, becaufe it imports an eternity of blifs or torment, will make people apt to defire the fame affurance for other do6lrines, and then farewel the worfhip of images, invocation of faints, purgatory, &c., with many other of their innovations and errors which depend upon tradition, and which his Church defires not fo eafily to part with." Pious Robert Nelfon. -j^ And he takes his leave of his adverfary with a feverity which fuits ill with his natural gentlenefs of difpofition. " And therefore, before you fend another ' requeft,' pray take a little more care to fhew yourfelf fincere ; and that you either prove yourfelf in earneft fo to be ; or if you have no regard to that, yet take fome care that you better diflemble it." The Seeker offered no rejoinder to this anfwer of Nelfon's ; but left it to a friend to interpofe in his behalf in "A CathoHc Letter to the Seeker; or, a Reply to the Proteftant Anfwer to the Seeker ;" while Williams (after- wards Bifhop of Chichefter), replied on Nelfon's fide, and clofed the debate with " The Protectant Anfwer to the Catholic Letter to the Seeker ; or, a Vindication of the Protectant's Anfwer to the Seeker's Requeft," 1688. Nelfon himfelf had probably by this time efcaped from the " Strife of Tongues" in London ; for his lady falling into an ill ftate of health, for the recovery of it he now paffed with her into France, and went to Aix-la-Chapelle, where he continued fome months, and from whence, after a brief vifit to England at the end of the year, (where he found all things in confufion upon the withdrawal of the king,) he proceeded in his travels with his lady through France to Rome. " Never was any Englifhman," writes his intimate friend Dr. Francis Lee,* " known to be fo much careffed as he in the different foreign courts which he vifited, as the many letters written to him from princes, minifters of ftate, noblemen, and perfons of chara6ler, do abundantly teftify." During fix months of his refidence at Florence, he was engaged in a weekly correfpondence with the Earl of Melfort, James the Second's ambafi^ador at the Court of Rome, to * " Life of Kettlewell," p. 434.. 34 -^•{/'^ ^^^d Times of the whom he tranfmitted, from time to time, the political news which he received from England ; and the unreferve with which he now threw himfelf into the arms of the Jacobite party cannot be better exhibited than by fome quotations from the letters which Lord Melfort now addrefled to him.* The fiift is dated May 6, 1690. y *'SiR, — The favour I had of your letter of the 2nd inftant was moft welcome to me on every account, but mod particularly becaufe it brought me the good news of your's and my lady's fafe arrival at Florence, which I aflure you was moft earneftly wifhed for, both by my Lady Melfort and myfelf. " I moft humbly thank you for your news. They are moft particular, and the only trouble I have is that you have been at fo much pains to write fo much with your own hand. The pamphlette I have not had time to read, the poft being juft a-going, and it's not half an hour fince I had your letter, being juft returned from Caftello. " By the French poft we hear that in general all goes well for the King, and that the P. of Or(ange) is much hated. The Duke of Grafton would have ufed his popu- larity againft the watermen to prefs fome, and was foundly banged and thrown into the river, and narrowly efcaped. I hope ftiortly to have better news to fend you, and 1 am obliged not to fail of anything that can give me any occa- fion to let you and your lady know how much my Lady Melfort and I are, " Sir, your moft humble Servants, " Melfort." On the 3rd of June he afliires his correfpondent, that "the ufurper is not to go to Ireland in perfon." The following month (July 14th) he thanks Nelfon for his better information : " And though the news you fend me feem to be much * Regifterof the Right Honourable the Earl of Melfoit's Letters, defpatched at Rome. Lanfdowne MSS. Brit. Mus. 1163. Pious Robert Neljon. 35 to our difadvantage, yet I muft inform you it is not on the fuccefs of our affairs in Ireland, that the King's affairs depend ; for if the French fleet do what we have good reafon to believe it will do, it will not be much matter tho' Schomberg gain a dozen of fuch caftles as Balengarie in Ireland. You may expeft to hear fhortly that the French fleet have at leaft ihowed themfelves to the Englifh coaft, and perhaps they have given an alarm to fome of its feaports, which, confidering that Orange has but by his own account 10,000 men in England, and thefe not fufli- cient for the garrifons, may prove of fome weight to his affairs." After a fortnight's filence, on the 29th of July, Melfort complains, " Not having heard from you this long while, I am afraid you are fick." On the 1 2th of the following month, he forwards his news of the battle of the Boyne : " The relation as fent us from France is, that there arrived three couriers from Ireland ; one on the 24th to give an account all was loft, and the King come away ; one on the 25th that the battle was gained, and Schomberg killed dead on the place, and the Prince of Orange fhot in the fhoulder and leg ; and the laft on the 28th with the news of the P. of Orange's death, two days after the bataile. At Verfailles on 28th bonfires for P. of O.'s death." On Sept. 9, he confoles himfelf under the difappointment of better information, that William's " wound is not likely to cure, and that they cannot flop the blood." Next week he buoys up his hopes, by '^ A letter from a merchant in London to a correfpondfent in Paris, not to fend him any lace, for if the news, fays he, be true as we have them from Ireland, the court muft go into mourning for the P. of Orange, and they will lie on my hand." And on the 23rd, he takes comfort that "if Orange be not dead, he is deadly fick." While by Odober the 14th, 36 Life and Times of the lie has found leifure to balance the contradi<5tory reports, and writes as follows : " Sir, — I thank you for your news, and though I am forry to put you to fo much trouble, yet I cannot hinder myfelf from defiring you to continue it. The news of the lafh letters of the 18th from Paris, brings an account of the repulfe that the Prince of Orange's army has had before Limerick, with the lofs of 1300 men of their beft troops, and that the ficknefs is got into his army again, fo that they hope to keep out this winter in defpight of him. The letters concerning him are various ; thofewhoare within the town, and fo worfe informed, fay that he is in the army, but others fay he is dead at Dublin ; in fhort there is no cer- tainty ; tho' to fee the letters one would think him alive, yet there are fo many againft, that we muft have patience till we can difcover the truth. "In Scotland affairs go well, and the Highlanders are much ftronger than the rebels ; they have come down and pofleffed themfelves of Aberdeen and Montrofe, and the pafs of Stirling, by which they are mafters of the befh countries of Scotland, and may live in eafe and plenty, which will foon increafe their party. *' I hope ere it be long to fend you better news ; in the meantime I afTure you that my Lady Melfort and I are both to my Lady Theophila and to yourfelf, " Moft humble fervants, "Melfort." It was while Nelfon was carrying on this political com- munication with Melfort, that he found himfelf called upon to addrefs a controverfial letter to a different kind of correfpondent. His lengthened flay at Rome had given Lady Theophila an opportunity of renewing her acquaint- ance with Cardinal Howard.* And Nelfon found himfelf * A letter of this year's date from Cardinal Howard to Lady Theophila has been preferved by Thorefby, to whom it was given by Ncllbn, as an addi- Pious Robert Neljon. 07 expofed to folicitations from one of his fubordinates, which he thought proper to repel in the following thought- ful and manly letter to an Englifh prieft at Rome. It is an evidence of his natural modefty, and of the fincerity with which he profefles at its clofe the diftafte he had for controverfy, that this excellent letter remained for fifteen years unpublifhed, until his friend Dr. Hickes obtained his leave to include it in a colle6lion of Controverfial Pieces which he publifhed in 1705. It is there printed in company with Bifhop Bull's trad on '* The Corruptions of the Church of Rome," in reply to Boffuet, with the celebrated Charles Leflie's anfwer to the fame queries of the Bifhop of Meaux, and with Dr. Hickes' own Letters to a Popifh prieft in London. ^*It is written," fays Hickes, in the dedicatory epiflle to his friend, " with that felicity of temper whereof you are mafter in great perfe6lion ; and by the benefit whereof you can difcourfe with all forts of men, with whom you differ in matters of religion, in the fame eafy and obliging manner, as with thofe with whom you do agree." tion to his colledion of autographs. The Cardinal's long refidence in a foreign country had evidently impaired his Englifh grammar and orthography. " Madame, — I am forry that neyther whilft you were heare, nor fince you went theather, I could not ferve y' Lad^. according to y' deferts, or my defires, although you are pleafed to take fo much notice by yours of y* 23 currant, and that the Pri'' of S.M*. Novella hath in fome part endeavoured to fupply my wants, as I (hall acknowledge unto him at his arivall heare, w'th defues to continue the fame at his returne in the beft manner he can, as alfo unto your good ould Lady, with Mr. Nelfon and Sir Barkley. The fame father Langton writeth me, he hath offered y' LadP. according unto his capacity, he being a good meaning man, w"^*" is all that can be atprefent offered by *« Your LadP''. " Moft humble Serv'. and Kindfman, *' Cardi- of Norfolke." R. 27 May, 1690. Brit. Mufeum MSS. Birch, 4274. 155?. 38 Life and I'imes of the \_A Letter to an Engl'ifl) Priefi of the Roman Communion^ at Rcme.l " I fhould not fo long have negledled anfwering your obliging lines of the 30th of Sept. laft, if 1 had not expedlcd the happinefs of your good company here at Florence ; the poftfcript of your letter led me into this error, and Don John my Lord Cardinal's cup-bearer con- firm 'd me in it, and 'tis but lately I have been undeceiv'd. I am glad you had fuch fatisfaftion from your journey to Naples : I don't queftion the truth of that matter of fad: of which you affirm yourfelf to have been an eye-witnefs ; yet I cannot apprehend, how you can be aflured that the Juhflance 'uohich you Jaw in the glajs vial hard and dry like reddifli earth, and which you might have crumbled with your fingers, was, when liquified, blood ; nor yet lefs that it was the blood of St, Januarius Bifhop of Benevent, mar- tyr'd in the time of Dioclefian, as you are pleafed to affirm in your Letter. But I wonder moft how you can pretend to be convinc'd with perfe6b evidence of fenfe, that there was no human artifice in this. The relation that your fenfes gave you, was only that upon the confab of the Jilver cafe wherein is Juppojed to be depofiiled the head of the fame Saint, the dry matter like reddifij earth liqidfied, and became Joft like a cake of blood; now all this may be true, and yet the whole bufinefs an impoflure. For one ought to examine what caufes there may be in natural things capable to produce the fame effif(5b, and upon what authority this fuppofed miracle is eftablifhed ; for cer- tainly you will not fay, there has never been any falfe miracles pretended to in the Church of Rome. Therefore I conclude that the evidence of {iin^Q you had in this cafe, could not be a perfe6t convidlion to you, that you was not impofed upon by the fubtilty of others. I will not make any advantage of that difparagement you often put upon the evidence of fenfe in other cafes, and confequently weaken the ftrength of its afTurance ; but I think the inference you draw from the whole, as lame as the former aflertion, viz., 'That 'twas God alone did it, who one day Pious Robert Nelfon. 30 will make dead bones and dead blood live; for miracles, when true, are not always the immediate effe6l of divine power, and angels both good and bad may do fueh things as exceed any natural power known to us. I am fure the Scripture tells us that the working of Satan is %vith all power ^ and figns^ and lying wonders^ and where the love of the truth is not received, God will fend fir ong delufions that they fioould believe a Lye, lam not much concerned for the reflection you make upon our Church for want of miracles : 'twas the fame thing in the time of St. Chryfoftom, who in his fixth Homily upon the Firft Ep:ftle to the Corin- thians, fhews the necefllty and ufefulnefsof them for the fta- blifhing Chriftianity, which being once effedled, 'twas rather neceflary they fhould ceafe than continue ; for if miracles were always vifible, faith would have lefs merit, and con- fequently lefs reward. I am thoroughly fatisfied, that the Chriftian religion was confirm'd by the miracles of our Saviour and his apoftles, which tho' they were not in that great abundance nor upon fuch trivial occafions, as are thofe produced by the Roman Church, yet they will much better bear the tell of a ftrid: examination, and carry greater evi- dences of their divinity. As for the proof of negatives, I govern myfelf by St. Paul's rule, that ^ If any pervert the Gofpel of Chrift, or that he or an angel from Heaven fhould preach any other Gofpel, let them be accurfed.' This is the fure word of prophecy, whereunto you would do well to take heed, as unto a light, that fliineth in a dark place. *' I would not be thought to detra6t from the vertue of Faith, for without it 'tis impolTible to pleafe God ; tho' I cannot but obferve that you miftake St. Paul when you make him fay, that tho' we give all we have to the poovy yet without Faith it avails nothing. 'Tis to Charity he gives fuch a high encomium in that chapter ; and left Chriftians fhould lay too great a ftrefs upon their orthodoxy in believing, he adds that tho' one has all faith, fo that he coidd remove mountains, and have no charity, he is nothing. The parting with all one has, and the laying down one's very life, the two great inftances our Saviour gives of the perfe6lion of his do(flrine, are not fufficient without this noble vertue. This is that more excellent way the 40 Life and Times of the Apoftle fliew'd unto the Corinthians, and which he defired them earnefily to covet. " I would not have you to miftake me, therefore ; I affure you, I no more take the Court of Rome, than I do the Roman Church, for the CathoHck Church. But being, when at Rome, at the head, as you fuppofe, of unity, one may be thought hkelier to get fome knowledge of the body there, than in a peftilential northern air, and this was all I pretended to ; if you perfift to think otherways, I fubmit. *' I have carefully confidered what you fay about Infalli- bility, and I cannot find you have in the leaft fhaken the evidence of my propofition, viz.^ 'That Infallibility y the ground of all your delufwns, has no foundation either in holy Scriptures or primitive antiquity. 'Tis like a houfe built upon a rock, that can bear the attacks of the greateft fubtilty, and can receive no prejudice from the artificial attempts that are made to deftroy it. You afk me. How I am -perfuaded of this ? 'Tis only by having examined Scripture and antiquity, both which I find filent concern- ing this point. At the fame time I own myfelf to be a man, which implies a creature fubjed to error, ^ nihil humani a me alienum effe puto ; therefore you have no reafon to aflent to what I propofe, till you have made the fame tryal. And tho' I am not fo unjuft as to be angry with you for fufpefting me to be in the wrong, yet it would have been much better for you to have proved it, than only to miftruft it ; for your letter brings no convidion of the interefl: that dodrine of Infallibility has either in Scripture or antiquity. All you quote from the one is our Saviour's promife of being with his difciples to the end of the world. And why fJiould we think^ fay you, he would be with them, but to preferve them from error ? All that you urge from the other, is the liberty the ancient councils took of making their definitions articles of faith ; as that Chrift is confubflantial with the Father^ &c. which Creed we own and receive, and therefore con- fequently you infer we ought to embrace Infallibility of the Church. To both I will give you as plain and fhort anfwers as I can, iS valeant quantum valere poffint. As Pious Robert Nelfon. 41 to the promife of our Saviour, which we find recorded in the 28th of St. Matth. 19, 20. '' Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptifing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the world : " All that can reafonably be drawn from this text is, that the Chriftlan Church fhall be always exiftent to the end of the world. Tho' if it were pofitive for its Infallibility, as It Is for its exiftence, yet before it would do you any good, you muft prove, that by you, is meant you, and only you, of the Church of Rome ; that Chrift has obliged himfelf not only to give fufficlent means of dIre(5lIon, but that he will neceilltate men to follow them, and that he will not only preferve them from all damn- able errors, but alfo from all erroneous dodlrlnes. Yet if this were granted, which you cannot exped from me ; if the promife here be abfolute, every one who has power to preach and baptize, might claim Infallible affift- ance by vertue of it ; and fo every parifh prieft would have as good a title to Infallibility as the Pope and a General Council. 'TIs certain there is no difficulty In believing, that God could have promlfed to his Church a total prefervation from error; as it Is blafphemy to fay he would not have made It good. If he had promlfed it. But our queftion I?, whether he has promlfed It or no .? Not what God is capable of doing ? But what God has really and adually done ? If you objed: I interpret Scrip- ture by my own private reafon which is liable to error, I would fain know a better method of proceeding, as long as the Infallible Interpreter Is the controverfy In debate. " I think the proof you bring from antiquity, makes as little to the purpofe as that you have brought from the Scripture ; for where is the confequence, that a General Council has explained an article of faith and that this explanation has been received by the Catholick Church, ergo, the Church of Rome Is Infallible. We receive the determinations of the Council of Nice, becaufe they are agreeable to Scripture and to the fentiments of the fathers, both of the Greek and Latin Church, which preceded that 4i "Life and 'Times of the General Council. We rejeft the determinations of the Council of Ariminum, becaufe they are contrary to both. So that our receiving them does not depend upon the opinion of their Infallibility. They never arrogated this privilege to themftlves ; for if they had pretended to it, they could not have negledled to have fettled a matter of fuch importance as the foundation of all their proceedings, their filence in this cafe is worth a thoufand arguments ; for who can think it could be their intcreft to have concealed fo great a treafure } And left in time great inconveniences might happen by pretending to explicate the articles of faith, and by inferting thofe explications in the Creed ; one of the firft four General Councils, I think 'tis that of Ephefus (tho* I am not pofitive, for I hf.ve not books by me to clear it) made a decree, which prohibited the farther enlarg- ing of the Creed by any additional explications, forefeeing thofe mifchiefs which latter ages have felt, and with which particularly the Council of Trent has burthened us. *' I am not ignorant, that two of your great champions. Cardinal Perron and Petavius, to raife the authority of General Councils, and to make the rule of their faith appear more plaufable, have afperfed not only the Holy Scriptures as uncapable, by reafon of their obfcurity, to prove the great and neceffary point of our Saviour's divinity ; but have alfo impeached the fathers of the firft three centuries as tardy in the fame point, whofe writings they fay, touching this important article, cum orthodox^ fidei regidd minime conjentiimt , Blefled God ! that men fhould be fo fond of humane inventions, as to facrifice to them thofe pillars of our faith, which are alone proper and able to fupport it, I mean Scripture and primitive antiquity. But to do juftice to the memory of fo learned a man as Petavius, the Biiliop of Meaux told me, dif- courfmg with him once on this fubjeft, that in the laft edition he made of his works, he retradled this opinion, which I am willing to believe upon the authority of that great man, whofe admirable talents as well as par- ticular favours challenge a great deal of refped: and efteem from me, which I fhall always pay him, tho' he is an adverfary to the religion I profefs. By this judge Pious Robert Nelfon. 43 what pitiful fhifts your great Goliahs have been reduced to, when they have found themfelves oppreft by the weight of truth. Chrift's being confubftantial with the Father was behev'd long before the Council of Nice ; 'twas no new do6trine invented by them, but only declared by them, to be and to have been the belief of the Church. You have hinted at the great advantages of the dod:rine of Infallibihty in order to the fupprefTing of fchifms and herefies, but they are only fo in fpeculation. Your Church itfelf does not think it fufficient for that purpofe ; or elfe fhe is very uncharitable to make ufe of the feverer method of an Inquifition, and upon all occafions to call for the alfiftance of the temporal fword, as the fureft means to fupprefs them. No, he that is difpofed in mind to receive the decifions of any church as infallible with- out judging of them, is much likelier to fall into herefy, than he who thinks all fuch determinations muft be exam- ined by Scripture and primitive antiquity ; flnce by this privilege the Pope and his fadion challenge, of interpret- ing God's laws without error, 'tis eafy for them to impofe what they pleafe, the power of making laws and the fole power of interpreting them being much akin. You add one thing more, that no Proteftant can deny but *that the ftate of the Church would be much better in being fecured from error in her decifions, and therefore we cannot think but that Chrift who did all things well, would do that which is beft for his Church.' I think it is muchfafer argu- ing the contrary way, that Chrift has not eftablifhed any fuch power, and that therefore it is not beft for the ftate of the Church. The ground of your aflertion is too prefumptuous, that what feems fit to human reafon, fhould feem fit to the infallible judgment of God. 'Tis our duty to be thankful for thofe means God has left us to work out our falvation ; and not to conclude he hath done that which he hath not done, becaufe our fhal- low capacities judge it fit to be done. But what art thou, O man, that obje(5teft againft God ? '' Chrifl has left us fuch excellent precepts of modefty, humility, patience, Chriftian forbearance, and charity, that the practice of them would make us much fooner I 44 Life and Times of the agree than any new method you can propofe ; at leaft if we do not agree, they will infpire us with fuch a noble temper, as heartily to companionate one another, to live amicably and friendly together, and not be pulling out one another's eyes, becaulb we do not fee things the fame way. This is that in which I would have always different parties zealous, for there is nothing wanting very often to extinguifh ill will, but an opportunity for men to con- verfe lovingly together, by which they will quickly perceive they are not fuch mongers, as they are reprefented to one another at a diftance. *' This I endeavour, according to my weaknefs, to practice myfelf ; this I inculcate into all my friends ; that if we cannot agree in our opinions, yet to take care that they do not rob us of our charity and love of one another, which in the fight of God is of great price. " You fee what a long letter you have drawn upon your felf ; it would have been difrefpe6tful to you, as well as to truth, to have negle6ted an anfwer, and therefore I don't think myfelf oblig'd to make any apology. Tho' if you had known how much I have been furfeited with contro- verfies upon a melancholy occafion, you would accept of this fmall attempt as a favour. " I am, Sir, " Your faithful humble fervant, ''R. Nelson. " Florence, 26 Dec. 1690." While Nelfon at Florence was carrying on this corre- fpondence with political friends and theological antagonifts at Rome, he was ftill maintaining at the fame time his communications with his friend Tillotfon in England. Juft before his departure for the continent, he had been beftirring himfelf for the relief of the French Proteftants at Canterbury, and defpatching for them at Tillotfon's requeft, a fupply of French Bibles from town. We now (Feb i6. Pious Robert Nelfon. 45 '90-91) find the dean addrefTing him at Florence in reply to two letters he Iftw! recently received from him, giving him an account of the plot in which Turner, bifhop of Ely, was implicated, and for which Lord Prefton was condemned to death, touching upon the fedu6tion of Lady Theophila and her daughter from the Proteftant religion, and praying that God would preferve her hufband, and her fon, Sir Berkeley Lucy, in the truth. *^ And fo," adds he, '' I do for thofe that are fallen from it, that God would grant them repentance to the acknow- ledgment of it. I pity poor Mifs who is more innocently feduced, but my lady much more, confidering the degree of her underftanding, and the difference of the two religions."* And amid the diftracflions which furrounded him upon his confecration to the primacy, he found time to reply to the letters which Nelfon had juft addreffed to him from Florence and Venice, in the following May, and to pour out into his friendly ear the hefitations and perplexities which befet him in his new pofition. " God and time," he writes, '^ can only tell what a man | will prove in any condition. But I hope I cannot fo far miftake myfelf, as not to be able to affure you, that no change of fortune can alter my mind towards you. The ftation in which I am now plac'd, is much more likely to make me weary of my life than of my friends. " Since this calamity befel me, I have not yet had time to deliver Sir Berkeley's letter to his fifter ; which I intend to do at my firft leifure. 1 was loth to vifit her at Mr. Knox's; and it is lefs fit now. I think to fend for her over to Mr. Beale's, and there to talk with her. " My wife and my fon defire to have their very humble fervices prefented to yourfelf and my lady, to whom, and Sir B. L. I intreat you to tender mine. * Birch, p. 238. ! i 46 T^ifs ^nd Times of the " I am glad that we are like to fee you fooner than you thought. I pray God to preferve you all, and bring you fafe to your friends ; amongft whom I hope you will always reckon, " Dear Sir, your faithful friend and fervant, ''Jo. Cant. " P. 5. You may think, Sir, by this letter, that time lies upon my hands ; but it is you that lie fo near my heart." From the franknefs of Tillotfon's communications to Nelfon upon political matters, it would feem that he was unaware of the extent to which his friend had engaged in the Jacobite caufe. And It muft have been one of the keeneft mortifications attending his elevation to Sancroft's vacant chair, that he found himfelf compelled, at the end of the year, to abandon his early friend to the rival nonjuring communion. It was in December, 1691, when Nelfon had reached the Hague on his return to England, and was making fome flay there in the houfe of his brother-in-law. Lord Durfley, then envoy plenipotentiary to the States of Holland, that they exchanged letters upon a fubjed fo interefting to them both. Nelfon was fixed in his refolu- tion not to acknowledge the government of William and Mary, but feems to have doubted whether he might not continue to attend the fervices of the eftablifhed church in fpite of his being unable to join confcientioufly in the prayers for thofe whom he deemed ufurpers. The new archbifhop was the perfon whom he frankly afked to refolve his doubts, and Tillotfon as frankly gave his opinion in reply : * [ " As to the cafe you put, I wonder men fhould be * Birch, p. 259. Pious Robert Neljon. 47. divided in opinion about it. I think it plain that no man can join in prayers in which there is any petition which he is verily perfuaded is finful. I cannot endure a trick any- where, much lefs in religion." This opinion Teems to have decided Nelfon to join the nonjuring communion, and to have interrupted that confi- dential intercourfe which he had fo long enjoyed with the friend of his youth. No further correfpondence between them is preferved by the biographer of the archbifhop. \ Nelfon, in the fociety of his nonjuring friends, contraded a ftill greater averfion for the latitudinarian principles of which Tillotfon was the patron. And while he refented the attacks which were being fo conftantly made upon his former friend by Jacobite malevolence, yet he no longer took him for the guide of his life, and but feldom alludes to his name in all his fubfequent writings. Only at Tillotfon's death-bed did his former affedion feem to revive and bridge over all their differences in politics and in religion. He attended him at Lambeth the two laft. nights of his life, and held him in his arms when he^ expired, after five days* illnefs, November 23, 1694. He continued the offices of kindnefs to Tillotfon's widow, who was left in but narrow circumflances at his deceafe ; and when the death of her fon-in -law, Mr. Chadwick, a few \^\ years later, involved her in frefh embarraffments, he ven- 4 tured an appeal to King William's Chancellor, the celebrated Lord Somers, in her behalf. ** My Lord.^ — I took the liberty to put Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer* in mind of that favourable anfwer your Lordfhip procured from the King in reference to Mrs. Tillotfon's affairs, in hopes that he would lay fome propofals before his Majefly for his royal approbation, in order to * Charles Montagu, made Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1694, and after- wards created Baron, and at laft Earl of Halifax. I 48 Life and 'Times of the fatisfy the necefTity of Mrs. Tillotfon's circumftances, and that they might be difpatched before the King's departure ; fince, as I apprehend, matters of this nature fufFer extremely by delay, and meet with the beft fuccefs, when the (q\\(q, of their fitnefs makes the deepeft impreffion. The dif- tance I live from town, and the averfion I have to be troublcfome to great men, makes me ignorant of what progrefs Mr. Chancellor has made, though I muft own he exprefled great zeal to the memory of the Archbifhop, and profeffed much readinefs and inclination to ferve Mrs. Tillotfon. " Your Lordfhip's generous procedure emboldens me to folicit the continuance of your favour, being confident, that your Lordfhip will receive a great deal of pleafure from feeing that finifhed, which your Lordfhip's great good- nefs has given a birth to. And if Mr. Montagu wants any incitement befides your Lordfhip's example, your Lordfhip's conftant owning Mrs. Tillotfon's caufe will be an argument too powerful to be refifted. I have all the refped imagin- able for your Lordfhip's poft and chara6ler ; but I muft profefs, 'tis the experience of your Lordfhip's perfonal merit, which creates the profoundeft refped of, my Lord, " Your Lordfliip's moft obedient *^ and mofl humble fervant, ^'Nelson. "Blackheath, July, 1698." Pious Robert Ndjon. 49 CHAPTER II. NELSON WITH THE NONJURORS. Nellbn's acquaintance with the nonjuring Prelates. — His friendfhip with Kettlewell. — Letter to Archbifl;op Sharp refpe<5ling him.-r-His account of KettlewelPs ficknefs and death. — He edits his works. — Ken's letter to Nelson. — Nellbn's friendftiip with Hickes. — Hickes' commendation and defence of Nellbn's writings. — Thos. Bowdler. — Nellbn's letter to Pepys. — Spinckes, Collier, and Lee. — The Shottifbrooke Nonjurors. — Mr. Cherry of Shottifbrooke House. — Brokelby ; his letter to Nellbn. — Dodwell ; confults with Ken and Nellbn on quitting the nonjuring Communion — His correfpondenre with Burnet, publifhed by Nellbn. — Nelfon's letter to a friend on quitting the nonjuring Communion. — He is received into the Eftablifhed Church by Archbifliop Sharp. — His motives for the change. — Still continues a Jacobite. — Two letters to Mapletoft. — Nellbn reviews Harbin's Book on Hereditary Right. — Nellbn's letter to Bedford. — Nellbn prelents the book to Queen Ann. — Procures a mitigation of Bedford's fentence. Robert Nelson joined the nonjuring communion, as we have feen, on his return to England in 1691. He continued a member of that body, until the death of , Bifhop Lloyd, in 1709, enabled him with a good confcience to refume communion with the prelates of the Eftablifhed Church. For the firft eight years of this period he feems ; to have lived almoft exclufively in the fociety of Non- i jurors, and in comparative retirement from public life ; purfuing thofe ftudies and imbibing thofe principles which prepared him to emerge at laft to a pofition of eminent activity and ufefulnefs. With the prelates indeed of the Nonjurors he does not feem to have had any very intimate acquaintance. Of Bifhops White and Turner no mention occurs in his cor- refpondence. Of Bancroft he writes * from the report of * See his" Life of Bull," p. 355. 50 Life and 'Times of iJie others more than from perfonal knowledge. With BIfhop Frampton of Gloucefter, his father's friend, he was upon terms of correfpondence.* With Bifhop Lloyd of Norwich he was affociated in a fcheme for the relief of the neceflitous Nonjurors. Bifhop Ken he had frequent oppor- tunities of meeting at the houfe of their common friend, Mr. Cherry, and he correfponded with him in his retirement at Lord Weymouth's feat of Longleate. But his moft intimate friends were to be found in a little nonjuring circle at London, which embraced Kettlewell and Hickes ; Thomas Bowdler, his own and Hickes' neighbour in Ormond Street, and Pepys, under whom Bowdler had worked at the Admiralty ; Collier and Spinckes ; Francis Lee, to whom he entrufted his materials for the '^Life of Kettlewell," and Hilkiah Bedford, with whom he reviewed Harbin's book on Hereditary Right, previous to its publication. While another knot of his intimates was fettled at Shottifbrooke, in Berkfhire, comprifing Mr. Cherry of Shottifbrooke Houfe, Brokefby his chaplain, and Dodwell the Camden Profeflbr of Hiftory at Oxford. For the meek and gentle-natured Kettlewell, Nelfon foon cultivated the warmeft attachment, and found in him the bofom friend that he had loft in Tillotfon. He had previoufly read fome of Kettlewell's devotional works with much fatisfadlion, and now had recourfe to him to fupply his fpiritual needs. And this religious inter- courfe between men of fuch congenial temperament rapidly grew into the clofeft of friendfhip, * *" Pray let Dean Hicks know that I have received a letter from Bifliop Frampton, who fays all the (lories that are told of him in print are wicked lies. He has taken no oath nor has any been offered him ; neither has he any aims or hopes of any preferments — his own out of which he was caft, or any better. The beft in England or in Europe are not able to move him in the leaft ; his hopes are placed on things above, not beneath. I give you his own words, and all that he writ me concerning my enquiry." Nelfon to Wanley, Oct. 18, 1701. Pious Robert Neifon, 51 '' So that Mr. Neifon," fays his friend Lee, " would always afk Mr. Kettlewell's advice in everything of moment that he fet about, and would unbofom himfelf to him in the niceft and moft difficult emergencies of life, that he might be diredied by him ; fuch an opinion had he of his wifdom, as well as of his integrity, in all that could be put to him. This facred friendfhip that was between them failed not to bring forth fome confiderable fruits both in the one and the other of them. For Mr. Neifon did very much encourage Mr. Kettlewell to proceed in that foft and gentle manner wherein he excelled, of managing the matter in controverfy. And on the other hand, Mr. Kettlewell was, to the utmoft of his power, ferviceable to Mr. Neifon, in whatever he could propofe to him ; but more particularly in ftlrring him up to exert himfelf generoufly for God, and to write for the honour of religion ; which he thought might do much more good, as coming from a lay-gentleman, than it would from a profeffed clergyman. And it is, indeed, to Mr. Kettlewell that we chiefly owe his firft fetting about his '• Companion for the Feafts and Fafts of the Church,' as I remember to have heard from his own mouth, as also the putting it into that method wherein it is. And in the manner of publifhing it he told me that he followed Mr. Kettlewell's diredions altogether, whofe wifdom herein he much commended. And were it for nothing elfe than what this learned and religious gentleman did in the fervice of the Church, and for the public a<5ls and methods of charity which he recom- mended to him, Kettlewell's memory ought to be ever precious to the Church of England for the fake of Neifon, had he even not left fo much as one page of his own writing to be known by."* Among the plans of charity on which the two friends took counfel together was a propofed bequeft of Kettlewell's for the poor of his native place. Having no children of his own, he was defirous of difpofing for charitable pur- pofes of a fmall freehold there, which he had inherited * "Life of Kettlewell,'' pp. 435, 6. 52 Ijfe and Times of the from his father, and yet fcrupled to bequeath it away from his brother Robert, without the fanftion and approval of his friend. Nelfon fatisfied himfclf that competent pro- vifion was made for putting out in life the children, both of that brother and of a fifter who was but in poor circumftances, and he then cheerfully advifed with Kettlewell upon the beft method of carrying out his charit- able defian. " And I believe," he fays, *' there never was a fettlement of that kind made with greater piety and prudence ; and 'tis pofTible the world may fee the whole at length, fince it may ferve to dired: thofe whofe hearts God fhall touch with fuch charitable difpofitions."* This laft expreffion will juftify the introduction here of an account of the Charity and its founder, given by Nelfon in a letter to Archbilliop Sharp, who had afked him to communicate the particulars to Thorefby, the Yorkfhire antiquary, then engaged in making colleftions for the hiftory of his county. " My Lord, — I am very much obliged to your Grace for the knowledge you have given me of Mr. Thorefby. I was acquainted with his charader as an eminent virtuofo, but did not know tliat he excelled fo much in piety and virtue, the much more valuable qualities. To fatisfy that worthy gentleman in his inquiries relating to the Rev. Mr. John Kettlewell, I take the liberty to acquaint your Grace, that he was born at Brompton, a village in the parifh of Northallerton, in the North Riding of York- fliire, the loth of March, 1653. He was inftrudled in the rudiments of learning at the Free School of North- allerton, which had then been long in repute, on account of the mafter, Mr. Thos. Smelt, efteemed in his time an excellent grammarian for Latin and Greek. Dr. William Pallifer, Archbifhop of .Cafhel, in Ireland, Dean Hickes, * Preface to Five Difcourfes by John Kettlewell, p. xv. Pious Robert Nelfon. 53 and the phyfician Dr. RadclifFe, were all taught by the fiime mafter. In 1670, Mr. Kettlewell was placed at St. Edmund's Hall in Oxford, and in 1675, removed to Lincoln College, where he was chofe a Fellow the faid year. He was prefented to Colefhill living in Warwick- fhire, by Simon Lord Digby, in 1682, of which he was afterwards deprived for not taking the Oaths of Allegiance to King William and Queen Mary. He died at London, the 1 2th April, 1695, and in his lifetime made a fettle- ment of a farm known by the name of Low Fields, in Brompton, rent 25/. a-year, for Charitable ufes to the poor of Northallerton and Brompton, which are reduced to fix heads. '* Firft, the truftees are required, as often as need fhall be, to lay out yearly two pounds ten (hillings, to buy Bibles, Common Prayer Books, and the Whole Duty of Man, or fome brief explication of the Creed, or fuch little practical books, as the minifter for the time being fhall think mofl convenient, the pooreft families firft to be provided, before any diftribution fhall be made to particular perfons. " Secondly, they fhall employ five pounds yearly in phyfic, and in things neceflary to recover health, if the poor fhall want it. " Thirdly, they fhall employ five pounds yearly for cloaks for poor widows, or other poor houfekeepers as are in want and have been induftrious and faithful, when able to work, and have conftantly frequented the Church, and are of fober and peaceable demeanour among their neigh- bours, not given to go about as evil-fpeakers, or bufy- bodies in other people's matters, nor to pilfering, fcolding, drunkennefs or other mifbehaviour. " Fourthly, they are to employ one pound yearly for inftrudling poor girls and boys and to fit them to be fervants. " They are to employ fix pounds yearly for appren- ticing one boy, the fon of fome poor perfon inhabiting the fame town. He ought to be fatherlefs or motherlefs, or both, one that can fay the whole Church Catechifm without book, that can read and caft accounts, who has behaved himfelf reverently in Church, dutifully to his parents, 54 Life and Times of the refpedlfully to his fuperiors and is not given to fwearing, lying, or obfcene language, but by his good behaviour doth givejuft hopes of his future good converfation. '' Sixthly, the truftees have further a power to apply part of the rent towards the educating any very promif- ing youth of thefe towns at the Univerfity for four years, provided his friends are not able to fupport him ; upon condition he demean himfelf there pioufly, foberly and ftudioufly, whereof they fhall require a certificate from the tutor once a year ; and if by fufficient teftimony it appears that he fpends his time unprofitably or fall into ill courfes, his allowance fhall be withdrawn. " In the fettlement there are admirable diredlions for the management of this Charity ; and it concludes with exhor- tations to the careful management of charities, as a good inflance of charity itfelf. " If I can be anyway further ferviceable to gratify the curiofity of Mr. Thorefby, your Grace may command me with all imaginable freedom, being with very great refpedl, my Lord, your Grace's " Moft obedient humble fervant, "Robert Nelson.*" " Ormond Street, " 4.th Sept. 1708." Another charitable defign in which Nelfon and Kettle- well were aflbciated, was a fcheme for the re'ief of the extreme want to which many of the deprived clergy with their wives and families, were now reduced. Kettlewell drew up a plan for the colledlion and diftribution of the fund, and Nelfon forwarded it, three months before the death of his friend, to Bifhop Lloyd and his brethren ; who, in purfuance of it, united in that formal appeal to the charity of the public, for which they were fummcned to give * Mifcellaneous Papers of Dr. Birch, Brit. Mus. 4297. This letter has been headed by the Copyift, " From Robert Nelfon to Archbifhop Tenifon.''^ But a reference to Thorefby's Correfpondence, iv. 110, will fhow that it was addrefl'ed to ArchbiHiop Sharp of York. Pious Robert Nel/on. 55 account before the Privy Council, as for an attempted exercife of that epifcopal authority of which they had been deprived by law. Before the Bifhops had ifTued their letter, one of its projectors had departed to the world where charity has its perfedl work. The friendfhip of Kettlewell and Nelfon proved but of brief duration, and little more than three years after their firft acquaintance, it was terminated by the deceafe of the former, April 6, 1695. He was con- fined to his houfe in London for fix months before his death, and Nelfon, who now refided at Blackheath, had many opportunities of converfing with his dying friend and noting his Chriftian refignation and preparednefs for his end. " I vifited him,"* writes Nelfon to their com- mon friend. Dean Hickes, when the latter was colleding materials for a Biography of ' Colefhill's Saint:' " I vifited him very often, becaufe I found it grateful to him ; not but that I was very defirous of it too, being fenfible how fhort a time I was like to enjoy fo advan- tageous a converfation. However, out of refped I fliould have forborn, if he had not fufFered me with a great deal of willingnefs, " He had an entire truft and confidence in God, and would often fay that God was able if he thought fit to refl:ore him to his health again notwithftanding his great weaknefs, and that his medicines feemed to give him no encouragement, but that according to appearances his difiiemper was likely to end in his death. But as to the ifi\ies of life and death he referred it wholly to God, who knew what was beft for him. He appeared to me neither defirous of life, nor afraid of dying, but wholly refigned his will to the will of God ; and not- withftanding the well-grounded and comfortable hopes he had of a bleffed immortality, he never wifhed to have * " Life of Kettlewell," pp. 448, et seqq. ^6 Life and Times of the his pains fliortened, nor the time of diflblution haftened, but was entirely refigned to what Providence fhould determine. '' I was once enquiring into fome particulars of his paft life, with a defign of getting materials towards the afliftance of fuch as fhould undertake to write it. He apprehending what I drove at, faid to me, ' Mr. Nelfon, it matters not that the world fhould be acquainted with the particulars of my life, they will be all laid open at the Day of Judgment, and then 'twill be time enough to have them known.' " He carried himfelf with great decency to thofe that attended him ; his wife never did the leaft thing for him but he returned her thanks, as he did likewife upon feveral occafions to his fervant that was always about him ; which was a great maftery in fuch a languifhing diftemper, to overcome that peevifhnefs which too ordi- narily attends it. ''I never found him in a murmuring complaining temper, but \s]\t\\ he was worft he would always find out fome favourable circumftances for which he would thank God ; if he had not flept, he would thank God he had lain quiet and had not been reftlefs ; if he liad coughed much he would thank God he had had refrefh- ing fleeps between his fits of coughing. He would always make the beft of what he fuff^ered, and w^as thank- ful that it was not worfe, fo far from being difcontented that 'twas so bad. He gave as little trouble as he could, and would fuffer no body to watch with him, till a night or two before he died. " I found him once very much concerned about the de- bates then on foot concerning the dodlrine of the blefled Trinity ; he was extreamly fcandalized at the manner of managing that profound myftery ; ' What,' fays he, ' fhall they make this article of our faith, this profound myftery of our religion of which a Chriftian fhould never fpeak or think without the greateft awe and veneration imaginable, a topick to vent their wit and fcurrility upon, an occafion to expofe one anotlier, and gratify the enemies of our common Chriftianity ! ' Pious Robert Nelfon. 57 *' He was not lefs fcandalized with the funeral fermons that were ftufFed with fuch fulfome panegyricks ; it grieved him to the foul to fee flattery take fandluary in the pulpit, when religion banilhes it from common converfation. " He preferved a great charity for thofe that differed from him ; he would often fay he did not care to fpeak of peoples perfons, and though he would freely condemn fuch and fuch practices, he was more referved in cenfur- ing thofe that did them. He knew a great deal of good of many men whofe conduft he was not fatisfied with upon this revolution. *' He blamed mightily the indifferency with which feveral of the fwearing clergy treated the matters that were in controverfy between them and us. Having heard that feveral of them had never read the moft conflderable books writ on our fide ; upon this fubjedt he once broke out into this prayer. * Let not their errors feparate between them and God's favour, give them, O Lord, teach- able minds, defirous to fee the truth and willing to embrace it.' He looked on them, as he faid, 'with the bowells of a brother, not with the infults and triumphs of an enemy.' " He approved not of that bitternefs and heat of tem- per which he met with in fome of his deprived brethren ; for fufferings being apt of their own nature to fharpen mens minds, he thought men ought to be particularly on the guard againft it, as the peculiar temptation that attended their circumftances ; and would often fay, that a Chriftian demeanour under fufferings was as neceffary as a good caufe to render them acceptable to God. * * * * *' On Thurfday morning the eleventh of April '95, he apprehended himfelf departing, and faid to Mr. Bell the minifter that attended him ; * I am now entring upon my laft labour, the Lord gave and he is now taking away ; and for that he is now taking away, bleffed be the name of the Lord. For I thank my God, I am going without any diftrufl, without the leaft mifgiving, to a place of refl, joy and everlafting blifs. There is no life like a happy death ; I have endeavour'd even from my youth to 58 Life and Times of the approve myfelf as a faithful fervant to my great Mafter ; I have taken fome pains In writing feveral books, I have ferioufly confidered them, and am fully fatisfied (looking on thofe about him) that you may find in them the way to Heaven ; the Chriftian duties contained therein have been my practice as well as fliudy, and now I find the advantage of it. Therefore, be all of you careful! to read them often, and ferioufly, and live fuitably thereunto, that when you come to the condition I am now in, you may dye with comfort as vou fee me do : I have fome little pain indeed, but my pain is nothing fo extraordinary as my hopes ; for I have earneftly repented of all my fins, and verily believe that through the tender mercies of my God, and merits of my bleffed Saviour Jefus Chrift, I fhall be carried up into Abraham's bofom.' After which he made this fiiort prayer : ^ I wait, O God, for that everlafting reft which I want at prefent, but fiiall not long : I am ready when thou my God calleft for me, yet can ftay with patience till thou pleafeft, for thy time is the beft time, and thy pleafure the beft pleafure.* *' After fome of the prayers of church, and the com- mendatory one which he particularly defired, he gave a nephew of his, one John Davil, who was about fifteen years old, and of whofe education he had taken the charge and care, fome advice in feveral particulars ; as, I . To obferve all the commandments of God, for he that breaks one is guilty of the breach of all, for the wrath of God is revealed againft all ungodlinefs, &c. 2. To defphe and contemn the world, that Is, let not the profits nor plea- fures of it allure or tempt you ; nor let fear of danger affright you from any Chriftian duty, but have a perfe6t dependance upon God, for he is a kind, merciful and a good God, I have found him to be fo. 3. To be humble, mild and meek, to have candour and charity, &c. Then be dehorted him from all vice, as from pride, pafiion, and difiimulation, hypocrify, lying. Of which laft he faid, do not tell a lye, no not to fave a world, not to fave your king, nor your felf. Next he gave his fifter fome directions of the like nature, how to teach and inftrud: her children. His brother coming in, he told him wherein he had given Pious Robert Nelfon, 59 him offence, forgave him heartily and prayed for him and his ; then he faid, * Brother, have I done you any wrong, tell me, for if I have, I am ready and willing to make compenfation,' being anfwered ' No,' he put the fame quef- tion to feveral others prefent, for, faid he, * I am now going to offer my gift upon the altar, therefore if my brother has ought againft me, I muft firft be reconciled to my brother and then offer my gift.' " The afternoon before he died he was pleafed to acknowledge my friendfhip towards him ; but faid his wife had no reafon to expedl the fame to her. I knew his concern for her, and gave him all the affurances of treating her as the relidl of one whom I greatly efteemed, and dearly loved. Some little time after this he turned to me as I fat by his bedfide, and in a voice which I could hardly hear, faid, ^ Mr. Nelfon, 'tis brave to go to a place where one can enjoy a friend, without fear of lofing him ; where every thing is agreeable, becaufe neither fin nor forrow enter; where there needs no fun to fhine, for as much as God is the light of that place, and every faint is a ftar, each ones blifs is felt by every bleffed inhabitant, and happinefs is difpenfed by a bleffed circulation.' He added fomething more about the New Jerufalem, and the heavenly ftate, which I loft by the lownefs of his voice, and his difficulty in fpeaking. The fame after- noon he defired his wife to read to him out of his book of Death, which ihe did at two feveral times ; at which he was extraordinary devout, and very thankful to her, according to his ufual cuftom, for her affiftance. After this he called her to him, and faid, ' Child, truft God with thy felf ; I truft him with thee freely. God's providence is the beft protedion : and there is no fuch way to engage his good providence as by trufting Him.' Some time the fame afternoon ftie afked him how he did ; he anfwered her, * Very praife-worthy well, I thank God, for one near departing.' The prayers in the laft agonies were read to him, at his defire, out of that book which was made the companion of his ficknefs, and which was the laft effort of his charity for the falvation of his brethren. He funk all of a fudden ; for being raifed to 6o Jjfe and Times of the take fomc cliocolate for his re-frefhment, he died hi a moment in that pofture." Kettlewell was buried at All hallows Barkhig, where the body of Archbifhop Laud had been interred, and of which Hickes had been one time redor. His wife was made fole executrix of his will, but fhe was diredled to difpofe of liis books and MSS. with the approbation and by the advice of his good friend Mr. Nelfon ; and the latter accordingly ad:cd as literary executor to his friend.* In this capacity he firft publifhed a volume of *' Five Difcourfes," which had been left by Kettlewell ready for the prefs ; himfelf pre- fixing a preface, in wliich he fketched the charadler of the author, and announced a forthcoming memoir " by a very fkilful and mafterly hand," (apparently Dr. Hickes), " who will fet this pattern of Christianity in Its true light, and convey him down to pofterity in his full proportion." Nelfon forwarded the volume upon its publication to Bifhop Ken, and received the following acknowledg- ment in return.f " Sir. — I received the book, which I imagined came from you, and for which I return you many thanks ; and fince that your obliging letter came to my hands. You have done an honour to the memory of my dead friend, which we all ought to acknowledge ; and I am very glad that his life is writing by another hand, as you tell me. He was certainly as faint-like a man as ever I knew ; and his books are demonftrations of it, which are as full of as folid and fearching a piety as ever I read. God was pleafed to take him from the evil to come to his own infinite advantage, but to our great lofs. His bleffed will be done ! Since the date of your letter a new fcene has been * Nelfon has been incorreflly laid to have been appointed Executor, f " Kcttlewell's Lite," Appendix, No. 25. — Superllribed, " For his worthy friend Mr. Nelfon, at his houfe on Blackheath ;" and endorfcd by Nelfon, " Bifliop Kenn's teltiniony about Mr. Kettlewell." Pious Robert Nelfon. 61 opened ; and if the A61 pafles which is now upon the anvil, I prefume the prifons will be filled with the malcontents ; and your friend, though innocent and inoffenfive, yet apprehends he may fhare in the calamity ; and, forefeeing it, it will be no furprize to him. In refpeft of that fort ot men, I have always been of the mind of the Prophet, that their ftrength is to fit ftill. And fo it will be found at the long run. And 'tis the wifeft and moft dutiful way, to follow rather than to anticipate Providence, &c. I com- mend you all to God's moft gracious protection. " Good Sir, " Your very affeftionate fervant, "[Thos. B. & W.]" ** March 2, i69|.." In the following year Nelfon publifhed an " Office for Prifoners" which Kettlewell had alfo finiftied for the prefs ; and from which we learn that attention was even then being diredled to the moral atmofphere of our gaols, and that charitable and companionate perfons were found to vifit the inmates, and put religious books into their hands. In 1704, another unpublifhed MS. of Kettlewell's came into Nelfon's hands ; viz., a letter upon Profufenefs of expenditure, which he had addrefied by way of expoftula- tion to a gentleman of his acquaintance, in 168 1, and which Nelfon confidered calculated to do fervice among the higher claffes, by impreffing upon them the refponfibility of wealth. And in 17 12 he edited a third edition of Kettlewell's " Pradlical Believer," with a preface, and fome additions that Kettlewell had prepared, concerning the proportion between fin and punifhment, and upon the eternity of hell torments, in animadverfion of Tillotfon's heterodox difcourfe on thofe points. He had alfo thought at one time of preparing a memoir of Kettlewell, and when neither he nor Hickes had found leifure to do that juftice 62 Life and Times of the to the memory of their friend, he entrusted the materials that he had collec^led (but a few days before his laft (ick- nefs) to his friend Dr. Francis Lee, who at laft accom- plilhed the long-delayed tafk, and fent his *' Memoirs of the Life of Kettlewell" to the prefs in 1718. Nelfon's friendfhip with Kettlewell introduced him to the acquaintance of Hickes, who foon fucceeded to the place in his affediions which had been held by Tillotfon and Kettlewell. Nelfon was one of thofe affedlionate natures who muft always have a friend, and his perfonal efteem for Hickes was deepened by the higheft refped: for his varied learning, and by deference for his theological judgment. Upon leaving Blackheath, he became Hickes's near neigh- bour in Ormond Street, and continued in almoft daily inter- courfe with him for the laft eleven years of his life. Some mention of ''my neighbour the Dean" is rarely omitted from his more familiar letters. In his " Life of Bull," he fpeaks of him as ; — " My very learned and worthy friend, that great mafter of ecclefiaftical antiquity, and the moft confiderable reviver of primitive theology that hath appeared in our times. Tho' he is admirably fkilled in other parts of ufeful learning, yet he hath laboured with great fuccefs in un- trodden paths, a certain mark of a great genius, whereby the utmoft parts of Europe will have an occafion to cele- brate his profound erudition. But he excelleth in his own profefTion, 'having built his ftudy of divinity upon the Holy Scriptures, and the primitive fathers of the church as the beft expofitors of thofe facred writings ; and hath thereby created fuch a regard to antiquity in the generation of young divines that are now rifing among us, that we may hope to fee the next age preferved from the infedlion of thofe latltudinarian principles which have fo much prevailed in this. His readlnefs to communicate his knowledge, draweth an application to him from men of the greateft figure for their talents, and renders his friendfhip a true Pious Robert Nelfon. 6'}, and valuable bleffing. But above all, the folid and fub- ftantial piety of his condudt maketh his example a conftant inftrudtion to thofe who live within the reach of it.* The deprived Dean, on his part, loft no opportunity of publicly commending the publications of Robert Nelfon, and of boafting of his acquaintance with one, who was the objedl of univerfal admiration and efteem, and whofe charader could not but refle6l the greateft honour upon the nonjuring communion, 'to which he had attached himfelf. Hickes's " Firft Colledion of Letters j- with a Popifh Prieft" was dedicated to Nelfon " as a matter of neceftity," he fays, rather than of choice ; " For you know the gentleman, who drew me againft my inclination in.to this controverfy : I acquainted you time after time with the fteps of my proceeding in it with him, and his fifter ; and I defired, had I come to oral con- ference with their guide, to have you fole witnefs on my fide to what had pafled between us in all our arguments. And for thefe reafons I think myfelf obliged to make you a publick prefent of thefe papers of controverfy, with that deference which is due to fo difcerning and learned a judge, with all the refped: that ought to be paid to fo great an ornament of our church and religion, and with all the acknowledgments I ought to make for the honour of your friendfhip, which I efteem as one of the providential blef- fings of my life, that God has been pleafed to referve to me as a comfort in the laft and moft tirefome part thereof. '^ In all the converfation I have had with you I can truly fay, I have found you fully anfwer the great and good cha- racter that my learned and religious friend of venerable memory, Mr. Kettlewell, gave me of you, many years before it was my happinefs to be acquainted with you. The love and efteem he had for you was to my knowledge exceeding * " Life of Bull/' pp. 514., 5. f " Several Letters which palfed between Dr. George Hickes and a Popifli Prieft upon occafion of a young gentlewoman's departing from the Church of England to that of Rome," 1705, 64 Life and Times of the great while he lived, and at his death he gave you a fure teftimony of his conftancy in the honourable opinion he had of you in committing his worldly concerns to your wifdom and truft. Sir, I cannot pretend to merit your friendfhip to fuch a degree as that worthy perfon deferved it, who was one of the beft of Chriftians and divines ; but I dare pretend to the fame degree of affeftion and refpeft, which he had for you to his laft breath, and in teftimony thereof I humbly offer this book to your acceptance, pro- feffmg myfelf ambitious of being reckoned and continued in the number of your moft faithful friends and fervants." In another preface,* Hickes gives a lift of " very many learned gentlemen of the laity, true fons of the Church of England, who, with invincible ftrength of reafon, and great variety of learning, have defended their mother in her doc- trine, worftiip, polity, difcipline, priefthood, and revenues, againft her open and fecret enemies of all forts and fecfts ;" and clofes it with the name of *' that worthy gentleman, Mr, Nelfon, in his * Companion to the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church.' " " His great worth and talent are known everywhere by that moft excellent book, which is received with the higheft commendation in all places. For befides the acceptance it hath in a ftiort time found at home in fo many editions, it is now tranflating abroad into feveral foreign languages, for the benefit of the public where thofe languages are fpoken. To this book I muft add that of *the Great Duty of frequenting the Chriftian Sacrifice,' to which is prefixed an Exercife upon Confirmation, and the ' Life of Dr. George Bull, late lord biftiop of St. David's.'" f In another work,:]: when Hickes is animadverting himfelf * "Three Short Treatifes, &c., now again publifheJ by Dr. George Hickes, in defence of the Prielthood and true rights of the Church." 1709. -f- " Several Letters which paffcd," cS'c, 2nd edit. 1715. Preface, p. 10. X " An Apologetical Vindication of the Church of England," by George Hickes, D.D. 2nd ed- 1706. Preface. Pious Robert Nelfon. 6^ on Mr. Stephens' pamphlet on Church Communion, he calls attention to the reply of his friend, as " a very folid, learned, and plain fliort anfwer to it, of which I think myfelf obliged to take notice, becaufe it is an antidote againft all the poifon of his book." He anfwers Tindal's appeal to the laity, to fupport him in his attacks on the Chriftian priefthood, by inftancing* Robert Nelfon as *' another gentleman of the laity, who is the reverfe to him in his writings about the church and priefthood, even as much reverfe to him, I had almoft faid, as good itfelf is to evil, or a good to an evil angel." He indignantly rebuts Dr. Hancock's refledion j" on " one of the moft eminent and venerable gentlemen of his time, and moft eminent writer of devotions, whofe books have been received in fo many editions, for which he hath had the thanks and prayers of the generality of the clergy and laity, I mean Mr. Nelfon, againft whom he direfts thefe words in the Preface of his Anfwer : ' But to bring thefe notices into books of devotion, as a certain ingenious gentleman hath lately done, is a ftill greater fign of their zeal in this matter.' " He goes on to complain "]; that the dodrine of the Euchariftic Sacrifice had difappeaied from the writings, even of divines, who have treated on the fubjedt, and " this was perhaps the pious reafon why Mr. Nelfon endeavoured to retrieve this primi- tive word and notion, by bringing the one into the title- page, and the other into the devotions of his book. For he that knew Id verum quod prius, might think he could not more honour God, or better ferve his church, or more benefit his readers in writing on that fubjeft, than by * "Two Treatifes on the Chriftian Priefthood, and on the Dignity of the Epifcopal Order, with a prefatory difcourfe in anfwer to a book entitled the * Rights of the Chriftian Church.' " 1847. vol. i. p. 313. f " A Second CoUedion of Controverfial Letters relating to the Church of England and the Church of Rome, as they pafled between an honourable lady and Dr. George Hickes, &c." 1710. Preface. X Ibid, p. 57. F 66 Life and Times of the reftoring the facrifice to the facrament, which had kept poflertion in the churches of God for i 500 years, and was a notion fo proper to explain the fpecial nature of that myftery, as alfo to Inflame the devotion of the faithful, and encreafe their veneration for the facrament and the whole miniftration thereof." In another place Hickes affures * Bifhop Trimnel of Norwich, who had been branding it in his Charge (17 10) as a High-Church error, " that there are very many more of the beft authority and reputation, both among the clergy and laity too, befides Mr. Nelfon, who believe this doctrine." And he indignantly remonftratesf with the author of an anonymous pamphlet (fuppofed to be White Kennett) for taunting Nelfon with his Jacobitifm, and for afcribing to the fecret partiality of Nonjurors the encomiums which were heaped upon his book. " Could he fo infidioufly refled upon Mr. Sharp,:}; for fo often citing and commending Mr. Nelfon's book, as to fuggefl he did it becaufe he admired him upon another account ? Certainly, Mr. Sharp had all the reafon imaginable to men- tion that gentleman and his book with all refpedt, and to praife him (were there no other reafons) for the fake of his excellent performance in it, which hath already been fo well received in five feveral editions, and will have many more. But Dr. Kennet is no ftranger to the iingular worth of that gentleman, who fpends his time and eftate in promoting the temporal and fpiritual happinefs of men, and is a member of the fame fociety with himfelf for propagating Chriftian knowledge ; and therefore it is not credible he could be fo mean and fo malicious as to infult him on that other account. "§ Not even the conformity of Nelfon to the * " Two Treatifes, &c.," vol. i. p. 4. f " A Second CoUeflion of Controverfial Letters." Preface, p. 68. X A High-Church clergyman at Stepney. § Kennett faintly denies the authorfhip of the Traf^, and complains in turn : " He accufes me of being fo mean and malicious as to infult Mr. Pious Robert Nelfon. 67 eftablifhed church in 1709, feems to have impaired the inti- macy of his friendship with the leader of the Nonjurors ; and their mutual perfonal attachment, together with the coincidence of their political prediledions and their theolo- gical opinions, feems to have kept them united in the clofeft friendfhip till the death of Nelfon but one year before his friend. Another nonjuring acquaintance of Nelfon, and alfo his neighbour in Ormond Street, was Mr. Thomas Bowdler, at the death of whofe wife in 17 13, we find Nelfon afting as pall-bearer in company with the Earl of Winchelfea, Captain Hatton, and Sir Anthony Deane, his friend Spinckes reading the fervice at her grave.* Through Hickes or Bowdler, Nelfon may have gained the acquaintance of the well-known Samuel Pepys, who had been the trufted agent of James II. at the Admi- ralty, and who ftill continued the fecret partifan of the exiled monarch ; who was now in his old age endeavouring to repent of the worldly vicious life, which in his Diary he has fo unblufhingly pourtrayed, and who begged Nelfon's advice in the feleftion of a fpiritual guide from the ranks of the nonjuring clergy. His requeft brought him the following reply : — t •' Blackheath, March 2, 1702-3. « Sir, — I have not been unmindful of your commands, neither can I ever negled what is enjoined me by fo worthy a friend, but it required fome time to receive Nelfon ; when I prefume that worthy gentleman will acquit me of any inten- tion of that kind. He is again miftaken in a matter of fail of no importance, but only to Ihow his little regard for truth. He fays I am a member of the fame Society with Mr. Nelfon for Propagating Chriftian Knowledge. I fhould not be afhamed of being fo, but there are fome reafons why I am not fo, and why I have not been fo for feveral years, as the late Secretary, Mr. Wanley, will teftify." MSS. Colkaion, Brit. Mus. vol. xvi., p. 310. * "Life of John Bowdler, Efqr." 1825. p. 13. f "Diary and Correfpondence of Samuel Pepys." 3rd edition. 1849. vol. V. p, 421. E 2 68 Life and 'Times of the fuch an account of that matter as I might depend upon. After the ftridcft enquny, 1 find none of our clergy placed in your neighbourliood nearer than Mitcham, where lives one Mr. Higden, a very Ingenious perfon, who married the late Lord Stowell's fifler, but I believe you may have one with greater eafe from London, by reafon of the conveniency of public conveyances. Our friend Dean Hickes is at prefent at Oxford ; but if you will be pleafed whenever your occafions require it, to fend to Mr. Spinckes, who has the honour of being known to you, he will be fure to wait upon you and take fuch meafures that you may always be fupplied, whenever you Hand in need ot fuch affiftance. He lodges at a glazier's in Winchefter Street, near London Wall. " You will pardon me. Sir, it I take this occafion to acquaint you with a pious work, which is now carrying on by the joint afTiflance of our nobility and gentry, as well as of the bifhop and clergy. The States of Holland have confented that the Church of England worfhip fhould be eftablifhed at Rotterdam ; and that it may be per- formed with due folemnity, there is a defign encouraged of building a Church in that place, which by eftimate, will coft 3500/. ; 1000/. of that fum mufh be borrowed to lay the foundation : it will be no furprife to you who are acquainted with that fituation. The general officers have contributed beyond expedlation, (military men having very feldom any great zeal in fuch matters), a great number of the nobility and gentry having taken this occafion to fhow their zeal for the Church. The Duke of Marlborough has given It his particular countenance, and the expedation of 500/. from the Oueen. 1 need not forbear laying this matter before you, whom God has blefied with fuch a plen- tiful fortune, which you know how to difpofe of to the bed advantage, and fuch as will turn you to good account at the great day ; and withall I beg that Mr. Hewer may be acquainted with this pious defign, which will contribute fo much to God's glory and the honor of the Church. I do moft heartily wifh you health and eafe; but if the Providence of God thinks fit to try you with the want of bothj that you may find the comfort of Religion under all Pious Robert Nelfon. 6g your afflidlions, and may make his will your choice and fatisfadlion. " I am, with great refped:, " Your mofl faithful, humble fervant, *'R. Nelson.*' With the Rev. Nathaniel Spinckes, whom he mentions in the above letter, Nelfon had probably been brought into conta6l at the bed-fide of Kettlewell. To him was com- mitted the management of the fund, which was raifed by the deprived Bilhops, at the propofition of Nelfon and Kettlewell, for relieving the necefTities of their clergy. And in Nelfon's will he is entrufted with a fum of money for their wants. With the more celebrated Collier, Nelfon is fhown to have been on terms of intimacy, by a minute of the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge, on the 25th September, 1712, when he reports : — " That he had according to the defire of the Society endeavoured to engage Mr. Collier to prepare a Treatife on the Abufe of Mufic ; but that he was informed Mr. Collier was at prefent fo taken up in finifliing his * Eccle- fiaftical Hiftory,' that he was obliged by his bookfellers not to undertake any other work till that was finifhed." The firft volume of this remarkable work had appeared in 1708, and he was ftill engaged upon the fecond, which did not make its appearance till 1714. In each volume we find the name of "Robert Nelfon, Esq., Ormond Street," as a fubfcriber. In the fame rank for piety and learning with Spinckes and Collier, mufl: be placed the lefs known name of Francis Lee, M.D.,* who loft his Fellowfiiip at St. John's, Oxford, * See ^ AiroXenro/xeva, or DifTeitations, Theological, Mathematical, and Phyfical 5 with a critical commentary on the molt difficult pafTages of the yo Life and 'Times of the at the Revolution, and going abroad, praftifed phyfic at Venice for two years, with much fuccefs. Upon his return in 1694, he joined a Society of Myftics, and married the daughter of Mrs. Lead, the prophetefs of the feft, refiding with his mother-in-law at Hoxton. This woman claimed the diftindion of converfing with God and good fpirits, and pretended a Divine revelation in favour (among other points) of the finite character of hell torments. Dodwell in vain endeavoured to recover his friend from the delufion in a correfpondence which extended over feveral years. But Lee, at length convinced of his error, abandoned his afTociatcs and attacked their principles in his *^ Hiftory of Montanifm," which appeared with a Preface by Hickes, in 1709. He had for fome years before enjoyed the friend- fhip of Nelfon, and to him, as well as to Kettlewell and Brokefby, has been afcribed a fliare in Nelfon's palmary work on the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church. '*The greater part," writes his biographer, "of Mr. Nelfon's Feafts and Fafts, I found in his own hand after his deceafe. He was the firft that put Mr. Hoare and Mr. Nelfon upon the founding of Charity Schools, upon the fame plan as that of Halle in Germany, and was continually encouraging and promoting all manner of charities, both public and private. But his chief aim was for healing the breaches, and for the reunion of all the divided branches among thofe that call themfelves Chriftians, according to the apoftolical rule and ftandard of the primitive church, before any innovations were crept into either the Eaftern or Weftern Churches." Book of Geiiefis, wherein the divine authority of Mofes is vindicated againft the objeiFlions of all Sceptics, Deifts, and other infidels. To which are pre- fixed a fhort account of the Author, propofais given to Peter the Great, Czar ofMufcovy, for the right framing of his government, and a fecond edition of the DilTertation upon the fecond Apochryphal Book of Eldras. By the late pious and learned Francis Lee, M.D., in 2 volumes, 1752. See alfo Mr, C Walton's valuable and intercrting " Notes and Materials for an adequate Biography of William Law." Printed for private circulation, 1854. And Wilfon's " Hiftory of Merchant Taylors' School," p. 955. Pious Robert N elf on. 7 [ He was called Rabbi Lee, on account of his great learn- ing. He was treated with much confideration by Harley, when Lord High Treafurer, and was allowed to tender to him fchemes for the improvement of the American Colo- nies, and the regulation of our gaols ; he had plans for taking care of all vagrant and deftitute perfons as in Holland, and for fupplying the neceffities of thofe who from the pad refpedability of their pofition, are afliamed to let their wants be known. To Lee, as it has been faid, Nelfon and Hickes entrusted the materials they had col- lected for the Life of Kettlewell. He was much with Nelfon during the few lad months of his life, attended his dying bed, and received a legacy of 50/. in his will. In addition to the Jacobite circle in which Nelfon moved in London, he had alfo an intimate acquaintance with a little body of nonjuring friends, who were fettled at Shottifbrooke, in Berkfhire. At their head was Francis Cherry, Efq., of Shottif- brooke Houfe,* a country gentleman of family and landed eftate, whofe worth and hofpitality, combined with gen- teel accomplifhments, and a handfome perfon, procured him the fame popularity in his county, which Nelfon enjoyed in the circles of town life, and rendered him. Nonjuror as he was, " the idol of Berklhire." His houfe, in which he was able to make up feventy beds for the officers and foldiery who were quartered upon him at the Revolution, was always open to the deprived clergy, and becamxC a complete hotel for friendfhip, learning and diflrefs. Bifhop Ken divided his time between Longleate and Shot- tifbrooke Houfe. Bowdler and his family were frequent guefts ; and Nelfon would frequently ride over from Lord Berkeley's at Cranford. Dr. Grabe always found a wel- come there. Charles Leflie, difguifed in regimentals, was * See Preface to Monck Berkeley's Poems, 1797 ; pp. 41 S, &c. 72 Life and "Times of the concealed by Mr. Cherry for fix months, at a houfe belong- ing to him in the neighbouihood, at White Waltham ; and it was at Cherry's requeft and expenfe that he repaired to Bar-le-duc, to attempt the converfion of the Pretender, His devotion to tlie Jacobite caufe was difplayed upon one occafion in a fomewhat fingular manner. Among the accomplifhments on which he prided himfelf as a country gentleman was his fuperior horfeman- fhip, the difplay of which in the hunting- field would fometimes pique the emulation of King William. And Mr. Cherry, obferving one day, that he was clofely preficd by the King, rifked his life, for the chance of breaking the ufurper's neck, and plunged into a frightfully deep and broad part of the Thames, in hope that William might be induced to follow. To the Princefs Anne upon a hunting-day he would always pay the moft particular attention, riding up to her calafh ; but when (he affumed her father's crown, the queen miffed Mr. Cherry from her fide, and pointed him out in the diftance to her attendants : " There goes one of the honefteft gentlemen in my dominions." Among the friends whom Nelfon met at Mr. Cherry's was the Rev. Francis Brokefby,* who had been deprived of his living of Rowley, hear Hull, in 1691, after having held it for twenty years ; and who, after feveral removals from place to place, found a final refting-place in the houfe of Mr. Cherry, who entertained him as his chaplain. Here he became acquainted with Dodwell and Nelfon. He alfo is faid to have afiift:ed Nelfon in the compofition of Fes- tivals and Farl:s to fuch an extent, that his own family attributed to him the real authorfiiip of the book. He took an eager intereft in Nelfon's religious and charitable undertakings, and addreffedj" to him in 1708, a letter * See Nicholl's " Leiccfteirtiire," vol. iv. pt. 2, p. 737, &c. -j- " Some Piopofals toward promoting the Propagation of the Gofpel in our Pious Robert N elf on. yj upon the Propagation of the Gofpel in Foreign Parts, the account of the defigns and operations of that Society havinp- juft come into his hands. '^Silver and gold have I none," exclaimed the deprived Nonjuror, " to put into your trea- fury ; and I find I have nothing elfe befide my prayers to contribute hereunto, but employing my thoughts about it." But Brokefby's name is better known by his account* of the Life and Writings of his friend Dodwell, which he dedicated to Robert Nelfon, " in grateful acknowledgment," he fays, "of your favours, and to tell the world I am one of thofe whom your extenfive benevolence has reached." Henry Dodwell was the moft diftlnguifhed, in point of learning, of the nonjuring refidents at Shottifbrooke, and exercifed the greateft influence upon Nelfon's life. He had been deprived at the Revolution of the Camdenian Pro- fefToriliip of Hiftory at Oxford, and he continued till his death a confcientious adherent of the exiled family. But he did not consider that fuch political differences formed a fufHcient ground for continued ecclefiaftical feparation. He had adhered to the communion of the deprived bifhops, as his rightful fpiritual fathers ; but he was not prepared to fee the fchifm perpetuated after their death, by the confe- cration of nonjuring bifhops in their room. Accordingly, upon the deceafe of Bifhop Lloyd, in i 709, he wrote to Bifhop Ken, the only furvivor of the deprived prelates, to inquire whether he claimed his adherence ; and Bifhop American Plantations. Humbly offered in a letter to Mr. Nelfon, a worthy member of the Society for Propagating the Gofpel in Foreign Parts. To which is added aPollfcript. 1708." [Anon.] The author urges the immediate appointment of Colonial Bifhops, the French (he fays) having one already at Quebec ; he fuggefts that the Bifliop of London might be Archbifhop, with jurifdi6lion over them, and the Archbifliop of Caiiterbury be entitled a Patriarch. * " The Life of Mr. Henry Dodwell, with an Account of his Works, by Francis Brolcefby, B.D. To which is added a letter to Robert Nelfon, Efq., from Dr. Edmund Halley, containing an abflraft of Mr. DodwelTs book De Cyclis. 1715." 74 -^(A ^^id 'Times of the Ken, in reply, not infiiling upon his rights, the Shottlf- brooke Nonjurors returned to their parifh church, the bells ringing merrily in honour of the event. The following account of tliis ftep, and of his reafons for it, is given by Dodwell himfelf in two letters to a friend :* " Shottifbrook, Jan. ii, lyo-iV- ** Worthy Sir, — I have received your's, and have already written to my lord of Bath and Wells, as the only furvivor of the invalid ly deprived bifhops, and as thereby having it in his power to free not only his private diocefe, but the whole National Church from the fchifm introduced by filling the fees, which were no otherwife empty than by the invalid deprivations. This I take to be fufficient upon our principles, who cannot juftify our feparate communion on any other account than that of the fchifm, provided there be no other (whom we do not yet know of) who does claim, and can prove a better title to fome one epifcopal altar of our national Church, by fucceflion to fome of our deceafed fathers than the prefent incumbents. It concerns us all to join our prayers, that our own concord may be broken as little as is poffible by our reconciliation into one communion with our adverfaries." And on March lo, after the receipt of Ken's reply, he writes : " Our two families here were at church on February the 26th, the firft Sunday in Lent. But there are feveral who ftill fcruple the prayers. Endeavours are, however, ujfirg that this difference of practice may make as little difference in our flock as may be ; whofe endeavours will deferve the prayers of all who defire the good as well as the peace of this afflided Church. And I hope your flither and you will not be wanting in your's. "Your affectionate brother, '^H. D." * "A Defence of our Conftitution in Church and State, or an anfwer to the late charge of the Nonjurors accufing us of Herefy and Schifm, Perjury and Treafon, by Nathaniel Marshall, D.D. 1717." Appendix. No. 3. Pioi{s Robert Nelfon. y^ Dodwell's confcientious and kindly endeavour to efFe6t the conciliation of the churches was not unattended by fome- thing of perfonal annoyance to himfelf. Berkfhire was then within the diocefe of Sarum, and his nonjuring acquaint- ance failed not to taunt him with the fubmilTion he would have to make to the obnoxious occupant of the fee. Dodwell, however, did not fhrink, in due courfe, from making Bifhop Burnet the tender of his obedience,* begging to be owned as an unworthy member of his flock, and *^ that you will be pleafed at your convenience to admit my elder children to confirmation. I value this ordinance more than the loofe latitudinarian opinions of the age would oblige me to do, as taking it for the true baptifm of the Spirit, derived from the Apoflles. This will make me value the more the favour hereby conferred on my children, if they may receive this office from you, which may entitle them to fo great benefits as are the confequents of the inhabitation of the Spirit. In the meantime, I beg another boon of your prayers and the epifcopal benediction upon me and mine. I am your fatherhood's unworthy commu- nicant, Henry Dodwell." This was dated from Shottif- brooke, Feb. lo, lyyy. The unhappy reflection on the latitudinarian party, which in truth was fufficiently out of place in a letter of fubmifTion to one of its leaders, drew * Four letters which paffed between the Lord Bifhop of Sarum and Mr. Henry Dodwell. 17 13. Advertisement. — The two firft of the following letters having got into print, unknown to the Lord Bifhop of Sarum, or to Mrs. Dodwell, the worthy widow of the very learned and pious Mr. Henry Dodwell, they were reprinted with the 3rd, which was lent to the Bookfcller from that Rl' Rev** and learned prelate. There being i'everal typographical faults, and words left out, which influence the fenfe of thole letters, it was Mrs. Dodwell's defire that they fhould appear in public with that corrednefs, which belongeth to them in the originals. To which purpofe fhe was willing to communicate them to me by the hand of my worthy and learned friend Mr. Cherry of Shottefbrooke, with a 4th letter, which the Lord Bifhop of Sarum wrote afterwards to Mr. Dodwell, and which concluded the correlpondence between them. 9th April, 1 71 3. Rob. Nelson. 76 Life and Tiiiies of tJie back next day from Burnet an angry and bitter reply, arraigning Dodwell's motives for his change, and not fparing his pcrfonal chara6ter. He reproaches him for his book againfl: the natural immortality of the foul, as having afforded a handle to unbelief, of which Collins the delft had not failed to lay hold ; he ftyles him " one of the moft felf conceited men of the age," fays he fhall not be in Berkfhire to hold a confirmation till midfummer twelve- month, and gives him liberty to procure the fervice of fome other bifhop in the interval. Dodwell had but a year to live, and was weary of controverfy and quarrel. He replied in a mild and apologetical letter, and enclofed his book againft incenfe, as fufficient to clear him from the imputation of Romanifing tendencies. " Nor will it per- haps be difpleafing to acquaint you, that the young gentle- man who gave the occafion for it is one who never had any advantage of any other education than what he had in the Ifle of Man, the rather becaufe it makes fo highly for the commendation of your brother, the bifhop of that ifland, who has much improved them." This foft anfwer turned away Burnet's wrath, who wrote at laft (April 24, 171 1) from Clerkenwell a kindly reply, and in return for the tradt upon incenfe begged to "fend two of my explications of the Church Catechifm to your children. I pray God blefs you and them." The two firft letters between Dodwell and the bilhop, got furreptitioufly into print, through the contrivance, apparently, of fome one who wifhed to difcou- rage the Nonjurors from conforming, by the reception that one of their leaders had met with. And Robert Nelfon therefore undertook, after his friend's deceafe, the congenial tafk of publifhing its more kindly conclufion. Nelfon's own views upon this queftion coincided altogether with Dodwell's, and he adted in concert with him on the occafion ; writing (like him) to Bifhop Ken, to know whether he laid claim any longer to his fpiritual allegiance* Pious Robert N elf on. 77 He gives this account of his proceedings in a letter* to a friend, dated Feb. 21, 1709-10. "Sir, — In order to fatisfy your enquiry I can acquaint you that 1 have received a letter from BiQiop Ken, who affures me ' that he was always againft that practice, which he forefaw would perpetuate the fchifm, and declared againft it, and that he had a6led accordingly, and would not have it laid at his door, having made a recefs (as he fays) for a much more worthy perfon. And he apprehends it was always the judgment of his brethren, that the death of the canonical bilhops would render the invaders canonical, in regard the fchifm is not to laft always.' "Afterwards his lordfhip adds this, 'I prefume Mr. Dodwell and others with him go to church, though I myfelf do not, being a public perfon ; but to communicate with my fucceflbr in that part of the office which is unex- ceptionable I fhould make no difficulty.' " This letter I communicated to Mr. Dodwell, when in town, which he thought clear enough for clofing the fchifm, and I fuppofe in a fhort time he may have one for the fame purpofe. I can give you no account of the progrefs of the proje6l, having not feen Mr. W (ince Sunday was fevennight, when he was with me, with Mr. Cherry and Mr. Dodwell, but I fuppofe he is profecuting his propofals for peace. "As to /^/^^(3 excommunications, I think they are only ''ententia lata ab ipfo jure., a fentence pafTedby the law, which as the canonifts fay requ'wes fententiam latam ajudice, another fentence pafTed by the judge. An ipfo fa^o excommunica- tion by any canons, not barring men from communion till there be a declaratory fentence, as Lyndv/ood notes. Lin. in Conftit. Joh. Peccham. This matter is largely treated of by Monfieur du Pin, De Difciplina Ecclefiaftica. " Your faithful humble fervant, " Rob. Nelson. "Feb. 21, 1709-10.'" * Marfliall's " Defence." Appendix. No. 5. 78 Life and Times of the His friend Hickcs was lying on a fick bed, when news reached him of Nelfon's intended feceflion. He had procured himfclf, in 1693, to be confccrated Bifhop of Thetford, in virtue of which he claimed, at Bidiop Lloyd's death, to be regarded as the head of the nonjuring com- munion. The feceffion of Dodwell and his followers was thus a formal repudiation of his pretenfions to the epifco- pacy, and he could not but be deeply mortified to find even his bofoni friend abandoning his caufe. He fent at once to Nelfon, informing him that he was about to draw up a paper on the fubjedt, and defiring him to poftpone his feceffion till it (liould be prepared. Nelfon agreed to defer the ftep till Eafter Day. Hickes's infirmities difabled him from completing his tafk,* and Nelfon accordingly was received into the Eftablifhed Church at the fpecified time, by his friend Sharp, Archbifhop of York, in the church of St. Mildred's, Poultry. Nelfon had for fome years enjoyed the acquaintance of the good Archbifhop, In 1707, we find him enclofing to the Archbifhop his friend Hickes's aniwer to the *' Rights of the Chriftian Church," and receiving his animadverfions upon its argu- ment. They were fo intimate, fays Sharp's biographer, as to fpend many hours together in private converfation ; and could not but frequently difcufs the reafons which divided them in church communion. And no fooner was Bifhop Lloyd deceafed, than Sharp renewed his application to Nelfon upon the fubje(5t/^~i fell upon a difcourfe," he writes in his diary, Friday, Jan. 27, I/O^-q, "with Mr. Nelfon, about his continuing in the fchifm now after the Bifhop of Norwich is dead. He tells me that he is not without doubt, but he will further confider the matter, and when he comes to a refolution, after an enquiry how * The letter tn Nelfon was afterwards publiftied in " The Conftitution of the Catholic Church, and the nature and confequences of Schifm fet forth in a coUciFlion of Papers written by the late Revd, George Hickes, D.D. 17 16." Pious Robert Nelj'on. 79 matters ftand, he will perfift in it." Nelfon was conftantly with the Archbifl iop about this time, being mentioned in his diary as a vifitant, Jan. 30, Feb. 5, 17, and 25, March 5 and 18. On February 15th, Sharp^received " the good news, "as_Jie called it, " of -Mr. Nelfon's intention_ to return to our communion ; " and on April 9th, being Eafter Day, " I preached," he writes, " at St. Mildred's, Poultry, and adminiftered the facrament, where was prefent Mr. Nelfon, which was the firft time he had communicated in the facraTiTent fince the Revolutiqn.__ I gave the facra- ment likewife to Mr. D'Oyley, whom I had reconciled to the Church, he having been educated as a Papift."*. The motive, it will be remembered, which originally determined Nelfon to quit the communion of the Eftab- Hfhed Church, was his inability confcientioufly to join in the prayers for William and Mary, which, by his very prefence in church during their ufe, the worfhipper was fuppofed to fandlion. At this period, however, of his life, Nelfon feems to have arrived at a different conclufion ; and it was the alteration of his views on this point which now enabled him to conform to the Eftablifhed Church, without affedting any concurrence in thefe " immoral prayers," as they were termed by the Nonjurors. His reafonings and conclufions on the matter are thus explained in an anfwer which he fent to the following Query on Church Commu- nion, f and in which he lays down principles capable of a much wider application : — *^ ^lery. Whether a man may hold communion with fuch a Church, and join in all points of public worfhip with fuch a Church, as ufe of unlawful prayers, without guilt or diffimulation ? * " Life ofjohn Sharp, D.D., Lord Archbifhop of York," vol. ii. pp. 28,31. t Marfhall's " Defence." Appendix No. 9. A True Copy of the late Mr. Nelfon's anfwer to the following Qiiery concerning Church Communion. I'^A 8o Life and Times of the *' Anfwer. If by joining in all parts of public worfhip be meant the a6tual joining in thofe prayers that are un- lawful, no perfon can lawfully do it. For he can no more fay Amen to what he defires not or detefts, than he can fay Amen to that which is no Article of his Faith, and which he looks upon as falfe. " But if by joining in public prayers be meant only holding communion with fuch a Church, I think he lawfully may. " I. I fliall confider it in refped to confcience, and then the fenfe of it may be reduced to this principle by thofe that hold the negative : that when there is any thing unlawful to be prayed for in the offices of the Church, we are then bound to feparate from that Church. " This is a propofition by no means to be allowed, and fome time ago was fo far from being owned by the Church of England, that it was cenfured as groffly fanatical. But becaufe it now appears under another drefs, I fhall, " Firftly, ftate the point. " Secondly, fhow my reafons for diflenting from it. *' In ftating the point, fome things are to be premifed. " I. That the Church fpoken of is fuch a Church as may lawfully be communicated with in all things but this. " 2. That it would be a duty to communicate with that Church, were not this obftrudion in the way. " 3. That this obftrudion does not concern the vitals of religion. "4. That this is made no condition or term of commu- nion, nor what is required of any one towards communion, but to the minifter, who fubfcribes, ufes the offices, and is prefumed to fay Amen. " Thefe things being premifed, I apprehend the aforefaid propofition will not hold true ; for we may hold commu- nion with a Church where fomewhat is aflerted that is falfe, or prayed for that is unlawful. And it may not be improper to recollect the common reafons of the old Nonconformifts againft the Brownifts as to this particular. " I. That notwithftanding fuch miftakes in a Church, Chrift holds communion with it ; and where Chrift holds communion, we are obliged to hold it ; for it is there as with the foul in the body, which leaves not the body for the headache, or a wound that is not mortal. Pious Robert Nelfon. 8i " 2. Then If that were true we fhould hold no com- munion with any church in the world, becaufe it is more than probable that no church in its offices is fo perfedt, as to be without error or miftake in them. '* If it be faid, why do we then forfake the communion of the Church of Rome ? I anfwer : — " 1. That that Church is not to be held communion with, though its offices were pure, becaufe of the doc- trines and pradlices of it, which are corrupted in the vitals of them. " 2. That the very offices do partake of the corruption, are vitally corrupted, as in refpe6l of the objedl of worfhip — faints and images, or of the things prayed for, or the things acknowledged therein. "3. They are fo incorporated that there is no com- municating without them, the body of their fervice being madeup of th em. "4. Thefe are among them made neceffiary terms of communion ; fo fhould any of a contrary opinion hold communion with that Church In fa6t, as he is ipfo faElo an heretic, and ftands excommunicated by their Maundy Thurfday Bull, fo if difcovered he would be profecuted as fuch. "5.1 make this as a propofal. Whether if a perfon fhould go to a confeffion, and much more to an aflembly of theirs and offer to come to mafs and receive, provided he may be permitted not to believe Purgatory, &c., he would be allowed and encouraged ? And much lefs would he prevail to have the cafe fo ftated and publicly declared. " But now this is not only fo with us, as to particular cafuifts, but it Is declared upon all occafions, and publicly printed, that this Is no term of communion ; and that prac- tice fo far confirms it that thofe who do not own the govern- ment are admitted to the facrament, as well as thofe that do. ''But granting this, yet is not this diffimulation ? I anfwer. If he doth not diffemble, he is not fuppofed to diffemble. ''I. For it is the conftant and avowed principle of the Church of England, that a perfon may be prefent at a worfhip fo clrcumflantiated as before, and join In It when 82 hife and T^imes of the everything is not approved or believed to be true and good. '^ 2. It is the declared opinion that this is no condition of communion, and fo every one of the communion is not prefumed to approve it, or to hold it to be true and good, becaufe he is bound ftridly to approve no farther than it is made an article of communion. "3. There are thofe who are in communion of the Church of England, who are of another opinion, and are known to be fo, and yet allowed to communicate. *' And confequently they that join in the offices of the Church, are not neceffarily fuppofed to join in thofe par- ticulars. And there is no diffimulation in joining as far as they can, which, it ufed to be faid, all were bound to do. "As to what is objedled in relation to the guilt that is contrafled by voluntary hearing a bad thing, the obliga- tion of being prefent fufficiently difcharges one from any guilt of that kind." It will be apparent from the above argument that Nelfon ftill adhered to the Jacobite caufe, and was unable to join in the public prayers for Queen Anne. He openly pro- fefled his intention never to go to church on ftate prayer days, appointed by royal authority, for **that the intention of thofe days is a folemn acknowledgment of the pretended right to which he could not affent." He was in the habit, like other Nonjurors of the time, of expreffing his diflent j when the royal titles were given her, in the fervices of the ' church. His pra6tice here agreed with thofe of his friends Cherry and Dodwell; the former of whom ufed to rife from his knees at the name of the Queen, and ftand up facing the congregation, while the latter contented his confcience with a lefs confpicuous proteft, and ufed to flide off his knees and fit down upon his haflbck. Other Jacobite worfhippers, as Samuel Parker, fatisfied themfelves and amufed their neighbours in church by turning over the leaves of their prayer-books with unneceflary vehemence. Fious Robert Neljon. 83 fo as to avoid hearing, if poffible, the unpalatable words,* Nelfon's condu6l in quitting the nqfijuring communion received its fhare of public criticifm, and carried weight with his party. Two years before he had attracted notice by the prominent pofition he held among the London Jacobites, and when, under the apprehenfion of a French invafion in favour of the Pretender, orders were given to the jufticesf of peace for Middlefex, to profecute all Papifts and Non- jurors who did not immediately take the abjuration oath, he found it convenient to prolong his abfence from town. The imputation that he had quitted town under apprehen- fion, he fomewhat teftily repudiates in two letters to his old friend Dr. Mapletoft, the tone of which jars with his ordinary gentlenefs of expreffion. J " Reverend Sir, — I was yefterday told that you were pleafed to fay in a public coifee-houfe, that I was flipt out of the way becaufe I would not take the oaths. I muft confefs I doubt the truth of it, and I am fo well fatisfied of your friendfhip, that 'tis not pofTible for me to imagine you * Kennett MSS. vol. xvi. p. 348. Life, p. 161. The importance which was attached to Nelfon's converfion is /hown by the forenefs with which it is alluded to by the Publifher of Hickes' " Conftitution of theCatholic Church," " I have given this account of the writing this letter to Mr, Nelfon, becaufe fome people are apt to make ufe of his praflice as an argument for directing other men's confciences. But they fliould conlider that Mr, Nelfon's pra6lice was founded on Mr. DodwelPs reasons ; and if they are not good, he was certainly in the wrong. Befides to fay that Nelfon did fuch a thing and therefore I may do it too, is the moft abfurd way of reasoning in the world j for Mr, Nelfon was but a man and confequently fallible. And though he was a pious and learned man, yet I believe there is no one who imagines but that our Author was at leaft his equal in both thofe respefts." pp. viii., ix. So Hearne endeavours to extenuate the lofs which the Nonjurors received in his fecelfion. " Mr. Nelfon was not much wondered at by Dr. Hickes and his friends for a6ling thus, fince Mr. Nelfon had all along fpoke generally more honorably of the complyers than of the fufferers, and had written the life of Bilhop Bull, that was one of thofe that always did comply," " Reliquiae," — p. 799, f Luttrell's " Hillorical Relation," vol, vi, p, 296. J " European Magazine," vol. xv. pp. 353, 4, a 2 84 Life and Times of the defigned me any hurt, if you fhould have chanced to have faid'anythhig to that purpofe. In times of public ferment the lefs one is mentioned the better. It was really a very bad cold that carried me into the country the latter end of February, though other reafons prevailed upon me to make a longer ftay than I defigned. " I am, dear Sir, <^ Your moft faithful humble fervant, " Robert Nelson. " May 17, 1708. " To the Rev. Dr. Maoletoft, at Greenwich." "22 May, 1708, "Reverend Sir, — There was no occafion to have given yourfelf the trouble of writing fo long a letter. I am very well fatisfied you are my friend, and confequently that you are not capable of defigning me the leaft mifchief, but ready upon all opportunities to give me the teftimony of your true affecflion. It is very probable the report I men- tioned was founded upon the converfation you hint at, for when a ftory is repeated it generally either gets or lofes circumftances. I muft give men leave to think as they pleafe; and provided I can keep a confcience void of offence, I am lefs folicitous of their cenfures, for I muft ftand or fall at another tribunal, for which God prepare us. " I am, with great efteem and value, dear Sir, " Your moft faithful friend and fervant, "R. Nelson. *^ My humble fervice to Dr. Gaftril and Mrs. Gaftril. '' To the Rev. Dr. Mapletoft, at Greenwich." When the hopes of the Jacobite party were rifing higher Pious Robert N elf on. 85 at the clofe of Queen Anne's reign, Nelfon's eagernefs * to promote the interefts of the exiled family received additional ftimulus, and he joined Hilkiah Bedford in revifing and preparing for the prefs the notorious Jacobite book on Hereditary Right, "f The work was intended as a reply to Dr. Higden's " View of the Englifh Conftitution," in which he had vindicated the taking of the oaths to Queen Anne, upon the principle of a fuccefsfu) ufurpation. It formed a folio volume of 337 pages, in which the author argued from the acknowledged fails of Englifh hiftory, and from fome MSS. records in the pofTeffion of Lord Treafurer Harley, that the fovereign of England had never urged the plea of poffeffion, but always fome hereditary or teftamen- tary right ; and he had the affurance to excufe rather than juftify Anne's acceptance of the crown, as in truft for her abfent brother. "Cafes," he fays, " may be fuppofed of princes, who, for want of power and opportunity of doing right to the lawful heir, are forced to endure the burden of a crown, which they would readily and gladly eafe them- felves of, upon a proper occaiion ; as when the rightful heir is abroad, in a diftant kingdom, and perhaps at the difpofal of a foreign prince." The author was Rev. George Harbin,l{l Chaplain to the Lord Weymouth, at Longleate. The Litrodudlion was written by another nonjuring clergy- man, the Rev. Theophilus Downes, formerly fellow of Balliol College. The book was carried through the prefs by the Rev. Hilkiah Bedford, the deprived Vicar of Olney, Bucks, who was then keeping a boarding houfe for the * Another illuftration of Nelfon's Jacobite zeal may be gained from the interpofition, which he vainly attempted with Tenifon, in behalf of the unfortunate Sir John Fenwick. See Calamy's own Life, 2nd edit. i. 383, 4. And " Memoirs of Tenison," p. 32. -f- " The Hereditary Right of the crown of England afiferted ; the History of the SuccefTion fince the Conqueft cleared, and the tme Englifti Conftitution vindicated from the mifreprefentations of Dr. Higden's View and Defence." By a Gentleman. 171 3. \ Nichol's " Literary Anecdotes," i. 167,168. 86 Life and Times of the Weftminfter fcholars. Leflie and Nelfon were reputed at the time to be the perfons chiefly concerned in its production, and the following letter* from the latter to Bedford will exhibit the extent to which he was refponfible for the volume. *' Reverend Sir, — I have this day received the enclofed letter, f which brought me the melancholy account of the lofs of worthy Mr. Cherry, who has quickly followed his dearly beloved friend Mr. Dodwell. I am not certain whether this excellent perfon was known to you ; but he was inti- mately acquainted with y® Dean, to whom you may commu- nicate this bad news, when you find him befl; able to bear it. In my lafl letter to him, I told him that he was fo ill that his recovery was defpaired of, yet I thought it would be too great a furprize if I fhould immediately follow that ftroak with the relation of his death. God grant that thefe mementos of mortality may quicken our preparation for eternity. According to y'' defire, I am reading over once * Now firfl: printed from the Rawlinfon MSS. in the Bodleian L. 42. f The enclofed letter from Brolcefby to Nelfon may be allowed a place in a memoir of the latter: — " Shottefbrooke, Sept. 24, 1713. "Honoured Sir, — I am forry I fhould become the melTenger of unwel- come news to you. It pleafed God about 4 of the clock in the morning after which you left us, that our worthy friend Mr. Cherry was feized with a coma or lethargic diftemper, which deprived him immediately of theufe of his fenfes and underftanding, which (notwithftanding the ufe of all methods prefcribed by Dr. Brewer and Dr. Crompton, fuch as of bleeding, blilters, clyfters, &c.) he never recovered, but died this morning about 8 or 9 of the clock, and now refts from his labors he conflicted with. Mrs. Cherry (who gives her humble fervice to you) purpofes to obferve his defnes in making a private funeral for him, to be carried to church by fome of his own tenants, and not to invite any to his funeral ; otherwife fhe would upon many reafons have invited yourfelf. At prefent, intention is to bury him on Friday night. "Sir, " Yotir much obliged and humble fervant, "Fra. Brokesby. "Mrs. Cherry requefts your prayers for Mr. Cherry's difconfolate widow and fatherlefs children. " To the honoured Robt. Nelfon, Efquire, at Horton, n' Windfor." Pious Robert Neljon. 87 more that admirable Treatife Mr. Smith has printed, and may truly fay of it, decies repetita placebit. I cannot think that Dr. Higden will ever pretend to anfwer the author, who is much his fuperior in reafon and ftyle, as well as in law and hiftory. I am very much miftaken if that book is not read with univerfal applaufe. I do not remember any pafTages which are obnoxious to the cenfure of y° Go- vernment, but if I find any which may have a tendency that way, I will not fail to remark them. As to the title, we may difcourfe farther upon that point when we meet, w'^ I hope will be next week, fince I purpofe to be in town on Wenefday (fie) y'' 30th. I recommend myfelf to your prayers, and am, with great refpedl, Reverend Sir, " y moft faithful humble Servant, "Rob. Nelson." " 24th Sept. 1713." The combined caution of the two friends failed to fecure the work from a political profecution. The book indeed was introduced to public notice with every circumftance of advantage that was pofiible. " The publication of it," fays Kennet,* " I remember was with fome fort of pomp ; the title pages, in full half-fiieets of good paper, appearing on a Sunday morning upon every confpicuous poft and door, to draw away the eyes of all that were going to church, or to any religious worfhip, with an advertifement happening to be put into the next Gazette.'' (Oct. 17.) This was fuppofed to have been done by the contrivance of Bromley, f formerly the leader of the High-Church oppofition in the Commons, and now one of the Secretaries of State. Nelfon, who was much at Windfor at this time, ventured to appear at Court, and to prefent (it is faid) to her Majefty, a richly bound copy of the work, which lay in the royal clofet for * " Wifdom of looking Backwards," p. 313. f Calainy (Life ii. 268) lays that many copies were prefented to thofe in power ; Beyer adds to officers in the aimy (Annals of Q. Anne, p. 657,8). 88 Life and 'Times of the fome days after.* (Nov. 13, 17 13.) Popular opinion, however, ran fo high againft the book, that the miniftry found themfelves compelled, at the inftance of the Hano- verian Minifter, to profecute the reputed author, who was fentenced by the Court of Queen's Bench (Feb. 15, lylDf to be imprifoned for 3 years, to pay a fine of 1000 marks to the Queen, and to go round Weftminfter Hall the Fri- day following, in view of the feveral courts, with a paper on his breaft denoting his crime. He pofTefled, however, fufficient intereft to procure a remiflion of the more igno- minious part of his fentence; and when the Friday came, and a concourfe of people were aflembled to witnefs the humiliation of the Jacobite advocate, Bedford produced a pardon to that extent, obtained, it was thought, by the intercefiion of Nelfon.;{l Nelfon lived long enough to fhare with his brother Non- juror, the mortification of feeing their do(5lrine of Hereditary Right efFe(5lually repudiated by the acceilion of George I. ; and his charitable zeal prevailed fo far over his political bias, as to induce him to take a leading part in an exhibition of the Charity Schools on the new King's entry into the Me- tropolis. To the perfonal influence, however, of his different nonjuring friends, muft be afcribed, in a great meafure, that charitable zeal which eventually had the effedt of weakening his adhefion to their body. In their commu- nion, he continued, as we have feen, for nearly 20 years of his life. From among them he chofe his deareft friends ; and, under their guidance, he matured his theological opinions, and composed his devotional works. Excluded as the Nonjurors were from the paftoral care, pinched with * " Wifdom of looking Backwards," p. 317. That iVi?^« was the perfon who prefcnted the book is denied by Hcaine, " Reliquias," i. 387. ■f- See State Trials, ix. 682. \ Lanl'down MSS., 1024. Brit. Mus., being Kennett's MSS. Collections, vol. xvi. p. 444.. Pious Robert Nelfon. 89 poverty, compelled to devote their leifure to literary engage- mentSj living, moreover, in a conftant fever of political excitement and depreffion, they were precluded from taking any adlive fhare in the educational and charitable endeavours of the time. But to them belongs the credit of having trained amid their ranks as influential a religious writer, and as munificent an example of charity, as that or any age of our Church has produced. ^o Life and 'Times of the CHAPTER III. nelson's ways and methods of doing good. The Religious Societies vindicated by Nelfon. — Societies for the Reformation of Manners approved by him. — Society forpromotingChriftian Knowledge j its origin and early operations. — Nelfon elefted a Member. — His corre- fpondence with Wanley, tlie Secretary. — Extracts from the Society's Minutes. — Letters in behalf of Archbifhop of Gochtan. — The Charity Schools ; their eftablifhment and religious charafter.— Nelfon's fhare in promoting them. — Further extracts from the Minutes of the S. P. C. K. ■ — Letters to Mr. Dixon of Bath. — Extracts refumed. — Nelfon's letters to Lord Oxford in reference to the Charity Schools. — Society for the Propa- gation of the Gofpel in Foreign Parts ; its origin and labours. — Nelfon's fhare in them. — Minutes of the S. P. G. — Nelfon's thoughts on Miffions. — The designs of Dr. Bray. — Nelfon advocates his plan for Parochial Libraries — The Commiffion for building new Churches. — Nelfon a Com- mifTioner. — St. George's Chapel, Ormond-ftreet. — Nelfon's fuggeftions for building churches. — Charitable Defideranda enumerated by him.— Theological Seminaries needed. — Charity Schools for Blackguard Boys. — Nelfon's " Addrefs to Perfons of Qu^ality and Eftate." ^ Robert Nelson's return to the Eftablifhed Communion was doubtlefs in great part owing to the intimacies that he had contracted with the moft excellent of her members, in the profecution of different charitable and religious under- takings. He appears to have emerged about the year 1699 from the retirement in which he had previoufly lived among the Nonjurors, and to have found himfelf promptly and cordially welcomed, defpite of political differences and ecclefiaftical feparation, into the ranks of thofe pious and zealous churchmen who were now banding themfelves together in the caufe of morality and religion. From that date till fliortly before his death, in 1714, we find him almoft daily occupied with the bufinefs of the church affociations of the day ; the patron and advocate of the Pious Robert Nelfon. Rel igious S ocieties, and of the Societies for the Reformation of Manners^; a leading member, and a frequent chairman of'TlTe Society for Eromoting ChriftTan Knowledge ; a conftant attendant at the meetings or the fifter Society for the Propagation^ the GofpeMn_ Foreign Parts ; a liberaP fupporter of the Rev. Dr. Bray's Defign_for the eftablifh- ment of parochial librariesT' a member oT^the Royal Commiffion foLi;building ,.fifty_jiew churches in London anJ\Veftminfter ; one of the chief promoters of the ereftionoT chanty;^ Jchgijls ; taking a lively intereft in the Corporation of the Sons_of_tlie Clergy, in the eftablifhment of Queen.Aiiag^s_Bounty, and in the attempts then made towards the provifion of parochial workhoufes for the poor. To an adive part in all thefe pious undertakings he added a keen and thoughtful appreciation of thofe^ religious wants which ftiU remained unprovjdeHjJ^an'd^n his lift of charitable works then lacking in our country he included theological feminariesjoiL_t]ie.,.,clergy ; training colleges for themafters'and miftreffe^of th&-ftewly=fi9m3ded 1 charity fchooI|T"ftlToors for the j/ Bla ckguard boys'' of our / ftre etsTeq uivalent to the'Ragged Schools of a fubfequent period; fpecial hofpitals fo^particular difeafes ; penitentiaries for fallen women ; a foundling hofpital for jheir children ; places of religious retiremenFTor the devout ; houfes of probation for -converts from popery or_.difl^nt; the appointment"of fufFragan BlfKops for the Americ^Q p lan- / tations ; an d_,a corporation*' for TKeconverfion of thef Romanifts of Ireland. HH '" ' *^ ""^" -Oi d f A. 6 -iS I. 'The Religious Societies. In our enumeration of thefe " ways and methods of doing good," as Nelfon entitles them, the firft place is due to the Religious Societies of young men, which were founded in London about the year 1678. The narrative gz Life and Times of the of their eftablifhment* recalls the circumftances under which the fimilar focietics of St. Vincent de Paul were founded at Paris fixty years before. A few young men belonging to the middle ftation of life, imprefled by the 'fermons of Dr. Horneck, the well-known preacher at the Savoy, and of Mr. Smithies, ledurer at St. Michael's Cornhill, touched fo with a fenfe of their fins, and earneftly defiring to live nearer to God, began to feel their need of clofer and fpiritual intercourfe and of mutual encourage- ment in the pradices of piety. And they formed them- felves, therefore, by the advice of fome clergymen, into a religious fociety, the members of which agreed to meet together one evening in the week for religious conference ; on which occafions they fang pfalms and prayed, read portions of Holy Scripture, and difcourfed upon fome point of praftical religion. They were all zealoufly attached to the Church of England, and when in King James the Second's reign they faw the mafs celebrated daily in the Chapel Royal and elfewhere, they refolved, in a fpirit of laudable emulation, to fet up daily prayers at eight in the evening at St. Clement Danes, where they " never wanted," we are told, " a full and affeftionate congregation." Their earneft anxiety to guard themfelves from declenfion in religion fecured their frequent reception of the Holy Com- munion, and their carefulnefs to receive it with unimpaired reverence induced them to fet up preparation ledlures on the Sunday or Friday preceding its adminiftration at many churches in town. And not content with receiving the Sacrament upon the holydays of the Church, they were in the habit of meeting at one another's houfes on the vigils, or evenings preceding, in order to difcourfe pioufly upon the fubjedl matter of the day. To this anxiety to promote * See the "Account of the Rile and Progrefs of the Religious Societies of the City of London, &:c., and of their endeavours for Reformation of Manners," by Jofiah Woodward, D.D. The yth edition. 1800. Pious Robert Nelfon. 93 their own perfonal religion, they were not forgetful to add pradlical works of charity. Each member brought to the weekly conference a contribution proportioned to his means, toward the common fund, out of which fums were granted for the relief of the poor, whom they fought out at their homes, for the maintenance of charity fchools, in the eftablifhment and management of which the members fpecially interested themfelves ; for the fupport of daily prayers and ledures ; and for the promotion of Dr. Bray's defigns in the American plantations. Thefe focieties did not purfue their path of piety and ufefulnefs without having to contend againft fomething of prejudice and fufpicion. It was objedted by men of duller fenfibility in religion, who did not themfelves feel the need of fuch fpiritual intercourfe, that their promoters were but fetting up a church within a church, and refining upon the Chriftian communion which was to be enjoyed at the Holy Table of every parifh ; while, with greater juftice, the facility was pointed out with which fuch afTociations might be perverted to party purpofes, and lead to the formation of fedls within the Church, or of fchifms from her pale. The unaffedied piety, however, and the zealous labours of their members, prevailed over fuch contingent difadvantages, and obtained them the favour of Tillotfon, Compton, and many other of the prelates ; while the opportunity of fympathetic intercourfe that they afforded to young men like-minded in religion, fatisfied a genuine craving of human nature, and enfured their rapid increafe and exten- fion ; fo that at laft as many as forty-two different afTocia- tions held their meetings in London, and fimilar focieties were eflablifhed at Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, Drogheda, and many other large towns, and even in fome rural parifhes. Robert Nelfon was keenly alive to their ufefulnefs and 94 Life and Times of the value, and gives them * a foremoft place amid the different methods, which he enumerates, for promoting the life and fpirit of Chriftianity at home ; and in the preface to his " Feftivals and Fafts" he thinks proper formally to undertake the defence of their conftitution. *' I think it a great piece of juftice," he writes, " to acknowledge and commend the pious and devout praftices of the Religious Societies, who in this point as well as in many others, diftinguifh themfelves by their regular con- formity and obedience to the laws of the Church ; for they conftantly attend the public affemblies upon fuch holy feafons. And till they can communicate regularly in their own parifh churches upon fuch days, they embrace thofe opportunies that are provided, there being two churches in London employed for that purpofe ; f where they as duly receive the bleffed Sacrament upon all feftivals, as they perform all the other adls of public worfhip. Plow they fpend the vigils, in preparing their minds for a due celebration of the enfuing folemnity, is more private, but not lefs commendable. And the great care they take to fu^^prefs the dawnings of eiit hijfiaf m. and to difcountenance thenTft appearaFITe^r uf ariyvicious pra6lices amongft their members ; and the methods they impofe before delin- quents are entirely reconciled, or totally reje6led, is fuch a preparation of the minds of the laity for the reception of that difcipline which is wanted in the Church, that if ever we are blefied with what good men wifh for, and bad men fear, thefe religious focieties will be very inftru- mental in introducing it, by that happy regulation which prevails amongft them. And while they pay that defer- ence they profefs to their parochial minifters, and are ready to be governed by their Rules and Orders to the judgment of the reverend clergy, I cannot apprehend but that they muft be very ferviceable to the intereft of religion, and may contribute very much to revive that * " Address to Perfons of Quality and Eftate," by Robert Nelfon, Esqr., 1715. p. 136, 7. f St. Mary le Bow and St. Dunftan in the Weft. \ Pious Robert Neljon. 95 true fpirit of Chriftianlty, which was fo much the glory of the primitive times." That this fpecial apology was made neceffary by fome particular attacks then made upon the focieties, is rendered probable by the notice that was taken of it, a few weeks after,* at the meeting of the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge ; when " Mr. Brewfter acquainted the Society that Mr. Nelfon had lately publifhed a book, entitled, * A Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church of England,' and that in the preface he had made very honourable mention of the Religious Societies, and vindicated them from the objedlions made againft them. And the book being pro- duced, the paragraphs relating thereunto were read. Refolved, that the hearty thanks of the Society be given to Mr. Nelfon, for the compofing and printing his faid excellent treatife, and particularly for what was now read ; and that Sir John Phillips and Mr. Brewfter be defired to acquaint him with the fame." On the 13th January following, it was agreed '* that the treafurer do deliver a copy to the fteward of each of the Religious Societies, at their quarterly meeting." And a fubfequent minute j" illuftrates the advantage which they derived from the advocacy of Nelfon: — ■ " A letter was read from Mr. Ellis of Sheffield to Mr. Skeate, certifying that lately at York, he found two Religious Societies of young men ; that he affifted at one of them, which met under the direftion of Mr. Bradley ; which fociety at firft were afraid that the Archbifhop would not approve of their meetings ; but that iince then, Mr. Bradley had affured them that his Grace is perfedlly reconciled, and in a particular manner returned his thanks to Mr. Nelfon for his account of them, in his preface to the * Feafts and Fafts of the Church.' " % * 23rd Dec, 1703. -f- July 14, 1706. j X The fequel of thefe focieties is melancholy and difappointing. They 96 Life and 'Times of the 2. Societies for the Reformation of Manners. Many of the members of the Religious Societies were alfo engaged in tlie Societies for the Reformation of Manners, which have fometimes been confounded with the former, but which differed from tliem both in their objed and in their organifation.* The chief defign of the ReHgious Societies was, as we have feen, the promotion of perfonal piety among their members, who were all communicants of the Church of England ; while the objed of the other was the enforcement of the laws againft vice, an under- taking in which difTenters from the Church were freely allowed to co-operate. Thefe latter focieties had their origin, about 1691, in the efforts of five or fix privat gentlemen at London, who fet themfelves to recover pubhc morality from the exceffes which had difgraced it under Charles II., and which ftill maintained an unblufhing face, in fpite of the more decorous example of William and Mary's court. One of thefe Reformation Societies was central body, compofed of eminent lawyers, members parliament, magiftrates, and other gentlemen, who met together for confutation how befl to put in force the o? largely fha red in the High-Church enthufiafm of Q. Anne's reign, imbibed a tincture of Jacobite tendencies, became obnoxious to the new Government, and drew down fome obloquy on the Charity Schools which they had fupported. They perifhed in the decay of religion under the Georges, one of their laft annual meetings at Bow Church being in 1738, when they liftened toafermon of Dr. Berriman, warning the members againft being led aftray by the irregu- larities of Whitfield. After that time, the warm piety which had animated \ } thefe religious focieties and given fuch vigor to the Church's work, was I i drained off into another channel. * See an " Account of the Societies for the Reformation of Manners in Eng- land and Ireland, with a perfuafive to Perfons of all ranks to be zealous and diligent in promoting the Execution of the Laws againft Prophanenefs and De- bauchery, for the effc6^ing a National Reformation.'" The 5th edition. 1701. Alfo an "Account of the Progrefsof the Reformation of Manners in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and other parts of Europe and America, with reafons and directions for our engaging in this glorious work," The 14th edition, with additions. 1706. Pious Robert Neljon. 97 laws againft fwearing, drunkennefs, and profanation of the Lord's Day, and who fubfcribed towards the expenfes of profecutlon. A fecond fociety confifted of about fifty tradefmen and others, who made it their bufinefs to fupprefs the debauchery of the ftreets. The members of another aflbciatioii undertook the obnoxious tafk of public informers, and brought the delinquents to punifhment. Other bodies were varioufly conftituted in the metropolis for fimilar objedls ; and affiliated focieties were formed at Hull, Nottingham, Briftol, and other provincial towns ; blank warrants being fent down from London to the local aflb- ciations for execution upon offenders, with an abftrad; of the penal laws for the guidance of their members. The defign was encouraged by royal proclamations and parliamentary addrefles. A new Ad: of Parliament was I obtained againft curfing and fwearing. Grand juries, in j their prefentments, took notice of thefe exertions. The I dignitaries of the Eftablifhed Church warmly exerted them- ifelves in the caufe. Tenifon recommended the focieties to his fuffragans in a circular letter. BIfhop Fowler wrote a vindication of their proceedings. Stlllingfleet brought them under the notice of Oueen Mary. Bifhops Kidder, ] Williams, and Trelawney, Patrick and Burnet, Dr. Bray I and Dr. Stanhope made honourable mention of them in i their charges, or preached before them at their quarterly ^m.eetings at Bow Church. Under fuch patronage the inferior members of thefe focieties profecuted their undertaking with a zeal which fometimes bordered upon intolerance. 1 Seventy or eighty warrants were fometimes executed m a week upon common fwearers in the metropolis, " fo that our conft.ables fometimes of late have found it difficult to take up a fwearer in divers of our ftreets." The Sunday_mark£l5jb«— which had b.gen_kept o£en_^for fome years previoufly, were effedually fuppreffed ; drovers and "carriers ''weFe"' ftoppe3~~* 98 Life and Times of the in the road ; bakers were not allowedto appear in the ftreet with their bafkets, or " barbers with their pot, bafin, or periwig-box ;" a ftrid watch was kept on pubHc-houfes, and " no tippling was allowed in them on the Lord's Day ;" hundreds of diflblute houfes were clofed, and '' fome thoufands of lewd perfons"'were imprifoned, fined, and whipt, and the Tower end of the town much purged from that peftilential generation of night-walkers ; forty or fifty of them being fen t in a w eek to Bridewell, from whencf^ at their own defire, they were tranfported to / America, to gain an honeft li velihood j n the plantation s." While to fuch cogent meafures the milder perfuafions of argument were added, and no lefs t han ioo,ooo fhor t tra6ls againft drunkenn eisand other vices were gratuitoufly difperfed throughout the country, efpecial care being taken to preietrFthem to the c ulprits u pon rnuvjf^-ion: Such unlparing attacks upon vice pro voked ( as might! be expedled) no mcon fiderab le. oppofitinn. The agents of \ the fdcTetieS offen" came into rough conta6t with the pro- I fligates of the town. A Mr. Cooper was ^yxdgreg.. by fome^ftrl'diers, as he was affiftin^iXiiniiibTem the execution of 'flisl5/iice! And the tragical end of a Mr. Dent excited general Indignation, the focieties attending his funeral at St. Clement's Church, Dr. Bray preaching a funeral fermon, and fix juftices of the peace bearing the pall on the occafion. Oppofition ofanother_kind was offere d by De Foe, who (in this, as in fo many_other poin ts, befo re~~his age) remonftrated againft the plan of fupprefiijigvice by penal- ties, and fatirically adyifed the high er clafTes to refoinruthe manners of the p eople by _e2caiiLpk rather than by law. On the other hand, the High-Churchmen of the day took objedion to the conftitution of the focietiegT 'Ss an unde- firable cofflbt oatio ji_- ^f chur dirn£iiIaiid^-44J^trters ; Arch- bifhop Sharp refufed to countenance their eilablifhment at Pious Robert Nelfon. cj9 Nottingham, and Dr. Sacheverell preached againft them in an aflize fermon at Derby. Robert Nelfon's High-Church principles did not, how- ever, prevent Tiim ft^^iTi__C(Q:^perating with diil£iUi&cs"^ni the enforcement of public morality, nor did he exhibit any diftruft in the efficacy of fuch compulfory meafures for the fuppreflion of vice, or betray any of our modern difinclination for their adoption. He was a warm fup- porter and advocate of the focieties for the reformation of manners, pleading that among their good efFedts "many offenders, by being thus legally profecuted, have been brought to a fenfe of their fin and folly, and have been reclaimed ; fo that, by the bleffing of God upon thefe endeavours, great good hath been done, not only to the removing of public fcandal and ill examples, (in which this work hath had fo very great fuccefs), but, as we have reafon to hope, in refcuing fouls from everlafting deftruc- tion." He would make the fupport of thefe endeavours a matter of obligation with all confident Chriftians, and argues that " it looks fomewhat like mocking of God, when we pray that He would reform the wicked, and do not our endeavours to afllil therein. How can we pray that magistrates * may minifter juftice to the punifhment of wickednefs and vice,' when we make not one ftep towards having our prayers anfwered, either by giving information againft offenders, or by contributing money, or otherwife, for the detefting of them ? " And he concludes* with a recommendation of the " * Account of the Society for the Reformation of Manners in London and Weftminfler,' writ with great ferioufnefs and judgement by a worthy gentleman, who is eminent in doing good ; and if, after that, any one hath any obje6lion to be anfwered, let him read Mr. Difney's ' EfTay upon the execution of the Laws * " Addrefs to Perfons of Qiiality and Eftate," pp. 153 fcqq. See alfo his " Life of Bull," p. 366. H 2 lOO IJfe and T'imes of the againft Immorality and Profanenefs ;' which it is impoffible to read without being aifefted with it, if he have any fenfe of religion, or any concern for the good of his /^ country."* . .^ ^ mJtJm 3. Society for Promoting Chriflian Knowledge. 0^ Toward the Religious Societies, and the Societies for the Reformation of M.mners, Nelfon ftood in the relation of an apologift and patron. Of the Society fo r pro jjioting Chriftian Knowledge h e was one of J :]ie_£ar-U€it— aad moft Influential members, a nd all bu t_pne of its ori2;i nal foj anders. This venerable society was firft eiiablifhed at the end of 1698 by a few friends of Dr. Tho mas Bray^ In purfuance of < the following agreement : '^ Whereas the growth of vice and immorality is greatly owing to_grors ignorance~of the principTes~ofTH e Chriftian rel^ylon, we whofe names are underwritten do agree to meet together as often as we can conveniently, to confult, under the condu6t of the Divine providence and affiftance, how we may be able, by due and lawful methods, to promote Chriftian knowledge." The earlieft recorded meeting of the Society was on the 8th of March following, when Lord Guildford, Sir Humphrey Mackworth, Juftice Hook, Dr. Bray, and Col. Colchefter were the members prefent. To thefe were fhortly added rriany of the moft eminent churchmen of the day. Among the prelates, Bifhops Fowler and Williams, and Kidder, Lloyd of Worcefter, and Evans of Bangor became mem- bers of the Society ; Burnet encouraged it by a donation of lol. per annum; and Patrick, when waited on with a * Thefe focieties continued their exertions for about 40 years. In 1757, when they had been for a few years quite extinct throughout the kingdom, an attempt was made to revive them by fome members of WeHey's and Whit- field's congregations, in conjun6tion with fome Diffenters. John Wefley preached a fermon before the new Society, Jan. 30 1763, at the chapel in West-street, Seven-dials. Pious Robert Nelfon. loi printed account of its proceedings, *^ heartily thanked God for it," and promifed to " give it all the countenance he could." Among the inferior clergy, Mr. Shute, the lec- turer of St. Mary's, Whitechapel, Dr. Manningham, then redlor of St. Andrew's, Holborn, Sir George Wheeler (Hickes's pupil), and Nelfon's old friend Dr. Mapletoft, were the firft to join in the undertaking ; while among the lay m embers werej ound-the names of William iVfelmoth, Sir Richard Blackmore, and Robe rt Nelf on. Among the correfponding members, who diffeminated the publications of the Society, and reported the progrefs of religion in their feveral localities, were John Strype the antiquary, vicar of Lowleyton, Gilbert White of Selbourne, George MompefTon T,-. of Mansfield Notts, Francis Bragge of Hitchin, author of " Difcourfes on the Miracles ;" Samuel Wefley of Epworth, who fent an account of a religious fociety in his parifh ; William Reeves, the tranflator of the early Chriftian Apo- logifts, whofe acquaintance Nelfon made at his vicarage of Cranford ; Dr. Grabe, for the dominions of the King of Pruffia ; and Dr. Wilfon, Bifhop of Man. Two of the main objects to which the Society addreffed itfelf, wer?~Tlie~eItabiirhment of charity fchools, and the promotion*5f"©TT~Bray's mrffronary defig'fiy; objetfts-which will claim a ieparate notice in this enumeration of Robert Neifon's " Ways and Methods of doing Good." The circulation of books of piety formed from the firft another branch of their operations, and among the publications which Nelfon faw placed upon their lift, mention may be made, in addition to his own writings, of Dr. Woodward's trads againft Drunkennefs and Swearing, Oftervald's " Abridgement of the Bible," " The Faith and Duty of a Chriftian," Lewis's '' Church Catechifm explained," Bradford on Regeneration, Melmoth's '^Great Importance of a Reli- gious Life," Bull's "Corruptions of the Church of Rome," the ^*Life of James Bonnell," and Scougal's "Life of God 102 Life and 'Times of the in the Soul of Man ;" as works which after a period of 150 years ftill maintain their place upon the catalogue of the Society. Another objeft which engaged much of their time, and to which their attention was dire(5led by Bifhop Comp- ton, was the moral and_jr£]igiaus_-Ceaidition_^f the inmates of mjr^_arink.r^]~nVrr. Shute was dire6led to confer with the ordinaries of Newgate and Ludgate, and Col. Colchefter with the City Marfhal on the fubjed. Dr. Bray and Mr. Stubbs, the admired reader of the Spedator,* were deputed to vifit the apartments of the prifoners, and a Committee of Prifons was appoilTtrdTo^ireport on the abufes of prifons and their remedies; the pious Mr. Boehm, chaplain to Prince George of Denmark, who was himfelf in the habit of vifiting the metropolitan prifoners once a week, offering his co-operation. Bibles and Prayer books were provided for the different wards, Kettlewell's ''Office for Prifoners" was gratuitoufly difperfed among the inmates, and a Mr. RawUns appointed preacher at the Marfhalfea, which had previoufly been deftitute of a chaplain. A packet of reli- gious books was fent to every county gaol. A form of prayer drawn up for criminals condemned to die was dif- perfed by four of the judges, and endeavours were made to fecure the unhappy criminals the privilege of a feparate cell, in which they might more religioufly prepare themfelves for their end. Other claffes of the population received particular atten- tion. Suitable books of devotion were difperfed among the patients of the London hofpitals. 30,000 copies of the "Soldier's Monitor" were fent to the army in Holland. A plan for the reformation of Seamen was taken into con- fideration, and Admiral Benbow and Sir George Rooke undertook to have fimilar trads difperfed throughout the fleet. 800 "Kind Cautions againft Swearing" were diftributed * No. 14.7, Pious Robert Nelfon. 103 in t^n among the hackney coachmen; *'Kind Cautions to Watexmen " were difperfed among the Weft countrybarge^ men, and 26 copies were given by the Secretary^**^-^^ie Cfiamberlayne, a waterman, a very honeft and good man, who had promifed to difperfe them among all the water- men where he fhould think that they would do moft good." While at the fame time the vices of the upper clafles did not efcape animadverfion, reprefentations were drawn up of the immoralities of the ftage, and a proteft hfted againft the pra6lice of duelling.* "" ' — — ^ To thefe exertions at homiC the Society added an aftive intereft in miffionary undertakings abroad. They early gave a liberal fupport to the Danifti miflionaries in Malabar, and printed a Portuguefe Teftament for their ufe ; they procured a catechifm to be drawn up by Bifhop Williams of Chichefter for the Greek churches, and had them tranflated into Romaic by fome Greeks then ftudying at Oxford. Bibles and prayer books were fent to Newfoundland, and miftion- aries proceeding to Virginia and Pennfylvania were provided with thefe and other books of devotion. The French refugees going to America were fupplied with tradls in French, and Dutch tra6ts were fent for diftribution in Holland. The refugees from Orange, then laid wafte by the French, were confoled with copies of Kettlewell's "Office for the Perfecuted ;" and attention being called by Dr. Woodward to the ftate of the Englifh captives in the Ifland of Ceylon, it was " ordered that fifty of the ' Confolatory Letters to Slaves,' be delivered to Dr. Evans " for their ufe. The affiduous and influential part which Robert Nelfon took in thefe proceedings will be beft exhibited by a feries * "Refolved, that the thanks of this Society be given to Sir John Phillips, for the nobleft Chriltian example he has fliown in refufing a challenge after the higheft provocation imaginable, and that the Lord Guildford be pleafed to acquaint him therewith." Minute of Dec. 21, 1699. 104 L^f^ '^^d 'Tnnes of ihe of extrads from tlie minutes of the Society, and from his own letters to Wanlcy, the Secretary. Thus We find, on June 8th, 1699, that Mr. Nelfon was propofed the firfi: time; on the 19th he was propofed a fecond time, and Dr. Bray and Mr. Mclmoth undertook to inquire concerning him ; on the 22nd he was finally "approved of," and Dr. Bray and Mr. Shute requefted to defire him to attend. On the 27th of the following January we find him propofing as member the then fafhion- able phyfician and poet. Sir Richard Blackmore, and, on March 5, taking his feat at the Society's meeting as chair- man for the month. On this latter occafion, by the intereft of Nelfon, Humphrey Wanley was appointed Secretary, and the advantage of his correfpondence kept Nelfon acquainted with the proceedings of the Society, whether he were attending his wife to the waters of Tonbridge or Bath, paying a vifit to her fon. Sir Berkely Lucy, at Woodcote, or making a more congenial ftay with the Berkely family at Cranford. Many of the letters have been preferved which Nelfon addreflcd to Wanley in reply. Thus he exprefies his confidence in the qualifications of the new Secretary : — '^ You are fo well qualified to ferve the Society whofe profperity I am moft zealoufly concerned for, that, as that engaged me firft in your intereft, fo it will alwaies incline me to favour and promote it ; and if I find upon any occafions fome of our members lefs fenfible of it, I fhall endeavour to fet your merits in a true light. I per- fe6tly fee the difficulties you contend with, and hope a little time, with the help of your patience and prudent conduft, will entirely mafter them. I am very glad you go thro with fettling the correfpondence upon a good foot ; the putting it into a right method may caufe fome prefent trouble, but the future eafe and advantage will fufficiently recompenfe it." Pious Robert Nelfon. 105 On another occafion he fympathlfes with Wanley In the annoyance he experienced from fome attempts of the previous Secretary, to diflodge him from his employment. ** I cannot fufficiently wonder why Mr. Chamberlayne fhould trouble the Society with his complaints. I mull confefs, I have that opinion of your conduct as to believe that it will always be feafoned with piety and prudence." — " The fervice you pay the worthy Dean of Worcefter, increafes the value and efteem I have for you, for I think he may defervedly be placed in the iirft rank of the great men of this age. 1 beg he may have my moll humble fervice ;" or " I am forry Mr. Chamberlayne continues to give you fo much uneafinefs ; he Is refolved to make your patience as confpicuous as your other good qualities." He wifhes his friend "a good and merry Eafter ; and that, with a great many commendable quali- ties, you may preferve the exerclfe of all Chriftian virtues, in which are laid the fureft foundation of our happinefs." He reports that Mr. Bennett of Colchefter (the well- known opponent of the DifTenters) would become a correfpondent of the Society ; he enclofes Mr. Bull's letter about undertaking a fimilar charge ; or he fuggefts that "If you want a correfpondent for Bath, methlnks Arch- deacon Clement, who lives here upon the fpot, might be very proper for that purpofe.'* Even when attending on his mother's death-bed, Nelfon does not fufpend his Intereft In a remonftrance the Society was prefenting againft the playhoufes of the day, but prefTes his friend to " let me know what is done" In it. He begs Wanley to bring with him his tranflation of Oilervald's " Catechifm" to the Meeting of the Society, at Serjeant Hook's, " for I have prevailed with Dr. Stanhope to revife it, and have pro- mifed my affiftance." He difcufles Dr. Mannlngham's opinion in reference to the etymology of Maundy Thurfday, io6 Life and 'Times of the and owns that fome agree with him in thinking ** that that being the day our Blcflcd Saviour inftituted the Blefled Sacrament, and left that great command to them of commemorating Him in that a6lion, it was therefore called dies mandali ; though (he adds) Spelman derives it with much greater probability from the French word mande, v/hich fignifies Sportula ; quafi dies Sportularum ; it being the cuftom of the kings of France, when they waflied the feet of the poor upon that day, to be very charitable in the diftribution of their alms." He writes from the country, at another time, for " the minutes of the four laft meetings, as well as thofe of this day, that I may not be a ftranger to the affairs of the Society. My long abfence has been partly occafioned by a fevere fit of the gout in both my feet, under which I labour at prefent. I was feized from my own home, and continue at the Countefs Dowager of Berkeley's, at Cranford, in Middlefex, where the penny-poft reaches." In reply to an invitation to be prefent at the annual dinner* of the Society, he regrets that his diftance from town will prevent his " attending the fociable and friendly meeting defigned next Wednefday ; however, I defire you to pay my half- crown to the flewards, and it (hall be accounted for." He commiffions Wanley to fecure Dr. Manningham to take his place as chairman of the Society's meeting ; and regrets that he will not be able to be prefent himfelf, as the dark 0(5lober nights would not favour his return to Blackheath. The removal of his refidence from Blackheath to Ormond Street, in the autumn of 1703, enabled him now to become ' one of the mofl regular attendants at the weekly meetings of the Society, and his name is conftantly occurring at this time in the minutes of its proceedings. Thus : — * At this dinner, the 13th Chapter of i Corinthians was always read to the Society during the meal. Pious Robert Nelfon. 107 " I 703 . Nov. 1 1 . — Mr. Nelfon in the chair. Mr. Nelfon laid upon the table a dangerous libel entitled ' The Princi- ples of the Proteftant Reformation explained,' and acquainted them with the ill principles contained and fuggefted therein ; and alfo, that he had already taken care to fend one of them to a Minifter of State (the Earl of Nottingham) with a letter defiring him to take cognizance of the matter, and care to find out and punifh the author * and printer. For which information the Society returned him thanks. "Nov. 18. — Mr. Nelfon is appointed on a committee for eftablifhing lending libraries in Wales. "Dec. 16. — Mr. Nelfon produced before. the Society the 1 1 th volume of Tillotfon's Sermons, and out of Ser- mon XI., on Ephefians iv. 29, he read two paragraphs again fl: plays, jon which it was agreed thXt ~th& faid para^ graphs rmght be forthwith printed, and difperfed among ladie"s~of quality, &c., with very good effecfb. Alfo that at the bottom of the faid paper a query might be put,_wheth£J^ aftijTgjthe * Te mpefl:' up on the next Wednefday after the late drea^fuMlorm, at the new play-houfe in Little Lincolil*s~' Inn Fields, was proper or feafonable ? " March 2. — Mr. Nelfon acquainted the Society that he had received a letter from Sir John Phillips, wherein * The author of this traft was the Rev. William Stephens, Reflor of Sutton in Surrey, who, while holding cure of Ibuls in a Chriftian Church, difgraced his minifterial office by a feries of virulent and iarcaftic pamphlets, which had the hardly difguifed objeft of bringing religion and its minifters into contempt. For a trail of a fimilar character written by him in the fol- lowing year, he was fined 100 marks, and fentenced to ftand twice in the jpillory ; the latter portion of the fentence being remitted in refpe6l for his pro- jtefTion, only after he had been brought to a public-houfe at Charing-Crofs, jfrom whence he might view the preparations for its execution, Againft his tra6l on the Principles of the Proteftant Reformation, Nelfon in vain invoked a public profecution j and thoughtproper accordingly to reply to its arguments in the following Pamphlet: — "The neceflity of Church Com- munion vindicated from the fcandalous afperfionsof a late Pamphlet, Entituled, The Principles of the Proteftant Reformation explained, in a Letter of Refolu- tion, concerning Church Communion. Humbly offered to the confideration of the Right Rev. and Rev. Clergy, aflembled in Convocation. " Haud Scio an pietate adverfus Deos fublata, fides etiam et Societas humani generis, et una excellentiffima virtus, Juftitia, tollatur. Cicer. De Natu. Deor, io8 Life and 'Times of the he propofes the eredlion of a Hke workhoufe hi the city of Weftminfter, as has been eredled in the city of London ; he being of opinion that the fame Ad of Parliament which empowered the city of London to fet up fuch a workhoufe extends alfo to die liberty of Weftminfter. '^704. April 27. — The Secretary produced his tranf- " London, Printed for A. and J. Churchill, at the Black Swan in Paternofter Row, 1705." This very rare tra6t, which is preferved in the Archiepifcopal Library at Lambeth, is written in a mingled drain of" pleafantry and indignation, and in ftyle very much refembles Nelfon's earlier traft on Tranfubrtantiation. It may be iufficient to quote his rejoinder to a flippant remark of his antagonift, that if our Saviour were this day upon earth, He would pleafe no party in the Church, nor be well pleafed with them. " Would not our Saviour, if now on earth," is Nelfon's reply, "be well pleafed with Bifliops and Ceremonies ? Firft, if not with Ceremonies, how came he to be pleafed in any age with the Chriftian Church ? For in all ages the Church had them ; and in the 4th century they grew fo numerous, that St. Augullin a little after complained of their burden. Nay, the Apostolical age was not without them ; for then we read of Love Feafts and the Kils of Charity, and that fome of the ApolUes themfelv. s, as St. James and St. John, wore the pontifical TreVaAov; and they, we miy fuppofe, knew much better than you or I do what would difpkafe their Mader, when the one was His brother and the other His beloved difciple. Secondly, if not with Bifhops, how came they to be always in the Catholic Churth? and every particular Church in all ages to be governed by them ? For tell me, in what age there were none ? or in what year of our Lord their order began ? Our Saviour, you know, was fent by His Father, and as His Father fent Him, fo he fent His Apoftles, and they BiHiops ; and therefore, as their commiffion was lacred and their order divine, fo was it eftablifhed in the beginning of Chriftianity, and Bifhops in thofe days were governors of Churches. And hence it is, as we read, that St. James and Simeon were iuccefTively bifhops of Jerufalem ; Evodius and Ignatius of Antioch; Linus, Anacletus and Clement of Rome; Anni;mus and Avilius of Alexandria; Polycarp of Smyrna, and Timothy and Titus, the one of Ephefus, the other of Crete ; all of them bifhops in that age, and prefiding over their feveral churches before the death of the Apoftles, And is it poffiblc, think you, that our Saviour now would be difpleafed with his own Inftitution, with that order of men which his Apoftles, by virtue of that power He gave them, fettled in His Church, and in tliofe early times too before the fimplicity of the Gofpel, as your phrafe is, grew out of fafhion. No, no, Sir • were He now upon earth, you may affure yourfelf of the contrary, and that if He were difpleafed, it would be with the Papacy for retrenching and ufurpino- their power, with the Kirk of Scotland, and other Churches, for abrogating their order and advancing Prcfbyters to their place and dignity. He would be pleafed with none who abufed that government which he eftablifhed, much lefs with you who have not only derided and reviled it, but alfo the whole body of the clergy, and the Church of God in all ages." Pious Robert Nelfon. 109 lation of the fervice eftablifhed in the church of Neufchatel, which was referred to Mr. Nelfon's perufal. " Sept. 28. — Mr. Shute acquainted the Society that Mr. Nelfon had defired 100 of our fmall books about Family Devotion, and * The Chriftian's Way to Heaven,' to be distributed at Tonbridge ; ordered that they be fent accordingly. "Nov. 2. — Ordered that 200 copies of a tracSt entituled ^ The Whole Duty of a Chriftian,' by way of queftion and anfwer, be bought at the prime coft when printed.* " Nov. 8. — A letter from Mr. Ollervald to the Society was read, thanking them for their prefent of books fent to him ; particularly for Mr. Nelfon's * Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts,' which he hopes will be of great ufe in completing their fervice at Neufchatel. "Feb. 22. — Mr. Nelfon reported that Mr. Hodges had received a benefadlion of 5I., to be laid out in Bifhop Beveridge's ^ Expofition of the Church Catechifm,' and defired the advice of the Society about the difperfing of them, which the Society were of opinion might be beft done in the diocefe of St. David's. *' March i. — Agreed, that Dr. Manningham and Mr. Nelfon do attend his Grace the Archbifhop of York, and do defire him, in the name of the Society, to print his excellent fermon about keeping a good confcience, which he lately preached in the church of St. Andrew's, Holborn. " 1705. April 13. — Mr. Shute propofed for circulation by the Society a traft entituled ' Forms of Prayer, before, at, and after receiving the Holy Sacrament.' And the Society did refer it to the perufal of Dr. Manningham and Mr. Nelfon. ^ "July II. — Mr. Nelfon acquainted the Society that the Earl of Berkeley would give 25I. to the relief of the French confeffors in the galleys." * This Trafl was compiled by Nelfon. 1 1 o Life and 'Times of tJie In Auguft Nelfon accompanies his wife to Tonbridge for the benefit of her health, and from thence preffes Wanley to keep him acquainted with the bufniefs of the Society. " You know when I am in London I frequently attend the affairs of your Society ; and as it is in order to do all the little good I can, fo it is very neceffary that I may be in fome meafure mafter of their concerns." And, thanking him for his reply, he adds, " The weather proving very encouraging, and the waters agreeing very well with my wife, we are like to continue here till after Michaelmas ; fo that I may ftill hope to be entertained with another of your letters." On his return to London his name again appears in the minutes of the Society. "1705. Nov. I. — Mr. Nelfon told the Society that he i had lately received 500 Bibles and 800 Common Prayer ; Books, being a benefadlion to this Society, who may difperfe them where it thinks fit; and that the benefadlor defires that poor families may be furnifhed with them before * y. any particular perfons. jM^liJ^^ "Nov. 15. — A letter was read from Mr. Bedford^ of . I' Briftol, certifying that the players who lately adied at Briflol ('The Pc^voked Wife,' among other lewd plays), are now about to return to Norwich, whence they came. Whereupon the Society did defire MrTTTelfon, Mr. Shute, and three other members fo'wait on my lord of Norwich, to apprize him of tjhe_j)layers' defignT to return to Norwich, . and that he"wouTd endeavour to prevent thern7~~ » " Nov. 29rr^^^MrrNelfon has procured a benefadtion of 40s., to be difpofed of in ' Whole Duties of Man.' " ''Dec. 5. — Mr. Nelfon writes that the other benefador will alfo give 500 of Bray's ' Baptifmal Covenants.' " Dec. 20. — Agreed, that thirty of each fort of book given by Mr. Nelfon's friend be fent into Worcefterfhire, where he has an eflate. "Jan. 3. — Mr. Nelfon reported that the Lord Bifhop 1] Pious Robert Nelfon. 1 1 1 of St, Afaph, is well pleafed with the defign of printing the Wellh Common Prayer in izmo., toward which he will fubfcribe himfelf, and fpeak to the other Welfh bifhops about it, which being done, Mr. Nelfon fhall hear from him. *'Jan. lo. — Mr. Nelfon reported that the Bifhop of St. Afaph had been with him, and told him that he had fpoken to the Bifhops of Hereford and Bangor about printing the WelihCommonJ^j^^erjJagoki^^^^ which defign they exceedingly "approve, and will fubfcribe to it, and procure the fubfcriptions of others. That the Bifhop of Hereford has a very exa6l Common Prayer to corred: the prefs by. And the Bifhop of St. Afaph defired Mr. Nelfon to write to the Bifhop of St. David's about this matter. "Feb. 21. — A letter was read from Mr. Bull to Mr. Nelfon, fhowing the good affection which the Lord Bifhop of St. David's bears to the defign of ere6ting libraries in Wales ; that my lord has fubfcribed 4I. per annum during his life towards the erefting a charit y-fch ool in Carmar- thenfhire, and that Mr. Bull has fubfcribed 20s. per annum durtng h"is~~ltfe to the fame defign. And that notice fhall be given of fit perfons of Brecknockfhire and Cardigan- fhire to be invited to the correfpondence, as foon as they can be pitched upon. "Feb. 28. — Sir John Phillips reported that the com- mittee was of opinion that Mr. Nelfon fhould be defired to draw up a trad: about the due obfen'^atiuji of the Lord's Day, and the Secretary was ordered to iignify this to him.l. ~ With this requeft Mr. Nelfon did not think fit to comply, as appears from the following letter to Wanley in reply * : — " Pray return my humble thanks to the Society for that favourable opinion of me which their obliging meffage * March 6, 1705. 1 1 2 Life and 'Tijiies of the feems to imply ; but 1 am very well fatisfied that they have many worthy members much better qualified for that undertaking than I am, and therefore muft beg their excufe. BefideSj I have delivered my thoughts upon that fubje6l, which will reach all who read my book ; and as for the poorer fort, we have half-a flieet already upon that matter, approved by the Society, and well difperfed, and I am againft multiplying treatifes without fome improvement. I think of being at the Society myfelf next Thurfday ; fo that, if you think fit, you may fay I will return an anfwer to your mefTage in perfon." " 1706. June 20. • — A letter from Mr. Nelfon, offering the copy of a tra6t, entitled * Prayers for Prifoners under Sentence of Death.' '*July 4. — A letter was read fr om Mr. Williams, of Denbigh, to Mr. Nelfon, in which he propofes that the money raifed by Mr. Nelfon's tradl on Confirmation in Welfh (of which many are difperfed gratis by the Bifhop of St. Afaph and himfelf), may go as part of contribution to the Welfh Schools. To which Mr. Nelfon gave his affent. "July II. — A letter was read from Mr. Burrell to Mr. Nelfon, who among other things fays, that one Mr. Seymour, a goldfmith, did, at his own charge, pro- cure prayers to be read, mornings and evenings, at St. Chriftopher's, in Threadneedle Street ; the firft inflance of that kind. "Aug. 8. — Upon a motion made from the {landing committee to the Society, Mr. Nelfon promifed to let the Society have what number of the ' Feflivals and FalTis ' they fhall defire, upon the next impreffion of it, at the fame rate as he fhall agree with the bookfellers about it. " Aug. 22. — Mr. Shute produced Mr. Nelfon's ' Chris- tian Sacrifice ' before the committee, and informed them that the author was willing the Society fhould have any number of them at prime cofl, and the Society, with hearty thanks for his favor, agreed to buy 1000 of them. Pious Robert Nelfon. i 13 ''Sept 12. — Agreed that two of Mr. Nelfon's ' Chrif- tian Sacrifice ' fhould be added to the parcels made up for correfpondents. *' Dec. 5. — Agreed that Mr. Nelfon be defired to confer with Mr. Sare, about reprinting Bifhop Bull's ' Difcourfe upon the Corruptions of Popery,' by itfelf. "Dec. 12. — Mr. Nelfon, being defired to confer with Mr. Chifhull the bookfeller, concerning the reprinting of Archbifhop Tillotfon's Sermons on Reftitution, was pleafed to promife to do fo. *' Mr. Nelfon reported that Mr. Sare would take no money for the twenty-five trads about ' Drunkennefs,' but did prefent them to the Society. "Feb. 27. — Agreed that 500 copies of BKhop Bull's Tra6ls on Popery, with Bifhop Couzins's little tradl at the end of it, be bought at the charge of the Society ; and Mr. Nelfon promifed to take charge of this matter. "lyoy. Mar. 27. — The Secretary was diredled to go on with his Tranflation of the Liturgy now eftablifhed at Neufchatel, fince Mr. Nelfon related that Mr. Oftervald is now willing that a tranflation of the faid liturgy may be printed. ''Mar. 27. — The cafe of the Archbifhop of Gochtan, in Armenia, was laid before the Society by Mr. Nelfon, I who read a ftatement from Dr. Cockburn, miniiter of the j Englifh church at Amfterdam, to the effect that the Arch- I bilTiop and his nephew, Lucas Nurigian, had long refided there for the purpofe of procuring a printing-prefs, and to get types or letters of the Armenian character, for printing books in that language, to promote piety in their own country, and that they had now come over to England, in order to obtain funds to aid them, and to make up feveral lofTes which they had fuftained. Mr. Nelfon further acquainted the Society, that he had i^zw feveral of the Armenian books printed at Amfterdam, and that her Majefly and the Arch- bifhops of Canterbury and York, being entirely fatisfied with the Armenian archbifliop, they had been pleafed to I 1 4 l/ife and Times of the prefent him with their bounty, in order to the carrying on thefe his good defigns. On which the Society agreed to allow him lO guineas towards the difperfing ot good books, and promoting Chriftian knowledge in his country.* "April 17. — Mr. Nelfon related that he had moved the Archbifhop (Tenifon) for the reprinting of his Circular Letter to the Cler^gy, and that his Grace faid he would revife them, and after that confer further with him about it. *^Nov. 6. — Mr. Nelfon moved for fome of the Society's fmall tradls for Mr. Milne, now going to Virginia. " Dec. 4. — Mr. Nelfon related that Mr. Bennett, of Colcheflier, had given the Society 100 of his * Neceffity of being baptized with Water, and receiving the Lord's Supper.' "Jan. I. — A letter was read from Mr. Hales, dated at Zell, Dec. 1 7 laft, to Mr. Chamberlayne, importing * The continued intereft: taken by Nelfon in the affairs of this Ecclefiaftic, is fliown by the two following letters in his behalf, addreded a few months later o Wanley, who had now exchanged his employment at the Society for the more important poft of Librarian to Harley, afterwards Earl of Oxford, the colle6lor of the Harleian MSS. in the Britifli Mufeum, and then Secretary of State. "Mr. WaNLEY, — You will receive this by Mr. Cockburn, fon to Dr. Cock- burn, who is concerned for the Armenian Archbifhop and his nephew Lucas Nurigian. The latter would go away to-morrow, if he has his pafs ; therefore pray let him know what is, or may be done in the matter. I have taken care that the Secretary fhall have fpecimens of fome books which he has printed, which Mr. Cockburn fhall convey to you. " I am, Sir, "Your humble fervant, " Rob. Nelson." " 9th June, 1707." "Mr. Wanley, — Pray do me the favor to deliver the enclofed letter to Mr. Secretary Harley ; and if he (hall think fit to procure a royal pafs for the Archbifhop of Gochtan, &c., with the abatement of his own fees, I defire you to take it out of tiie office, and pay what may be due to his clerks, and fend it to me, who will thankfully repay you thofe charges. Let me hear as loon as you can what anfwer IVIr. Secretary thinks fit to give to my letter, and you will oblige, "Sir, your humble fervant, "Rob. Nelson." " Ormond-ftreet, 5th Augufl, 1707." Pious Robert Nelfon. 1 1 5 that Mr. Bontheim, Superintendant at UlefTon, a little city about fix German miles from Zell, has almoft finifhed his German verfion of Mr. Nelfon's ' Feftivals and Fafts,' which he will caufe to be printed, though he has received another tranflation of it from Mr. Scherer. And that if he had had one of thefe books when it was firft publifhed, he would have caufed it to be tranflated into French by this time. That the ' Great Duty of frequenting the Christian Sacrifice ' being tranflated into German by Mr. Scherer, jun., is now in the prefs, as alfo the * Account of the Corporation Society.' * ' The Christian Sacrifice ' he printed at Drefden laft fummer, with a tra6l of Dr. Woodward's, in the Bohemian tongue, the number of Proteftants there being ftill very great. " 1708, June 10. — Mr. Nelfon read a letter from Mr. Hutton, late of Stoke-nayland, removed to Stanford, in Berkfhire, reprefenting the (late of his pari("h, and defiring a parcel of Common Prayers, and other good books, for the inftruction of his parifhioners. "Sept. 16. — Mr. Raymond, of Ipfvvich, having fent one of his little trads on ' Devotion at the Sacrament,' Mr. Nelfon was defired to perufe the fame, and give his opinion of it. " 1709. April 21. — Agreed, that Mr. Nelfon be defired to difcourfe Mr. Hales and Mr. Scherer about the Neuf- chatel Liturgy, whether the copy in the Society's pofl'eflion may be thought perfe6l. "June 9. — The Committee reported "that they had confidered of Mr. Nelfon's letter of the 7th of March, and Mr. A. D. Frank's letter of the 4th of April, con- cerning a method~"ot circulating^^books- among--t be. cJ erg^_ iiithecouiili:.yy-{viz., by a^^^-'l annual fubfcription for new books, and by communicating recmrgcally catalogues of each other's libraries, in order to*Tend what one iiiay" be provided — with: Tn ore than__aiiotFier ;) and propofe * /. e. The S. P. G. I 1 6 Life and Times of the that a claufe be inferted in the next circular letter to cor- refpondents to inform them thereof. ''Dec. 11. — The Lord Bifhop of Waterford introduced by Mr. Nelfon. *' Feb. 9. — Mr. Nelfon defires a fmall packet of books for Mr. Pughe of Mathafarn. *' Mar. 2. — Mr. Nelfon communicated a letter from Mr. Davies, a minlfter, to Wm. Pughe of Mathafarn, in Montgomeryfhire, Efquire, containing the Articles for reo-ulating a Society of Clergy in that neighbourhood. '' 1710. June 15. — The Ordinary of Newgate having fuffcrefted to the Society the expediency of providing for fuch prifoners as were reprieved fome better place than the common fide of the prifoners, where they were expofed to the vile practices of fuch ill men as were there con- fined : — Mr. Nelfon reported that he had lately waited on Sir Peter King, and acquainted him with the faid motion ; and that he approved of the thing ; but was of opinion that it could not be done without a claufe in fome Ad; of Parliament, empowering the removal of fuch prifoners out of Newgate before their pardons came down, which has fometimes happened to be feveral years. "Sept. 14. — Mr. Nelfon reported that he had propofed to the Reverend Dr. Bradford the compofing of Morning and Evening Prayers, according to a motion at the laft meeting. ''Sept. 7. — Mr. Nelfon laid before the Society a paper entitled 'A Courfe of Catechifing in the Parifli of Lambeth, throughout the year.' "Jan. 4. — Mr. Nelfon reported that Dr. Smallridge's Sermon was very well tranflated into French, and defigned to be printed for the ufe of foreigners. " 171 1. Feb. I I. — Mr. Nelfon reported that his Grace the Archbifhop of York has fubfcribed tor twenty copies of his book on the ' Ftftivals and Fafts ' in Welfh, and dcfired Pious Robert Nelfon. 1 1 7 the Society to accept of them, to dlfperfe as they fhall think fit. "Feb. 28. — Mr. Nelfon acquainted the Society that a gentleman had fuggefted to him that he believed the many mifapplications of poor-rates might be prevented by fome proper bill to be brought into Parliament. 'M712. July ly. — The Committee reported that they had confidered of a paper delivered to the Society by Mr. Nelfon, the 27th of March laft, relating to the ufe of Chriftian authors in Grammar Schools ; and are of opinion that all the Society can at prefent do to recommend the ufe of Chriftian authors, is the publifhing a lift of fuch authors as the Society fhall approve at the end of Mr. Monro's book, now in the prefs.* And that a claufe be inferted in the next circular, defiring the correfpondents to difperfe Mr. Monro's ' Addrefs ' to the mafters of Latin Schools, and others that have the care of gentlemen's fons in their neighbourhood, and to return the opinion of fuch mafters, together with their own, concerning it. "July 31. — Agreed, that Dr. Higden and Mr. Nelfon be defired to engage the Rev. Mr. Collier to write a fmall Treatife, proper to be put into the hands of organifts, and other mufick-mafters, to difTuade them from teaching lewd fongs, and compofing tunes to obfcene ballads or fongs. "July 23. — Mr. Nelfon acquainted the Society that Mr. Midwinter and Co. had by them 500 copies of Archbiftiop Tillotfon's fermons on the ' Nature and Neceftity of Refti- tution,' and that the proprietors were willing to difpofe of them at 16s. 8d. per hundred, and that the whole parcel might be had for 4I. " Dec. II. — Mr. Cockburn communicated to the Society an advertifement in the ' Poftboy ' of Tuefday laft, giving notice of a fair to begin at Nottingham, on Thurfday in Paflion-week next year, and to continue eight days. * An EfTay upon Chriftian Education, fhowing the neceflity and advantage of reading Chriftian Authors in Grammar Schools. Humbly offered to Parents and Schoolmafters, by Geo. Monro, A.M. 1712. iiS Life and I'imes of the Agreed, that Mr. Nclfon be clefired to recommend it to his Grace the Archbifhop of York, to ufe his intereft with her Majefty to alter the time of the faid fair, as a precedent that may be of very ill confequence to this and other places, if permitted. "Jan. 22. — Mr. Nelfon reported that a gentleman of St. Giles's parifh had prefented a dozen copies of Mr. Milbourne's fermon on Pfalmody, preached in that parifh, and dedicated to the Society. '^713. Feb. 25. — Mr. Nelfon reported that a friend of his would contribute lol. per annum towards encou- raging the chaplain of the Marfhalfea Prifon, to commence from Lady-day next." In the autumn of the fame year Nelfon's name occurs as prefent for the laft time in the books^of the Society, viz., on Od. 14, 17 14.^ A fortnight later, a laTT^and farewell l^t^r^as read from him at the weekly meeting, previoufly to^Tis lMving~town for better air at Kenfington. And on the 3rd of the February following, his old aflbciates in charity received the news of a final expreffion of fym- pathy from the zealous and kindly fellow-labourer whom they had loft ; and " Mr. Hoare reported that Mr. Nelfon, lately deceafed, had ordered him by his will, as on^ of his executors," to pay lool. to the Society, for promoting their defigns." 4. The Charity Schools. The erecftion of Charity Schools makes fo diftinguifhing ' a feature of the relfgious movernetvt^of Queen Anne's reign, and the part 'which Robert Nelfon took in their eftablifhment was fo j)rominent and adlive, as to claim for them a feparate notice in this enumeration of " his ways and methods of doing good." The firft ftimulus to this educational effort feems to have been giYen_by the opening o^ a large Roman "Catholic fchool in the Savoy in the latter yO' Pious Robert Nelfon. iio part of James the Second's reign, to countera6l the Influ- ence of which Tenifon eftaHIIThed a Proteftant fchool at St. Martin's, and fome other zealous Churchmen fet up the Bluecoat School in St. Margaret's, Weftminfler. The good work was refumed iri_ .a lefs controverfial fpirit toward the end _ of Will iam's reign, and under Queen Anne revived and increafed to fuch a remarkable extent, that within iifteelT~years'^(^lding 17 12), as~m^lTy as 1 1 7 Schools* were fet up in London and Weff rninfter, and nearly 5000 poor cliinrHrTiaH~feceTve3~ihttru6lion in them, of whom" more than 40c5oTiac[ been clothed as well as taught, and 2000 had been put out as apprentices. Within the fame period more than ^00 fchoQls_ Jhad been ef tablifhed in Englandand Wales, while the good work had extended to Protefliant Ireland, and to the plantations oF^ew'Knglalid. and Ne w York . Additional ftimulus was given to thefe charitable exertions, by the account of ProfefTor Frank's eftabliihments at Halle, which Mr. Boehm tranflated into Englifh :f while, in return, the " Account of the Englifh Charity Schools," being tranflated into German, and circu- lated on the Continent, gave occafion to the eftablifhment of fimilar ijiftitutions in HefTe, in Sweden and De nmark, and in fonie_jwls_ji£SwitzediQ3.an3^ Thefe fchools were eftablifhed and fupported almoft entirgl^_by members of the Church of England, whicTf then, as now, by her care for national educatron7fhowed * See " An Account of Charity Schools In Great Britain and Ireland, with the benefa£lions thereto, and of the metiiods whereby they are fet up and governed. Alfo a propofal for adding fome work to the children's learning j and an Appendix relating to certain Forms and Dire6tions relating to the Schools." The nth edition, with large additions. 1712. f "Pietas Hallenfis, or a public demonftration of the Footftepsof a divine Being yet in the world, in an Hillorical Narration of the Orphans- houfe and other Charitable Inftitutions at Glaucha, near Halle, in Saxony, by Auguftus Hermannus Franck. 1705." No one who is engaged in charitable works, could read this atfefting narration of Franck' s, without being touched and bettered byit. 1 20 Life and Times of the herfelf the true nuiTing mother of tlie people. The clergy- were almoft everywhere among the earlieft promoters of them, and the education which was given in them was diftindlively religious. The mailer was not only to be a member of the Church, but '^one t hat frequ ents the holy Communion, and who is approved by the minifter of the , parilh before he is prefented to be licenfed by the ordinary." He was to '' m ake it hj s_chief bufinefs tCLJnftrud jthe childre n in the principles of the Chriftian religion, as they are laid down in the Church Catechifm, which he fhall firft teach them to pronounce diftindlly and plainly, and then, . in order to pra6life, fhall explain it by fome good expo- fition approved of by the minifter; and (liall afterwards more largely inform them of their duty by the help of the * Whole Duty of Man.' " He was to '* take particular care of the manners and behaviour of the poor children, and by all proper methods fhall difcourage and corred the beginnings of vice, and particularly lying, fwearing, curfing, taking God's name in vain, and the prophanation of the Lord's, Day ; at the fame time minding them of fuch parts of the Holy Scriptures and of the Catechifm, where thofe things are mentioned as forbidden by God, and the contrary things as commanded ; whereby the children may the better underftand the ufe of the Holy Scripture and their Catechifm, and learn to govern their lives thereby." He was to teach the children to pray at home, when they rife and go to bed, and to ufe grace before and after meat ; he was to bring them to church twice every Lord's Day and holiday, and "fhall teach them to behave with all reve- rence while they are in the Houfe of God." And not unfrequently he had to attend divine fervice with his fcholars every day*. Morning and evening prayers were * Thus at Chevening, Kent, was a fchool for teaching and clothing 30 poor chiliiren, who are obliged to accompany the milhels morning and even- Pious Robert N el/on. iii printed for the ufe of the children at home, and *' Rules and advice for the parents " were ordered to be ftuck up in their houfes. The fcholars were not loft fight of when they went out into the world. Forms of prayer were drawn up for apprentices on leaving fchool for trade or fervice, and the oloTcholars were afiembled once a year and a fermon preached before them fuitable to the occafion. An admirable Book of Devotion * was written for the poor boys by Mr. Brewfter, of Lincoln's Inn, full of piety and kindlinefs. While Dr. Talbot, of SpofForth, in his " Chriftian Schoolmafter," endeavoured to form the charader of their teachers. The ftandard of fecular inftrudlion in thefe fchools was fober and fenfible rather than ambitious. The boys were taught reading, writing, and the grounds of arithmetic " to fit them for lervice and apprenticelbrp/^ It was thought fufficienrTo^eacirifHe"girls to read, to knit their ftockings and gloves, to mark and lew, ^nd make and mend theiF clothes. Induftrial occupation was frequently introduced, and the children were taught to fpin, and card wool, to mend and make (hoes. Boys of unufual parts were efpe- cially noticed. The education of adults was not forgotten, and mafters and miftrefles were " recommended to appoint fome evening in the week, to teach fuch grown people to read, who have been negleded in their youth." Our evening fchools were anticipated. And particular mention is made of the worthy clergyman of Mepfale in Bedford- ing to church. At Finedon, Northants, " A fchool for lodging and clothing and dieting 20 girls, and teaching them to read, write, and work. They go daily to prayers at the Pari(h Church." At Sheldon in Warwickfhire, " A fchool has been built by a perfon of quality, adjoining to the church, where the children go to prayers every day," See Account of Charity Schools, as above. * "The Chriftian Scholar ; in Rules and Directions for Children and Youth fent to Englifli Schools ; more efpecially defigned for the poor boys taught and clothed by charity in the Parilh of St. Botolph Aldgate." 3rd edition. 1704.. Well worth reprinting. 122 Life and Times of the fhire (a Mr. Salmon), who " has with great fuccefs pre- vailed upon the youth of his parifh to go to fchool to learn to read and write, and their Catechifm, in the clofe of the winter evenings, and on the fervants of the faid parifh to come to him once a week for inftrudion." The fchools were all fupported by the voluntary contri- butions of charity, nor does it feem to have ever occurred to any"orT:tre;ir promoters to have recourfe to pecuniary grants from_the_ State. Thus in the parifh of St. Giles-in-the- i Fields, nearly 400I. was raifed from voluntary fubfcriptions and coJleftions at~ church. At tlie fafhionable watering place of Tunbridge Wells, 70 children were taught by the contributions of 'the nobility and gentry who rcforted / thither. At Benwell in Northumberland, the proprietors of a colliery fet up a fchool for the children of the pitmen. At Box in Wiltfhire, the minifter gave his Eafter dues for the purpofe. At Cambridge, many of the colleges gave their Communion-money. At Cuddefden, twelve poor girls .were put to fchool at the Bifhop's charge. At Salifbury, we are told, the whole expenfe of one fchool was borne by Bifhop Burnet, '*who frequently vifits and catecKifeslihe children, and fets them portions of Scripture to get by heart, which he fees performed himfelf, and then rewards nd encourages their diligence by giving them Common Prayer books, money, &c." At Durham, the Dean and Chapter fupported a fchool of feventy boys. At St. Neot's, the fchool was eredted chiefly by the minifter and the reli- gious fociety In that place. At Cranford in Middlefex, Lady Berkeley was the patron. At Shoreham, the fame experiment was tried which has been repeated at King's Somborne in our own times, viz., that of making the fchool felf-fupporting by the joint education of children of different grades ; and "perfons of ability gave more than the fchool- ing of their own children, that the mafter might have fuch an Income as might enable him to teach the children of the Pious Robert Neljon. 123 poor gratis." In many churches of the metropolis, charity fermons were preached monthly or quarterly for the main- tenance of the fchools, and general intereft was ftill further enlifted by conftant catechifing of the children at church, and by quarterly fchool examinations at nine or ten places in town, at five o'clock in the evening, open to the public ; as well as by an annual affemblage of the fchool children at St. Sepulchre's Church, the original of the prefent anni- verfary meeting in St. Paul's Cathedral. In the eflablifhment of thefe fchools throughout the country, in all the details of their management, and in every exertion for their fupport, we fee Robert Nelfon exhibiting the moft conftant and adive intereft. He had hardly been three months a member of the Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge before we find him writing^ for a printed form of the ufual preamble for eftabliftiing a fchooF.' The minutes of the Society ftiow him in c orrefpon dence with the promotersof_ichools at Yorkj_jLt Nnyland in Suffolk, at Oxford, Beve rley, L eicefter, Wootton-under- Edge, BraylirBerkTfiire, Cirencefter, and Tring. We find him fubfcribing to fchools in Hampftiire and at Queen- Hithe, and interefting himfelf to procure a mafter for St. Ann's Soho, and for Bath. He was on the committee of St. Andrew's School, Holborn, and the chief promoter of that attached to St. George's Chapel, Queen-fquare, in the veftry of which he, with the other truftees and Dr. Mar- fhall, the minifter of the chapel, would examine the children in their progrefs, on the firft Friday of every month, after evening prayer. He compiled a pra«ftical Catechifm * for the charity fchools out of the '^ Whole Duty of Man," and one of his laft labours was to read over a tranflation of * "The Whole Duty of a Chriftian by way of Qjjeftion and Anfwer, exactly purfuant to the method of the Whole Duty of Man, and defigned'for the ufe of the charity fchools in and about London." 1704.. It ran through 12 editions in the courfe of the century. I 24 Life and 'Times of the Dean Nowell's Catechifm, which had been prepared for their ufe.* Of the annual meeting of the fchools he feems to have been the recognifcd fuperintendent, and the arrangement of its details was left, year after year, in his charge. A few extrads from the minutes of the Society for Pro- moting Chriflian Knowjedge, may again be given in illuf- tration of this part of his charitable labours. *' 1702. Oct. 8. — A letter from Mr. Nelfon, defiring that he may apply 4I. per ann., being part of his annual fubfcription in this Society, toward two Schools in Hamp- fhire, towards which he has very largely contributed. Agreed that Mr. Nelfon have leave to apply 4I. per ann. according to his defire. " 1705. April 5. — Mr. Nelfon reported that the truftees \ of the charity fchools had met, and that the poor children would walk in procellion to St. Sepulchre's Church, the Thurfday in Whitfun week ; and that he had written to the Dean of Canterbury (Dr. Stanhope) to preach the fermon, who was pleafed not to decline it. '■'• Nov. 15. — Mr. Nelfon read part of a letter, certifying that at York the boys' fchool flourifhes, and that there are alfo twenty-eight girls taught and maintained as the boys are, by the fubfcription and countenance of divers ladies and gentlemen, among whom the Lord Mayor has done much, and lately dined them in public. "~ " 1706. Sept. 12. — A letter from Mr. Nelfon to Mr. Shute, defiring a fmall parcel to difperfe in a charity fchool at Cranford in Middlefex, to which a lady of quality allows icl. per annum. *' Jan. 23. — A letter from Mr. Garden of Nayland to * " The Element of Chriftian Piety, being an explanation of the Com- mandments, Creed, Lord's Prayer, and Sacraments. To which are added fome Meditations and Prayers. Dcfigned particularly for the ufe of the Charity Schools, and recommended by the late Robert Nelfon, Efq." 1715. See Preface. Pious Robert Neljon. 125 Mr. Nelfon, importing that Mr. Hutton has procured fubfcriptions for a charity fchool there, and defiriiig Tome of the ' School Sermons,' and * Duties of Children and Servants,' which were ordered to be fent to Mr. Nelfon. "1707. June 5. — Mr. Nelfon acquainted the Society that Mr. Gaftrel did this day preach an excellent fermon at the meeting of the poor children at St. Sepulchre's Church ; and the Society defired Mr. Nelfon and Mr. Chamberlayne to give their thanks to B'" Gaftrel for the fame, and to defire him to caufe the faid excellent fermon to be printed. " 170S. Feb. 3. — Mr. Nelfon acquainted the Society, that the fubfcription to the charity fchool in Queen's Square, near St. George's Chapel, amounted to about 70I. per annum, and that the Lord BiQiop of Salifbury preach- ing * at the Chapel laft Lord's Day in the morning, and Mr. Haflewood, in the afternoon," the colle6lions that followed amounted to about 30I. including the offering money. "May 12. — Mr. Nelfon communicated a letter he received from fome unknown hands at Oxford, of the 14th of April, acquainting him that feveral gentlemen of the Univerfity, obfcrving the ftreets filled with idle children, notwithftanding the City and Univerfity have fet out two very confiderable charity fchools, to which the faid gentle- men have been fubfcribers, they have refolved to ere6t aiTotjjer toward which they have fubfcribed between 50I. and 60I., and opened a fchool for about ninety children, moft of 'em girls ; upon which they defire Mr. Nelfon's advice how to apply their fund to the beft advantage, and likewife to furnifli 'em with rules for the better govern- ment of the fchools. '^1709, Feb. 10. — Mr. Nelfon is defired to inform * Sermons are fubfeqiiently reported as having been preached at the chapel by Sir Wm. Dawes, then BiOiop of Chefter ; by Dr. Wilfon, the Venerable Bifhop of Man j by Dr. Biffe, Bifhop of St. David's, Blackail of Exeter, Wake of Lincoln, and Smallridge, afterwards BiOiop of Briftol ; whofe fervices we may well fuppofe to have been fulicltedby Nellbn on behalf of his parochial fchools. I 26 L.ife and Times of the fome gentlemen who are fetting up a fcliool at Beverly, as to the method obferved In tl\e parilh of St. Margaret's, Weftminfter, where many of the poor children are em- ployed in fpinning of wool and weaving, others in mending and making of fhoes, others in fewing, knitting, &c. As alfo that the fchools at Wapping, and other places near the Sea, have been employed in picking of oakham, &c. " 17 10. Mar. 8. — 'Mr. Nelfon reported that the truf- tees of St. George's Charity School had recommended two children out of that School, to the fchool lately opened for teaching navigation, by Mr. John Pullen. " 171 1. April 19. — The Society being informed that Mr. Nelfon would fhortly take a journey Into Bath : — Agreed, that Mr. Treafurer and the Secretary furnifh Mr. Nelfon with all the advices formerly fent to the Society, concerning the meafures taken to erett a charity fchool at Bath, and that he be defired to ufe his interefc to promote the fame. "June 21. — Mr. Nelfon reported that Mr. Skeete and himfelf were juft now come from meeting the truftees of St. Andrew's School, in Holborn, and that they had given leave to Mr. DIckfon, one of the mafters of the Charity School In St. Andrew's parifh, to go to the Bath fchool for a twelvemonth, till the fchool there Is formed, upon condition that he fhall return at the end of the twelve- month, and in the meantime provide an able perfon to fupply the fchool in his abfence." The niinutes * of this School, (now known as the Blue- coat School, Bath), fupply further details of Nelfon's endeavour for Its eiliabllfhment, he being at the pains to fend from London, at the requefl: of its promoters, not only a mafter to fettle the methods of teaching, but even a pattern of the fchool-drefs which was to be worn by the children ; and receiving In return a formal letter of thanks from the truftees for his Hi are in the charitable * Communicated by the kindnefs of J. H. Maikland, Efq., D.C.L. Pious Robert Nelfon. 127 undertaking. The fame minutes alfo preferve two admirable letters of advice from Nelfon to Mr. Dixon, the fchoolmafter above-mentioned, who feems to have been inclined, at the expiration of the twelvemonth, to quit his poft at Bath, for a pofition of greater emolu- ment in town. " March 20, 171 r. ^' Mr. Dixon. — I hope you have received my letter to you, which was*enclofed in Mr. Leafons. I can aflure you all your friends in town were much concerned when they heard you had thoughts of quitting Bath ; they take your faccefs in that place to be an indication of the call of Providence to refide there, and can you be infenfible of God's great goodnefs which vouchfafes to make you fo great an inftrument of His fervice ? I can only tell you that if you fhould remove from Bath, your friends would not have fo good an opinion of your Chriftian zeal as they entertain at prefent, nor is it probable you would do fo much in another place. When we have ufed our utmoft diligence we feldom attain our end without the bleffmg of God. He has been pleafed to profper the feed you have fown at Bath ; but if you think that to be wholly the effedl of your own endeavours, and imagine you can do the fame everywhere, removing upon human confideration to another place, may convince you by dear-bought experience that you are miftaken. Quiet your own mind, and refolve to go on in that good way you are engaged in, where you will not only inftrud children, but be an inftrument of doing good to others. "I am forry you mention the difference of a little more certain profit at London. Confider where you in con- fcience think you can do moft good, tho' in my former letter I have faid enough to you upon that head. Oh remember what will turn to the beft account at the great day, and purfue it. What I have wrote is the effe6l of great kindnefs to you, being fincerely, " Your moft affedionate friend, *' Robert Nelson." I 2 8 Life and Times of the " March 29, 17 12. " Mr. Dixon, — I have for a great while expeded to hear from you, and chiefly to know your refolution in re- gard to your fixing at Bath, where the providence of God feems to determine your abode, by reafon of that large field of doing good tliat is there prepared for you. I do not queftion but that the advantages are equal to what you received at London, tho' you may remember that I always told you that I would take care to fee you fatisfied as to that particular, if the truftees fhould be backward in giving you the allowance you expefted. It is certain if the truftees of St. Andrew's require your return when the year expires, you are obliged to comply with it ; but if they will difpenfe with your abfence, as I have great reafon to think they will, your friends here are of the opinion that you cannot do better than to continue at Bath, where God has already fo extraordinarily bleft your endeavours, and where you have fo reafonable a profpedl of doing a great deal of more good. I hope you will prefer thofe circumftances which will enable you to do Almighty God moft fervice, and therefore I am very much pleafed with the refolution you have taken of being filent upon this occafion ; from whence I conclude that if your trullees here in town give leave, you are determined to fix at the Bath. I hope you will never ftauger concerning it, I will take care to difpofe ail matters fo at London that no blame may be laid upon you for altering your mind ; and you may depend upon my intereft, and that of all our friends to ferve and oblige you in anything, if you continue in your poft at Bath. " As I heartily pray for you, fo I defire you to remem- ber me in your moft retired hours. Your friend Mr. Tayler, as you defired, is chofe Secretary to the Corpora- tion for Propagating the Gofpel in Foreign Parts. " I am, with great fincerity, *' Your faithful, afFedlionate friend, " Rob. Nelson." It is pleafing to be able to add that thefe excellent lettejs Pious Robert Neljon. 129 of advice prevailed with this worthy fchoolmafter to con- tinue and do his duty in the poft in which God had fo evidently placed him ; and that afterwards, when one of the Bifhops, having liftened to his Sunday evening inftruc- tion of his fcholars, offered him holy orders with a pro- vifion in the Church, the advice of his former friend prompted him modeftly to decline it, on the ground that he could do more good in his fchool than in a parochial cure.* To refume our extracts from the Minutes of the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge. *^ 17 II. Jan. 31. — Mr. Jennings and Mr. Nelfon are defired to requeft the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's to permit the ufe of the Cathedral for the meeting of the charity fchools. " Feb. 7. — Mr. Skeete reported that John Honeycott, the mafter of the charity fchool at Clerkenwell, had yefter- day, with the children of the above fchool, publicly a6ted * These particulars, with others, are to be found in " The Parents' and Schoohnaster's Spiritual Affiltant, for grounding their children and thofe under their care in found Chriftian principles, according to the Church of England j ao-reeable to the late Mr. Hcniy Dixon's inftru6lions in the Charity School at Bath, on Sundays, and the principal feftivals in the evening j by the plan of Mr. Nelfon's Feftivals, who recommended him," London, 1761. The author gives the following account of this worthy man, whofe charafter re- minds us of James Davies of Devauden. "Mr. Henry Dixon was born in London in 1675, who may truly be faid to have been a fmcere lover of God and man, for the whole courfe of his life was a continued feries of promoting the glory of one, and the prefent and everlafting happinefs of the other. Be- fore he faw 20 years, he was mafter of St. Andrew's School in Holborn, from whence he was recommended at the inftitution of that in Bath by Robert NeUbn, Efqr., who was one of the firft propofers of it, and the firft collector at the door of the Abbey for it. His zeal for propagating found Chriftian principles hath appeared, not only from his Sunday evening inftruftions, which edified numbers who attended them, as well as his own fcholars (a audable example for fchoolmafters), but alfo from his admirable Englijh hi- ftruBor^ which hath paffed through 21 editions, whofe lelTons are formed on the plan of our Church Catechifm, inculcating on thofe tender minds their duty to God, their neighbor, and themfelves ; as alfo from other ufeful trails now extant, whereby, though being dead, he yet fpeaketh, and will live I JO Life and Times of the the play called Timon of Athens, and by tickets figned by himfelf had invited feveral people to it. And Mr. Skeete laying before the Society an original ticket, together with an account of feveral obfervations made by a friend of his who was prefent at the faid entertainment, both which being read, it was agreed, that the adling of the faid play by the matter and children of the charity fchool at Clerken- well is a great reproach to the defign of charity fchools, and that it is highly worthy the defign of the Society to bear teftimony againft it as fcandalous and of pernicious confe- quence to the charity fchools in general. *' Agreed, that Dr. Gaftrell and Mr. Nelfon be defired to give the thanks of the Society to Sir Richard Hoare and Mr. Henry Hoare for interpofing their good offices to prevent the a6l of the charity fchool at Clerkenwell. " Feb. 14. — Mr. Jennings and Mr. Nelfon are defired to wait on the Bifhop of London to requeft him to with- draw Honeycott's licence. ^' Mr. Nelfon reported that, being informed the Bilhcp of Chefter was to preach laft Lord's Day at St. Magnus for a colledlion in favor of the charity fchool at Clerken- in the memory of many worthy and confiderable men bred up by him, whofe grand-children he hath with pleafure beheld. He had a great know- ledge of human nature, was enriched with the ornament of a meek fpirit, whereby he prevailed over the children in the tendereft and moft affedllonate manner, fliovving the greateft marks of his efteem to thofe who moft regarded his inftruftions, and were forwardeft in attending religious duties, which raifed an emukition in the others to obtain it. He had fuch a fhare of Chriftian sympathy, that when a diftreffed object (which none could be readier to relieve according to his ability) was propoled to him, tears fell from his eyes, and the pleafure he enjoyed in relieving them was to him a continual feaft. On my recommending one, I defired he would excufe me in the many fuch liberties I had taken. He replied, * My dear friend, you have favoured me beyond this poor creature in giving me fuch a frefh pleafure in doing good, which none know but thofe who do it.' He was a great admirer of church music, wrote a tra61 upon its * Ufe and Abufe,' and often refleiSled on feme of the organifts in the Metropolis for introducing light airs into their voluntaries, which (liould confift of nothing but what tends to elevate the foul to the divine objecT; of adoration. On the 24th October, 1760, in the 85th year of his age, he was taken to the heavenly choir, to be prefent among the angels in their harmonious concert, and to add his hallelujah.'" Pious Robert Nelfon. 131 well, and having waited on his lordfhip laft Friday, he acquainted him with the late behaviour of the mafter and fcholars of the faid charity fchool, and that his lordfliip thereupon refolved not to preach for the faid fchool.* "Feb. 28. — Mr. Nelfon acquainting the Society that a friend of his had informed him that a Bill was intended to be brought into the Parliament in favor of charity fchools, and defired him to fuggeft claufes to promote their welfare. He therefore moved the Society would give him their advice thereon. "17 12. April 3. — Agreed, that Sir Chriftopher Wren be waited on with the fcheme for accommodating the charity fchool children in St. Paul's, and that Mr. Nelfon and Mr. Jennings be acquainted with Sir Chriftopher's opinion. f "Nov. 13. — Mr. Nelfon acquainted the Society that he had obferved an advertifement this day in the * Poft Boy ' of a charity fermon to be preached next Sunday at All Hallows, Lombard Street, notwithstanding notice had been given to all fchools about town not to publifh fuch advertifements, which ferved only to draw together a mob, and to keep away thofe that would contribute on fuch occafions. " April 30. — Mr. Nelfon is defired to recommend it to the truftees of the charity fchools in general, to give direc- tion to the refpedtive mafters and miftrefles, ftricflly to charge the children under their care to obferve a due decorum in their behaviour at church upon that day (viz., the anni verfary meeting), and to keep filence when the fervic requires it.ljl "June 4. — The Society being informed of the ftate of * The iflue of this affair was, that Nelfon and others were appointed to meet the Committee of the Clerkenwell School upon the matter, the unfortu- nate fchoolmafter was feverely reprimanded, and made his humble fubmiffion accordingly. -{- Wren objefled, under the apprehenfion of injury that might be done to the fittings of the church. J This was in confequence of * the noife made by the children' the previous year, which " feveral gentlemen complained of as very offenfive." 132 Life and Times of the that School, Mr. Nclfon was pleafed to pay 5I. yearly towards encouraging of it, as a benefa(5lion from a perfon that defires to be unknown : Agreed that Mr. Jennings and Dr. Felling be defired to acquaint the Bifhop of London with what paffed at Hampftead laft Sunday,"''- to the prejudice of Queen Hithe Charity School that were at church there, and to defire his Lordfhip's countenance againft fuch obftrudlions for the future. " Feb. 26. — It was reported from the Committee, that they had confidered of Mr. Ofborne's letter of the 14th of November, about a claufe for appropriating legacies to pious ufes unappropriated for the benefit of charity fchools in' pariflies where fuch legacies fhall be found. — Agreed, that Mr. Jennings, Mr. Meller, Mr. Cotton, and Mr. Nelfon, or any two of them, be defired to recommend to the lords bifhops the bringing in a Bill for this purpofe this feflion of Parliament. " 1 7 13. April 16. — Mr. Nelfon reported that the truftees of the charity fchools had refolved to find out a way to place the children in view of the Queen, as fhe pafTes to St. Paul's Cathedral, on the Thankfgiving-day ; and that, in order to levy money to defray the expenfe of it, they had agreed to advance fixpence for each child. "July 16. — Mr. Nelfon reported that on the Thankf- giving-day for the Peace, on the 7th current, 3925 charity- children, boys and girls, new clothed, with their matters and miftreffes, were placed on a machine or gallery in the Strand, which was in length above 600 feet, and had in breadth eight ranges of feats, one above another, whereby * This oppofitionat Hampftead to a coUeiSlion for the Qiieen Hithe Charity School, may be explained by the hiftory of a fimiiar diftiiibance at Chiflchurft, on occafion of a colleflion for St. Anne's School, Alderfgate, which lay under the imputation of being High-Church and Jacobite. See the trial ot the Rev. Mr. Wm. Hendley, for preaching a charity fermon at Chiflchurft in Kent, for the charity children of St. Anne's, Alderfgate, London; and of George Campman, Robert Hicks, Filiar Harding, and Walter Pratt, the Schoolmafter and Truftees for the charity children, for cnlle6ling money for the fame, at Rochefter Aflizes in Kent, before Sir Littleton Powys, Knt., a. d. 1719. State Trials, vol. xv., p. 1407. Pious Robert Nelfon. 135 they were put In the full view of both Houfes of Parliament, in their proceffion to St. Paul's upon that occafion ;* that it was defigned as a piece of refped to the Queen ; and tho' her Majefty was not prefent, fuch a profped of charity gave great fatisfadion to all the fpedators ; that the charge was defrayed by the truftees of the feveral charity fchools which appeared that day. "Aug. 24.-- Mr. Nelfon reported that Dr. Waugh had this day preached an excellent fermon before a confiderable number of apprentices and other fervants, educated in the charity fchools in and about London. " I 7 14. April 8. — Mr. Nelfon reported that the truTiees for charity fchools had agreed to defire the Bifhop of Lon- don to preach the fermon at the Anniverfary Meeting ot the charity fchools in and about London, and that his lordfhip had been pleafed to promife to comply with their defire, God giving him life and health. "Sept. 23. — Mr. Nelfon reported that on the King^s entry, on the 20th of September current, about''4000 * An engraving of this exhibition of the charity fchool children, was made by Geo. Viitue for Nelfon's friend Sir Richard Hoare, the then Lord Mayor; for which Nelfon alfo endeavoured to procur.e the encouragement of royal bounty, as appears from the two following letters to the Earl of Oxford. "My Lord, — I beg leave to acquaint your lordfhip that I believe greater expedition might be given to the plates concerning the charity-children, if the perfon (Mr. Virtue) who does them fhould receive fifty pounds at prefent, which I gave him reafon to expeft. I am, with great refpefl, my lord, your lordfhip's moft obedient and moft humble fervant, " Robert Nelson." " April 7, I7I4'" " My Lord, — I am required by my worthy neighbor the Dean, to return his moft humble thanks to your lordfhip for the royal bounty you have pro- cured for Mrs. Elftob ; fhe wants only to fet the prefs to work; and, therefore, fhe humbly begs that your lordfliip would be pleafed to defpatch the affair. I crave leave alio at the fame time to remind your lordfhip of the Queen's en- couragement for carrying on the plates of the machine erected for the charity- children in the Strand, which are in great forwardnefs. I am with great zeal and refpefl, my lord, your lordfhip's moft obedient and moft humble fervant, " Robert Nelson." " June 18, 1774. ■" 134 -^'/t" and Tiwes of the children of the charity fchools appeared on a machine, con- taining fix ranges of feats, 6co feet long, from eaft to weft, on the fouth fide of St. Paul's Cathedral, erected at the charge of the truftees of the feveral charity fchools, and that as the King pafPed by, and during moft of the procef- fion, the children fmg the firft fix vei fes of the 1 1 ft Pfalm, according to Sir John Denham's verfion. " Mr. Chamberlayne reported that his Royal Highnefs the Prince was pleafed to fay, that the charity-children was one of the fineft fights he ever faw in his life, and that he only winded his own children had been with him to have {^tn them at the fame time. 5. Society for the Propagation of the Gofpel in Foreign Parts. The Incorpo rated Society _ £hr_ the Propagation of the Gofpel in F oreig n Pa rts was, as is well known, an ear ly ) o ffshoot of th e_Society for Pron ioting Chriftian Knowledge. The Tatter Society liadr-char^d itfelf orr"Tts''eftabinKment with the promotion of miffionajFy~defigns in tlie -pianta- ti ons ; bu t, upon Dr. Bray's ret urn from his^ labours as Commiffary o f Marylan d, mi 701, he judged it defirable to fet u p a feparatea nd~~mCprpej:ated^ fcciety for that fpeciaT3^€4ty.-aud_ laid before the Societyfor Promoting Chrifti.aiL-Knowledge the draught o7 a charter, which (on his petition) the King was pleafed to grant, June 16, 1701. The charter recited the infufficient maintenance, or the totaP abfence of minifters of the Church, in the plantations, colonies, and fadlories beyond the feas, fo that the popula- tion " do want the adminiftration of God's Word and Sacraments, and feemed to be abandoned to atheifm and infidelity ;" and " divers Romifli priefts and Jefuits are the more encouraged^_to j.raw them over to Popifh fuperftition and idolatry." And the new Corporation was charged Pious Robert Nelfon. 135 accordingly with " the receiving, managing, and difpofing of charity given for the maintenance of an orthodox clergy, and for making fuch_otherprovifion as may Be neceffarv for the propagation of the^GDipd_irL-thQie. parts." In the lift of the original members nominated by the charter, and among whom are to be found moft of the leading members of the elder Society, the name of Robert Nelfon does not occur ; an om ifTion w hich may be owing to Tiis known difaffedHonto the Government as a Nonjuror. The omif- fion, however, was^fpeediTy and honourably repaired ; and, on November 2 1 of the fame year we find " Mr. Nelfon of Blackheath " elefted memb er of the S6cig y,"m company with Burnet and nine other of the bifhops, and Colonel Nicholfon, Lieutenanl^^Govefnof of^Vtfginia. Here he continually met the different prelates of the Eftablifhment, who agreed in giving the new Society their unanimous and. cordial fupport ; Archbifhop Tenifon, in particular, who ^ had warmly interefted himfelf in the application for a charter, frequently prefiding at its meetings, and urging the eftablilhment of Colonial bifhops, for which he left 1000/. to the Society at his death.* Here, too, Nelfon met, month after month, his old friends of the clergy. Bray, Beveridge, and Mapletoft, Gaftrell, and Marfhall, the minifter of St. George's Chapel ; withWhiteKennett,who, if not one of Nelfon's warmeft friends, deferves an honourable mention here, as one of the moft zealous and laborious pro- moters of our firft MifTionary Society. Here, too, he was accuftomed to fee the familiar faces of his friends Mel- moth, Brewfter, and Blackmore, and was brought into * In a codicil of his will, Tenifon thus exprefTes his fenfe of their neceflity : — "Until luch lawful appointments and confecrations are completed, I am very lenfible (as many of my brethren of that Society alfo are) that as there has not been, notwithftanding much importunity and many promiles to the contrary; fo there never will or can be any regular church difcipline in thole parts, or any confirmations, or due ordinations, or any fetting apart in eccle- fiaftical manner of any public places for the more decent worfliip of God." 136 ^-{A '^^^^ Times of the contadl with John Evelyn, as kindred a fpirit to his own as the record of our Englifh worthies would fupply. Under their diredlion Nelfon faw mifllonaries, catechifts, and fchoolmafters fent out to the EnglifhxDlonies in New York, Pennfylvania, Newfoundland, Rhode Ifland, and New Jerfey ; a fettleiTi^Trt— of Wdih-^as_fupplied with a minifl-er of tjigiiLQwn. janguage, and a clergyman provided for the "poor Eajatine" emigrants. Two mifTionaries were fent to the Iroquois, and another to the negroes of Goofe Creek, in South^arolina. The arrival of four Indian Sachems in London, in 1 710, lent an additional ftimulus to the work of converfion, and the Oueen gave 400/. for a million poft and chapel in their country. A young chieftain of the Yammoufea Indians, being brought over to England, was baptifed by Bifhop Compton in the chapel of Somerfet Houfe. The Morning and Evening Prayer, with the Gofpel of St. Matthew, and fome other portions of Scripture, were tranflated into the Mohawk language, and, in 17 13, the Society's miflionary was able to report eighteen communicants, on Chriflmas Day laft, from that once dreaded tribe. To the Englifh fadory at Mbfcow were fent out a number of Greek Teftaments and prayer books ; a grant of books was made for the ufe of the Englifh at St. Helena ; a donation was voted towards the eredlion of an Englifh church at Amfterdam, for which we have feen Nelfon foliciting his friend Pepys ; a fuitable refidence was purchafed at Burlington for an American bifhop ; and an edition of the Common Prayer in Dutch was printed for the fettlers in New York. Of the perfonal fhare which Nelfon took in the promotion of thefe mifllonary efforts, the records of the Society for the Propagation of the Gofpel have preferved but a meagre notice. We find him prefent month after month at the meetings of the Society at St. Martin's Library ; becoming the medium, year after year, of repeated benefadions from Pious Robert Ne/fon. 137 his brother-in-law, Lord Berkeley, and from his Countefs ; reporting a donation of " 5/. from a lady In the neighbour- hood of St. George's Chape), who defires to be unknown ;" propofing his friend Smalridge as a member ; auditing Dr. Bray's accounts on behalf of the Society ; making out a ]i{l of the libraries which had been fent out by it to the Plantations, and ferving on a committee for confidering in detail the eftablifliment of colonial fees, in purfuance of the refolution,— " That it is the fenfe of this Society, that, for the better and more efFeftual advancement and fettlement of religion in America, It is very expedient that bifhops and bifhoprics be eftablifhed there." (May 2, 17 12.) The deep intereft which he took In fuch miffions may be better inferred from the mention he makes of this Society,* in his ♦' Ways and Methods of Doing Good," and from the regret he expreflesf that it " being limited by its charter to the Britlfh plantations and dominions in the Weft Indies, cannot, as a Society, engage itfelf In propagating the Chrlftlan faith In Afia and Africa, or In fome parts of Europe, which he'^thls~day in heathenlfh darknefs, notwithftanding that there Is at the fame time a fettled correfpondence and commerce with them, as to the things of the earth." He takes notice of the encouragement which the Chriftian Knowledge Society, being under no fuch limitations, felt Itfelf at liberty to give to the Danifh miffionarles in Malabar. " But it were much to be wifhed/' * " Addrefs to Perfons of Quality and Eftate," p. 117. t He writes fimilarly to Dr. Mapletoft (St. Luke's Day, 1710) :— " 1 will to-morrow communicate your letter to the Society, who are very much difpofed to encourage the miiTion inthe Eaft : I think it is a pity that our charter confines all our endeavour E'cFtKarkind to the Weftern Planta- tions. I enclole you what has been done already, and I hope you will Iblicit for it in your neighbourhood. 1 delpair of finding any of that fort of zeal among us, which will carry any of our clergy to fuch diftant places, where they are expofed to fo many hardlhips : the bufinefs of party takes up all our zeal, and we are at our wits end if any great men are employed that we don't like." — European Magazine, vol. xvi., p. 167. /^ (3 ^ L^Z 138 Life and 'Times of the he adds, " that fome mifTionaries alfo, of our own, fhould be provided to go out among the infidels, where we have any fettlement among them ; " and that what the Danifh miflionaries liave already efFedled *' would excite a fpirit of zeal and emulation in our univerfities, and efpecially in the younger ftudents of divinity, to offer themfelves to be fent forth on this glorious undertaking." With allufion appa- rently to Sir Leoline Jenkins' foundation at Jefus' College, Oxford, he fuggefts, that fellowfhips '^ might be affigned for the encouragement of fuch as fhould prefent themfelves to be employed in an apoftolical mifTion to any part of the world, more particularly to the Eaft Indies ;" and that '* fome ecclefiaftical dignities or benefices might be appointed for a reward for fuch mifTionaries of the Gofpel, or chaplains to our factories among Infidels, as fhall be found at their return to have laboured faithfully for fuch a certain term of years in the converfion of the unbelievers to the Truth, and to have fully difcharged the high truft committed to them by God."* 1 6. The Defigns of Dr. Bray.^ -Ij^OTUj^ The religious and charitable defigns of Dr. Thomas Bray were not altogether merged in the operations of the two great focletles which were founded at his inftance. He flill carried on his plans for parochial and other libraries, with the advice and afTiflance of a body of affoclated truftees, who furvive to the prefent day as a feparate Inftltution, under the title of '* the AfTocIates of Dr. Bray," and the fhare which Nelfon took In its management mufl give it a place here among his " Ways and Methods of doing Good." It was upon his appointment as CommifTary to Maryland in 1695, that Dr. Brayf firfl expreffed his fenfe of the • " Addrefs to Perfons of Quality and Eftate," pp. 117, 130, seqq. f See " Public Spirit illuftrated in the Life and Defigns of the Rev. Thos. Pious Robert Nelfon. i^g neceffity of providing libraries for the ufe of the poorer clergy, in the following propofal : " That, fince none but the poorerJbuLof clergy, who could not fufficiently fupply themfelves with books, could be perfuaded to leave their friends and change their country for one fo remote ; and that without a competent provifion of books, they could not anfwer the ends of their miffion ; if their lordfhips the bifhops thought fit to afiill: him in providing parochial libraries for the minifters that fhould be fent, he would be content to accept the CommifTary's office in Maryland." ,' While foliciting in England fubfcriptions for the libraries abroad, he found himfelf not unfrequently met by the objedlion, that we had poor cures and poor clergymen enough in England, who flood in need of a fimilar provifion, and he was thus induced to enlarge his plan and addrefs himfelf to the formation of parochial libraries alfo at home. In 1703, he drew public attention to the fubjed in an efiay, fhowing the incompetent provifion in many parifhes for enabling the clergy to inftrudl the people; and in 1709, he obtained an A61 of Parliament for infuring the better pre- fervation of fuch parochial libraries as he might efi;ablifh for their ufe. He devoted himfelf with indefatigable zeal to this objecft to the clofe of a long life, and never loft an opportunity of advancing its claims. A detention at Ply- mouth, when waiting for a pafi^age to Maryland, was the occafion of recovering a neglected library in that town, and of founding others at Gravefend and Deal, as feaport libra- ries for naval chaplains and mifiionaries bound for their pofts in the plantations. In 'his living at Aldgate, he fuperintended the ftudies of young mifiionaries who were Bray, D.D., formerly minifter of St. Botolph without Aldgate, London, to which are added the Defigns and Proceedings of thofe who now form the Society which he inftituted." The and edition revifed. 1808. 140 Life and Times of the about to proceed to the colonies, and he eftablifhed a pro- bationary library upon the fpot for their ufe. The wants of the laity were not forgotten by him, and in his " Pri- mordia Bibliothecaria," he has left a fcheme for parochial lending libraries of greater or lefs extent, and varying in coft from two or three to one hundred pounds. And fo fuccefsful were his different exertions, that he had the fatif- fadlion of eftablifhing before his death (1730) no lefs than fixty-feven parochial libraries for the ufe of the minifter of the place, and eighty-three lending catechetical libraries in central localities for loan among the neighbouring clergy. In addition to thefe, more than fifty libraries were fent out by him into North America, the Weft Indies, to a faftory in Bengal, and to Cape Corfo Caftle, on the African coaft. In carrying out thefe defigns Dr. Bray was fupported (among others) by " the charitable Earl of Thanet," as Dunton calls him, by Lords Weymouth and Digby, Dr. Smalridge, Dr. Bull (whofe fubfcription of 20/. may be owing to the folicitation of his former pupil), Mr. Hoare, and Robert Nelfon, who aftifted in drawing up fome rules for the better prefervation of the libraries. The lofs of the early journals'" of the Society deprives us of full details of Nelfon's perfonal {hare in its operations. The intereft which he took in his friend's defigns is indicated by fome early minutes of the Society for promoting Chriftian Know- ledge ; as when he " reports that he has procured thirty volumes of Biftiop Sanderfon's fermons for the ufe of the libraries projeded by Dr. Bray in the plantations," or appears upon a committee for eftablifhing lending libraries in Wales, or is '^ defired to buy books for the two libraries in the diocefes of St. Afaph and Llandaff," or is ftated to * They appear to have been feen by Mr. H.J. Todd, when he publilhed hiseditionof the " Life and Defigns of Dr, Biay" in 1808. See Preface, p. viii. note. But tliey are not now to be found in tlic muniment cheft of the Afibciates. Pious Robert Nelfon. 141 have ordered the works of Petavius for their ufe. In liis " Addrefs to Perfons of Quality and Eftate," he efpecially recommends to their charitable confideration '^ the ereiling parochial libraries in the meanly-endowed cures throughout England ; " rtatin^^^THat there were then in England above 2000" parifhes where the annual income of the minillers did 'nrTF pvrpprj /^n/'^ ^n(] jjrging that "the minifters who officiate in churches fo meanly endowed, muft of neceffity be unfurnifhed with fuch books as might enable them to adminifter wholefome and found do6lrine to their flock, either by way of catechiiing or of preaching." He defcribes the formation of this Society for fupplying the defe(5t, and for efl:ab lifhin ^__p arochial libraries to be attached to fuch cures, for the ufe of the minifter for the time being, and *^confifting each of a competent number of the beft comments on the Holy Scriptures, and the moft approved treatifes of pradlical divinity." And he concludes : f " Through the bleffing of God, and the munificence of feveral worthy benefaftors, this undertaking hath fo far profper'd, that the truftees have already procured near 3000 books in folio, and above 4000 in 4to, and 8vo ; which are lodged in repofitories for that purpofe provided. ** It is propofed by the truftees, that if this defign meets with due encouragement, there fhall be at leaft five hundred libraries ere6led, whereof above fifty are already completed, and fent into feveral parts of the kingdom : and they do not doubt but that all good men will join with them in their hearty wifhes and endeavours, that in procefs of time, none of the above-mentioned 2000 cures ftiall want the fame advantage. " There is in like manner a defign for eredting fome libraries in the Highlands of North-Britain, for the ufe chiefly of the minifters and candidates ; feveral of whom are faid to be perfons of excellent parts and capacities, but to * PP- 169, feqq. f Ibid, pp. 171-4. 142 Life and 'Times of the be almoft wholly deftitute of books, and unprovided with the necefTiiry means of improving themfelvcs. And it is pro- pofcd to have one library in each county of the Highlands; the number of which may be afterwards increafed, as encou- ragement fhall be given. And there is a dcfign carrying on for Wales, much of the fame nature." 7. 'The Commiffion for Building New Churches. The public eredion of additional churches in London, which had been contemplated by Sancroft, and ineffeiflually propofed by the prelates of the Revolution, was more immediately owing to the impulfe of High-church en- thufiafm in Queen Anne's reign. The Tory Houfe of Commons, in 17 10, took the initiative* in this great religious work, and upon referring to Committee a petition for church accommodation from Greenwich, made it an inftrudion to the Committee to " confider what churches are wanting within the cities of London and Weftminfter, and the fuburbs thereof." Upon this encouragement, petitions for new churches poured in from the different parts of the metropolis, from Tilbury, Maiden, Kings- ton, and Gravefend. The Lower Houfe of Convocation haftened to exprefs their pleafure at finding their intentions anticipated by the zeal of the Commons, and returned their '* unanimous thanks for fuch an inftance of afFe6lionate regard to the welfare of the Eftablifhed Church, and the common interefls of religion," offering to affifl the deli- berations of Parliament '*by imparting fuch lights as they were able." The Commons refponded to their offer by the refpedful refolution, " That this Houfe will, in all matters immediately relating to religion and the welfare of * See an account of this churchbuilding movement in the Rev. R. Yates' " The Church in Danger," 1815, and his " Bafis of National Welfare," 1817, where are copious cxtrafls from the parliamentaiy papers of the time to which he had accefs. Pious Robert Nelfon. ^^ 1 43 the Eftablifhed Church, have a particular regard to fuch applications as fhall at any time be made to them from the clergy in Convocation affembled, according to the ancient ufage, together with the Parliament." No time was loft in preparing an exa6l ftatement of the deficiency to be fupplied, and on the loth of March, Convocation pre- fented to Parliament a report, fpecifying twenty-feven * of thelargeft parifhes in London (with a population of 5 12,954, and but twenty-eight churches and eighteen tabernacles or chapels of eafe), as requiring additional church accommo- dation. On the 6th of the following month, the Commons' Committee reported upon the accuracy of the calculation ; and i L allowing for as much as one-fifth of the above population to ^'y^^^-^ confift oFFrencTTProteTfants anSTHflenteFs (who were accom- Vir ^j^ modate3~^/meeting^^'ufes of their own"}, they concluded p^ f^ that a church~popuTatTon of 240^^oo]j:emained unprovided ff^/<^ forj^Jor wHom fifty new churches (the Houfe refolved) were ^y-v/(A. required, computing 4750 fouls to each church and parifh. ■^^'i>1 For the erection of thefe churches, and for the provifion ^ / of parfonage-houfes and burial-grounds, a fupply was voted *^ i/'^ of 350,000/. ; a bill pafled through both Houfes (nemine U^A flj contradicente) for raifing the amount by a tax of 2J. or 31. '^^'^ a-ton upon all coals brought_mto_the_port^ of London ; a (/iP^^ Royal ComrniliiorTwas appointed (Sept. 21) for carrying *j(^ * The Pariflies fpecified were St. Andrew's Holborn, St. Ann Weftminfter, St. Botolph Aldgate, St. Botolph Bifliopgate, St. Botolph Alderfgate, St. Clement's-Danes, Chrift Church Surrey, St. Giles' Cripplegate, St. James' Clerlcenwell, St. Sepulchre's, St. Giles' in the Fields, St. Martin's in the , i Fields, St, Mary Magdalen Bermondfey, St. Paul Shadwell, St. John J^. Wapping, St. James' Wellminlter, St. Leonard's Shoreditch, St. Margaret I **^ Weftminfter, St. Paul Covent Garden, St. George Southwark, St. Olave /"w//, Southwark, St. Saviour's Southwark, St. Mary Whltechapel, Poplar, Black- TfXA^ ^} wall, Rotherhithe, Deptford ; with feven hamlets in Stepney, viz., Ratcliff"e, f^ 1 Limehoule, Mile End Old Town and New Town, Wapping, Spitalfields and i/y WwM Bethnal Green. It will be obferved that the names of St. Pancras and Mary- lebone, whole religious deficiencies are of later growth, do not here occur at 11 ; while the fpiritual deftitution of the Eaft end of town feems to have iCn attracted as much notice as at prefent. it ^ . a^ .. .JUt/^ ^Ih //// C^' 144 Life and Times of the out the purpofe of the Adl, and powers given them to divide parifhes, to fclecft and purchafe fites, to form confolidated diftrids, to determine what churches fhould be built, and what chapels fhould be converted into parifh churches. In the lift of Co mmiflione ca^e find the name of Robert Nelfon, and his rellow-Iabourers in allwor]cs~of cHarity, tlieLords Thanet and Weymouth, Stanhope, Gaftrell and Smalridge, Henry Hoare, and Edward Jennings. The infertion o f an avo wed nonjuror's name in_a„-R^al Com- miflion is a noticeaWeTfTbute^^toJIie pul^lic character j^iJ^ch he now-pefifelTeaas a promoter of church extenfion in every fhape. To the want of Church accommodation in our large towns his attention had already been called by his friend Hiclces, who calculated that above loo new churches, and as many parifh priefts, were required within the Bills of Mortality, and fuggefted, as early as 1705, that the Coal A(5l of Charles the Second's reign, which was then expiring, might be continued for the purpofe.* The neighbourhood in which Nelfon himfelt refided afforded an inftance of new buildings and an increafed population outftripping the accommodation of the parifh church (that of St. Andrew's, Holborn) ; and the knights, baronets, and honourable gentlemen who inhabited the newly-ere(5ted manfions of Ormond Street and Queen Square, had built a chapel for their own ufe in 1705. Robert Nelfon was from the firft (even when a nonjuror) on the Committee of Pewholders in the building, and it was at a meeting of which he was Chairman (Feb. 13, 17 12) that an application was made to the new Commiflioners for the affignment of a parochial diftrlct, which he faw effedled in the following year.f The lively intereft he took in the national effort for church extenfion which was now * Preface to " Firft Colle(5lIon of Controverfml Letters." 1705. p. 26. f The chapel, however, was not confecrated and ere6lcd into the parifh church of St. George the Martyr, Queen Square, till Sept. 26, 1723. Pious Robert Nelfon. 145 being fo nobly fchemed, was further evinced by an account of the Commiffion which he contributed to his friend Chamber- layn's " Prefent State of Great Britain," and by the foremoft place he gives to it among his '^ ways and methods of doing good."* He there laments over the many '^ parifhes where the number of parifhioners exceeds ten times the capacity of the church to receive them, and where, confequently, there are many that totally negledl the public worfhip of God, and are thereby deprived of the means of grace, the feeding of their minds with necefTary knowledge, the joining in thofe united prayers which are offered up by a commiflioned officer, and the communicating in the Holy Sacrament of Chrifl's body and blood. While others, whofe minds are more ferious, but not grounded in any true principles which fix them to the communion of the Church of England, take up with the next meeting-houfe where they can be accommodated with room, and are unawares be- trayed into the hands of teachers who are deftitute of that authority which the Church of England requires in her paftors." He rejoices over the zeal with which meafures were taken againft the evil. '* How this was brought about, even at a time when the nation was involved in a moft expenfive war, and with what furprifing facility it was carried through the Parliament, doth indeed well defdrve to be remembered, to the honour of the principal managers and movers in it." He fuggefts that ground- landlords might be compelled, when they build a certain number of houfes, to ered; a church to contain the new inhabitants. He points out that this lack of church accom- modation is not confined to great towns alone, but that "the churches of many pariflies throughout this kingdom, as alfo in Ireland, are at this time in a very poor and ruinous condition ; and in fome places many inhabitants i^ * " Addrefs to Peifons of Quality and Eftate," pp. 105, et feqq 146 Life and 'Times of the are obliged to go feveral miles to enjoy the benefit of public worfhip." He wifhes that my lords the bifhops would make an exad furvey, and give in a lift to Parliament what churches or chapels are wanted, or what are proper to be rebuilt or repaired within their diocefes/' with a view to a public provifion for the fame. " But till this Chriftian fpirit," he continues, '^farther diffufes itfelf into the legiflative power, it is plain that a man of quality hath fufficient means ready at hand to accomplifh it ; and it will be very proper for him to choofe fuch great towns for the erecting of confecrated places as are in the neighbourhood of his large dominions ; fo that the bountiful donor of what he enjoys may be conftantly adored there, from whence his fupplies proceed. And this is the firft method which I fhall offer of doing good to the fouls of men." At every line in the above the unavailing regret rifes in the Englifh Churchman's mind, that a want fo fenfibly felt in Nelfon's day fhould have been then fo inadequately fup- plied, that the words of advice which he left as a legacy behind him fhould have fallen with {o little effeft upon the ears of the worldly generation which fucceeded, that the munificent grant of the legiflature* fhould have been wafted by the extravagance of architects and the fupinenefs / * Out of the 49 new churches to be erefted and the three chapels to be converted into churches, as finally decided on, the foll owing only were compl eted; viz., Greenwich; Deptford; St. Mary-le-Strand ; St. John_^ angelift, Weftminfter ; St. Ge orge, R atclifFe Highway ;'T;hrill Church, Spittlefields ; St. Ann's^Lime- houfe, in the_j)arifli of Stepney ; St. John's^_Horfeleydown ; St. Luke, Old Street ; St. G e orge vQu e e n Square ; St. George^s^^Ioomlbury ; and_gii[ie4y;£e's Hanover Sg uareT ^^t. Giles and St. Martin's^-the- £.ie lds were rebuilt in lieu »! 1 / prtSg neiliuj ^ul additTooa TcTiurchesTh thof e parilhes ^^t^CTar^T^^ooInoth, 111 in conTideT'afion of its havuigbeeh imperteitiy relldred after the Great Fire. Of thefe churches, a Parliamentary Committee reported (Nov. 19, 1718) that St. John's, Weftminfter, coft £29,277, that at Deptford £19,367, Lime- houfe, £19,679, Spittlefields,£i9,4.i8, RatclifFe Highway,£i8, 557, Greenwich, £18,269,81. Mary-le-Strand, £16,34.1. The two firft, the Committee juftly complained, were erefled by Mr. Archer, the architect, and one of the Com- mifTioners, without any eftimate. Pious Robert Nel/on. i^y of the Commiffioners to whom it was intrufted ; and that, \ in fine, only one- fifth of the fifty_churches fhould Jjai^e-ljigen eventually eredled^^and an acknowledged evil thus allowed to perpetuate and increafe, to an extent whiclf no fubfequent public granT'oF'voIuntary effort has fince been able to retrieve. Nelfon was fpared the mortification of mourning over the unworthy ilTue of the noble fcheme from which he had hoped fo much. He did not furvive to fee fo much as the firfl ftone laid of the contemplated churches. But the good work engaged his thoughts to the laft, and one of his latefl labours was to read over a Treatife* on Church Building, which had been forwarded to him for his approval by one of his many admirers, and which he returned enclofed with an affurance of " the pleafure and fatisfadlion" it had given him. 8. Desideranda. To our account of the different charitable labours in which Robert NeKon was actively engaged, muft be added his own fketch of the further charitable fchemes which he was only able to indicate and recommend. The enumeration of them exhibits to advantage the- keen and thoughtful appreciation which he had of the focial wants of our country and the deficiences of our Church :f — " We have not," he urges, '^ a hofpital for the incurable, as they have in fome parts abroad ; and fo feveral miferable *"The Rich man's great and indifpenfable Duty to contribute liberally to the building, rebuilding, repairing, beautifying, and adorning of churches, largely fet forth and laid before the Nobility, Gentry, and all other rich perfons of whatfoever rank or denomination. Being a difcourfe perufed and approved of by the late moft pious Robert Nelfon, Efq., as what might be of great ufe to the public," By Edward Wells, D.D., Reflor of Cotelbach, in Leicefter- fhire. 17 15. f " Addrefs to Perfons of Quality and Eftate," pp. 210, et seqq. L 2 148 Life and Times of the objedls, left without all help, and even hope, may perifh before their time ; feveral of Vv'hom poflibly might be recovered, and ufeful experiments made upon them in medicine, to the great advancement of that faculty. There might be alfo hofpitals for every capital diftemper of the body, which would certainly tend exceedingly to promote the fame end, in like manner as that of Bethlehem is for lunacy and difeafes of the brain ; there might be an hofpital for the blind and for all difeafes of the eyes, another for the ftone, a third for gout and rheumatifm, a fourth for the dropfy, a fifth for the afthma, a fixth for the confumption, a feventh for the palfy, and fome other nervous cafes. By which means there might be mighty improvements made in the art of curing, and, with God's bleffmg, many thoufands of lives might he preferved for the good of the publick. ** We have not a houfe of charity to receive poor expofed infants, whereby many murders and abortions might be prevented, and even the children of honeft poor parents, who are not able to provide for them, might be taken care of, both as to foul and body. ''We have not a houfe to receive fuch young women as may be convinced of their folly, and converted from a loofe courfe of life, into which they may have been by fur- prife at iirfh betrayed ; and would be glad to have, if they could, a convenience of retirement from temptation, whereby to fecure their future eftate, and poflefs here their own foul out of the noife and fcandal of the world, by a true Chriftian difcipline ; not being wanting, at the fame time, to make the neceffary provifion for their bodies by the labour of their hands ; that fo they may not be burdenfome to the houfe, but rather helpful. " We have not houfes to receive decayed gentlemen, or thofe who have but fmall fortunes, or any who have a mind to retreat for a certain time, where they may have all the advantages of a religious and ufeful fociety, without binding themfelves to any obligations, which they may afterwards grow weary of. " We have not houfes for the reception of ladies and gentlewomen, beyond boarding fchools, in order to their improvement both in knowledge and piety ; though there Pious Robert Neljon. 149 was fome years ago a propofal to ladies* for this end, made by a very ingenious gentlewoman, which was then well approved of by feveral ladies and others. " We have no colleges or houfes of hofpitality for enter- taining ftrangers, which might be made of very great ufe to the publick. " We have not colleges for receiving new converts from popery, whom we ought not either prefently to truft, nor totally to reje6t. Now, if there were a college for pro- bationers, in one part of which converts froni popery, and in the other converts from fchifm, were to be firft tried and exercifed for a certain time before they were admitted and approved, this might be very much both for the honour and the fecurity of the Church of England. " We have neither fchool nor hofpital for the diftrefTed children called the blackguard. f Many alfo of the parifh children are vagrants, and expofed to a multitude of temp- tations, by not being kept together in one houfe, which * " A Serious Propofal to the Ladies for the Advancement of their True and Greateft Intereft. By a Lover of her Sex [Mrs. Aftell], 1697." See "Ballard's Lives," p. 446. f The following " Propofal for a Charity School for Blackguard Boys," fhows how completely Robert Nelfon anticipated the ragged schools of our own days, and it raifes a figh, that a good work, Iketched fo long ago by one of the Church's fons, (hould have been allowed, by her negligenee, to have fallen into other hands : "^ Propofal for a Charity-fchool for the Blackguard Boys. "Whereas the Charity Schools erected in the feveral parts of this kingdom have abundantly improved the morals of poor children educated in them to the honour of God and the benefit of the nation. And whereas the children commonly called blackguard boys, are dellltute of all manner of provifion for inftruftion, tending either to the good of their fouls or bodies, fo that they are not only a fcandal to the country they live in, but a difgrace to human nature. And whereas a fchool might be formed under fuch regulations as would make them more ufeful in their little ftations as well as lefs wicked and profane. " We whofe names are underwritten, do hereby agree to pay towards fetting up of a Charity School in fuch place as fhall be thought moft proper for teach- ing the blackguard boys to read, and inilru6ling them in the knowledge and praftice of the Chriftian religion, as profeffed and taught in the Church of England, and fuch other things as are fuitable to their condition and capacity." An eftimate follows of the charge of fupporting a" Charity School for black- guard boys," who were to be clothed as well as taught ; and " if the fubfcriptions will amount to fo much, a half-penny loaf of bread may be allowed to each boy at noon that comes to fchool feafonably in the morning." 1 50 Life and 'Times of the could be done at much lefs charge to the parifh as well as much greater advantage to the poor children. '* There is a want of fufFragan bifhops, both at home and in the weftern plantations. The Diocefe of Win- chefter may have three of thofe fuffragans, and Lincoln four, according to an Aft of Parliament ftill in force. There are two-and-twenty fuffragan bifhops who by that law might be made in England. And four fuffragans, at leaft, fhould be in America." Of the different fchemes of ufefulnefs here fuggefl:ed, I there is hardly one, the worth and importance of which has not been confirmed by fubfequent experience, or the need of which is not fenfibly felt by ourfelves. Thus, again, there are few religious wants of our Church more generally/ recognifed than the need of more deeply religious training for our clergy, and the necefTity of theological colleges for our candidates for holy orders, and it is thus that Robert Nelfon touches upon the deficiency * in 17 14 : — " If the palaces of bifhops might become again, as here- tofore, the fchools of candidates for the holy miniflry, how then would religion in general, and our Church in parti- cular, flourifh } Some attempts of this nature have been made of late years, but for want of fufficient encourage- ment, as well as of due regulations for carrying it on, this neceffary undertaking hath not hitherto met with all that fuccefs which could be wifhed for. However, a fmall feminary of this kind hath within thefe few years been fet up in the Ifle of Man, under the diredlion of the good bifhop thereof; who made alfo a propofal fome time fince to the Society for Propagating the Gofpel in Foreign Parts to educate or prepare four mifTionaries in his feminary at a very low rate, to be at the command and dire<5tion of the faid fociety. And as thofe fhould have have been educated under the eye of the bifhop, who mufl thence be acquainted with their true charader, probably fuch only would be pre- * " Acklrcfs,"' pp. 123, ct seqq. Pious Robert Nelfon. \c^\ fented to that moft important fervice whofe qualifications were before fufficiently tried and approved, and fuch as might be an honour to their holy profefTion and the miffion they are defigned for, as faithful and true labourers in that vineyard which falleth to their Jot. '* There are fome wife and good men of opinion that they who are fent out to fuch a mifTion in our plantations abroad fhould be obliged to ftudy and pra6life phyfick and chirurgery, that they may have the better opportunity of doing good to men's fouls whilft they are taking care of their bodies. The bifhop's propofal did not extend fo far; but this hath been taken up by others, and much recom- mended for its apparent ufefulnefs to all mankind. " But not only for the miffionaries, who are called to propagate the Gofpel among infidels abroad, but for all other candidates of divinity, it hath been much wifhed that there were fome proper feminaries, where, after an academical education firft laid in one or other of our uni- verfities, they might not only be fully inftruded in the art of preaching, but in all other parts of their duty ; and more efpecially how to perform all the public offices with a becoming gravity and devotion. We have indeed very noble foundations for the encouragement of theological ftudies; but there feems to be fomewhat further yet required, beyond the common method which is taken in the colleges. " And nothing would be likely to give a greater increafe to our holy religion than the foundation of fuch apoftolical feminaries in every diocefe, under the immediate diredion of the bifhop thereof."* * In the Life of Bidiop Bull, he expreffes in ftill ftronger terms his fenfe of the need of fuch theological colleges, where " candidates for orders might be fully inftrufted in all that knowledge which that holy inftitution requires, and in all thofe duties which are peculiarly incumbent upon a parochial prieft. Where lectures might be daily read, which in a certain courfe of time fhould include a perfei5t fcheme of divinity ; where all particular cafes of confcience might be clearly ftated, and fuch general rules laid down as might be able to aflift them in giving fatisfadion to all thofe that repair to them for advice in difficult matters. Where they might receive right notions of all thofe fpiritual rights which are appropriated to the priefthood, and which are not in the power of the greateft fecular perfon either to convey or aboliih ; and yet are of fuch great importance, that fome of them are not only neceflary to the well- being, but to the very being of the church. Where they might be taught to IS^ Life and Times of the These extrads are taken from " A Reprefentation of the Several Ways and Methods of Doing Good," which Nelfon has incorporated into his " Addrefs to Perfons of Quahty and Eftate;" a pofthumous work, which appeared in 1715,* under the editorlhip of his friend Lee, into whofe hands, fhortly before his laft illnefs, he had entrufted the manufcript for publication. In this work Nelfon endeavoured to enlift the fympathies of the rich and noble, with whom he was in the habit of aflbciating, in behalf of thofe children of poverty for whom he lived. He urged upon them that fomething different was required from them than mere liberality ; that liberality confifts in giving what is their own when they have no obligation to give, and nothing to exped from it ; but that charity is a reftoring of that proportion of your wealth which dees not belong to you, which you are obliged by the commandment of God to diftribute to the neceffities of others. Do you in earneft believe, he afks, that the Almighty, in heaping fuch treafure upon you, aimed at perform all the public offices of religion with a becoming gravity and devotion, and with all that advantage of elocution which is aptelt to fecure attention and beget devout affedlion in the congregation. Where they might particularly be direfled how to receive clinical contcffions, how to make their applications to perfons in times of ficknefs, and have fuch a method formed to guide their addrcffes of that nature, that they might never be at a lofs when they are called upon to affift fick and dying perfons. Where they might be inftrufled in the art of preaching ; whereby I mean not only the beft method in compofing their fermons, but all thofe decent geltures and graceful deportment, the influence whereof all hearers can eafier feel than exprefs. And where they might have fuch judicious rules given them for profecuting their theological ftudies as would be of great ufe to them in their future conduct. But above all, where they might be formed by conftant praflice and by the example of their fuperiors, to piety and devotion, to humility and charity, to mortification and felf-dcnial, to contcntednefs and fuhmiffion tothe will of God in all condi- tions of human life ; and more efpecially excited to great zeal in promoting the falvation of fouls, which is the true fpring of all that induftry and applica- tion which is required in the clerical fun6lion." • " An Addrefs to Perfons of Quality and Eftate, by Robert Nelfon, Efq., to which is added an appendix of fome original and valuable papers. 1715." It was reprinted at Dublin, with fuitable adaptations to the locality, in 1752. Pious Robert N elf on. 153 nothing but to make you rich and great ? He meant the rich to be fathers to the poor, and the poor to look up to them as to parents. He means the fortunes of the rich to be refervoirs of charity, from which perpetual ftreams of kindnefs fhould iffue on all around. They are as much meant to give as the clouds to rain, or the fun to fhine. God has lodged the portion of the poor in the hands of the rich ; and, if you confume all you have upon yourfelves, you are guilty both of difobedience and of injuftice. You ufe your wealth contrary to the intention of God, who is the abfolute mafter of it, and has intruded you to difpenfe it ; you ufe it contrary to the right of the poor, who have a juft title to a fhare of thofe good things which you pofTefs. "All the ancient Fathers,'\he continues, ''who are wife inftrudors in matters of piety, as well as the beft witnefTes to necefiary truth, agree in this notion ; that after we have fatisfy'd our neceflities, and fupply'd our reafonable occa- fions, we fliould employ the reil for the relief of our poor neighbours. And there is no point whereupon they have fo often and clearly explained themfelves. Not to beftow our fuperfluities upon the poor, St. Auguftin aiTerts, is a manlfeft retaining the goods of our neighbour. St. Bafil fays, that we commit as many robberies, as we refufe occafions of relieving the neceffitous from our fuperfluities. Do you know what crime you render yourfelves guilty of, you that are rich, when you deny the poor neceflary food ? The fame crime, fays St. Ambrofe, as if you fnatched out of his hands the little bread he hath wherewith to fupport his life. All the fathers fay fo exadly the fame thing, that there is but little difference in their manner of expreffmg it. So that it is the hungry man's bread you lock up in your own chefts ; it is his food you confume in riot and gluttony ; it is the naked man's clothing you wear in the extravagances of your apparel ; and it is the prifoner's liberty that you throw away at your exceffive gaming and deep play." 154 -^i/"^ ^^^ 'Times of the On the other hand he afTures them, that " if doing good were attended with no other advantage than the pleafure that refults from fuch adions, furely that is fufficient to make you in love with it. What a pleafure is there," he exclaims, with a warmth that was evidently kindled by a remembrance of the happy moments he had thus himfelf received : *' What a pleafure is there, to enter into a family as an angel of peace, and to leave thofe -in a6ls of praife and thankfulnefs, whom we found plunged in mourning and defolation ? What pleafure to go about fowing joy in the minds of men, ftrevving everywhere quiet and ferenity, changing the conditions of men, making happy ones, and working miracles ? Is it poflible that there ihould be any fo foolifh as to choofe rather to fee their coffers full of dirt and earth, than to be fathers of the poor, inftruments of Providence, vifible gods, as it were, of this world, loved, bleffed, and almoft adored, by men?" And he fets before them the eternal rewards which will follow upon this prefent pleafure, and the opportunities which the rich and great poffefs of procuring the moft exalted places in heaven by devoting themfelves here to a life of beneficence and religion. "If there are crowns," he fays, ''for an obfcure and defpifed humility ; for the contempt of the world in a mean condition ; for that juftice, which hath been joined with an incapacity of doing much mifchief; for that meeknefs, which hath been deprived of the fureft means of refentment ; for that innocence, which hath always been kept at a dif- tance from temptations : what thrones are there not pre- pared for thofe heroick vertues, which have increafed in the midft of the moft corrupted courts ? What exaltation fhall not that humility receive, that hath continually grown under honour and preferment ? What a glorious kingdom fhall not that poverty of fpirit be poffeffed of, which hath Pious Robert N elf on. 155 been able to preferve itfelf under great plenty and abun- dance ? What comfort fhall not be adminiftered to them, who have been mourners, when the joys and delights of the world have been always at their command ; who have abftained from pleafures when all forts of pleafure feemed to court them ? What a blefled vifion fhall not the pure in heart be eternally entertained with, who have preferved their chaftity inviolable in the midft of an infedious air ? What durable riches fhall not be conferred upon thofe who have difperfed and given to the poor, when it was in their power to have confumed it in luxury and magnificence ? "Blefled are you rich, who fhall be found without blemifh, who have not gone after gold. Happy, infinitely happy will you be, who have always put your trufl and confidence in the Lord : whofe hearts have not been corrupted by your great treafures ; whofe minds have not become vain and foolifh from your birth and titles ; who have led a virtuous and pious life in the m.idft of a wicked and depraved world : who, having in your power an abfolute liberty to do every thing, have always kept vourfelves within the narrow bounds of God's laws ; and when you might have done what you would, did nothing but what you ought ; who, having it in your power to do evil, exercifed yourfelves only in good works." 156 Life and Times of the CHAPTER IV. ROBERT nelson's DEVOTIONAL WRITINGS. (i). The Praftice of True Devotion, 1698.— Quotations. — (2). Exhortation to Houfekeepers, 1702. — Extract. — (3). Companion to the Feftivals and Fafts, 1704. — Similar works by previous and fubfequent writers. — Its extraordinary popularity. Prized by Bonwicke and others. — Abftrafl of Subjefts. — Quotations. — Obfervance of Holydays in Nelfon's time. — (4). The Chriftian Sacrifice, 1706. — Nelfon's opinion of Frequent Communion. — Practice of Bonnell and others. — Celebrations at the London Churches. — Nelfon's do6trine of the Euchariftic Sacrifice, taught by Lake, Ken, Bull, Beveridge, and others. — Attacked by Trimnell and others. — (s) Inftru6lions for Confirmation. To the preceding enumeration of thofe *^ways and methods of doing good," to which Robert Nelfon devoted his life, and by which he endeared himfelf to his contem- poraries, his biographer muft add a fpecial and feparate notice of thofe devotional writings which have made his name a houfehold word to many, whom the record of his perfonal charities has never reached, and by which he ftill continues to be doing good, and fowing the feeds of true devotion and found do6lrine in our Church. I. The earlieft of thefe devotional works was his " Prac- tice of True Devotion," * which was publifhed anonymoufly in 1698. In confequence, pofTibly, of thus wanting the advantage of his name, it failed to attradl popular attention as quickly as his other publications, and did not reach a fecond edition till the year after his death, in 17 15, when • "The Praf^ice of True Devotion in relation to the end as well as to the means of Religion ; with an office for the Holy Communion." Nichols' " Lit. Anecd.," vol iv. p. 193, and " Anecdotes of Bowyer," p. 3, gives 1698 as the date of the firft edition. The Preface has a later date (Aug. 23, 1708), and mult have been fubfequently added. Pious Robert N elf on. 1^57 it began to take its place in public efteem, being reprinted as often as twenty times by the commencement of the prefent century. It is full as worthy of its author as any of his later writings ; and indeed the very nature of its object, together with the earneftnefs, kindlinefs, and good fenfe with which that fubject is treated, render it a ftill truer embodiment than they are of his own perfonal character in religion. The Preface is charadleriftic of one who took fhelter from the violence of party ftrife in the practice of piety and charity. '* The prefent divided ftate of Chriftianity is fo melan- choly a confideration to all pious and good men, who thoroughly apprehend the dreadful confequences of it, that they do not more frequently lament, than they do moft fervently beg of God a fovereign remedy for thofe un- happy divifions that prevail in the world ; and labour as earneftly in their feveral ftations to fuggeft fuch methods as may prove moft effedual to preferve the unity of the faith, and may have the greateft tendency to reconcile the minds of men to one another. "It is but too manifeft, that among the many vifible ill efFedls of parties, we may reafonably reckon, as a very confiderable one, the great decay of the fpirit and life of devotion ; for while men are fo deeply concerned for their feveral fchemes, and purfue them with the vigour of their minds, and the bent of their affections, the folid and fubftantial part of religion is apt to evaporate ; and charity, the very bond of peace, and of all virtues, without which whofoever liveth is counted dead before God, is but too frequently made a facrifice to thofe differences that divide us." It was to put fome check upon what he felt to be a growing evil of the day, that Nelfon drew up this invaluable manual of practical religion. He commences, like William Law in his "Serious Call," by ftating the nature of true devotion. He owns that " in difcourfe we I 58 Life and 'Times of the generally underftand by a devout man, one who prays often with all the appearances of a ferious and religious mind ; and the frequent exercife of the means of grace, efpecially prayer, feems to have engrofled the charadler of devotion." But he infifts that true devotion is not fo much the per- formance of any one duty, "as it is the way and manner of performing all the inftances of our duty ; that it confifts in a conftant and ready cheerfulnefs of mind in doing the will of God, however manifefted to us : for this fhows we are devoted to his fervice. It is an earneftnefs of foul to be entirely conformed in everything to the divine pleafure ; fo that the covetous do not more eagerly long for wealth, the ambitious for honour, and the epicure for pleafure, than the devout foul does to live in all the commandments of the Lord blamelefs." He proceeds to offer rules for the attainment and prefervation of this religious fpirit. It is within the reach of all. Chriftian perfeftion, he urges, is not to be attained only by retirement and contemplation, and by abftra6ling ourfelves from the world. It con- fifts in the right- performance of fuch a6lions as occur every day. Even the public functions of the miniftry give no advantage in this refpedl to those who are occupied by them. "The difference between the goodnefs of one man and another, does not fo much depend upon the nature of that employment which is made his profeffion, as upon that temper of mind with which he governs it. The prieft at the altar may be reje6ted by God through his ambition and covetoufnefs ; when the tradefman in his fhop may fandlify his bufinefs by juftice and charity." The prac5lices of piety are to be valued only as they are calculated to produce this inward devotion of heart, " fo that it is not he that fays the moft prayers, and comes the moft frequently to the Altar, that is the moft holy and Pious Robert Neljon. 159 fanftified perfon ; but he that Is moft like to God, and abounds moft with the fruits of the fpirlt." Obedience to the commandments of God Is true devotion to his fervlce, and " thus praying always, and praying without ceafing, Is by fome underftood to confift In govern- ing all our anions by the rule of our duty, keeping our minds always in a fit difpofitlon to pray. And when the fun and moon, the light and ftars are called upon to pralfe the Lord, it Is by obferving their regular courfe and con- ftantly performing thofe ofiices that were laid upon them in the beginning of the creation. In like manner, whoever difcharges well the duties of his ftation, and exa6lly per- forms the obligations of his profeftion, may be fald to pray continually, and pralfe the Lord." Thus under the Pradlce of True Devotion, Nelfon Is able to include the duties of ordinary life, as well as the outward obfervances of religion, and his book continues to this day as complete and ufeful a manual of practical religion as any which our Church poffefTes, and as fultable a guide for well-difpofed and well-inftru6led youth as could be put Into their hands. The following quotations may ferve as further fpecimens of Nelfon's ftyle and matter in this his earlleft devotional work ; they will evince his thoughtful ftudy of human nature, and juftify the reputation which this book has fo long enjoyed. Little Annoyances. — " Never excufe yourfelf from mor- tification, by faying, that the occafion that offers "for it is inconfiderable : if it is a little thing. It will coft you the lefs pains ; but the confequence is important : becaufe In thefe little things you always affert the empire over your paiTions ; from whence It will follow, that in matters of the greateft moment you will be mafter of yourfelf, and no pafTion will be able to prevail againft you." " The rigour of the feafons, cold, heat, hunger, thirft, ill weather, ficknefs, wounds, viduals ill drefled, a bed ill i6o Life and Times of the made, a difiigreeable fmell, the ftinging of a bee, and a thoufand other Httle accidents that happen to us, give us a fair opportunity to promote our falvation, if we fuffer them patiently without complaining." Perfonal Antipathies. — " As fome certain perfons pleafe us by a fort of fympathy, we know not why ; fo others difpleafe us by a fort of antipathy which we can give no account of. It is somewhat difficult entirely to conquer thefe averfions, becaufe fometimes they proceed from nature and conftitution : but we may prevent the outward appear- ance of it, by fupprefTmg all contemptuous and reproachful language. " Antipathy thus governed may be compared to a wild beaft chained : as long as you keep it confined it is not able to do any hurt ; but if you once let it loofe it is incre- dible what mifchief it will do to yourfelf and evft-ybody elfe. As long as you give no outward teftimonies of your averfion, it will be attended with no ill confequence, pro- vided you do not pleafe yourfelf with fuch thoughts, but rather endeavour to fupprefs the irregular motions they may occafion ; but if once you give way to your antipathy by doing everything which that didlates, in a little time you will contra(5t a great deal of guilt. Therefore bear with patience whatever is fhocking to you in other people." Anger. — " Never fay anything in a paffion. Let the fmoke fly ofl^, let the troubled water fettle, and then you will be able to difcover what reafon requires from you, when the ftorm of paffion is quieted. " Let me farther give you a little hint upon this fubjedl. I find feveral are able to moderate themfelves when they are provoked to anger, and can govern their refentment at the time when they are offended ; but fome time after they apply themfelves to their friends and intimates to relate to them the bad treatment they have received ; and under the pretence of afking advice, and of feeking comfort, they will make a long narration of the injuries they have received. Now to what purpofe is all this difcourfe, and what does it ferve for, but to renew their refentment, which was almoft Pious Robert Nel/on. i6i .appeafed ; and to rekindle their anger, which was almoft extinguifhed ? " Humility. — " There are fome who appear humble, and who give way to others, but at the fame time are very glad that others fhould take notice of it ; if they put up with an affront, or bear patiently any refledion, they are defirous of being applauded. ' I know,' fay they, ^ what you have faid againft me, but I will think no more of it, fince it is a man's duty to bear contempt for the love of God.' Another will come and relate the pains he has taken upon an occafion of praftifing his duty, the humiliation and mortification he has fuffered. The beft part of this virtue is loft when we defire to make it known to others, when we acquaint them with what we know others fay and do againft us. True humility confits in fuffering of humiliation and mortification, without defiring that any one fhould know we fufi^er it." The practice of Virtue. — '* It is by writing, that one learns to write ; it is by painting and drawing, that one learns to draw and paint ; and it is by pra6tifing virtue, that one learns it and grows perfe6t in it. Aik a virtue of God never fo long, refledl upon it never fo ferioufly, read all the books that treat of it, and hear the moft excellent preachers that recommend it, fet the beft examples of it before your eyes, and make the firmeft refolutions to attain it ; yet if you never really pracflife it, nor exercife yourfelf in it, you fhall never be mafter of it. Set therefore imme- diately about this method ; for it is in humbling yourfelf, that you become humble. It is in making frequent ads of the love of God, that you become enamoured with him ; it is by patient fuft^ering, without repining, that you learn patience ; and it is by denying yourfelf, that you become mortified to the things of this world." 2. The next in order of Nelfon's devotional writings was an Exhortation upon the Duty of Family Prayer;* a fubjedl on which he loft no opportunity of infifting, fub- * " An earned Exhortation to Houfekeepers to fet up the Worfliip of God in their Families . With daily Prayers for Morning and Evening. The fecond i62 Life and 'Times of the joining prayers for families to each of his larger works, and in this little trad prefling the obligation upon parents in humble life. It was early taken upon the lift of the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge, and diftributed gratui- toufly to their correfpondents, and it reached as many as twelve editions in the fifty years that fucceeded its publica- tion. It is now, however, of fuch unfrequent occurrence, that a quotation from it may here be acceptable, as a fample of the fimple and familiar language in which Nelfon could addrefs the uneducated poor : — "Let it be your care that your children be taught to read, and then to learn the Church Catechifm, with fome fhort prayers for morning and evening, which you muft oblige them conftantly to ufe. Be very fevere with them if they tell lies, or betake themfelves to pilfering tricks, or lightly ufe the name of God, efpecially if they fwear by that facred name, or offend againft modefty by any filthy or obfcene words or adlions. Your authority ought to influ- ence and reftrain them till their reafon can difcover the advantages of piety, and the folly and ingratitude of finning againft God, and breaking His holy commandments. In- dulgence in thefe cafes may be of fatal confequence, for by letting the reins of government hang loofe, children will abandon themfelves to the conduft of their paftions, which they are moft inclined to follow, and you will quickly repent that fondnefs which, by dear-bought experience, will be found to have ruined your children. Never omit carrying them with you to church on the Lord's Day, and fee that they behave themfelves reverently at the public worftiip. ** But what I chiefly defigned to recommend to you at edition 1702." The firft edition I have not feen. It is thus referred to in the Minutes of the S.P.C.K. " 1702. April 16. Ordered that Dr. Woodward's two pieces on Confirmation, and another little traft about Family Prayer, be added to the ordinary packets which are fent to the correfpondents. July 23. Ordered, that 500 Serious Exhortations to Houfekeepers be delivered to the agents (of fchools), together with two Paftoral Letters to be diftributed according to their difcretion." Pious Robert Nelfon. 163 prefent was, to fet up the worfhip of God in your families, by the conftant performing of morning and evening prayer, and by reading a Pfalm and chapter in the New Teftament before you begin that holy exercife. This will be the beft means to preferve a fenfe and fpirit of religion in your families ; by this method they will be conftantly put in mind of their duty ; for the matter of it is contained in fuch prayers, and what we afk of God we are obliged to ufe our utmoft endeavours to obtain. And upon this con- dition God promifes the influences of His grace, which, provided we do our beft, will always be ready to aflift and ftrengthen us in the doing and fuffering His holy will. "If you, or any one in the family can read, let him or her take the Bible, and gravely read a Pfalm and chapter in the New Teftament, and then diftindlly and reverently on your knees, offer up the following prayer to Almighty God. And whatever obje(5lions you may have as to your worldly affairs in a morning, I am fure in the evening you have leifure enough for this purpofe. Let your children get by heart the two prayers that are added for them, and ftand by them fometimes, that they may learn to pray ferioufly and devoutly. When they are of a fit age, go with them to your minifter, and defire him to prepare them for Confirmation, and afterwards to receive the Blefied Sacrament." Then follow Family Devotions for morning and evening, with private prayers for children and fervants. 3. Nelfon's palmary work on the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church * appeared in 1703, the preface bearing the date of All Saints' Day in that year. The plan of it had been fchemed ten years before, in concert with his friend Kettlewell, and it had had the advantage of the friendly re- vifion of Brokefby and of Lee. To his worthy friend. Dr. * " A Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church of England, with Colleifls and Prayers for each Solemnity. 1704.." In 1707 appeared the " Fourth edition ; with additions j" thefe additions comprifing the marginal notes, and the chapters for Barter Monday and Tuefday, and Whit Monday and Tuefday. u 2 164 Life and 'Times of the Cave, he alfo confefles himfelf Indebted for the hiftorlcal par- ticulars which he has given ; and a comparifon of Nelfon's " Feftivals" with Dr. Cave's " Lives of the Apoftles and Evangelifts," will exhibit a very large amount of verbal coincidence, and fhow the great extent of Nelfon's obliga- tions to his friend. To Nelfon belongs the merit of careful and judicious execution, rather than of learned refearch or of original conception in his work. The idea of compiling a popular body of divinity by way of com- mentary on the Feftivals and Fafts of the Chriftian year, had already been carried out, with fome acceptance, by two divines of our church ;* and a contemporary of Nelfon was engaged at the fame time as himfelf, upon a fim.ilar performance.! But the judicious and careful execution of Nelfon's book, together with the advantage of his per- fonal character and pofition, won for it fo inftantaneous and fo enduring a popularity, as altogether to eclipfe any previous or contemporary effort. The clergy of the day hailed their lay ally with enthufiafm, and zealoufly circu- lated a defence of their order and their church from a quarter that was above the world's fufpicions. His afTo- ciates at the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge loft no opportunity of putting forward the produ6lion of one of the moft honoured of their members. And if poor clergymen were to be felefted for a fuitable prefent ; if a * " The Holy Feafts and Fafts of the Church, with meditations and prayers, by W, Brough, D.D. 1657.'" " @v(naaTiiptov, five Scintilla Altaris. Primitive Devotion in the Feafts and Fafts of the Church of England, by Ed, Sparkes, D.D. 6th edition. 1678.'" •j- " Hiftoria Sacra, or the Holy Hiftor)' ; giving an exaft and comprehen- five account of all the Feafts and Fafts of the Church of England, with their etymologies and appellations, and the true grounds and reafons of their celebra- tions. Together with pra6lical obfervations upon the feveral days and prayers concluding each diftin6l head. 1705." The book reached a 2nd, ed. 1720, 3rd, 1732. " As to Mr. Nelfon's Treatife on this fubje6l," writes the author, " I had almoft finiftied mine before that appeared in the world, and, therefore, I have not enriched myfelf from that ftore with any one obfervation that I have not made before." Pious Robert Nelfon. 165 fchoolmiftrefs at Nayland was to be rewarded for her exem- plary condud ; if Mr. Oftervald, the paftor of Neufchatel, was to be encouraged in his defign of making a nearer ap- proach to the dodrine and dlfcipline of the Englifli Church ; if a merchant was to be complimented for " his favour in tranfmitting the books of the Society beyond the feas," or a miffionary was to be furnifhed for his ftation ; — nothing formed fo appropriate and acceptable a gift as '^ Mr. Nelfon's Book on the Feftivals and Fafts." It had not been publillied a couple of months, before the Society for the Propagation of the Gofpel ordered it,* together with Mr. Oftervald's Catechifm, to be given to all their mif- fionaries. It united in its favour the fuffrages of contending theologies ; and was commended by Mrs. Burnet (in her *' Devotions,") as much as by Dr. Hickes. Ambrofe Bonwicke, at college, prepared himfelf for his diflblution by the refledlions and prayers for Eafter Eve, and the youthful nonjuror was found dead in his chamber with " his Nelfon" befide him.f The worthy and pious Thorefby, a convert from the nonconformifts, and retaining to the laft much of puritan feeling, yet made it his conftant manual of devotion, \ as each facred feafon of the Church returned. When viiiting the well-known Lady Elizabeth Haftings, he found that religious and charitable lady employing it at * Minute of S.P.G. Feb. 4, 170^ f " Pattern for young Students in the Univerfity fet forth in the Life of Mr. Ambrofe Bonwicke. 1729." X " The Diary of Ralph Thorefby," vol. ii., p. 53, "Concluded the pious Mr. Nelfon's moft excellent treatife of the Fealts and Fafts of the Church, with which I have been often much affefled, and might have been ftill more, if I could come nearer to the pattern fet by the exemplary author who pre- fented this to me." P. 3 50, " Mr. Hole, by my lady's appointment, read our late friend Mr. Nelfon of the Feftivals, to inltrucl the fervants as to the Epiphany, then a chapter as ufually before family prayers 5 after which all retired to their private devotions, bleffed be God for fuch exemplars." P. 406, April 5. Die Dom. " Morning, read Burkitt, and Nelfon in the Feftivals for Eafter- day, having on the preceding days read thofe in the Fafts for Good Friday and Eafter Eve. Evening, read Nelfon." 1 66 Life and 'Times of the family prayer for the inftrudllon of her fervants. Clergy- men were not above adopting it for their perfonal edification, and Dr. Asfheton, the faithful paftor of Beckenham, as his biographer informs us,* "primitively celebrated our religious Feafts and Fails according to the rules of that truly pious, charitable, and learned gentleman, Robert Nelfon, Efq., in his excellent book thereupon." So largely was it circulated among every clafs, that in four years and a half more than 10,000 copies were printed. Two dif- ferent tranflations were made of it into German ; and Mr. Williams, Lord Berkeley's chaplain, tranflated it into Welfh. Nelfon faw it pafs through as many as eight editions in his lifetime, and he was able to value the copy- right of it at no lefs than 500/. at his death. The work experienced no diminution of popularity after his deceafe, and no fewer than twenty-eight editions of it were called for before the conclufion of the century. The different attempts f to abridge and improve upon "it, and adapt it * " The Chriftian indeed and faithful Paftor impartially reprefented in the Life and Works of the late eminent William Asiheton, D.D., Reftor of Beckenham, in Kent." 17 14.. p. 159. f I have met with the following : — " Mr. Nelfon's Companion for the Feftlvals and Fafts of the Church of England abridged. Together with a fhort explanation of the morning and evening fei-vice in the Book of Common Prayer. In 12 Catechetical exercifes written for the ufe of St. Bride's Charity School, and publifhed for the in- ftni6tion of the charity children of London and Weftminfter. By a late eminent Divine. 1739." " A New Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church of England, with devotions proper to each folemnity. By G. Nallfon, Efq., London. 1767." "A New Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church of England, with devotions proper to each folemnity. Revifed and corrected by Leo. Howard, D.D., chaplain to H.R.H. the Princefs Dowager of Wales, and the author of the Royal Bible. Dublin, 1774." znded. 1814. " The Chrirtian's Companion to the Feafts and Fafts of the Church of Eng- land, containing an account of each folemnity j with confiderations,the collect and a prayer for the day. London, 1795." " Nelfon's Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church of England, with colleds and prayers for each folemnity ; abridged, with notes, by John Poynder, Efq., from the original in the Catechetical form by Robert Nelfon, Efq., both lay members of the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge. 1809." Pious Robert Neljon. 167 to later taftes, are fo many tefti monies to its acknowledged reputation, and to the fterling worth of its contents ; while their failure to fupplant it in popular efteem, forms an additional evidence of the judicioufnefs with which it Is compiled. This treatife forms, in fhort, a complete popular manual of Anglican theology. In addition to the topics which would be more obvioufly fuggefted by the title of the work, we find our author here explaining the neceffity and nature of revelation, the external evidence of Chriftianity from the prophecies of the Old Teftament and from the miracles of our Lord (which laft are vindicated from infidel objeftions), and the internal evidence as difplayed in the confiftency of its do6lrines and the excellence of its precepts ; the ufe of reafon in religion, as difcovering the principles of natural religion, and trying the evidence of that which is revealed ; the infpiration of Holy Scripture and the authority of the Church in its interpretation ; the myftery of the Trinity in Unity, the union of two natures in Chrift, the divinity and the fanftifying operations of the Holy Spirit ; the vicarious facrifice of our Redeemer ; the grace of holy baptifm, the euchariftic facrifice, the authority and benefit of confirmation, and the threefold miniflry of the church as tranfmitted from the times of the Apoftles. He teaches the intermediate ftate of the foul between the hour of death and of refurredlion ; he replies at length to various objedlions againft the refurrecftion of the body ; he ftates the argument for the immortality of the foul, glancing at his friend Dodwell's heterodox opinion of its natural mortality, and at Whifton's erroneous explanation of the **fleep" of death, a phrafe in Scripture, which refers, Nelfon fays, to the body and not to the foul ; he infills on the fpiritual benefits of union with Chrift through his Church, and the confequent guilt of fchifm, or caufelefs feparation 1 68 Life and T'imes of the from its communion. Among more pradlical fubjeds, he treats of the efficacy of prayer, the indifpenfable duty of family devotion, and the obligation of attending (if poffible) the daily fervice of the church ; the nature of repentance ; the duty of reading Holy Scripture, which he vindicates againft the reftridions of the Romifh Church ; the pradlice of felf-examination and religious meditation ; the reverence due to holy places ; the duties of ficknefs, and the danger of a deathbed repentance ; the obligation of rebuking fin, and the virtues of humility and felf-denial. The arguments by which he fupports each point of doc- trine are generally obvious and folid, and his pra6lical refledlions are jufl: and ufeful. The moft prominent defedl in this (as in Nelfon's other writings) is an entire abfence of imagination, fo that his *^ Companion " forms a very profaic ''Chriftian Year;" and the devotions at the clofe of each chapter (except when they are borrowed from his friends Ken, Kettlewell, or Hickes) muft be acknowledged to be very tame and cold, and to want entirely that fharpnefs of ejaculation which is the chara6leriftic of earned prayer. But his rounded ftyle and careful periods, unfitted as they are for the language of devotion, yet always cover folid fenfe, and are not ill fuited for a manual of formal inftruc- tion, fuch as he defigned in his '* Companion for the Fefli- vals and Fafts of the Church of England." The following quotations may be allowed in illuflration of the ftyle and matter of this once popular and influential volume, which at the prefent time, it is to be feared, is more known by reputation than by a6lual ufe, but which is better calculated than any other work we poflefs to become a recognifed manual of religious inftrudion for our middle clafTes. Pious Robert Nelfon. 169 On the ReJurreEtion of the Body. — From the chapter for Tuejday in Rafter-week. " §1- What are we to believe concerning the refurredion of the body ? **y^. We are to beheve, as a neceffary and infallible truth, that as it is appointed for all men once to die, fo it is alfo determined that all men fhould rife from death ; that their bodies, committed to the grave, and diflblved into duft, or fcattered into afhes, fhall at the laft day be re-col- lefted, and be re-united to their fouls; that the fame bodies that lived before fhall be revived ; that this refurredlion fhall be univerfal, the juft to enjoy everlafling life, and the wicked to be condemned to everlafting punifhment. "^. Why ought we to eftablifh ourfelves in the belief of the refurreftion of the body ? " A. Becaufe it is one of the great articles of the Chriftian faith, though the heathens of old, and the infidels of latter times, make it one of their great objedions againft Chris- tianity, upon the pretence of the impoffibility of the doc- trine ; which, if true, had made it highly unreafonable to have been propofed to the belief of Chriftians. But this, article is not only poflible, but highly probable to reafon, and upon Chriftian principles infallibly certain. " ^. What evidence doth right reafon afford us for the poflibility of the refurre(5lion of the body ? " A. The proof of the necefTary exiftence of an infinite perfed being, arifes chiefly from thofe vifible efFedls of his wifdom and power and goodnefs, which we fee in the frame of the univerfe ; from whence it follows, that God made the world, and gave to all creatures life and breath ; which makes it evident to reafon that he who can do the greater, can undoubtedly do the lefs ; it being plainly altogether as eafy for God to ralfe the body again after death as to create and form it at firft ; it being a lefs efFe6l of power to raife a body when refolved into dufl, than to make all things out of nothing. *' ^. But is it not ImpofTible to rally the fame parts of a body, after they are mouldered into duft, and have ulider- lyo Life and Times of the gone a variety of changes, and by infinite accidents have been fcattered up and down in the world ? " y/. It Is true, the heathens objeded this againft the primitive Chrlftlans ; and in order, as they thought, to difabufe them and difappolnt them, they burnt the bodies of the martyrs, and fcattered their afhes In the air to be blown about by the wind : but the weaknefs of this objedllon appears from the falfe foundation it Is grounded upon, it wholly depending upon a miftake of the nature of God and his providence, as if it did not extend to the fmalleft things, as if God did not know all things he had made, and had them not always in his view, and perfectly under his command ; whereas Infinite knowledge underftands the moft minute things, and infinite power can order them as he pleafes. *' ^. But how can bodies, that have been devoured by cannibals, who chiefly live on human flefh, or bodies eaten up by fifhes, and turned to their nourlfhment, and then thofe fifhes perhaps eaten up by other men, and converted into the fubfl:ance of their bodies, how fhould both thefe, at the refurredtion, recover their own body ? "A. In order to fatlsfy this objeftlon it mufl: be con- fidered that the body of man is not a conftant and perma- •nent, but a fucceffive thing, which is continually fpending and renewing Itfelf, lofing fomething of the matter it had before, and gaining new ; fo that it Is undeniably certain from experience that men frequently change their bodies, and that the body a man hath at any time of his life is as much his own body as that which he hath at his death. So that If the very matter of the body, which a man had at any time of his life, be raised, it is as much his own and the fame body as that which he had at his death ; which does clearly folve the forementloned difficulty, fince any of thofe bodies he had at any time before he was eaten. Is every whit as good, and as much his own, as that which was eaten. It hath been moreover obferved, that fcarce the hundredth part of what we eat is digefted Into the fubfl:ance of our bodies, that all the reft is rendered back again Into the common mafs of matter by fenfible or infenfible evacuations; therefore what fhould hinder an Omnipotent Power from Pious Robert Nelfon. i y i raifing the body a cannibal hath devoured out of the ninety- nine parts which return into the common mafs of matter ? Others, to anfwer this difficulty, think it not improbable that the original ftamina, which contain all and every one of the folid parts and vefTels of the body, even the minuteft nerves and fibres, are themfelves the entire body ; and that all the extraneous matter which, coming In by way of nourifhment, fills up and extends the minute and infenfible vefTels, of which all the vlfible and fenfible vefiels are com- pofed, is not ftri6tly and properly part of the body ; and that confequently while all this extraneous matter, which ferves only to fwell the body to its juft magnitude, is in continual flux, the original ftamina may remain unchanged, and fo no confufion of bodies will be pofTible in nature. They have farther fuppofed, otherwife to folve the diffi- culty, that in like manner as in every grain of corn there is contained a minute infenfible feminal principle, which is itfelf the entire future blade and ear, and in due feafon, when all the reft of the grain is corrupted, unfolds itfelf vifibly into the form ; fo our prefent mortal and corruptible body may be but the exuviae, as it were, of fome hidden and at prefent infenfible principle, which at the refurredtion fiiall difcover itfelf in its proper form, by which way alfo there can be no confufion of bodies poffible in nature. And it is not without fome weight that St. Paul made ufe of the fame comparifon, and that the ancient fathers of the Church have alledged the fame fimilitude." On humility. — From the Chapter for the Purification. " ^. Wherein confifts the exercife of humility .'' '^ A. In avoiding to publifii our own praifes, or to beg the praifes of others by giving them a handle to commend us. In not placing too much pleafure and fatisfadion in hearing the good things that are faid of us, becaufe they are often rather the eft^ect of civility and charity than what we deferve. In doing nothing on purpofe to draw the eyes and good opinion of men, but purely to pleafe God. In bearing the reproaches, the injuries, and the affronts of bad men with patience and meeknefs ; the reproofs of our 172 Life and 'Times of the friends with thankfulnefs. In not contemning others, though inferior to us in feme advantages of body or mind, but being ready to give them that honour and praife they juftly deferve. In pitying and compaflionating the fins and follies of our fellow Chriftians, it being the effedl of God's grace that we are not overcome by the fame temptations. In carrying ourfelves with great refpe(5l to our fuperiors, with courtefy and affability to our inferiors, and fubmitting to the loweft offices for the fervice of our neighbour. In receiving from the hands of God all afflidions and trials with entire refignation and fubmiflion, as offenders under the hand of juftice." On religious differences. — From the Chapter for St. Barnabas' Day. "^, How ought rehgious differences to be debated among Chriftians ? " A. With a greater regard to the difcovery of truth, than to the eftablifhing a reputation for learning and know- ledge. Without throwing fcorn and contempt upon those that oppofe us ; becaufe, if they are under the power of error, they are obje6ls of Chriftian compaffion, and are made unfit to receive the impreffion of good arguments, by being prejudiced and provoked by ill treatment. With- out railing and injurious refledions, which no way concern the caufe, and which are by good manners banifhed conver- fation, and therefore are indecent to be ufed in writing. Without detracting from the real "worth of our adverfaries, and charging them with believing confequences which we know they abhor. Without ever fuffering our paflions to vent themfelves under a pretence of zeal for God's glory, but to give an account of our faith, with that meeknefs that governs the unreafonable fallies of anger, and with that fear which makes us cautious not to tranfgrefs thofe rules of charity which we are obliged to obferve towards our neighbour." 4. Nelfon's laft devotional compofition was his *' Chrif- Pious Robert Nelfon. 173 tian Sacrifice," which appeared in 1706,* and in which he gives an expanded view of the do6trine and duty of the Holy Communion, upon the principles which he had previoufly indicated in his " True Devotion," and his *^ Companion to the Feftivals and Fafts." This long- popular manual contains a perfuafive to frequent communion, an expofition of the primitive dodlrines of the Eucharift, and a colle6lion of private devotions, to be ufed during the celebration of the Sacrament. " They that are acquainted," he writes, " with eccle- fiaftical hiftory, know very well, that the Eucharift, in the pureft ages of the Church, made a part of their daily public fervice ; and when the devotion of Christians began to decline, they yet always upon the Lord's Day celebrated the Chriftian Sacrifice. Our fecond fervice at the altar feems defedive without a conformable pradice to antiquity in this point ; and the holy exercifes of the Lord's Day appear to want their due perfedlion without thefe Euchariflical devotions. To this purpofe our Church has encouraged a conftant weekly communion, by permitting it to be cele- brated where three or four perfons are ready and ivilling to communicate; as being afTured by our Saviour, that where two or three are gathered together in his name^ there he is himfelf /';/ the midft of them. And if the parochial minifter fhould begin with fuch a fmall number, it is likely they would quickly increafe, at leaft it will demonstrate his own zeal to fhow forth the Lord's death, and may bring a bleffing upon his parifli, as well as upon the other labours of his holy function. In order to quicken the eftablifhing of this primitive devotion, I cannot forbear fuggefting an obfervation made by feveral of the reverend clergy who have been zealous in this matter, viz., That where communions have been * "The great Duty of frequenting the Chriftian Sacrifice, and the nature of the Preparation required ; with luitabie devotions, partly collefted from the ancient liturgies. 1706." This edition ends with the A6ls of Humility. The A6ts of Contrition and of Praife, with the concluding devotions, were added by Nelfon in fubfequent editions. 174 ^'^f^ ^^<^ Times of the frequent, the number of the communicants hath fenfibly increafed, which, I think, ought to be no fmall encourage- ment to have the holy myfteries celebrated in all parifh churches on every Lord's Day ; becaufe this fhows a great difpofition in the laity to be brought to a fenfe of their duty, and confequently, muft animate the zeal of their paftors to give them fuch frequent opportunities of com- memorating the death and paffion of our bleffed Saviour. " To this holy end and purpofe, I have endeavoured, by proper arguments to prefs the duty of frequent communion upon the confciences of men ; for all thofe motives that perfuade us to communicate at all, ought to prevail upon us to do it often ; and it appears to me very plain that no fincere Chriftian, not otherwife lawfully hindered, can juftify going out of the church when the Chriftian Sacrifice is celebrated ; nor is there any pretence or excufe fufficiently valid for a man that is in earneft with religion, to turn his back upon the Holy Table, when the heavenly banquet is there prepared." Thefe fentiments were fhared by very many of the devout Churchmen of Nelfon's time. The exemplary James Bonnell (his biographer informs us) * " had fuch longing defires after that facred memorial of our Saviour's love, that he could not allow himfelf to want it, whenever it might be had ; fo that at laft he received every Lord's Day." Sir Edmund Turner, we are told,f " partook of the Holy Sacrament, where he had opportunities (as he always had in town and at his own feat) every Lord's Day, and of late every holy day alfo ; and for this great duty he kept himfelf in a conftant {late of preparation by his very frequent devotions, ferious meditations, and generally weekly faftings on the days before." The Lady Elizabeth Haftings, when incapacitated by illnefs from attending the * "The Exemplary Life and Charafter of James Bonnell, Efq,, by Wm. Hamihon, M.A. 1718." p. 163, f Bifhop Mant's "Fcrise Anniverfaiias." p. 232, Pious Robert Nelfon. ly^ public fervices of the Church, as fhe had been ufed, * "had the daily fervice read, and the holy communion adminiftered to her every Lord's Day, in her houfe." Archbifhop Sharp made it a practice to receive every Lord's Day, and when the Sunday found him upon a journey, he would requeft the minifter of the place where he chanced to be, to celebrate it that day for his fake.f Dr. Dennis Granville, Dean of Durham, exerted himfelf to reftore the weekly facrament in the cathedral, before his depriva- tion. J Beveridge revived the weekly communion at the church of St. Peter's, Cornhill, and earneftly recommended it in his writings. " I never exped:," he fays, " to fee our Church fettled, primitive antiquity revived, and true piety and virtue flourifli again among us, till the holy communion be oftener celebrated than it hath been of late in all places of the kingdom, and am fure that if people were but fenfible of the great advantage it would be to them, they would need no other argument to perfuade them to frequent it as often as they can." In fifteen § other churches and chapels of the metropolis, this means of grace was as frequently difpenfed. At the chapel which Nelfon frequented in Ormond Street, the Holy Communion was adminiftered *^ every Sunday, as well as on Good * Bifliop Mant's " Feriae Anniverfariae." p. 311. f "Life of Sharp," vol. ii. 76, 7. J " Memoir of Sir Geo, Wheeler" (Granville's nephew), in Zouch's Works, vol. ii. p. 168. § " Pietas Londinenfis," by James Paterfon, M.A. 17 14. It may be interefting to fpecify the churches which were then fo honourably diftin- guilhed. They were Allhallows, Barking (where Hickes had been reflor) ; St. Andrew's, Holborn ; St. Ann and St. Agnes, Alderfgate, where an early communion and fermon at 7 a.m. was maintained by a Religious Society ; St. Clement's Danes ; Duke-ftreet Chapel, Weftminfter, on all Sun- days and holy days ; St. Dunftan's in the Weft, on every Sunday and holy day, and every day in the octaves of Chriftmas, Eafter, and Whit Sunday ; St. Paul's Cathedral ; the Chapels Royal of St. James and Whitehall ; St. Lawrence Jewry, at 6 a.m. ; St. Martin's-in-the-Fields ; St. Mary's, White- chapel, every Sunday and on Eafter Monday and Tuefday, Afh-Wednefday and Good Friday ; St. Saviour's, Southwark, weekly, from Eafter to Trinity 1 7 6 Life and 'Times of the Friday, New Year's Day, and fome other folemn occa- fions ;" and in his will he marks his fatisfaction at fuch frequency of celebration, by bequeathing a fmall legacy to Dr. Marihall, the minifter, "in regard of his conftant attendance at the Euchariftical Sacrifice." His dodrine of the Euchariftic Sacrifice he exprefTes in the following terms : — " That when our Saviour celebrated the Jewifli Sacrifice of the Paflbver with his difciples, a little before his fiif- ferings, he fubftituted the Sacrament of His Body and His Blood as the true Chrifl:ian Sacrifice in room of the Paflbver ; and ordained it as a rite to invocate His Father by, inftead of the manifold and bloody facrifices of the law, and to be a means of fupplication and addrefs to God in the New Teftament, as they were in the Old : — that in this Sacrifice the bread and the wine are offered to God to acknow- ledge him Lord of the creatures ; and accordingly in the ancient Church they were laid on the holy table by the prieft (as they are ftill ordered to be done by the rubrick in the Church of England*), and tendered to God by this fhort prayer, * Lordy we offer thy own out of what thou hafi Sunday; and St. Stephen's, Coleman-ftreet. At Bow church and St. Mat- thew, Friday-ftreet, on every holy day. At the latter church the Holy Com- munion was celebrated daily for two or three years by Ed. Stephens, who feldom had lefs than 30 communicants every day. See " Chriltian Remem- brancer," No. 85, p. 207. In iliuftration of the above early hours of celebration, it may be mentioned that even Bifliop Fleetwood fpeaks of receiving the facrament fafting as then a common practice, and recommends it, if not in- convenient, as " in decency and regard to ancient practice." — Keafonable Communicant. * That this was rarely obferved in Nelfon's time, appears from a letter (June 10, 1707) of Sir Geo. Wheeler's to Hickes, where he complains : " But now this is not obferved in cathedral churches I was ever at the communion ofj the want of which being gravely and reverendly performed, has much helped I doubt not to raife unfound notions and to make the Table of the Lord contemptible." See Life by Zouch. On the other hand, Nelfon tells us of Biftiop Bull : " He always placed the elements of bread and wine upon the altar himfelf, after he had received them either from the churchwarden or clerk, or had taken them from fome convenient place, where they were laid for that purpofe. His conftant practice was to offer them upon the Holy Table." Life, p. 62. Pious Robert Nelfon. lyy bountifully given us': — that they by confecration being made fymbols of the Body and Blood of Chrift, we thereby repre- fent to God the Father the paffion of his Son, to the end that He may, for His fake, according to the tenor of His covenant in Him, be favourable and propitious to us, miferable finners : — that as Chrift intercedes continually for us in heaven, by prefenting His death and fatisfa6lion to His Father ; fo the Church on earth in like manner may approach the throne of Grace, byreprefenting Chrift unto His Father in thefe holy myfteries of His death and paffion : — that what every Chriftian does mentally and vocally, when he recommends his prayers to God the Father, through Jefus Chrift, making mention of His death and fatisfacftion ; that, in the public fervice of the Church is done by this rite, which our Saviour commanded in commemoration of him." Or, as he more fhortly exprelTes it in his Preface : — " This Chriftian Sacrifice was ordained, not only to put us in mind of thofe great bleffings which our Saviour pur- chafed for us by His death (for what man that reflefts upon his Chriftianity can eafily forget them ?) but it was alfo eftablifhed as a facred rite to fupplicate God the Father, by the merits of our Saviour's Paffion, reprefenting to Him the fymbols of His Body and Blood, that thereby He may become favourable and propitious to us. This fenfe of it is agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, as they were under- ftood by thofe who lived nigheft to the times of the Apoftles, and has been evidently proved fo by the learned, judicious, and pious Mr. Mede." Mede is not the only author of our Church whom Nelfon might have alleged as an authority for the facrificial cha- radler of the Eucharift, nor was his own " Chriftian Sacri- fice'* the firft manual of devotion in which it had been prominently put forward. The " Officium Eucharifticum " of Dr. Lake,* in which it is fimilarly taught, had long * Archdeacon of Exeter, Chaplain and Tutor to the Princeflls Mary and 178 Life and Times of the been a popular manual. Dr. Edwards, the veteran and almoft folitary champion of Calvniifm wlthhi our Church at that period, declaimed againft it as a ''darling notion, more and more prevailing." It was taught by Nelfon's contemporaries, Bifhops Ken, Bull, and Wilfon. His friend Archbifhop Sharp* regretted the abfence of the prayer of oblation in the fecond Prayer-book of Edward VI. Beveridge, while careful to profcribe the notion of a propitiatory facrifice, was yet earneft for one which was com- memorative and declaratory In the Eucharift. " This," he fays, " is now our Chriftian fhewbread, whereby we fhow forth the Lord's death till He come ; this is our burnt- offering, our fin-offering, our trefpafs-offering, our thank- offering, our meat-offering, our drink-offering, and all the offerings required of us, whereby to commemorate our bleffed Saviour for what he hath done for us." Potter, in his " Difcourfe upon Church Government," publifhed the year after Nelfon's book, has an elaborate expofition of the fame doftrine ; Hickes had always been jealous for the Christian priefthood and facrifice ; and John Johnfon, of Cranbrook, went far beyond Hickes in his "Unbloody Sacrifice " and his " Propitiatory Oblation." The works of Hickes and Johnfon provoked a vehement oppofition from Trimnel, Bifiiop of Norwich, as well as from Waterland, and fome minor controverfialifts ; and the perfonal charadler of Nelfon did not preferve his book from fimilar animadverfions. But he left the tafk of reply to more pradtifed debaters, and was content to fee his " Chriftian Sacrifice " rapidly acquiring the fame amount of popular efteem which was enjoyed by his " Fefl:ivals and Fafl:s." His friends at the Society for Promoting Chrif- tian Knowledge took 1000 copies for circulation. It Ann. His " Officium Euchaiifticum" ^^•as publiflKtl 1673. It reached a 15th edition in 1693, and a 30th in 174.3, * Shai}>'s Life. Vol. i., 335. Pious Robert N elf on. 179 reached a fifth edition before his death, and was reprinted fixteen times before the conclufion of the century.* The devotions at its clofe are more deferring of pubhc acceptance than thofe attached to his previous v/orks. They owe their original, he fays, " to the ancient Hturgies of the Chriftian Church, which I have carefully perufed, and have tranf- planted many a pious thought and warm expreffion from thofe fources into this private compofure." Some extrads may be obferved in them from the *' Preces ante MiiTam" of the Latin Church. 5. Prefixed to the fourth edition of the " Chriftian Sacrifice" (1712) were fo me " Inftrudions for them that come to be confirmed, by way of queftion and anfwer," which had previoufly appeared as a feparate tradl. It was early put upon the lift of the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge, pafled through thirty-fix editions in the courfe of the laft century, and maintains its place upon the Catalogue at the prefent day. This little manual con- cludes the lift of Robert Nelfon's devotional writings. * i6th edit. 1786. N 2 I So Life and Times of the CHAPTER V. ROBERT NELSON IN HIS FAMILY RELATIONS. Robert Nelfon's relatives. — His mother ; he attends her on her death-bed. — His wife j his account of her illnefs. — His ftep-fon. Sir Berkeley Lucy; he bequeaths to him his Library. — His father-in-law, the ift Earl Berkeley. His brother-in-law the 2nd Earl — Nelfon fummoned to his death-bed. — The Countefs Berkeley ; her charafler by Swift. — Nelfon's acquaintance with Swift. — Letter to him on Lord Berkeley's Epitaph. — The Hanger family. — Nelfon's Letters to George and Gabriel Hanger. — Gabriel Hanger's after life. Of Robert Nelfon's intercourfe with his own relations not many particulars have been preferved. Enough, how- ever, may be gleaned to gratify our natural curiofity to view a public charader In the unreferve of private life, and to affure us that he did not fuffer the avocations of charity to engrofs him to the detriment of domeftic duty, and that in every family with which he was connediled he was the efleemed and truiled kinfman and the ever welcome gueft. His father (as we have feen) he loft in his infancy. His mother was fpared to old age ; and one of his fhort notes to Wanley fhows him to us in attendance on her dying bed. " My mother is fo very ill I cannot leave her, I fear fhe is in extremis. Let me know what is done. I am at Mr. Lordel's, in Monument Yard." (Dec. 22, 1703.) A few days afterwards he laid her In the chancel of St. Martin's Outwich,* where her father and mother had been laid, and * Extraft from the Regifter of St. Martin's Outwich. "Burials. "1703) J^"- 4* Dclicia Nelfon from St. Margaret, New Fifh-flreet Hill, buried." Pious Robert Nelfon. i8i where her brother. Sir Gabriel Roberts, with other members of her family, was afterwards interred. Mrs. Nelfon left herfon principal legatee and executor of her will. The flight difparity of age has already been remarked on which exifted between Robert Nelfon and his wife. But neither this nor their difference in religion was fufficient to impair (though the latter at lead might try) the fincerity of their mutual affedlon. When Wanley begged the loan of his portrait* by Kneller, in order to have a copy made of it for himfelf, Nelfon begged that the removal of it might be deferred till his return from Bath, in terms which imply the fondefl affedion on his lady's part. " I fliail be very ready to comply with your defire, and only beg the deferring of it till my return. My wife is at home, and fhe does not know how to fupply the want of it in my abfence." (May 1 3 , 1702). Other mentions of her name in his correfpondence equally exhibit the affedionate folicitude with which he watched her declining health. Thus he fhares his anxieties refpeding her with his old friend Dr. Mapletoft, in the following letter ; the medical details of which may be excufed in confideration of the conjugal folicitude which fuch a fpecification implies. " 16th Feb., i79|-."t *^ Sir, — The concern you exprefs for your friends makes it reafonable you fliould have fome account of us fince we left Blackheath. Dr. Radcliff came to us next morning ; he * A wretched daub, now hanging in the Committee Room of the S.P.C.K., may pofTibly be the copy made for Wanley. A fine portrait (half-length) by Kneller, was given in 1779 ^y Nichols to the Company of Stationers, and is placed in the parlor of the public hall. A fimilar one, alfo bearing Kneller's name, is in the pofleflion of the Rev. H. M. Majendie, vicar of Speen, having been bought at the fale of Sir Geo. Bovvyer's at Radley Houfe, Oxon. A large full-length by Kneller is in the Bodleian Gallery, to which it was given by Rev. Jas. Craven, in 1769. -f- " European Magazine," vol. xv., p. 274. 1 8 2 Life and Tiynes of the does not venture either to purge or vomit my wife. He gives her a bitter infufion twice a day, and as often eight drops of tindure of fteel in a glafs of Spa water, with fome ingredients of roots in white wine poflet drink, which fhe may ufe as often as fhe pleafes. This method he expeds fhe fhould flick to for fome time. I muft confefs I cannot find any alteration for the better. What he aims at is to recover her ftomach, and to flop thofe paflages whereby the gall flows into the blood. She eats little, and has had worfe nights in town than in the country. I beg. Sir, your prayers that God would be pleafed to blefs the means that are ufed for her recovery, which I may exped from you as a friend as well as a Chriftian. " I am, moft faithfully yours, **" Nelson. "We are lodged at the Black Pofts, in Leicefter Fields. " To Dr. Mapletoft, at his houfe in Greenwich." She died on Jan. 26, 1705 ;* her fortune devolving upon her hufband at her deceafe, and enabling him ftill further to enlarge his always munificent charity. With his wife's children by her former hufband, he always continued on the mofl kindly terms. Her fon Sir Berkeley Lucy, the correfpondent of Locke, and the ad- mirer of Collins the deifl, could not have been in all refpedts a congenial affociate. But Nelfon was his frequent vifitor at his feat of Woodcote, and by way of antidote per- haps to his fceptical tendencies, bequeathed to him his * Extraft from the Regifter of Cranford Church. " Burials. " Jan. 31, 1705.. The Lady Theophila Nelfon, daughter of y' late Earl of Berkeley, of y« Parifh of St. Andrew, Holborn, was buried." This date will fliow that Mr. Teale is niiftaken, when he fuggefts that Nelfon might be alluding in cold terms to the death of his wife, in a letter to Wanley of Dec. II, 1705. Teale's " Lives of Englifli Laymen," p. 288. Pious Robert Nelfon. 183 valuable library, confifting in great part of books of theology and devotion.* Into the Berkeley family Nelfon was received with all the cordiality which genuine worth and congenial taftes would fecure to him. His father-in-law, the firft Earl of Berkeley, had been open to religious impreflions in his youth ; he had been benefited, like Nelfon, by the friendfhip of Tillotfon, and he had been the author of a moral and reli- gious work,j- which had fome popularity at the time, and in which he fhows that he could appreciate thofe endeavours in '* doing good" to which his fon-in-law devoted himfelf. '* To do good," he writes, " is the moft pleafant employ- ment in the world, and the moft natural ; it is to be like God, who is good and doeth good ; it is to be like the blefled angels, whofe great employment it is to be minifter- ing fpirits for the good of others. To be charitable and beneficial to mankind is to be a good angel, and a Saviour, and a God to men." With his brother-in-law, the fecond Earl, Nelfon con- tinued upon the fame footing of kindlinefs and friendfhip. He was his habitual almoner in town, and his conftant gueft at Cranford, where he " found the fame freedom," he fays, " as if he were in his own home." He received a hafty fummons to Berkeley Caftle to aflift him on his death-bed. "I made a journey," he writes, j: " to Berkeley Caftle to no * On the death of Sir B. Lucy, the united colleftion was fold by auftion In 1760, by Mr. Samuel Paterfon, forming a moft extraordinary aflemblage of devotion and Infidelity. The fale lafted 33 days, there being as many as 4886 lots, befides fome others not then come to hand, which were fold the following year in an anonymous auflion. Nichols' " Lit. Anec." vol. iv. p. 188. f " Hiftorical Applications and occafional Meditations upon various Sub- jei5ls, written by a Perfon of Honor." 1670. It went through three editions from 1670 to 1680. It is addrclTed to Mary, Countefs of Warwick, the daughter of Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork, a lady who at his defu-e had given him rules of holy living in his youth. 1659. X Nelfon to Mapletoft. St. Luke's Day, 1710. "European Magazine," vol. xvi,, p. 167. Lord Berkeley died 24th Sept., 17 10, 1^4 ^ifs ^nd Times of the purpofe, for my lord was dead before I could arrive, and yet I went with great expedition, and rid poft, which I have difufed for many years. When my lord found himfelf in finking circumftances, he defired to fpeak with me, fo that the exprefs that came for his fon brought me letters, which was the reafon for my undertaking the journey. But though I was difappointed in feeing my lord, 1 had the fatisfaftion to hear that he died with great piety and devotion, and bore his pains with great patience. He thanked God that he had not deferred the great bufinefs of repentance to a fick bed, which he found a very improper feafon for a matter of that importance ; and I know that his lordfhip had been ferious in religion for fome time, which makes me hope with reafon that his repentance was accepted." With the Countefs, Nelfon was on equal terms of friend- fhip, and received from her, he fays, during his ftays at Cranford, all the attentions of a mother. This was the lady to whom Swift dedicated his " Proje6t for the Ad- vancement of Religion," * as to one in whom " the eafieft and politeft converfation, joined with the trueft piety, may be obferved in as great perfedlion as they were ever feen apart in any other perfon ; " complimenting her " that by your prudence and management under feveral difadvantages you have preferved the luftre of that noble family into which you were grafted; and which the unwarrantable pro- fufion of anceftors for many generations had too much eclipfed. Then how happily you perform every office of life to which Providence has called you ; in the education of thofe two incomparable daughters, whofe condudl is fo univerfally admired, in every duty of a prudent, complying, and affedionate wife, in that care which defcends to the meaneft of your domeftics ; and, laftly, in that endlefs * The pamphlet feems alfo to have been fubmitted to Nelfon's judgment. " With Mr. Nelfon, I am entirely of opinion that her Majefty's reading of that book of the Projeft for the increafe of morality and piety, may be of very great ufe to that end." Lord Berkeley to Dr. Swift. "Swift's Letters," vol. i., p. 8. Ed. 1767. Pious Robert Nel/on. 185 bounty to the poor, and difcretion where to diftribute it."* At the bottom of this eulogiftic dedication we cannot but fuppofe a fubftratum of truth to have lain, fufficient to evince the cordial welcome which fo congenial a charafter as Robert Nelfon would be fure to receive in her houfe. Swift was for fome time entertained in her houfehold as chaplain, and would thus be brought himfelf into occafional contact with him. Efteem or intimacy it is impoflible to fuppofe between men fo oppofite in charadler and aim of life, as the profane and worldly cleric and the devout layman. And while Swift fpeaks of Nelfon in terms of refpe6l, as '^a very pious, learned, and worthy gentleman of the non- juring party, "f Nelfon addreffes him in language of but diftant civility when he has occafion to prefs him for an epitaph that he had promifed for a tablet that was to be put up to his late patron's memory in Berkeley Church : " Afh-Wednefday, Feb. 22, lyi^.J "Reverend Sir, — I beg leave to put you in mind of the infcription which you are to prepare for the Earl of Berkeley's monument. My lady dowager has determined to have it in Latin ; fo that I hope you want no further directions towards the finifhing of it. The workman calls upon me for it, which is the reafon of this trouble given you by, '^ Rev. Sir, " Your moft humble fervant, "Robert Nelson." But the religious influence which Nelfon exercifed in the families with which he was conneded, will be beft * " Swift's Works," vol. viii. p. 79, &c. The nave of St. Dunftan's, Cranford, was rebuilt by this pious lady in 17 16. \ "Works," vol. viii. p. 275. X " Swift's Letters," by Hawkesworth. Vol. i. p. 71. ed. 1767. i86 Life and Times of the exhibited by the two Letters of Advice which he ad- drefled to his two young relatives, George and Gabriel Hanger, when leaving England in early life for mercantile employment at Smyrna. All of Nelfon's city connexions (it may be obferved) were engaged in this trade to the Levant. His own father had made his fortune at Aleppo, and he had himfelf been defigned to follow a fimilar employ. " 'Tis my earneft defire," John Nelfon wrote, " to my wife and executors, that my fonne maybe brought up in the true feare of God, and when fitt, placed with a Turkey merchant, that will fend him for Aleppo." Sir Gabriel Roberts was deputy governor of the Levant Com- pany, and his brother William a merchant in the trade. George Hanger, the grandfather of the two young men, had raifed his fortune at Smyrna, and their uncle John was alfo a wealthy trader to the Levant. With the Hanger family Nelfon had been intimate from his boyhood. He had refided for fome years, it will be remembered, at his aunt Hanger's manfion of Dryfield, when receiving inftruc- tion from Dr. Bull. With her fon George, then a lad of his own age, he maintained, throughout after life, in fpite of their differing politics — for George Hanger was as earneft a partifan of the Revolution as Nelfon was of the exiled family, chriftening his children William and Mary, and being knighted by the reigning fovereign for his zeal in his behalf: — with this Whig coufm he ftill maintained the intimacy which they may have contra6led in their youth, entrufting to him at laft the charitable difpofition of his eftate as one of the executors to his will. And when his eldeft fon George left England, at about feventeen years of age, to follow his hereditary profefTion at Smyrna, Robert Nelfon, who was his godfather, fupplied him for his ftay abroad with a parcel of religious books, and addreffed to him the following admirable letter of advice ; which, with the exception of a paragraph where his nonjuring doftrine of Pious Robert Neljon. 187 paflive obedience appears, forms as excellent a guide for life as could now be placed in a young man's hand : — ■ To George Hanger ^ Efq.^ " Dear Cousin, — Your father having defigned to fend you for Turkey by the next fhips bound to thofe parts, and intending thereby to breed you to bufinefs ; that you may be enabled to advance your own fortune in the world, and to affift your brothers when they fhall be fit to receive the advantages of your kindnefs ; I cannot forbear com- mending that readinefs of mind you have fhown on this occafion to comply with that fcheme which your father, on mature deliberation, with the advice of your beft friends, has formed for the employment of your youth. So near a relation can never want kindnefs to defign that which is beft for you ; and the advantages of his good fenfe and great experience enable him to judge right in this matter ; fo that, being governed by the diftates of fo kind and wife a father, you fteer by a much furer compafs, than by following the fuggeftions of your own thoughts, which muft want due ripenefs in that path of life you now tread. I look upon this firft ftep of your condud to be a happy prefage of your future wifdom and fteadinefs ; and a good omen that your voyage of life will be profperous and fuccefsful ; for the mifcarriage of many a youth has been owing to his own wilfulnefs and obftinacy ; refufing the advice and guidance of his beft friends when he ftood moft in want of it. Being therefore. Sir, determined to travel, by your father's appointment, and by your own prudent confent, I thought myfelf obliged to give you fome advice in relation to your future condu6t ; and you ought to bear with me the rather in this matter, becaufe I have had fome ftiare in the care of your education. Befides, the charader of a godfather entitles me to fome [extent] to prefcribe to you ; but whether any of thefe reafons would have prevailed upon me, if I had not felt a particular love and kindnefs for you, I know not. I am fure the liberty I am now about to take proceeds from a fincere and hearty concern * Nichols' " Literary Anecdotes," vol. iv.p. 200, &c. /f 1 8 8 Life and Times of the for your future welfare ; and upon that ground, therefore, I hope it will be agreeable and acceptable to you. " I. In the firll: place, I muft beg you often to refle6t upon the great end for which you were fent into the world ; which was, not to fport away your time in pleafure, nor only to get a fair eftate ; but to fit and prepare yourfelf for a happy eternity, in the enjoyment of God by a conftant and univerfal obedience to all His holy laws ; in compa- rifon of which, all the labours of life are mere trifles. My reafon for giving you this hint is, that, by having your chief bufinefs always in your view, you may be continually upon your guard ; fo that neither the pleafures nor bufinefs of life, nor the defires of growing rich, may ever caufe you to forget that you are a ftranger upon earth, and that your days are as a fhadow which will foon pafs away. *' 2. In the fecond place, you muft endeavour that this great end be profecuted fteadily and vigoroufly, by all thofe ways and means which God has eftablifiied for the working out your falvation. You muft refolve upon a holy and virtuous life, if ever you pretend to attain that happinefs which God has promifed. All other ways of getting to Heaven are fallacious ; and will in the end deceive you, if ever you are fo unhappy as to truft to them ; for zvithout holinefs no man /hall fee the Lord. Now the virtue and holinefs I mean, are of a large extent ; and comprehend your duty to God, your neighbour, and yourfelf; and is what the Apoftle calls living righteoujly, foberly, and godly in this prejjnt world. In order to this purpofe, God has given us His holy word to inftrudl us in the particulars of our duty ; which, therefore, you muft frequently perufe with great application of mind. He has, moreover, encouraged our addrefl'es to Him, by promifing to hear our prayers ; which we muft therefore offer to Him in our clofets, and in the public congregations, that we may receive ftrength and power from above, to perform our duty. He has farther inftituted the Holy Sacrament, to be a continual memorial of the facrifice of Chrift's death, to convey to us the benefits of his fufferings ; therefore, if you fmcerely defire the pardon of your fins, grace and affiftance to conquer them, and to make a progrefs in all PioiiS Robert N el/on. 189 virtue, you muft frequently approach the altar, where thefe bleffings are to be found ; and indeed a man muft have but very flight notions of the benefits of Chrift's death, that refufes to give this eafy teftimony of a thankful heart. You muft frequently examine yourfelf, that you may exercife repentance where you may fall fhort of your duty, and that you may thank God where you have been enabled to perform it ; you muft accuftom yourfelf to meditate upon fuch divine fubjefts as occur in the courfe of your reading, that you may ftir up all the faculties of your foul to a vigorous profecution of them. The afore- mentioned means of grace are not to be refted in as the fubftance of religion, but are to be ufed as neceffary to beget in us true piety and virtue ; and except we aim at that in the ufe of them, they will not be acceptable to God. A man may be a bad man, and frequent them ; and yet there is no being good without them, when the providence of God gives us the opportunity to enjoy them. "3. In the third place, I muft defire you, as much as you can, to live by rule and method ; to divide the day into fuch proportions, that a proper time may be afligned for all your adtions ; that the hours of your devotion, of your bufinefs, and your diverfions, may all be ftated ; thus time will not lie upon your hands, nor fting you with regret when paft. While you are fubjedt to the com- mands of others, you muft be content to have your hours of bufinefs regulated by them ; thefe you will quickly be acquainted with ; and what are left to your own difpofal, muft be employed partly in your prayers, in reading good books, and fuch as are otherwife commendable, both French and Latin, that you may not lofe thofe languages you have taken fo much pains to acquire. "^4. In the fourth place, I muft advifeyou to diligence and induftry in your bufinefs, which ia^^the befl methcd to make it fucceed. 'Seeft thou a man,' fays Solomon, * diligent in his bufinefs, he fhall ftand before princes.' The wifdom of man is diftinguifhed by ufing proper and fit means to attain his end. Therefore, as you are con- cerned to fupport that chara6ler, and defire to bring to perfedlion what you projed, you muft never be carelefs 1 (JO Life and 'Times of the and negligent In thofe things committed to your truft and management ; for this is even to offend againft the duties of religion. " 5. In the lifth place, fince trade and commerce are pitched upon for your employments, never deviate from exad juftice and uprightnefs in all your dealings. Every particular circumftance of life has its particular temptation ; and a man that fmcerely defigns his duty, will put his guard on that place where the greateft danger is appre- hended. Frequent dealings with others prefent to us as frequent opportunities of over-reaching them ; and the more a man is trufted, the better he is able to play the knave. Now, though I think as to this world, that honefty is the beft method of thriving, becaufe it fecures credit and reputation, which are the main inftruments of trade and commerce ; yet there are fome opportunities of un- righteous gain, that require good principles of religion to keep a man right. Remember always that no repentance will make our peace with God for ill-gotten goods without reftitution ; which makes that neceffary work difficult and Irkfome : — that, whatever varnifh we are able to put upon our injuftice before men, yet God fees through the whole deceit, and will one day judge us for it ; and it contradids the great rule laid down by our Saviour, of doing to others as we would they fhould do unto us. '<^ 6. In the fixth place, I muft not forget to enjoin you to take care to beware of covetoufnefs, becaufe the love of money is the root of all evil ; and it is a fecret poifon, which deftroys the fouls of fuch men who otherwife appear fober and virtuous. Befides, this is a vice particularly incident to thofe that get eftates by their own induftry, and therefore it is the more neceffary to give you warning of it. Be not, therefore, over-eager in the purfuit of riches ; and when they increafe, fet not your heart upon them. To acquire them by unjuft means, is the perfe6lion of covetouf- nefs ; but this vice lurks in many other adions lefs notorious ; as, when a man purfues the world to the negle6t of the duties of religion, even of prayer in his clofet and family ; when his mind is always anxious about the fuccefs of his projeds ; when the poor have no iliare of his gains ; when Pious Robert Neljon. 191 he is fordid, and cannot find in his heart to enjoy mode- rately what he pofTefTes, or, if he does, fpends it upon his lufts ; and when he makes riches his truft and confidence. Now the love of this world is enmity againft God, and does as eiFe(51;ually debar us from heaven, as all the extrava- gancies of lewdnefs and debauchery. "7. In the feventh place, I muft put you in mind of keeping good company, by which I mean chiefly men of pious and virtuous difpofitions ; though, with thefe quali- fications, it may be extended to thofe of the beft rank and quality where you refide, from whom you will be able to learn more than from thofe of an inferior education. And it is often feen that a young gentleman, newly come into the world, is more frequently ruined by mean and inferior company, than by converfing with his fuperiors, for whom having a deference, he becomes more modeft and humble in his behaviour ; whereas when he finds himfelf the top of the company, it difpofes him to pride and vanity. It is difficult for thofe whofe circumfl:ances throw them into a great deal of company, always to avoid that which is bad ; and charity may fometimes oblige men to converfe with fuch, in order to their reformation, were there any probable hopes of making bad men better. But it is in every man's power to chufe what perfons he defigns for friendfhip and frequent converfation ; a matter of that importance, that it requires time and ferious deliberation before you engage. Men of no principles of religion are not to be relied upon, having no foundation to fupport friendfhip ; befides, they may be apt to infect you with fcepticifm ; and men who believe religion, and aft contrary to their principles, give but a fcurvy proof of their fincerlty, and by their bad example may infenfibly corrupt your morals. Thofe we love have a mighty influence over us ; therefore let not a wicked man become your intimate. "8. In the eighth place, I mufl: advife you to obfl:inate temperance in drinking, the beft method to preferve health, and a virtue ftridly enjoined by the Chriftian religion. There is no young man that converfes in the world, but who is more or lefs expofed to this temptation ; but your par- ticular fituation of Smyrna, by reafon of the frequent 192 Life and Times of the arrival of fhips, will make it difficult for you not to exceed the Chriftian rneafure, except you arm yourfelf with great refolution. Never think it a piece of manhood to be drunk yourfelf, or to make others fo ; for this is to dif- tinguifh yourfelf by what is the deprivation of manhood, extinguifhing at once both your fenfe and reafon ; befides, it will make you liable to many unfortunate accidents. A debauch has brought many a fever, which has ended in death ; has occafioned the breaking of many a limb, which is not recovered without pain and charge ; and how many have broke their necks on fuch occafions, and fo gone out of the world without repenting of fo great a crime 1 Some- times it creates quarrels, which have coft the life of one or both the difputants. But, if you efcape thefe dan- gers that afFedl the body, your beft part, your foul, muft fufFer by fo plain a breach of your duty, till you reconcile yourfelf to God by unfeigned repentance. Never 1 reckon an excefs in drinking a fmall fault, a pecadiglioy for j this may prevail upon you to comply with the importunity ! of others ; it is certainly a breach of God's laws, and you muft count nothing inconfiderable that offends Him. Be free to own your weaknefs as to drinking ; that it preju- dices your health, and that you are not able to bear fo much as others ; and then, if the company have any good manners, they will not prefs you. When you entertain friends yourfelf, introduce coffee and tea after dinner, and propofe fome diverfion, that drinking may be hindered. Several little arts a man will call to his afliftance, that defigns to keep himfelf and the company fober. But then, if you are at any time furprifed, immediately next day teftify your repentance, profefs your forrow to God, and refolve on more firmnefs for the time to come ; if your companions fhould make a jeft of it, let them know it is no jefting matter. And I think you would do well, if you punifhed yourfelf for fo unfortunate an accident, by im- pofing upon yourfelf a day of fafting, or by abftaining from the ufe of wine for two or three days. *' 9. In the ninth place, I muft caution you agalnft uncleannefs, fo frequent a failure in youth,* and which, when * That a youth aboul to little at Smyrna, flood in need of luch advices will Pious Robert Nelfon. ICJ3 once indulged, will corrupt the beft principles, and has carried many a man to fcepticifm and infidelity ; becaufe, when a man cannot reconcile his conftant pradlice to the laws of religion, he cafts about how to get rid of the obli- gation of fuch laws, which bear fo hard upon him, and give him fo much uneafinefs. Now the beft rule in this cafe is, never to indulge the leaft appearance of this vice, to dif- courage all loofe and wanton thoughts which may arife in your mind, to forbear all obfcene and filthy difcourfe, to avoid all familiarity with the fair fex, not to feem pleafed with others' attempts to divert the company by lewd jefts, to be modeft towards yourfelf, and to treat yourfelf with reverence and refpecl. For chaftity confifts in a due government of thofe appetites which God has placed in us for the propagating of mankind ; which are never to be gratified but in a ftate of matrimony ; fo that anything that tends to provoke thefe appetites out of that ftate, by our own voluntary confent, has a fliare of the guilt of the laft a(5t, and is what we muft be accountable for, and therefore ought carefully to be watched againft. If you ever give yourfelf up to this vice, you will expofe your conftitution to great ftiocks, make your body the fink of many noifome difeafes, confume your eftate, negled; your bufinefs, and bring contempt upon you from all fober people ; it will harden you againft all good advice, provoke the wrath of God, and infallibly draw upon you in the next world the miferies of a fad eternity. " 10. In the tenth place, guard yourfelf from the bane of converfation which is evil-fpeaking. This lefi^ening the reputation of others by expofing their faults is grown fo common, that, more or lefs, even good people fplit upon I appear from the following extra6l from a letter of the Board of the Levant Company in London, dated lo Aug. 1703, addreffed to the Facftory at I Smyrna : — " We are now to admonifh fome among yo\i, who by a notorious and diifolute courfe of life, as to women, are become a diflionor to our religion, a fcandal to our nation, and an ill example to others, befides the danger that attends on eftates thereby ; affuring fuch as are concerned that if this caution and good admonition doth not take effe6l with them to reform their wicked pra6^ices, we fliall take fuch further courfe as will not be pleafing to them, and i remove fuch diffolute perfons out of our privileges. But as we hope the greater \ part of you have maintained the probity and virtue of honeft men and good . Chriftians, fo we recommend you always to continue the fame." 1^4 -^{/^ ^^^^ Times of the the rock ; fo that if you have not a particular watch over yourfelf, you will be carried down the ftream, and become involved in this common calamity. Some people never examine the truth of what they report, provided it was told them ; but this is calumny and flander ; and if they know what they fay to be true, yet if neither juftice nor charity require the difcovery, it is the vice of evil-fpeaking, forbid by the Chriftian religion ; for, when there is no juftifiable reafon to the contrary, we ought to throw a veil over the faults of our neighbour, for this is the treatment we defire from them : we are not willing what is true of ourfelves fhould be expofed to public view ; befides, it is contrary to that love which is due to our neighbour, which, when fincere, will difpofe us to cover thofe defefts that may tend to the impairing of his reputation. Now, the more you mortify the evil pafTions of pride, envy, and revenge, the lefs you will be fubjedl to diftradion,* which very often pro- ceeds from them. An over-bufy meddling temper will expofe you to the fame temptation ; but, if you would entirely fecure yourfelf, refolve never to fpeak ill of any one. Do not fuffer yourfelf to repeat ftories to the dif- advantage of others, though never fo public ; for, though this on fome occafions might be innocently done, yet by degrees it may infenfibly betray you to real defamation. "ii. In the eleventh place, I muft give you a great charge, not to fuffer yourfelf to be infe6led with the common vice of fwearing. You will find yourfelf tempted to this unreafonable fin by the practice of all nations, who agree in no evil more univerfally than this. But remember, that an honeft man's word fhould be efteemed fo facred, that he fhould have no occafion to confirm what he fays by an oath ; befides, the reverence of a folemn appeal to God, being diminifiied by common fwearing, leads a man to per- jury, a moft confirmed piece of iniquity. It is plainly and diredtly forbid by the Chrifl;ian religion ; and the corruption of our nature fuggefts the feweft temptations to it of any vice whatever ; which makes the praftice of cuftomary fwearing more inexcufable. Avoid the company of common fwearers, for converfing frequently with them will abate * Query, detiaftion. Pious Robert Nelfon. 195 that horror we have at firft for the rafh and common ufe of oaths. If I miftake not, you have been preferved hitherto from this corruption ; but let not the greatnefs or genteelnefs of thofe that pradlife it ever betray you to any good opinion of it. You mufl: not imitate the beft-bred men by their vices, which are no part of their good-breeding. " 12. In the twelfth place remember to be courteous and aifable towards all men ; they who exclude civility out of the catalogue of virtues feem to me not thoroughly to underftand the nature of Chriftianity. By this method you will preferve the good will of thofe you converfe with, which will make them the readier to ferve you upon all occafions, and by degrees give you power to do them good in matters of the greateft importance. In time it will bring you to a habit of felf-denial ; for this affability will often make you forego what you like beft, in indifferent things, in order to pleafe and oblige others ; and it is no inconfiderable talent to be ready upon all occafions to con- tradidl our own wills ; befides, it is part of that charity we owe to our neighbours, to whom we are obliged to do good by all the means that lie in our power ; and certainly every man is delighted and pleafed in being well ufed. "13. In the thirteenth place, I mufl particularly recom- mend to you the pradice of charity ; by which I mean doing good to the fouls and bodies of^ men. It is true, God has fet apart a particular order of men to be ufeful and ferviceable to others in the great affair of their falvation, and there are feveral holy adions which are peculiar to the priefts of the Lord, which for a layman to invade would be facrilege. But there are fome others which are common to both ; every man may inftrudl his children and fervants in the principles of religion, and reprove others when they tranfgrefs, and upon fit occafions infinuate exhortations to piety ; nay, I think it their duty fo to do. But, if my children or fervants want baptifm, I mufl call for a minifler ; if I would have them confirmed, I mufl carry them to a bifhop, to lay his hands on them, and blefs them ; if they would receive the holy facrament, or abfo- lution for any fin that troubles their confciences, I mufl apply to the priefls that wait at the altar ; if I would o 2 196 Life and l"tmes of the confecrate a child to the fervice of the Church, I muft defire a bifhop to ordain him, becaufe they only are intrufted with that power. But when you have fcrvants, endeavour to inftrud them in neceffary Chriftian knowledge ; lead them by your repeated advice, as well as example, in the pradice of religion ; comfort your friends that mourn and are afflided, with feasonable difcourfes of piety ; and reprove prudently and gently all your companions when you find they tranfgrefs God's laws. But never unnecefTarily vex or grieve any man's mind, for thereby you hurt his foul. As to their bodies, you muft, according to your abilities, relieve their wants, and fupply their neceftities ; and, in order to this purpofe, I muft fuggeft to you what I take to be a prudent management ; which is to dedicate and lay apart a proportion of your gains or your income, when it is certain, for alms-deeds ; which will make the work eafy and delightful, and you moreover ready to embrace any opportunity that offers for doing good, becaufe you are before-hand provided with the means. The ways of exercifing this fort of charity are as various as thofe wants the body labours under ; as feeding the hungry, cloathing the naked, vifiting the fick, and thofe in prifon ; redeeming thofe in flavery and captivity ; and comforting fuch as are under any opprefTion. Thefe good works, according to your ability, the Chriftian religion obliges you to ; you are further provoked to them by the example of our Lord and Saviour, who went about doing good ; and at the day of judgment the particular inquiry will run upon thefe heads which I have mentioned, as you may fee in the xxvth of St. Matthew, and the reward or punifhment will then be afTigned according to thofe rules. "14. In the fourteenth place, I muft caution you againft gaming ; hoping it will never make any confiderable part of your diverfion. When once it is loved, it confumes a great deal of time, which is too precious to be thrown away at that rate ; the night by this means is turned into day, and the day Into night. When men play deep, they venture the ruining of themfelves, or at leaft win from others what fhould maintain their families ; which cannot be juftified. This has fo inverted the order of the world. Pious Robert Neljon. 197 that itjiath brought footmen into coa ches, and has made them^_wajkonJoot_jh^^ It raifes all thofe paf Tions whi ch it is thebu llners oFIi^ riftians^to^^^^gT and often_creates fuch pafEoas- as-eiid- in mur-def*^ If you (hould fometimes divert yourfelf this way, avoid games of chance, for they are the moft bewitching, and the leaft under government ; and when you play at games of fkill, never fit too long at them, nor venture much money, nor engage with fuch as are violently paffionate. I wifli in your diverfions you would aim at health as well as pleafure ; which yoi L- niay reap from walking, riding, fhooting, or bo yyling ; always remembering that^Stvertioh^ areTor^TC*- frefhment, not for an employment. " " 15. In the fifteenth place, I muft prefs upon you the conftant ufe of the means of grace ; fuch as are prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures, receiving the blefled facra- mentj— iHf^^carnination, meditation, obfervation of the LordVTJay, and other Feafts and~Fafts"bf the Cifurch. Some meffTfeceive thiemfelves, indeed7~by~placing all reli- gion in thefe performances ; and fome, on the other hand, deceive themfelves by thinking they are above them ; but, if you really defign the end, which is piety, and virtue, and holinefs in all your converfation, you muft make ufe of thofe means, and that frequently, which God has prefcribed for that purpofe. You may as well pretend to grow rich without diligence and induftry, as to be truly good without praying and receiving the facrament, &c. " The grace of God is neceffary, to enable us to do every thing that is good, and to ftrengthen us in refifting every thing that is evil ; and how can we ever hope for fuch neceffary and powerful affiftance, except we feek for it in the ways of God's appointment ? I muft therefore entreat you to be conftant to your morning and evening devotions in your clofet, to perform them with great ferioufnefs and application of mind, remembering always that Great Majefty to whom you addrefs ; and at fuch times it will be very ufeful to read fome portions of the Scripture, efpecially if you confult fome good paraphrafe or comment upon it. Take all opportunities that are con- fiftent with your bufinefs of attending the public prayers. 198 Life and Times of the which are moft acceptable to God, as tending moft to his glory ; and always upon fuch occafions behave yourfelf with great reverence and devotion, confidering that you are, after a peculiar manner in the prefence of God. Stand, fit, or kneel, as the Church diredts in her rubricks ; never talk nor gaze about in the church, as it is too common, to the great fcandal of Chriftians ; endeavour to corre6l this ill cuftom by a contrary carriage, that your example may rebuke and reprove fuch carelefs and negli- gent worfliippers. Never turn your back upon the holy communion : when all things are prepared for the cele- bration of the holy myfteries, let no pretence of your own unpreparednefs excufe your attendance. If you live, and I hope you will, as it becomes a Chriftian, you can very feldom have a juft reafon for your abfence. * Draw near,' therefore, to the holy table with great humility and devo- tion, ^ and take the holy facrament to your comfort.' The opportunities of receiving abroad offer but rarely ; which makes it very inexcufable if ever you omit any that prefent themfelves. Pay a particular regard to the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday ; diftinguifh it as much by your pradlice, as it is by divine inftitution ; attend the folemni- ties of religion in public at fuch times ; this I look upon as of indifpenfable obligation, and not to be omitted but in cafes of great necelTity. Let the reft of the day be dedicated to pious and devout employments. This feems peculiarly neceflary to men of bufinefs and traffic ; becaufe, being intent all the week long upon their worldly concerns, they really ftand in need of recolledlion and retirement for the improvement of their minds, which the circum- ftances of Sunday are very proper to promote. Not that I would have you fuperftitious in the obfervance of it, making that abfolutely necefTary which is neceflary only as a means ; and, therefore, when you are accidentally by company prevented in your method, grow not fullen and morofe ; rather endeavour to feafon the converfation with hints of piety ; and dexteroufly introduce fuch topicks of difcourfe as make the converfation fuitable to the day ; but, ifpofTible, let not company deprive you of thofe advantages you may receive from retirement at fuch times. You muft Pious Robert Nel/on. 199 needs think that I reckon the obfervation of the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church of great advantage to the Chriftlan life, or elfe I fliould not have troubled the world with fo large a book upon that fubjed: : to which I refer you for my thoughts in that matter ; defiring you to read a chapter in it, as the particular days occur, throughout the whole year. As to felf-examination, the oftener you perform it, the Jefs trouble and time it will take up ; fo that, if you would accuftom yourfelf to recolledion every evening before you fay your prayers, you would eafily know the ftate of your mind, by running over the a6tions of the day paft ; which would difcover any falfe ftep that you had made, and which required a particular repentance. "Never delay this work beyond once a week ; you may choofe Sunday for that purpofe, as the time you are fureft to command. Keeping accounts fair and clear has a great efficacy in our fpiritual affairs as in our temporal and worldly concerns. When you read any book upon a religious fub- jed:, accuftom yourfelf to refle(5l upon what you have read, that you may perceive whether it enlightens your under- ftanding, or influences your will, or warms your aff^ecflions ; for the bufmefs of meditation is, to digeft that fpiritual nouriftiment we take in by reading ; without this pradlice, much learning and reading turns to little account. I have provided you with a colledlion of books, from which I am fure you may be thoroughly inftrudled in all neceflary Chriftian knowledge ; excited to the praftice of all Chrif- tian graces and inftitutions ; and furniftied for the exercife of that devotion that is neceflary for you, in private and in public, upon moft of the occurrences in life ; but I muft freely tell you that thefe books will not work as charms ; if they ferve but for the ornament of your clofet, they will only adminifter to vanity. They muft be read attentively, and ferioufly confidered, if you defign that advantage I have aimed at in making the colledion. There is one thing I muft obferve to you before I conclude this head, that, by reading Archbifliop Tillotfon's works with care and obfervation, you will not only learn true notions of religion, but alfo the way and manner of writing Englifli correctly and purely ; his ftyle I take to be the beft ftandard 200 Life and Times of the of the Engllfh language ; therefore, if you would perfed yourfcif in what is fo necefTary for a gentleman and a man of bufinefs, I mean writing well, obferve his phrafes, and the propriety with which he ufes words, and the clearnefs with which he exprefles himfelf on all fubjeds. " 1 6. In the fixteenth place, I cannot conclude thefe particular heads without putting you in mind of being con- stant to the communion of the Church of England. Abroad you may meet with folicitations to popery ; but the Church of Rome very falfely pretends to be the Catholic Church; at beft fhe can only arrive to be a very corrupt part of it. At home you may be tempted to countenance the fepara- tlon ; but you cannot communicate with the diflenters without incurring the guilt of fchifm. The Church of England not only believes the Scriptures to be the rule of faith, but profefTes her faith in all thofe ancient forms of words called creeds, which the primitive Church made ufe of; to which the Church of Rome has made great additions, and requires her novelties to be believed as neceffary articles of faith ; though the Scriptures and primitive antiquity are filent concerning them, and in fome points expreffly againft them. Their errors indo6lrine are aggravated byconfider- able corruptions in her public offices ; which are not only in an unknown tongue, and confequently no way edifying to the people, but are in fome parts addreffed to faints and angels, contrary to Scripture and the pradice of the primitive Church. And yet farther, fhe has eftablifhed an abfolute monarchy in the Church, by cloathing the Bifhopof Rome, commonly called the Pope, with fuch prerogatives as are inconfiftent with the rights of other bifhops, which are eftablifhed by divine right. The Church of England, moreover, preferves the three orders of bifnops, priefts, and deacons, in a due fubordination, as inftituted by our Saviour and His Apoftles ; whereby fhe is fecured of a right and truly canonical miniftry, and confequently her people furnifhed with valid facraments. Now, the diffenters have rejeded this divine fubordination of church officers ; and, by throwing off epifcopacy, as their minifters have no lawful commiffion, fo their people cannot be affured of the validity of ordinances adminiftered by fuch teachers. So Pious Robert Nelfon. loi that you fee, in one communion, errors in faith corrupt the dodrine of the Church ; and, in the other communion, errors in poHty and government deftroy the unity of it ; both which endanger falvation ; and therefore I recommend to you the Church of England with greater earneftnefs, becaufe free from both thefe fatal inconveniences. There is another thing wherein the Church of England has gloried as her particular chara6leriftic ; that fhe teaches fincere obedience and uncorrupted loyalty to princes ; that we ought to pay them that obedience our conftitution requires, and upon no pretence whatever to refift them by taking up arms againft them, which is what is called rebellion. This her homilies teach, which contain good and wholefome do6lrine ; and this the laws of the land bind firmly upon us ; for they place the power of the fword in the king, and no man can draw it but by commiffion from him. (See the Militia A(5l of Charles II.) And if fubjeds have never fo good reafon to take up arms againft the crown, if for want of fuccefs they ever come to a fair trial according to the laws, they muft be found guilty of high treafon, their own friends being upon their jury. The laws are fo plain in this cafe that they have afforded no manner of remedy to the fubje6t in thofe extraordinary cafes that are urged. So that non-refiftance and paffive obedience is the dodlrine of the Church and ftate. I am fure the primitive Chriftians profeffed it, even when they felt the bad eife(5ls of it in this world, by fuffering wrongfully, contrary to the laws of the ftate, and even to the rights of human nature. The Papifts and Prefbyterians have been both tardy in this point ; and I wifh the pra6lice of fome in the Church of England had been more blamelefs ; but, as long as her homilies and her laws continue unaltered, it cannot be faid that either Church or ftate avows fuch dodlrines. But thefe differences between the Church of England, the Roman Catholics, and DifTenters, and the other fubjedls I have hinted to you in this letter, are largely explained in thofe books I have recommended to your perufal ; and therefore I fhall add no more concern- ing them. " I muft only put you in mind, that, by converfing with thofe that are ftrangers to the name of Chrift, you are under 202 Life and Times of the a more particular obligation of living according to the maxims and rules of the Gofpel ; for otherwife you will bring a fcandal upon the Chriftian religion, and expofe the dodlrine as well as the perfon of the bleffed Jefus to the fcorn and contempt of Mahometans and heathens ; and woe be to that man by whom offences come ! " As to the particular rules that relate to travelling, you will have no occafion for them at prefent ; becaufe you are to go by fea to Smyrna, where you are like to refide for fome time. It Is very probable, your return may be through Italy and France ; or at leaft I wlfli you may take thofe countries in your way home ; and by that time your own good under- ftanding will be fo ripened by experience that you will be fufficiently able to guide and dire(5b yourfelf. I will, however, fuggeft to you a few thoughts on that matter before I conclude. " I. Firft, never fet yourfelf to find fault with the dif- ferent cuftoms of other countries. This certainly proves you to be a novice, and Is the fureft method to difoblige the natives, whofe friendfhip and kindnefs you fland In need of. It Is your bufinefs, Indeed, among other things, to obferve their cuftoms, that you may compare them with your own, in order to confider on which fide the advantage lies. But If you have reafon to prefer your own, never treat thelr's with fcorn and contempt ; for this refledls upon thofe that ufe them, and will certainly provoke their Indig- nation againft you ; It will make them defplfe you, fhun your company, and deprive you of the advantages you might receive from their converfation. And notwlthftand- ing the unreafonablenefs of this pra6lice, nothing Is more common among young travellers, and therefore fit to be hinted at. "2. Secondly, I muft carry you a ftep farther; which is, to conform yourfelf as much as you can to the cuftoms of thofe with whom you refide. All mankind are fond of their own ways and methods of living ; and as they think themfelves wifer than others, fo consequently they deter- mine their own cuftoms to be beft:. Now, your giving Into their ways and manners flatters their felf-love, and will incline them to be defirous to oblige you ; befides they will have a better opinion of your underftanding, when you Pious Robert Nelfon. 203 approve of what they have eftabllfhed. This will raife your character ; and according as they value and efteem you, fo in proportion you will receive the teftimonies of their kindnefs and refped. Befides, I cannot tell but that in this method you may befh preferve your health ; for different climates require different managements ; and it is to be fuppofed, that the long experience of the natives muft have found out that regimen which beft fecures health. I am very fure, gentlemen have deftroyed them- felves by eating flelh and drinking wine with the fame freedom in hot countries as they have been accuftomed to in their own colder climes ; and therefore could not forbear giving you this diredion. ''3. Thirdly, endeavour to be acquainted with men of the beft character in all the countries through which you pafs ; by which I chiefly mean men diftinguiflied for learning, wifdom, and virtue ; from whofe converfation your mind will receive the greatefl: improvement, and from whom you will learn what is fitteft to be feen, and what is moft proper in that place to entertain the curiofity of a flranger. Befides, their acquaintance will procure you refped from others ; for, being obferved to frequent fuch men, it will be imagined that you have fome of thofe good qualities yourfelf which you admire in others. But this advice does not only refer to wife and learned men, but alfo to thofe of the befl rank and quality, who in all countries are moft polifhed in their manners and behaviour ; fo that you will never be able to make a true judgment of any country, if you do not know how people of quality live, as well as thofe of the middle and inferior rank. Strangers generally employ themfelves more in feeing fights and rarities, than in knowing men ; but, as the firft fhould not be negleded, fo in travelling the greateft flirefs fiiould be laid upon the latter ; which the want of knowing the lan- guage of the place often prevents, and therefore a traveller fhould make it his bufinefs to be perfe6t in the language of the place, without which it is impoffible he can make any great improvements. " But be fure, while you are intent upon acquiring orna- ments of good breeding, never forget nor forfeit thofe 204 J^if^ ^^d limes of the qualifications that conftitute the good Chriftian. Firft, take care to be a good man, and then you cannot be too fine a gentleman ; when you have fecured the pearl of great -price ^ you will do very well to fet it to the beft advantage. " And becaufe I am fenfible of the great weaknefs of human nature, and of the ftrength of thofe temptations you may meet with, to the advice I have given you, I fhall add my hearty prayers to God, ** That His grace may constantly accompany you ; that by His holy infpiration you may think thofe things that are good, and that by His merciful guiding you may per- form the fame ; that your life may be long and happy ; that profperity may never corrupt you, and that afflidion may always make you better ; and that all your ways may be difpofed towards the attainment of everlafting falvation ; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, you may ever be defended by God's moft gracious and ready help, through Jefus Chrift our Lord ; to which well- weighed petitions of the Church, a moft hearty Amen is affixed by, " Dear Coufin, " Your moft faithful friend, and humble fervant, "Robert Nelson." " 27th July, 1708." When George Hanger's younger brother Gabriel left England for a fimilar purpofe, a few years later, Nelfon addrefled to him alfo the following ftiorter epiftle.* To Mr. Gabriel Hanger. *' Dear Cousin, — The beft method I can contrive of fhowing my concern for you at prefent is, to furnifti you with a copy of that letter which I wrote to your eldeft brother upon his leaving England, becaufe it contains fome rules which may be of ufe to you in the conduct of a Chriftian life. Your cafe and his are fo far alike, that you both leave your own country, and are, by the defignation of your beft friend, your father, fettled in a way of merchandife, whereby, by God's bleffing upon your own induftry, you * NichoL' Lit. Anec , vol. iv. p. 220 et seqq. Pious Robert Nelfon. 205 may both very probably raife a confiderable fortune, prove ufeful members of the commowealth, and make others happy in fharing your plenty and abundance. From this fimihtude of circumftances wiJl arife an agreement in thofe temptations which it is hkely may attack you both ; and therefore what I thought proper to fay to him you may very well apply to yourfelf ; and thus far I may anfwer, that, if you take care to pradlife what is there fuggefted, you will not fail of recommending yourfelf to all thofe in whofe power it is to advance your intereft ; but, what is more confiderable, you will thereby fecure the favour of Almighty God, whofe bleffmg is neceffary to fucceed in all your undertakings, and who alone can beftow upon you a happinefs that is lafting and durable, which he has referved in heaven for all thofe who truly love and fear him. You muft needs be fenfible what care and expence your father has been at in your education, to fit you for the employ- ment you engage in ; you know very well what charge he has beftowed to equip you for this voyage, and how ready he has been to gratify you in everything you could either ajQc or defire of him, in order to your pleafure and profit. Now, all this adds frelh obligations to your duty ; and what returns can you make for fo much kindnefs, which will pleafe him better than your fteady fobriety and your conftant application to your buiinefs .^ Thefe are fuch injun6tions as are necefTary to your own welfare ; and yet he will efleem them a full compenfation for that paternal affedlion which he has fhowed towards you. And how much more pleafant and comfortable it is to be the joy of your parents by your prudent and Chrif^ian behaviour, than to increafe thofe cares you have already neceffarily given them ? for you cannot indulge any extravagant and dif~ orderly courfe without opprefling their minds with forrow and grief, in a time of life when they are leaft able to bear it. " This argument of pleafing your beft friends fhould have a great influence upon an ingenuous mind ; and I am willing to think you have a great fenfe of gratitude ; and that, by confidering what has been done for you, may excite a great ardour and fervency in your mind, to anfwer the expedations of thofe to whom you are fo dear. 2o6 Life and I'imes of the " But, Sir, I muft tell you one thing more, that, by governing yourfelf according to the fcheme of the foregoing letter, you moft truly confult your own intereft, which in- fluences every man that is not corrupted by prefent pleafure to forfeit a future good. So that, if any regard to your happinefs, as well as that of your parents, can prevail upon you, we iliall certainly hear that you are upright and diligent in your bufinefs, fober and temperate in your enjoy- ments, and pious and religious in your whole converfation. " I am very glad you have been confirmed ; whereby your Chriflianity is become your own deliberate choice, the care of your godfathers and godmothers is difcharged, and you have before God and man engaged to perform your part of the baptifmal covenant. " In order to discharge this more efFedually, you have been admitted to the holy table, where God difpenfes larger meafures of His grace to thofe who approach with fincere intentions of doing their duty ; and therefore I hope, now you have been initiated into the Chriftian myfteries, you will never negled: fuch opportunities which Providence may fupply you with for the celebration of them.* " I have nothing more to add but my hearty prayers to God, that He would be pleafed to profper your voyage, and bring you in fafety to your defired port, lince in all your ways you acknowledge him ; and that he would dired: your paths, and teach you to guide your affairs with difcretion ; that he would never leave you nor forfake you, but condudl you fafely by His counfel through all the bufinefles and enjoyments, through all the temptations and troubles of this life, to that blefled place where our Lord Jefus liveth and reigneth for evermore. " 1 am, with great fincerity, dear Coufm, " Your very faithful humble fervant, " Robert Nelson." "The Epiphany, 1713." *^ Remember to be that in health, which you will wilh to have been when you come to die." * The following extraft from the letter-book of the Levant Company, will indicate the opportunities of Holy Communion then enjoyed by their fervants : Pious Robert Nelfon. 207 It may be interefting here to add that Robert Nelfon's prayer and wifhes for his young relative's fuccefs in life received in this cafe a complete and happy accompli fhment. Gabriel Hanger returned to England with a large fortune, rebuilt the church of his native place, (1734,) reprefented fucceffively Maidftone and Bridgewater in Parliament, and was raifed in 1764 to the Irifh peerage of Coleraine.* A tablet to his memory in Dryfield Church bears the fevere but modeft infcription, apparently diftated by himfelf: " Here lieth, in expedation of the laft day, Gabriel Hanger, Lord Coleraine. What manner of man he was that day will difcover. He died Jan. 24. 1773, aged feventy-five." — " 1712. Oct 7. Wm. Raye, Efq., late conful at Smyrna, deceafed, having by his will bequeathed a fervice of communion plate to the chapel at Smyrna for the use of the Faftory there, we have fent the fame to you by the Sea Horfe ; and we recommend to you that all due care be had thereof. We likewife fend you by this opportunity, as an addition to our library, the books defired by Mr. Lyde." * His coufin, Ann Hanger, daughter of John Hanger, Efq., a merchant of London, had married Henry Hare, laft Lord Coleraine of that line. 2o8 Life and Times of the CHAPTER VI. nelson's correspondents and friends. The Rev. Dr. Mapletoft. — Six Letters to him. — Humphry Wanley ; his connexion with Nelfon. — Two Letters recommending him to a place in the Paper-office. — The Rev. Dr. Grabe; his opinions and works. — Nelfon's character of him. — Two Letters to Lord Oxford refpe6ling him. — Rev. Dr. Charlett, M after of Univerfity Coll. Oxon. — Eleven Letters to him. — Letter to Harley on the formation of a Tory Miniftry. — Letter of Compliment to the Poet Prior. — Ralph Thorelby, the Yorkftiire Anti- quary. — Notices of Nelfon in his Diary. — Rev. Wm. Reeves, Tranflator of the early Chriftian Apologifts. — Extracts from his Prefatory Letter to Robert Nelfon. — Rev. John Johnfon, author of the " Propitiatory Obla- tion " and the "Unbloody Sacrifice." — Four Letters to him. In addition to the attachment of his own family and relations, Nelfon enjoyed the fociety of a large circle of admirers and friends, who were drawn to him by perfonal efleem for his charafter, or by fympathy in his charitable works. And the letters to his different correfpondents, which have been preferved, with the particulars that may be gleaned from other fources, of his intimacy with them, will form a pleafing chapter in the hiftory of his life. At their head muft be placed his old friend Dr. Maple- toft, to whom he addreffed the following letters, in addition to thofe which have been previoufly quoted.* " London, the ist Jan., 94. " My dear friend's afflidionf has fenfibly touch't me, and I heartily compafTionate the feverity of it : if I have not told you fo fooner, 'twas out of a refpeftfull indulgence * " European Magazine," vol. xv. p. 187. f Mapletoft had recently loft his wife, on the anniverfary of their wedding day. Nov. 18, 1693. Pious Robert Nelfcn. 209 to fo juft a concern ; for I think there fhould be fome time allowed to calm our pafTions, even when our reafon is obedient to the difpenfation. I can afTure you I am a great fharer in your lofs, not only from what I knew, but from what I expeded in fo valuable a neighbour : — but God knows what is beft for us, and a cheerful fubmiflion to his will is certainly the fureft foundation of prefent eafe and fatisfa6lion, as well as the only method to make us eternally happy. I need not go about to prove this propo- fition to one who has often with great advantage cleared this facred truth, and has convinced other people of their duty in this particular ; but give me leave, good fir, to urge one thing upon you, which is the neceffity of con- firming your doftrine by your example. We fiiall be apt to think there is very little force in thofe arguments our guides comfort us with in afflidion, if we find they have not power to fupport their own fpirits in the like fad cir- cumftances ; and 'tis no fmall advantage to the Chriftian religion, that the blefi'ed Jefus fhewed us fo perfe6l an example of what he taught. And you muft not think us Laicks unreafonable, if we expedl a more perfed; vertue from thofe who have the honour and happinefs to attend the altar : you are the light that mull: fhine before us, and the fait wherewith we muft be feafoned, and confequently have greater obligations to influence you than we can pretend to. \ muft confefs I little doubt of finding you all of a piece ; but fince great minds are fometimes fhaken, pardon my earneft defire of feeing you fixt upon a rock, and if I am got beyond my fphere, put it upon the fcore of friendfiiip, and reckon it as an effeft of that value and efteem which I have always profeft for you. I thank God, after a long illnefs, my wife is very much recovered, and is rather better in her health than fhe was before ; ihe talks of returning to Blackheath in February, but I am afraid it may be too foon ; but that depends upon the weather. I have fent you this day, by my gardener, a book lately printed, which 1 am fure was defigned by the author to beget aChriftian temper under fufferings, which moft that fall under have great occafion of I believe you would hardly have met with it, which made me take the liberty of prefenting you. The feafon of the year oblidges me to wifii you all happinefs. 2 10 Life and 'Times of the but I aflure you 'tis the conftant temper of my mind towards you ; for I am, with great fincerity, *' Your moft affedionate humble Servant, '' Nelson. *' My wife and L. Berkeley are your humble fervants ." •"August 7th, 1701, B. Heath. " Dear Sir. — You confulted very much the eafe and fatisfaction of your friend, by the favourable account I received this day of the welfare of you and your family ; and if the prefent pleafure I feel would admit of any allay, the being without it fo long might create fome unquiet reflexions. I am not furprized with Pony's infirmities. I never laid any great flrefs upon his abilities, and have often endeavoured to abate that great value which you put upon him ; but experience is a furer guide than the uncertain guefles of our friends, and to that I fhall leave you. Mr. Waller would certainly have entertained you very well, for Sir H. Short's letter faid a great deal ; and before you had parted, you would have convinced him how much you deferved it. You would have feenour mines in a very flourifhing condition. We have had from thence lately very comfortable news. " The hot weather we have had has made me often pity you, for that extreme is not to be cured by the affiftance of wit and money, of both which, God be thanked, you want not a fufficient fhare. My wife, who always remem- bers you with great kindnefs and refpecft, has been very much out of order ; but the Spaw waters have very much relieved her, which makes her perfift. in drinking them. I procured Bifhop Fowler 5 guineas more for the affiftance of Mr. Harris, which he took very kindly, and prefTt me to fet a day to dine with him, that we might not mifs one another. He afTured me that was the only reafon ; but for all that, he treated me very generoufly, and we had fix difhes of meat, befides a handfome fervice of fruit. I am very fenfible of his great kindnefs towards me ; and * *' European Magazine," vol. xv. p. 274, 5. Pious Robert Nelfon. 1 1 1 though I have deferved it from fome of his order where I have not found it, yet his Lordfhip's {fic') is all grace and favour. *' Your Corporation* has done nothing confiderable be- fides raifing money to pay the charges of their being a body. Our Society^ having a good fum by them upon this occa- fion, we thought we could not do better than difcharge part of Dr. Bray's debt, to which I took fome pains to difpose fome of our members ; and I made it appear 'twas a fervice to the Society thus to difpofe of money that lay by us dead rather than pay intereft to Dr. Bray, which by this method would be faved. I am confident I have your confent in this matter ; and indeed I know not how to anfwer to myfelf that difcouragement, that worthy zealous perfon finds from fome of his own order. I am fure he has been one of the greateft inftruments for propagating Christian knowledge this age has produced. The libraries abroad, our Society, and the Corporation, are owing to his unwearied folicitations. If you return near my Lord Weymouth's, you may find him and Bifhop Ken both there, and you may be fure of a good reception from fuch a lord. " Our neighbour Stanhope was delivered of a daughter laft Saturday, and in a fair way of doing well : fhe had no melancholy anticipations this time of the painful operation, but preferv'd her vigour and fpirits to the laft, which every body would wifh well to, if ihe knew how to keep them under a prudent government. My mother went ten days ago to Tunbridge, to accompany my coufin Lordel ; but Sir Richard Blackmore, whom I confulted, forbid her drinking the waters, having obferved that they do not fo well * The Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gofpel, of which Dr. Mapletoft was a Vice-Prefident. t The S.P.C.K. Minutes of Nov. 9, 1699: " Refolved, that it is the opinion of this Society, that the fum of 400 and odd pounds expended by Dr. Bray, has been by him advanced towards the propagation of Chriftian know- ledge in the plantations, upon the credit of public benefadions. Refolved that the intereft of the faid 400 and odd pounds, after a rate of five per cent., do commence from Michaelmas laft paft, and be paid to Dr. Bray and his alfigns, out of the firft contributions as fhall be lodged in the Society for the purpoi'es before mentioned," p 2 212 Life and Times of the agree with perfons of her age. I venture this letter according to the date of yours, and fhould be willing to hazard more rather than to omit fhewing you any teftimony of the value and efteem I have for you. 'Twould favour of too much formality to beg any excufe for this long letter, efpecially fince I defign it as a mark of that kindnefs which is with pleafure paid you by, dear Sir, " Your moft faithful friend and fervant, " Nelson." *" Reverend Sir. — You had received an anfwer fooner to your very obliging lines of the 13th from Afpeden, but that I am at prefent in my very agreeable retirement at this place, where I find in my lady the kindnefs of a mother, and in her houfe the fame freedom as if I were in my own ; thefe circumftances with the native pleafures of the feat, and its being frequented by little or no company, give it a particular relifh to me, and not the lefs for being envied by few or none. The Redlor here is a very good fcholar, and a man of admirable parts, whofe converfation is my great diverfion ; he labours very hard at prefent in a beautiful tranflation of the Ancient Apologies for Chrif- tianity, which I have put him upon, and adorns them with admirable notes, ufeful and profitable for all readers, which he throws at the bottom of each page. He will have an admirable preface about the right ufe of the Fathers, as a neceffary introdu6lion to his undertaking ; wherein, if I miftake not, he entirely confutes Daille, and expofes his whipt cream with fome fait ; and plainly proves that his arguments militate with equal force againft the Scriptures as againft the Fathers, and confequently prove nothing by proving too much. But enough of this to whet your appetite for the future entertainment. " As to Mr. Oftervald's Treatife againft Uncleannefs, I entirely agree with you in your charader of it. I read it about three months ago, and efteem it much the beft that ever I met with upon the fubjedl. This and your commands would have had a great influence upon me, if \ "European Magazine," vol. xv. p. 433. Pious Robert Nelfon. 213 a friend of ours had not made that attempt needlefs ; for it is about three months that the book has appeared in EngHfh, being tranilated when there were very few copies of the original in town. The worthy clergyman who has taken pains to fuch good purpofe is Mr. Spinckes ; and though I cannot fay I have compared it with the original, yet I know it is well tranflated by its reading fo well, and its appearing to be an original in Englilh, few or no Gallicifms showing themfelves. He has introduced it with a very handfome and folid preface, relating to the fame fubje(5t ; but his name is not affixed for reafons that the engaging bookfellers gave him. " I hope you may live to publifh it in Latin, for the benefit of the Chriftian world, it being a fubjeft, wherein I am afraid too many fail from want of right notions in that matter. *^ I have with a great deal of pleafure read your Sermons, which are certainly very proper for our defign, though they cannot be ready fo foon as we intend to give the world a tafte of this Charity ; for we fhall out of hand fet up fifty-two parochial libraries, which at £16 a library, will amount to £832. We have fome thoufands of volumes in our repofitory, and I depend upon your ufual goodnefs, for fome confiderable encouragement. "I am glad to find my attempt of doing good '" has had any fuccefs. I heartily blefs God, that he has been pleafed to make me an inftrument of reviving decayed primitive piety among us, and to His name be the glory. It is a fort of fatisfadlion which agrees with me better than the laurels of mighty conquerors, whom I often pity rather than admire. The fifth edition is juft finifhed, fo that in four years and a half, there has been 10,000 printed. It is juft now going to the prefs in Welfh, tranflated by Mr. Williams of Denbigh, formerly the late Earl of Berkeley's chaplain, and Mr. Mapletoft's neigh- bour fometimes at Bugden ; and I wonder the book- feller will venture upon printing 500, but he is well known in Wales, and has lately printed the Common Prayer-book in that language. * His " Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts." 214 ^^/^ ^^^^ 'Times of the " I hope you will not defer finifhing the legacy you defign for your Parifh. Thofe particular addrefles have an admirable efFed ; the people think themfelves under greater obligations to read, and are more inclined to comply with thofe advices, which they think purely framed for themfelves ; befides it will remain as a land- ing monument of your care for their fouls, and to which you may appeal at the Day of Judgment. " I find. Sir, the pleafure of converfing with an old friend carries me a great way ; though I hope you will not think the letter too long fince it has not appeared fo to me in writing. Pray God, return you fafe to your own home. I cannot forbear wifhing that you may fome- times be mindful of me, who has always had a great value for you, and continues to be with great fmcerity, ^' Reverend Sir, "Your moil faithful friend and humble fervant, " Robert Nelson. " Cranford, July 17, 1708. "My humble fervice to my worthy friend Mr. Maple- toft, with whom this will, I hope, find you, it being the firft poft fince I received yours." * " Reverend Sir. — I am very glad to underftand that my letter, directed to Huntingdon, came fafe to your hands. It fatisfied thofe enquiries you made, and, I hope, confirmed you in the opinion of my readinefs, upon all occafions to give frefh teftimonies of my refped and efi:eem of fuch a friend as you are. What you are pleafed to call plain inartificial difcourfes, I judge mod proper for the generality of auditors. I think a fermon may be too corredt for a mixt affembly ; only thofe that thoroughly underftand the fubjed can be affefted with the beauties of it ; but if I would inftrud to purpofe in the pulpit, I fhould ftudy the popular ftyle, as beft turned to do moft good. Your difcourfe of doing good muft be ftill in Mr. Fox's hands, for I have only one volume of your fermons, * " European Magazine," vol. xvi. p. 8. Pious Robert Nelfon. 215 which fKall be left at Dr. Butler's when I return to town. He is at prefent at his living at Bofcomb, near Salifbury, famous once for being the refidence of the judicious Hooker. I have no correfpondence with Mr. Casfar, and therefore fhall not take the good work out of your hands. I was mightily pleafed with an anfwer a clergyman of great figure made me when I afked him if he had read Mr. Oftervald centre Vlmpurite. He faid he had read it with great fatisfadion, and was forry he had not read it fooner ; which implies more than can be well exprefled. I return you my thanks for your benefaftion towards the libraries : if you will be pleafed to pay it to Mr. Henry Hoar, goldfmith, in Fleet-ftreet, it will be lodged in a proper place for the purpofe you defign, and when the truftees meet you will have their united thanks : you need not mention as yet the perfons concerned in this charity. I am obliged to you for remembering me at your moft ferious hours, and fhall conflantly pray that, by a patient continu- ance in well doing, you may obtain the crown of life. God has bleft you with a foft and gentle old age, and I hope will continue it unto the end. Though true Chriftian perfection feems to me to confift very much in an entire and ready conformity to the will of God, and profperity and adverfity is more or lefs grievous or agreeable as it advances or hinders our great end ; though the way be very rugged that leads to heaven, it is certainly the beft, provided it be the fhorteft and the fureft. I am, reverend Sir, *' Your moft faithful friend and humble fervant, " Rob. Nelson. " Cranford, 17th Aug., 1708. "Humble fervice to Dr. Gaftril and your daughter." *" Reverend Sir. — By a letter I received laft night from the Countefs of Berkeley, who with my Lord are at prefent at Berkeley Caftle, I am defired to confult you con- cerning your nephew, whether he could, without prejudice * " European Magazine," vol. xvl. p. 97. 2i6 Life and Times of the to his affairs, attend my Lord at Berkeley Caftle this winter, whereby they might try how they liked one another ; and if it proved agreeable to both parties, nothing but your nephew's preferment would part them. If your nephew fhould refolve to go, I would have him quit nothing till he has made a trial of the circumftances propofed. The refped: my Lord and my Lady bear to the clergy, and the relation Mr. Mapletoft bears to you will fecure him of good ufage while he is my Lord's chaplain. I have mended the erratas according to the paper you fent me, and give you a great many thanks for the very agreeable prefent you made me. Such truly pious and Chriftian difcoyrfes* muft particularly affed: your friends and acquaintance, becaufe your own example preaches to them at the fame time, though all ftrangers to you that ferioufly confider them, muft be influenced by the great reafonablenefs and piety of the performance. It is a very acceptable legacy to your friends and parifhioners, who will be fure always to pay a particular regard to it ; and it is concluding a pious and devout life with an odour of fandity. I recommend myfelf to your prayers, and am with great refped, " Reverend Sir, " Your moft faithful friend, and humble fervant, " Rob. Nelson. " 29 Aug., 1710." j-'^ Reverend Sir. — I thank you for your very agree- able prefent, and I fhall take all opportunities to further the difperfing fo ufeful a treatife. Your printer muft give notice of it in all the papers. I will endeavour to convince him that his intereft obliges him to that expenfe. When your fervant was here yeilerday, I was at Lewiftiam, when the Biftiop of Sarum married his eldeft fon to Mrs. Mary * " The Principles and Duties of the Chriftian Religion confidered and explained, in order to retrieve and promote the Chriftian Life, or that holi- nels without which no man ftiall fee the Lord. Divided into 26 chapters, one whereof being read every Lord's day ; the whole will be read over twice in the year. By John Mapletoft, D.D., Vicar of St. Lawrence Jewry. 17 10." ■}■ " European Magazine," vol. xvi. p. 167. Pious Robert Neljon. 217 Stanhope. There is a reafonable profpect of happinefs. The misfortune generally is, that young people expe6t too much, and their difappointment is generally owing to their own falfe opinion of things. Thefe two young people have both very good fenfe, and tempers very well fuited for one another, which with their clerical education will go a great (way) to make them happy I believe we are very nigh a peace, and if the pa(rliament) judges it a good one, we pwvate people muft acquiefce ; though there is fuch a fpirit of difcord gone forth, that nothing but a war, which we are not able to maintain, will fatisfy fome people. God in his good time foften all men's minds, and reconcile them to one another ! " I am, my dear friend, " Your moft faithful humble fervant, "Rob. Nelson. " June 4, 1712. '' To the Rev. Dr. Mapletoft, at Greenwich, Kent." Among Nelfon's humbler friends was the well-known antiquary, Humphrey Wanley. He was the fon of the Rev. Nathaniel Wanley, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Coventry, where he was born in the year 1671. The poverty of his father obliged him to breed his fon to a trade ; but his natural taftes led him to the ftudy of old printed books and MSS., in deciphering which he acquired great facility and judgment. Dr. Lloyd, Bifhop of Lichfield and Co- ventry, took notice of his talents, and fent him to St. Edmund's Hall, Oxford, where he afTifted Dr. Mill, the Principal, in his collations of the New Teftament. He found another patron in Dr. Charlett, Mafter of Univer- fity, who took him into his college and houfe, and obtained for him the appointment of under-keeper of the Bodleian. Leaving Oxford for London, he was employed by Dr. Hickes, at whofe inftance he travelled over the kingdom in 2i8 1-^ife and Times of the fearch of Anglo-Saxon MSS. By Hickes's introdudion he was made known to Nelfon, and became his confidential agent and literary fa(5lotum. Thus if Nelfon diftrufts his fcholarfhip in French at the meetings of the Society for Pro- moting Chriftian Knowledge, he begs Wanley to '' let the French letter of Oftervald's, and from Geneva, be tranf- lated for me againft next Thurfday." If he has to prepare an infcription for a tablet to his wife's memory in Cranford Church, he defires to fee Wanley ^^ at his houfe to-morrow morning, about nine o'clock," to talk about it. If his friend Grabe's deceafe entails upon him fome embarrafling bufinefs, he writes to Wanley, " I beg you would let me fee you any morning, as early as you can. I want to talk with you about Dr. Grabe's affairs." If, on the other hand, Wanley was candidate for a vacant poft, foliciting his appointment as Secretary to the Society for Promoting Chriflian Knowledge, or defirous of changing it for a more advantageous pofl with the Society for the Propa- gation of the Gofpel ; if he was endeavouring to fucceed Dr. Smith in the cuflody of the Cottonian Library, or Mr. Chamberlayne at the Paper OfHce, Nelfon was the friend upon whofe interefl he relied, and who never failed to exert himfelf in his behalf. Thus, upon the latter occa- fion, he writes to Wanley : — "Sir. — I wifh I had more interefl upon this occafion, that I might gratify my own inclinations in ferving you more effedually. I de fire you to perufe the enclofed letter, and if you think it to the purpofe, deliver it yourfelf. My lord lodges in Charles Street, at the Surgeons' Arms, near St. James's Square. Though I would not endeavour to have Mr. Chamberlayne turned out, yet if he has not interefl to preferve that poft, I fhall not fcruple to promote your pretenfions. You may get Dean Hickes to apply to the Earl of Clarendon, and if Bifhop Nicholfon will be vio"orous, he may engage Sir Chriflopher Mufgrave, who Pious Robert Nelfon. 2 1 9 has a good intereft in the Earls of Nottingham and Rochef- ter. I wifh you good fuccefs, and fhall be glad to hear what progrefs you make. " I am, your humble fervant, " Nelson. " B. Heath, 22nd June, 1702." Enclofed was the following : — " Blackheath, 22 June, 1702, " My Lord. — Though the felicitations and importu- nities of pretenders is an inconvenience that attends fuch as are in great ftations, yet the capacity of doing good and promoting men of principles and worth, makes fufficient amends for that alloy. This my Lord, I thought neceffary to premife when I defigned to recommend the bearer, Mr. Humphrey Wanley, to your Lordfhip's favour and encouragement. Mr. Chamberlayne, I hear, will be put out of the Paper-office, and if that gentleman has not fufficient intereft to keep his poft, I believe few will be found better qualified to fucceed than the perfon who now prefents himfelf to your Lordfhip. He is {killed in many parts of learning and languages, and excels in the know- ledge of all forts of Manufcripts, He is a man of right principles in reference to the Church and State ; fo that if your Lordffiip will countenance the applications that are made by his friends to the Earls of Nottingham and Rochefter, he may hope to fucceed in what he is well quali- fied to difcharge. I hope, my Lord, you will pardon the liberty I take, when I affiire your Lordfhip it proceeds from a great inclination to fee worthy men employed, and to hear your Lordfhip efteemed their great Mecasnas. " I am, with all imaginable refpeft, my Lord, ** Your Lordfhip's moft obedient fervant, " Nelson. " To Lord * * * *." Another of Nelfon's intimate friends v/as the pious and learned Dr. Grabe, who was particularly recommended 2 20 Life and 'Times of the to him by the preference which he had (o remarkably- avowed for the epifcopal regimen of the Englifh Church. John Erneft Grabe was originally a member of the Lutheran Church of PrufTia, having been born in 1660, at Konigfburg, where his father was Univerfity ProfefTor. His ftudy of Chriftian antiquity led him to great diflatif- fadlion with the Lutheran Communion, as wanting thofe Holy orders and that Apoftolic Succeflion, which he con- ceived to be a note of a true Church ; and he left his native place accordingly in 1695, with the intention of joining the Church of Rome, as more conformable in thefe points to the precedent of the Primitive Church. From this ftep he was difluaded by Spener the Pietift divine, who pointed to the Church of England, as a Communion in which he might enjoy all the fatisfadion of a duly authorifed miniftry, unalloyed by the corruptions of the Romifh Church. He accordingly repaired to England, where he received a penfion of £100 from King William, took prieft's orders, became a chaplain of Chrift Church, and applied himfelf to Theological labours. In 1698 he publifhed a colleftion of Patriotic Trads, under the title of Spicilegium SS. Patrum ; induced (he fays) to this compilation by the confideration that there could be no better expedient towards Chriftian union than to refleft on the pra6tices and tenets of the primitive fathers ; fenti- ments which induced him alfo to carry through the prefs a new edition of Juftin Martyr's Apologies, and of the Works of IrenaDus. His great reputation induced Oueen Anne to feledl him to edit the Septuagint from the Alexandrian MSS. in St. James's Library, adding upon the occafion a prefent of £60 at the inftance of Harley his patron. In 1703 he was entrufted with the tafk of editing, with annotations, a coUedion of Bull's Latin Works ; at which time we may fuppofe him to have gained the friendfhip of Nelfon, if they had not pre- Pious Robert Nelfon. 221 vioufly been made known to one another by their mutual friend Smalridge. His life was one of laborious fludy, as well as of great abftemioufnefs and devotion, fo as to conciliate the refpe6l of even those who, like Kennet,* felt no fympathy whatever with his theological opinions. His friends, as Nelfon, Smalridge, and Hickes, were enthuflaftic in their admiration and efteem for his charadter and learning. " Who can mention Dr. Grabe," exclaims the former, in his Life of Bifhop Bull, '' without a deep and particular concern for the lofs of fo great a man, in the very prime of his age, when we expelled to reap the fruit of his indefa- tigable ftudies, which were chiefly converfant about Chriftian antiquities ; and who by an eminent authorj- is very aptly compared ' to a great and mighty prince, who dying, leaves behind him many plans of noble and curious buildings ; foundations of others ; others ereded above-ground ; fome half, others almoft, and others perfedlly finifhed. Such are • Kennet (MSS. collections, vol. xvi. pp. 34.5, &c.) has feveral curious particulars of Dr. Grabe, whom he viewed with another eye than Nelfon did. Thus he writes: "Saturday night, Nov. 3, 1711, departed this life. Dr. John Erneft Grabe, the moft learned and pious gentleman that this age has produced." *' Dr. Grabe buried on Thurfday night, Nov. 8, 17 11, at St. Pancras Church, attended by the PrufTian envoy. Dr. Smali-idge, Dr. Felling, Dr. Sherlock, Dr. Gafcarth, Dr. Marfhall, and other divines. He lay long in St. Paul's church- yard under the Surgeon's hands, for an abfcefs in his belly, brought on by his Itudies and fading." He complains that though a chaplain of Chrift Church, Oxford, he yet never received the communion in our Church, " objefting that we wanted the efTential form of praying God the Father to fend down the Holy Ghoftto fanctify and tranfmute the elements. He was much for external rites in Confeffion and Abfolution. He abfolved a penitent in theveftry of Bow Church, with proftration ot the perfon and laying by his own wig, and kneeling and bowing to the earth three times, and impofition of both hands, and all other pofTible vifible figns of profound ceremony. On his death, he defired a folemn abfolution from the minifter, and would have his head bare, and be held up in a kneeling pofture. Indeed his piety and our charity may cover all this. But otherwife I know not what rule required it at his hands." He adds, " Poor Dr. Grabe's receiving the abfolution from Dr. Smalridge, the communion from Dr. Hickes, and being buried in St. Pancras Church (where the Roman Catholics dying in or near this city have been commonly interred), occafions talk." f Dr. Hickes. 222 Life and Times of the the remains left us by this great mafter builder^ as may appear by the catalogue of his manufcripts.' *'A11 the learned, who could beft judge of his great talents, readily offer him that incenfe of praife which is juftly due to his profound erudition ; whereby he was qualified to enlighten the dark and obfcure parts of eccle- fiaftical hiftory, to trace the original frame and flate of the Christian Church, and to reftore the facred volumes, the pillars of our faith, to their primitive perfedion. " He had fo great a zeal for promoting the ancient government and difcipline of the Church, among all thofe who had feparated themfelves from the corruptions and fuperftitions of the Church of Rome, that he formed a plan, and made fome advances in it, for reftoring the epi- scopal order and office in the territories of the King of Pruffia his fovereign ; and propofed, moreover, to introduce a liturgy, much after the model of the Englifh service, into that king's dominions ; and recommended likewife the ufe of the Englifh liturgy itfelf, by the means of fome of his friends, to a certain neighbouring court. By which means he would have united the two main bodies of Proteftants, in a more perfe6l and apoftolical reformation, than that upon which either of them did yet fland, and would thereby have fortified the common caufe of their proteftation againft the errors of popery. But yet his learned ftudies did not fo engrofs his mind, as to prevent his daily attending the hours of public prayer, to which purpofe he always chofe his lodgings near a church : neither did the applaufe he received from the greateft men of the age fo exalt him, but that he readily condefcended to converfe with thofe of the lowefl underftanding, when he could be any ways ferviceable to them in their fpiritual concerns. " He was juflly efleemed one of the greateft divines of the age ; yet the great modefty of his temper, and the pro- found humility of his mind, made him prefer others before himfelf. He laid the chiefeft ftrefs upon the conftant prac- tice of the vertues of the Chriftian life, and was alfo a ftri<5t obferver of all the rules of the apoftolical times, and of the Catholic ufages of the firft Chriftians. He bore his laft ficknefs, which deprived the world of fo great a treafure. Pious Robert Nelfon. 223 with moft exemplary patience, and submiffion to the will of God ; and exercifed all thofe a6ls of devotion, which the beft of men are zealoufly intent upon in their laft labours for immortality. He was very fevere upon himfelf, even for thofe common human frailties, which are apt to cleave to thofe of the greateft eminence for their fanftity, and, with true compundlion, bewailed the negledls and omifTions of his duty, which from the unfeafonable refort of company, he fometimes was forced to. And yet he thanked God from the bottom of his heart, that through the affiftance of His grace, he had fo far overcome thofe temptations which he had met with in life, that he never proftituted his con- fcience for the fake of gain, or defiled his body, which he always had kept pure from the mortal sin of uncleannefs. He had conftantly every day, and frequently feveral times in the day, the office of the vifitation of the fick, with fome proper colle6ls of his own chufing, ufed by his bed-side, and he commonly defired the impofition of the prieft's hands, when the abfolution or bleffing was pronounced over him. He received the communion of our Lord's body and blood with great devotion, feveral times during his fevere vifitation, to fortify him in his paffage to eternity ; and was at laft fet at liberty from the bondage of his mortal body, upon the 3rd of November, 17 11, in the 46th year of his age. The occafion of his death was a bruife which he got in his fide, at the place of his liver, when he made his lafl: journey to Oxford in the fl:age coach, in profecuting the noble work he had in hand ; which accident being negledled at firfl:, upon his return to London became thus fatal." He was buried in the chancel of St. Pancras Church, his friend Smalridge reading the funeral office, and a con- courfe of Englifh divines attending his remains. He exhibited his confidence in Nelfon's friendfhip, by appoint- ing him executor of his will, defiring him to obtain the affifliance of Francis Lee, in preparing his manufcripts for Hickes' perufal. Nelfon, on his part, was not wanting to the memory of his friend. He was forward to vindicate him 224 ^{/"^ ^^^ Times of the from fome afperfions upon his charadler, which had been induftrioufly circulated, and which had prejudiced him in the eftimation of Bifhop Wake * ; and when Hickes publifhed a pofthumous trad: of Grabe's againft Whifton, with fome account of the author's life and writings, Nelfon folicited Harley's patronage of the work in the following letter -.f " June 26, 1712. "My Lord. — It is very fit that everything that is publifhed of Dr. Grabe's fhould be laid before your Lord- ihip, becaufe you were pleafed, in a very diftinguifhing manner, both in his life and at his death, to fhew yourfelf to be his patron. *' The learned prefatory difcourfe of Dean Hickes gives him a title humbly to beg your lordfhip's acceptance of the whole performance. jl The catalogue of the MSS. that Dr. Grabe hath left behind him, I prefume to offer to your lordfhip, as what will enlarge your opinion of his extenfive learning and capacity, and at the fame time afford your lordfhip fome agreeable entertainment. I have returned to Dr. Bentley the books which Dr. Grabe had borrowed from the Queen's library, which I think myfelf obliged to acquaint your lordfhip with, becaufe I underftand you had the trouble of an application upon that fubjedl. I fhall not venture to take any ftep toward printing the remaining part of the Septuagint, till 1 have received your lordfhip's diredions in that matter. I am, with all imaginable refpedlj your lordfhip's mofl obedient and " Mofl humble fervant, "Robert Nelson." * Wake's " Mifcellaneous Papers," vol. i. (in the library of Chrlft Church, Oxon), contain a letter to Wake from Potter, then Regius ProfelTor of Divinity, mentioning a certificate which Nelfon had fent him from Smith the bookfeller, avouching Grabe, who had lodged in his houfe, to be * a mortified, chafte, and very good man,' by way of counterafling thefe afperfions on his character. f Nichols' "Anecdotes of Bowyer," p. 5. \ Some inftances of the defefls and omifTions of Mr. Whifton's Colleftion of Teftimonies from the Scriptures and the Fathers, againft the true Deity of Pious Robert Nelfon, 225 And one of the laft letters* which Nelfon wrote was to forward the completion of the monument which Lord Oxford had directed to be put up in Weflminfter Abbey to the memory of his friend. " My Lord, — I have endeavoured feveral times to pay my duty to your lordfhip, fince you have retired from pubHc affairs, but never had the happinefs of meeting with your lordfhip. I am obliged to acquaint you that Mr. Bird has made confiderable progrefs in Dr. Grabe's monu- ment, and that part of my agreement with him was that he fhould receive fifty pounds this Michaehnas, which he has put me in mind of. I hope to bring the whole expenfe under what your lordfliip was willing to beftow. Pray God proted your lordfhip from the afTaults of your ene- mies, and keep you fafe againft all their attempts. I am, with great refpeit, *' Your Lordfhip's moft obedient, and " Mofl humble fervant, '' Rob. Nelson." "oa. 4., 1 714." Nelfon's friendfhip with Hickes, or Wanley, may have procured him the acquaintance of Dr. Charlett, mafler of Univerfity College, Oxford, who, in his younger days had been patronifed by the former, and who had himfelf be- friended the latter during his refidence at Oxford. Charlett would have an additional hold upon Nelfon's fympathies by his Tory politics, which occafioned his difmiffal from his chaplaincy to the King, fliortly after the acceflion of George L The following are fome of the letters addreffed by Nelfon to this academical correfpondent : — "[•"Reverend Sir, — I was very unfortunate not to fee your worthy neighbour the prefident of C. C. C, when he was in town; but your obliging letter of the 22nd April was left at my houfe, whereby 1 perceive you received from the Son and the Holy Ghoft ; to which Is prefixed a difcourfe, wherein fome account is given of the Doftor and of his MSS. by Geo. Hickes, D.D. 1712." * NichoTs "Anecdotes of Bowyer," p. 6. f " Aubrey's Letters," voL i. 62. 226 Life and Times of the me the firfl news of the Armenian Archbifhop ; who defigns, as I am informed, to fet out this week for Oxford with a cargo of thofe books he has printed in his own language for the promoting piety and learning, which he defigns as a prefent to the public library. I need not entreat your favour in his behalf; your own obliging difpofition will prompt you to do him what fervice lies in your power. He has not yet procured above 2C0, as yet, to his admi- rable defigns, neither, as I underftand, does he aim at above ico more, which fhews that he is not very intent upon gain. I muft beg of you to recommend him particu- larly in my name to our worthy friend the prefident, who is able and ready for good works. I rather choofe this way of making the Archbifhop known to you, than by fending a letter by himfelf, becaufe this leaves you more at liberty. " I have juft finifhed Dr. Potter's difcourfe of Church- government, which I look upon as a mofl admirable performance, and which will, I hope, by the bleffing of God, re(5lify thofe loofe notions which too many learned and judicious men have entertained in that matter. I am glad fuch a book comes from that quarter, for I apprehend that fet of men ftand moil in need of it. By my confent every candidate for holy orders fhould be obliged to give a perfect account of it before he is ordained, and then we might hope the fame notions by degrees might be inftilled into the laity. The Dean's admirable book* is this day publifhed, and I am not a little pleafed to fee that he and Dr. Potter fhould agree in ecclefiaftical principles. But of all this, Sir, you will make a better judgment yourfelf, tho', when our minds are full, we cannot help venting our- felves to our friends. ** I am very much concerned that the Charity Schools are not yet fet up in your Univerfity ; certainly it deferves the confideration of fo great and weighty a body. I am, reverend Sir, " Your faithful, humble fervant, *'RoB. Nelson." " 22 May, 1707, " Ascenfion-day." * Hickes's " Two Treatifes, on the Chrlftian Priefthood, and Epifcopal Order;" the fecond edition of which, with a preface in anfwer to Tindal, appeared in 1707. Pious Robert Nelfon. 227 * " Reverend Sir, — I do moft heartily congratulate the advantageous addition the Providence of God has made to your circumftances. I find all your friends rejoice upon this occafion^f and indeed, all good men have reafon to exprefs their fatisfadion, becaufe a plentiful fortune fits beft upon thofe who have generous and obliging inclinations. " I owe a great many thanks to you in particular, for your kindnefs to the venerable Archbifhop ; you did a great deal of juftice to the Univerfity in the refped: you paid him and in the handfome prefent you provided for him : he retains a grateful fenfe of it, and his nephew exprefled himfelf very fully upon that fubjed before his departure. ** I hope to find a way of addrefilng the V ice-Chancellor about the Charity Schools. It is very fit they fhould take their rife from him. When Dr. Gaftrell's Sermon is printed, and the account that is to be annexed to it, I will take care it fiiall be laid before him. " I was very forry I was out of town, when you did me the favour of a vifit ; my worthy neighbour took care to let me know the kindnefs you defigned me. May you long enjoy the good living you are in pofTeffion of, and fpeedily obtain, what you have reafon farther to expedl. " I am. Reverend Sir, " Your moft faithful humble fervant, '' Rob. Nelson." " 12 July, 1707, " Ormond Street." ^" Reverend Sir, — I rejoice very much at the pro- grefs that is made toward the fetting up Charity Schools in Oxford. It will be much to the honour of the Univerfity, as well as for the benefit of the poor inhabit- ants. I fiiall be glad to know to what fum your * " Aubrey's Letters," vol. i. 63. f Charlett had been inftituted to the living of Hambleden, Bucks, June 28, 1707. X " Aubrey's Letters," vol. i. 64. Q 2 22 8 Life and "Times of the fubfcriptions amount already, and if you want any afTiftance from London as to the methods of ereding the fchools ; I will undertake to fend a perfon on purpofe, rather than the work fliould mifcarry. "As to the cafe you put in relation to tlie Sunday and Holyday Service ; which ought to have the preference when they meet ? — I think, if I miftake not, our Rubric has determined it. Among the orders for reading the Holy Scriptures, there are thefe words : — ' And note that whenfoever Proper Pfalms or Lefibns are appointed, then the Pfalms and Leflbns of ordinary courfe appointed in the Pfalter and Kalendar, if they be different, fhall be omitted for that time.' The fame difcretion is given in the Rubric about the Fij*ft LefTon ; from which I argue that the Holyday Leflbns being the proper Leflbns and the Sunday thofe of ordinary courfe, the firft ought to take the place of the latter, by which all the refl: of the fervice ought to be regulated. In the cafe of Chriflimas Day which fometimes falls upon a Sunday, it is never difputed and I believe it will hold in all other Holy days, when the Sunday Colleft may be ufed with that of the Holy day. My good neighbour, who is much your humble fervant, is of the fame opinion ; and I am, with great refped:, " Reverend Sir, " Your moft obedient humble fervant, '' Rob, Nelson." *' St. Simon and St. Jude, •' 1707." * '' Reverend Sir, — I have been lately for fome time abfent from London, and returned but this evening, which is the true reafon I have deferred anfwering yours of the 4th infl:ant, which has lain upon my table ever fince. " We want Rubrics upon feveral occafions and parti- cularly in the cafe you put about Advent Sunday, and St. Andrew's falling upon the fame day ; but I can tell you the Church of Rome put the Firfl: Sunday in Advent in the number of the Sundays of xXiq primce clajjisy * " Aubrey's Letters," vol, i. 65. Pious Robert Nelfon. 229 as Eafter Sunday, Whit Sunday, and Trinity Sunday, which take place of all other Holy days; fo that according to that rule, the Epiftle and Gofpel for the Sunday ought to be read, though both Colle6ls may be ufed, but this is all I know in that matter. *' I fhould be glad to have a particular account of your fubfcription, which other hands make amount to above £100 a year. '' I am, " Your moft fliithful humble fervant, '' R. Nelson." "St. Andrew's Eve, 1707, " Ormond Street." * " Reverend Sir, — I have received both your letters, 25th February and ift March, in an agreable retirement near London ; a bad cough drove me hither, and Lent keeps me here. I am very glad your fchools go on fo well ; if you have proper mafters, they will underftand the beft methods of teaching. If at my return I can be ferviceable to you, you fhall not fail to hear from me. Lady Guildford was brought a-bed fix weeks agoe, I think 'twas a fon. I look upon St. Mathias in the Church of England to be fixt to the 24th. I know in the Church of Rome 'tis moveable on leap-year. I fhould have been glad to have known what fatisfadion Dr. Potter had given to the Univerfity : his own merit muft make his way, when another would have been more agreable. " I am, Rev^ Sir, " Your moft faithfull humble fervant, "R. Nelson." " Cranford, " 9th Mar., 1707.'" " Reverend Sir, — I find myfelf obliged to return you my humble thanks for two admirable fermons, which are very fit to be made publick, and do great juftice and honour to that venerable body from whence they proceed. * This and the following letters to Charlett are now firft printed from the MSB, in the Bodleian Library, iJO Life and Times of the It is a great comfort to me to fee that when preaching begins to dwindle fo very much in town, it flourilhes with fo much vigour in the Univerfity. For our young divines ftu dy f^ li-iaq^efs in their difcourfes m ore than ro irdlty) they give you J, fhort but aiiTmperf edt efTa y u^on_forriFY|lllJe> ,>but very fcldome treat a point in divinity fubftanT^TyTbr confirm it by the explica'dcrnnjf Teveral^jpafTages of Scrip- ture, which Ttalce to i5e rrTDtr"e3iTying. HI think Mr. Lupton has in moft places argued very ftrongly, and expreffed himfelf with great clearnefs and perfpicuity ; and in the main not without refpeft to- that great man from whom he differs in the way and manner of proving the Article, tho' I am flitisfied they agree in the beleif of it, as is very clear from feveral other paffages of Archbifhop Til- lotfon's works. The letter you mentioned I coppied* long ago from the original, and think it very perfecft in its kind; I have often wifhed that all his letters writ upon particular fubje6ls were collected and printed ; they would make a mofi; agreable entertainment, for he had the happinefs of treating any fubjedt with great fullnefs in fhort, and at the fame time avoided all obfcurity to which fuch attempts are often fubjedl. I yefterday by chance met with your Vice-Chancellour, whole condu6t in the Univerfity I have very much admired, and whofe zeal in promoting the Charity Schools I particularly took notice of. '' I am. Reverend Sir, ^' Your m.ofi: faithfull humble fervant, *'RoB. Nelson." "Ormond Street, "4th Aug., 1708."" " Reverend Sir, — -I have received the favour of both your letters of the 10th and 20th inftant, which found me under a fevere fit of the gout, which makes me a cripple * At the end of the " Chriftian ExerciTe" (to which Nelfon wrote a preface), is printed " A Copy of a Letter from the Dean of Canterbury, Dr. Tillotfon (afterwards Archbifliop), to a friend of his, who laid very ill of a languifhing diftemper, whereof he died ; which was tranfcribtd by Mr. Nelfon with his own hand, being communicated to him by the Author, his very particular friend and correlpondent." Pious Robert N elf on. 231 in both my feet. I inquired about printing the Church Catechifm by itfelf, a right which I perceive the Univerfity has parted with, and therefore I have nothing farther to fay upon that point. I return my hearty thanks for the trouble I have given you upon this account. I have Calepin's Didionary, in a very thick folio, which contains upon eight of the modern languages. I never read that paraphrafe upon the Pfalms which you mention. " I am, Rev*^. Sir, " Your faithfull humble fervant, '' Rob. Nelson." " St. Mathias." '' Reverend Sir,— I beg the favour of you to lend me, or to borrow for me, if it is not in your own ftudy, Fille- fachus's Com*^^ upon Vincentius Lirinenfis ; it is a book in quarto, printed in 16 19, as I think at Paris, for he was a dod:or of the Sorbonne. I know if you can meet with it in any library except the Bodleian, you have intereft to procure it, and I fhall take it for a great favour, becaufe I have ufe for it. I inclofe you two letters from Mr. Wefley and his wife to Mr. Henry Hoare, which give I beleive a very true account of their calamitous cir- cumftances. If any charitable gentleman in your neigh- bourhood will contribute to their releif, Mr, Hoare receives for them. Some people of quality have already fent in their benefadlions. I continue ftill confined by the gout, though I am upon the mending hand ; this gives me the advantage of feeing my freinds, and my worthy neighbour the Dean very often, to my fatisfacftion. " I am, Reverend Sir, " Your faithfull humble fervant, "Rob. Nelson." " 3 Marchj 170 1, " Ormond Street." " Reverend Sir, — I return you my humble thanks for refrefhingmy memory with many beautifull paflages in the poets of the po'ite age, and I muft own, that I am not fo i' 2J2 Life a}id 'Times of the mortified as not to rclilh the entertainment. Befides, you have taken care to ralfe the gufto by prefixing your unde- ferved good opinion of me and your good wifhes. I will take the liberty to make you a prefent by the Munday's coach of a book of another kind, which relates to the pro- pagation of the Gofpel in the Eaft, which opens a noble fcene of comfort and joy to all thofe that are fenfible of the ineftimable benefits of Chriftianity. This beft of charities has been folicited by private hands for about two months, and there has been colle(fted between 4 and £500, and by A thefe Eaft India fhips that are now going for thofe parts, "^ f they have fupplied the miflionaries with a printing prefs, 600 weight of letters, 100 rhems of paper, a printer who is paid for a year, feveral copies of the Gofpel in Portuguefe, V which with a quantity of pieces of eight, makes the expence ^ amount to above £400. The particulars of this miffion you will 1-earn from the letters. I defire you to deliver the '*^ other book to Sir Philip Sydenham, and thofe unbound you may beftow where you think they will do moft good. Mr. Reeves's Apologys are for Baliol college, which are juftly due as you know very well. I do not queftion but that you have the names of the twelve new chaplains ; there are four Chriftchurch men among the number, as you will eafily perceive. My moft humble fervice to Sir Philip and to thofe who are fo kind as to wifh me well. " 1 am, with great efteem. Reverend Sir, '* Your faithful humble fervant, "Rob. Nelson. " The Convocation will receive the Queen's licence next Wednelday to go upon bufinefs, and I hope that venerable body will convince the world that they are of confequence." " 20 Jan., i7i?." " Reverend Sir, — According to your dire6lions, I have fent the two letters you committed to my care, and return you my humble thanks for the concern you fhow for my health. I am very glad the Queen is fo vigorous as to purfue lier fport fo frequently. I hope it will fecure her Pious Robert Nelfon. 233 health, which is of great importance to the happinefs of our country ; neither am I lefs pleafed with that deference fhe pays to the clergy, which was alwaies an honour to the greateft of emperors. I fend you the enclofed* that you may fubfcribe yourfelf, and procure fubfcriptiqns from others that are charitably difpofed. It is for the fake of Mr. Williams I folicite, and have engaged for a 100 copies myfelf. Mr. Jennings and I fet forward from Mr. Cook's near Uxbridge towards Bath next Tuefday, and fhall be that night at Oxford, with a defign tofpend two days there. Your abfence will be a great alloy to my pleafure in that place, but I fhall meet freinds with whom 1 fhall remember Dr. Charlet. I forgot to acquaint you that my Lord Keeper has beftowed Reading upon my friend Mr. Reeves, which generally gives fatisfadion. I wifh you the continu- ance of your health, and am with great efteem, " Reverend Sir, ^'Your moft faithfull humble fervant, <'RoB. Nelson." "9th Aug., 171 1, " The Ele6lion day of the Emperour." ^^ Reverend Sir, — I was very well pleafed to fee the printed account of your fchools, but I did not know to whofe favour I owed it till I received your letter. It was indeed left at my houfe by one fent from Mr. Bifhop, but that did not clear to whom I had the obligation. I hope you found Mr. Reeves pretty well. I fancy you wait at court together, becaufe he is of your month, and talks of appearing in his ftation the ift Aug. The charity of fupplying Scotland with Common Prayer-books may be of great confequence, for tho' the bifhops when eftabliflied there were not able to bring in our liturgy, yet when that has got good ground among them 'tis to be hoped it may help to reftore them. I know you are a curious man, and well (killed as in ancient fo in modern hiftory ; and there- * Apparently, a fubfcription lift for the " Feftivals and Fafts " in Welfli, tranllated by Mr. Williams. See p. i66. 234 -^(/"^ ^^^ Times of the fore I muft difire you that If you have any memoires relatuig to Bp. Bull, that you would [be] pleafed to communicate them to me, for when I fliall publifh his pofthumous works, I fliall be obliged to give fome account of him in my preface. One Mr. Thomas, of Chriftchurch, was an intimate freind of Bp. Bull's ; I hear you knew that perfon intimately, and defire you would at leaft fend me fome account of him. My worthy freind Dr. Stratford took his Jeave of me this morning, fo that you will quickly fee him at Oxford. My moft humble fervice to all freinds that honour me with their remembrance. I am with great fincerity, " Reverend Sir, " Your moft faithfull humble fervant, *^ Rob. Nelson." "21st June, 1712. *^ Pray for me to-morrow, becaufe 'tis my birthday." The preceding letters to Mapletoft and. Charlett will have exhibited Robert Nelfon In the unreferve of private life, or amid the occupations of charity and religion. A different feature in his charadler, the intereft, namely, which he took in the political combinations of the time, may be illuftrated by an epiftle of congratulation which he took occafion to addrefs to Harley, upon the acceffion of his party to ofRce. The Ill-advifed profecutlon of Dr. Sacheverell by the Whigs had ferved to elicit the Tory fympathles of the country ; the Oueen felt herfelf encouraged to throw off the Intolerable yoke under which ffie had been held by the Imperious Duchefs of Marlborough ; Lord Godolphin and his friends were difcarded from office, and the " Church Party," as they were called, were Inftalled In their room ; Robert Harley, a relative of Mrs. Maffiam, the new favourite, taking the lead in the Tory adminlftration as Pious Robert Nelfon. 235 Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Under Treafurer. Robert Nelfon loft no time in congratulating the new minifter, the very day after his appointment, in the following letter: — * " Sir, — I beg leave to take this way of congratulating that juftice which is at length done to your merit, and of expreffing my fatisfadtion in the conqueft you have gained over your enemies, who were earneftly bent upon your deftrudlion ; * their tongues imagined wickednefs, and with lies they cut like a ftiarp razor.' I cannot but think it happy for a nation, when perfons in great ftations encou- rage learning and the liberal fciences ; and that has been always fo much your character, that the rifing generation will chearfully apply themfelves to their ftudies, now they know there are patrons that are difpofed to diftinguifh their talents ; and it will be a comfort to thofe that do not expedt favours, fecurely to depend upon their having juftice. " I am, with great refpedl. Sir, " Your moft obedient and moft humble fervant, "Rob. Nelson." " Auguft II, lyio." To political fympathies of a fimilar kind we owe pro- bably, in part, an elaborate letter of compliment, which we find Nelfon addreffing to Matthew Prior, the poet and diplomatift. Prior had for fome years abandoned his Whig connexions, and was waiting to take fervice under Shrewf- bury and Harley ; the vidory of Ramillies gave him an opportunity of exercifing his poetical talents in an Ode of Congratulation to Queen Anne; and Nelfon addreffed to him an eulogiftic epiftle on the occafion, the fentiments of which modern criticifm will fcarcely be found to * Nichols' " Literary Anecdotes," iv. 195. 2^6 hife and Times of the endorfe. Prior's poem Is ch.iradlerifed by Johnfon as tedious and inconfequential, and wearying both the ear and the understanding. *' His imitations of Spenfer," he complains, "which confifl: principally of I ween and I weet, without exclufion of later modes of fpeech, make his poem neither ancient nor modern. His mention of Mars and Bellona, and his comparifon of Marlborough to the eagle that bears the thunder of Jupiter, are all puerile and unaf- feding ; and yet more defpicable is the long tale told by Lewis, in his defpair, of Brute and Troynovante, and the teeth of Cadmus, with his fimiles of the raven and eagle, and wolf and lion. By the help of fuch eafy fidions and vulgar topics, without acquaintance with life, and without knowledge of art or nature, a poem of any length, cold and lifelefs like this, may be eafily written on any fubjedl." With this judgment of our great critic it is amufing to contrafl the lavifh and unfufpicious praifes of Nelfon, all whofe writings fliow him to have been utterly devoid of imaginative power, and who appears from this letter to Prior, to have been equally deficient in poetical difcrimi- nation. * " Dear Sir, — I have been fo agreeably entertained in my retirement at this place with the beauties of your charming Mufe, that mere fenfe of gratitude for the pleafure I have enjoyed conftrains me to pay my acknow- ledgments to the mafterly hand that adminiftered it. And indeed, I muft own, the banquet is fo elegantly pre- pared, that at the fame time that it raifes my admiration, it gratifies and fatisfies my appetite to the full ; and vet I can return to it with frefh gufto : for decies repetita ■placehit. ''Our age is moft certainly happy in this, that when our * Nichols' " Literary Anecdotes," iv. 193, et seqq. Pious Robert Nelfou. i^-j countrymen fight with fo much bravery, we have a con- fummate poet that fecures their hardy deeds from obHvion, and places their battles in eternal light. You obferve a decency throughout your whole ode, which is the effedl of your true good fenfe ; that when with a liberal hand you beftow your incenfe upon our great General, it flill rifes in thicker clouds towards her who made his arms her choice. I could wifh our pulpit orators underftood the fame deco- rum ; and then all their particular praifes would have had a relation to their main fubjed:. Without the bias of friendfhip, I may venture to fay you have improved thofe hints you have borrowed from Horace ; and were I as well acquainted with Spenfer,* I believe I fhould have reafon to make the fame judgment in reference to your ftyle. lam fure, whatever his is, your imagination is warm, and your exprefllons noble and majeftic : and yet they never carry you out of fight : but you are always pleafed to be intelli- gible. I have but one query to make, which I doubt not but that you can refolve ; which is, that though the Dane deferves the epithet cruel, which you befi:ovv upon him ; yet whether it was not necefl'ary to have foftened it, for the lake of that Prince f that is fo nearly related to the fubjed of your poem. Pardon this criticifm ; for I am rather inclined to think it wrong, than to tax you with the leaft imperfeiflion. It is poflible you may think this whole letter very impertinent, becaufe it comes from a perfon fo little capable in judging of thefe matters, and in defcribing countries where he has never travelled. But my mind was full ; and 1 found it necefiary to give it vent. Befides, I thought it friendly to acquaint you how much I fhare in your glorious fuccefs, and that the fhort journey you have made to Parnafiiis turns fo much to your folid reputation. I fhall conclude this trouble when I have afiiired you that I have no ways defigned to reproach you for not making me a prefent of your noble ode. I live in too much obfcurity to be remembered by a perfon fo thronged with * Prior, in the Preface to this Ode, calls Horace and Spenfer " his two great examples," f Prince George of Denmark ; hufband of the Queen. 238 Life and Times of the acquaintance of the heft fort as you arc; and yet I am willing to flatter myfelf with a fliare in your friendfhip ; and, if I can give no other reafon, I can always alledge that value and refpedl with which 1 am, dear Sir, *' Your moft faitiiful humble fervant, ''■Rob. Nelsgnt. '* P.S. I had almoft forgot to do juftice to thofe admirable materials* you have provided for eredling a column to perpetuate the Queen's glory to future genera- tions ; and yet it ftruck me with particular pleafure, from that knowledge I have of thofe monuments that have been raifed to the two Emperors you mention. It is a great misfortune that we have no eminent fculptor that can execute what you have fo mafterly defigned. Such a work would make London exceed Rome in a monumental pillar, as much as it does already outdo her in trade and commerce. But we will glory that it flands fixt in your verfes ; where lateft times may read Anna's immortal fame. " I defire to know whether the Queen has made you any prefent, to fhow her fenfe of your exquifite performance. I wifh it for her fake, as well as yours. *' Cianford, July 20, 1706." A much more congenial intimate of Robert Nelfon's during the latter years of his life, was Ralph Thorefby, the well-known Yorkfliire antiquary, whofe occafional refidence in London, when carrying his '' Topography of Leeds" through the prefs, and whofe connedion with the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge, as a correfponding * In the fix concluding ftanzas. There was an intention to ereft fome national monument to the glory of the Queen and her hero, the Duke of Marlborough ; and Claud David of Burgundy publiftied a large fhect-print, from the model of a fountain, with the ftatues of Queen Anne, the Duke of Marlborough on horfeback, and feveral river gods, defigned to be ere6led at the Conduit in Cheapfide. Pious Robert Nelfon. 23 p member, brought him into occafional conta6t with many of the leading Churchmen of the day. Thorefby became acquainted with Nelfon in 1708, and thus notices their fir ft interview in a letter to his friend Richardfon : — " I was with feveral of the deans, and other authors of the clergy and of the laity ; amongft whom I was particularly pleafed with Mr. Nelfon, who has printed prayers upon the Feafts and Fafts of the Church, and who, with Sir Ifaac Newton, who is Prefident of the Royal Society, obliged me with their names in my travelling album." (Feb. 23, lyof). After this date, Thorefby's publifhed Journal fupplies repeated notices of his friend, and exhibits the intimacy of the footing on which they were ufed to meet. Thus : — " 1709. Jan. 28. — Walked to Dr. Hickes'. Afterwards vifited his good neighbour, the pious and ingenious Robert Nelfon, Efq., with whofe excellent converfe I was very well pleafed ; he obliged me with four original letters from very eminent hands; viz.. Cardinal Norfolk, the Bifhop of Meaux's, and Ele6lor and Eledrice Palatine ; and with his own two excellent treatifes of the Feafts and Fafts of the Church, and of the Sacrament. " 1709. Dec. 26. — Concluded Dr. Hickes' ^ Anfwer to the Popifh Prieft,' an excellent tradl upon that fubjed, with an appendix of fome very curious papers, as the Biftiop of Meaux's letter and Biftiop Bull's anfwer, a letter of the pious Mr. Nelfon to a Prieft, and a Saxon office. The excel- lent Mr. Nelfon has prefented me with the original letter of the faid French Biftiop. *' 1712. June 19. — Vifited the excellent Mr. Nelfon, who prefented me with his ' Feafts and Fafts ' tranflated into Welfti. l^o IJfd and Times of the " July 24. — At the Meeting of the Royal Society, where met Mr. Nelfon, and a meflage by him from the Lady Elizabeth Haftings as a fubfcriber.* " Auguft 7. — Walked to Bloomfbury, to enquire after the engraving by Mr. Virtue ; then to take leave of the pious and excellent Mr. Nelfon. '' Auguft 22. — A moft kind letter fent me from White- hall, wherein good Mr. Newman acquainted me that, at the motion of the excellent Mr. Nelfon (the pious author of the ' Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church' and other devout trafts), the Society for Pro- moting Chriftian Knowledge had elefted me a correfpond- ing member of their Society, with a pleafing account ot their fuccefs in ten years fince their inftitution. ''Aug. 25. — Troubled to mifs of the excellent Mr. Nelfon and a clergyman (whether Dean Hickes or Dr. Bray, I know not), who came to vifit me. " 17 14. May 13. — At the Meeting of the Royal So- ciety, Sir Ifaac Newton, the Prefident, and but 1 left all to go with Mr. Chamberlayne, to Bartlett's Buildings, to the other Society, viz., that for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge, which is to be preferred to all other learning. Dr. Pelling read the prayers before the con- fultation begun ; then were read fome pious and v^ry moving letters from correfponding members, relating to Charity Schools and other pious dcfigns in diftant places, and an account of colledlions nearer hand. Refolutions for printing the Bible in WeKh, with a greater number of the New Teftamcnt and Prayer Books. I came away with my pious and honoured friend, Mr. Nelfon. '' 1714. May 18. — To vifit Mr. Nelfon, and the learned * /'. f., to Thorefby's book. Pious Robert Nelfon. 241 Dr. Hickes, who not being at liberty of half an hour, I had the benefit of the prayers in the adjoining church, and when his nonjuring conventicle was over, I vifited the faid Dean. " May 20. — We had at the annual feaft of the Society for Propagating Chriftian Knowledge, the Bifhop of Chichefter (Dr. Manningham), the King of Pruffia's agent, Mr. Nelfon, a moil: ufeful and excellent member. Sir Richard Hoare, and much good Company. I fat betwixt two friends, Juftlce Chamberlayne, and Mr. Shute the Treafurer, that made me very eafy, though moft of the company, from various parts of England and Wales, were ftrangers to me. It feemed to me like the primitive Agapas, or Love Feafts, before corrupted. **June 29. — Perufed the original fubfcription book of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, to which feveral learned and pious divines and gentlemen contribute generoufly, Mr. Nelfon 10/., Mr. Doulins 5/. per annum. " July I . — Was at the Royal Society, and after, at that for Promoting Chrlftian Knowledge ; had Mr. Nelfon and Dr. Chamberlayne's company at both. "July 17. — Walked to Queen Square, to take leave of the celebrated Mr. Nelfon ; where I alfo met with Mr. Spinckes, another noted author. "July 29. — With the Society for Promoting Chrlftian Knowledge, at their new apartment at Lincoln's Lin, (No. 6, in Searle's Court). After the bufmefs was over, I looked at the curious and noble models of many churches propofed _ to be built ; this pleafant room being that wHere the Commiflioners meet upon that account in the forenoons (as the Bifhop of London, Mr. Nelfon, &c., did this day) and this Society in the afternoon. "Sept. 15. — At the Committee with Mr. Nelfon, Mr. .^- 242 Life and Times of the Chamberlayne, and Mr. Lewis, a clergyman from the Eaft Indies, where R"e' TTad^ been^a Miffionary above twentyyears ; his modet!: account of the ftate of reHgion in tholeparts was very agreeable." In Nclfon's letters to Mapletoft and Charlett, mention is made of the Reverend Wm. Reeves, Re6lor of Cranford, and the well-known tranflator of the early Chriftian Apologias. In the preface to this work,* which was undertaken at the fuggeftion of Nelfon, and was dedicated to him, we have a pleafmg, but too highly colored, portrait • "The Apologies of Juftin Martyr, Tertullian and Minutius Felix, in defence of the Chriftian Religion, with the Commonitory of Vincentius Lirinenfis, concerning the Primitive rule of Faith ; tranflated from their originals with notes. Together with a Prefatory Difcourfe about the right ufe of the Fathers. By William Reeves, M.A. 1709." A fimilar work, "The Apolegeticks of the learned Athenian Philofopher Athenagoras ; againft the Sceptics and Infidels of that age. Done into Englifh with notes by David Humphreys, B.A. London, 1714," was likewife dedicated " to Robert Nelfon, Efq." " Since your having fo frequently exprcifed a great efteem for the original was no fmall encouragement to me to undertake the tafk of giving it this Englifh drefs." Humphreys was Nelfon's perfonal friend, and had his warrant doubtlefs for the dedication. But the advantage of Nelfon's name induced a lefs authorifed ufe of it by the notorious Curll, which he loft no time in repudiating, by the fol- lowing notice in the Spectator (Nov. 5, 1712), and Poftboy (Nov. 6, 1712). '' Advertifement. — Whereas there hath been lately publiftied a certain legendary ftory of an unknown Theodofius, concerning the Priefthood of Chrift, tranflated out of Suidas, under the title of ' A very ancient, authentic, and remarkable Teftimony concerning our Blefled Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift j' which the Tranflator hath taken the liberty not only to dedicate to me, but to ufe my name in the title page, thereby giving occafion to think that I countenance the authority of that teftimony. Now thefe are to certify, that the perfon who publiftied that pamphlet is altogether a ftranger to me, and that I was in no ways acquainted with his defign till I faw it in print j for though the pafl"age produced may appear remarkable, yet I cannot think the teftimony either ancient or authentic. " Rob. Nelson." " Nov. 4., 1 7 12." A fimilar trick of trade feems to lie hid in the following title page, which would appear to claim Nelfon's recommendation for the firft as well as the fecond of the two letters fpecified : " The Archbifliop of Cambray's Paftoral Letter concerning the Love of Pious Robert Nel/on. 243 of his life and charader from the pen of a contemporary- admirer and friend. " No man," fays he, "certainly has ftudied the ancients to better purpofe than yourfelf : you have tranfcribed them in your foul : they are the glafs you drefs by ; and a more beautiful figure, a fairer image of primitive Chriftianity, is hardly to be hoped for. You write and you live fo exactly after thefe old faints, that I am really at a ftand which to recommend mod — the copy or the original ; whether you and your works, or them and theirs You want, indeed (and blefled be God for it), the advantage of their fiery trials to illuftrate one fide of your virtue, to make your felicity more blazing. But whether the wind or the fun, temptations of the rougher or the fofter kind, have the greater power, is not eafy to determine ; but hiftory feems to fay that good men have wrapt their religion fafter about them in bad weather, and that profperity has fpoiled more Chriftians than affliction. To you, then, good Sir, I take the liberty of addreffing thefe difcourfes, upon no other account but becaufe I know you live the great things in them ; and becaufe love has a power of making flaves more effe6lually than intereft, a captive of which quality I profefs myfelf to be ; and whoever fhall live but half the time I have done under the enchantments of a converfation fo wife and gracious, fo inftrudlive and beneficent, and every way fo engaging, will find it hard, extremely hard, to be lefs your fervant than I am. '* Give me leave likewife to remind you. Sir, who it was that propofed the undertaking, and encouraged it to the end. You gave me the confidence to believe, that by a work of this nature I might do fome fervice to the Chriftian faith and the Chriftian morals, when fome moderns were doing their beft to reform us out of both I muft tell you. Sir, that thefe were your own reafons for my entering upon thefe tranflations ; and did they but come abroad in God ; together with the opinions of the Fathers on the fame fubje6l. Now done in Englifh. To which is added a Circular Letter by George Bull, D.D., late Lord Bilhop of St. David's ; his Vifitation Sermon and his Charge to his diocefe. Publiihed by Robert Nelfon, Efq. 17 15." B 2 2 44 ^'if^ ^^^ 'Times of the that irrefiftible language they came to me from your own mouth, 1 fhould not queflion their good fuccefs upon others as well as myfelf ; and the douig the leaft good to others, though out of feafon, I am fure would be the moft agreeable obligation I could lay upon yourfelf. . . . Befides, Sir, I know full well what pain I muft give you by an epiftle of this kind, and what taftelefs things the praifes of men are efpecially, in this party-age, to onewhofe converfation is fo much in heaven ; he minds them no more than a traveller does what he hears upon the road, when he is poft hafte to take pofiefTion of a vaft eftate. And therefore, did I con- fult your pleafure only, I would fay nothing of you even upon this tempting occafion, but be as induftrioufly filent as you are of your own charities. But we, particularly we of the clergy, in juftice to fuch uncommon virtue, in grati- tude to fo tender a friend and univerfal a benefador, and in confideration of the public good, ought not in confcience to pafs by an example of this kind, but with thankful nefs to God propofe it to the imitation of the world, who choofe to live by example rather than by rule. "There is a happinefs of conflitution, which I make bold, in Tertullian's phrafe, to call naturally Chriftian, and which, as I remember, you iifed to call * the grace of our mother's bowels ;' and excepting thofe v/ho are fandtified from the womb, few of the fons of men feem more fweetly compofed and turned by nature for Chriftianity, and to enjoy a greater meafure of complexional virtue, than your- felf. The good feed of moral Chriftianity, and the fear of God, was early caft into the good ground, and has brought forth an hundred-fold. You fet out for the kingdom of heaven in the morning of life ; and, long before the meridian of it, was fo far advanced in the way of truth, fo firmly fixed upon the two Vincentian pillars. Scripture and primitive antiquity, that I find you difputing with doftors at an age when our gentry find fomething elfe to do with their thoughts than to lay them out upon religion. And for a proof of this, let any one but read your excellent * Letter to an Englifh Prieft of the Roman Communion at Rome,' and he will fee a combat in fome refped; not much unlike that between Goliath and David ; an experienced Pious Robert Nel/on. 245 prieft vanqulfhed and argued down by one who was but a youth, ' and ruddy, and of a fair countenance ;' and though neither the hardnefs of your argument, nor the foftnefs of your tongue, could break his bones and bring him over in triumph to the Church of England, yet have they prevailed efFe6tually on others ; and a very late convert of yours from popery is an inftance that arguments are like wedges, which go not well but when they are driven by a gentle hand. And fuch is the felicity of your temper, that you draw no blood in controverfy ; and where you cannot con- vince, you never gall. "Having thus early fecured your principles upon the Catholic foundation, your next care was to live, as well as believe, as the primitive Catholics did ; to fet your afFedions on things above and not on things on earth ; to make God your hope, your joy, your life, your all ; to love him with your whole heart and your neighbour as yourfelf ; and by continual application to the Throne of Grace, and converfe with the ancient martyrs and confeflbrs, you have worked yourfelf up into that holy and habitual flame, as few burn with in fo clear and conftant a paffion, either for God or man. The devotions you have blefled the world with beft fpeak the abundance of your heart ; for who can pray with that heavenly warmth and perfedlion but one who is always at prayer .' Nor can you conceal your alms, notwithftanding all your pains not to let thy right hand know what thy left hand doth. " Our mifery is moftly of our own making Nay, one imperious paffion, like the fingle thorn in the flefh, is enough to make a man uneafy in fpite of all the enjoy- ments upon earth. *' Here, then, you began the war betimes, and turned all your philofophy and religion againft thefe bofom-enemies, before they had gotten any ftrongholds in nature ; and what a perfedl conqueft you have gained over yourfelf, is wondrous vifible from that perpetual cheerful nefs and ferenity which fliines about you under every condition of life. For the wifdom of the ferpent and the innocence of the dove are fo happily united, that where you cannot pleafe, you never offend. And who is he that will harm you while you are 246 hije and Times of the fo prudent a follower of that which is good ? Who is he that can find in his heart to harm you, while you are in purfuit only how to clothe the naked, to feed the hungry, to inftrut^ the ignorant, and to be a father to the miferable of all parties ? . . . '' The dogs and horfes, the houfes and gardens, with pools of water, with men- fingers and women-fingers, and other gratifications of flefii and blood, which the animal man fo much dotes on, are flirange infipid things to you, and rather your pity than your pleafure. The game you hunt after is to do good to the bodies and fouls of men, to plant nurferies of religion, and to water them with your own inftrudions, to raife up a righteous feed for future generations, and to increafe the kingdom of heaven. And none can think the pleafure of fuch a life but thofe who live it ; for there is light and gladnefs fown for the righteous, which they reap at prefent from every virtuous a6lion, and which increafes with time, and improves upon enjoyment, and leaves no ungrateful relifli behind it. Who would not choofe to enjoy your prefent complacency and ravifliing profpe(5l, rather than to glitter awhile, and become the gaze and talk of the people ; rather than to be fowing wind and reaping vanity, and, infliead of doing juftice and charity, to be treafuring up the cries of the opprefi^ed again ft the day of wrath ? But I muft no longer follow my inclination ; and therefore throw away my pen, as the painter in Plutarch did his pencil, in defpair of finifiiing what I have but rudely begun. The bare relation of your life would be the greateft panegyric." With a theological writer of ftill greater eminence, the Rev. John Johnfon, of Cranbrook, Nelfon was brought into communication by the fimilarity of their views on the fub- je6t of the Holy Eucharift. Johnfon had taught the do6lrine of the Euchariftic facrifice in his " Clergyman's Vade Mecum," publillied in 1709, and had purfued the fubjedl in his " Propitiatory Oblation in the Holy Eucharift truly ftated and defended from Scripture and Antiquity, Pious Robert Nelfon. 247 and the Communion Service of the Church of England," which appeared in 17 10. In this little work he replied to the criticifms on his " Vade Mecum," which Bifhop Trimnel of Norwich, had juft addrefled to his clergy in his publifhed Charge, and he provoked rejoinders from Dr. Wife and feveral other minor controverfialifts in behalf of the bifhop. Nelfon read Johnfon's book with unqualified fatisfa6lion, and immediately addrefled a letter of thanks and congratu- lation to the author, who was then perfonally unknown to him.* "Reverend Sir, — ■! have read with great pleafure your admirable treatife, entitled " The Propitiatory Oblation,''' &c., wherein I think you have placed the Chriftian facrlfice in a true light, and have fecured it by Scripture and primi- tive antiquity from the vain attempts of thofe who have fhewn a great inclination to confound that ancient truth. You have animated your whole performance with fo much judicious fplrit, as well as learning, that an Impartial reader can be neither tired nor offended ; the chaftlfementsof your adverfary fall in fo naturally, and are {o well deferved by him, that it may be reafonably expedred that they iTiould rather corredt than provoke him ; at leaft, it is the effect I wifh they may have upon him. I muft freely own, that your explanation of the word offertory was entirely new to me, and that you have convinced me that our liturgy ufes it according to your fenfeof it.f You may judge therefore whether I do not owe you a great many thanks for the frefh light I have received upon this fubje6l, and for that fatisfadtlon you have given me by your handling of It. I could not fatlsfy myfelf without taking the firft opportunity * Taken from the " Life of the late Rev. John Johnfon, Vicar of Cran- brook, by the late Rev. Thos. Brett, L.L.D. Together with three of Mr. Johnfon's Pofthumous Traits, and an Appendix, containing fome Letters written to him by the late Rev. Geo. Hickes, D.D,, and by Robert Nelfon, Efq. 1748." f In the Poftfcript to the Propitiatory Oblation, Johnfon had given fufficient proof even from our reformed liturgies, that " oifertory" denotes tht fentences fung or faid, while the alms and devotions of the people are colle£led. 248 L\fe and Times of the of making you my acknowledgments for the great fervice you have done to the Chriftian Sacrifice, aflliring you, that if ever you fhould think me capable of teftifying my grati- tude by any other fubftantial inftance of my refpecfl, you may always freely command me. You muft prepare yourfelf to meet with great oppofition in an age which diftinguifhes itfelf by a great contempt of ecclefiailical antiquity, and that among thofe who ought to rejoice in it as their great comfort and fupport ; but you feem fo well furnifhed with the folid virtues of the Chriftian life, that I am perfuaded you will always receive the attacks and contradictions of your enemies in the fpirit of meeknefs, and treat them with the refpeft that is due to their charadlers. I hope you will pardon this addrefs from one that is a ftranger to your perfon, when he affures you, that your admirable talents are greatly valued by, " Reverend Sir, " Your faithful humble fervant, "Rob. Nelson." " Gloucefter Street, near the Chapel, "London, Feb. 18, i/oVTr- "To the Reverend Mr. Johnfon, Re6tor of Cranbrook, Kent." Encouraged by fuch expreffions of fympathy, Johnfon proceeded to unfold and fupport his views in a larp-er work, the contents of which will be fufficiently indicated by its title: " The Unbloody Sacrifice and Altar unveiled and fupported, in which the nature of the Eucharift is explained according to the fentiments of the Chriftian Church in the four firft centuries ; proving that the Eucharift is a proper material facrifice, that it is both euchariftic and propitiatory, that it is to be offered by proper officers, that the oblation is to be made on a proper altar, that it is properly confumed by man- ducation. To which is added a proof that what our Saviour fpeaks concerning eating His flefti and drinking His blood. Pious Robert N elf on. 249 in the fixth chapter of St. John's Gofpel, Is principally meant of the Eucharift." In this elaborate work Johnfon puts himfelf forward as the exponent and champion of the Euchariftic facrifice againft its affailants, only, he fays, becaufe its more eminent advocates were then incapble of engaging in its defence. " The moft primitively learned Bifhop Bull," he writes,* " was fome years ago gathered to his fathers, whofe do(ftrine he had fo nobly followed and defended. Dr. Grabe foon followed him. Dr. Hickes, though yet alive, is worn out in the fervice of primitive Chriftianity and the ftudy of antiquities. Incapable of turning over books, and of the fatigue of writing or dictating anything that requires long application, and every day expecting his difTolution. Mr. Nelfon was engaged in writing the * Life of Bifhop Bull ' and publifhing his works, and wholly employed fince in works whereby he will merit of the prefent and of future generations. And fince I could hear of no perfon that was willing to undertake an affair of this nature, I at laft came to a refolution of doing It myfelf, though I was fenfible how inferior I am In all refpedls to the leaft of thofe eminent fer- vants of God whom I have now mentioned." During the preparation of this work Johnfon was in conftant communi- cation with Hickes and Nelfon, who modified their opinions on the fubjedl in conformity with his. Hickes had taught an oblation of bread and wine before confecration, as material for the enfuing facrament ; but Johnfon pufhed the doftrine of the Euchariftic facrifice further than this, and infifled that the ancients only pra(5tifed an oblation of the elements after confecration, as reprefentative of Chrift's Body and Blood. Nelfon at firft attempted to perfuade Johnfon to defer to the opinion of Hickes, but eventually joined Hickes in acquiefcing in the authorities which Johnfon alleged. The latter alludes to the amicable difcuffion In a * Vol. i. p. 29. edit. 1847. i^o Life and Times of the preface to a fubfequent edition of his " Vade Mecum," and concludes — '* For the evidence of the truth of the matter of fad as here reprefented, I have Dr. Hickes' letters to fhew, and I think Mr. Nelfon's too." The two following letters will exhibit Nelfon's intereft in his work. "Reverend Sir,— I am forry to acquaint you that my worthy neighbour Dean Hickes lies at prefent in a very languifhing condition, by reafon of a very painful fit of the ftrangury, which makes it very doubtful what event his illnefs may have. He was not able to read your letter of the 21 ft, but fent it to me to anfwer in what terms I ftiould think fit. I am fure you will be concerned, upon many accounts, for the melancholy reply I am forced to make you, whereby particularly you will be deprived of the afiiftance of his mafterly judgment ; though I am of the opinion, that few of our divines want it lefs than you do upon the argument you are engaged in. Notwithftanding the pains of his body are great, yet his mind is perfectly at eafe, and entirely refigned to the will of God ; do not fail to remember him in your prayers. I was glad to hear my bookfeller had been fo careful as to convey to you Bift^op Bull's Life, which I am fure you will read with grains of allowance ; pray God enable you to finifh the noble work you have begun, and that thereby primitive truth may prevail, and flourifh among us. I recommend myfelf to your prayers, and am with great refpedt, ** Reverend Sir, " Your moft faithful humble fervant, " Rob. Nelson." " March 14, 17 12. " To the Reverend Mr. Johnfon, At Cranbrook, in Kent." " Reverend Sir, — You judged very right, in fuppofing that the Dean's illnefs prevented your receiving his cor- Pious Robert Nelfon. 251 regions ; I had an opportunity to fpeak to him this day upon the fiibjed of your letter, he defired me to acquaint you, that the obfervations he had made were very few, and of no great importance, and that you have no reafon to be concerned that he is difabled from fending them ; and farther affures you, that the care of printing your papers is in very good hands, and hopes you will go on with all imaginable chearfulnefs ; he thanks God for that noble parrafia wherewith you are endowed in a fubjedt of fuch importance I mufl own, I expecft the finifhing of your treatife with a vaft deal of plea- fure, becaufe it will be a perfed: difcourfe upon the fubjedl. I am forry to tell you, that I am lately troubled with a pain and heat in my eyes, which I am afraid I have ufed too freely, but I mention it to excufe any farther enlarging from, " Reverend Sir, " Your moft faithful humble fervant, " Rob. Nelson." "July 7, 1713, " To the Reverend Mr. John Johnfon, Re(5lor of Cranbrook, Kent." The " Unbloody Sacrifice," after long delay, at laft appeared in 17 14, the author not forgetting, both in the prefatory epiftle to the Bifhop of Norwich, and in the anim- adversions on Dr. Wife, appended at its clofe, to rebut the attacks which had been made on his revered friend Robert Nelfon. " Bifhop Taylor," he urges, in one place,* "did the fame thing which Dr. Hancock charges as a fault on Mr. Nelfon ; that is, he brought the notion of a facrifice into a book of devotion, I mean, his ^ Holy Living and Dying.' " And he exclaims at Dr. Wife for ftriking at ^* him, whom one may juftly ftyle a friend to all good men, and the trueft fautor and benefador to true Chriftianity and * Vol. i. p. 14.. 252 Life and T'imes of the the clergy of any private gentleman in the whole kingdom ; whofe writings and a6tions are the faireft tranfcript of pri- mitive piety that is, I believe, any where to be found in the Chriftian world ; I need not tell my reader Mr. Nelfon is the man. I fliould value myfelf, if it were in my power to fay or do anything in his defence upon a juft occafion ; but what Dr. W. objedls of his citing the Rabbins, needs no de- fence."* Nelfon acknowledged the fympathy of Johnfon, and the merits of his work in the following letter, written, it will be obferved, in the laft year of his life. *' Reverend Sir, — If I have not thanked you fooner for your valuable prefent of the Unbloody Sacrifice, &c., it is becaufe I had a notion of your attending the Con- vocation, and thereby expe6led an opportunity of doing it in perfon ; for furely I could not be backward to exprefs my great efteem of an author, whofe performance has ftruck out frefh light upon an important dodlrine of primitive Chriftianity, and whofe great indulgence towards me has placed me in company, that I no ways deferve to appear in. How far perfons may be afFeded, who have formed long ago oppofite notions to thofe you have laid down concerning the holy myfteries, we may eafily deter- mine ; but furely they muft be very inexcufable, if they have ftill affurance enough to charge Popery upon the maintainers of this dodrine, after what you have faid to take off the force and venom of that objedion. Some of our Bifhops are fo prejudiced, that they will not read what you have with fo much judgment offered, upon a fup- pofition that they are mafters of the thing, and of what antiquity has taught as to that point ; but their conclufions convince me that they deceive themfelves, and are not likely to grow wifer if they continue to fhut out the light. The believers of the Euchariftical Sacrifice are beholden to you for the enlargement of their foundation, for the growing ftrength of their evidence, and for weak- * Vol. ii. p. 362, 3. Pious Robert Nelfon. 253 ening with fuch fuccefs the batteries of their adverfaries ; and I queftion not, but that the rifing generation of divines, whofe minds have not been infeded with modern notions, will entertain fuch truths as you teach, not with lefs pleafure than fatisfadion. Thus, Sir, the prefent age are very much obliged to you for fuch a mafterly per- formance, which pofterity will admire, without being able to add any improvements upon a fubjed:, which you feem to have finifhed as far as you have carried it, and have left us with a ftrong appetite for what you have given us reafon to exped. It is a fhame that you fhould not be diftinguifhed by thofe in power, as much as you have diftinguifhed yourfelf by your admirable learning and folid judgment, with a clearnefs and fpirit in your ftyle, which is feldom found in fuch controverfies. I fhould be extremely pleafed to have it in my power to do you any confiderable fervice, and you may depend upon my readi- nefs and zeal, whenever you will put them to the trial, being with great refped and affedion, " Reverend Sir, " Your moft faithful humble fervant, "Rob. Nelson." "April 3, 17 14.. '' To the Reverend Mr. John Johnfon, Redor of Cranbrook, Kent." 2 54 ^ife and limes of the CHAPTER VII. nelson's closing years. Nelfon's friendfliip with Bull. — Correfpondence with BofTuet. — Bull's corrup- tions of the Romlfti Church. — Nelfbn's endeavours for the afliftance of Bowyer. — Letter to Wanley. — Nelfon's portrait of a Country Parfon in his Life of Bull. — He critlclfes Samuel Clarke. — Clarke's ' Scripture Do(flrine of the Trinity.' — Nelfon edits Knight's reply. — Nelfon's declin- ing health. — Leaves town for Kenfington. — Entrufts Lee with his ' Addrefs to Perfons of Quality.' — Writes a Preface to the ' Chriftian Exercife.' — Lee's letter of confolation in his ficknefs. — A few particulars of his lall days. — His burial. — His charafler from Dr. Marfhall's Funeral Difcourfe. Of the long and intimate acquaintance that exifted between Robert NeUbn and Bifhop Bull, but few memorials hav'e come down to us. For the prefervation of the fol- lowing letter we are indebted to Thorefby, who obtained it from Nelfon as an autograph of the bifhop. ^'Worthy Sir, — I was much troubled when lately I understood from my fifter Gregory, from Mr. Hanger's family, that you never received any anfwer to your obliging letter, which about a year ago, with two pamphlets you fent me. I do affure you that as foon as I could have leifure curforily to perufe thofe pamphlets, I wrote a brief anfwer to your letter and them, and delivered it to the poft with my own hand. I directed my letter to be left for you with Madam Nelfon, at her houfe in Throgmorton Street, behind the Old Exchange. *'Of this I thought good to inform you, that you may not think me guilty of fo much ill-nature and ill-breeding too, as to flight fo worthy a perfon and friend as you are, than whom I fcarce know any one in the world of whom I Pious Robert Nelfon. ic^^ have a greater refpedl, and (if you will admit of that friendly word) love for. "I have fent you, together with this, a Latin treatife of mine, which I have lately publifhed, and which I entreat you to accept of. I do not yet know how to diredl a letter that it may fpeedily and certainly come to your hands. If you will give me diredlions by a line or two, I fhall very gladly, if you pleafe, maintain a frequent intercourfe of letters with you. I have been fome few days in London, and if my occafions would have permitted, and I could have found you out, I fhould have been ambitious of preffing your hand. Indeed, I truly long for an opportunity of feeing your face, and will not defpair of meeting you fome time or other at Avening, in Gloucefterfhire, where no man living fhould be more welcome to, " Sir, your very afFedlionate and *' Faithful friend and humble fervant, ^' Geo. Bull. " If you pleafe at any time to write to me, direft your letter thus : — For Dr. Bull, at Avening, near Tedbury, in Gloucefterfhire." " Holboin, ** London, Aug. 6, '94." The Latin Treatife mentioned in the foregoing letter was Bull's " Judicium Ecclefias Catholicas," which had juft been printed at Oxford, and in which he had colledled the teftimonies of the primitive Fathers of the firft three cen- turies, in proof of the divinity of our Lord, as a neceffary article of faith. In addition to its intrinfic value, this work pofTefles a peculiar intereft from its having formed the occafion of Bofiuet's well-known challenge to the author, and of Bull's reply in his " Corruptions of the Church of Rome." Nelfon, who had received many attentions from BofTuet when in France, and who ftill continued on terms 256 Life and Times of the of correfpondence with him, took occafion a few years later (July 18, 1699) ^° ^^"^^ ^ ^°Py of the '' Judicium" to the celebrated Bifhop of Meaux, who already in his *' Variations of the Proteftant Churches," and in his defence of that work againft Jurieu, had appealed in the higheft terms of eulogium to Bull's previous work on the Nicene Creed. BofTuet appears not to have acknowledged the receipt of Nelfon's letter till the following year. He was then bufily engaged* in afTifting at the deliberations of an aflembly of the Gallican Church, which met at St. Germain's, on 2nd June, 1700, and which (under his guidance) condemned both the Janfenift dodlrines of grace, and the relaxed prin- ciples of morals which were involved in the Jefuit dodrine of probability. He was at the fame time brought into fre- quent communication with the Englifh court of St. Ger- main's, being called upon to preach before the exiled king ; who told him that he always intended, had he continued on the throne, to invite him to London for conference with the moft eminent Anglican divines. BofTuet replied to the king that he would willingly have crofled the fea upon fuch a miffion ; and he would often recur with natural regret to the lofs of fuch a field for the difplay of his controverfial powers, faying, " qu'il fe feroit flatte de gagner bien des chofes fur les Anglais, a caufe du refped qu'ils avaient pour la fainte antiquite." It was under the impulfe of fuch a feeling that we may fuppofe the great controverfialift to have thrown out his challenge to the Anglican divine, in the letter of compliment which he now addrefled to him through their common friend. He had read Bull's work himfelf, and had offered it to the perufal of feveral other prelates who were then at St. Germain's ; he had mentioned it feem- ingly in the affembly then fitting, and had received authority to join their congratulations to the author with his own, upon * Bauflet, "Hiftoiie de BofTuet," vol. ii. pp. 329, 354.. Pious Robert Nelfon. 257 the fervice he had done the whole Catholic Church in fo well defending her determination of the neceflity of believing the divinity of the Son of God. " J'ay receu, Monfieur, depuis quinze jours une lettre, dont vous m'honorez de Blackheath aupres de Londres, le 1 8 Juillet de I'annee paflee, en m'envoyant un livre du Dodleur Bullus, entitule, 'Judicium Ecclefias Catholicae,' &c. Je vous dirai d'abord, Monfieur, queje reffentis beaucoup dejoiea la veue de voftre ecriture et de voftre riom, et que je fus ravi de cette marque de voftre fouvenir. Quant a I'ouvrage du Dodeur BuUus, j'ay voulu le lire entier, avant que de vous en accufer la reception ; afin de vous en dire mon fenti- ment. II eft admirable, et la matiere qu'il traite ne pouvoit eftre expliquee plus favamment et plus a fond. C'eft ce que je vous fupplie de vouloir bien luy faire favoir, et en mefme temps les finceres congratulations de tout le clerge de France aflemble en cette ville, pour le fervice qu'il rend a I'Eglife Catholique, en defendant ft bien le jugement qu'elle a porte fur la neceftite de croire la divinite du Fils de Dieu. Qu'il me foit permis de luy dire qu'il me refte un feul fujet d'etonnement. C'eft qu'un ft grand homme qui parle ft bien de I'Eglife, du falut que Ton ne trouve qu'en fon unite, et de I'afliftance infallible du St. Efprit dans le Concile de Nicee, ce qui induit la mefme grace pour tous les autres aftemblez dans la mefme Eglife, puifte demeurer un feul moment fans la reconnoiftre. Ou bien, Monfieur, qu'il daigne me dire comme a un zele defenfeur de la doc- trine qu'il enfeigne, ce que c'eft done qu'il entend par ce mot Eglije Catholique ? Eft-ce I'Eglife Romaine^ et celles qui luy adherent ? Eft-ce I'Eglife Anglicane ? Eft-ce un amas confus de focietez feparees les unes des autres ? Et comment peuvent elles eftre ce Royaume de J. C. non divife en luy-mefme, et qui aufii ne doit jamais perir ? Que je ferai confole d'avoir fur ce fujet un mot de refponce, qui m'explique le fentiment d'un fi grave auteur. Je fuis tres aife, Monfieur, d'aprendre dans voftre lettre Theureufe nouvelle de la fante de Madame voftre femme, que je recommande de bon coeur a Dieu, avec vous et 258 Life and 'Times of the voftre famille. Ceux qui vous ont raconte les rares talens de M. rArchcvefque de Paris, aujourd'hui le Cardinal de Noailles, vous out dit la vcrite ; il y a long temps que la chaire deSt. Denis n'a efte fi dignement remplie. Si M. Collier, dont vous me parlez, a fait quelque ecrit Latin fur la nouvelle fpiritualite,* vous m'obligerez de me I'envoyer. Mais fur tout n'oubliez jamais que je fuis avec beaucoup de fincerite, " Monfieur, '^ Voftre tres-humble, et tres-obeiflant ferviteur, "►J< J. B^NiGNE, E. de Meaux. *'A Monfieur Monfieur Nelfon, a. Blackheath. " P.S. — En m'ecrivant a Paris, Place des Vidtoires, vos lettres me feront portees partout ou je pourais eftre." f " A St. Germain en Laye, 24. Juil. 1700." The unufual compliment, and the perfonal challenge made more ftir in theological circles in England than it had probably done at St. Germain's. Burnet thought the circumitance remarkable enough for fpecial mention in the " Hiftory of his own Time," and fpeaks of Bull's " Judicium " as the '^ learnedeft treatife that this age has produced of the dodlrines of the Primitive Church concerning the Trinity," and as '*fowell received all Europe over, that in an affembly general of the clergy of France, the Bifliop of Meaux was defired to write over to a correfpondent he had in London, that they had fuch a fenfe of the fervice he had done their common faith, that upon it they fent him their particular thanks. I read the letter, and fo can deliver it for a certain truth, how uncommon foever it may * A reference, apparently, to the myfticism of his antagonift, Fenelon. ■\ Endorfed in Nelfon's handwriting, "To Robert NcKon, Efq. — Bifhop of Meaux, 24.th July, 1700, Anfwered -^^ 0(5t., 1701." This celebrated letter of Boffuet to Nelfon, written in the round and large butunfteady hand of age, is now in the Britifh Mufeum. Birch MSS. 4.277. 38. Pious Robert Nel/on. 259 feem to be." * Being thus handed about in private circles, an imperfe6t abftrad: of BofTuet's letter got printed in a newfpaper of the day,f and the public impatiently- waited for Bull's reply, which his failing health probably- delayed. The earlieft rejoinder was confequently made by the Rev. Ed. Stephens, J formerly Bull's near neighbour and friend, when a country fquire in Gloucefterfhire, but at this time a nonjuring clergyman in the vicinity of London, and an indefatigable theological pamphleteer. The celebrated Charles Leflie drew up another reply in his " True Notion of the Catholic Church." Bifhop Bull's elaborate anfwer was not completed till 1704, when it was fent in MS. to Nelfon, juft about the time that he received the news of BofTuet's death. Nelfon had ftill continued to correfpond with his diftin- guiihed friend, and a letter is extant, dated " Feb. 23, 1703. — Dans la Rue d'Ormond, a Londres," and com- mencing — ■ •^^MoNSEiGNEUR, — Vous voulez bicn que, pour profiter de I'occafion qui fe prefente du Rev. Pere Fontanee, je prenne la liberte de vous efcrire, et pour vous affurer de mes tres humble refpefts, et de vous prier en mefme temps de me conferver toujours quelque place dans I'honneur de votre amitie." Pere Fontanee, he proceeds to fay, will give an account of his reception in England, which appears to have been fuch as was due to his merit, but " vous fcavez bien que nous n'avons pas trop de refpedl pour les Peres de la Societe." § He begs BofTuet's acceptance of a copy of Bull's Latin works juft edited, in a coUedled form, by Grabe. And he concludes — * Burnet's " Hiftory of his own Time," vol. v. p. 115. edit. 1S23. t " The Poftboy," No. 1280. X " The wonder of the Bifhop of Meaux upon the penifal of Dr. Bull's Book confidered and anfwered." Anon. n. d. (1703 ?). See Hearne's "Reliquiae," pp. 59 — 64. for an account of Stephens and a lift of his writings, in which, however, the above tra6t is omitted. § i. e. The Jefuit Society. s 2 2 5o Life and 'Times of the " Entre les autres malheurs de la guerre, it faut center la perte que nous faifons des beaux livres, qui font publics dans les autres pais ; may, pleut a Dieu, que nous ne pouvions pas nous plaindre des chofes de plus grande confequence, la libertinage s'introduit par tout, inter arma filent leges. Vous m'obligerez beaucoup de me faire fcavoir fi Monfieur I'Archeveque de Cambray a public Ton Telemaque apres fa difgrace ou devant ; cette circonftance fe fera juger difFeremment de cet ouvrage la. Je fuis avec un profond reipedt, " Monfeigneur, " Votre tres-humble, &c., " De Nelson." BofTuet died in the following year, and Bull's reply to his challenge remained confequently in Nelfon's hands till 1705, when it was publifhed by Dr. Hickes in his firft volume of " Controverfial Letters," in company with Leflie's *' Reply to the fame queries of the Bifhop of Meaux," and Nelfon's " Letter to a Prieft of the Englifh Commu- nion at Rome." In this celebrated trad, Bull retorts with fpirit upon the wonder BofTuet profefTed : — '* / cannot but very much wonder at //, efpeclally at the reafons on which it is grounded. He wonders how I, that fpeak fo advantageoufly of the Church, &c., can con- tinue a moment without acknowledging her. Her ! what her doth the bifhop mean ? Doubtlefs the prefent Church of Rome, in the communion whereof he himfelf lives, and to which his defign feems to be to invite me. But where do I fpeak fo advantageoufly of the prefent Church of Rome ? Nowhere, I am fure. Of the Catholic Church of the three firft centuries I do, indeed, fpeak with great deference. To her judgment, next to the Holy Scriptures, I appeal againft the oppugners of our Lord's divinity. The rule of faith, the fymbols or creeds, the profeflion of which was then made the condition of communion with the Catholic Church, I heartily and firmly Pious Robert Nelfon. 261 believe. This primitive Catholic Church, as to her govern- ment and difcipline, her do6lrines of faith, and her worfhip of God, I think ought to be the ftandard by which we are to judge of the orthodoxy and purity of all other fuc- ceeding Churches. According to this rule, the Church of England will be found the beft and pureft Church at this day in the Christian world. Upon which account I blefs God that I was born, baptized and bred up in her com- munion, wherein I firmly refolve by His grace to perfift, ufque ad extremum vita Jpiritum. But the prefent Church of Rome hath far departed from this primitive pattern. '' Monfieur de Meaux adds, as a farther reafon of his wonder, that I fpeak of falvation as only to be found in unity with her. Her ! Doth the Bifhop here again mean the prefent Church of Rome ? If he doth, I muft plainly tell him, that I am fo far from ever thinking that falvation is only to be found in unity with her, that on the contrary, I verily believe, they are in great danger of their falvation who live in her communion, that is, who own her erroneous dodlrines, and join in her corrupt worfhip. I do, indeed, in the book, which the Bifhop hath an eye unto, fhow that there was a canon or rule of faith received in the primitive Church, which whofoever perfifted to oppofe was caft out of the communion of the Church, and fo out of the ordi- nary way of falvation. But what is this to the prefent Church of Rome and her communion } *' The bifhop's laft reafon is, that I own the infallible affiftance of the Holy Ghoft in the Council of Nice, which infers the fame affiftance for all others affembled in the fame church. To which I anfwer, I mention this indeed as the opinion of Socrates, but at the fame time I give another account of the credit that is to be given to the Nicene Council in the article of our Saviour's divinity ; viz. that it is incredible that fo many holy and approved men, afiem- bled from all parts of the Chriftian world, fhould be igno- rant of the firft and fundamental doctrine of the Holy Trinity, or of what themfelves had received from their predecefTors concerning it, or fhould wickedly confpire among themfelves to new model the faith received in the Church, concerning this principal article of Chriftianity. 262 Life and 'Times of the " But fuppofing I were fully of Socrates' opinion con- cerning the infallible affiftance of the Holy Ghoft attending every truly general council in matters of faith, I fhould be never the nearer to the communion of the Church of Rome as it is now fubjetfled to the decrees of Trent. For the aflembly at Trent is to be called by any other name, rather than that of a general council. ** I proceed to the bifhop's queftions. He afks me what I mean by the Catholic Church ? I anfwer, by the Catholic Church I mean the Church univerfal, being a col- lediion of all the Churches throughout the world, who retain the faith once delivered to the faints, that is, who hold and profefs in the fubftance of it that faith and religion which was delivered by the Apoftles of Chrift to the firfl: original Churches ; which faith and religion is contained in the Holy Scriptures, efpecially of the New Teftament, and the main fundamentals of it comprifed in the canon or rule of faith univerfally received throughout the primitive churches. All the churches at this day which hold and profefs this faith and religion, however diftant in place or diftinguifhed by different rites and ceremonies, yea, or divided in fome extra-fundamental points of doftrine, yet agreeing in the effentials of the ChrilHan religion, make up together one Chriftian Catholic Church under the Lord Chrift, the fupreme head thereof. "This Catholic Church, I believe fliall never fail ; that is, Chriftianity fhall never utterly perifh from the face of the earth, but there fhall be fome to maintain and uphold it to the end of the world. But I know of no promife of indefedlability from the faith made to any particular Church, no, not to the Church of Rome itfelf. And if we may judge by the Holy Scriptures and by the do6lrine and prac- tice of the primitive Catholic Church, the prefent Church of Rome hath already lamentably filled, and fillen into many dangerous and grofs errors. She hath quite altered the primitive ccclefiaftical government, changed the primi- tive canon or rule of faith, and miferably corrupted the primitive liturgy or form of divine worfhip."* * Abridged from the original. Pious Robert Nel/on. 2.6 ^ Bull was at this time feventy years of age, and did not fuftain more than three or four years the burden of the epifcopal office, which was now laid upon him. Upon his deceafe (Feb. 17, 1709) Nelfon was requefted by his fon to undertake a memoir of the life and writings of his venerable friend ; and the preparation of this biography occupied his time for the three following years. He put the laft ftroke to his work on Dec. 31, 1712; but its publication was a little longer delayed by a difaftrous fire at his friend Bowyer's,* by which a few fheets of it were deftroyed, and among them unfortunately fome critical obfervations of Dr. Hickes, which his illnefs did not permit him to rewrite. By this conflagration Bowyer's printing-houfe in Dogwell Court, Whitefriars, was entirely confumed, and his lofs amounted to upwards of 4000/. His misfortune excited a general fympathy ; the bookfellers and printers raifed a fubfcription in his behalf, a royal brief (according to tlie fafhion of the day) was obtained in his favour, which brought him nearly 1400/., and his private friends exerted themfelves warmly in his caufe. Among them, writes Nichols,f Bowyer's apprentice, fon-in-law, and fucceffor, " the good, the pious Mr. Nelfon found here an ample field for the exercife of his munificence and friendfhip. He had a peculiar regard for Mr. Bowyer, who had regularly * " Evening Poft," Feb. 13, 1712, 13 — " Whereas by the violence of a fudden fire on Friday the 29th day of January laft, the printing-office of Mr. W. Bowyer in White Friars, was burned to the ground, this is to acquaint the world, that part of the impreflion of Biihop Bull's ' Important Points of Primitive Chriftianity maintained and defended in feveral fermons, and other difcourfcs, to which is prefixed the hiftory of his life by Robert Nelfon, Efq.,' was confumed in the flames. By which misfortune we are obliged to defer the publication of Bilhop Bull's Im- portant Points till the laft ftieets are reprinted, which we hope will be in a fortnight's time. London, printed for Richard Smith, at the fign of Bifhop Beveridge's Head, in Paternoftcr Row near Cheapfide ; and in the tore walk of Exeter Change, in the Strand." f "Anecdotes of Bowyer,'' p. 3. 264 Life and Times of the ufliered his valuable produAlons into the world, and in the period of his diftrefs not only gave largely himfelf, but exerted his endeavours fuccefsfully in foliciting the affluent and great, among thofe it would be unpardonable not to mention the Earl of Thanet, Lord Vifcount Weymouth, and Lord Guildford." The Lord Chief Juftice Parker was another perfon of diftindion whom Nelfon interefted in his friend's misfortune, as appears from the following letter to Wanley : — *^Mr. Wanley, — Pray do me the favour to write out the Saxon charadlers for Mr. Bowyer*, as you have kindly promifed ; defpatch in this affair is of great confequence, becaufe my Lord Chief- Juftice Parker does intend to affift towards repairing his misfortunes by giving him a fet of thofe letters, and is very uneafy he is not ready to print his friend's book, which requires thofe characters to perfed: it. You will oblige me much by your kindnefs to Mr. Bowyer, and I fhall be ready to make you any acknow- ledgment. I have been confined near a month by the gout, but am now upon recovering. " I am, Sir, " Your affectionate fervant, " Robert Nelson." " May 19, 1713." Before the preceding date, Bowyer had been able to complete Nelfon's "Life of Bull " with the Sermons and Difcourfes to which it was prefixed, which made their appearance in 4 vols. 8vo. before the end of i 7 I2.f In this * " I did what is required underneath," wrote Wanley at the top of Nelfon's letter, "in the moft able and exa£l manner that I could in all refpe6ls. But it fignified little, for when the alphabet came into the hands of the workman, who was but a blunderer, he could not imitate the fine and regular ftroke of the pen ; fo that the letters were not only clumfy but unlike thofe I drew. This appears by Mrs. Elltob's Saxon Grammar being the book mentioned by Mr. Nelfon." •f- " Some Important Points of Chriftianity maintained and defended In feveral Sermons and Difcourfes, by Geo. Bull, D.D., late Lord Bifliop of St. David's. Pious Robert Neljon. 265 biographical {ketch we have Nelfon's Portrait of a Country Parfon ; the ftandard" of duty which it fupplies, not rifing above a level which is attainable by moft clergymen, and the circumftances of Bull's miniftry being precifely fuch as furround the rural paftor at the prefent day. Bull is defcribed as preaching twice every Sunday to his little flock ; his difcourfes being familiar expofitions of Holy Scripture, from notes that he previoufly prepared, fpoken with a becoming fervour and decency of gefture, and with fome vehemency of voice, whereby he kept his audience awake and raifed their attention to what he delivered. He had to perfuade a fet of prejudiced parifhioners to bring their children to public baptifm, which they had not been ufed to do for many years before, and to return thanks to God after childbirth, which had been difcon- tinued for fome time in that parifh. He not only heard the youth repeat the words of our excellent catechifm, but expounded to them the meaning of it, in a plain and familiar manner, and had fuch good fuccefs in his inftru6tions as to carry fifty perfons at a time to be con- firmed at Cirencefter. He gave^notice duly of all the Holy- days of the Church, and took his houfehold with him on thofe days to the public fervice. He took great pains to perfuade his parifhioners to a better obfervance of Good Friday, and always preached the fermon himfelf on that day to bring them together. At Avening he had a fervice in his church every Thurfday, and in his cure at Briftol, he would pitch upon fome week-day before he adminiftered the Holy Eucharift, to inftru6t the younger fort in the nature and defign of the Chriftian facrifice. He did not content himfelf with thefe public ministrations, or with going to the fick, when their condition required fpiritual To which is prefixed the hiftoiy of his life and of thofe controverfies In which he was engaged. By Robert Nelfon, Efq. 1713." 266 Life and 'Times of the afliftance ; but he ufed to vifit all his parifhioners, rich and poor, without diftinftion at their own houfes, in a certain compafs of time, not to trifle away an hour in empty talk, but to be ferviceable to them as their exigencies required, in the falvation of their fouls. And when in the courfe of fuch vifits, he came upon feparatifts from the Church, his conftant pra6lice was to inquire the name of the parties who had feduced them, and to challenge them to a con- ference on the fubjed in debate ; and he had thereby great fuccefs in recovering his wandering fheep. To this portrait of his ancient friend in the capacity of a rural parifh prieft, Nelfon added a fynopfis of his different Theological Works, fuch as to argue no fuperficial acquaintance with the controverfies in which Bull had been engaged.* In giving an account of his Expofition of the do6lrine of the Holy Trinity in his " Defenfio Fidei Nicaenas," he took occafion to complain of the artful and unfair ufe which had been made of Bull's citations by Dr. Samuel Clarke, in his " Scripture Doc- trine of the Trinity," and of his attempts to wrefl; them in favour of the Arian fcheme. In this notorious work j- Clarke had ventured to affirm, that the word " God" in Scripture never (ignifies a complex notion of three Perfons in one Godhead ; that It merely means the perfon of the • Nelfon had previoufly been engaged in friendly controverry with Whifton, on his Allan heterodoxies. Whifton, it feems, when expelled from Cambridge in 1710, withdrew voluntarily from the S.P.C.K., fending fuch a letter upon the occafion, (he says) " as Mr. Nelfon, one of the beft of all our members, as I have been told, greatly approved of." Nelfon had endeavoured to reclaim him by a letter to which Whilton replied with chara6teriftic felf-confidence. "I heartily thank you for your good wiflies and prayers for me, as fuppofing me running into a dangerous herefy, and nothing can be more charitable or Chriftian than what you do upon that fuppolitionj but, &c." — Memoirs of /^/r//?o«, pp. 174" Icqq- 1749- + "The Scripture Doilrine of the Trinity. In Three Parts. Wherein all the texts in the New Tellament relating to that Doftrine and the principal paflages in the Liturgy of the Church of England, are collefted, compared, and explained. By Samuel Clarke, D.D. 171a." Pious Robert Nelfon. 267 Father and fometlmes the perfon of the Son ; that the Holy Ghoft is never called God in Scripture ; that the reafon why the Son is called God, is not fo much on account of his effential Divinity, as of his relative autho- rity over us ; that when Scripture fpeaks of One God, it does not predidl unity of fubftance, but merely coincidence of will and power between the Father and the Son ; that abfolute fupreme honor is due to the perfon of the Father only, and that to Him only Ihould our prayers and praifes be primarily or ultimately diredled. Thefe hetero- dox fentiments upon the myftery of the Holy Trinity, Clarke attempted in this work to eftablilh from Holy Scripture and to reconcile with the formularies of our Church. Of their adlual irreconcileability with the devo- tions of our Prayer-book, he himfelf fupplied a notable proof,* by omitting the celebration of the Holy Com- munion on Trinity Sunday, in order to avoid ufing the proper preface for the day and pronouncing the emphatic affertion of the orthodox dodlrine which it contains. The avowal of fuch principles by one holding the important cure of St. James's, Weftminfter, excited a general indig- nation and alarm. His book received a variety of replies ; from Dr. Edwards, the veteran champion of Calviniftic Orthodoxy, on whatever fide it was aifailed, from Dr. Wells of Cotelbach, Nelfon's correfpondent and admirer, from Dr. Gaftrell, his friend Mapletoft's fon-in- law, from Mr. James Knight, afterwards Vicar of St. Sepulchre's, and from Robert Nelfon himfelf, who took a leading and a refpedled part in the controverfy which enfued. Clarke had endeavoured to fortify his dodlrine of the eflential inferiority of the Son to the Father, by Bull's * " Hlftorical Memoirs of the Life of Dr. Samuel Clarke. By W. Wliifton. 1730," p. 67. 268 Life and Times of the aflertion of His fubordinate relation, and Nelfon felt him- felf called upon in his "Life of Bull" to vindicate the bilhop's memory, and to expofe the unfairnefs of Clarke's citations. " Almoft all of them," he fays, "are reprefented in a very different view from that which our author certainly had in writing thofe paffages ; as are alfo the citations out of the Fathers themfelves, which Dr. Clarke here met with, and hath accommodated to his own purpofe, without fo much as the leaft notice taken of the explications and anfwers given to them by this our author."* Next year (Nov. i6, 1713), Nelfon refumed the controverfy by a letter to Dr. Clarke, which he prefixed to an anonymous Vindication of the Dodtrine of the Holy Trinity, f written by Knight. In this letter, he protefts again ft the non-natural fenfe by which the Arian divine fought to explain away the formularies of the Church. " If the Judges, and others learned in the law ftiall follow the fame method of interpreting the laws of the land, as you have taken in interpreting and accom- modating the fenfe of the Church in her moft authentic forms and declarations before God and man, and of the venerable Fathers of the Catholic Church, there are many of the opinion, that everything might eafily be leaped over and that no eftablilhment could be fo ftrong as to laft long." J And he declares him "not to have repre- fented the true Scripture Dodrine of the Trinity ; but to have fubftituted in its room another of your own ; againft the true Appftolical tradition of that docflrine, and the common interpretation of the Scriptures throughout all the ages of the Church of Chrift." The work of Knight, * " Life of Bull," p. 322. -f- " The Scripture Do6b-ine of the Moft Holy and Undivided Trinity vindi- cated from the mifinterpretatlons of Dr. Clarke. To which is prefixed a Letter to the Reverend Do61or. By Robert Nellun, Efq. 17 14.." \ p. xxi. Pious Robert Nelfon. 269 which Nelfon endorfed in this prefatory letter, has been defcribed (by Van Mildert) " as a learned, acute, and well-digefted performance, written with candour and good temper, and Dr. Clarke put forth his full ftrength in anfwering it." His anfvver * appeared in the following year, in the form of a letter to Nelfon, " whofe remarks," he fays, "are written with fo much candour and civility, with fo much fairnefs and temper, that they may well become an example to clergymen and others of writing controverfy in fuch a manner, as that truth may by weighing arguments on both fides be fully fearched after, and our common Chriftianity fuffer nothing in the mean time through want of meeknefs and charity." Nelfon prepared a reply to this letter of Dr. Clarke, which was to have been prefixed to Knight's rejoinder,f and which he was only prevented from completing by his declining health. The advocates of Orthodoxy, however, could not afford to relinquifh the advantage of his authority, and his honored name, after his deceafe, flill continued to appear upon the title-page of the contending difputants, as the refpefted champion of the do(5lrines of the Church. J * " A Reply to the Objeftions of Robert Nelfon, Efq., and of an anonymous author, againft Dr. Clarke's Scripture Dodrine of the Trinity. 1714." f "The True Scripture Do6trine of the Moft Holy and Undivided Trinity, continued and vindicated from the mlfreprefentatlonsof Dr. Clarke. In anfwer to his Reply. By the author of the ' Scripture Doflrlne' publifhed and recommended by Robert Nelfon, Efq. 17 15." X " Some brief Critical Remarks on Dr. Clarke's laft Papers, which are his * Reply to Mr. Nelfon,' and an anonymous writer, and to the author of 'Some Confiderations,' &c. By John Edwards, D.D. 1714," The writer fays, " he has baulked the expeflatlon of his friends and made good Mr. Nelfon's obfervation of him, ' that he hath an artful way of citing authors and books.' " " A DIfcourfe {howing that the Expofition, which the Ante-Nicene Fathers have given of the Text, alleged againft the Reverend Dr. Clarke, by a learned layman (Mr. Nelfon), are more agreeable to the interpretations of Dr. Clarke than to the interpretations of that learned layman. 17 14." " A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Wells, in anfvver to his Remarks, &c. By Samuel Clarke, D.D., 17 14." The writer retorts upon Nelfon, and augurs the 270 Life and 'Times of the His contentions for the faith, and his labours of charity- were now alike drawing to their earthly clofe. In 0(5lober, 17 14, being now in the 59th year of his age, he found his ftrength rapidly declining under an attack of afthma and dropfy on the heart, and he was advifed by his phyficians to have recourfe to the purer air of Kenfington, then commonly recommended for confump- tive and other invalids. He prepared accordingly to releafe himfelf from the charitable and religious engage- ments which had hitherto occupied his time. He begged his friend Sir Marmaduke Wyvill to take his place as Treafurer and Chairman of St. George's Veftry. He fent back to Dr. Wells (Od. 14.,) the MS. of his " Duty of Church Building," with a kindly letter of approval ; taking the opportunity to intereft his friend in the dif- tribution of Bibles and Common Prayer Books among the Epifcopalians of Scotland, and noticing the meafures which had been taken, that that good work fhould not fink by the death of the Queen. He returned to Mr. Theobald (Pope's Antagonist), a tranflation of Nowell's Catechifm, which had been fent to him four months before for his approval. He wrote a farewell letter (Oft. 28,) to his AfTociates at the Society for Promoting Chriftian Know- ledge. While to his friend Lee, he committed the MS. of his "Addrefs to Perfons of Quality and Eftate," which ultimate triumph of his doftrines, as follows, "I (hall conclude the whole with fetting before you, as in a glafs, a lively and exafi: pidlure of the different fpirits of men in the words of a perfon as heartily zealous for the authority and tradi- tions of the Church as any learned proteftant in Chriftendom. It is the ingenious Robert Nelfon, Efq. in his ' Life of the Right Reverend Bifhop Bull,' fpeaking concerning the Bifhop's explication of the doftrine of juftifi- cation, which is now as univerfally received and followed as it was then, contrary to the general opinion of divines." " A Letter to the author of a book entitled * The True Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity continued and vindicated, recommended firft by Mr. Nelfon, and fince by Dr. Waterland.' By Samuel Clarke, D.D. 1719." Compare alfo " Waterland' s Works," vol. iii. p. 164., vol. ii. p. 290. Pious Robert Nelfon. 271 he now forefaw he fliould not be able himfelf to complete as he had propofed. ^^ About the latter end of laft autumn," writes Lee, " finding his health to decline apace, and being advifed, by his phyficians, to retire from the town, for the benefit of the air, immediately before his departure, and after he had been for feveral hours fatigued with a great deal of company, taking their leave of him ; he called to me in the laft place, and kindly embracing me in the prefence of God, and as the greateft pledge he could give me of his moft Chriftian affedlion and fincere confidence, delivered to me the manufcript written all with his own hand, (which I keep by me as a moft precious depofitum) from a copy of which, the following Addrefs, with the refle6lions thereupon, is here printed : and then requefted me to confider the whole well, and after that to do therewith as fhould appear beft." At Kenfington he took up his refidence with his coufin, Mrs. Delicia Woolf, daughter of Sir Gabriel Roberts; a lady to whofe houfe he would not have repaired for religious fympathy,fhe being a ftaunchNon-conformift,and ultimately giving away her hand and fortune to a young diflenting minifter * whom fhe had entertained as her chaplain ; but whofe attention to him in this his laft illnefs Nelfon thank- fully acknowledged in his will, by bequeathing to her the copyright of his " Feftivals and Fafts." His illnefs was but of three months' duration, and of its circumftances we have only the fcantieft record. We get a glimpfe of him on one occafion riding in the Park in his chariot, in com- pany with his eccentric friend Lee, gazing together with him upon a glorious fun as it burft from behind a cloud, and accepting it for an emblem of the eternal brightnefs that fhould ftiortly break upon him. At the beginning of November he was well enough to complete an " Addrefs to * Dr. Obadiah Hughes, who thus became pofleffed of fome of Nelfon's papers. See Birch's Life of Tillotfon, pp. 67, 91. 272 Life and "Times of the the True Lovers of Devotion," which he prefixed to Lee's "Chriftian's Exercife."* He called it his " dying addrefs," and we have in it fome of his laft thoughts upon religion, tindured with the myftical theology with which his friend was fo deeply imbued, and which Nelfon here pronounces to be " the moft perfect efTence of the Chriftian religion, which fome have not unfitly called the kingdom of God in the foul." ** I mud own," he concludes, " I had propofed to myfelf a larger fcheme for this addrefs, but the wife provi- dence of God hath vifited me with an illnefs, which maketh thinking and writing irkfome and grievous to me. But I defire entirely to fubmit to the will of God ; and humbly beg your moft devout prayers for me upon this occafion, and more particularly for my fpiritual improvement under this difpenfation, which will lay a particular obligation upon me." This is dated from Kenfington, November 3rd, 17 14. On the 14th of the month we find Lee addrefiing a letter f of Chriftian confolation to him as "My dear Friend and the Gift of God to ME, — This day, my dear friend, I heard it founded in the leflbn, * Lord, he whom thou loveft is fick.' Thus, thus prayeth my foul. And, oh ! that I could but now hear the voice of our Jefus, founding alfo this gracious anfwer, * This ficknefs is not unto death ! ' Be comforted, be comforted, dear Sir ; for as you have been a comforter to many under God, fo much comfort remaineth for you, both here and hereafter, when your warfare ftiall be accom- pliftied ; all thefe will undoubtedly be for the glory of God, what lieth fo much at your heart This I may be certain of, that all this is for your greater purification, and that the Son of God will be glorified by you in it, even as * " The Chriftian's Exercife, or Rules to live above the World while we are in it. In Four Parts. By Thomas-a-Kempis. Addreffed to all the true lovers of devotion, by Robert Nelfon, Efq. To which is added a Prayer which Mr. Nelfon raade for his own private ufe. And a letter wrote by Archbifliop Tillotfon to his fick friend. 1715." 2nd edition. 1717. f " Notes and Materials for an Adequate Biography of Wm. Law. By C. Walton. 1854." p. 251. Pious Robert N elf on, 273 you defire He fhould be glorified. You are now, therefore, called to make a facrifice of all to Him, and if at any time you have been pleafed with the good you have been an inftrument of by grace, or with the applaufe you may have received for it by men of goodwill, or may unwarily have taken part of the glory to yourfelf ; now you are to caft all at the feet of Jefus, that fo alone He may have the glory. " To whom, dear Sir, I always commit you, with moft afFedlionate fympathy of heart, yours in that friendlliip and fervice which hath no end, ^ *^ Francis Lee. " To the beft of friends from the moft affedionate of friends." It is interefting to be thus aflured that he who had haftened to the deathbed of his friend Tillotfon, and held him in his arms when he expired, and who watched for fix months over the decaying ftrength of Kettlewell, was not himfelf " left to die alone ; " that at leaft one affedionate friend was there, ready to adminifter the con- folations which thofe who have been moft familiar with themfelves, are then moft thankful to be afTured of by other lips ; and that on the pious and charitable Robert Nelfon's end there did not fail to reft the bleffing of the Pfalmift, " BlefTed is he that confidereth the poor and needy ; the Lord ftiall deliver him in the time of trouble. The Lord comfort him, when he lieth fick upon his bed ; make thou all his bed in his ficknefs." " Hence he derived," fays his friend Marftiall, "that admirable calm and patience, that firm affiance in the mercies of God through Chrift Jefus, that full aflurance of hope in his promifes, which fupported him under the weaknefs and prefTures of a lingering obftinate diftemper, and fweetened to him at laft the very bitternefs of death itfelf."* But Nelfon was foon to pafs beyond the reach of fick bed trials or comforts. On Dec. 11, it was well known * Funeral Difcourfe. 274 Life and 'Times of the that he was dying.* On the i8th he made his will, in which, after kindly remembrances to his relatives, he bequeathed the bulk of his eftate to charitable ufes. " Thus lie ended, as he had all along f-pent^ his days ; was the fame perfon ftill ; maintaining the fame character, and carrying it with him to the place of refrefhment." t He lay at the laft feveral hours fpecchlefs, perfedly compofed, taking no nourifhment, and fhowing no figns of life, except that it was juft perceptible that he continued to breathe. And on the i6th of January, this good man's foul paffed away quietly into peace. " He died, as he had lived, like a lamb, without commotion or ftruggle, fub- miflive to the will of God, and entirely refigned to His holy providence." J His remains were removed to his own houfe in Glou- cefter Street, § from which they were carried to St. George's Chapel adjacent, where he had fo conftantly worfhipped, and were finally interred (as requefted in his will) in the new burial-ground belonging to it in Lamb's Conduit Fields, which was confecrated for the occafion by Dr. Biffe, the Bifhop of Hereford, Bifhop Compton of London chancing to be indifpofed. His motive for feledting this graveyard for his interment was a defire to overcome the averfion which * "Kennett's MSS. Colleftions," vol. xvi. p. 473. "Dec. 11, 1714. It is aid that Mr. Nelfon at the Gravelpits at Keniington is pafl all hope of recovery." t Maifliall's Funeral Difcourfe. X Ibid. Amid our natural anxiety to recover fome of this good man's dying words, it is difappointing to meet with the folitary particular that, " About four in the afternoon, the day preceding his death, he fuddenly put back the curtain, railed his head, and uttered the following fentence : ' There is a very great fire in London this night,' then doled his eyes and lay fome hours as before."— Prif/iirf to Monck Berkeley's Poe?ns, p. 448. §'*Regiftrum Sepultorum inCaemeterio Sti Georgii Martyris. Anno Domini 1714. Jan. 28. Robert Nelfon, Efq., of Gloucefter-ftreet, Vir Infignis." Parochial tradition points to the houfe in Gloucefter-ftreet immediately adjoin- ing St. George's Cliurch, and now known as No. 44, Queen Square, as the houfe from which Nelfon was buried. He feems to have removed from the larger manfion in Ormond-ftreet after his wife's death. Pious Robert N elf on. 275 had been difcovered for its ufe ; and his condefcenfion to vulgar prejudice foon had the wifhed-for efFedt, and it was then accounted an honour to be buried by his fide.* The fpot where his venerated form was laid is fituate on the left-hand fide, immediately within the old entrance from Gray's Inn Road, and is marked by a large fquare monu- ment,f in the fafliion of the time, on the four fides of which is an eulogiftic epitaph from the pen of his friend Smallridge. All excefs of funereal pomp Nelfon had flridlly prohibited ; nor did his executors (by his defire) give any encouragement to the then ufual compliment of a funeral fermon,:]: which his friend Dr. Marfhall * Thus Hearne's "Reliquiae," p. 865, "Mar. 16, 1735 : Dr. Hanbury, who died on the 27th paft, and was buried near Mr. Nelfon in new burying- ground of St. George's parifh, has left £100 to the Nonjuring clergy." And Nichols' "Lit. Anec," vol. iii. p. 193. " Mr. Charles Dilly was buried on the i2th May, 1807, in the cemetery of St. George the Martyr, Queen Square, in a grave nearly adjoining that in which the famous Robert Nelfon was depofited." f Twenty years ago, the remains of this monument were doomed to un- worthy demolition in the following advertifement : — ST. GEORGE THE MARTYR, Middlefex.— Whereas feveral Tombs and Monuments in the Burial Ground of this Parifh, fituate at the back of the Foundling Hofpital, bearing the undermentioned names, are in a ftate of complete dilapidation, notice is hereby given that imlefs the reprefentatives of the feveral families, or thofe claiming the right to the tombs, do put them into decent repair within the fpace of three calendar months from the date hereof, they will be removed. — Dated this loth day of May, 1839. WILLIAM SHORT, Reftor. FRANCIS WARR, ) Church- PEREGRINE FERNANDEZ, ) wardens. At the head of the lift is the name of" Robert Nelfon, 1714." The Church of England was faved from the contemplated difgrace by the Veftry of St. George's who (at the fuggeftion of the churchwardens) were at the expenfe of reftoring the monument precifely to its original ftate. J "A Sermon preached in the chappel of Ormond-ftreet on Sunday the 6th of February, 17 14, upon occafion of the much lamented death of that pious and worthy gentleman, Robert Nelfon, Efq. Publiftied at the requeft of the Truftees of the said chapel, by J. Marftiall, LL.D., and morning preacher of the fame. Prov. x. 7. The memory of the Juft is Blefl'ed. London, 1714." Extrafl from Minute Book of St. George's Chapel, Feb. 15, 17^4= "The Truftees having taken particular notice of the excellent fermon preached by Dr. Marftiall on Sunday the 6th day of February inftant, wherein he did in a I 2 276 IJfe and 'Times of the neverthelefs thought proper to deliver on the follownig Sunday. ** I enter upon the province," writes Marfhall, '^unaiked and uninvited. The modefty of our departed friend, which caft a diftinguiflied luftre upon numberlefs other virtues, carried him to his grave in privacy and filence ; nor were the perfons intrufted with the care of his obfequies at liberty to adorn them with proper honours. They have per- formed the part incumbent on them, and have configned his mortal remains to the place whereunto he bequeathed them, and in the manner which he had requefted of them. " Yet I may well prefume, that even his modefty itfelf would here give way, upon the fuggeftion that any good would probably be done by the blazoning his virtues, fince this was a motive which he never could withftand ; it was equally the bufmefs and pleafure of his life, and Is therefore the fitter to attend him at his death *' I can have no end to ferve by flattering his memory ; nor do I fear the imputation of it, in a cafe where all the difficulty will be to fay enough. For in the duties of god- linefs, how afliduous he was and fervent, how uniform and conftant, how ferious and unafFe6ted, you are all my wit- neffes ; and will join with me in this teftimony of him, that we know not where either our religion or our place of worfhip hath a brighter ornament left to either. " His conftant attendance at the euchariftlcal facrifice, his exemplary and reverend behaviour there, was fo very edifying and confpicuous, as helped to warm many cold and lukewarm hearts, and to inflame them with a like fpirit of true and fervent piety. " Religion feemed, indeed, and doubtlefs was, the care of his life ; it grew, it flouriflied obfervably, under the happy influence of his pious endeavours, and his engaging praftice. very patlietical manner recommend the example of Mr. Nelfon, lately deceafed, to be imitated by the audience, and the Trultees being defirous as well to have ("0 ufeful a dil'courfe made public, as to do all the honor they can to Mr. Nelfon's memory, do therefore defire Dr. Marfhall that he will be pleafed to print the faid ferraon." Pious Robert Nelfon. i^'j " His learning, large as it was and various, was fet apari for the fervice of the altar, and fandtified to religious ufes. And many a pious foul breathes daily to God its holy afpirations of prayer and praife, in the language of his heart and tongue ^' He was zealous for his God, and for the honour of His fervice ; and therefore only preferred, above others, the Church of England, becaufe here he thought that honour beft confulted. He underftood, by due inquiry, that Ihe was the moft conformable, both in do6trine and govern- ment, to the model once and firfl; ' delivered to the faints.* For neither his faith nor his pradice proceeded upon truft, but upon a reafonable choice. He had, as much as any, proved, examined, confidered all things ; was able to fatisfy himfelf, and to give a reafon to others, of the hope which was in him ; and where once he fixed, he fixed upon fo good a foundation, that he was not eafily removed from it by any wind of do6lrine ; but having rightly apprehended, he ever held fail that which was good *^ Either nature or grace had blefled him with fuch a flowing courtefy of mind and manners, that few provoca- tions could break in upon or difconcert it. Zealous as he was (and furely no man was more, or more truly fo) for the honour of his God, he was never thence tranfported to any undue excurfions againft man. " No man converfed more generally than he with all perfwafions, and no man more inoifenfively, nor therefore with more likelyhood of recommending to all men the do(5trine of his God and Saviour. Whenever the affaults of herefy obliged him to appear in defence of the faith, and to contend for the truth as it is in Jefus, as perfonal refpedls were befide the queftion, he candidly threw them out of it. " A rare example this, to our angry writers upon dif- puted fubjedts ; who think it not enough to confute an adverfary without confounding him ; and have not learned from his Chrlftian pra6tice the happy fecret of diflinguifhing between the perfon and the error " But, above all, his works of mercy, his labours of love, thefe were his darling, his beft- beloved employments. The poor, the fatherlefs, and the widow, will never enough 278 Life and Times of the lament his irreparable lofs. The focieties which have been lately formed for various purpofes of piety and charity will mifs in him a faithful counfellor, a prudent diredtor, an able manager, and every way accompliihed for the glorious and godlike work of doing good. "Many expences in life, which feed the vices and vanities of others, he prudently cut off as fuperfluous, that he might have the more to give to fuch as needed. " His frugality was no cover to avaricious purpofes, but all his ceconomy was defigned to make room for charity ; which he did not fo much referve for bequefts at his death, as like a wife and a good fteward he was a liberal difpenfer of it in his life. Pompous he would be in neither, that in both he might be more ufeful " No man ever advanced the charadler of a private gentle- man to a more elevated pitch than he ; in him the gentleman and the Chriftian were fo happily united, he did fo adorn religion, and was fo adorned by it, that the rifing genera- tion may hence with great advantage obferve, how perfedly confiftent thefe charaders are, and how much they may both be depreciated by a negled of their common duties. . . " And now that we are going to offer up to God the great and folemn facrifice of thankfgiving, we may not improperly mix with it our peculiar praifes to His holy name, for all the glories of His grace which fo eminently fhone forth in this His faithful fervant. <' Exemplary virtues had this encouragement in the primitive Church, that the names of fuch as were eminent for the pra6tice of them, were remembered with honour in her moft folemn offices. " In our moft folemn offices, the devotions of many are doubtlefs here and elfewhere affifted by the pious labours of our departed friend. So that when we are praifing God for all his fervants departed this life in his faith and fear, this eminent fervant of God may well deferve from us a more fpecial commemoration. * * An office of Commemoration on the anniverfary of Robert Nelfon's deceafe has been found among the papers of his friend Francis Lee, and is printed by Mr. C. Walton in his interefting and valuable "Notes and Materials for an adequate Biography of William Law," pp. 248, et seqq. n. Pious Robert Nel/on. 279 " At the fame time let us befeech the Father of Mercies that He would give us His grace fo to follow both this, and every other good example, that we may all at length have an happy meeting in that other and better world, where with angels and archangels, with this our deceafed friend and brother, with the general aflembly of God's eled, and all the fpirits of juft men made perfed:, we may laud and magnify His glorious name, evermore praifing Him, and faying. Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. " To whom be glory and dominion, both now and for evermore. Amen.*' It commences as follows : — "A Commemoration. Jan. i6. R. N., of bleffed memory, my familiar Friend &nd Brother. The Righteous fhall be had in everlafting remembrance. Pfalms 41,42, 112, 116. LefTons, Wifdomiv, 10, to ver. 17. St. John v. 29, 30." Its general tone will be indicated by the fol- lowing prayer: "Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon all faithful fouls, and more particularly upon all who have been confeffors among us for truth and righteoufnefs, efpecially this our dear brother, thy fervant, and the delight of my foul, and let the cry both of him and of all the other fouls lying under the heavenly altar, with the feal of faith, together with the prayers of all the dead Ifraelites, from the faithful Abraham down to this day, come up before thee and be accepted ; that thy long expected kingdom may come fpeedily, and that thy glory may dwell upon the earth." APPENDIX. No. I. The Will of Robert Nelfon ; extrac5ted from the Regiftry of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury .* ^^In the name of God, Amen. I, Robert Nelson, of the parifh of St. Andrew's, Holborn, in the county of Middlefex, Efq., being infirm in body, but of found mind and underftanding, doe make this my laft will and tefta- ment, in manner and form following : I recommend my foul, that precious and immortal part of me, into the moft merciful hands of God, hoping for the pardon of all my many and great fins, and for the inconceivable blefling of eternal life, through the merits of my blefi'ed Saviour, and only Redeemer, Jefus Chrifi:, who out of His abundant love to mankind came into the world to fave finners ; and grant, O Lord, that whatever defylements it may have contra6led in the midfl; of this miferable and naughty world, through the lufl:s of the flefh, or the wiles of Satan, being purged and done away by the blood of that immaculate Lamb, that was flain to take away the fins of the world, it may be prefented pure and without fpot before Thee at the lafi: day, when all the world fhall be fumon'd before the great tribunal ; and the Lord have mercy upon me in that day. I defire my body may beprivately interr'd of in the cemetery of St. George the * This will was printed by Curll, immediately after Robert Nelfon' deceafe. 282 Appendix. Martyr, being now part of the faid parifli of St. Andrew's, Holborn ; but if that fhall not be confecrated at the time of my death, then my will is that my body may be buried in the church-yard of the parifh of Cranford, in the faid County of Middlefex, at the eaft end of the church, in a mod comfortable hope of a happy refurredlion, life, and immortality, being brought to light through the Gofpel. And as touching the difpofition of fuch temporal eftate as God in His great mercy has blefTed me with, I give and difpofe thereof as followeth, vizt. : I defire that all my juft debts and funeral expences fhall be firft paid and fatisfied. And then I give and bequeath the following fumes to charitable ufes, as an humble acknowledgment of God's great bounty to me through the whole courfe of my life. I give and bequeath to the Reverend Dean Hicks, now living in Ormond Street, in the faid county of Middlefex, and to the Reverend Mr. Nathaniel Spinks, the fume of two hundred pounds, upon truft that they diflribute the fame among fuch neceffitous clergymen as they fhall think the moft proper objedls of fuch charity. I give and bequeath to the Corporation Society for Pro- pagating the Gofpel in Foreign Parts one hundred pounds. I give and bequeath to Mr. Henry Hoare, of London, goldfmith, one of my executors hereinafter named, two hundred pounds, upon truft to diftribute one hundred pounds, part thereof, in fuch manner as fhall be diredled by the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge, of which I have been many years an unvvorthy member, and the other one hundred pounds to be employed by him in promoting parochial libraryes. I give and bequeath to Sion College, in the city of London, twenty pounds, to be laid out in fuch books as the prefident and the deans of the colledge for the time being fhall direft. I give and bequeath to the faid Mr. Henry Hoare, and to Appendix. 283 Mr. Benjamin Wyche, five hundred pounds in truft, neverthelefs for the fole ufe and benefit of Mifs Mary Lucy, only daughter of Sir Berkeley Lucy, Barronet, to be paid to her at her day of marriage, or age of one- and-twenty years, which fhall firft happen. And my will and pleafure is, that the faid Henry Hoare and Benjamin Wyche put out the fame upon fome mortgage, or other good parliamentary fecurity, and that the profit or intereft arifing therefrom be received and kept by them for the fole ufe and benefit of the faid Mary Lucy, but not to be paid to her till the day of her marriage, or her age of one-and-twenty years, which fhall firft: happen ; and in cafe the faid Mary Lucy fiiall die before {\\q. is married,* or fhall attain the age of one-and-twenty years, then my will and pleafure is, that the faid fume of five hundred pounds, and the intereft thereof arifing, be paid by the faid Henry Hoare and Benjamin Wyche to the faid Sir Berkeley Lucy, Barronet, to whom I give and bequeath the faid five hundred pounds, and all the intereft and profitts that ihall arife therefrom. And my will and meaning is, that the faid Henry Hoare and Benjamin Wyche fliall not be anfwerable for any fume, or fumes of money, to be placed out at intereft by them upon the trufts aforefaid, with the confent of the parties concerned. I give and bequeath to my moft valuable friend, as well as dear relation, my uncle Sir Gabriel Roberts, two hundred pounds ; I give and bequeath to my dear coufin, Mrs. Delitias Woolfe, three hundred pounds ; and in cafe my uncle. Sir Gabriel Roberts, ftiall dye before me, then my will and pleafure is, that the legacy of two hundred pounds which I have left him be paid to my faid coufin, Mrs. Delitias Woolfe, his daughter. And I doe moreover bequeath to my faid coufin, Deliti^ Woolfe, the pidures * She was married to Hon. C. Compton, youngeft fon of George, 4tli Earl of Northampton. 284 Appendix. of my father and mother, and the pi6lure of her father, and of my own, drawn by Sir Godfrey Kneller. And alfo I give to my faid coufin Delitias Woolfe, the pearl necklace which was formerly my mother's. And I like- wife give and bequeath unto my faid coufin, Delitias Woolfe, all my intereft which I now, or fhall hereafter have in the agreement I have made with Mr. Churchill, in relating to his printing a book entitled *' The Feafts and Fafts," with buffs in folio, which is upon condition that the faid Mr. Churchill be at all the expences, and that I am to have one-half part of the clear profits, which, by eflimation, will, as it is thought, amount to five hundred pounds. I give and bequeath unto my faid worthy friend Sir Berkeley Lucy and his lady one hundred pounds for mourning. And I alfo give and bequeath to the faid Lady Lucy the crofs fet with diamonds which my wife ufually wore. I give and bequeath unto Sir William Ingoldfby and his Lady Ingoldfby her mother's pictures, in little in a cafe.* I give and bequeath unto Mrs. Elizabeth Ingoldfby two hundred pounds, and alfo my gold pick-tooth cafe. I give and bequeath to George Hanger, Efq., at Smyrna, the fume of four hundred pounds. I give and bequeath unto Mr. Nicholas Bigfby, linen draper in Fleet Street, London,"}" one hundred pounds. I give and bequeath to Mr. Auguftine Arm- ftrong one hundred pounds, which I defire him to keep for and give to his daughter. Item ; I give and bequeath to my worthy friend, the faid Dean Hicks, feventy pounds. I give and bequeath to the faid Mr. Nathaniel Spinks one hundred pounds. I give and bequeath to Theophilus * Sir Wm. Ingoldfby had married Mifs Theophila Lucy, Nelfon's ftep- daughter. f Apparently a relation of Nelfon by his father's fide. Mr. John Nelfon in his will, bequeaths to two of his filler's children, " John and Nelfon BigfbeCj £400 a-piece, with which I would have them well brought up, and placed prentices with forae good Turkic merchants." Appendix. 285 Lucy, Efq., the diamond ring I ufually wear, and my filver fhaveing bafon and wafh-ball cafe, and little filver pott for hott water, which belongs to it. And whereas I have, in the cuftody of Mrs. Jane Kettlewell, a challice, patin, and plate, all filver, for the ufe of the Holy Commu- nion, now I do hereby give and bequeath the faid chalice, patin, and plate to the minifter and churchwardens for the time being of the parifh of Dryfield, in the county of Gloucefter, for the ufe of the parifh church aforefaid.* I give and bequeath to my worthy friend, the faid Mrs. Jane Kettlewell, her hufband's pidlure and five guineas for a legacy. I give and bequeath to the Right Rever- end the Lord Bifhop of Briil:oll,f lord almoner, the Madonna of Corregio, with the frame belonging to It, and which hangs on one fide the chimney In my dining-room, as a fmall teftimony of that great value and refpe6t I bear to his lordfhip. I give and bequeath to Mrs. Fowler, daughter of James Chadwick, deceafed, the two pl(5tures given to me by her grandmother, Mrs. Tillotfon, the one of her mother, Mrs. Chadwick, and the other of her aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Tillotfon, with the two black frames thereunto appertaining. I give and bequeath my books and piftures not otherwife difpofed off, to the faid Sir Berkeley Lucy, Barronet. I give and bequeath to Mr. David Humphryes,j: St. Chrifoftome's Works in eleven volumes, and Poole's ** Synopfis," In five volumes. I give and bequeath to the Reverend Dr. Lupton, all the volumes of Rymer's ^'Fcedera," and alfo the following pictures and frames, viz. — that of Dr. Hicks, that of Father Paul, that of Rubens, that of Vandike, that of Petrarcha, and that of Gallileo, which are fix heads. In my fludy. I give and bequeath to Mrs. Jane Bonnell, a filver cupp and cover, with Indian flowers, given me by * See p, 6. \ Dr. Smallridge. % See ?■ -4^, n. 286 appendix. my wife's father, the Earl of Berkeley. I give and bequeath to Mrs. Jane Hoare, wife of the faid Mr. Henry Hoare, two pair of Httle filver candlefticks for her clofet. I give and bequeath to Edward Jennings, Efq., the filver candieftick with two branches. I give and bequeath fifty pounds for the ufe and benefit of the charity-fchools of St. George the Martyr aforefaid, to be paid to the trea- furer of the faid fchools. I give and bequeath unto my good friend Mr. John Skeate, ten pounds to buy a ring in remembrance of me ; I give and bequeath fifty pounds to Dr. Francis Lea, to be paid out of the furplus of my eftate, if any fhall be. And whereas I have feveral books printed with my name as being the author thereof, viz., '^ The Companion for the Feafts and Fafts," *' The Great Duty of Frequenting the Chriftian Sacrifice," &c., "The Life of Bifhop Bull," &c., in which copies I have the fole right and property ; and wliereas I have a book printed without my name, called "The Praftice of True Devotion in relation to the end, as well as meanes of religion," in which book I have alfo the fole property, as appears by articles of agreement with bookfellers which have printed any imprefiions of the before-mentioned books ; and I doe hereby declare my will and pleafure to be, that the before-mentioned copies fhall be difpofed of by my executors hereinafter-named to fome eminent bookfellers or dealers who ufe the trade of felling books, provided always that the faid copies be fold or difpofed of to fuch perfons as have already printed them, if they fhall feverally give what fhall be judged a reafonable and fair price for the fame. I give and bequeath to all my fervants as fhall be living with me at the time of my deceafe, one year's wages, according to their feveral falaries or wages over, and befides what Hi all be feverally due to them at the time of my deceafe. I give and bequeath to my fervant Richard James, all my wearing Appendix. 287 apparel, both Hnnen and woollen, of what nature or kind foever, at the time of my deceafe. I give and bequeath to John Sidgley, my coachman, my chariot, and horfes belong- ing to it. I give and bequeath unto my loving friends. Sir George Hanger, of Dry field, in the county of Gloucefter, knight, and the faid Mr. Henry Hoare, and to each of them, the fume of one hundred pounds. I alfo give and devife unto the faid Henry Hoare, my pidure, being the Madonna of Andrea del Sarto, which hangs in my parlor, with the frame that belongs to it. All the reft and refidue of my eftate, of what nature or kind foever, I give and devife the fame, and every part thereof, unto the faid Sir George Hanger and Mr. Henry Hoare, whom I make full and fole executors of this my laft will and teftament, upon fpecial truft and confidence, that after my juft debts, funeral expences, and the other legacies hereinbefore by me given and bequeathed, fhall be fully paid and fatisfied, they, my faid executors, fhall apply and difpofe of the fame, and every part thereof, to fuch charitable ufes and purpofes as they, the faid Sir George Hanger and Henry Hoare, or the furvivor of them, or the executors or adminiftrators of fuch furvivor, fhall think moft needful and proper. And I doe hereby revoke all former wills by me heretofore made, and declare this to be my only laft will and teftament. In witnefs whereof I, the faid Robert Nelfon, have hereunto fet my hand and feal this eighteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thoufand feaven hundred and fourteen. "Rob. Nelson." " Signed, fealed, publifhed, and declared by the faid Robert Nelfon to be his laft will and teftament, which is contained in three fheets of paper, in the prefence of us 288 Appendix. who have fubfcribed our names as witnefTes, in the prefence, and at the requeft, of the faid teftator, "C. Sill, "Nath. Parsley, "Randolph Greenway." " To Sir George Hanger, knight, and Mr. Henry Hoare, Executors of my lajl will and teftament. «' I defire that out of the furplufage of my eftate, that you will pay to the Rev. Mr. Dean Hicks twenty pounds per annum during his natural life, and alfo that you will apply the fume of thirty pounds, or thereabout, in placing out Mary Applewhite* in fome advantageous way for her to get her livelihood. As witnefs my hand this ift day of January, 17 14. " Rob. Nelson." " I doe alfo farther defire that you give to my good friend, Mrs. Jane Bonnell, the falver with Indian figures that belongs to the cup and cover I have given her by my will, and alfo to give her four filver fpoons, and four filver forks, and four filver knives, of them I have by me. And I alfo defire you will give to the Reverend Dr. Marfiiall ten guineas, in regard of his conftant attendance at the Euchariftical Sacrifice ; and that you will alfo give to the Reverend Mr. Burfcoughf five guineas. And I alfo defire that the Reverend Mr. Spinks may be difcharged from all interefl: that fliall be due from him without his paying for the fame ; and, if there is occafion, I defire that what is writt on this fide of this paper may be annexed as a codicil * Daughter apparently of the Aunt Applewhite mentioned p. 21, his father's filter. f Lecturer at St. George's Chapel, Ormond-ftreet. Appendix, 289 to my lafl: will and teftament. As wltnefs my hand this 2 day of January, 1714. '^RoB. Nelson." " January the 25, 1714-15. *' Appeared perfonally, John Skeat, of the St. Botolph, Aldgate, London, armourer-brazier, and John Nottingham, of the parifh of St. Dunftan Weft, London, and by virtue of their corporal oaths, feverally depofed as followeth, viz.. That they knew and were well acquainted with the charadler and manner of writing of Robert Nelfon, Efq., deceafed, having often (ttn him write ; and having carefully viewed the name Robert Nelfon fubfcribed to the paper or codicil hereunto annexed, beginning thus, ' To Sir George Hanger, Knight,' &c., and ending thus, ' As witnefs my hand this 1 day of January, 17 14,' do verily believe, that the name * Robert Nelfon ' fubfcribed or written in two feveral places thereof, is written with the proper handwriting of the faid Robert Nelfon. " John Skeat, "John Nottingham." " Die predict, dicti Johannes Skeat et Johannes Notting- ham jurati fuere de veritate prasmiftbrum coram me. *' Hum. Henchman, Surr. '* Probatumi fuit hujufmodi teftamentum apud London (cum duodus codicillis annexis) coram ven^ et egregio viro Johanne Bettefworth, legum doctore curiae Prasrogativas Cantuar. magiftro cuftode five commiflario legitime con- ftituto ad February, 17 14, juramentis domini Georgii Hanger, militis, et Henrici Hoare, armigeri, executorum in didlo teftamento nominatorum, quibus commifTa fuit 290 Appendix. admlniftratio omnium et fingulorum bonorum, jurlum, et creditorum didti defundll, de bene et fideliter adminiftrando eadem ad Sanda D"^' Evangelia jurat. &c. " Charles Dyneley, John Iggulden, W. F. GoSTLING, Deputy Remembrancers. No. II. A complete lift of Robert Nelfon's writings. 1. Tranfubftantiatlon contrary to Scripture ; or, the Proteftant's Anfwer to the Seeker's Requeft. 1688. Anon. 2. The Pradlice of True Devotion, in relation to the end as well as the means of Religion ; with an Office for the Holy Communion. 1698. Anon. 3. An earneft exhortation to Houfekeepers to fet up the worlhip of God in their Families. With daily Prayers for Morning and Evening. The fecond edition. 1702. Anon. 4. A Companion for the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church of England, with Colle6ls and Prayers for each folemnity. 1704. 5. The Whole Duty of a Chriftian, byway of Queftion and Anfwer, exadtly purfuant to the method of "^ The Whole Duty of Man," and defigned for the ufe of the Charity Schools in and about London. 1704. Anon. Appendix. 291 6. The NeceiTity of Church Communion vindicated from the fcandalous afperfions of a late Pamphlett, entitled, " The Principles of the Proteftant Reformation explained, in a Letter of Refokition, concerning Church Com- munion." Humbly offered to the confideration of the Right Reverend and the Reverend Clergy aflembled in Convocation. 1705. Anon. 7. A Letter to an Englifh Prieft of the Roman Commu- nion at Rome. 1705. 8. The Great Duty of frequenting the Chriftian Sacri- fice, and the Nature of the Preparation required, with fuitable Devotions, partly colleded from the Ancient Liturgies. 1706. 9. Infl:ru6tions for them that come to be Confirmed, by way of Queftion and Anfwer. 1706 (perhaps earlier). 10. The Life of Dr. George Bull, late Lord Bifhop of St. David's, with the Hiftory of thofe Controverfies in which he was engaged ; and an Abftradl of thofe Funda- mental Dodtrines which he maintained and defended in the Latin tongue. By Robert Nelfon, Efq. 17 12. 11. An Addrefs to Perfons of Quality and Eftate : by Robert Nelfon, Efq. To which is added an Appendix of fome original and valuable Papers. 1715. The following prefaces were alfo written by him : — A Preface, wherein the Author's Charadler is attempted ; prefixed to Kettlewell's "Five Difcourfes." 1695. An Advertifement to the Reader, prefixed to Kettlewell's " Ofiice for Prifoners." 1696. tr 2 292 Appendix. A Preface prefixed to Kettlewell's '' Letter to a Friend on the Great Evil and Danger of Profufenefs." 1704. A Prefatory notice, prefixed to the third edition of Kettlewell's ^' Practical Believer." i 7 i 2. A Letter to the Reverend Dr. Clarke, Re(51:or of St. James's, Weftminfter, prefixed to Knight's " Scripture Do(5lrine of the Trinity." 17 14. An Addrefs to the True Lovers of Devotion, prefixed to ''The Chriftian's Exercife." 1715. No. III. " A prayer which Mr. Nelfon made for his own private ufe," printed In the Appendix to the " Chriftian's Exercife." " Grant, O God, that I may not live at random, without any aim or defign at all ; but that I may propofe fuch ends as are important and material, and proportion my care to the weight of things ; that fince Thou haft endowed me with an Immortal foul, I may apply my moft ferlous thoughts to work out my falvation with fear and trembling. "Make me fenfible, O thou Chiefeft Good, of the fmall moment of any intereft that relates purely to this world, by reafon of the ftiortnefs and uncertainty of my abode here upon earth ; our life Is but a ftiadow, and no man can lengthen out his days beyond that natural term, which is fet him by his conftitution ; but how far and how many ways he may fall fhort of that compafs, depends upon fo many hidden caufes, and fo many little accidents, that it may be reckoned among the greateft of uncertainties. y^ppendix. 293 " Grant, therefore, that this confideration may depre- tlate and vilifie all the entertainments of this animal life, and may call off my care from the objedls of fecular happi- nefs ; that fince I walk in a vain fhadow, I may not difquiet myfelfalfo in vain, nor be greedy in heaping up riches, fince I cannot tell who fhall gather them ; that I may not trouble myfelf by aiming at greatnefs, fince the fcene of life will be quickly paft, and the adors muft all retire into a ftate of equality ; that I may not be earnefl: in the purfuit of fame, fince I muft fhortly die, and thofe that moft admire me ; that I may not drudge too laborioufly in the profecution of learning, fince death makes no difference, and we know not of what importance it may be to the happinefs of another life ; that I may ufe this world as not abufing it, fince the fafhion of it pafTes away. "Grant that I may employ my faculties in that work Thou haft afligned them, that I may fight the good fight, and deftroy the whole body of fin ; that I may mortifie my paffions, and purifie my affections ; acquire virtuous and holy difpofitions, obtain heaven and avoid hell. Let this be my great concern, and let my principal care and diligence be employed about it. *' Make me fenfible, O God, of the vaft and infinite moment of it ; no lefs than eternal happinefs, or eternal mifery depends uppn it. Let me often confider how bitter it will be, to be for ever excluded from the beatifick pre- fence of God, and to be full of defire and full of defpair, without other relief than lamenting my folly and mifery to eternal ages ; and who is able to dwell with the everlafting burnings ? *' Teach me to remember, that more than ordinary care is neceflary to fecure eternal happinefs ; and though we are inftated into a capacity of pardon and reconcihation by the death of Chrift, 'tis not our immediate and adual difcharge from fin, makes me careful to perform the conditions he 294 Jppendix. requires, the negled of which will make my condemnation more intolerable. Let me remember that ftrait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth to life ; and that flefh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdom of God. " Let me always be upon my guard againft thofe potent and malicious enemies that are confederates againft me. Make me fober and vigilant, becaufe our adverfary, the devil, walks about as a roaring lyon, feeking whom he may devour. "Let me be mindful that I have but a little time for this great work, which is very precarious and uncertain ; make me therefore extreamly concerned to improve this fhort, this uncertain opportunity, this only time of proba- tion, to work with all my might, while 'tis day, before the night comes, when no man can work. " Deliver me, moft gracious God, from the folly of negle6ling this grand concern, of being more intent upon this world than the next ; but that I may wifely and prudently withdraw myfelf, as much as polTible, from the noife, hurry, and bufinefs of this world, and apply myfelf more intirely to a life of devotion and religion ; to lay afide every weight, that I may be furer to win the great prize, and fo to run as to obtain : grant this for the merits of thy dear Son Jefus, my only mediator and advocate. — Amen, Amen, Amen." Appendix. 295 No. IV. Epitaph on Robert Nelfon's tomb, written by Biiliop Smallridge : — H. S. E. RoBERTus Nelson, Armiger, Qui, Patre ortus Johanne Cive Londinenfi, Ex Societate Mercatorum cum Turcis commercium Habentium, Matre Deliciis Sorore Gabrielis Roberts Equitis aurati. Ex eadem civitate & eodem Sodalitio, Uxorem habuit HonoratifTimam Dominam I'heophilam Lucy^ Kingsmanni* Lucy Baronnetti viduam, Prasnobilis Johannis\ Comitis de Berkeley filiam, Quam Aquifgranum ufque valetudinis recuperandas caufa Proficifcentem Lubenter comitatus, Ad extremum vitas terminum fummo amore fovit, Morte divulfam Per novem annos fuperfles plurimum defideravit. Literis Grascis & Latinis, Quas partim in Schola Paulina, Partim intra domefticos parietes didicerat, Linguarum Gallicas & Italicas peritiam Luteti^ & Romze agens facile adjunxit. * An error for Kingfmilli, -j- An error for Georgii. 296 Appendix. In omni fere Literarum genere verfatus, Ad Theologi^ ftudium animum prasclpue appulit. Et felici pariter memoria atque acri judicio pollens, Antiquitatum Ecclefiafticarum fcientia Inter Clericos enituit Laicus. Peragrata femel atque iterum Europa, Poftquam diverfas Civitatum Et Religionum formas exploraverat, Nullam Reipublicae adminiftrandae rationem Monarchias domi conftitutas praspofuit, Casteras omnes Ecclefias Anglicanas longe pofthabuit, Hanc ipfi Temper caram Beneficiis auxit, Vita exornavit, Scriptis defendit ; Filius ipfms obfequentiffimus, Et propugnator imprimis ftrenuus. Nulla erat bonorum Virorum communitas, Aut ad pauperum liberos fumptu Locupletiorum Bene inftruendos, Aut ad augendam utilitatem publicam, Aut ad promovendam Dei gloriam inftituta, Cui non fe libenter focium addidit. Hifce ftudiis & temporis & opum Partem longe maximam impendit. Ouicquid Facultatum fupererat, Id fere omne fupremis tabulis In eofdem ufus legavit. Dum id fibi negotii unice dedit, Deo ut placeret, Severam interim Chriftianas Religionis, Ad qu m fe compofuit, difciplinam Suaviffima morum facilitate ita temperavit, Ut hominibus perraro difpliceret : In illo enim, fi in alio quopiam mortalium, Appendix. 297 Forma ipfa Honefti mire elucebat, Et amorem omnium facile excitabat. Cum Naturae fatis & Glorias, Bonis omnibus & Ecclefias Parum diu vixiffet, Fatali Afthmate correptus Kenfingtoni^ animam Deo reddidit. Vitas jam actas recordatione lastus, Et futuras fpei plenus. Dum Chriftianum Sacrificium rite celebrabitur, Apud Sanctas Coenas participes, Nelsoni vigebit memoria. Dum folennia recurrent Fefta & Jejunia, Nelsoni Faftos jugiter revolvent Pii : Ilium habebunt inter Hymnos &: Preces, Ilium inter facra gaudia & fufpiria Comitem pariter & adjutorem. Vivit adhuc, & in omne asvum vivet, Vir pius, fimplex, candidus, urbanus : Adhuc in Scriptis poft mortem editis, Et nunquam morituris. Cum nobilibus & locupletibus mifcet colloquia ; Adhuc eos fermonibus Multa pietate & eruditione refertis Deledtare pergit & inftruere. Ob. 16. Jan. Ao. Dom. 17 14. -^tat. fure 59. INDEX. A. " Address toPerfonsof Quality and Eftate," by Nelfon, 152, 270. " Addrefs to the true lovers of devo- tion," by Nelfon, 272. Asfheton, Dr., 166. B. Bedford, Hilkiah, 85 ; letter to, 86 ; his fentence, 88. Berkeley family, 18, 109, 122, 137, 183-4, 215. Beveridge, 175, 178. Boehm, Mr., 102, 119. Bonnell, Jas., 174.. Bonwicke, Ambrofe, 165. Bofluet, 23, 239 ; his challenge to Bull, 256-7 5 a letter from Nelfon to him, 259. Bowdler, Thos., 67, 71. Bowyer, his misfortune, 263. Bray, Dr. Thos., 93, 98, 100, 104, 13+. 137, i38,feqq. 211. Brokefby, Francis, 72-3 ; letter to Nelfon, 86, n. Bull, Bifliop, 4, 5, 6, HI, 113, 140, 176, 233, 249 ; letter to Nelfon, 254; reply to Bofluet, 260; Nelfon's hiftory of his life, 265. C. Ceylon, Engllfli captives in, 103 ; Confirmation, Nelfon's Traft on, 112, 179. Charity, motives for, 152. Charlett, Dr., 217 ; letters to, 225, feqq. Cherry, Francis, 71-2 ; his death, 86. « Chriftian Sacrifice," Nellbn's, 112, 113, 115, 172 feqq. Churches, Commililon for 50 New, 142, feqq. Church-communion, Nelfon's Traft on, 107, 8, n. Clarke, Dr. Samuel, Nelfon's ccntro- verfy with, 266, feqq. Collier, Jeremy, 69, 117. Collins, the Deift, 77, 182. Compton, Bifliop, 133, 136. Curll, Ed., his abufe of Nelfon's name, 242, n. D. Daily Prayers, 92, 112, 120, n. Defideranda in Charity, 147, feqq. Difney's EflTay, 99. Dixon, Mr. of Bath, Letters to, 127- 8 ; notice of, 129, n. Dodwell, Henry, correfpondence with Lee, 70 ; writes to Bifliop Ken, and leaves the Nonjurors, 73-4 two letters to a friend, 74 ; corre- fpondence with Burnet, 75-6 ; 83, n. 167. E. " Exhortation to Houfekeepers," Nelfon's. 161. Euchariftic Sacrifice, Nelfon's doctrine of, 176-7. 300 Index. F. Fenelon, his Paftoral Letter, 242, n. " Feftivals and Fafts" Nelfon's, quota- tion from, 17 ; commended by Hickes, 64; 95, 112, 115, 116, 163, feqq. 199, 213. Frampton, Bifhop, 2, 50, n. Frequent Communion, 174. Gastrel, Dr., 125. Gochtan, Archbifhop of, 113, 4j 226-7. Grabe, Dr., 71, 101,219, feqq. Grammar Schools, ufe of Chriftian Authors in, 117. Granville, Dean, 175. H. Halley, Ed., 4, 14. Hancock, Dr., his attack on Nelfon, 65. Hanger Family, 4, 6, 186, 207, 254; letters to Geo. and Gabriel, 187, feqq. Harbin, Geo., 85. Haftings, Lady Eliz., 165, 174, 240. Harley, 715 letters to, 133, 224-5, 255. Hickes, 1 3 ; letters to a Popifh Prieft, 5^5; 37> 60 > Nelfon's character of him, 62 ; hisfriendfhip for Nelfon, 63, &c. ; diffuades Nelfon from leaving the Nonjurors, 78 ; 144, 224, 241 ; correfpondence with Johnfon, 249, 250 ; 284. Higden, Dr. 68, 85-6, 117. Holyday Services, when take pre- cedence of thofe for Sundays, 228-9. Horneck, Dr., 92. Howard, Cardinal, 23 ; writes to Lady Nelfon, 36. Humility, 171. Humphreys, D., 242, n. I. Indian Sachems, 136. Johnfon, Rev. John, his works on the Eucharift, and letters to him from Nelfon, 246, feqq. K. Ken, Bifhop ; letter to Nelfon, 60 ; 71; Nelfon's letter tohim, 77 ; 21 1. Kennet, White, 66, 87, 135; his notice of Grabe, 221, n. Kettlewell, Jno., particulars of his life, 50; 62. Kidder, Bifhop, 5, 13. Knight's reply to Clarke, 268. L. Lee, Francis, 33, 51, 62; particulars of his life, 69 — 71 ; 152, 270 ; his letter to Nelfon in his laft illnefs, 272; 286; his office of commemo- ration, 279, n, Leflie, Chas., 37, 71, 86, 259. " Letter to an Englilh Prieft at Rome," Nelfon's, 38, 244-5. Libraries for clergy, 115, 140-1, 213-5. Lloyd, Bifhop, 49, 54. Lucy, Sir Berkeley, 12, 19, 45, 182. Lupton, Mr., his fermons, 230. M. Malabar, MifTion In, 137, 232. Mapletoft, Dr., 7 ; letters to, 8, 9, 20, 83-4, loi, 137, 181-3, 208, feqq. Marfhall, Dr. ; extracts from his Funeral Difcourfe on Rob. Nelfon, 274, feqq. Maundy Thurfday, etymology of, 106. Melfort, Earl of; letters to Nelfon, 34~6. Index. 301 N. Nelson, Lady Theophila, 18 — 20; her converfion to Romanifm, 23 — 5 ; her difcourfe on a Judge of Controverfy, 26; 33, 36 jherhcalth, no, 181 ; a tablet to her memory, 218. Nellbn, Mrs. Delicia, 3, 6, 16, 17, t6o, 211, 254. Nelfon, Mr. John, 2, 3, 186. O. OsTERVALD, his Neufchatel Liturgy, 109, 113; his Treatife on Unclean- nefs, 212-15. Parker, Samuel, 82. Parfon, Nelfon's Portrait of a Country, 265. Patrick, 13. Pepys, Samuel ; Nelfon's letter to him, 67. Plays, on, 107, no ; at Clerkenwell School, I 29. Poor-rates, 117. Portrait of Robert Nelfon, 181, n. ; of Lady Theophila Nelfon, 20. Potter's difcourfe of Church-govern- ment, 178, 226; defence of Grabe, 224, n, 229. " Praftice of True Devotion," Nel- fon's, 156, feqq. Prior, Matthew, aletter of compliment to him, 236, 7, 8. Prifons, ftate of, 102, 116, 118. R. Raye, Wm., conful at Smyrna, 207. Reeves, Rev. W., 233 ; his eulogiftlc dedication to Nelfon, 242, feqq. Religious differences, 172. Refurreiflion of the Body, 169. Roberts, Lewis, 3. Roberts, Sir Gabriel, 4, 13, 19, 283. Rotterdam, Church at, 68. Saville, Henry, 15, 24. Schools for Blackguard Boys, 149. Schools, Charity, 118, feqq.; anni- verfary of, 124, 131; exhibition of in the Strand, 132; in St. Paul's churchyard, 133-4; ^t Oxford, 227. Seminaries for the clergy needed, 150, feqq. Sharp, Archbi/hop, letter to, 52 ; re- ceives Nelfon into Communion, 78- 9 ; approves the Religious Societies, 95 ; difapproves the Reformation Societies, 98 ; requefted to print his fermon, 109; 118, 175, 178, Smallridge, Bifhop, 116, 137,275, 258. Smyrna, Immorality at, 193, n. Society for Propagating the Gofpel in Foreign Parts, 134, feqq. Society for Promoting Chrlftian Knowledge, 100, feqq. ; annual dinner, 106, 240. Societies for the Reformation of Manners, 96, feqq. Societies, the Religious, 91, feqq. Society, Royal, Nelfon a Member of, 12, 240-1. Somers, Letter to Lord, 47, Spinckes, Nat., 68-9. Stanhope, Dr., 105, 124. Stephens, Rev. Ed., 176, n. ; his re- ply to BolTuet, 259. Stephens, Rev. Wm., his Trail on Church Communion, 65, 107. Stilllngfleet, Bifhop, 97. Swift, Dean, 164-5. 302 Index. Tenison, Archbifliop, 97, 116, 119, 135- Thorefby, Ralph, 36, 52, 54, 165, n. ; his friendrtiip with Nellbn, 138 j notices of Nelfon in his diary, 239, et feqq. Tillotlbn, 5 5 letters to Nelfon, 12, &c. ; letter to Lady Theophila, 24 ; letters to Nelfon, 44 — 7 ; attended by Nelfon at his death, 47 ; Nelfon's interpofition for his widow, 48 j his fermons, 107, 113, 117; his ftyle a model, 199; his letters admirable, 230. Tindal, 65. Tranfubftantiation ; Nelfon's Tra6l on, 27, feqq. Trimnell, Bifhop, attacks the Chriftian Sacrifice, 66, 178, 247. Turner, Sir Ed., 174, Virtue, his engraving of the Charity Schools, 133. W. Wanley, Plumphrey, appointed Secretary of S.P.C.K., 104 ; Nel- fon's correfpondence with him, 105, feqq., m; fome account of him, 217, &c.; another letter to, 264. 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