The Righteous shall be in everlasting Remembrance. Pf. cxii. 6. nejjes, let us lay aside every Weight, and the Sin which doth is set before us, Heb. xii. 1. Atatutis, dicamus facramusque memoriam ; ne volumine S. Auguft. de Civit. Dei, lib. x. c. 4. S. Hieron, ad Euftoch. de Caft. Virg. LONDON, WICKSTEED, B. Dod, J. BEACROFT, J. FULLER, P. MDCCLVII. D. R Obert Nelson, Esquire, the pious Author of this excellent Book, was born the 22d of June 1656, being the Son of Mr. John Nelson, a considerable Turkey Merchant of London, and Delicia his Wife, Sister to Sir Gabriel Roberts, a Turkey Merchant also of the fame City. His Father dying when he was young, he was left to the Care of his Mother, and her Brother Sir Gabriel, who being made his Guardian, was very careful of the Education of this his Nephew, who was indeed beloved by every one, being a most beautiful Youth, and of fine natural Parts. He was for some time at St. Paul's School in London; but the principal Part of his Education was under a private Tutor in his Mother'sHouse, from whence he went to Trinity College in Cambridge, where he was entered Fellow Commoner. He married the Lady Theophila Lucy, Relict of Sir Kingsman Lucy, and Daughter of John late Earl of Berkeley. His Lady, enjoyed but an ill State of Health; for the Recovery, it he passed over with her into France, and went to Aix la Chapelle, where he continued some Time, and afterwards proceeded on his Travels thro' France, Italy, and Germany. Never was any Englishman known to be more caressed in all the foreign Courts which he visited, as the many Letters written to him from Princes, Ministers of State, and Persons of Distinction, do abundantly testify. Nor was he less esteemed in England, his ACquaintance being generally among such as were most remarkable for Piety and Learning, of whom the good Mr. Kettlewell was one ; 1 here particularly mention him, because to him we owe Mr. Nelson's first engaging in this useful Work: Which whosoever reads, will find it no small A 2 small Addition to the Pleasure and Advantage he shall reap by it, to consider that it is the Work of a fine Gentleman, and one who never entered into holy Orders; because this will shew what Injustice those Men do to our most Holy Religion, who represent it as a morose, narrow spirited Institution, fit only to be practised by Hermits and Recluses. Mr. Nelson's other Qualifications, of a comely Personage, a genteel Deportment, and a fair Fortune, were so far from being inconsistent with that genuine Spirit of Piety which always thewed itself in him, that they were no small Ornaments to it: Those external Endowments of Nature and Fortune served to fet off, and make his Virtue the more amiable and captivating; as his Virtue made those which are by themselves unworthy to be esteemed, appear as real Accompliíhments. His Corpse was deposited in the New Burying Ground, in Lambs-Conduit Fields, then first consecrated on that Occasion. A square Monument was afterwards erected over him, containing, on the four Sides of it, the following Inscription drawn up by George Smaldrige Lord Bishop of Bristol. HI. S. E. Habentium, Matre Deliciis Sorore Honoratiflimam Dominam Theophilam Summo amore fovit, morte divulsam Literis Græcis & Latinis, Quas partim in Schola Paulina, In omni fere Literarum genere versatus, Inter Clericos enituit Laicus. Poftquam diversas Civitatum Monarchiæ domi conftitutæ præpofuit, Cæteras omnes Ecclefias Anglicanæ longe pofthabuit : Hanc ipfi femper caram Beneficiis auxit, Scriptis defendit, Bene inftruendos, Cui non se libenter socium addidit. Hisce ftudiis & temporis & opum |