OR, A TREATISE OF THE ΙΜΙΤΑΤΙΟΝ OF JESUS CHRIST. IN FOUR BOOK S. Written Originally in LATIN by Now Rendered into ENGLISH. To which are added, MEDITATIONS and PRAYERS For SICK PER SON S. By GEORGE STANHOPE, D. D. 1 LONDON: Printed for C. Bathurst, W. Strahan, J. and F. Rivington, Hawes, To the HONOURED Mrs. JULIA SHALCROSSE, O F Hatfield Woodhall, in Hertfordshire. MADAM, T is not merely from an Ambition to make the moft publick Profeffion of my Gratitude, that I take the Confidence of presenting You with this Book; but because. I apprehend it, in a peculiar Manner fuitable to your Circumstances, and qualified for a favourable Acceptance. The conStant Strain of Piety, which animates the whole Compofition, will not fail to recommend it to fo Excellent and Devout a Perfon: And the many moving Reflections upon Afflicted Virtue are so exactly calculated for thofe Trials, which the Divine Providence (always Wife and Good) hath thought fit to, exercise you with; that as they passed under my Pen, they frequently brought You into my Thoughts: You, Madam, who have fo great Occafion for, fo just a Title to, thofe true Comforts adminifired here. For indeed the only true Comforts in Trouble, are fuch as Religion Supplies Men with. And thofe, Madam, are fo powerful, that I cannot but pro A 2 mife mife myself, You will taste the fweet Refreshments they bring, if thefe Meditations fhall be allowed the Privilege of bearing You Company in your most melancholy Retirements. My Defign in Publishing this Book, as it now appears, was to recommend, and render it ferviceable to all Chriftian Readers in general. But among Them there is not Any, in contributing to whofe Benefit and Satisfaction I fhould efteem my Labours more fuccessfully answered, than to Your's: Wha have by fo many Instances of Goodness obliged me to be, with all poffible Sincerity and Refpect, MADAM, Your moft Affectionate Coufin, and moft Humble Servant, GEO. STANHOPE. THE PREFACE ΤΟ ΤΗΕ READER. T HE Reputation of this little Book, with which the Reader is here presented, feems abundantly established, by the great Pains taken to communicate it to Mankind, in moft Languages of the Chriftian World. But, fince the English Verfion, hitherto in ufe, was in fome Places grown obfolete, and in many fell short of that Life and Spirit requifite for fuch Devotional Tracts, it was thought expedient to recommend it by a Style more modern, and a little better suited to Subjects of this Na ¿ture. In this Attempt the Latin of Caftalio is chiefly followed; He hath taken fome Liberty in Places peculiarly relating to the Romish Superstitions. And the present Translator hath not only trodden in his Steps thus far; but, in the Chapters which concern a Monkish Life particularly, hath endeavoured fo to exprefs himself for the moft Part, as that fuch Meditations might be ac A 3 com |