The Christian's Defence Against the Fears of Death

quent visits of ambassadors from several foreign princes and states. He was a person who expressed a particular esteem and veneration for the Church of England, as appears by his letters to Dr. Durell. He died the 4th of November 1669, in such an excellent and devout disposition of mind, as may be expected in a person who was animated with an holy zeal, and had, with an unwearied diligence, consecrated all his study and labours to the glory of GoD, and the service of his church. He was more frequent in prayer towards the conclusion of his life; and, when he was private and alone, he never heard the clock strike, but he his knees in prayer to God.

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This is the approved character published of our eminent divine. After a long experience and practice amongst departed souls, and in the houses of mourning, at the request of some of his congregation, who greatly approved of the proper and seasonable arguments that he made use of to fortify dying persons against the apprehensions of death, suitable to their conditions and temper, he published his Book of Consolations. About twenty Editions have been printed in France, and one at Avignor, in the Pope's dominions, with a suppression of the Reverend Auhor's name. How many impressions have been published in Holland, Germany, and elsewhere, I cannot determine. We find it translated into several languages, but was not in our mother-tongue until, at the request of the Author's son, late Dean of Armagh, in Ireland, I translated it into English *. I shall therefore judge it needless, after so many public testimonies of an universal approbation, amongst Christians of all professions, to speak any thing in commendation of this Defence against the Fears of Death. How serviceable it may be to divines in funeralsermons, in visiting the sick, the poor, and afflicted, and how proper to be left as legacies to surviving friends, at funerals, I leave to others to judge, who shall sincerely desire to promote the salvation of souls.

And now I cannot but take some notice here of the high esteem and commendation that a late apparition, too well attested to be slighted, hath given of this book. An exact account of it you have in the printed relation hereunto subjoined. To reject all narratives of this kind as fictitious, argues, in my judgment, as great an error, weakness, and prejudice, as to believe all that is reported of apparitions. This comes to us clothed with all the appearance and circumstances of truth that may reasonably be expected in this case. So that none but an unbelieving Sadducee, or a profane atheist, will offer to question the reality. To confirm the possibility and truth of some apparitions, none can deny,

*Previous to the present Newdition, it had gone through twenty-two impressions in the English language!

that by this means our good God hath conveyed and confirmed to us several of the mysteries of our holy religion; as the conception, birth, incarnation, resurrection, and glorious ascension, of our great Messiah, by the apparition of angels. And how often those heavenly spirits were formerly visible in human shapes, for the advantage, information, and safeguard, of the pious, the Word of GOD sufficiently declares. Now, as we live in such an incredulous age, that will not believe God, and his divine oracles, though attested by the working of miracles, concerning the future state of the righteous and wicked, but requires a new testimony and evidence, as the return of souls from the dead, to witness the happiness of heaven, the torments of hell, and the immortality of the soul: Who knows, but to render men more inexcusable, God may condescend that a departed soul, or its good angel in its stead, may appear, to declare these infallible and undoubted truths to an unbeliev-. ing world But we find, by experience, as in this case, that this kind of evidence is far more liable to exceptions, to be contradicted and rejected as uncertain and fabulous, and sooner than the sacred methods that our wise God hath taken to persuade men to the divine doctrines of our salvation: As Abraham declares, in the parable of the rich glutton, condemned to the flames of hell," If they will not believe Moses and the prophets;" we may, with more reason, add, if they will not believe CHRIST and his apostles, and so many wonderful miracles attesting God's omnipotency and revelations from above, "neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

That nothing may be wanting in this Edition that might more contribute to the reader's satisfaction, I have here rendered in English the last remarkable passages of this pious and excellent minister of CHRIST, Mr. Drelincourt, never before printed in our own tongue, as will be found at the end of the book: That ye may here at once, as in a mirror, see the behaviour, religious speeches, faith, patience, and resignation to the will of God, of our reverend divine at his decease, reduced into practice, according to the excellent advices and consolations that he recommends to us, to arm ourselves against the apprehensions and approaches of death.

I have no more to add; But I beseech our merciful and heavenly Father, to grant us all the grace, the like faith, and Christian resolu tion, that we may not fear death, nor its consequences; but may be always ready prepared and provided to embrace it with joy and submission to the pleasure of GOD, and the decrees of Heaven, whenever our Almighty Creator and Redeemer shall think fit to summon us, and take us to himself,

M. D'ASSIGNY.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE only sure criterion by which the real excellence of this Book

may be ascertained is, the rapid sale of the preceding editions. So well has it been approved by all persons, though of different sentiments in religion, that it has been about twenty times printed in France, besides in Holland and elsewhere. And in England, previous to the present, it has gone through twenty-two editions. On these grounds, and at the solicitation of many friends, desirous that so valuable a book should be circulated as much as possible in the present age, and find its way into the hands of thousands who otherwise would remain ignorant of such a divine treasure, the Publisher has been encouraged to bring forward this new, improved, and elegant Edition, (with some valuable additions), which is printed with an excellent New Letter, upon superfine Paper, and embellished with an elegant Portrait of the Author.

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