THE PORTRAIT OF ST. PAUL: OR, THE TRUE MODEL FOR CHRISTIANS AND PASTORS. TRANSLATED FROM A FRENCH MANUSCRIPT OF THE LATE REV. JOHN WILLIAM DE LA FLECHERE, VICAR OF MADELEY. BY THE REV. JOSHUA GILPIN, VICAR OF ROCKWARDINE, IN THE COUNTY OF SALOP. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." 1 COR. xi. 1. ΤΟ JAMES IRELAND, ESQ., OF BRISLINGTON, NEAR BRISTOL THE FOLLOWING WORK Is respectfully addressed, AS A MONUMENT OF THE LONG AND INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP WHICH SUBSISTED BETWEEN HIM AND THE AUTHOR, AND AS A PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE VERY LIBERAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT WITH WHICH HE HAS FAVOURED HIS TRULY OBLIGED AND OBEDIENT SERVANT, THE TRANSLATOR. INTRODUCTION. THE following work was begun, and nearly completed, in the course of M. de la Flechere's last residence at Nyon, where it formed a valuable part of his private labours during a long and painful confinement from public duty. On his return to England, he suffered the manuscript to lie by him in a very loose and disordered state, intending, at his leisure, to translate and prepare it for the press. In the mean time he entered upon the arduous task of revising and enlarging a French poem which he had lately published at Geneva, under the title of La Louange, and which was reprinted at London in the year 1785, under the title of La Grâce et la Nature. The second appearance of this poem was speedily followed by the dissolution of the author. Soon after this melancholy event had taken place, Mrs. de la Flechere, in looking over the papers of the deceased, discovered the first part of the Portrait of St. Paul, with the perusal of which she favoured the translator, who, finding it a work of no common importance, was readily induced to render it into English. From time to time different parts of the work were discovered, and though the manuscript was so incorrect and confused, as frequently to stagger the resolution of the translator, yet a strong persuasion that the work was calculated to produce the most desirable effects, encouraged him to persevere till he had completed his undertaking. It is scarcely necessary to inform the intelligent reader, that the Portrait of St. Paul was originally intended for publication in the author's native country, to which its arguments and quotations apply with peculiar propriety. It may be more necessary to observe, that, had the life of M. de la Flechere been prolonged, the traits of St. Paul's moral character would have been rendered abundantly more copious and complete. The translator cannot suffer a second edition of these volumes to make its appearance in the world without thankfully acknowledging the candid reception with which the first edition has been favoured, and expressing his hearty desire that the work may conduce, in some degree, to the establishment of that pure and undefiled religion which it was evidently intended to promote. ROCKWARDINE, March 14th, 1791. |