The christian's
exercise: or, rules to live above the world while we are in it; with
meditations, hymns and soliloquies, suited to the several stages of
Christian life. In four parts. By Thomas à Kempis. To which is annex'd,
an appendix of Letters, Dialogues, &c. Address'd to all the true
Lovers of Devotion, by Robert Nelson, Esq; The second edition revised.
To which is added, a prayer which Mr. Nelson made for his own private
use. And a Letter wrote by Abp. Tillotson to his Sick Friend
1717 second revised edition, Charles Rivington, at the Bible and Crown
in St. Paul’s Church Yard (London), 5 1/8 x 7 7/8 inches tall brown
cloth hardcover, recently rebound, gilt lettering to spine, ribbon
marker sewn in, refreshed endpapers, [24], xvi, [16], 440 pp. Lacking
frontispiece, but an otherwise complete copy with all six full-page
engraved plates. Paper repairs to the tips of the title page and next
couple of pages. Prior owner names to title page. Otherwise, apart from
some pages with a bit of age toning, a very good copy - clean and
unmarked - of this scarce imprint. ESTC (No. T165675) locates only a
dozen copies at institutions worldwide.
A translation into
English and adaptation of the spiritual writings of Thomas a Kempis
(1380-1471) in Latin, by English lay religious writer and nonjuror
Robert Nelson (1656-1715). Nelson became known during the reign of Queen
Anne for his religious writings, some of which were circulated by the
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The writings Nelson draws
from for this compilation are by a Kempis, author/editor of the immortal
Imitation of Christ, which he wrote between 1420 and 1427, at Mount
Saint Agnes monastery, in the town of Windesheim, located in what is now
the Netherlands. He wrote these works for the instruction of novices of
his Augustinian monastic order, followers of Geert Groote's Brethren of
the Common Life. But the writings quickly became popular among all the
literate faithful.