V

The P K E F A C H.

the Living to expeB Acts of Grace fromMen , who have not done common Justiceto the Memory of the Dead. And indeedit must he confessed, that many of the pre-sent Fathers of the Church have found byExperience , that this gracious Disposition ,extends not to the whole human Species, hutis confind to the Houfhold of Infidelity.For seldom does any one appear iu Defenceof Reveal’d Religion, or of the writtenRule thereof he his Station ever so high-and his Engagements ever so strong ., butthese benevolent Gentlemen immediatelylet loose their Indignation , and treat himwithout any regard to Justice or even tocommon Decency. Now the living Friendsto Religion, are very able to do themselvesRight against these Depravers, if theirknown Characters did not render all per-sonal Defence needless. But for the ve-nerable Sages of the ancient Church ,whose History lies more out of commonView , Justice as well as the Interest ofReligion calls upon us to clear up theirMemories , and to wash off that Load ofDirt , which the Author of the Discourse

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