A Sermon upon tbe Death of the Queen. ---- in the Afternoon, was told fi1e was retired from all Company, and kept a Fafl: in preparation for the receiving the Sacrament the next day.. The Lady fl:aying ttll five a clock, the Princefs came out, and contented her felf wrth a very flender Supper, rt being incongruous to conclude a Fafl: with a Feafl:. Thus folenmly fhe prepared her felf for fpiriwal Communion with her Savrour. When Mofes was furpriz'd at the fight of the Flaming Bulli, and intended to come near to it, he was warn'd by a Voice from Heaven, Draw not uigh hither: PJtt off thy Shoes fi·om thy Feet, for the Place wl'£re- ;, thou Jiondcfl ;s holy Ground. By the familiar Figure of putting off .the Shoes, is fignified the purifying our felves from all Defilements. And certamly the Prefence of the Son of God is more peculiar in that facred myfl:erious Ordinance, than it was in the burning Bufh ; accordingly we fhould fanctify our [elves, and approach with l10ly Fear. · Her Religion was not confin'd· to the Chappel, but every Day fhe had chofen Hours for Communion with God, of which he is the only Difcerner ane\ Rewarder. Some that are High in the World, think it fufficient to pay a Complemental Vifit to God once a Week, and content themfelveswith the external Service, tho'defl:itute of Holy Affections, which are the Life of Religion, or at befl: are fatisfied with a few expiri ng All:s of Devotion : But the good Queen's CoJtverfatio~t was in Heaven, fhe was confl:ant in thofe Duties wherein the Soul afcends to God by folemn Thoughts and ardent Defires, and God defcends into the Soul by the Excitations and Influences of his Spirit. Her Religion was not on ly cxercifed in Divine Worfi1ip, but was influential into her Practice. The Law ofGod Wt15 writteu. iu. her Heart, aud t1wtjcribed ill her Lift i1t the foirefi Chara/Jcrs. She bad a fincere Zeal for the heal in?; our unhappy Divifions in Religious Things, and declared her Rcfolution upon the lirfl Addrefs of fome Minifl:ers, that fi1e would u[e all Means for that Bleffed End. She was fo wife as to underfl:and the Difference between Matters DoCCrinal, and Rituals; and fo good as to allow a jufl: Liberty for Diffenters in Things of fmall Moment. She was not fetter'd with Superfl:itious Scruples, but her clear and free Spirit was for tbe Union of Chrifl:ians in Things elfential to Cbrifl:ianity. One thing I fhall ,fpecify: which tho' fmall in it [elf, yet as an Indication of the freedom of her Mind, deferves remembrance. A Perfon of eminent Worth, who was in waiting, obferving tbe Dirturbance that was made by bringing in the Pulpit at the end of the Service, reprefented to her that the Fixing of the Pulpit would prevent much diforder : but fignified, that Cuflom would be alJedged, and the Altering of it oppos'd as a Novelty. To which the prudent Queen replied, If it be convenient, the Conven ience of the Alteration would continue, and the Objection of Novelty would vanifh. This revives in me the forrowfu l Remembrance of the late Excellent Archbifhop, tho' in Place incomparably inferiour to the Queen; their Principles and Temper, their Defigns and Endeavours were for Peace: And the hopes of obtaining it are weakened by the fatal Conjuncture of their Funerals. The Holinefs of her Life was V niverfal. She was Born and Lived in the Court that l11ines in Pomp and flows in Pleafures, and pre(ents charming Temptations to all the Difeafed Appetites. Pride that defl:royed both Worlds, and cleaves fo clofe to Human Nature, reigns there. The Love of Pleafure is a foft Seducer, that eafily infinuates through. the Senfes, and captivates the Soul. 'Tis ah Ob(ervation of St. Chryft,om that the preferving the three Hebrew Martyrs unpolluted in the Court of ~:?.. 011 'rn";hse a.Gr~~~~ro~~~~;:~~~~n:h:h~r~~;;J;f~~~:eu~~~~eii~!~roF~~Xc:.~~ that 'tis hardly known to it [elf; but when tempting Objects arm'd with Allurements offer themfelves, the corrupt Nature is prefently difcover'd: Efpecially if a Perfon comes to the Licence of the Scepter, that (wells Pride, and authorizes the exorbitant Defires. To be humble in fuch a •high Elevation, to be temperate in the midfl: of the freefl: Fruit ions, is the Effect of powerful Grace. Who ever faw in the Queen an Appearance of Pride and Difdain? How graceful was the Condefcendence of her Greatne(s? Who faw any Diforder in her Countenance, the Chryfl:al wherein the Affections arc vifible? Her Breafl: was like the Pacifick Sea, that feldom (uffers and is ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~;~~'f~~e ~~~j;ct~r~0 ofx:l~?;ei:~i~ ~fet~l~~~t~Yof~~~~i~~nl~~~~~~: of which one Ray is [o amiable. She was [o abhorring from the fenfual Paflions, that nothing impure durfl: approach her Prefence. guf~~~;f~cl~~~~ J1~;~~ ~i~sgh~e~~~:e;~~ ~:~o;b~~~n~~:c~:J~ft~: ~~~Jdi~~~gi~b[~; Eeeee2 Cares? 753
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