3a a Funeral Sermon. importance it is, what liquor theveffel is firft feafoned with : neither could the think is the only part and office of a mother ro bring forth children to her hut- band ! Nay, but (according to the Apof les command, eph. 6. 4.) to bring them up elfo in the nurture and admonitionof the Lord ; And in this indeed file was moll exact and punctual ; and we live to fee the happy fruits and effe s thereof now in their riper years. For my own part I have had the honour to live for theft eight years late paft in that noble family, and fo (you will fay) had time and leifure enough to make obfervationsof them ; yet to their Honour I report it, and can fay it faithfully, and not of one more then of another; in all this whole time, I did never yet hear or fee, either the leaft diftempered behaviour in them, or oath (worn by them, or unfavoury fpeech falling from any of their mouths, or yet unhandfom aEtion done by any of them. And having thus virtuoufly prepared and feafoned their tender years, her next care was to fee them fettled in the v orld ; and to difpofe the, t in fuch honourable matches, as might no whit leffen or blemilh the unfpotted renown and honour of herdear Lord. And herein indeed God Almightywas pleated molt fignally to biefs her; fo that I believe, So many noble and honourable marriagesin one family, canhardly benamed to have been, for theft many years. Thus have I givenyoua glance of our excellent Lady, in two of her capacities. As a wife, and as a'wtdow. And now to reckonup particularly the many ocher virtues of her life, will be too hard a task, and you mull needs excufe me this impoffibility; for as foon may you expect fromme an exa6t number ofall the bright Stares in the Firmament: yet forceof them I fhalladventure to mention, and do herein much pleafemy Pelf in my prefent advantageover molt Funeral Oratoars : Imay eafily (I know) fall Chore of the truth, but to acquit me of flattery, I ans confident I can have cotn- purgatours enough, even as many as haveeither heard or teen the manner of her holy life and converfation. In the proper virtues of her fex, as a woman, Sweetnefs, Modefty, and Sobriety, in theft (he was exemplary. In the proper virtues of herrelative capacities: either as aWife, Obedience, Complai[ance, Amiablenefs; or asa Mother, Care, Ten- dernefs, and providence; or as Mater familiae, head andgovernefs of her family, Wifdom, Genelenefs, and Vigilancy, in the[e the was incomparable , and then in the proper virtues of `a Chriftian : Humility, Patience, Temperance,' Devotion, Mortification, and the like ; In thefe (tie was excellent. So that a right ex- cellent per[on the was! view her in all her poflures and conditions, cake her in all her relations and capacities. An excellent Woman, an excellent Wife, an excellent Mother, an excellent Lady, an excellent Neighbour, and an excellent Chriflian. He that had but viewedhervery Afpeets and Countenance, could not chufe but fpy out excellent Modefty there ; orhad but happily heard, and liftned to her difcourfe,mufl needs have learned excellent gravity from thence ; or had at any time but obferved her at her devotions, could not have avoided taking notice ofexcellent zeal and fervency in them. Her Behaviour, how meek and humble was it ? her Life (even to the molt exact and critical obfervation) how innocent and unblameable ? her Spirit, how even and well tempered ? I dare challenge the whole world : who did ever ob- ferve her at any time, either tranfported into an unhandfome fit of mirth, or heat into an excefGve paffìon of anger ? And then as for her Charity to the poor, How large and liberal was it ? And here you muff give me leave to [peak mine own knowledge : who had the honour for feveral years together to be her Almoner, and to diftributemuchof her charity ; Imy Pelf know, and God Al- mighty knows too, the large fumsofmoney which have palled through my hands (in our late times of wars andviolence) unto poor diirelfedMinifters and others; and I [peak itin the pretenceand knowledge of AlmightyGod, (though to the great honour of her charity)I was fain many times to hold herhands, theywere fo ready and open untoevery charitable motionand occafion, even beyond the pro- portion of her eflate, though otherwife large and plentiful. She
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