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X54

THE RELIGIOUS IMPROVEMENT

ñess

there

:

And these

virtues

shone

so

much the brighter,

by

how

much the higher

station

they were placed

in.

Gentleness

and

love

to

mankind, and friendly benevo-

lence,

are excellent dispositions

in

any

man,

but

when

they are joined with

majesty, they

imitate the

glories

of

God

himself,

and carry

an illustrious resemblance

of our

Maker. The death of

such a sovereign,

who

sat

on

the

throne

with meekness,

and

love,

and compassion

attend-

ing on each

side

of

him,

is

as

great

and

heavy

loss

to a

free-born nation.

4.

He

was

a

prince

without

pride. His

whole

con

-

duct

made

it appear, that

he

regarded

the

good

of

his

subjects more than

his own

grandeur. He

seemed to

have

no

superior

airs

about

him

;

no

supercilious

looks

;

but

was affable in his

whole

deportment

toward those

who were

so

much

beneath

him.

Ile

had nothing

of

that

restless

and

mischievous

quality of

ambition,

that

takes

every

opportunity

to

grasp

at

more

power, and to

seize on the

ancient

rights and the freedoms of

even

a

loyal and obedient people. The happiness

of

his

subjects

seemed t6

be his

constant

wish

and

highest

joy.

5.

He

was

a prince

who

delighted; to reward

his

friends, and would never

forget past

services

:

Of

this

we

are witnesses

in

a

special

manner

who worship

God

according

to

our

consciences

in

a

way

somewhat different

from the

national establishment

:

he

knew

the heartiness

of

our

zeal for the

protestant

succession, and our

activity

for

bis

interest according

to

our

limited and narrow

powers before

he

yet

arrived

at

the

throne

;

and

the

repeal

of

some

hard

and severe

laws which stood

in

force

against

us,

and

the

increase

of

our

liberties, must

be

ascribed

in some

measure

to this generous principle

which

reigned

in the

heart of our

deceased

'sovereign.

And

it

must

he

said to the immortal honour of

king

GEORGE,

that

this

is

no

very common

character

among

the princes

of

the

earth.

6.

Among

his

.other excellent dispositions it ought

never to

be

forgotten,

that

he had

the common

welfare

of

protestants. much

at

heart,

and upon every occasion

inter-

posed

in

their

behalf.

He

could

not

bear

to

see his

brethren

in the

profession

of

the same

faith,

ill

treated

by popish princes, and unjustly burdened

by

the perse-

'cuting

powers

of

this world.

He

knew conscience

was

a