A sermon preached in the parish-church of St. Swithin, London, March 10th, 1694/5, upon the much lamented death of our most gracious Queen by Tho. Bowber ...

2 Chron. XXXV. 24. The latter part of the Verſe.

And all Judah and Jeruſalem Mourned for Joſiah.

MAN, tho formed in reſpect of his Body of Corruptible Principles, yet theſe did the Almighty ſo equally Poiſe, ſo harmoniouſly Attemper, that the Divine Workmanſhip, had it not daſht itſelf in pieces, might have been for ever free from Corruption. For in ſo bliſsful a Condition God Created Man, with ſuch light of Underſtanding, holineſs of Will, Affections ſo Regular, and with ſuch Strength and Ability to have withſtood the Temptations of the Serpent, that he might not only have ſeated himſelf in Immortality, but have conveyed it down to his Poſterity. But aſpiring to a more high and exalted degree of Happineſs, than the all-wiſe God had thought fit to place him in, he fell from his Original Excellency, and Forfeited his Incorruptibility. That Decree Gen. 2. v. 17. In the day thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely dye, took then immediately Life and Vigour, and an univerſal Mortality came into the World; every one became obnoxious to Death, and all paſt Generations are but Monuments of its Reign and Triumph: The Young Dye with the Old, the Rich with the Poor, the Wiſe with the Fooliſh, Good Joſiah as well as Wicked Ahab. Could Goodneſs or Greatneſs, Youth or Beauty, or any other Human Excellency, have been any ſecurity againſt Death, our moſt Incomparable Princeſs had ſtill Sate upon that Throne, which She ſola tely Adorn'd with Her Royal Preſence; but to our unſpeakable Grief, and the Aſtoniſhment of all round about us, She was quickly ſnatcht away by Death, and no doubt in Mercy, as good Joſiah was, that her Eyes might not ſee the Evil, which (we know not how ſoon) may befall us, without a ſpeedy Reformation. Her Prayers doubtleſs, as well as Joſiah's, had a mighty Energy in them to turn away the fierce Anger of God, and to encline Him to Mercy: Yet whatever Benefit we we might reap from them in Her Life-time, we were ſoon Deprived of Her, and that in a time when we thought Happineſs at Hand, and our ſelves Embracing it. A Lovely Scene of Affairs had but juſt preſented itſelf, with a very Charming Aſpect; a Check was given to our Enemies abroad, the King (to the great Rejoycing of His Royal Conſort and People) returned home in Safety, and a Loyal Parliament Aſſembled, ready and prepared to Execute whatever might truly tend to the Honour of the Nation, and the Intereſt of Church and State; ſo that the Hearts of all good Men did exceedingly Rejoyce, and they already anticipated that Happineſs, which they expected (without interruption) to Enjoy. This was the goodly poſture of Affairs, when we were all ſurpriſed by an unexpected turn of Providence: And this was the State of Judah, when Joſiah was gathered to his Fathers; the Jews then promiſed themſelves ſome long Proſperity, when on a ſudden, a fatal Arrow from the Egyptian Hoſt, cut off their King and Hopes together. It was indeed ſaid of him, That he ſhould be gathered to his Grave in peace, for he had no open Enemies, none that made War againſt him, yet not harkning to the words of Pharaoh Neco, who went up to War againſt the King of Aſſyria, by the River Euphrates; not harkning, I ſay, to his Words, from the Mouth of God, would needs Fight him in the Valley of Megiddo, where receiving a ſore Wound, he was carried in a Chariot to Jeruſalem, where he dyed and was buried in one of the Sepulchres of his Fathers; and what great Impreſſion his Death made upon all the People is here Expreſſed: And all Judah and Jeruſalem Mourned for Joſiah.

Which words teaching us that it hath been the Practiſe of the Church, mournfully to Reſent the Death of Religious Princes, the Method I ſhall confine my ſelf to in the Proſecution of them, will be

1ſt. Of all to offer ſome Reaſons in General, to ſhow, That the Death of good Princes is matter of great Mourning and Lamentation, to a People or Kingdom.

2dly. I ſhall Enquire more particularly, into the great Cauſe the Jews had to Mourn for the Death of good Joſiah.

3dly. Upon the ſad Occaſion of the Death of our late moſt Excellent Princeſs; I ſhall ſet before you the great reaſon we all have to Mourn for ſo Great and Irreparable a Loſs.

4thly. and Laſtly, I ſhall apply what hath been ſpoken in Two or Three Natural Inferences.

1ſt. The Death of Religious Princes is matter of great Mourning and Lamentation; and ſurely were it not ſo, there had never been ſuch Lamentations for their Death Recorded in the Sacred Scriptures: When Moſes the Servant of the Lord Dyed, the Children of Iſrael are ſaid to weep for him in the Plains of Moab thirty days, Deut. 34. v. 8. When Samuel Dyed, all the Iſraelites were gathered together, and Lamented him, 1 Sam. 25. v. 1. When Hezekiah ſlept with his Fathers, all Judah and the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem did him Honour at his Death, 2 Chron. 32. v. 33. And this Mourning for Joſiah in the Text, was a very great Mourning, 'tis ſaid to be as the Mourning of Hadradrimmon in the Valley of Megiddon, Zech. 12. v. 11. Euſ. Ecc. Hiſt. de vita Conſtantini lib. 4. cap. 65.67. And when Conſtantine the Great Dyed, how greatly did the Tribunes, Centurions, the whole Order of Judges and Magiſtrates Lament his Death; all places were filled with doleful Shrieks and Lamentations, that the common Good of them all was taken from them.

Theſe Inſtances plainly prove, That to make doleful Reſentments upon occaſion of the Death of good Princes, was the practice of the Church of God; and a Practice 'tis as Old and Ancient as the Church it ſelf, for 'tis founded upon the Law of Nature; How pleaſing and agreeable to Nature is it, to Weep and Grieve for the Death of our Natural Parents, eſpecially if they be Good? Much more then ſurely, if we have any true Zeal for Religion, any regard for the Publick Good, ought we to expreſs our Grief, when the Fathers of our Country are by Death taken from us.

For 1ſt. A Religious Prince is a great Bleſſing to a Nation, a promiſed Mercy, Iſaiah 49. v. 23. 'Tis ſaid, Kings ſhall be thy nurſing Fathers, and their Queens thy nurſing Mothers. A Godly Prince is an unſpeakable Bleſſing, ſuch a ray of Divine Love and Favour to a Nation, as beſpeaks a very peculiar and diſtinguiſhing Providence preſiding over it. Becauſe the Lord loved Iſrael for ever, therefore made he thee King (ſpeaking to Solomon) to do judgment and juſtice, 1 King 10. v. 9. or to eſtabliſh them for ever, as 'tis rendred 2 Chron. 9. v. 8. When Princes are endued with Wiſdom, Piety, and the Fear of God, 'tis at once the greateſt Luſtre and Glory to themſelves, and the greateſt Mercy and Bleſſing which a People can enjoy. Bleſſed be thou O Land, when thy King is the ſon of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in due ſeaſon for ſtrength, and not for drunkenneſs. On the other hand, An Irreligious Prince is a ſure Token of Gods heavy Diſpleaſure againſt a People, and of ſore Judgments and Deſolations to be poured out upon them. Wo unto thee, O Land, when thy King is a Child, and thy Princes eat in the morning, Eccl. 10. v. 16. when thy King is a Child, that is in Underſtanding; ſuch was Rehoboam in the midſt and ſtrength of his Age, a Child of one and forty Years old.

2dly. Princes have a very great Influence upon their People, either to diffuſe and ſpread the true Religion, or Idolatry and Prophaneneſs throughout their Territories. Thouſands, nay almoſt whole Nations and Kingdoms imitating and following their Examples; for what Entertainment Religion meets with at Court, the like for the moſt part it finds throughout the Kingdom. A Religious King therefore is a mighty Inſtrument both to eſtabliſh the true Religion and to engage his Subjects in the ways thereof, by ſetting over them faithful Paſtors, Men of Learning, Integrity and Piety, ſuch as ſhall feed them with the ſpiritual Food of ſound Knowledge, and win them by the Prevalency of their own good Examples. Jehoſophat a Religious Prince ſent Princes, and with them Levites and Prieſts, to Teach in all the Cities of Judah; and Aſa his Father a good King commanded Judah to ſeek the Lord God of their Fathers, and to do the Law and the Commandments; and what great Influence it had on the People, you may find in the 2 Chron. 15.12, 13. verſes. Thus Joſiah made all that were preſent in Iſrael to ſerve, even to ſerve the Lord their God, and all his days they departed not from following the Lord the God of their Fathers: but in his Sons days, who did Evil in the ſight of the Lord, they returned to Idolatry, for all the chief of the Prieſts and the People tranſgreſſed very much, after all the abomination of the Heathen, and Polluted the houſe of the Lord, which he had hallowed in Jeruſalem. In Vide Euſeb. Zozom. Theodor. Ecc. Hiſt. et Magdeburg. Ecc. Hiſt. the Reign of Conſtantine the Great, the firſt Chriſtian Emperour, what Numbers, what Multitudes of Proſelytes were daily added to the Church? And what effectual Care was there taken to ſuppreſs Hereſies, and to reconcile differences in Opinion? (but yet) in the time of the Arian Emperours, the wonderful growth of Arianiſm gave occaſion to that Complaint of St. Hierom, that almoſt the whole World Mourned to ſee itſelf become Arian. Thus in Julian the Apoſtates Reign they returned to Idolatry, and did with the utmoſt Zeal eſpouſe it, Contending as eargerly for Error as Truth itſelf.

3ly. Religious Princes are the Defence of a People; they are as the Walls of a Nation, as the Chariots and Horſe-men thereof: The Pſalmiſt Pſ. 47. v. 9 calls them the Shields of the Earth; for by their Prayers they engage the Irreſiſtible Strength of Heaven to be on their Side. Whilſt the Governours and Princes of Iſrael and Judah were Religious, and kept cloſe to the Service of God, they were Victorious and Triumphant, as in the Days of Joſhua and the Elders who out-liv'd him; and as in David's, Aſa's, Jehoſaphat's, and Hezekiah's Reigns: But when they forſook the Lord their God, his Word and Ordinances, they ſoon fell as a Prey into the greedy Jaws of the Aſſyrian Monarchs, by whom they were carried away Captive. At leaſt good Princes ſtave and keep off the Execution of Judgments upon a Nation, when they cannot by all their Prayers and Tears turn them away; Hezekiah, when ſuch black Clouds of Wrath did hang over Judah and Jeruſalem, that Micah Propheſied chap. 3. v. 12. That Zion ſhould be Plowed as a Field, and Jeruſalem ſhould become heaps, and the Mountain of the houſe, as the high places of the Foreſt, did yet ſo far prevail, that Peace and Truth Flouriſhed in his Days. And in Joſiah's Reign, when that Nation was in ſuch deep Arrears to the Almighty, that the Execution of all the Threats and Judgments Denounced againſt them, was ready to take place; yet by Prayer and Humiliation did this good King ſo far mitigate the Divine Wrath, that it did not lay hold on them, during his Life. When good Princes are taken away from a People, 'tis like the breaking down the Bounds of the Sea; a paſſage is thereby laid open for the Divine Wrath to break in upon, and overwhelm them: Well therefore may the Death of good Princes be thought matter of great Mourning and Lamentation to a Kingdom or People. I proceed

2dly To enquire more particularly into the great cauſe of the Jews Univerſal Mourning for the Death of Joſiah, to which Enquiry we ſhall receive abundant ſatisfaction, if we do but Contemplate the greatneſs of the Loſs they ſuſtained by his Death, which I ſhall endeavour to ſet forth by deſcribing,

Firſt, His Great and Extraordinary Piety.

Secondly, His Zeal againſt Idolatry.

Thirdly, His Publick Spirit.

Fourthly, The time of his Death.

Firſt, He was a Prince of moſt Illuſtrious Piety, one of the brighteſt Stars that did ever Shine on the Throne of Iſrael or Judah. There are ſome ſpecial remarks of his Piety: In the Eighth Year of his Reign, that is, the Sixteenth Year of his Age, (for he was eight years old when he began to Reign) whilſt he was yet young, he began to ſeek after the Lord; Solomon alſo ſought the Lord God of his Fathers, whilſt he was young, but his Piety was ſtrangely Clouded and Eclipſed in his elder years; for it came to paſs when Solomon was old, that his Wives turned away his heart after other Gods, 1 Kings 11. v. 4. But Joſiah's Seeking of the Lord was as clear as the Morning, as bright as the Sun, it knew no Declenſion. His Piety did ſurpaſs that of all the Kings of Iſrael and Judah which were before him: The Holy Ghoſt gives this High and Honourable Character of him, that like unto him there was no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his Heart, and with all his Soul, and with all his Might, according to all the Law of Moſes, neither after him aroſe there any like him. Other Kings there were in Iſrael and Judah of very high Elevations in Gifts and Graces, whoſe Hearts were ſincere and perfect with the Lord, and lifted up in his Ways, yet they had ſome foiles, their Beauty was ſullied with ſome ſpots and blemiſhes: But this good King was unſpotted in his Reputation, and ſo innocent in his Life, that we cannot charge him with any thing unbecoming his Profeſſion.

Secondly, He was a very Zealous Prince, a Burning Lamp of Zeal for the Glory of God, and Purity of his Worſhip, the moſt Zealous of the Kings that did ever ſit on the Throne of Iſrael or Judah, in rooting out Idolatry. In the twelfth year of his Reign, he began to purge Judah and Jeruſalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved Images, and the molten Images; and they brake down the Altars of Baalim in his Preſence, and the Images that were on high above them, he cut down; and the Groves, and the carved Images, and the molten Images he brake in pieces, and made duſt of them, and ſtrewed it upon the Graves of them that had Sacrificed unto them; and he burnt the bones of the Prieſts upon their Altars, and cleanſed Judah and Jeruſalem, 2 Chron. 34. v. 3, 4, 5. Of other Reforming Kings 'tis noted, That they took away the Altars of the ſtrange Gods, the high places, brake down the Images, and cut down the Groves: Howbeit the High Places were not taken away, they took away ſome, but not all; but this good King deſtroyed all the Monuments, all the Reliques of Idolatry, as you may read at large in the 2 Kings chap. 23. from the 4th. to the end of the 20th. verſe.

Thirdly, He was of a very publick Spirit, for when he underſtood by the words of the Law, That great was the Wrath of the Lord that was to be poured out upon Judah and Jeruſalem, becauſe their Fathers kept not the Word of the Lord, he commanded Hilkiah the Prieſt and others ſaying, go, enquire of the Lord for me, and for them them that are left in Iſrael and Judah concerning the words of the book that is found; And he endeavoured partly by Penitential Tears, and deep Humblings of himſelf, to allay the Divine Wrath and Indignation (for his heart was tender, and he did humble himſelf before God) and partly by entering into a Covenant with God: the ſum and tenor of which was, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his Commandments and his Statutes, with all his Heart, and with all his Soul, and to perform the words of the Covenant, which are written in the Book of Moſes: And he cauſed all that were preſent in Jeruſalem and in Benjamin, to enter into the Covenant, and to ſtand to it; and the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem did according to the Covenant of God, the God of their Fathers, as you may find it written, 2 Cron. 34. verſes 31, 32. All this did this good King to avert, were it poſſible, imminent Judgments and threatned Deſolations; but he came to the Throne in ſuch an ill time, when they had ſo highly offended the Majeſty of Heaven, and ſo increaſed his Anger through their many Sins and repeated Provocations, that notwithſtanding all this great Reformation, and the keeping of ſuch a Paſſover as never was kept in Iſrael, ſince the days of Samuel the Prophet, yet the Lord turned not from the fierceneſs of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kinled againſt Judah, becauſe of all the provocations that Manaſſes had provoked him withal.

Fourthly, Joſiah was taken away when their Hopes and Expectations of ſome laſting Proſperity, both in Church and State were advanced to the higheſt pitch; Therefore Jeremiah thus Laments his Death, The breath of our noſtrils, the anointed of the Lord was taken in their pits, of whom we ſaid, under his ſhadow we ſhall live among the Heathen, Lam. 4. v. 20. I am apt to think, that this was not ſpoken of Zedekiah, as ſome would have it; for under ſuch a Wicked and Idolatrous Prince, they could not promiſe themſelves any ſafety; and when Joſiah Dyed, all their ſwelling hopes of future Proſperity expired and dyed with him; then the Godly amongſt them expected nothing but a Deluge of Sin and Miſery to break in upon them; For their ſplendid Reformation was only ſuperficial, a meer veil of Hypocriſie, as Jeremiah who Propheſied in Joſiah's Days, complains, Her treacherous ſiſter Judah hath not turned to the Lord with her whole heart, but feignedly or in falſhood, Jer. 3. v. 10. Having given ſome Account of the Jews great and univerſal Mourning for the Death of Joſiah, I come

Thirdly, To ſet before you the reaſons of our Mourning for the Death of our late moſt Excellent Princeſs; which well weighed are of force to diſſolve three Kingdoms into Tears; For

Firſt, She was a Princeſs of moſt Illuſtriand Singular Piety; She Sacrificed the Flower of Her Age and Time to the Service of the Great God, from whom She had Her Being: No Perſon had a greater ſenſe of Religion, or was more ſincere in Her Devotions, in which ſhe was as conſtant, as the returns of Day and Night; the lofty Elevations of her Soul, and her daily flights to Heaven did plainly ſhow, that Her Converſation was there alſo, and that She had Communion and Fellowſhip with God the Father, and with Jeſus the Mediator of the New Covenant. Her Life was ſo exactly Correſpondent to Her Profeſſion, that She became the greateſt Ornament and Example of true Piety, that theſe later Ages have produced. That Honourable Character given Joſiah, that like unto him there was no King before him, may in ſome reſpect well become Her: For She was the firſt of all the Kings and Queens that ſate upon the Britiſh Throne, who appointed After-noon Sermons to be Preached every Sunday at her Chapel in White-hall, which She was pleaſed to Honour and Countenance with Her Royal Preſence. Now that She did ſo greatly promote and encourage Religion amongſt us, is a plain proof, an undeniable Argument, that (like Her Pious Grandfather, that great Luminary of Religion, both in his Life and Death) She truly loved that Church, in the Communion of which She was Baptized, Educated, and ſo lived and dyed: Nothing was wanting in Her to bring Religion into the greateſt Vogue and Reputation. Had it pleaſed the Almighty to have lengthned out Her Life, Vice muſt have ſneaked into Corners, and the Perſon of Honour, and the Gentleman had needed no other Diſtinction but their Virtues, than which nothing can be more becoming them.

Secondly, She was a very Zealous Princeſs, ſo Zealous againſt the Idolatry of the Romiſh Church, that in that caſe like Levi of old (for which he is ſo highly extolled in Sacred Writ) She knew neither Father or Mother: When Iſrael fell firſt to Idolatry, and Moſes ſaid who is on the Lord's ſide? The Sons of Levi ſtood on the Lords ſide, and appeared againſt Idolatry; even ſo our Queen by appearing againſt Idolatry, proved Herſelf to be on the Lord's ſide, and that in a time of imminent Peril and Danger.

Thirdly, She was of a very Publick Spirit, for when the Roman Eagle began to expand its ſpreading wings, and we were poſſeſſed with the juſteſt Fears and dangers, ſhe with an humble Truſt and Confidence in Divine Mercy, readily parted with whatever was dear to her, nay, with her Royal deareſt Husband for a time; who in the moſt dreadful Seaſon of the Year, ventured on a very dangerous Expedition, ſeconded with innumerable Difficulties, to reſcue us from the daily Rapes committed upon our Laws and Liberties, and to preſerve and continue the beauty of the Goſpel among us, for which the Hearts of all good Men did then tremble, as much as the Heart of Eli for the Ark of God, when he underſtood it was in danger of being taken by the Philiſtines: with ſo much gallantry and greatneſs of Mind, mixt with the moſt ſubmiſſive Reſignation to the Will of Heaven, did this moſt tender Wife and truly Wiſe Princeſs behave herſelf, in order to prevent a near-approaching Bondage, worſe than that of Iſrael in Egypt, for that was only on their Bodies, but this on our Souls: And it might have been of as long continuance too, as theirs in Egypt was; when for the long ſpace of four hundred years, they Groaned under the heavy yoak and burden thereof. The Queen, conſidering the large and capacious Endowments of Her Mind, had doubtleſs as clear and bright perceptions as any Perſon; what great dangers Her truly Loving, and as truly beloved Husband would (in all probability) expoſe His Royal Perſon to; yet ſo fixt, ſo intenſe (to the Eternal Honour of Her Sex) were Her Thoughts, upon the Glory of God, and the Publick Good; that ſhe found no ſatisfaction within Herſelf, till our Rights, which did then Bleed, were Aſſerted, and the Welfare of all the Proteſtants in Europe, which then lay at Stake, was in ſome good meaſure ſecured. Had She lived to have ſeen a ſetled Peace, what great and glorious things might both Church and State have expected from Her?

Fourthly, She came to the Throne by a ſignal hand of Providence; ſo very viſible and conſpicuous were the Rays of Divine Wiſdom, Power and Goodneſs in bringing it to paſs, that the worſt of Men muſt (with Pharaoh's Magicians) cry out, this is the finger of God. We were then in a very low and helpleſs Condition, our Hair was ſhorn, our Strength quite gone, all outward means failed us, and we ſaw nothing but Death and Deſtruction before us; and yet this was the Critical Minute, wherein Infinite Wiſdom found out a way for our Deliverance; and the Thunder of God's Power, the Arms of his Omnipotency brake aſunder whatever hindred it: Salvation aroſe as light out of darkneſs, for God in Judgment remembred mercy. Now that our Illuſtrious Princeſs was taken from us, ſoon after ſo great a Diliverance as this, may ſtrike Dread into our Hearts, and chill our Spirits! For tho She was gathered to Her Grave in Peace, yet for ought we know, it may be a ſad Preſage of many Miſeries and Calamities ready to betide us: Mercies and Deliverances, when abuſed, turn into Judgments. In Joſiah's days God offered the Jews Mercy, but whatever ties and Obligations lay upon them to reform and amend, they would not hearken to the voice of God, nor turn from their Evil ways, which proved their utter Ruin and Deſtruction: And I pray God that our ingratitude and unreformedneſs under our late great Deliverance, may not end in one of the ſoreſt Judgments, that ever yet befel this Nation; if it be ſo, we have none to blame but our ſelves, but yet from former inſtances of Gods Love and Goodneſs towards us, we need not doubt, but that he hath ſtill Mercy in ſtore for us: The only thing wanting is an Heart truly ſincere, and duly qualified to receive the ſame at his hands.

Fourthly and Laſtly, What remains further to be added, is to conſider the Leſſons and Inſtructions to be learnt from this Diſcourſe; the more cloſely we apply to our ſelves what hath been ſpoken, the greater Benefit we ſhall reap from it.

Firſt Then, If the Death of Religious Princes be matter of great Mourning: We may hence take juſt occaſion to upbraid the folly of ſuch, who are ſo far from condoling the death of our moſt Religious Princeſs, that they Rejoyce and Triumph at it. For the Conviction of Men ſo degenerate, and void of all Natural Affection to their Country, as well as Prince, it may not be inexpedient or unſeaſonable to argue thus: That if the thickeſt Darkneſs be more deſireable than Light, if the heavieſt Bondage be a more diſcreet choice than liberty; or the ſight of Fields ſtreaming with Blood, be more amiable and lovely than Peace, then here is a ſort of Men who may rejoyce; but if to be deprived of the brightneſs and purity of the Goſpel, to be haraſſed with Anti-Chriſtian Tyranny, and and to be involved in Confuſion and Blood be ſore Judgments (which every one that loves his Religion and Country muſt own) upon a Nation, then they ought to pay the juſt Tribute of Tears, to the Death and Obſequies of our Great and Merciful Princeſs.

Secondly, Did all Judah and Jeruſalem Mourn for the Death of Joſiah? Let then all Perſons among us, of what Rank and Quality ſoever, learn to Mourn for the Death of our Royal Sovereign the Queen.

Let the Nobles Mourn, for their Mighty Princeſs is fallen, whoſe chief care was to ſupport the Proteſtant Intereſt and Religion throughout all Europe.

Let the inferior Diſpenſers of God's Word and Sacraments Mourn, for they have loſt the beſt of Queens, who was a true tender Nurſing Mother to the beſt of Churches.

Let the more immediate Attendants on Her Majeſty mourn, for they have loſt a Queen, whoſe great deſign was not only to make them Great and Honourable here, but alſo truly Religious, that they might be bleſſed and happy for ever.

Let the Officers of the Army mourn, for ſhe Cloathed them in Scarlet, and put on Ornaments of Gold upon their Apparel.

Laſtly, Let all the Inhabitants of the Land Mourn, For the Beauty of Iſrael, the Glory of our Nation is now clad and wrapt up in Mourning.

And now having filled our Hearts with a deep ſenſe of Grief, for the Death of our Pious Princeſs, what we are chiefly and more eſpecially to Bewail, is our Sins, which are the true cauſe of all the miſchief done us; and will, if not timely and ſincerely repented of, do us more. Let us then lay our Hands upon our Breaſts, and weep bitterly, that the Floods of Impiety are riſen to ſuch an height, that they break through all Banks, all Bounds, all Laws, as if they had got the Aſcendency of the Word, and were out of the reach, and above the check of an Almighty Power. Jeremiah complaining of the many and heinous Sins of Judah, tells us, that Prophaneneſs was gone forth into all the Land, and that Men were grown Impudent in Sinning; Were they aſhamed, when they had committed abominations? nay, they were not aſhamed, neither could they bluſh, Jer. 8. v. 12. And can we when we reflect upon the common Practices of this diſſolute Age, and how greatly Iniquity abounds among us, think our ſelves deſerving a better Character? It is manifeſt, that there is an exceſs of Corruption and Degeneracy among us, that neither the moſt endearing Mercies, nor the moſt terrible Judgments can reclaim us; that Religion, notwithſtanding the great helps and advantages it meets with (than which, perhaps no Age had ever greater) is in a very low and languiſhing Condition, hardly able to come up to the Character of the Church of Laodicea, being fallen from luke-warmneſs, to ſomewhat farther diſtant from the Temper, which God requires: So that without endeavouring to aggravate that, which already exceeds all Number and Meaſure, we may ſafely ſit down with this perſwaſion, that we, as well as the Jews have done enough to make God angry with us; and leaſt we ſhould continue to provoke his Anger againſt us, let us not only Mourn for our own Sins, and the Sins of the Land, by fits and ſtarts, but let us inſtantly manifeſt the truth, reality, and ſincerity of our Sorrow, by an outward entire Reformation of Life, and an inward change of Mind; this will prove the moſt effectual Method, to turn away the fierceneſs of God's Anger, that we Periſh not.

Thirdly and Laſtly, Are Religious Princes a mighty Bleſſing to a Nation? This then ſhould teach us to ſet a very great and due value upon our preſent Sovereign, and to fix all that Love and Affection that was divided between the Royal Pair upon him alone; it was for our Sins, as well as the Tryal of his Chriſtian Valour, that Heaven ſo unexpectedly ſmote him in the moſt tender part, to allay and ſweeten therefore ſo ſevere an affliction, Let us eſteem the early acknowledgments of Duty and Loyalty among the leaſt of thoſe many and innumerable Services we ſtand indebted to him; let us prize him as God's Vice-gerent, as the anointed of the Lord, as the Breath of our Noſtrils: Let us offer our moſt humble and devout Prayers to God for him, beſeeching him to Crown His Arms with ſucceſs both by Sea and Land; that he may be a terror to his, and our Enemies, to cover him with his Providence, as with an impenetrable Shield, to preſerve his Sacred Perſon from all the Plots and Attempts of his Enemies both at home and abroad, and after a long and happy Reign here on Earth, to change a Fading into an Incorruptible Crown of Glory, to be worn in the higheſt Heavens. Now to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghoſt, three Perſons, but one Eternal God, he aſcribed all Glory and Honour, Dominion and Majeſty, both now and for ever.

FINIS.