Monsieur PETER JVRIEV's PASTORAL LETTER ON THE DEATH of the QUEEN.   

A PASTORAL LETTER Written on the Occasion of the DEATH Of the Late Queen of England Of Blessed Memory. WITH REFLECTIONS ON THE Greatness of that Loss to EUROPE.  
By PETER JURIEV, Professor of Divinity, and one of the Ministers of the French Church at Rotterdam.  
LONDON: Printed for Daniel Brown, at the Bible without Temple-Bar: And Richard Baldwin, near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane. MDCXCV.   

A PASTORAL LETTER ON THE Death of the Queen.  
Most Dear Brethren,  
MY Thoughts are so fixed upon the sad Object of our Grief, that 'tis impossible for me to divert them from that, to the Consideration of those Subjects with which I had designed to entertain the Public. The Death of the QUEEN of ENGLAND, whom God has lately taken away from us, does too entirely possess every Mind that is touched with it, to leave room for any other Reflections. Out of the abundance of the Heart, the Mouth must speak; Our Loss is too great, and our Grief too strong to be suppressed. And to whom can I speak of that Loss more fitly than to you, my Dear Brethren, to whom that Great QVEEN was both a Mother and a Protectress? But what shall I say to you on this Occasion? Shall I attempt to write Her Funeral Oration? That is a Design far above my strength to execute. It may be said, without flattering that Great Princess, that Her high and extraordinary Merit had raised Her above all Praise. At lest 'tis certain, that he that would praise Her worthily, must be Master of all that Elevation of Thought, and Beauty of Expression, which we admire in the best Orators. But besides, this is not, in my Opinion, the Task that is prescribed to us by our Duty, and the Great Design which I have in my view, to instruct and support you under your Temptations. 'Tis the misfortune of our Time or rather of all former Ages, that 'tis impossible, by these Eulogies 〈◊〉 to distinguish between Truth and Falsehood, or between real and counterfeit Merit, by reason of the flattering Colours with which Vice is daubed over. There is indeed a certain kind of Shame that restrains men from running to an Excess in the praise of Living Persons, whose Actions are for the most part daily Refutations of their Eulogies: But 'tis looked upon as a Duty, and matter of Conscience, to observe no measures with respect to the Dead. The Heathens did not only Deify their Emperors, for we are informed by the Learned, that there were generally three Letters engraved on the Tombs of deceased Persons, which signify, Sacred to the God's Manes. When Death has drawn the Curtain, 'tis only the shining part of a Life that breaks through, and all the shadows, or rather dark parts of it remain hid. Which is the Reason that Orators imagine that they are privileged to use all manner of liberty on these Occasions: Every thing appears strained and exaggerated; they tell us not only all the good Qualities that their Heroes and Heroines had, but also alls those that they wanted. And even sometime, they proceed to such a height of excess, as to make Heroical Virtues, of Actions and Sentiments that are real Crimes, not only according to the Spirit of the Gospel, but even according to the dictates of Human Morality. 'Tis plain that Panegyrists labour more for their own Glory, than for that of their Heroes. They would inspire us with Grief; but the Pains which they take, and the Art which they use to compass that design, serve only to convince us that they neither believe, nor are touched with what they say. True sorrow is altogether inconsistent with so much Art; so prevailing a Disorder doth almost deter grateful Minds from paying just Homage to true Worth. For in few years, say they, it will not be known who is the Flatterer, whether he that Writes the Elegy of a Vicious Person, or he who Celebrates a Heroine. But I leave this difficulty to be considered by those who shall be called to immortalize the Memory and Virtues of this Great QVEEN, and they will easily surmount it. For let the Age be as unjust, Calumny as spiteful, and Flattery as universal as 'tis possible to conceive them to be; the Brightness of that Princess' Life, will still be sufficient to dissipate all the Clouds, with which a Party that are Enemies to God, would darken it.  
It was the Custom to visit the Tombs of the Illustrious Deceased, either to Weep over them, or to cover them with Flowers: But 'tis not barely with such a design that we approach the Tomb of our Great Queen. 'Tis true, we cannot behold this great Triumph of Death, without feeling our Souls pierced with Grief, and without watering our Bosoms with Tears: But far from coming thither to Weep, we rather come to dry our Tears, and seek for Comfort; neither do we bring Flowers, but come to seek Fruit. For never did there happen a more instructive Accident, or which could better teach us what we are, what we ought to be, and what we ought to think: These are the Lessons that I intent to lay before you at present. But these Instructions have so great a dependence upon the Worth and Excellency of the Princess whom we Mourn, that I must say something of Her great Qualities, of the Beauties of Her Body and Mind, and of the Circumstances of Her Elevation and Fortune.  
MARY Princess of England had certainly all that could render a Persons lovely, either in respect to the Body or to the Mind. The Spirit of Christianity, which despises Flesh and Matter, will not suffer me to insist upon those visible Beauties with which that Princess was Enriched: I shall content myself with applying to her what was said of another Queen, whose Memory is not yet lost, that She was altogether Lovely, and that it was impossible not to love her. But She did not in the least resemble those Princesses who have all that is necessary to inspire Love, but are destitute of that Virtue which is necessary to preserve them from Love. 'Tis well known that Beauty is one of the greatest Temptations to which a Woman is obnoxious: For that is a Temptation which is ever present with Her, even when She is farthest removed from Tempter's. Our QUEEN was from Her Birth of a Sweet and Mild Temper; She was not capable of uttering a hard word; but she was armed with so powerful and perfect a Modesty, that never any guilty Thought durst arise in Her presence. She was naturally Devout, the bent of her Heart was toward God; She was full of Compassion for the Miserable, Humble without Meanness, Great without Pride, Easie of Access, and Affable; and none ever went from her Presence without being Charmed by Her. With all these great Endowments which she owed to Her Blood and happy Constitution, rather than to Her Education, She fell into the Hands of WILLIAM HENRY Prince of ORANGE, while She was yet almost a Child. That Prince, at that time in the hottest part of his Youth, had acquired in the School of Affliction, all the Ripeness and Solidity of the Wisest Old Age. He found in the Princess a Soul tender and capable of every good Impression. And it may be said, that the Prince never gave a more illustrious Proof of his great Ability, than in the manner by which He stamped His own Image on Her soft Mind. He was Her Husband, Her Father, and Her Guide; and in a little time rendered Her one of the best Accomplished Persons in the World. This was His Masterpiece; He taught Her to Reign long before She was a Queen; He inspired Her with that Wisdom, that Silence, that Reservedness, and that Moderation, which is hereditary to the Family of WILLIAM of Nassau, Prince of ORANGE; who was Surnamed, the Silent, or the Reserved. The Court of this Young Princess was diametrically opposite to all the other Courts of Europe: No gaudy Pleasures, no Conversations of Vain Wits, no scandalous Divertisements, no Intrigues of Gallantry were to be found there. She never would endure any Persons to be ill spoken of in her Presence, not even the Enemies of the Prince Her Husband: For though She detested the Crime, yet She would not suffer the Faults of Mankind to be made the matter of common Talk: And as soon as any Persons opened their Mouths on such a design, She never failed to impose Silence, at least by a certain coldness, and an Air which chilled the most fiery Tongues. Nor did she take pleasure in the Relations of public News, and the Reflections that are usually made upon them; because she had learned never to discover her Sentiments on such Subjects. And therefore those who made Court to Her, never entered upon these Matters, or at least did not insist upon them: For Courtiers study the Inclinations of the Prince, to follow them. So that 'twas no wonder that the general Conversation before the Princess did often seem dry: For take away Backbiting and Public News from ordinary Discourse, and there will be very little left. But to make amends, Her Confidents, who had the honour to see Her in private, found in Her an admirable Openness of Mind, and a Solidity of Judgement altogether beyond Her Sex: Yet She was still reserved to those whom prudence forbidden Her to confide in: These Perfections were accompanied with a brisk and pleasant Wit and Humour, which might have seemed inconsistent with so clear a Judgement; for the pleasant Humour of Ladies proceeds usually from the Heat of their Imagination, which gets the better of their Judgement. But Her Airiness never carried Her to the least Indecency: I believe there is not one Man or Woman in the World that will dare to affirm that they ever heard Her speak a Word that ought not to have been spoken, or saw Her do an Action that ought not to have been done. This is indeed a high Commendation, but 'tis literally true, and without the least Exaggeration. Her great Soul was never put to a harder Trial, than on the occasion of the Revolution in England; and Her Wisdom never appeared with greater lustre. Never was there a nicer Juncture for a truly Christian Soul, for a Wife that was still a Lover, and a Daughter deeply sensible of Her Duty. I know some persons to whom She then did the honour to discover the bottom of Her Soul, which was agitated by so many troublesome, different, and even contrary Motions; where the Husband and the father were contending together, in that tender Heart, which became the Field of all their Battles. But it may be truly said, that She disengaged Herself out of all these perplexing Circumstances in an admirable manner: And that She Sacrificed Her Love, Her Quiet, and Her Tenderness, to Her Zeal to Her God, to the Public, and to Her Religion.  
Such is the Character of our QUEEN, for the truth of which, and that I have not flattered Her in the Picture that I have made of Her, I may appeal to the King Her Husband, and to the Public that adored Her. 'Tis well known, that Conjugal Love is rare, and usually very cold among the Great; the Delights of a Court enervate the Soul, and Criminal Passions destroy Lawful ones, as the flame of Powder and Salt-Peter extinguishes the brightest Torches. But our pure and chaste Princes did not dissipate their Hearts and Affections on Foreign Objects. The Court of England was become a Holy Court. Concubines, Amours, Mistresses, Intrigues and Jealousies were not heard of there. All the Royal Houses by the Piety of these Great Sovereigns were happily changed into Temples and Oratories; where God was served sincerely and purely; where the Divine Service was no longer made a Ceremonial Part of the Royal Grandeur. The Queen had her Hours of Devotion exactly regulated. In the Morning, before She went to Her Chapel, She entered into Her Closet, where She remained several hours. In the Evening She observed the same Method, after She came from thence. How many Prayers did She put up, how many Exercises of Devotion and Humiliation has She been seen to practice upon Extraordinary Occasions, such as that of the Prince Her Husband's Expedition to England!  
After She came to the Throne, Her Advancement made no change in Her Manners, in Her Sweetness, and Mildness; in Her Piety, Modesty and Abstinence from all the Criminal Pleasures of Worldly Courts. With Her cheerful Temper, she lived more contentedly among Her Women, Her Work, and Her Gardens, than other Princesses, do in the midst of all Their Studied Delights, and Pompous Effeminacies. The Court began to put on a very different Air, from that which it had formerly. Vice, which reigns insolently  else, began to hid its face there; a happy presage that it would quickly disappear! That Great King, being deeply touched with all the Excellent Perfections of His Incomparable QUEEN, after a Possession of Seventeen or Eighteen Years, loved Her with more Ardour than others do at the birth and height of their Passion. Besides a thousand Proofs that he hath given of His rare Tenderness, the QUEEN's Death hath confirmed it beyond exception. He never stirred from Her Chamber during the whole course of Her Sickness. He was often seen to burst forth into Tears; and when She expired, Death seemed resolved to put an end to two Lives by one Blow: For the Living KING had as many Signs of Death as the Dying QUEEN. He who never feared any thing; whom the greatest Dangers could never daunt, had not Courage enough to bear so Cruel a Separation. Those numberless Deaths which he had often looked in the face, were never able to shock his great Soul. The QUEEN's Death alone found out his tender part, and made him give ground. That lively and unusual Grief in a Prince, who is naturally of a dauntless and unconcerned Temper, and uncapable of being disturbed by Passions, is a certain sign, that the Bonds which united these two Souls, were unexpressibly strong; And at the same time it is a clear Proof of the Heroical Virtue of both. They loved each other almost to excess, because they knew one another to be perfectly virtuous, and worthy to be loved. For the Love of God, and of his Glory, was the source of their Conjugal Love. And upon this Occasion give me leave to represent to you the greatness of our Obligation to these two Illustrious Lovers. They were linked together by the closest Ties, they were passionately enamoured of each other; and yet suffered themselves to be separated every Year by a voluntary Exile of Six Months. The King sacrificed His dearest Delights to the Public Good, and to the Glory of God: And the Loving QUEEN, during these tedious Campaigns, sacrificed that Dear Husband, and exposed Him to the Faithlesness of the Sea, to that more terrible treachery of Men, and to the Dangers of Battles, in which His Courage engaged Him every moment: And all, for the Public Good, for the Quiet of Europe, and for the Glory of Her God.  
Nor was the End of this Princess unsuitable to Her Beginning. Young and Fair as She was, a QUEEN, and a Happy QUEEN, adored by Her own Subjects, and by Strangers; She welcomed Death like one that had reason to be weary of the World, and as if the World had been weary of Her. Being informed on the second day of Her Sickness, that Her Disease was the Small Pox, and of a very dangerous Kind, because they did not come out; She addressed Herself to God in a most devout Prayer, and resigned Herself to his Hands. When She was advertised of the fatal Approaches of Death, She received the news with a great deal of Firmness, and without the least Disturbance. She made Her Peace with God, and received the stroke of Death, bowing down Her Head, and lifting up Her Soul towards Heaven, like and Innocent Lamb, or a pure Victim, that offers up itself to its God in a voluntary Oblation.  
Think what Advantages the World received, and might have received from such a Queen. And indeed it may be said that never any Person of her Sex, that had a King and a Husband alive, was so useful to Mankind. Private Persons may speak of this from their own Experience, What a vast multitude of Alms, of Pious and Charitable Works are now with Her before God. She was sensibly touched with the Affliction of the People of God. She maintained every where a great Number of Women of Quality, who had left their Estates and Country. She contributed large Sums for the Entertainment of so many indigent Persons, who being driven from their own Habitations, had without Her assistance, led a most wretched and languishing Life. She had the Blessings of the Widow and the Orphan; and Her only Grief was that She could not provide for all their Necessities.  
These Advantages which we received, were indeed very precious in the fight of God. But there were others that shined brighter in the Eyes of Men. Who can enough admire her Wisdom, Prudence and Courage in sharing the burden of Government with Her Illustrious Husband. By Her that Great King could be present in several Places at once. By Her He extended his Empire beyond the Sea. While He commanded Armies on our Frontiers, and set bounds to that ambitious Grandeur, that would have swallowed up all the World: The Queen supplied his place on the Throne; She assisted at Her Council four or five hours together, answered all Proposals with an admirable Presence of Mind, and with a piercing clearness of Judgement unfolded the most knotty difficulties. And in what Time did She rule so successfully? In the most difficult Times that England ever saw; in the midst of a thousand Conspirators who covered their pernicious Designs with the specious pretext of a tender Conscience, and Allegiance to their Sovereign. The Enemy's Fleet appeared on the Coasts under the formidable Name of an injured King, and an incensed Father: within Cabals were formed to introduce the Enemy. The King was absent, busied in defending the Frontiers of His Allies. The Queen watches, labours night and day, takes Her measures, prevents the Conspirators, sees that Fleet dispersed which came to put Her in Chains, and like a Rock remains unmoved in the midst of so furious a Tempest. Every Campaign renewed Her Labours, and still She was attended with the same glorious success. When the King returned, She returned to Her Rest, She retired peaceably to Her Works and Gardens, as if She had been capable of nothing else. Just like those Heroes of ancient Rome, who left their Country Labours to command Armies, and having routed the Enemies, and secured the Commonwealth, returned again to their little Employments. We have already seen what a Queen we have lost: let us now hearken to the Instructions that are offered to us by the Illustrious Deceased,  
In the first place, She giveth us a Lesson, concerning the Vanity of the World, which ought to have a great influence upon us. 'Tis true we see daily Examples of it; but they are so many, that they cannot make a lasting Impression upon us. We are so accustomed to them, that we must have remarkable Examples set before us from time to time, to rouse us out of that Stupidity in which we are buried. The common People, Citizens, and Tradesmen perish before our eyes; but these are unprivileged Heads which fall in heaps, and die unregarded. A thousand Funerals pass along our Streets; and are no sooner passed than forgotten. They tell us of Princes and Kings that died some Ages ago, which now are only so many vain Names in History. The Preachers draw these Goblins out of their Sepulchers, to affright us: but they lose their labour. Death seizes on as many Crowned Heads in this, as in any former Age; for a Crown has no more power now to bestow Immortality upon him that wears it, than it had a thousand years ago. But we have always some pretext ready to excuse our want of attention, and to elude the force of such Examples. That Prince was old, and 'twas time for him to be going. This Princess was tender, and could not live long. Another had done a great deal of mischief, and 'twas just that he should go to receive the Punishments that he deserved. One was hated by his Subjects, and therefore Death was a Blessing to him. And another, 'tis true, did little harm, but less good, and therefore the World was well rid of him.  
Come, my dear Brethren and Fellow Mourners, come and see: Behold an Instance, that cuts off all such pretexts. Behold a Young Person who had received from Nature all imaginable Favours; see a Great Princess in the flower of her Age, of a sound Constitution, which promised a long Life; behold a Charitable Soul, an inexhausted Source of Good Works, and the Delight of all the World. Behold in this Instance the Vanity of the World unveiled, the meanness of the most shining Creatures, the weakness of Humane Confidence, and the disappointment of all the Hopes of Man. Learn to ralse your Minds to more solid Enjoyments, which Death cannot rob you of. And You, who abuse your Beauty to serve your criminal Designs, instead of making a right use of it, as this Great Princess did of Hers; come and see, in this great Mirror, what e'er long you shall likewise be.  
Palaces, Guards, well man'd Walls, Ornaments, rich Furniture, delicious Tables, numerous Trains of Servants, and the magnificent Pomp of your guilty Pleasures; all these things shall not save you from the insults of Death. For if those things be done in a green Tree; what shall be done in the dry? Weep, saith that Great Princess, weep for yourselves, and not for Me. Let us weep for our own Vanity. For She is crowned with Glory in the Heavens, where She is now receiving the Recompense of Her Good Works. But we are left in a World, which rolls like a furious Torrent, where Young and Old are carried headlong to the Abyss of Death. You Great Persons, who abuse your Power, behold this Example; and remember that you shall be quickly summoned to receive the Sentence of Death from that Judge, who has lately rewarded our Queen with a new and glorious Crown.  
I proceed to a second Lesson, which is no less important than the former. The Queen's Death by discovering to us the Vanity of the World, teaches us how to Live. And the Piety and Resignation with which She received Her Death, instructs us how to Die. After the second Day of Her Sickness, they did not conceal from her the Nature of her Distemper: and she received the News with an extraordinary strength of Mind, and with a perfect Submission. Yet there were still some hopes left till the sixth day of Her Disease. But then the Combination of several deadly Symptoms, the Smallpox, the Measles, Erisypelas, Purple Fever, oppression at Her Breast, and loss of Blood took away all hope of Life. My Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, who never left Her, delivered the dismal Message to Her 〈◊〉 the whole Court and City were in despair, all Persons were covered with Tears, there was nothing to be heard but Sighs and Groans: the King lost all his Courage, and both He and She were equally bewailed. The Queen alone received the fatal Tidings without trouble: She answered, that She was ready to render to God that Soul which She had received from him: She addressed herself to him with a most ardent Devotion, to obtain his Mercy; She resigned Herself to His Will; She begged forgiveness in the Name, and through the Blood of Her Saviour, Jesus Christ; and recommended to Him, that which was dearest to Her in the World, the King Her Husband. The rest of Wednesday and Thursday even to Her Death She passed in a perfect freedom of Mind, and in the Transports and Raptures of a Soul that was wholly devoted to God: She comforted Her Comforter, and edified all Her Assistants; She received the Sacrament devoutly, and at last yielded up Her Soul to God, without suffering it to be forced from Her.  
My Brethren, the most wretched Creatures are not willing to die; they have oftentimes no reason to desire to live; yet they will not be persuaded to a religious Preparation for Death. Let us hearken to this Example, which sets before us a Queen, Young, Fair, Happy, Loved and Adored, Tied to the World by the firmest Bonds: yet all these Ties were broken by the hands of Her Piety, as if they had been made of Chaff. O Death, said a certain Wise man, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to one that lives peaceably in his own House: but how much more bitter might it have been to Her who lived gloriously in a magnificent Palace? Let us labour then my Brethren, to cover ourselves with a holy Confusion: Let us learn to die in our Meanness, in our Baseness, in our Poverty, in our Cottages; as this Young Queen hath done in the midst of all Her Grandeur, and of all Her Glory.  
These are truly great Lessons, but I have sound out others that are both higher and more Mysterious.  
First, I admire the depth of the Providence, and Judgements of God. Who knows, whether we have not occasioned the death of our dear Princess, by our excessive Love of Her? If you have studied the History of Providence, you ought to have learned there, that God takes pleasure to break our Idols. Of these Idols some are vain, such as were those of the Gentiles; and these God breaks to pieces in his indignation, and in the Fury of his Jealousy: Others are good and worthy to be loved, but they cause us to learn too much to the Creature; which is always displeasing to God, and therefore he breaks these Idols in his Mercy, and for our Salvation. Sometimes he produces those Masterpieces of his Goodness, he sets them before us, and leaves them with us, so long as 'tis necessary to make us know them and love them: and then he withdraws his Work and his Image from us, and takes them to himself, lest we should run to an Excess, by loving those Excellent Persons too much with respect to Themselves, and too little with regard to H●m, who is Author of all their Grandeur and Perfections.  
Secondly, Here we may see the Condemnation of the rash and unwarrantable judgements of some who say, that God in his Justice shortens the days of those, who make a bad use of them. If ever Person made a right use of her Time, and of her Life, it was certainly our Great and pious Queen. But why then did not God prolong Her days? These are the depths of God, and the Abyss of his Wisdom into which we must not search. No man knoweth either love or hatred, by all that is before them; there is one event to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not. There is a Just Man that perisheth in his Righteousness, and there is a Wicked Man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness, saith the Wise man. The Wicked descends to the Grave with a hoary head; and he whom God loveth is withdrawn from the Evil that is to come. Nor have the Godly any Reason to complain of their Lot; they shall receive Crowns in Heaven more valuable than those which they may have lost on Earth. Indeed we who are left here, are wont to complain, but unjustly; God takes from us Persons of whom the World was not worthy: and why did not we render ourselves worthy to enjoy them?  
Thirdly, Let us learn from hence silently to adore the unsearchable Judgements of God. God leaves in the World an infinite number of Persons, that are like Blemishes on a fair Face: Clouds they are without Water, carried about of Winds. Raging Waves of the Sea, foaming out their own shame. Spots in our Feasts of Charity. And without reckoning the Wicked, how many useless Persons are there in the World? If we consult our own false Wisdom we may perhaps break forth into such Complaints are these: Ah! why are there not a Million of those base and guilty Wretches sacrificed for the Preservation of One so dear and precious a Life? Why do Persecuters and the Disturbers of the Public Quiet prolong their days to be Scourges of Mankind; whilst the Delights of the World fly away with the swiftness of a shadow, which vanishes away, and returns no more? Let us learn, O Christians, to make a right use, or rather to make no use at all of that Word which is so common amongst us: It had been better otherwise. To how many Persons do we apply this Word; if such a Person dies, immediately, we cry, It had been better otherwise. Thou knowest, O God, and thou makest us know that this is a great Error! Whatsoever thou dost is always best. Thy Will is ever good and perfect. Grant then that we may acquiesce in it: Instruct us in the Depths of thy Wisdom, and make us sensible of the Justice of thy Actions; that we may henceforth avoid such profane Expressions.  
In the last place, we ought to admire with the Prophet, the conduct of that God, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. His Providence doth often set in order second Causes, for the production of Effects, which his eternal Decrees will bring forth in their due time. And this Order appears so natural to us, that we cannot believe, that he will change it for another: But on a sudden we see this Order reversed, and those Chains of second Causes broken to pieces. We are in an Age of Iron and of Brass, we live in the Dregs of Time, a Time in which the World and the Church have need of great Agents, and Examples for the Reformation both of Doctrine and Manners. God seemed to have united the two wisest, most pious, and most zealous Persons of our Age, to accomplish his work, and make a new Christian World. The Union of these two great Souls appeared to us like the Conjunction of two great Stars, which, we expected, should have shed their influences on both sides of the Seas, by making Peace to spring out of the Earth, and Righteousness to come down from Heaven. And indeed these effects were already produced in a very sensible manner. Already God had begun to fulfil our hopes, and accomplish his own Designs. When, lo! by an unexpected stroke, he had at last interrupted the Course of those Prosperities, which that Union could not fail to produce.  
By this Conduct God would teach us two things. The First is our own Ignorance: We believed that he would proceed in one Method, and we see that he has taken another. Which ought to make us acknowledge our ignorance of the Depths of his Providence. The other thing, that God would teach us, is, that we should always live in an entire, and even in some measure, in an immediate dependence on his Will. He would not have us to depend too much on humane means. He would give us to understand, that his Wisdom is infinite, and that he has a thousand ways to arrive at the same end. He deprives us of Persons that seemed to be most necessary for the execution of his Designs; and yet he would not have us doubt of the accomplishment of them. Let us leave all to him, for if he does not finish his Work by this Way, he will certainly do it by another. We thought that he would have performed that great Work by two excellent Persons: And he has now taught us that having begun it by Two illustrious Heads, he will perfect it by One. Our Great Queen has been not a little useful to produce those great Events: If she did not lead the Prince to the Throne, she facilitated the ways to it, which his own Wisdom and Courage had opened. She was the Bond of Union between the King and the Nation: She has established that Union during Six years. She has in in her time raised our dead Hopes, and revived our dead Church, God resolves to finish without Her, that which he begun by Her. And so long as God shall preserve to us Him who is the Breath of our Nostrils, according to the Style of the Prophet, we will breathe still, we will hope, and we will live.  
I am not ignorant, that the Enemies of the Peace of Europe will be ready to conceive great hopes from this mournful Accident. But He that sits in the Heavens shall laugh at their devices. He has already sufficiently explained his gracious intentions: And so favourable a Providence appeared evidently in this sad Juncture; that we may plainly see, that he that gave the blow, has no mind to destroy us. It was more natural that this Misfortune should have happened to us in the Heat of Summer, which is the proper season for Malignant Diseases: And then the King's absence might have put an opportunity into the hands of his Enemies to plot mischief at home. This fatal Death might have also surprised us, when the Parliament was not assembled; and by this means have given occasion to the vain hopes, and perhaps also to the treasonable attempts of our Enemies. But the Presence of the King, the sitting of the Parliament, and the entire Union that is between Him and them, are sufficient to dispel all our Fears, and give us a comfortable assurance of the future success of the just Cause. God has indeed discharged the Torrents of his indignation against us, but he has set bounds to them: He has poured forth the Vial of his Fury upon us; but he stopped it before it came to the bottom. We ought every one of us to stand between the Dead and the Living, that the Plague may be stayed. We ought to beseech God to inspite that Great King with wise Counsel, that he may continue his assistance to those to whom his presence is so necessary; and to enable him to fill up that great Breach which will be made by his absence, and by the death of his other Self: And if God shall vouchsafe to grant these our Petitions, we may still without vanity preserve our hopes.  
Thus, my Brethren, in the midst of those Tears, which ought never to be dried up, since our Loss can never be repaired; let us trust in God, and in the goodness of the King, who is of himself full of compassion, as you have found by frequent experience. And henceforth we have reason to hope, that he will unite in his own Heart all that Charity and Mercy which were formerly divided between Him and the Queen. He that loved that amiable and pious Princess with so much ardour, will certainly cherish Her memory, and Her Works will be dear to Him. And since Her Goodness and Beneficence to you was one of her most glorious Works, we may be assured that our Great Prince will perfect it, rather than over-turn it. All that vast number of Altars and living Temples, where that Great Queen offered up daily Sacrifices of Charity, are so many glorious Monuments, by which the honour of Her Memory is more exalted, than by the most Magnificent Tombs. 'Tis true those Altars are but Dust, and these Temples are made of Flesh and Blood, and must e'er long be destroyed by Death. But the sweet odour of these Sacrifices shall never perish; it shall spread itself through the whole Universe, it shall ascend to the heavens, and endure throughout all Ages: And we hope that the Royal Bounty of that afflicted Prince, will also preserve and maintain the Monuments of his dear Queen's Piety, so long as our miseries shall require his Assistance.  
As you must now unite in the King alone, all those hopes which you formerly divided between Him and the Queen: you ought also to join for Him alone all those ardent Prayers, which you were wont to offer up for Them both, Let us then humbly address ourselves to God, beseeching him to cover that Great Prince with his Providence, as with an impenetrable Shield; to preserve his sacred Person from all the Attempts of his Enemies; to continue and increase the Affection and Zeal, which those Nations that God has committed to his charge, have for him; to make him a Terror to all the Wicked, and the Delight of all Good men; to place him for a Sign in Israel; to increase that piety with which his Soul is already filled; to establish him in the possession of that Grace, which shall guide him happily in his Race through this World, and at last bring him to Eternal Glory.  
January 15. 1695.  
FINIS.   

BOOKS Printed for Dan. Browne, at the Swan and Bible without Temple-Bar.  
Rules for Deciphering and explaining all manner of Secret Writing, with exact Methods for Understanding Intimations by Signs, Gestures, or Speech: Also an Account of the Secret Ways of Conveying Written Messages. Discovered by Trithemius Lord Bacon, Bishop Welkin's, etc.  
The Cause and Cure of Offences, by R. Kingston.  
The Spanish Decameron, containing Ten Curious Novels, viz. The Rival Ladies, the Mistakes, the Generous Loves, the Libertine, the Amorous Miser, etc.  
The History of the Conquest of Spain by the Moors; together with the Life of the most Illustrious Monarch Almansor, and of the several Revolutions of the mighty Empire of the Caliphs', and of the African Kingdoms.  
The Vanity of Arts and Sciences, by Henry Cornielus Agrippa.  
The Travels of Love and Jealousy, a Novel.  
Monsieur Serron's Novels, viz. The Hypocrite: The Innocent Adultery: The Miser: Unexpected Choice, etc.   

BOOKS Printed for Richard Baldwin, near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick Lane.  
THE French King's Declaration for Settling the General Poll-Tax: Together with his Edict, ordering all Communites both Regular and Secular, and all particular Persons, who have any Water from Rivers, Brooks, Springs and Fountains, or otherwise, (whether for the Ornament of their Houses, or the Improving of their Estates,) to pay such Sums as shall be imposed upon them in Council, in order to have the Benefit of the said Waters confirmed to them for the future. Given at Fountain-bleau, Octob. 1694. and Recorded in Parliament.  
A New and easy Method to understand the Roman History: With an exact Chronology of the Reign of the Emperors: And Account of the most Eminent Authors, when they flourished; and an Abridgement of the Roman Antiquities and Customs. By way of Dialogue, for the Use of the Duke of Burgundy. Done out of French, with very large Additions and Amendments, by Mr. Tho. Brown.  
Miscellaneous Letters, giving an Account of the Works of the Learned, both at Home and Abroad. To be published Monthly.  
The Works of F. Rabelais, M. D. in five Books; or the Lives, Heroic Deeds, and Saying of the good Gargantua and Pantagruel, and his Voyage to the Oracle of the Bottle. As also his Historical Letters. To which is added the Author's Life, and Explanatory Remarks. By Mr. Motteux. Never before printed in English.  
Bibliotheca Politica: Or an Enquiry into the Ancient Constitution of the English Government; with respect both to the just Extent of Regal Power, and to the Rights and Liberties of the Subject. Wherein all the chief Arguments, as well against as for the late Revolution, are impartially represented and considered, In XIII Dialogues. Collected out of the best Authors both Ancient and Modern. To which is added, an Alphabetical Index to the whole Work.  
A Collection of Speeches of the Right Honourable Henry late Earl of Warrington, viz. 

I. His Speech upon his being sworn Mayor of Chester, in November 1691.  
II. His Speech to the Grand Jury at Chester, April 13th, 1692.  
III. His Charge to the Grand Jury at the Quarter Sessions held for the County of Chester, on the 11th of October, 1692.  
iv His Charge to the Grand Jury at the Quarter-Sessions held for the County of Chester on the 25th of April, 1693.    
Letters of State, written by Mr. John Milton, to most of the Sovereign Princes and Republics of Europe, from the Year 1649. till the Year 1659. To which is added, an Account of his Life. Together with several of his Poems; and a Catalogue of his Works, never before printed.  
An Answer to a Paper written by Count d'Avaux, the French King's Ambassador in Sweden, concerning the Proposals of Peace made by France to the Confederates.  
An Essay concerning Obedience to the Supreme Powers, and the Duty of Subjects in all Revolutions. With some Considerations touching the present Juncture of Affairs.  
An Essay concerning the Laws of Nations, and the Rights of Sovereigns. With an Account of what was said at the Council-board by the Civilians upon the Question, whether Their Majesty's Subjects taken a Sea, acting by the late King's Commission, might not be looked on as Pirates? With Reflections upon the Arguments of Sir. T.P. and Dr. Ol. The Second Edition both by Matth. Tyndal, Doctor of Laws.  
The Antiquity and Justice of an Oath of Abjuration: In answer to a Treatise, entitled, The Case of an Oath of Abjuration considered.  
A Poem on the late Promotions of several Eminent Persons in Church and State. By N. Tate, Servant to Their Majesties.  
The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity placed in its Light, by an Answer to a late Book, entitled, Animadversions upon Dr. Sherlock's Book, etc. Also the Doctrine of the Incarnation of our Lord asserted and explained.  
FINIS