A DISCOURSE Occasion'd by the DEATH OF The Right Honourable THE Lady CUTTS By FRANCIS ATTERBURY Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty The Second Edition LONDON Printed for Tho. Bennet at the Half-moon in St. Paul's Church-yard 1698. TO The Right Honourable JOHN Lord CUTTS Baron of Gouran c. My Lord AT Your Command I preach'd this Discourse but upon so short a warning that nothing less than Your repeated Commands could have excus'd me for publishing it The Subject of it is Death a thing which You my Lord have very familiarly convers'd with and seen in all its Shapes but never I believe found it so truly terrible as in the Face of my Lady All that were about You were witnesses with how Sensible a Concern You bore the Loss of Her and indeed it was such a Loss as even all Your Courage was but little enough to bear I pray God it may turn to account to Your Lordship another way and may furnish You with such Reflections and inspire You with such Resolutions as if well pursu'd will make You amends for any Loss on this side Heaven Your Lordship has chosen to express some part of Your Grief this way by giving the World an Opportunity of grieving with You which it will certainly do wherever my Lady Cutts's Character is truly known and I have endeavour'd to make it known in the following Pages with all the Sincerity that becomes my Profession a Quality which I must own to Your Lordship I would not forfeit upon any account no not tho' I were sure of doing the greatest Good by it Some part of what is there written I know and the rest I do in my Conscience believe to be true after a very strict and particular Enquiry If I may be so happy in what I have said as to contribute any ways towards fixing a True Opinion of my Lady's merit and spreading the Interests of Vertue and Piety by the means of it I have all the Ends I propos'd to my self in this Discourse beside the Honour of publishing to the VVorld that I am Your Lordship's Most obedient and most humble Servant Francis Atterbury A DISCOURSE Occasion'd by the DEATH of the Right Honourable the Lady CUTTS ECCLES vii 2. It is better to go to the House of Mourning than to go to the House of Feasting for that is the End of all Men and the Living will lay it to heart THE first Step to Happiness is to correct our false Opinions and to learn to esteem every thing according to that Rate and Value not which the World or our own mistaken Imaginations may have plac'd upon it but which in it self and in the accounts of right Reason and Religion it really bears The Wise Hebrew therefore has in this Chapter lay'd together a Sett of Religious Paradoxes which however they may startle aud shock us a little upon the first hearing yet when closely examin'd will appear to be very serious and weighty Truths and such by which the whole course of our Lives ought to be steer'd and govern'd In the first Verse of this Chapter the Verse before the Text he tells us that a Good Name is better than precious Oyntment and the day of ones Death than the day of ones Birth A Good Name is better than precious Oyntment i. e. rich Oyls and sweet Odors in the use of which those Eastern Countries mightily delighted are not half so grateful or valuable as a good Reputation well founded This is more truly fragrant more diffusive of its influence more durable it gives a man greater comfort and refreshment while Living and preserves him better when Dead than the most precious Embalmings And agen The day of ones Death is better than the day of ones Birth i. e. the day of the Death of such an one as has and deserves a Good Name of such an one as has liv'd well and dy'd well is preferable by far to the day of his Birth for it enters him upon a State of perfect rest and tranquility of undisturb'd joy and happiness whereas the Day of his Birth was only an Inlet into a troublesome World and the beginning of sorrows And then it follows very naturally in the words of the Text that It is better also to go to the to House of Mourning than to go to the House of Feasting as Death to a Good man is more advantageous than Life so to a Wise man the Contemplation of the one is more desirable than all the Enjoyments of the other He had much rather be present at the sad Solemnities of a Funeral than partake of those Festival Rejoycings which are usual in all Nations but especially among the Iews at the Birth of a Child Hard Doctrine this to the Men of Liberty and Pleasure who have said to themselves Come on let us enjoy the things that are present let us fill our selves with costly Wine and Oyntments and let no Flower of the Spring pass by us let us crown our selves with Rosebuds before they be wither'd Hard Doctrine I say it is to such men as These and which will run the hazard of not being entertain'd by ' em The Wise man therefore has condescended to prove as well as assert it and to back the severe Rule he has lay'd down with very convincing Reasons for that says he is the End of all men and the Living will lay it to heart As if he had said This Dark and Melancholly State it will one day certainly come to our share to try and what must some time or other be undergone ought now and then to be consider'd beforehand this is the End of all men and all men therefore should have their Eye and their Thoughts upon it And then further We are most of us so immers'd in the Pleasures and taken up with the Follies of Life that we need all methods of reducing our straggling Thoughts and Desires and of giving our selves a Serious Frame and Composure of Mind and of all Methods this of repairing to the House of Mourning is best adapted to that Good End and will soonest and most effectually bring it about The Living will lay it to Heart I have largely explain'd the Connexion and Meaning of the Words which have been pitch'd upon to imploy Your Thoughts on this mournful Occasion The next thing should be to excite You to a Complyance with the Direction there given by the particular Arguments of the Text and by several other powerful and moving Considerations to prove to you the Folly and Emptiness of a Life led all in Mirth and Jollity and Pleasure the Wisdom and Reasonableness of shifting the Scene sometimes and of turning the Gloomy side of things towards us in a word of exchanging the House of Feasting for the House of Mourning and of making a discreet and decent use of those sad Opportunities of Reflection which God mercifully severe is pleas'd to put into our hands But I am prevented in this part of my Discourse by
a Loss as well as You True Virtue and Piety have suffer'd in her fall and All therefore that have a Regard for Them shall bear a part with You in Your Sorrows The True Servants of God shall lay it to heart who from their Souls desire the encrease of Religion and Goodness and know the Power and Influence of so sweet so winning so perfect a Pattern as was set by Her who promis'd Themselves a mighty Countenance and the World strange Advantages from her Exemplary Sanctity and Goodness They that Minister in holy things will lay it to heart to whom She repair'd with so much constancy and seriousness to hear the Divine Oracles explain'd by 'em and to enquire the Law at their mouths They consider what an Helper and Furtherer of their pious Labours they have lost and how much more lifeless and ineffectual their Discourses will now be than they were heretofore when She encourag'd 'em by her presence and by her practise and by the strict attention She paid to 'em made way for 'em into the hearts of Others Virtue went out from her in whatever congregation She appear'd She secretly rais'd and set an Edge upon the Devotions of the Place Every Day of her Life preach'd up Goodness as effectually as the most rational and moving Sermon The Enquirers into the Methods and adorers of the Mysteries of Divine Providence will lay it to heart Why will they say when God has most Work to do in the world is one of the best and faithfullest Instruments of his Glory call'd out of it why is She snatch'd away from us at a Time when we could least have spar'd her when Iniquity and Irreligion run high and Piety is in danger of growing out of Fashion and out of Countenance Why in such a Juncture is this Good Lady taken and why are so many of her Sex so unlike her left Is it in Mercy to Her on in Judgment to Us Is it because She was too good to live here or because We were too wicked to deserve her company Righteous art Thou O Lord when we plead with Thee yet let Vs talk with Thee of thy Iudgments Her Domestics will lay it to heart whom She shone upon always with a singular Goodness who were near Witnesses of her most retir'd Graces and Virtues and had the best opportunities of forming themselves upon her admirable Model and who will now alas be destitute of her Example and Encouragement of her sweet Advice and gentle Reproofs and will be left to live upon that Stock of Virtue which has been happily laid in by 'em that Measure of Goodness which They have already deriv'd from attending and observing Her Finally the Poor will lay it to heart whose Bowels She refresh'd and whose Wants She reliev'd and was ever their sure Refuge and Support their Kind and Merciful Patroness and Friend But above all her Relations will lay it to heart Those to whom She was most nearly joyn'd by Blood or Love and who had a more particular Interest in all her Virtues They will lay their hands on their Breasts in the Day of Adversity and consider how have we offended that we are thus grievously punish'd and which of Our Miscarriages is it that this Heavy infliction is Intended to reform This is the wisest and best Use that can be made of such Solemnities as these not by the means of 'em to excite our truly pious and Christian Grief to an immoderate and unchristian Degree nor to sorrow as Men without hope but to take Occasion from thence to search and enquire into our selves to learn the meaning of these Divine Admonitions and after we have interpreted 'em truly to resolve to obey ' em The Dead are unquestionably happy whose Loss we deplore Happy will the Living be also if they thus wisely thus effectually lay it to heart It is better doubtless to go into the House of Mourning than into the House of Feasting but upon this condition that we come better out of the one than out of the other that we leave our Vanities and our Vices behind us that we lay aside our Affections towards this World and our Indifference towards another that we put on holy and hearty Resolutions of being even Now what we shall wish we had been Hereafter when the Fatal Hour approaches and of living the Life of this Righteous Person that we may dye her Death too and be remember'd and lamented as She is by those who survive us Let us assure our selves that the best way of doing honour to her Memory will be by making her Character still live in Our Lives and Actions that the truest instance of our Love and Esteem of Her is to endeavour to be Like Her for Thus we shall even add to the Vast Reward She is entitled to some further Degrees of Happiness and Honour and shall make the Crown of Glory she is to wear bright as it will be yet brighter in the Day of General Retribution Till when it may be piously suppos'd that the Saints departed are not admitted to the Fulness of Ioy that in the mean time the Influence of their good Examples and good Deeds spreading far and wide That too when their Accounts are made up may be taken into them and the Fitness and Proportionableness of their exceeding great Recompence then bestow'd be manifested in the Sight of Angels and Men. Wherefore lift up the Hands that hang down and the feeble Knees Think not so much and so long on the incomparable Character of the Deceas'd as to forget the true Use You are to make of this afflicting Accident and to neglect those good Improvements under it which the Wise and Kind Inflicter expects at Your Hands You have paid Your sad Respects to Her be not now wanting to Your selves but Gird up the Loins of Your Mind and be Ye comiorted The Consideration of what She was which afflicts You should much rather chear and revive You had She been worse indeed You would with more reason have bewail'd her But why should You continue to mourn for One who is enter'd upon a state of unspeakable Joy Why should You be dejected at Her Advancement She is gone to the place where all Tears are wip'd from her Eyes where there is no more Death nor Sorrow nor Crying She is gone and her Works have follow'd and will follow her to her Great and Endless Advantage God grant that when We also follow her we may do it with as little Surprize and as much Chearfulness To him Father Son and Holy Ghost be ascrib'd as is most due all Honour Adoration and Thanks now and for ever Amen FINIS BOOKS Printed for and Sold by Tho. Bennet at the Half-moon in St. Paul's Church-yard A Sermon before the Queen at Whitehall May 29. 1692. Publish'd by Her Majesties special Command The Power of Charity to cover Sin A Sermon before the President and Governors of Bridewell and Bethlehem in Bridewell-Chapel Aug. 16 94.
being Election-day Publish'd at their Request The Christian Religion increas'd by Miracles A Sermon before the Queen at White-hall Octob. 21 1694. Publish'd by Her Majesties special Command The Scorner incapable of True Wisdom A Sermon before the Queen Dec. 28. 1694. Publish'd by Her Majesties special Command These four by Mr. Francis Atterbury printed for Tho. Bennet Folio Thucydides Greek and Latin Collated with five entire Manuscript Copies and all the Editions extant also illustrated with Mapps large Annotations and Indexes by I. Hudson M. A. and Fellow of Vniversity College Oxon. To which is added an exact Chronology by the Learned Henry Dodwell never before publish'd printed at the Theatre Oxon. Athenae Oxoniensis or an exact History of all the Writers and Bishops who have had their Education in the University of Oxford from 1480 to the end of the Year 1690 giving an account of the Birth Fortune Preferment and Death of all those Authors and Prelates the great Accidents of their Lives with the Fate and Character of their Writings The Work so compleat that no Writer of note of this Nation for Two hundred Years is omitted In two Volumes A new Historical Relation of the Kingdom of Sian by Monsieur de la Loubiere Envoy Extraordinary from the French King to the King of Siam in 1687 1688 wherein a full and exact account is given of their Natural History as also of their Musick Arithmetick and other Mathematick Learning illustrated with Sculptures Done out of French by Dr. P. Fellow of the Royal Society Father Malbranch's Treatise concerning the Search after Truth The whole Work compleat to which is added his Treatise of Nature and Grace being a Consequence of the Author's Principles contained in the Search together with F. Malbranch's Defence against Mr. de la Ville and several other Adversaries All English'd by I. Taylor M. A. of Magdalen College Oxon and printed there Dr. Pocock's Commentaries on Hosea Micah Malachy and Ioel printed at the Theatre Oxon. The Works of Mr. Abraham Cowley the 8th Edition To which is added the Cuâ—ter of Coleman-street never before printed in any of his Works Quarto A Critical History of the Texts and Versions of the New Testament in two parts by Father Simon of the Oratory A Discourse sent to the late King Iames to perswade him to embrace the Protestant Religion by Sam Parker late Bishop of Oxon. To which are prefixed two Letters the first from Sir Lionel Ienkins on the same Subject the second from the Bishop sent with the Discourse All printed from the original manuscripts A Sermon before the King and Queen by Edward Lord Bishop of Worcester The Bishop of Chester's Charge to his Clergy at his primary Visitation Of the Reverence due to God in his publick Worship A Sermon before the King and Queen at White-hall March 25. 1694 being the fifth Sunday in Lent by Nicholas Lord Bishop of Chester Two Sermons one on a Thanksgiving before the House of Commons in November 1691 the other before the Queen in November 1692. by Dr. Iane Dean of Gloucester Three Sermons before the Queen by Dr. Resbury Three Sermons one on a Thanksgiving at Worcester the second before the Queen the third upon the Occasion of a publick Charity By Dr. Talbot Dean of Worcester Two Sermons by Mr. Adams one before the Lords Justices upon the taking of Namur the other before the House of Commons Nov. 5. A short defence of the Orders of the Church of England by Mr. Milbourn An Account of the Proceedings of the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Exeter in his Visitation of Exeter-College in Oxon. The second Edition To which is added the Censure of The Naked Gospel A defence of the said Proceedings with an Answer to the Case of Exeter-College and the Account Examined These two written by Iames Harington Esq Certain Considerations for the better establishment of the Church of England with a Preface by Iames Harrington Esq A Letter to a Lord in answer to a late Pamphlet entituled An Enquiry into the Causes of the present fears and dangers of the Government in a Discourse between a Lord Lieutenant and one of his Deputies A Sermon at the Funeral of Iohn Melfort Esq by Mr. Easton A Sermon at the Funeral of Sir Willoughby Chamberlain by Mr. King 1698. Two Sermons the first of Anger before the Queen the other before the Lord Mayor by Mr. Blackburn Chaplain to the Bishop of Exeter Two Visitation Sermons at Guildford in Surrey in 1697 the first on Enthusiasm the other of the Necessity of Reformation and an holy Life by W. Whitfield M. A. Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty Octavo and Twelves Twenty four Sermons upon several Occasions in two Volumes by Dr. Robert South D. D. the second Edition Sermons and Discourses upon several occasions by Dr. Stradling Dean of Chichester together with an Account of the Author by Iames Harrington Esq Sermons and Discourses upon several occasions by Dr. Meggot Dean of Winchester The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus the Roman Emperor Translated out of Greek into English by Dr. Causabon with Notes To this Edition is added the Life of the Emperor with an account of Stoick Philosophy as also Remarks on the meditations All newly written by Monsieur and Madam Dacier Mr. Waller's Poems compleat Some Motives and Incentives to the Love of God pathetically discoursed of in a Letter to a Friend by the Honourable R. Boyle The seventh Edition Academy of Science being a short and easie Introduction to the knowledge of the Liberal Arts and Sciences with the Names of such Authors of note as have written on every particular Science By Dr. Abercromley A Letter to a Divine of the Church of England concerning the composing and delivery of Sermons The Inspiration of the New Testament asserted and explained in answer to the Six Letters of Inspiration from Holland c. By Mr. Le Wroth. Cardinal Bona's Guide to Eternity English'd by Sir R. D'estrange Remarks on some late Writings of the English Socinians in four Letters done at the Request of a Socinian Gentleman by Mr. 〈◊〉 Minister of Dovercart and Harwich The Lives of all the Princes of Orange from William the Great Founder of the Common-wealth of the United Provinces to which is added the Life of his present Majesty King William the Third from his Birth to his Landing in England By Mr. Tho. Brown together with all the Princes Heads taken from Original Draughts by Mr. Robert White Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the Epick Poem containing many curious Reflections very useful and necessary for the right understanding and judging of the Excellencies of Horace and Virgil. Done into English from the French together with some Reflections on Prince Arthur To which are added an Essay upon Satyr by Monsieur Dacier and a Treatise upon Pastoral Poetry by Monsieur Fontanelle A Comparison between Pindar and Horace written in French by M. Blondel Master to the Dauphin English'd by Sir Edw. Sherburn Monsieur Rapin's Reflections upon Aristotle's Poetry containing the nacessary rational and universal Rules for Epick Drammatick and the other sorts of Poetry with Reflections on the Works of the Ancient and Modern Poets and their Faults noted Translated by Mr. Rhymer by whom is added some Reflections on the Poets of the English Nation A Voyage to the World of Des Cartes translated from the French by T. Taylor M. A. of Magd. Coll. Oxon. Memoirs of the Court of France and of the Court of Spain both written by the ingenious French Lady The later English'd by Mr. Tho. Brown A Discourse of Religious Assemblies wherein the Nature and Necessity of Divine Worship is explain'd and asserted against Negligence and Prophaneness For the use of the Members of the Church of England By George Burghop Rector of little Goddesden in Hertfordshire A Conference with a Theist in two parts by W. Nicholls D. D. Rector of Selsey in Sussex The Certainty and Necessiâ—y of Religion in general or the first Grounds and Principles of Human Duty establish'd In Eight Sermons preached at St. Martins in the Fields at the Lecture for the Year 1697 founded by the Honourable R. Boyle Esquire By F. Gastiel B. D. and Student of Christ-Church Oxon. Aeschinis in Ctesiphontem Demosthenis de Corona Oratio Gr. Lat. Interpretat Lat. Vocum Difficilimum explicationem adjecerunt Per P. Foulkes J. Friend Aedis Christi Alumni Aesopicarum Fabularum Dibectus Gr. Lat. Twelve Sermons in the Press on several occasions Being the third Volume By Robert South D. D. never before Printed Iacobi Patriarchae de Shiloh Vaticinium a depravatione Iohannis Clerici in Pentateuchum Commentatoris Assertum Opera Studio Sebastiani Edzardi Accedit Ejusdem Disserratio de nomine Elohim Auctori Iudicii de R. Simonii Historia V. Test. Critica opposita