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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A41541 Of the Happiness of princes led by divine counsel a sermon occasioned by the death of that most excellent princess, our late sovereign, Queen Mary / by Thomas Goodwin. Goodwin, Thomas, 1650?-1716? 1695 (1695) Wing G1269; ESTC R1070 9,630 30

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Government and a Resolution never startled by the sudden appearance of any sad Accidents or unexpected Dangers But Accomplishments of Nature have been seen and with wicked Flattery have been ador'd in Heathen Princes though the greatest Examples of them cannot by many Degrees reach the Height of our Queen She excell'd them in all the Heroick Vertues with which God hath been pleas'd that the Designs of his Providence might be effected to dignify sinful Humane Nature in several Persons who neither knew nor acknowledg'd him A Crown never shin'd so brightly before though worn by many Kings of the Christian Name because the Grace of God which so very rarely sparkles there hath never since the Time of David spread such a Lustre on any Crowned Head Our Queen whose Loss not only we but many Ages to come will deplore was not only Great but truly Religious She had not meerly the Vertues of an Excellent Princess worthy to command Men but the Graces of a Christian She had not the empty Title of Defender of the Faith but knew and heartily believ'd the Truths of the Gospel and felt their lively Influence on her Heart and the Fruits were visibly apparent in the Actions of her Life She wore a Crown not to glory in the Pride of Majesty but to feel the Weight of it and the Regal Power did not administer to her the Luxuries and Pleasures of a Court but the anxious Cares of Government and when other Kings have been only solicitous to make the Throne easy and delightful and to indulge themselves in all things which the Licentiousness of a Scepter would afford She alone burden'd her Self with the Affairs of Three kingdoms and her constant Thoughts were to provide for the Welfare and Safety of her numerous Subjects in them all This was her troublesome Employment Religion was her great and pleasing Business as those many Hours which she spent in Sacred Retirement and a Spiritual Converse between God and her own Soul did evidence These happy Moments solaced her amidst all the Disquiets of her Reign and eas'd the Burden of that Crown which would otherwise have oppress'd her As she lov'd her Lord Jesus she made him her Support trusted in him cast her Care upon him according to the Direction of the Apostle Peter and her Faith and Hope in him who is King of Kings made her Soul calm and serene when threatning Storms arose and the Hearts of all the People trembled Her Faith did not only establish her Mind but was fruitful in good Works towards others and that remarkable and distinguishing Character of a true Christian which could never be found in the most celebrated Instances of Ethnick Vertue was eminently discern'd in Her She lov'd and did good to them who hated her and they that could not be her Enemies without being so of their Country too felt the Blessings of a Government which they so eagerly endeavour'd to subvert She reliev'd their Wants who would have rejoic'd to see her reduc'd to the Condition of the meanest of her Subjects and who not only murmur'd but would have cut off the Hand which fed them They then who regarding only their private Gain and Interest and insensible of the Calamity of the Country triumph'd at her Death might yet with better Reason have bewail'd their private Loss in the Publick One of the Nation for they soon were sensible of the Decay of those Streams of Bounty which refresh'd them when the Spring was dry'd up As such Instances of all Princely Qualities join'd with the Graces of a Saint are very extraordinary we ought to acknowledg them as Publick Blessings and most joyfully to praise God that he hath favour'd this Nation with such Examples as very rarely appear upon Earth We ought to value love and reverence their Persons to do all that we can to ease the Cares and Weight of a Crown by our chearful Obedience to all just Commands and by our readiness to imploy our Lives and all that we have for the Support of their Government When God deprives a People of a Wise Good and Pious King or Queen we should tremble at such a dreadful and portentous Sign of his Displeasure as foreboding Ruin to us if we will yet be obstinately resolv'd to continue in Sin and refuse to be reform'd We ought not only to bewail the Loss of so much Excellence in the Death of the Queen but to lament it as a National Calamity and to feel the Wound that is struck so deep into the very Bowels of our Country When good Princes die the strong and healthy Constitution of a good Government is impair'd and the Life and Vigour being gone with the departure of the Universal Soul by which it was animated a Kingdom lies expiring when They resign their latest Breath This draws Tears from all Eyes at their Funerals and not only the Court but a Whole Nation goes into Mourning Our Sorrow should sharpen a just Hatred and Indignation against our Sins as the Causes of that dismal Calamity which occasions it The Sins of a Country shorten the Lives of those who are the Fathers of it They infect the Air of a Nation and Good Princes first fall and then the unguarded People perish in whole Multitudes They destroy with a swifter Violence than the malignant Designs of Secret or the Swords of Open Enemies Let us not put our entire Trust in Princes though the best upon Earth for none but God who cannot die nor any of his Perfections ever decay but are unchangeable is strong enough to bear up all the Confidence we can put in him We have sadly experienc'd how soon we may be disappointed in the best of Creatures What great and just Expectations had we from the Reign of a Princess in whom Regal Power was join'd with Goodness and Grace How did we promise to our selves from the vigorous Constitution of her Youth not only happy Influences and Prosperity of her Government but also a long Continuance But how soon were our Desires and Expectations blasted on a sudden and when we did not suspect it a cruel and treacherous Disease in a few Hours murther'd all our Hopes It is then in our Lord Jesus Christ alone who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and who presides not only over Nations but the Persons of Kings themselves that we ought perfectly to confide and if we believe and trust in him be will here lead us by his Counsel and assuredly bring us to his eternal Glory FINIS Isa 9. 6. Psal 112. 6. 2 Chron. 35. 24.