A Practical Discourse Upon the DEATH Of Our LATE Graeious QUEEN BEING A SERMON PREACH'D The 10th of March 1694 5 at St. James Clarkenwell By D. Pead Chaplain to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle Publish'd at the Request of the PARISHIONERS LONDON Printed for Abel Roper E. Wilkinson and Roger Clavel over against St. Dunstans Church Fleetstreet and Joseph Fox at the Seven Stars in Westminster-Hall 1695. St. Luke 28th Vers 23d Latter part Weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children THESE Words were spoken by Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary and other Women whose Devotion led them to attend him in the Agonies of Death I shall at present consider â—hem as coming from our late Gracious Queen at Her Departure and in this Sense you may look upon them as Her Last Advice or Legacy to us and 〈◊〉 all of both Sexes within this Realm Weep not for me but c. Here we find Two Parts 1. A Prohibition Weep not for me 2. An Injunction but weep for your selves First The Prohibition or Caution Weep not 〈◊〉 me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To weep imports more than a bare weepâ—â—g or shedding of tears for it signifies also an Ejulation Howling or Crying out moreover it implies an Hearty and Intrinsecal Sorrow arising from a due consideration of our present pressure So that in a Day of Calamity such as this when God hath called us to Mourning and Lamentation for any to say They cannot weep for they are of too dry a Constitution will be no excuse for admit they have not Tears at their disposal yet unless they are stupid and senseless or possest with a Stoical Apathy they cannot but be greatly affected with what is come to pass and this is one sort of weeping though we weep best when both the eyes drop and the heart sighs Weep not â—â—ot Not you may observe in Reading the Scripture is not always taken as an Absolute Denyal but sometimes it is used in a Comparative Sense and directâ— us in two several things which is better and morâ— expedient â—â—t 9. Thus * I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice God did not hereby prohibit Sacrificing 〈◊〉 but minded them that Love and Charity should bâ— mixed with their Piety and Devotion So also 〈◊〉 †which comes up to our present purpose Reâ—â— your hearts â—â—el 2. and not your garments i. e. Rather grievâ— inwardly than outwardly the humbling youâ— Hearts and the afflicting your Souls is a muâ—â— better Testimony of your Mourning than the Taring your Robes though this you may doe yet the other you ought not to leave undone Weep not These words and the Age sute together for tho' Wise Solomon affirms * 〈…〉 There is as proper a Season â—or Sorrow as for Mirth yet many of us are slow â—f heart to believe him We are grown like the â—nhabitants of Tambutum in Affrick whom Travelâ—ers report to spend their days in Singing and Daunâ—ing the great business of our time is to drive away â—orrow The Reproof given the Jews †Maâ—â— 11.1 is very Applicable â—o us they were like those Children which their â—ellows complain'd on saying We have Piped unto â—ou and you have not Daunced we have Mourned â—nto you and you have not Lamented Neither Mirth â—or Sorrow Prosperity nor Adversity affect us as â—hey ought When God listed up his Countenance â—pon this disconsolate Kingdom and with a Graciâ—us King and Queen Restor'd our Religion Laws â—ives and Liberties In how few did their Hearts â—aunce for Joy and now he hath taken from our â—ead our great Queen How few in this Lamentaâ—le Catastrophe are true Mourners Weep not for me Your Tears I want not they cannot reverse the Sentence already executed such Lamentation for me is as Impertinent as Invocation of the Virgiâ— is Idolatrous For How can Mortals Believe 〈◊〉 that we in Abraham's Bosome take Cognisance oâ— what they do or suffer 〈◊〉 63. when * Abraham himself 〈◊〉 in such cases is ignorant While in the Body I had and show'd Compassion but it is one Priviledge of Heaven to bâ— above all occasions of it We are so Ravish'd witâ— the Glorious Presence and so Diligent at our Haâ—lelujahs that had we Intelligence yet we wanteâ— Opportunity to consider your Circumstances Weep not for me because Dead and Dâ—parted No more in this is befallen me than what waâ— Natural than what I ever Expected Death is thâ— common Lot of Mortals neither Crown nor Scepter Authority nor Treasures Health or Beauty 〈◊〉 Youth or Strength Wit or Policy no nor Grace 〈◊〉 self is a Sanctuary from the Arrest of Death 〈◊〉 not onely Kings and Queens Emperours anâ— Emperesses but Mary the Mother and Lazarus thâ— Favourite of the Lord of Life have gone this way before Me. 3. Weep not for Me because so early Dead Death is a Lawless Tyrant observing no Rules moving in no steady course some he seizes in their full strength their bones well-stor'd with Marrow and their breasts with Milk * Job â—â— 24. On some â—e steals sending no fatal Symptoms as Fore-runâ—ers Death is grown dainty and indulges himself â—ith Variety as well High as Low Poor as Rich â—trong as Weak Healthy as Crazy Young as Old â—e feeds upon He Respites not the Strong till he hath first disâ—atcht the Feeble and the Decrepit he will someâ—â—mes neglect an old weather-beaten and tottering â—â—ottage while he takes a pride to demolish a newâ—â—ected Pallace he is too bold to pass by him â—â—at handleth the Sword to take him that leaneth 〈◊〉 his Staff nor hath he the tenderness to pity â—â—e Beautiful in their Flower and Prime and take 〈◊〉 with the Old and Wither'd but when e'r 〈◊〉 pleases he makes bold with all For †Ps 89.48 What â—â—an is he that liveth and shall not see death The â—â—ave is our home we are but wanderers till we come there The youngest is old enough to die Death's Scythe will cut as will the Green as Ripe Grass 4. Weep not for Me in that Death hath snatcht me so hastily away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those whom God Loves he soonest sends for you may think it too soon yet to me a Sinner he conceeded as long if not longer duration than to his Son in whom was no sin Weep till you are planted in the Garden of God for it is his particular care to House his Choice Plants and not leave them too long expos'd to Storms 5. Weep not for me as if by Death I were a Loser Though dead yet am I not kill'd with Death * I dy'd to live â—â—v 2. For me to die was gain I have left my Heavy Thorny and Anxious Crown but speak it not that you should weep having in exchange receiv'd from him for whom I Reign'd among you an Immarcessible Crown oâ— Glory 'T is true I have left my Palace my Train and Attendance who may bemoan my Retiring but these I
cannot miss being arriy'd at the Heavenly Jerusalem and incorporated in an Innumerable Company of Angels I am come to a Glorious Assembly of holy and happy Souls Some accounted my Life Madness and that I was beside my self in that I exerted not my Authority consumed not my Revenue to the Pampering and Indulging Nature my Devotion and Charity my VVatchfulness over my self my Circumspection among my Attendants was a Riddle if not a Scorn to others but how sweet was the Reflexion in the Agonies of Death and how Merciful hath the Gracious Lord rewarded those small pittances of Duty and Service Weep not for me for * Psaâ— 11. verily there is a Reward for the Righteous But methinks I hear of some of you protesting your noble and grateful tempers cannot dispence with this Counsel but though she neither wants nor takes notice of your Tears Though Death be as natural to Princes as to Beggars Though an early departure to Bliss be an happiness And though she is the Gainer by Exchange of Crowns yet you must and will Weep you cannot refrain 1. Because Tears are the Due Rights the Accustom'd Benevolence paid to departed Friends it was not Reason but Morossness that Spoke in Ennius Nemo me decoret Lachrymis Tears are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justa defunctorum the Dues the Tribute belonging to the Dead Thus Abraham a great Prince bemoaned his deceased Sarah Jacob Moses Samuel and many others were Lamented when dead because they had been so useful and good when Living The Greater the Person the higher in degree and Quality the more Religious and Beneficial in his Generation the Greater was the lamentation thus Ahijah †Jeroboam's Son died and by God's Special Command King 13. all Israel Mourned for him and the Reason is there given Some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel was found in him But when the Good King Josiah was taken away by death * Chron. 31. his death was in an extraordinary manner Lamented all Judah and Jerusalem Condoled him †The Prophet Jeremiah's head was as a Fountain of Tears â—ers 25. all the Singing Men and Singing Women made great Lamentation for him Such was the Mourning for that good Prince so that it grew into a Proverb â—â—ch 12. * As the Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddon The Comparison were at hand had Grief a Tongue and delighted in Loquacity Was Josiah zealous for the Lord according to the Law of Moses Who more zealous than the Late Queen whose Translation hence we now Commemorate She was zealous for God both according to the Law and the Gospel How industrious was She to Suppress Swearing Drunkenness Whoredom and Sabbath-breaking And how did She commend each respective duty of the Gospel to Her Subjects by her own Practice and Example Was Josiah zealous against Idolatry She more against all Idolatry and Prophaneness Did he turn unto the Lord with all his Soul Who could perceive that she had many Thoughts Desires Studies or Delights but what tended either Primarily or Subordinately to the Glory of God It was that King's Praise That he had the Law Read in the Audience of the People It was our Queen's That She delighted in having the Gospel Piously Reverently and Frequently Preach'd In a Word he was Chronicled for his Strict Observation of the Passover She ought much more to be had in Remembrance for her Devout and Frequent Receiving the Sacrament of the LORD's SVPPER I want Time to shew what Zeal She had what Travel She underwent to Settle the Church to heal our Distractions to compose our Differences How Fervent was Her desire to see the House of God purged from all its dregs to remove all just and tolerable Causes of Separation and to make the Terms of Communion as clear and comfortable as became the Christian Religion Doubtless had God spared Her She would have so Labour'd our Reformation and Union that our Church should have been a Praise in the Earth Should I proceed by the Rule of Her Deserts and you by the same Commensurate your Weeping it were enough to Convert this Island into another Hadadrimmon Is it not Reason then to say Ah Lord and Ah Her Glory It were unpardonable if such a Princess should depart without the Groans of Her People 2. We cannot prevent weeping nor would we because an Unlamented death is Threatned by God as a Curse and the worst of Her Enemies will not Judge so hardly of Her therefore it is pardonable if Her True Admirers Mourn for her God threatens * 16. the Restraining of Lamentation at death as a grievous Punishment and more expresly concerning Jehojakim King of Judah †God said †22. They shall not Lament for him saying Ah my Brother or Ah Sister Ah Lord Ah his Glory i. e. neither his Relations nor his Subjects were permitted to make Lamentation for him Solomon speaks of it as a thing usual and common * Eccâ—â— 12.5 That when Men die and go to their long home The Mourners go about the City And how then shall we say That they whom God calleth Gods die like Men if a Queen shall want what is allowed to common Subjects In a word God seems to Resent it very ill when this Kind Office is neglected when these Tributes of Tears are kept back †Isa 1. The Righteous perish and no Man layeth it to heart To spare where God calls for spending to grudge where a gracious Princess so highly deserves is surely Impious But notwithstanding let us once more Mind â—he Text and although it be a general Custom â—nd so we were out of Fashion if we did not weep Although God wills this Respect be shewn to so Eminent an Instrument of his Glory and our Good yet Weep not for me 1. Hypocritically Take heed your Grief your Tears your Conâ—â—rnedness for this Great Loss be not Counterfeit Country have swept away Thousands Hear you not the Cries and dismal Complaints of the Poor The Threats of Enemies The Conspiracy of Traytors The Frauds and Deceits of Subjects And will not the blackness and horrour hereof raise a Tempest of Tears Then surely all Compassion is extinct the Clouds are wont to drop upon less noise Yet behold so little are we affected with ouâ— Sufferings or sensible of what we have to fear that every one keeps on his old Rode one to his Farm another to his Merchandize one to hiâ— Business another to his Pleasure and few laâ— either the present or what we may hereafter lose to heart God took away Josiah 22.10 that he should not see the Evil that was coming on his Kingdom and who knoweth but that our Queen was taken away in like manner Could we weep and pray pray and drowâ— our Prayers in Tears God would certainly heaâ— our Cries for Tears have an audible and significant Voice Man may hear their general Voice and from our weeping collect we are in Sorrow but God
hears their secret and special Voice anâ— in our weeping reads our Humility and Repentance Weep for your selves We have just cause to fear our Sins have hastened this Death which we now deplore God in his Goodness sent us such a Princess as was both a Patroness and Example of Goodness A Glass by which this crooked Age might have rectified it self and seeing he has waited divers Years and found no amendment what was it but just to take the Mirrour from us What should they do with a Light who will not walk by it This is no new thing for If you continue to do wickedly 1 Sam both you and your King shall be destroyed So Solomons Observation was Prov. For the Transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof And if we have not dissembled with God in the Service for the Thirtieth of January we confess that the Crying Sins of the Nation occasioned the Death of King Charles the First The Throne feels many Removes when Subjects go on still in their Wickedness so that there â—ies a necessity upon us to weep an hearty Repentance by way of Atonement and hereafter to live most religiously by way of Prevention Which brings us to the next Consideration III. Weep for your selves and your children Weep so as to reform shed Tears of abhorrence and detestation It were extremely provoking for all this to sin on to be found sinning against God in the day that we should be crying out of our Trouble and Misery While Amasa lay openly wallowing in his Blood the whole Congregation stood astonied they were all highly concerned to see the Land so defiled with Blood 20.12 but yet no sooner was the Dead covered with a Cloth and removed out of sight but every one marched on as he was going I no ways question but the first relation of the Queen's Sickness was dismal to most and at the report of her Death the hearts of many good People were ready to sink within them and all concurred in this Opinion that for the Wickedness of the Land she was fallen and shall we now the Solemnity of her Funeral is over recant God forbid I hope as every day will discover our loâ—â— to be greater and greater so our loss will imbitteâ— our Sins to us that we shall set upon a general Reformation Some Tempers are corrected when brought to weeping God grant us Hearts to weep and Grace to amend It was an Observation made of the Jews that they were best in their worst Condition of the Athenians it was spoken Proverbially Non nisi Atrati they never kept any decorum but when in Mourning And a great Statesman once spoke of this Nation Anglica gens est optima slens pessima ridens The English are most like themselves when God turns their Mirth into Sorrow Now therefore you are called to the House of Mourning it is very seasonable both to weep and amend Could we thus mourn God would return and leave a Blessing behind him as â—e did to Nineveh we might yet see Jerusalem in Prosperity Could we thus weep for â—â—ur Sins and in weeping leave them off there were hopes after a fair Enjoyment of Peace and Prosperity here we may like her that is now gone before us dye willingly and chearfully for she willingly resign'd her Breath she â—â—ll a-sleep without the least reluctancy or resistance It was not regardlessness or ignorance of Death nor was it the Gallantry of her natural Courage that taught her thus to defie the â—ing of Terrors but the good Foundation she had laid up against this Day Her Fidelity in God's Service emboldned her Trust in his Mercy To Conclude I shall now endeavour Two things I. To remove some Discontents II. To give some needful Exhortations 1. Peradvenrure my appearing no sooner upon this Occasion may be called Coldness or Unconcernedness I shall excuse my self no otherwise than by shewing you that I learn from Joab's Reproof to Ahimaz 18. it was manners to lâ—â— Zadock who was thereunto appointed run before 2. Perhaps I may be censured as too partiaâ—â—â— that I have not sufficiently illustrated and blâ—â—â— zoned the Queen's Vertues In answer hereunto my Opinion is true Grief loves not to be Rhâ—â—torical where it does speak it is but abrubâ—â—â— and brokenly like the harsh Cry of Cranes 〈◊〉 the unpleasant chattering of Swallows Beside I did conclude should I have told you in the Language of some that she exceeded King David Queen Elizabeth nay all the Kings and Queens that ever were this would offend as fulsome I could not in one breath declare she was beyond Description and in the next do it in a few Words In short I have seen and observ'd many things I have heard more and do probably believe as much as another but yet dare not speak too liberally for fear I should be thought another Sostratus and to offer more to the Living than Dead Yet however I will not deny my Character which is this Our late Queen Mary was so good that God took her away as too good for such a wicked People as we are You may have a larger Prov. 31. 3. There is yet another prejudice some reproach'd â—he deceased Queen when living and still brand her Honour now dead by charging he with Forgetfulness of the Fifth Commandment This is the Charge but they that are so industrious in spreading and aggravating it would do better to consider The Conjunction of Matrimony is nearer and stronger than that of Parents and Children for God who so strictly commanded and encouraged the Obedience of Children to Parents yet was pleased to dispense with this Law 〈◊〉 13. in case of Matrimony For thiâ— cause shall a man forsake father and mother c. which Law is equal to either Sex and shows us that iâ— ever the Paternal Duty should contradict the Marriage that of the Marriage hath the pre-eminence Moreover in the State of Matrimony the Husband hath power over the Wife So that it is against all Reason that the Queen should answer as a Daughter for what she could not refuse as a Wife Plancus near his end was told that Asinius Pollâ— had prepar'd Funeral-Orations against him and had steep'd his Pen in Gall Plancus slighted the Information saying None but Ghosts will contend with thâ— Dead Though he thus bravely scorn'd Pollio's Malice yet could not Pollio disgest Plancus's Answer but departed from his intention of railing at him For fear the Manners and Wisdom should be wanting among Christians which was found in thâ—â— Heathen something I will say though not much left the adverse Party should conceit their Objection of greater weight than really it is Put case God had in Mercy to his afflicted Churcâ— dealt by the Father as he hath formerly done bâ— other Crowned Heads removed him by somâ— strange Death had not the Daughter's Title then been good Had she not then legally ascended the Throne What is it then that occasions all this Discontent unless it be God in Judgment remembred Mercy and by one single Act of his Providence both prevented farther Mischief and conceeded the Deluded a larger time for Repentance It hath been said by them of old time Vox Populi Vox Dei then when so fairly call'd who was she that she should withstand We are told our Laws are consonant to Gods if so what are they but Murmurers who complain of what the Law justifies Some Exhortations I. Resolve henceforward to be more Loyal Obedient Faithful and Assisting to his Majesty All wise People will remember they have the Dues of Two to pay to one II. You have great cause to love and be stedfast in your Religion if you consider rightly what of late God hath done in its defence David says Psal Let the multitude of the Isles rejoice we may particularly call upon our own to do so for you â—ee God ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men. You have read that Moses young and helpless less was cast out and should have been destroy'd the King had given such Order yet he that sitteth in Heaven consented not but chose the Daughter of that King to preserve him God can secure our Religion by ways unthought of by us if ever it fall it will not be for want of power in God but love in us I could not leave you with a better Remark that you may remember what great things God hath done for you and yours by her means whom he hath now taken to himself God grant what hath been said may prove as profitable as it has been seasonable and that we may all of us weep so heartily for our Selves and our Children that God may depart from his Wrath and by his gracious Providence make up the breach he hath made upon us FINIS Books Printed for Abel Roper E. Wilkinson and Roger Clavell DR Hammond's Works Dr. Cudworth's Works Dr. Lake's preparatory Office for the Sacrament Week's Exercise for the receiving of the Sacrament Dedicated to the Princess Ann of Denmark The Fourth Edition Westly's Life of Christ In Heroick Verse Adorned with Sixty Copper Cuts A Sermon Preached at the Funeral of the Father of the Prince of Orange Walker's Epictetus In English Verse