SERM. Clergy of this Church: an Act, uneVIII. quall'd by any Prince, nay by all our Princes, fince the Reformation; and which (I was going to fay) may atone for Acts of a very different kind, done in some of their Reigns. It grieved Her Religious Heart to fee, that Those, who wait at the Altar, fhould not Partake with the Altar, in fuch a Measure, as is requifite to preferve the Respect due to their Characters, and to give Encouragement, and Success to their Labours. She feem'd to hear them complaining, in the Pathetick. Words of the Pfalmift; Have Pf. cxxiii. mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; for we are exceedingly filled with Contempt: Our Soul is exceedingly filled with the Scorning of thofe that are at Eafe, and with the Contempt of the Proud. To rescue Them, and the Religion which they taught, from these Disadvantages, She extended Her Beneficence in the most Ample Manner; and took care to have the good Effects of it perpetuated to Future Ages; through the Chearful Affistance of thofe, who Compofe this Illuftrious Affembly, and whofe Af 3.4. fistance, VIII. fiftance, we are fure, will never be want- SER M. ing, to perfect any Work, that is begun、 for the Honour, Advantage, and Security of the Church of England. Scarce any but a Royal Heart, was capable of Entertaining fo large a Defign; as none but Royal Hands were, in a degree, equal to the Execution of it. The Benefaction is, indeed, worthy of Her, from whom it fprung; and carries in it Marks of a Wisdom, as Extensive as Her Goodness. For it is not Confin'd, tho' Given, to those who Minister in Holy Things; the Happy Fruits, and Effects of it will, through this Channel, be convey'd to all Ranks and Orders of Men among us. All will fhare in that Munificence, which redounds to the Service of Religion, the Common Inheritance, and Bleffing of All; and which gives Life and Weight to the Inftructions of Thofe, who, as meanly as they may be thought of, on other Accounts, are yet the Ambassadors of Chrift, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God. VOL. I. X An SERM. An Unenvy'd Bounty, therefore, it needs must be; a Good, which cannot decently be evil Spoken of, even by Such (if there be any fuch) who wish not well either to the Objects, or the Beftower of it. Great and groundless Reproaches have, in other refpects, been caft on Our Church, as if there were still some Remains of Popery in it. Poor Vicarages are really fuch; which took their Rife from the pretended Vicar of Chrift, who endow'd Abbies, and Monafteries, oftentimes, with the Spoils of ChurchLivings, for the Support and Maintenance of his Spiritual Tyranny. 'Twas the great Blemifh of our Reformation, that, when Religious Houses were fupprefs'd, fome Part, at leaft, of their Revenue was not reftored to its Original Ufe. But the Defects of that Time were, we trust, reserv'd to be supply'd by Her Majesty; and the goodly Frame of our Constitution is to be perfected, as it was modell'd, by the Hand of a Woman. I A Prince, VIII. A Prince, lefs folicitous for the Good SERM. of Religion, though intent on fuch a Work, would yet have deferr'd it, till the Expenfive War, wherein we are engag'd, was brought to a Close. But the Compaffion, and Godly Zeal of our Gracious Sovereign would not be check'd by this Confideration: The Love of doing Good overcame all the Difficulties, which lay in the Way towards doing it. She thought, That, to Confecrate One Part of Her Revenue to fo Pious an Ufe, would draw a Bleffing on the Management of all the other Branches of it; That the Cruise of Oil would not fail ever the fooner, for bestowing a Portion of it on a Prophet, or any of the Sons of the Prophets; That the Earneft Prayers of Thofe, whom She thus reliev'd would be as Serviceable to Her in this War, as the Income it felf; and that Her Charity would, in the Expreffions of the Son of Syrach, Fight for her against her Ecclus. Enemies better than a Mighty Spear and a Strong Shield. xxxix. 13. SERM. And, furely, the Unanimous and Early Dispatch of the Supplies, the Prefent Height of Publick Credit, and the Eagerness with which all her Subjects prefs to fill Her Coffers with their Loans, are not Signs, that She hath by any Act of Mifapply'd Bounty hitherto loft Ground, either in the Favour of Heaven, or in the Affection, and Esteem of Her People. May that God, whom She thus ferves, and imitates, extend her Life and Reign beyond the Ordinary Term of either; and Crown every Year of them with new Inftances of his Goodness to Her, and to these Kingdoms! Now, unto the King Eternal, Immortal, The |
