in it Marks of a Wisdom, as Extenfive 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 Ambaffadors of Christ, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God.

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 Such) 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 fome 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 Mainte

nance

nance of his Spiritual Tyranny. 'Twas the great Blemish of our Reformation, that, when Religious Houses were fupprefs'd, fome Part, at least, of their Revenue was not reftord to its Original Ufe. But the Defects of that Time were, we trust, reserv'd to be supply'd by Her Majefty; and the goodlyFrame of our Conftitution is to be perfected, as it was modell'd, by the Hand of a Woman.

A Prince, lefs folicitous for the Good of Religion, tho' intent on fuch a Work, would yet have deferr'd it, 'till the Expenfive War, wherein we are engag'd, was brought to a Clofe. 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 Diffiulties, 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 n a Prophet, or any of the Sons of the ro phets; That the Earneft Prayers of Thofe, whom She thus reliev'd, would be as Serviceable to Her in this War,

as

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.

And, furely, the Unanimous and Early Difpatch 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,
Invifible, the only Wife God, be Ho-
nour and Glory, for ever ever!
Amen.

xxix, 13.

A

i

The RULE of

Doing as we would be Done unto,
Explain'd in a

SERMON;

Preach'd before Her

MAJESTY,

AT

St. JAMES's Chapel,

On Sunday, NOVEMB. 5. 1704.

St. MATTH. Vii. 12.

All things, whatsoever ye would that Men fhould do unto you, do ye even fo to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.

T

HE Sentence, I have read unto you, is very fitly plac'd towards the Clofe of our Saviour's admirable

Ser