help herself, she would yet be placed on her knees; and when her knees were no longer able to support her, she would be put into the humblest posture she could possibly endure, not being satisfied unless she gave God his entire oblation, and "glorified him in her body, as well as in her spirit, which were both God's own "" by purchase here, and were both to be united in bliss hereafter.

On Whitsunday she received her viaticum, the most holy body and blood of her Saviour, and had received it again, had not her death surprised us, yet in the strength of that immortal food she was enabled to go out her journey, and seemed to have had a new transfusion of grace from it, insomuch, that though her limbs were all convulsed, her pains great, and without intermission, her strength quite exhausted, and her head disturbed with a perpetual drowsiness, yet above, and beyond all seeming possibility, she would use force to herself, to keep herself waking, to offer to God her customary sacrifice to the full, to recollect her thoughts, and to lodge them in heaven, where her heart and her treasure was, as if she had already taken possession of her mansion there, or as if she was teaching her soul to act independently from the body, and practising beforehand the state of separation, into which, having received absolution, she in a short time, happily launched; for all the bands of union being untied, her soul was set at liberty, and on the wings of angels, took a direct and vigorous flight, to its native country, heaven, from whence it first flew down 2.

11 Cor. vi. 20.

2 Luke xvi. 22.

There then we must leave her, in the bosom of her heavenly bridegroom, where, how radiant her crown is, how ecstatic her joy, how high exalted she is in degrees of glory is impossible to be described, for 66 neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to be conceived, the good things which God hath prepared for those that love him," of all which she is now partaker.

We have nothing then to do but to congratulate this gracious woman, her eternal and unchangeable honour, and as she always and in all things, gave God the glory here, so that his praise was continually in her mouth, for all the multitude of his mercies, and of his loving kindness towards her, and is now praising him in heaven; let us also offer up a sacrifice of praise, for her great example; her light has long shined before us, and we have seen her good works. Let us therefore glorify the Father of lights, at whose beams her soul was first lighted.

Blessed then for ever, be the infinite goodness of God, who was so liberal of his graces to this humble saint, who made her so lively a picture, of his own perfections, so gracious, and so honourable: blessed be his mercy, for indulging her to us so long, for taking her in his good time to himself, and for that happiness she has now in heaven. To God be the glory of all that honour, her graciousness did here acquire, for to Him only it is due; let therefore his most holy name have all the praise.

To our thanksgiving let us add our prayers also, that God would vouchsafe us all his holy Spirit, so to

1 1 Cor. ii. 9.

assist, and sanctify, and guide us, that every one of our souls may be gracious like hers, that our life may be like hers, our latter end like hers, and our portion in heaven like hers, which God of his infinite mercy grant, for the sake of his most beloved Son, to whom with the Father, and the blessed Spirit, be all honour and glory, adoration, and obedience, now and for Amen.

ever.

A

SERMON

PREACHED

IN THE KING'S CHAPEL AT WHITEHALL,

1685.

DAN. X. 11.

"O Daniel, a man greatly beloved."

I AM not surprised, if at the first hearing you censure the choice of my text, as having no regard to those two important circumstances, time and place: not to time, because the story of Daniel seems foreign to the fast of Lent; not to place, because Daniel seems an example unfit for the court, being a prophet, one whose religion looks as much like his calling as his virtue; one who had supernatural gifts, and immediate inspirations, which make up an original too singular and extraordinary for any but prophets to copy out.

But if it shall appear that Daniel was not of the sacerdotal but regal line: if it shall appear, that he was a courtier, and not only a courtier but a favorite; and not only a courtier and a favourite, but a minister too; such a courtier, and favourite, and minister, as

L

no age can parallel: if to the courtier, the favourite, and the minister, be added the ascetic and the saint: if in all these respects, he was, as the margin literally renders it, a man of desires, or, according to the Hebrew idiom, a man greatly beloved both by God and men if from these materials I form such an idea, which shall be proportioned to your imitation, and shew you Daniel's secret, that every one of you may skill the art to become greatly beloved, like him; I hope you will be reconciled to the subject I have chosen, as not being unsuitable to this penitential season, as not being improper for this august assembly, whose edification is both my duty and design.

If then you will be pleased to take a view of the several excellences of this great man, so greatly beloved, and so greatly worthy of your observation; the first that occurs, is his noble extraction. He and his three kinsmen, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah', as to their tribe were of the children of Judah; and not only of the royal tribe in general, but in particular of the royal family, as all agree: and though Josephus will have them of the kindred of king Zedekiah, yet they seem to speak more probably, who affirm them to be sons of king Hezekiah, or rather descended from him. This being most consonant to the prophecy of Isaiah, who foretells concerning Hezekiah, "that his sons which should issue from him, should be taken away, and should be in the palace of the king of Babylon :" and this was punctually fulfilled, when Nebuchadnezzar commanded Ashpenaz to bring "certain of the children