Observanda. The life and death of the late Q. Mary

THE Address of Condolence TO His MAJESTY, BY THE Dissenting Ministers.

May it please Your Majesty;

THO we come in the Rear of the Train of Mourners, to pay our Tributary Tears for the Unvaluable Loss in the Death of Your Royal Consort, and our most Gracious Queen, yet our Resentments of it are with as tender a Sympathy as are in the Breasts of any of Your Subjects. This gives the sharpest Accent to our Passions, that the Considerations which are most proper and powerful to allay our Sorrows, exasperate them: for while we remember what She was, how general and diffusive a Blessing ⟨p. 51⟩to three Kingdoms, the severe Stroke of Providence in taking Her from us, is most afflicting. Such a Concurrence of high Perfection shined in Her Person and Actions, that would have made Her Illustrious in a low Condition; and in Her exalted Station they were attractive of the Eyes and Admiration of all. Her Mind was above the Temptations that attend the Throne. Majesty was mixed with that condescending Humility, that tender and beneficent Goodness, that She was easily accessible to all for their Relief and Support. Her Piety and Purity were so conspicuous, Her Affections were so comp•sed and temperate, that the Court, that is usually the Centre of Vanity and Voluptuousness, became Virtuous by the Impression of Her Example. Her Conversation was so regular, that Her Enemies (if Goodness in such a bright Eminency had any) could not fasten a Taint upon Her. Her Royal Endowments for Government, Wisdom, Magnanimity, Vigilance and Care in managing Affairs of State (without which the highest Princes are but civil Idols, useless and unprofitable to the World) these were in such a degree of Excellency, that in Your Majesty's constrained Absence, while You were defending the Interest of Christendom, against a potent Enemy Abroad, with the Sword of War, She sweetly ordered all things at Home with the Sceptre of Peace. She is gone, and must return no more: O astonishing Grief! But it becomes us with humble Submission to acquiesce