Chapter 2

Praise is a Debt (saith _Gregory | Nazianzen_[a]) and it must be paid, | [Note a: _Orat. 25. fol. 439. Rom. not to men alone, but to women | 13. 7, 8._] also; yet not to euery woman, be | shee neuer so noble, wittie, | [Note: The Diuision.] wealthy or faire[b], vnlesse she be | godly withall: For _fauour is | [Note b: _Non possumus reprehendere deceitfull, and beautie is vaine; | diuini artificis opus; sed quem but a woman that feareth the Lord, | delectat corporis pulchritudo, shee shall be praised_. | multo magis illa delectet venustas, | quae ad imaginem, Dei est intus, non A promise this is and affirmatiue, | foris comptior. S. Ambr. Instit. and an affirmatiue promise hath two | Virg. c. 4. Prou. 11. 22. Eccle. parts in it. The first is the | 11. 2. ... Homo igitur mihi non tam Partie to whom it is made, and shee | vultu quam affectu admirand^s is _Muliertimens Dominum_. _A woman | emineat atque excellat: vt in his that feareth the Lord_, which is | laudatur, in quibus etiam Deus also the reason why she shall be | prophetico iudicio laudatur de quo praised: euen because she is _a | scriptum est Psal. 66. 5. woman fearing the Lord_. The second | Terribilis in consiliis super is the thing promised, and that is | filios hominum; cuius opera coram _Laudabitur, she shall be praised_. | Deo luceant, qui bona iugibus | operibus facta contexat. Id. ib. | cap. 3._] In the former, it is not enough | that she is a woman, because | [Note I.] euery woman is not _Timens_, one | that _Feareth_, nor sufficient that | [Note c: _Naturale vocabul[=u] est she _Feareth_; because euery woman | Foemina. naturalis vocabuli that feareth is not _Timens | generale, Mulier.--Tert. de Virg. Dominum_, one _that feareth the | Veland. cap 4._] Lord_; but _she_ that _shall be | praised_, is all three. 1. A woman | [Note d: _Aliud est Timere by nature[c], where the weaker her | simpliciter, aliud Timere sex is, the more shee shall be | Deum----quippe timere & amare commended. 2. By Grace[d], _a woman | simpliciter prolata, affectione: that feareth_, where the continuall | cu^m additamento aute virtutes act of this Fearing is required. 3. | signific[=a]t. Simplices nempe _That feareth the Lord_, where the | affectiones insunt naturaliter right Obiect of her continuall | nobis tanquam ex nobis, Additamenta feare is limited. | ex Gratia. S. Bern. de Grat. & lib. | Arb._] And in the latter we are to | consider; First, to what matters, | [Note II.] _Laudabitur_, her praise will | reach, and in what respect to | _Ipsa_ Her person. Then secondly, | When _she shall be praised_; not | for the present, perhaps, no more | than she hath beene heretofore; yet | _Laudabitur_, the time will come | when _she shall be praised_, and | then too her praise shall so be, | that it shall be still. Thirdly, of | whom shee shall haue praise, for | _Laudabitur_ is an action, and must | bee done of some agent, therefore | we must finde who shal praise her, | and they will fall out to be her | Husband and her Children (if she | haue them[e]) and if they faile in | [Note e: _Mulier enim no natura this dutie, then the godly shall | nomen est vxoris, sed vxor praise her; and if they cease to | coditione nomen est mulieris. Tert. doe it, then her own workes shall | ib. c. 5. Gen. 2. 23. Haec vocabitur praise her, yea rather than faile, | mulier, quoniam de viro suo sumpta God himselfe shall praise her, | est: Quia sumpta est (inquit) de which is best of all. So sure she | viro suo, non quia virum experta is to be praised, not for the | ... Non enim corruptelae, sed sexus present onely, but for euer. And so | vocabulum est. Gal. 4. 4. Luke 1. this Text besides that it is a | 28. S. Ambr. ibid. c. 5._] _Promise_, it is also a _Motiue_ to | stirre vs vp to feare God, that so | [Note: A Promise, and Motiue.] we also may haue true and eternall | praise of God. It is both, and | [Note: _I. The partie that shall be both waies wee to haue vse of it, | praised._] as of a _Promise_, and as of a | _Motiue_: both these waies at once; | _A woman that feareth the Lord she | shall be praised._ | | A weake sex[f] to beginne with, and | [Note f: _1 Pet. 3. 7. Ier. 50. yet being strengthned by Grace[g], | 37. Nah. 3. 13. Gal. 3. 27, 28._] no impediment; but that a woman as | wel as a man may feare the Lord, | [Note g: _--Ex parte natura (nisi and haue praise of him, and so | sit fortitude maioris gratiae) become the partie who shall, and | facilius incarnatur ad malum sexus one Reason too, why _shee shall be | formineus. Bonau. L. 2. d. 21. q. praised_. | 3. p. 18._] | For a woman must be more good than | nature, art, policie, preferment | can make her, else shee is not good | enough for Gods Spirit to praise | her. He commends neither men nor | women considered in their pure | Naturalls only, in that estate of | corruption, they all heare alike to | [Note h: _Rom. 3. 9._] their disgrace, that they are _All | vnder sinne[h]_, _All come[i] short | [Note i: _Rom. 3. 23._] of the glory of God_, and are _All | the children of[k] wrath_, because | [Note k: _Ephes. 2. 3._] they _Are without all feare of | God_[l] | [Note l: _Rom. 3. 18._] | By nature then both sexes are alike | faultie, alike disc[=o]mendable in | Gods sight, and so they should be | in ours. We should not dispraise | women more than men, for the sex | sake only (as some doe[m]) because | [Note m: _Eurip. Plutarc. de they haue as noble soules as men, | Tranquilit Mulier quantibuis proba, for[n] soules haue no sexes, (as | Mulier tamen est._] Saint _Ambrose_ saith) nor praise | women for the endowments of the | [Note n: _Anima enim sexum non flesh onely (as othersome doe[o]) | habet.--De Virg. som. 1. lib: 3. vnlesse they be adorned also with | fol. 99._] the sauing Graces of the Spirit, | whereof a chiefe one is not noble | [Note o: _Cornel. Agrip. de birth, great wealth, excellent wit, | Nobilit. foeminei sexus. Bocacius or rare beautie: but _the feare of | de claris mulieribus._] the Lord_, his treasure.[A] This | godly feare is that, that makes a | [Note A: _Es. 33. 6._] Woman in relation[p] to God, | praise-worthy. And good reason it | [Note p: _Caiet. in. loc._] should do so, if we regard the | weaknesse of a woman, in whom so | excellent a Grace as _the feare of | the Lord_, is found, and the | Noblenesse of fearing the Lord, | being so found. | | First, a womans weaknesse is | naturally[q] greater than the mans, | [Note q: _Naturaliter etiam maior and therefore by how much her flesh | lucti est inter carnem et is weaker, and her spirit lesse | spirit[=u] mulieris quam viri: willing, by so much the combate she | quanto enim caro eius infirmior, & hath, is more difficult, and the | spiritus minus promptus, tato pugna victory she gets, more commendable. | dissicilior--& victoria I know a man (_Blesensis_ by name) | comm[=e]dabilior. Pet. Bles. ser. that thought two things should | 33. p. 420. Timeo autem ne forte excuse him at the dreadfull day of | viri a virginibus iudicentur: iudgement, the Frailty of his | Comparatione tam[=e] non flesh, and the Ignorance of his | Auctoritate: quia per duo tantum minde; but then he feared lest God | scilicet: per Fragilitat[=e] carnis would iudge men by wom[=e], whose | & Ignorantiam mentis putoba, &c. sex being more fraile, more | ser. 35. p. 428._] ignorant than that of mens, were | for all that oftentimes more holy, | more deuout than many men. | | Secondly, the _Feare of the Lord_ | is the truest Nobilitie (as | _Gerson_[r] proues) the noblest | [Note r: _Tractat. de Nobilitate, grace that can ennoble and extoll a | part. 2. p. 52. lit. E. Et Greg. man or a woman. Other naturall, | Naz. Orat. 13. tom. I. fol. 352._] ciuill, and meerely morall | excellencies, perfections, and | endowments a woman may haue, nay | (which is neerest the point) other | kindes of Feare she may haue, and | [Note B: _2 Kings 9. 34. Act. 14. yet be base, seruile, cursed as | 25. 1 Ioh. 4. 18._] _Iezebel_[B], not praise-worthy, as | namely, if she feare men[C], or | [Note C: _Matth. 10. 28. Es. 51. what else besides more than God, or | 12._] not for God (as Saint _Bernard_[s] | limits) or if shee feare God as a | [Note s: _Convertatur ad ipsum Iudge, in respect of his | etiam Timor tuus, quia peruersus punishments only[t], & not as a | est timor omnis, quo metuis aliquid Father for loue of his goodnesse, | praeter eum aut non propter eum. S. and from an hatred of wickednesse, | Ber. in cap. Ieiun. ser. 2._] or if she haue cast off the feare | of the Lord, which shee hath seemed | [Note t: _Quid magn[=u] est, to haue, or if shee puts off his | poen[=a] timere? Quis enim n[=o] _Feare_ from time to time, and | timet? quis Latro, quis sceleratus, continues not in it. | quis nefarius? &c. S. August. de | Verb. Apost. ser. 15. fol. 332. Looke we then first to the Obiect | tom. 10._] of the _Laudable womans feare_, | that he whom she feareth be the | [Note: I. _The Obiect of her Lord, in respect of his Mercy and | feare._] Iustice both; then to the | continuall employment of her | _Feare_, not one that hath feared | him, or will feare him; but one | that doth feare him for the | present, and continueth therein, | else shee is not a woman _Timens | Dominum_, _Fearing the Lord_, and | so not worthy to be _praised_. | | First then (that the Obiect may be | right) the [u]_Lord is her feare_, | [Note u: _Deut. 10. 12. 2 King. who shal be praised. For if He be | 17. 36. Luk. 12. 5. Es. 8. 13. not, all exquisitenesses besides | Mal. 1. 6._] are nothing in comparison; and if | He be, all sufficiencies | [Note x: _Loquacitas in (remarkable in that sex) are | aedificatione nulla turpis, si improued, and all Duties | quando turpis. Itaque si de aliquo (obserueable in the feare of the | bono sermo est, res postulat Lord) are practised. To see this | contrarium quoque boni recensere. the better, let vs follow | Quid enim sectandum sit, magis _Tertullians_[x] rule, and oppose | illummabis, si quod vitand[=u] sit, one against another, a vessell of | proinde digesseris. Tertul. de dishonour against a vessell of | Patien. c. 5. tom. 2._] honour, a woman not Fearing, | against a woman Fearing the Lord. | [Note: _A wom[=a] fearlesse of | God._] She that fears not the Lord, sets | light by Gods anger and her | [Note y: _Esth. 1. 12, 17, 20, 22. Husbands[y], not caring whether | Eccl. 26. 26. Es. 36. 9. & 3. they bee pleased or displeased. | 16. Prou. 30. 33. Eccles. 25. Shee neglects to plant the feare of | 13. & alibi passim. Vbi vero timor the Lord in her childrens hearts, | Dei non est, ibi dissolutio vitae chusing rather to be an example of | est. S. Aug. de Temp. ser. 213. wickednesse vnto them, and to | tom. 10._] misplace them in mariage for | sinister respects. She brings want | of things necessary to her family | by her wastefulnesse, brauery, and | idlenesse. She contemnes her | naturall and legall kindred, lifts | vp her selfe aboue her equalls, | disdaines her inferiours, | dishonours her place by an | ouer-loftie or an ouer-base and | contemptible behauiour in the same. | She alienates the hearts of Gods | people from her, by neglecting the | offices of courtesies and | helpfulnesse. She declines and | vnderualewes the most searching | meanes of Saluation, the Word, | Prayer, Conference, Repentance, | Meditation, Sacraments; in a word | (according to Saint _Ambroses_[z] | [Note z: _Aliud est timere quia Distinction) she feares hell | peccaueris, aliud timere ne pecces. torments, because shee hath sinned, | Et ibi est formido de supplicio, but shee feares not Gods | hic solicitudo de praemio. Epist. displeasure, lest she should sinne, | 84. tum. 3. Est quem timor Dei and therefore shee liues and dies | ligat, qui non expauescit ad vultus in worldlinesse, wantonnesse, | homin[=u], sed ad memoriam pride, hatred, variance, | gehennalium tormentorum. Et hic emulations, wrath, strife, reuenge, | quidem peccare non metuit, sed impatiencie, gluttonie, or some | ardere. S. Bern. de Tripl. such darling sinne: and tell me | Coberent: Vincul. &c. Es. 33. 14._] (Beloued) if such a woman not | beautified and adorned with | religion and the feare of the Lord, | [Note a: _Tertul. de Habit. Mulieb. be worthy to bee praised of the | & de Cultu Foem. tom. 2. S. Cyprian Lord? I am sure the ancient Fathers | de Discipl. & Hab. Virg. to. 2. [a]declaime bitterly against her | Greg. Naz. aduers. mulier: filthy heart, false haire, | Ambitiose se ornantes. to. 2. S. adulterate paintings, naked | Ephraem aduers. improbas mulieres breasts, new-fangled fashions of | tom. 1._ if his workes. _Riuet. l. superfluous, monstrous attire: & | 3. c. 21._] the holy Scriptures[b] vilifie her | to her face, threatning her | [Note b: _2 King. 9. 20, 30, 34. (notwithstanding all her other | Es. 3. 16, &c. & 32 9, 10, 11. 1 ornaments and excellencies of | Pet. 3. 3, 4. Matth. 5. 36. & 6. nature, art, policie, preferment,) | 27. Eccles. 25. 13, 19._] that without this _Feare of the | Lord, it shall not be well with | her, Eccles. 8. 13. The Lord will | come neare to her to iudgement, he | [Note c: _Eccles. 23. 26. Prou. will be a swift witnesse against | 10. 7._] her, Mal. 3. 5. She shall leaue her | memorie to be cursed[c], and her | [Note d: _Eccles. 26. 25._] reproach shall not be blotted out, | she shall be counted vngodly of | [Note e: _Eccles. 7. 26_] all[d], more bitter than death[e]. | As rottennesse in her husbands | [Note f: _Prou. 12. 4._] bones[f], As spittle[g],_ yea _As a | Dogge[h],_ and at last she shall be | [Note g: _Eccles. 26. 21._] cast into hell fire, _Salua Venia_, | without pardon from God, because | [Note h: _Eccles. 26. 25._] (saith _Tertullian_[i]) she hath | sinned _Saluo metu_, without any | [Note i: _Sic ergo & ipsi, salua feare of God. | venia in gehennam detrudentur, dum | saluo metu peccant. De paenit. c. 5. But on the other side what | Reuel. 21. 8. & 22. 15._] personall sufficiency, what | singular duty is there requisite in | a Woman, either in respect of God, | [Note: _A wom[=a] fearing the or of her husband, children, | Lord._] kindred, seruants, place, and of | Gods people, which the life of | [Note k: _Gen. 3. 16. Eph. 5. Grace, the Grace of the Feare of | 23.33. 1 Cor. 7. 34._] the Lord doth not animate, aduance, | [Note l: _1 Tim. 5. 10. 2 Tim. 1. and accomplish? This godly Feare | 5. & 3. 15. Tit. 2. 4. Deut. 6. ennobleth Nobilitie, beautifieth | 7._] Beautie, enricheth wealth, teacheth | wit, wisdome. She that hath this | [Note m: _Prou. 31. 15, 21._ _Feare_, dare not for her heart, | _Matth. 8. 6._] but be loath to offend her husband, | and deny her inferiority[k], but be | [Note n: _1 Tim. 5. 4. Esth. 2. an example of godlinesse to her | 7, 10. & 4. 4. Ruth 4. 15. children[l], prouide things | Exod. 18. 7._] necessary for her seruants[m] both | in health and in sicknesse; loue | [Note o: _Phil. 2. 3. Rom. 12. her naturall and legall[n] kindred, | 10, 16._] esteeme her equals aboue her | selfe[o], countenance and relieue | [Note p: _Iam. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 6. her inferiours[p], maintaine the | 18._] dignitie of her place by all such | vertues as may discharge the[q] | [Note q: _Titus 2. 3._] same; winne the affections of Gods | people, to her more and more, by | [Note r: _Luk. 1. 45, 56. Prou. the offices[r] of courtesies, | 1. 20 & 5. 20 Gal. 6. 10 1 Tim salutations, gifts, visitations, | 5. 10 Iob 6. 14_] inuitations and of helpfulnesse; | yea she that feares God, dare not | [Note s: _Gal. 6. 9. Iam. 1. for her heart but _Honour them that | 19. 1 Tim. 4. 13. 1 Thess 5. feare God, Psal. 15. 4._ but keepe | 17. Luk. 2. 37. Ephes. 4. 26. her set taskes[s] of hearing, | Phil. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 4. Luk. reading, fasting, praying, | 9. 23. & 14. 26._] meditating, moderating passionate | distempers, and of all other | [Note t: _Psal. 18. 23. & 77. 10. gracious exercises, of | Gen. 39. 9. Prou. 16. 6. & 8. Selfe-deniall[t]; so that there is | 13._] not any knowne[u] sinne which she | nourisheth, alloweth, or goeth on | [Note u: _Gen. 17. 1. Psal. 6. 8. in, but quaketh and trembleth at | & 116. 9. Act. 10. 33. 2 Cor. the very first thoughts, yea | 6. 17. Iob 34. 21. Prou. 15. 3. motions and inclinations thereunto, | & 5. 22. 2 Chron. 16. 9 1 King. as being in the sight[x] of an | 17. 1. Magna est cautela peccati, inuisible God, vnder the perpetuall | Dei semper presentiam timere. S. presence of his All-seeing glorious | Aug. de Temp. tom. 212. tom. 10._] pure eye, which shee will not | prouoke to anger by any sinne, for | [Note x: _Multum enim refraenat all the gold that euer the Sunne | homines c[=o]scientia, si credamus made, or shall make while it stands | nos in c[=o]spectu Dei uiuere, si in Heauen[y]. | non, tantum quae gerimus uideri | desuper, sed etiam quae cogitamus, | aut loquimur, audiri a Deo putamus | &c. Lact. de Ira Dei. c.8._] | | [Note y: _Es. 3. 8. 1 Cor. 3. | 22. Psalm. 119. 14.72. 127.162._] | This glorious description of a | [Note a: _2 Tim. 1. 7 & 3. 2._] woman fearing the Lord, is not mine | (Blessed Brethren) but the | [Note b: _Rom. 8. 15._] Scriptures, wherein I finde; 1. The | cause of her Feare to be not | [Note c: _Es. 29. 13._] Selfe-Loue[a], but the Loue of God; | not the spirit of Bondage[b]; but | [Note d: _Deut. 4. 10. Es. 66. the Spirit of Adoption: 2. The | 2. Eccl. 12. 13. Prou. 13. 13._ Obiect of her feare to be not the | _Psal. 119. 161._] precepts of men[c], but the | Commandements of God[d]: not his | [Note e: _Psal. 119. 120. & 52. Threats only[e], but his Promises | 6._] also[f]: not his Anger only against | sin[g], but his Mercy also in | [Note f: _2 Cor. 7. 1. Heb. 4. Christ[h]: not his Presence only, | 1. Psal. 130. 4._] as a Reuenging Iudge[i], but his | Forbearance also as a louing | [Note g: _Deut. 5. 9_] Father[k]. 3. The workings of her | Feare to be in the heat of | [Note h: _Hos. 3. 5. Psal. 33. 18 temptations and afflictions, not | & 130. 4._] Despairing[l]; but Beleeuing the | forgiuenesse of her sinnes, not | [Note i: _Ier. 5. 22. Act. 10. 2, Limiting God to the present danger; | 33._] but [m]waiting for his mercy, not | Distrusting his Prouidence; but | [Note k: _Mal. 1. 6. Os. 3. 5. hoping for Good[n]: not Murmuring | Hebr. 12. 9._] against him; but praising Him, and | praying vnto Him[o], yea (which is | [Note: II. _The continuance of her the proper Act of her Feare) not | Feare._] Louing any sin, but hating and | eschewing all sin[p], not out of a | [Note l: _Ier. 17. 17. Eccles. 2. slauish terrour of punishment; but | 8._] chiefly because it is Sinne, an | Infinite euill; and because an | [Note m: _Psal. 33. 18. 20. Infinite Good God, whom she loueth | Eccles. 2. 7._] (saith Saint _Augustine_) is | offended by it, though she should | [Note n: _Psal. 115. 11. & 56. 3. neuer goe to Hell-fire to be | Eccles. 2. 9._] punished for it[A]. | | [Note o: _1 Cor. 10. 10. Psalm. | 22. 23. Act. 10. 2._] | | [Note p: _Exod. 20. 20. Eccles. | 15. 13. Prou. 8. 13. & 16. 6. 2 | Tim. 1. 7. 1 Ioh. 4. 18. Hos. | 3. 5. Psal. 97. 10. Ier. 4. 18. | & 2. 19._] | | [Note A: | _Vero-Christianus--profici[=e]do Lastly, in the Scriptures I finde | perveniet ad talem anim[=u], vt Perseuerance or Constancie[q] to be | plus amet Dominum quam timeat euer an inseperable Attendant vpon | Geh[=e]nam: vt etiamsi dicat illi her Feare! For she is not one that | Deus, vtere delicise carnalibus hath not yet tasted of this sauing | sempiternis & quantum potes; pecca, Grace, or else not continued in the | nec morieris, nec in Geh[=e]nam same; but she is a woman for the | mitteris, sed mecum tantummodo non present, _Timens Dominum, Fearing | eris; exhorrescat et omnino non the Lord_. You shall neuer finde | peccet, non iam vt in illud quod Her otherwise, than (as God would | timebat non incidat, sed ne illum haue her) _In the feare of the Lord | quem sic amat, offendat. De all the day long, Prou. 23. Fearing | Catechiz. Rudib. cap. 27. tom. 4. and keeping his Commandements | fol. 912._] alwaies, Deut. 4. Doing her Husband | Good and not euill all the daies of | [Note q: _Ierem. 32. 39, 40. her life_, verse the 12. of this | Deut. 4. 10. Prou. 23. 17. & 14. Chapter. | 2. 1 Tim. 2. 15._] | It is true indeed, as Feare is | [Note r: _Matth. 28. 20 Es. 43. opposed to Diffidence, _Luke 1._ So | 1, 2._] she serves God without a | Distrustfull Feare all the daies of | [Note s: _Ier. 14. 9. Lam. 3. her life; because of Gods | 22, 23._] continuall presence with Her[r], | continuall mercy towards Her[s], | [Note t: _2 Cor. 12. 9. Es. 26. continuall power[t] ouer Her, in | 4. & 45. 24. Psal. 121. & 35. Strengthening, Helping, and | 24. Rom. 8. 26._] Vpholding Her, _Esai. 41. 10._ But | yet as Feare is opposed to | [Note u: _Matth. 10. 28. Deut. Negligence, so she still feares | 28. 58._] God, lest she should be secure by | reason of his Power which is | [Note x: _Esai. 29. 15, 16. Psal. inuincible[u]; of his Wisdome, | 50. 21._] which is infallible[x]; of his | Mercy, which is compassionate[y]; | [Note y: _Esai. 43. 25. & 63. 9. & and of his Iustice, which is | 49. 13, 15._] inflexible[z]. | | [Note z: _Esai. 42. 14._] | It is as true also (which _Gerson_ | [Note a: _De diuersis tentat. and others haue obserued[a]) that | Diaboli, part 3. M^r. Greenham 5._ many times a Deuout Soule is so | part, among his Rules for an disquieted with a slauish Feare of | Afflicted minde.] the Aduersary; that she feares lest | she hath not any true Feare of Gods | [Note b: _Esai. 54. 8, 9, 10. c. Maiestie; but yet (_B. B._) say the | 49. 15. Ier. 31. 3. 36. c. 33. 20, _Pelagian_ what hee can to the | 21. Ioh. 13. 1. Rom. 8. 38, contrary, such is the | 39. Mat. 12. 20. Esai. 42. 3._] Euerlastingnesse of Gods Loue[b], | Mercie[c], and Couenant[d], the | [Note c: _Psalm. 103. 17. 2 Sam. Vnconquerablenesse of his Power[e], | 7. 15._] the Immortality of his Word[f], the | Certaintie of his Promises[g], the | [Note d: _Psal. 89. 28, 34. Esai. Efficacie of Christs Spirit[h]; | 55. 3. c. 59. 21. Ier. 32. 40._] Prayer[i], Merits[k], and of Faith | in them[l]; yea such is the durable | [Note e: _Ioh. 10. 29. Iude vers. vigour of this sauing Grace of _the | 24. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Esai. 26. 4. Feare of the Lord_[m], that being | Psal. 80. 17. Manus Dei est once rooted by God, (as Saint | ista, non nostra vt non discedamus _Augustine_ vrgeth) it cannot be | a Deo, manus inqu[=a] eius est remoued; but through it we may | ista, qui dixit, Timorem meum dabo perseueringly adhere vnto God | in cor eor[=u] &c. S. Aug. de Bono according to his promise: _I will | perseuer. c. 7. to. 7. Ier. 32. put my Feare in their hearts, that | 27._] they shall not depart from me, Ier. | 32. 40._ with _Psal. 80. 17._ She | [Note f: _1 Pet. 1. 23. 1 Ioh. 3. then that truely hath this _Feare_, | 9._] doth so feare the Lord in Loue, and | loue him in feare[n], that as in | [Note g: _Ephes. 1. 13. Numb. 13. the midst of Gods not Consuming, | 19. Ios. 21. 45. 1 Ioh. 5. 10. but Consummating Anger (for so | Hebr. 7. 27. c. 11. 11. Rom. 4. Saint _Augustine_[o] calls Gods | 21. 1 Cor. 1. 9._] Anger towards the Godly) shee can | see the yerning and relenting | [Note h: _Esai. 59. 21. Ephes. 1. Bowels of a Compassionate Father, | 13, 14. c. 4. 30. Ioh. 14. 16, so in the height of Satans | 17. 1 Ioh. 2. 27._] Terrifying iniections, she can | shunne and abhorre Gods | [Note i: _Luke 22. 32. Ioh. 17. Displeasure[p], more than all other | 15, 20. Rom. 8. 34. Hebr. 7. miseries of Punishments, and | 25._] therefore in what state soeuer she | be of Consolation or Desertion, | [Note k: _1 Pet. 1. 2, 3, 4, 5. 1 shee is still the same Woman, | Ioh. 5. 4, 18._] _Timens Dominum, Fearing the Lord_. | | [Note l: _1 Pet. 5. 9. Ephes. 6. | 6. Matth. 16. 18._] | | [Note m: _Ierem. 31. 40._ | _Perseuerantiam enim promisit Deus, | dicens: Timorem meum dabo in cor | eorum vt a me non recedant. Quod | quid est aliud quam talis ac tantus | erit Timor meus, quem dabo in cor | eorum, vt mihi perseueranter | adhaereant? Idem de Bono Perseuer. | c. 2. tom. 7. Rom. 11. 29._] | | [Note n: _Absit enim vt timore | pereat amor, si castus est timor._ | _S. Aug. in Psal. 119. tom. 8._] | | [Note o: _Est ira consummationis, & | est ira c[=o]sumptionis, (nam omnis | Vindicta Dei, Ira dicitur) sed | aliquando ad hoc vindicat Deus, vt | perficiat: aliquando ad hoc | vindicat, vt damnet. Idem in | Psal. 58 to. 8. s. 599._] | | [Note p: _----Qui glutine Deo Thus wee haue seene who she is, who | conglutinatur, id est charitate ... _shall be praised_, lest we should | terribilius & horribilius ipsa praise Her vnawares, whom we should | Gehenna iudicat, in re leuissima not praise. And now it were good we | vult[=u] omnipotentis scienter did thinke a little better on the | offendere. S. Bern. de Tripl. Reason, why _she shall be praised_, | Coharen. Vincul._] euen because she is such _a woman | fearing the Lord_. | [Note: _The Reason._] | For if any thing, so rare and | [Note q: _1 Pet, 3. 7. Vir itaq, excellent a Grace as the _Feare of | nominatus est, quod maior in eo Vis the Lord_ is, should moue vs to | est quam in foemina, & hinc Virtus affect it, and labour for it, | nomen accepit. Item Mulier a especially being found in so weake | mollicie est dicta ... velut a Vessell as a Woman is[q]. For I | Mollier. Lact. de Ops. Dei. cap. could tell you, there are more | 12._] _Michals_[r] than _Abigails_[s], | more _Iezebels_[t] than | [Note r: _1 Sam. 18. 21. & 25. _Sarah's_[u], more proud | 41._] _Vasthy's_[x], than humble | _Esthers_[y], more Fearefull women, | [Note s: _2 Sam. 6. 16, 20._] than Women _Fearing the Lord_; and | therefore the rarer such Phoenixes | [Note t: _1 King. 21. 7. 2 King. 9. are (as S. _Ierom_ calls them[a]) | 22, 30._] not _One_ to be found by wisest | _Salomon_[A], among a _Thousand_, | [Note u: _1 Pet. 3. 6._] greater is her praise _that feareth | the Lord_[b]. | [Note x: _Esth. 1. 12._] | | [Note y: _Esth. 8. 5._] | | [Note a: _Optima foemina rarior est | Phoenice. Malarum foeminar[=u] tam | copiosa sunt examina &c. S. Ier. | epist._] | | [Note A: _Eccles. 7. 28. Prou. 3. | 10._] | | [Note b: _Laus tanto maior deferri | solet, quanto est bonum rarius quod | exigit Laudem. S. Aug. lib. 1. de | Ciuit. Dei. cap. 28. tom. 5._] | Then I must tell you, that euery | [Note c: _Esai. 8. 12 Col. 2. Feare is not commendable. Not that | 20._] Feare which is Hypocriticall, for | this is Superstition, when men | [Note d: _2 Tim. 3. 2. Mat. 10. feare the Feare of Idolaters[c]. | 28. Quis animae Dominator, nisi Not that feare which is Worldly, | Deus solus? Quis iste, nisi ignium for this is wicked selfe-Loue, when | comminator? ... Illi potius metum men feare Men[d], Losse of Goods, | consecand[=u] &c. Tertul. aduers._ Fire and faggot, more than God the | _Gnost. c. 9. tom. 3._] Onely Soueraigne Commander of the | Soule, the Only Dreadfull Threatner | [Note e: _Timor Seruilis n[=o] est of euerlasting Burnings. Nor that | Virtus, quialicet mala declinari feare which is Seruile[e] or | saciat: non tamen hoc sacit bene, adulterate[f], for this is no | id est saudibiliter; immo iliter et Vertue (proues _Paris._) when men | brutaliter, videlicet solo metae feare the _Euill of Punishment_ | ferae, ita enim occupat animum & only; not the _Euill of Sinne_, as | intentionam timentis, oraculos an Adulteresse feares the Comming | cordis ad solam poenae euasionem home of her Husband; but feares | habeat &c. Paris. de Virtutibus, not the Committing of Adultery. | fol. 81. lit. H._ & _Paludan. l. 3. Nor is that feare commendable, | d. 34. q. 3._] which is Distrustfull or Immoderate | like _Ruben_ (as _Gerson_[g] | [Note f: _--Coniun quae adulterinum alludes) growen great, and lying | anim[=u] gerit, etiam si timore with _Bilhah_, for this is | viri non adulterium perpetrat: Infidelitie when men tie Gods Grace | tamen quod deest aperi, inest to present deliuerance out of | voluntati, Casta vero aliter timet: danger, without a Beleeuing and | nam & ipsa times virum; sed caste. waiting Spirit for his Mercie, | Deniq, timet illa, no vir insestus _Esai. 28. 16._ | adueniat, ista ne offensus | abscedat. S. Aug. epist. 120. c. | 21. to. 2._] | | [Note g: _Ruben violat Balamdum | nimium grandis effectus est, quia | timor si simius est, dum se | custodire nititur, format inutiles | imaginationes, quibus se connoluens | a salutaribus impeditur. Tract. | 10. super, Magnificat. part 3._] | But the _Feare_ for which a _Woman | [Note h: _Lege Esaiam: vide quantia shall be praised_, is informed by | subiecerit timorem vt faceret Wisdome, instructed by | irreprehensibilam & bonum Timorem. Vnderstanding, directed by | Spiritus inquit Sapientia &c. Talle Counsell, strengthned by Might, | Timori Domini ista & est gouerned by Knowledge, adorned with | irrationabilis & insipiens Timor, Pietie, as Saint _Ambrose_ collects | vnus ex illis: Foris pugnae, intus out of the eleuenth of _Esay_[h]. | Timores. In Psal. 118. Ser. 5. It is a Faithfull feare trusting in | tom. 4._] God[i], and making Him her _Feare_, | _Esai. 8. 13._ and her Hope too in | [Note i: _Psal. 115. 11. & 147. the Day of Euill, not without this | 11. Esai. 50. 10._] feruent Prayer vnto Him then: _Be | not thou a Terrour vnto me, Ier. | [Note k: _Psal. 19. 9_] 17. 17._ A chast and _Cleane | Feare[k], Cleansing from all | [Note l: _2 Cor. 7. 1._] filthinesse of the flesh and | Spirit_.[l] A Reuerent and Godly | [Note m: _Hebr. 12. 28._] Fear[m], Preparing the heart, | Humbling the Soule in Gods | [Note n: _Eccles. 2. 17. & 21. 6._] sight[n], Trembling at his Word[o], | not Disobeying it, Eschewing[p] | [Note o: _Esai. 66. 2. Eccle. 2. euill, Working righteousnesse and | 15._] Giuing much almes[q]. A Blessed | Feare it is[r], Blessing them that | [Note p: _Iob 1. 1._] haue it, Blessing the Lord that | giues it, Praising Him and saying: | [Note q: _Act. 10. 35, 2, 31. _That his Mercy endureth for | Eccles. 25. 1._] euer_[s]. | | [Note r: _Psal. 112. 1. & 128. 1._] | | [Note s: _Psal. 135. 13. & 118. 4 & | 22. 23._] | Lastly, it is an Euerlasting Feare, | [Note t: _1 King. 18. 3. 12. Tob. euer encreasing[t], and _Enduring | 14. 4._] for euer_[u], though not in respect | of the Act of Declination or | [Note u: _Psal. 19. 9. Reuel. 7. eschewing of sinne[x], because in | 10, 11 & 19. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6._] Heauen there is no feare of | sinning[y]; yet in respect of the | [Note x: _Bonau. lib. 3. d. 34. q. Act of Celebration or Reuerencing | 3. p. 89. Tho. Aquin. II q. 79. God, because there the Saints doe | a. II_] nothing else; but still Giue Glory | to Him, and Worship Him with humble | [Note y: _In coelo, vbi non est Acknowledgement of their owne | peccatum Gloria est & perpetua laus Vnworthinesse, _Psal. 19. 9._ with | & indefessae praeconia. S. Ierom. ad _Reuel. 4. 10. 11._ | Therdoram. Epitaph. Lucinij. | {Offensa | { & Now (Honourable and Beloued) though | Timorem {Poenae. Gloria I haue set nothing at all besides | {Patriae this Heauenly Manna before your | propter coram imperfectionem n[=o] eyes; yet your full Soules must not | paritur. In tuto enim erimus et Loath it. For if that only is to be | [(a] poenae et ab offensa. Paris. praised which is excellent[z], then | de Virtutibus, lit. A. F._] (by your leaue) I must stand | somewhat longer vpon the | [Note z: _Laudare plus est quam Excellencie of this _Feare_, before | probare & praedicare. Nam Laudamus _a Woman_ can be _praised_ that | id quod excellit &c. _Auso. Popma hath it. | de Differen. Virt. l. 3._] | I demand then what doe you count | [Note: The Excellencie of Godly Excellent? Riches, Honour, Life. | Feare.] Why, these are neuer well gotten, | nor well kept; but by _the Feare of | [Note b: _Prou. 22. 4. & 19. 23._ the Lord_. So saith _Salomon_, _By | _Eccles. 1. 11, 12. & 23. 27. & 40. the feare of the Lord are Riches | 26, 27. & 10. 20, 22._] and Honour, and Life_[b]. Say what | you will, it must needs be an | [Note c: _Inter Laudes meas & illa Excellent thing wherwith Christ | est eximia: quod ipsum Christum Iesus Himselfe was Filled, and that | Domin[=u] Apothecam, immo fontem was with _The Spirit of this Feare, | Gratiarum omnium & Virtutum replere Esai. 11. 2._[c]. An excellent | dictus sum &c. Paris. de Moribus, thing which God Himselfe so | fol. 99. Lit. P._] earnestly desires to be still in | vs, and that is this Feare. _O_ | [Note d: _Deut. 5. 29._] (saith He) _that there were such an | Heart in them, that they would | [Note e: _Eccles. 12. 13. Deum feare me, and keepe my | time--Ergo si hoc est omnis Homo, Commandements alwaies_[d], which is | absq, hoc Nihil omnis Homo. Serm. indeed the _whole Dutie of Man_[e]; | 20. in Cant._] without which (Saint _Bernard_ | concludes) _Euery man is Nothing_. | [Note f: _Vsus enim humani animi He is not a Man (reasons a | pendet a Timore conspictus Diuini Schoole-man[f]) but the Shadow of a | tanquam a primi regula. Caiet. in Man; because He imployes not his | Eccles. c. 8 13. v._] Soule to that noble End for which | he had it, namely, to be squared | [Note g: _Prou. 9. 10. Iob 28. and ruled _by the feare of the | 28._] Lord_: without which no man can so | much as Begin to be wise, because | [Note h: _Eccles. 25. 12._] this _Feare is the Beginning_[g] | _of wisdome_, nor so much as _Begin | [Note i: _Leuit. 2. 13. Pet. to Loue God_, because this _Feare | Bles. ser. 36. p. 430._] is the Beginning of the Loue of | God_[h]. It is the _Salt_ (alludes | [Note k: _Psal. 2. 11._] _Blesensis_) that must be in euery | _Sacrifice_[i], in euery _Worke we | [Note l: _2 Cor. 7. 11. Eccl. 21. doe_, so that there is no _Seruing | 6._] God_, no _Reioycing_ in Him[k], no | heartie _Repenting_[l], no _Chast | [Note m: _1 Pet. 3. 2._] Conuersing_[m], no _Perfecting | Holinesse_[n], no _Working out our | [Note n: _2 Cor. 7. 1._] Saluation_, but with _Feare and | Trembling_[o]; nay there is no | [Note o: _Philip. 2. 12._] _Saluation_, no _Blessednesse_ | without _Continuing in this | [Note p: _Eccles. 2. 10. 1 Tim. Feare_[p], _Prou. 28. 14._ Againe, | 2. 15._] is not that Excellent, that will | make vs more Excellent than our | [Note q: _Prou. 12. 26. Eccles. Neighbours[q], that will Exalt vs | 15. 5._] aboue them, that will keepe our | hearts from Hardning[r], our Houses | [Note r: _Prou. 28. 14._] from Ouerthrowing[s]? but nothing | can doe this; but this _Feare of | [Note s: _Eccles. 27. 3._] the Lord_. This feare (saith | _Paris._[t]) can cause a spiritual | [Note t: _Ego sum Tempestas ad Earth-quake in a mans Heart, able | liberationem & salutem, Terraemotum to ouerthrow all the Deuils | spiritualem in corde humano strongest holds, any[u] | faciens, et omnia Diabolica Bosome-sinne, be it neuer so | aedificia in co subuertens et pleasing and profitable, by reason | discutiens ab codem. Paris. de of that Contrarietie and | Moribus fol. 99. lit. F._] Opposition[x] that is betweene | Lying in any Sweet Sinne, and | [Note u: _Prou. 8. 13. & 16. 6. Liuing in Gods Feare and Fauour, as | Psal. 119. 6, 36. 117. 128. v. you may see, _Leuit. 25. 36._ | Iam. 2. 10. Psal. 86. 11._] | | [Note x: _Sed aiunt quid[=a]: Satis | Deum habere si corde & animo | suspiciatur, licet actu minus fiat. | Itaq se saluo metu et fide | peccare; hoc est Salua castitate, | matrimonia violare, Salua pietate, | par[=e]ti venenum temperare._ | Tertul. de _Poenit. c. 5. tom. 2._] | Lastly, this is an Excellent Feare, | [Note y: _Prou. 14. 27._] because it is _A fountaine of | Life_[y]: wherefore? _To driue away | [Note a: _Eccles. 1. 21._] Sinnes_[a], Sinnes which haue beene | committed by Repentance (saith S. | [Note b: _Timor Domini expellit _Bernard_) and Sinnes whereto we | peccatum, sine quod iam admissum are Tempted, by Resistance[b]; and | est, sine quod tentat intrare. yet this is not all the Excellencie | Expellit sane illud quidem of this Feare: For it is _A | poenitende, hoc Resistendo. Serm. fountaine of life_ also: _To Cause | de Diuers. Affect._] vs to finde fauour at our | Deaths_[c]; and which is more, Such | [Note c: _Eccles. 1. 13._] an Excellent Feare as will make vs | _Not feare, nor be afraid_[d]. | [Note d: _Eccles. 34. 14. Exod. Whereupon Saint _Augustine_[e] | 20. 20. Prou. 1. 33. & 19. 23. concludes for my purpose: _Discat | Psal. 27. 1, 2, 3. & 34. 4 timere, qui non vult timere: Discat | --Auferendi sunt metus, sed ita, ad tempus esse Solicitus, qui | vt hic solus relinquatur, qui semper vult esse securus_. Let him | quoniam legitimus ac verus est, learn to feare, that would not | solus efficit, ut possint caetera feare: Let him be wary and | omnia non timeri, Lact. de Vero cautelous for a time, that would be | Cultu. l. 6. c. 17. Qui enim Deum happie and secure for euer. | veraciter timet, nihil terrenum & _Tertullian_ giues the reason[f], | caducum timet, immo ex ipso Timore because if _We feare to Offend_, by | Dei, ipsis Timoribus Fearing we will take heed, lest we | supereffertur. Bonau. lib. 3. d. Offend, and by Taking heed, we | 34. q. 1. p. 62._] shall be in safetie; otherwise if | wee presume and be not alwaies | [Note e: _De Temp. Serm. 214. tom. watchfull ouer our hearts lest they | 10._] offend, we cannot be _Saued_[g], | _Ier. 4. 14. Qui solicitus est, | [Note f: _Nam qui praesumit, minus is vere poterit esse securus_: He | veretur, minus praecauet, plus that is not ouer-bold on his owne | periclitatur &c. De Cultu Faem. strength[h]; but confident in | cap. 2. & de Paenit. cap. 6.--Volo Christ[i], and liues not securely | te timere & non timere, praesumere & in the minion-delight of any knowne | non praesumere, timere vt paeniteas, sinne; but stands in such | non timere vt praesumas. Porro continuall awe of Gods _Presence_, | praesumere ne diffidas, non _Precepts_, _Promises_, _Threats_, | praesumere ne torpescas. Ber. cp. that he dare not so much as once | 87. ad Oger._] make any offer of incurring his | Displeasure by the impenitent | [Note g: _Prou. 4. 23. Ier. 4. Allowance of any sinne in his | 14, 18. & 16. 10, 11, 12. Es. 55. heart[k], and studies to do euery | 7. Mat. 15. 19. Nec sufficit Good worke as carefully, as if it | non egisse aliquid impium, si were the Last he should doe in this | m[=e]te cogitatur impietas. S. World, and as exactly, as if his | Hilar. in Psal. 65. fol. 424._] whole Saluation depended vpon it, | such a Man (in Ancient | [Note h: _Prou 28. 26. Rom. 7. _Tertullians_ iudgement[l]) may be | 18. & 11. 20._] truely secure of Perseuering in | Grace here; and of being Glorified | [Note i: _Phil. 4. 13. 2 Tim. 2. hereafter[m], _1 Thess. 5. 15, 24._ | 1. & 4. 18. Eph. 6. 10. 2 Once more I haue done. Is not that | Chron. 16. 8, 9. et. 20. 12. an excellent thing that is for the | Deut. 6. 3, 4. Quicquid est Good of them that haue it, & of | circa te vel in te unde possis their children after them? Riches, | praesumere, abjice a te, & tota Honour, Beautie, Policie, these and | praesumptio tua Deus sit, illius the like are not oftentimes so, as | indigens esto, vt implearis &c._ we see by woefull experience in | _S. Aug. in Psal. 85._] _Nabal_, _Haman_, _Absalom_, | _Achitophel_; but _the feare of the | [Note k: _Psal. 66. 18. 1 Pet. 3. Lord_ is euer so, _for the Good of | 15. Ez. 33. 31. Psal. 24. 4 them that haue it, and for their | Iam. 4. 8. Heb. 10. 22. Redi children after them_, as the | ad te, intus tibi esto iudex. Ecce Prophet saith, _Ier. 32. 39._ and | in cubiculo tuo abscondito, in ipsa God himselfe before him, _Deut. 5. | vena intima cordis tui vbi tu solus 29._ | es, & ille qui videt; illic tibi | displiceat iniquitas, vt placeas | Deo.... Parum est in vultu, parum | est in lingua, in corde noli | respicere, id est, noli diligere, | noli acceptare. Idem in Psal. 65. | to 8._] | | [Note l: _De cultu Faem. cap. 2. to. | 2._] There is no want to them that haue | this _Feare_ of any Good thing that | [Note m: _2 Thess. 3. 3. 2 Tim. is Good for them[n]. For first, | 2. 19. Ioh. 15. 16. Luke 10. _Psal. 25. 14. The secret_, that | 20. Ioh. 16. 22. & 10. 28, 29. is, _the feare of the Lord, is with | v. Psal. 35. 5. & 125. 1. Prou. them that feare Him_; and is not | 10. 30._] that enough, though I should say no | more with the Psalmist, because | [Note n: _Psal. 34. 9, 10. _Godly Feare is Gods Treasure, | Eccles. 40. 26, 27. & 1. 16._] Esai. 33. 6._ and _Better little | with it_ (saith _Salomon_) _than | [Note o: _Prou. 15. 16._] Great Treasure_[o]? But there is | more behind to moue you further to | [Note p: _Psal. 25. 14._] affect this Excellent Grace. For if | you will _Feare the Lord_, He will | [Note q: _Mal. 2. 5._] shew you his _Couenant_[p] _of life | and peace_[q], _Teach you the way | [Note r: _Psal. 25. 12._] that you shall chuse_[r], _Haue a | Booke of remembrance written before | [Note s: _Mal. 3. 16._] Him for you_[s]: _Hee will Arise | vnto you the Sunne of | [Note t: _Mal. 4. 2._] Righteousnesse with healing in his | wings_[t]: _He wil hide you in his | [Note u: _Psal. 31. 20, 21._] presence from the pride of men_[u], | _Keepe you secretly in a Pauilion | [Note x: _Eccles. 33. 1._] from the strife of tongues, Deliuer | you in Temptation euen againe_[x]; | [Note y: _Psal. 147. 11._] yea _He will take pleasure in | you_[y], _Pitie you as a Father | [Note a: _Psalm. 103. 13. Mal. 3. doth his children_[a], _Fulfill | 17._] your Desire_, _Heare your crie and | saue you_[b]. And what is all this, | [Note b: _Psal. 145. 19._] but in a word (the word of my Text) | _Hee will praise you_, which is the | Thing Promised to _a woman fearing | the Lord_. | | _Ipsa Laudabitur: She shall be | [Note: II. praised._ | _The thing promised._ | _In what respect to_ Ipsa.] She shall be so; but may not that | labour be spared? For a man would | [Note c: _Prou. 28. 4 & 24. 24. & thinke, she hath been praised all | 17. 15. Eccl. 10. 23, 29. Tho. this while; because Godly Feare, | Aquin. 22. q. 115. a. 2. Corp._] the Grace of God in Her, and the | onely cause of her Praise, hath | [Note d: _Ego carnis bona quae beene alreadie so much commended | semper & ipse contempsit, in animae vnto you? No (Beloued) my Text (you | laudibus n[=o] requiram----ad see) applies and appropriates this | Heliodor. Epitah. Nepot._] praise to _Ipsa_, Her own Person, | by vertue indeed of _the Feare of | [Note e: _Prou. 27. 14. Vox autem the Lord_. For were it not for | grandis, laus excedens mensur[=a] that, it were better Contemning | Meritorum his intelligetur--Paris. Her, yea Contending[c] with Her, | de Moribus. fol. 123. lit. M._] than Commending Her, because that | is a constant marke of the Godly to | [Note f: _Es. 26. 12. 1 Cor. 15. Contemne the vngodly, _Psal. 15. | 10. & 12. 6. Phil. 2. 13. Ier. 4._ This, of the wicked to Praise | 32. 40._] the wicked, to Blesse the Couetous, | whom _the Lord abhorreth_, _Psal. | [Note A: _Laudari in bonis operibus 10. 3._ It is not her Friendship, | debes; sed in eo quod operaris, no nor _Carnis bona_ (as Saint | homin[=u] laudes expectare non _Ierom_[d] calls them) _the Good | debes--Deus Laudetur in operibus endowments of the flesh_, can | tuis. De statu Vidu. ad Gallam priuiledge him from a _Curse_, if | epist. 2. Si qua sane in Sanctis so be, he praise her without or | digna laude vel admiratione aboue[e] her Deserts, _Prou. 27. | intueor, clara luce veritatis 14._ Onely _the feare of the Lord_, | discutiens, profecto reperio with the excellent fruits thereof, | Laudabilem siue Mirabilem alium is Gods Gift[f], for which (saith | apparere atque alium esse, & Laudo _Fulgentius_[A]) she ought, and he | Deum in Sanctis eius. S. Bern. may safely commend her, because | Ser. 13. in Cant._] then, not shee; but _Gods Grace_ in | her is _Praised_, _Ephes. 1. 6._ | [Note g: _1 Pet. 3. 4. Enimvero Yea then, _not she_, but _God | quis non animae dabit summam omnem, himselfe is Glorified_ in Her, | cuius nomine totius Hominis mentio _Gal. 1. 24._ | titulata est. Tertul. de Anima. | cap. 13._] But what? is not _She Praised_, | when Her Husband, Her Children, Her | [Note h: ... _Nihil in illa Kindred, Her Friends, Her | laudabo, nisi quod propr[=u] est._ Attendants, Her Wit, Her Wealth, | _S. Ierom ad Princip._ And so of Her Beautie, Her Nobilitie, or all | _Paula_ he saith. _Nihil laudabimus these and the like of Hers are | nisi quod proprium est & de commended? Yes, all these come very | purissimo sanctae mentis fonte neere Her, and mutually receiue | profertur. Id. ep. ad Eustoch. Nam lustre and eminencie from this | cum omnia opera sua laudauerit Godly Feare; but they are not | Deus, coelum, terram &c. vbi ad _Ipsa_, Her selfe, that is,[g] | Homin[=e] v[=e]tum est, solus non principally Her Soule truely | videtur esse laudatus propter quem Generous, and ennobled with the | omnia generata s[=u]t. Quae igitur _Feare of the Lord_. Vntill such an | causa est, nisi forte ea, quia alia Humble Soule be found in Her, She | in specie sunt, Homo in occulto? is not She, that _shall be adorned | quia aliorum Gratia foris, huius with the Garment of praise_, _Esai. | intus est. Aliorum in Natiuitate, 61. 3._ Therefore Saint _Ierom_[h] | huius in Corde.--Ideo ergo homo non would not commend in Noble | ante laudatur, quia non in forensi _Marcella_ any thing saue Her owne | pelle, sed in interiore Homine ante Godly selfe. _Ipsa Laudabitur_: She | probandus, sic praedicandus est._ is She that shall be Praised. | _S. Ambros. Instit. Virg. cap. 3. | tom. 1._] And so we see how far forth Praise | is to be extended to Her. Now to | speak of the Extent of Her Praise: | Let the word haue his full | latitude. _Laudabitur_ is generall, | [Note i: _2 Ioh. 1. 1. Hebr. 13. no kinde is limited. 1. Therefore | 1. Ephes. 5. 25._] for the Extent, to be praised euery | manner of way. 2. For the Time when | [Note k: _1 Thess. 5. 13._] it shall be best for her. 3. For | the Praiser, by him who can best | [Note l: _Mark. 14. 9. Psal. 112. doe it. Of all these briefly. | 6._] | First, what praise she shall haue. | [Note: I. _What Praise she shall 1. Euen that (which being true) is | haue. The Extent of Laudabitur._] euer accompanied with Dearest Loue | to her person[i]. 2. Highest | [Note m: _Gen. 23. 2. Ioh. 11. estimation of Gods abundant graces | 33, 35. 1 King. 14. 13. 1 Thes. in Her[k]. 3. Frequent | 4. 13. Eccles. 22. 11, 12 & 38. Commemoration of them[l]. 4. | 16, 17._] Moderate Lamentation at her | Death[m]. 5. Solemne Funerals | [Note n: _Act. 8. 2. 2 Chron. 32. according to the Dignitie of her | 33._] place[n]. 6. And aboue all, with | precise imitation of her excellent | [Note o: _Iam. 5. 10. Hebr. 12. Vertues[o]. All this Honour God | 1. & 13. 7. 1 Cor. 11. 1._] allowes Her, that honours Him with | His Feare[p]. But because all | [Note p: _1 Sam. 2. 30. Deut. 26. Praise is properly in Words (as the | 19. Ioh. 12. 26. Esai. 8. 13. Schoole-man teacheth[q]) and better | Timor Hominis, Dei Honor est. words shee cannot haue to praise | Tert. de Poenit. c. 7_] Her, than God himselfe speakes[r], | therefore she shall be Commended in | [Note q: _Tho. Aquin. 22. q. 103. no other, neither in regard of God, | a. 1. ad 3._] nor of her Husband, Children, | Kindred, Seruants, and Gods People. | [Note r: _Psal. 12. 6._] | First in respect of God, she shall | [Note s: _Psal. 16. 3._] be praised for One of his | Excellent[s], Hidden Ones[t]: for | [Note t: _Psal. 83. 3._] one of his Iewels, which hee will | make vp[u]: for His Daughter[x], | [Note u: _Mal. 3. 17._] His Sister[y], His Mother[z], His | Spouse[a], His Loue[b], His | [Note x: _2 Cor. 6. 18,_] Doue[c], His Faire[d] one, as Faire | as the Moone, as Pure as the | [Note y: _Cant. 4. 9._] Sun[e]: as the Moone by inherent, | and as the Sun, by imputed | [Note z: _Matth. 12. 50._] Righteousnesse. To her Husband she | shall bee commended, as the Louing | [Note a: _Hos. 2. 19._] Hinde and pleasant Roe[f], the | Desire of his eyes[g]; An Helpe | [Note b: _Cant. 2. 10._] like vnto Himselfe[h]; His | Companion[i]; for A Pillar of | [Note c: _Cant. 2. 14._] rest[k], so that He shall haue no | need of spoile[l]; for a Good | [Note d: _Cant. 2. 13._] Portion[m], a speciall Fauour[n] | and Gift of the Lord[o]; a Double | [Note e: _Cant. 6. 10._] Grace[p], Doubling the number of | his Daies[q], Fatting his bones[r], | [Note f: _Prou. 5. 19._] and making him knowne in the Gates, | when he sitteth among the Elders of | [Note g: _Ezek. 24. 16. Eccles. the Land[s]: for a Tower against | 36. 22._] Death vnto him[t]: A greater | Blessing vnto him than either House | [Note h: _Gen. 2. 18. Eccles. 36. or Inheritance[u], Aboue children | 24._] and the Building of a Citie to | continue his Name[x], yea for a | [Note i: _Mal. 2. 14._] Crowne vnto her Husband[y], not a | Gold-ring on his finger; nor a | [Note k: _Eccles. 36. 24._] chaine of Gold about his necke, nor | a Brouch in his hat; but for a | [Note l: _Prou. 31. 11._] Crowne vpon his head (an Ornament | more conspicuous and eminent than | [Note m: _Eccles. 26. 3, 23._] the former, the Principall Ensigne | of Princes[z]) gracing him that | [Note n: _Prou. 18. 22._] hath her, as much as a Crown doth | Him that weareth it: so that there | [Note o: _Eccles. 26. 14._] is none aboue her, that feareth the | Lord[a], None greater than she, not | [Note p: _Eccles. 26. 15._] Great Men, nor Iudges, nor | Potentates[b]: Her Grace is aboue | [Note q: _Eccles. 26. 1._] Gold[c]. Her Price is farre aboue | Rubies[d]. Her Continent minde | [Note r: _Eccles. 26. 13._] cannot be valewed[e], and by reason | of Her, her Husband is a Blessed | [Note s: _Prou. 31. 23._] Man[f], Not like other men[g]. | | [Note t: _Eccles. 26. 22._] | | [Note u: _Prou. 19. 14._] | | [Note x: _Eccles. 40. 19._] | | [Note y: _Prou. 12. 4. Non annulus, | non torques aureus, non monile, sed | Corona. Cartw. in Prou._] | | [Note z: _Psal. 21. 3. Esth. 2. | 17_] | | [Note a: _Eccles. 25. 10._] | | [Note b: _Eccles. 10. 24._] | | [Note c: _Eccles. 7. 19._] | | [Note d: _Prou. 31. 10._] | | [Note e: _Eccles. 26. 14. 15._] | | [Note f: _Eccles. 26. 1._] | | [Note g: _Eccles. 36. 23. Sine | Muliere igitur Homo non habet | Laudem, in Muliere praedicatur, &c. | S. Ambros. Instit. Virg. cap. 3. | tom. 1._] To Her Children shee shall be | Commended; because by her they haue | [Note h: _Prou. 14. 26. & 11. 22._] a place of Refuge[h]; by Her they | haue good meanes to bring and | [Note i: _Deut. 5. 29. Psal. 112. continue true Honour vpon them[i], | 2._] and if They (the Fruit) be a great | Blessing[k] (as it is to haue Issue | [Note k: _Psal. 127. 3._] by such a One) what is the Root | that beareth it[l]? | [Note l: _Psal. 128. 3._] | But I must hasten: How shall she be | [Note m: _Gen. 29. 9._] Praised in respect of her Parents? | euen as _Rachel_[m] for doing | [Note n: _Eccles. 3. 7._] seruice to them as to her Masters | (the true propertie of one that | [Note o: _Ruth. 4. 15._] _feareth the Lord_[n].) In respect | of her kindred by mariage, as | [Note p: _Ruth. 1. 8._] _Ruth_, louing them[o], Dealing | kindly with them[p], and Cleauing | [Note q: _Ruth. 1. 14. & c. 2. 11_] vnto them[q]. And in respect of her | kindred by bloud, as _Esther_, who | [Note r: _Esth. 2. 20._] did the Commandement of _Mordecay_ | when she was a Queene, like as when | [Note s: _Esth. 4. 4._] she was brought vp with Him[r], who | was exceedingly grieued at his | [Note t: _Esth. 4. 16._] Griefe[s], and procured the | Enlargement and Deliuerance of her | [Note u: _Esth. 8. 3._] kindred with her _Feasts_[t], her | _Teares_[u], and the Hazard of her | [Note x: _Esth. 4. 11, 16._] _Life_[x]. | | [Note y: _Prou. 14. 1._] In regard of her Seruants also, she | shall be commended because she | [Note z: _Prou. 31. 14._] Buildeth her House[y]: _Shee is | like the Merchants ship, She | [Note a: _Prou. 31. 15._] fetcheth her food from farre_[z], | _She giueth meat to her | [Note b: _Prou. 31. 21._] Houshold_[a], _She cloatheth them | all with Scarlet_[b], _and Shee | [Note c: _Prou. 31. 27._] looketh so well to their waies_[c], | that _As the Sunne when it ariseth | [Note d: _Eccles. 26. 16._] in the high Heauen; So is her | beautie in the Ordering of her | [Note e: _Reuel. 12. 1._] House_[d]. | | [Note f: _Gal. 3. 28._ Ephes. 4. Lastly, because all the Essentiall | 15.16. Cant. 2. 10.--Cum ipsos Glory and Fairenesse, which is to | cogitatis amantes, non virum & bee found in the whole Church, _The | Foeminam, sed verbum &c. Animam Woman cloathed with the Sunne_[e], | sentiatis, oportet. Et si Christum as that of Iustification & | & Ecclesiam dixero, idem est, nisi Sanctification &c. belongs to euery | quod Ecclesiae nomine non vna Anima, Member of the Church[f], and | sed multarum vnitas, vel potius c[=o]sequently to euery _Woman | vnanimitas designatur._ S. Bern. fearing the Lord_, therefore to | serm. 61. in Cant._] Gods people she shall be commended, | as one of the Hands of the Church | [Note g: _Cant. 5. 5._] _dropping with sweet smelling | Mirrhe_[g]: as the _Curtaines of | [Note h: _Cant. 1. 5._] Salomon_[h]; _As a Lilly among | thornes_[i]; _A Garden inclosed_: | [Note i: _Cant. 2. 2._] _A Spring shut vp_. _A Fountain | sealed_[k]. | [Note k: _Cant. 4. 12._] | But when shall shee haue all this | [Note: II. _When she shall be Praise and of whom? Not by and by, | Praised._] nor of Euery one[l], for Praise is | not comely in the mouth of euery | [Note l: _Luk. 6. 26. Eccles. 15. one, of euery scoffing _Ishmael_. | 9._] | But first of the Time. | [Note m: _Esay 28. 16. 30. 18. 40. | 31. 64. 4. Heb. 10. 36, 37, 38. Many when they heare a Promise (and | Hab. 2. 3, 4._] a Promise I told you at first, this | is) thinke to haue it by and by; | [Note n: _1 Cor. 4. 5._] but they marke not, that a Promise | and the Fruition of it is not all | [Note o: _1 Pet. 1. 7. Et nos at once. It must be waited for[m], | ergo n[=o] a nobis laudem exigamus, especially this Promise of Praise: | nec praeripiamus iudicium Dei & _Vntill the Lord come_ (as the | praeueniamus sententiam iudicis, sed Apostles limit the Time) _and | suo Tempori, suo Iudici then_, at his Appearing, _she shall | reservemus. S. Ambros. in Luc. l. haue praise of God_[n]. _Then at | 8. c. 17. tom. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 5. his Appearing_[o], _Her Faith shall | Eccles. 11. 27.28._] be found vnto Praise and Honour, | and Glory_. Therefore in the mean | [Note p: _Nam si laudari ante while, best for her to _Feare the | Gubernator non potest quam in Lord_, and so be praise-worthy, | portum nauem deduxerit: quomodo than to be praised for the present. | laudabis Homin[=e] prius quam in | stationem mortis successerit? S. 1. Not only because it is safest | Ambr. de Bono Mort. c. 8. tom. 4. praising Her as a Master of a ship | Merito ergo differtur, vt sequatur is (saith S. _Ambrose_[p]) when she | foenerata eius Laudatio, cuius is safely arriued in the Hauen, | dilatio non dispendium; sed past all danger of shipwracke: or | incrementum est ... Et ideo growing more proud by her praise | laudatio eius non in exordio; sed (which many Liuing doe) as _Herod_ | in fine est. Nemo enim nisi for one[q], and that Philosopher | legitime certauerit, coronabitur. for another, whose soule being | Ideoq, sapiens tibi dicit: Ante before no bigger than a mans | mortem non laudes hominem quemquam. finger, became so puft vp and | Ratio. Quia in fine hominis swolne with others commending him, | nudantur opera eius. Id. Instit. that (as _Arrianus_ reports) it | Virg. c. 3. tom. 1._] grew greater than two Cubits[r]. | | [Note q: _Act. 12. 21._] 2. Nor only because actuall praise | is in the lips of the praiser, and | [Note r: _Arrian. Epict. l. 3. c. so a wicked woman may be praised, | 2._] and yet not be worthy of it, and a | godly woman may be praise-worthy, | and yet not haue it, whereas | praise-worthinesse is euer in the | partie to be praised, and fewest | (you know) haue this worth; but | many haue praise without it, | therefore praise-worthinesse is the | Nobler Grace of the two, and | consequently best for a Woman to be | worthy of praise, though she be not | praised for the present. | | 3. But one of the chiefest Reasons | is this; because indeed all our | earthly praise is _Laudatur_, that | is, for the present; but continueth | not. Is, but shall not be. | Sometimes a godly woman is | commended, and sometimes she is | not. As S. _Paul_ praised the | _Corinthians_[s], _Now I praise you | [Note s: _1 Cor. 11. 1, 22_] Brethren_, and by and by he saith: | _Shall I praise you in this? I | praise you not_: whereas This | praise here promised so Is, that it | _shall be_ still, and that cannot | be in this Transitory world; but in | Heauen, where Her praise that | feareth the Lord for euer, endureth | for euer: _Laudabitur, She shall be | praised_. | | The best Time then for commending | [Note: III. Her is yet to come, and that from | _Of whom shee shal be praised._] Him who can best doe it; But I must | tell you first, this Time should | [Note t: _2 Kings 9. 11. Act. 24. neuer come, could the scoffing | 5. & 26. 24. Neh. 6. 13._] _Ishmaels_ of our daies be heard | railing vpon, iesting at, belying | [Note u: _Tert. Apolog. c. 7. &c. and slandering Her and Him _that | Arnob. aduers. Gent. M. Faelix in feareth the Lord_. It was euer | Octau._] their Deuillish propertie[t] with | many disgracefull censures to dimme | [Note x: _Gratias ago Deo meo, quod the glory of the children of Light, | dignus sum, quem mundus oderit._ spitefully to aggrauate their | _S. Ierom. Asellae._] tender frailties, rather than to | commend their vnreproueable Graces. | [Note y: _Ephes. 5. 15. Phil. 4. So of old they scourged the | 8, 9. 2 Cor. 8. 20. 1 Pet. 2. Primitiue Christians with their | 12. Heb. 11. 39. Eccl. 41.12. viperous, virulent tongues[u]; but | --Nec ex nobis scintilla as Saint _Ierome_ thanks God that | procedat, per quam aduersus nos He was counted worthy to be hated | sinistrae famae flamma confletur--Nos of the world[x]; so should euery | id agamus, vt male de nobis nemo good man and woman, not much | loqui, absque Mendacio possit._ trouble themselues for the vniust | _Paulin. epist. ad Celant._] censures and disconceits of | witlesse and worthlesse | prophanenesse; but rather (as | _Paulinus_[y] exhorts) haue more | regard to their good name, lest any | sparkle or appearance of euill | truly proceed from them, whereby | any flame of euill report may be | kindled, and so to liue, that none | may speake euill of them without | lying. For maugre the malice of all | Sensualists, the Time will come, | when euery man and woman that | feareth God, shall haue praise of | [Note z: _1 Cor. 4. 5._] God[z], 1 Cor. 4. which is the best | praise, when all is done[a], 2 Cor. | [Note a: _2 Cor. 10. 18. Iob. 12. 10. Yea (Beloued) that you may not | 43._] count _the Lord slacke_ concerning | his promise[b], Saint _Iames_ tells | [Note b: _2 Pet. 3. 9._] you, This _comming of the Lord | draweth neere_[c]: _Behold the | [Note c: _Iam. 5. 8, 9._] Iudge standeth at the doore, He is | readie to iudge the Quicke and the | Dead_ (saith Saint _Peter_[d]) | [Note d: _1 Pet. 4. 5._] readie to commend them, whom the | world hath condemned; and to | condemne them, whom worldlings haue | commended: readie to reueale vnto | the whole world the good workes of | the godly, _Honorifico pietatis | testimonio_, with an honourable | approbation of their blessed | godlinesse; & also to reueale vnto | the whole world the wicked Deeds of | the vngodly, _Manifesto impietatis | vituperio_, with a publike, and | open, vncontrouleable | Discommendation of their cursed | wickednesse[e]: yea the Iudge is | [Note e: _Mat. 25. 34, 41._] ready to turne _Laudabitur_ into | _Laudatur_, her praise worthinesse | that feareth Him for euer, into | euerlasting Praise; so that should | her Husband and Children faile to | praise Her, which yet they do not, | for they commend Her in the 29. | verse of this Chapter, saying: | _Many daughters haue done | vertuously; but thou excellest them | all_[f]: or should the Godly cease | [Note f: _Prou. 31. 28, 29._] to praise Her, which they will | neuer do either here or in | [Note g: _Cant. 6. 9._] Heauen[g]. Here Her remembrance is | so sweet in all their mouthes, that | [Note h: _Eccles. 39. 10. Eccles. they say:[h] Let her Memory be | 44. 15. Eccles. 49. 1._] blessed: _Let her bones flourish | out of her place_; and _Let the | [Note i: _Eccles. 46. 11, 12._] name of Her that was honoured be | continued vpon her Children_[i]: or | [Note k: _Reuel. 4. 13._] should Her owne workes giue ouer | praising Her in the Gates, which | [Note l: _Gen. 4. 4. Act. 10. they are forbidden to doe, vers. | 35. 1 Pet. 2. 5._] 31. of this Chapter; yet God | himselfe will haue _Her workes | [Note m: _Hebr. 13. 15._] follow her to Heauen_[k], and | _Accepting of her_[l], and _Them, | [Note n: _Esai. 8. 13._] by Christ Iesus_[m], _Hee himselfe | will praise Her, that hath made Him | [Note o: _Deut. 10. 21._] Her Feare_[n], _Her praise_[o], | saying: _Well done thou good and | [Note p: _Matth. 25. 21._] faithfull seruant, thou hast beene | faithfull ouer a few things, I will | [Note q: _Perfecta Die laudatio make thee ruler ouer many things, | magis anim[=a] perficit, quam Dei Enter thou into the ioy of thy | fruitio, quia magis laetatur in Lord_[p]. Where it is best to leaue | Gloria & plus gaudebit de Dei Her, euen with her Lord, taking | gloria & honore, quam de sua more ioy (as a Schoole-man teacheth | Glorificatione, & plus iocundabitur truly) in praising Him, than in | in laudando Domin[=u], quam in contemplating her owne praise, in | consider[=a]do proprium bon[=u]. Glorifying God, than in her owne | Bonau. l. 3. d. 1. q. 1, p. 66._ Glorification[q]. | A selm. Prosolog. c. 15. & 16._] | But though we haue brought a Godly | Woman where she would be, to | Heauenly Praise, and Honour, and | Glory, and found them by Gods free | fauour in Christ giuen vnto Her; | yet who is such a Woman? We haue | not found Her yet; and why not yet? | Because among other reasons, as | Saint _Ierom_ was afraid to entreat | of the Death of that Venerable | Matron _Paula_[r]; so am I to | [Note r: _Quid agimus anima? cur ad speake of the Decease of this | mortem eius venire formidas?--S. Honourable Lady. Therefore giue me | Ier. Epitaph. Paulae. Epist. ad leaue (beloued) to deferre the | Principiam. Gal. 3. 28._] vncomfortable Passions of her | Death, vntill I be a little better | heartened by relating some of the | laudable actions of her Life. | | For the subiect then of my Text, I | [Note: _Application. The Lady dare say, in regard of the | deceased. Mulier Tim[=e]s Description thereof, your owne | Dominum._] consciences haue made the | Application, and doe witnesse for | Her, that She was _A Woman fearing | the Lord_. A Woman indeed, & so the | _Weaker Vessell_[s], yet | [Note s: _1 Pet. 3. 7._] neuerthelesse Honour to be giuen | Her in that respect; but rather the | more (as Saint _Peters_ inference | will allow) because though shee had | _This Treasure of the Feare of the | Lord in an Earthen and in a Weaker | Vessell_[t], yet Gods strength was | [Note t: _Esai. 33. 6. 2 Cor. 4. made perfect in her Weaknesse. And | 7._] it is S. _Ieroms_ rule[u], you | should iudge of Vertues, _Non | [Note u: _--Non considerantes Sexa, sed Animo_: Not by the Sex, | Holdam & Annam ac Debboram, viris but by the Minde and constant | tac[=e]tibus prophetasse, & in purpose of a Regenerate Heart: This | seruitute Christi nequaquam makes the Difference of force in | differentiam Sexuum valere; sed the seruice of Christ, not either | Mentium. S. Ierom. Eustoch._] Male or Female. | | Suruey then (if you please) as | [Note: _The workings of Godly feare briefly as you wil, the seuerall | in regard of Her: Husb[=a]d: workings of Her Godly Feare. | Children._] | First to Her Head, her Subiection | and Helpfulnesse like that of Saint | _Augustines_ Mother to his | [Note x: _S. Aug. Confess. lib. 9. Father[x]. | cap. 9._] | To Her Children, her tenderest | Affection and Sollicitousnesse to | plant _the feare of the Lord_ in | their hearts, to fit them with | worthy Matches out of Religious | Families, to adorne her onely Sonne | with the richest endowments of | Grace and Learning: Witnesse her | Letters to that Learned | Professour[A] in our famous | [Note A: Doct. _Prideaux_ Rector of Vniuersitie, worthy to be kept as a | Exceter College in _Oxford._] Monument of her truly Noble spirit | and Godly Desire (like that of | [Note y: _Greg. Nazian. in Laudem _Gregory Nazianzen's_ Sister) to | Gorgon. Orat. 25._] haue the fruit of her Body become | the fruit of the Spirit[y]. | [Note a: _S. Ier. ad Princip. | Nusquam sine Matre &c.--_] To Her Parents, shee was another | _Rachel_, another _Marcella_[a]. | [Note: _Parents._] | To Her Kindred by mariage another | [Note: _Kindred._] _Ruth_, and to them by bloud | another _Hester_. | | To Her Seruants, shee was | [Note: _Seruants._] bountifull in their Health; | compassionate (as _Fabiola_[b]) in | [Note b: _Id. Epitaph. Fabiola._] their Sicknesse, either of Minde or | of Body, prouiding for them (like | the Centurion) both spirituall and | corporall Physicke. | | To All, Her whole Deportment was so | [Note: _Religious Deportm[=e]t to Louely, so sweet, what _by the law | all._] of kindnesse in her tongue_[c], | Salutations, Gifts, Almes-Deeds, | [Note c: _Prou. 31. 26._] Visitations, Inuitations, and by | other offices of courtesies and | Hospitalities, that Her Amiable | Behauiour was a powerfull Meanes, | an attractiue Load-stone to draw | vnto Her the hearts and loues of as | many as knew Her, yea as but heard | of Her. | | But vnto Gods children she euer | [Note: _Especially vn-vnto Gods only afforded the dearest pangs, | people._] the highest Degree of her kindest | Affection[d]: Their company she | [Note d: _Psal. 16. 3. Psal. 119. most loued, and they Hers. Not so | 63, 79. Gal. 6. 10. 1 Pet. 2. much in regard of Her fauour | 17. Coloss. 1. 4._] towards them, which was great; but | chiefly by reason of that spiritual | Helpe and refreshment, which they | might get by conuersing with Her in | the choicest passages of | Sanctification. For shee had the | Art to vphold holy conferences | about perplexities of conscience, | Relapses into sin, and Remedies | against the same: Shee had the | skill to beget many ioyfull | Meditations of mortifying Grace and | euerlasting Glory: She had the | Zeale to nourish Heauenly | mindednesse, boldnesse in the | waies, and cheerefulnesse in the | exercises of Religion and Deuotion. | | Touching Her submission to the | [Note: _Constant vse of the Meanes Meanes of Saluation: O what delight | of Saluation._] shee tooke here and in _London_, to | heare conscionable and searching | Sermons! It was Her onely Pleasure | in that Citie (as she professed) to | frequent them there; yea what | Griefe was it vnto Her (as it was | vnto Saint _Ambrose_) to heare of | the Death of any of Gods zealous | [Note e: _Paulin. in Vita D. Ministers[e]? | Ambros._] | And should I be silent, yet Her | Oratory in her house hereby, this | Church too (a part whereof her | Zeale, together with her Honourable | Husbands Loue to Gods House newly | erected) that Closset also of Hers | in _Truro_, yea euery place almost | would speake aloud of her constant | reading, hearing, meditating on the | Word, solemne Humiliations, | solitary conferences with her God, | feruent prayers and eiaculations, | which (as the sweetest incense) | shee euer and anon sent vp to the | Throne of Grace for the pardon of | her sinnes, the fauour of God, the | spirituall Good of her Dearest | Husband, Children, and Gods Church. | | But adde vnto all these, another | [Note: _Vnfained Resolution to more speciall, essentiall, and | mortifie her most preuailing superiour working of Her Godly | Sinne._] Feare, and that was Her continuall | Combating against all sinne, euen | Her most commanding sin whatsoeuer | that was[f]. For there was a time | [Note f: _Psal. 18. 23. Rom. 7. to my knowledge, when after the | 21, 22, 23, 24._] preaching vnto Her of the power and | efficacie of Gods promises, and of | Christs Death and Resurrection, for | the mortifying and mastering of any | bosome and beloued sinne, you might | easily see in Her, how willingly | [Note g: _Psal. 119. 6, 8. Act. she yeelded vnto the Sanctifying | 11. 23._] worke of the Holy Ghost for the | Ouer-comming of her strongest | [Note h: _Mic. 7. 18. 1 Ioh. 1. corruptions, how heauily shee was | 9. Rom. 6. 14. Ez. 36. 25. 2 displeased with relapses into | Cor. 12. 7, 9._] smaller offences of daily incursion | against the generall and constant | [Note i: _Rom. 6. 4, 5, &c. Vis, purpose[g] of her heart not to | inquam, illa Christi mortis nobis sinne in anything; how faithfully | communicatur, vt per h[=a]c she rested vpon those sweetest[h] | Christivim moriamur peccato, sicut promises of God (which she | Christus peccato semel mortitus confessed she had not erst so well | est, id est, non vt peccatum nobis weighed) for the mortifying of | non imputitur, (id enim ad speciall infirmities, and how | Iustisicationem pertinct) sed vt vnfainedly shee resolued to set her | peccati vis iam non sit in nobis Faith on worke, to draw not onely | efficax, immo vero contra freti vi assurance of pardon from the Merit | illa Christi, cui per Spiritum of Christs Death and Resurrection; | Sanctum coniuncti sumus, peccatum but also that Power and efficacie | occidamus.--pistiemo quia non satis which is in them, to _Die to Sinne, | est n[=o] peccare; sed etiam bene and Liue to Righteousnesse_.[i] | agere oportet, eadem vis illa | Christi, qua victor peccati et This was the Life of this Elect | mortis in carne nostra viuere Lady fearing the Lord, and | coepit Deo--nobiscum communicata therefore she hath right and | coepit Deo--nobiscum communicata interest to all those Honourable | facit vt &c. Beza epist. Theolog. Attributes of Praise, which you | 45. p. 211._] heard euen now God himselfe giue | her in His owne words. | [Note k: _Eccles. 8. 8._] | But O my Soule what dost thou? Why | [Note l: _S. Ierom. Eustoch. art thou yet afraid to come to her | Epitaph. Paul._] Death? as if while I held my peace | and were busied in Her Praises, Her | [Note m: _Neq, par[=u] distat inter Death could be deferred? Alas it | has lachrymas Deuotionis & aetatis could not by all the Meanes that | vtiq, iam virilis, atque eas quas were vsed. For _No man_ (saith the | primaeus aetas inter infantiae vagit' Preacher) _hath power ouer the | emisit, lachrymas vtiq, poenitentiae spirit to retaine the spirit_[k]. | & confessionis. Veruntamen longe Then speake of her Death I must, | amplius vtrisque procedunt aliae and yet (to make vse of S. | quaed[=a] lachrymae, quibus in _Ierom's_ words in a like case) | funditur sapor vini. Illas enim _Quis possit siccis oculis Paulam | lachrymas vere in vin[=u] mutari narrare morientem[l]?_ Who can | dixerim, quae Fraternae Compassionis relate the Death of the Lady | affectu in feruore prode[=u]t _Frances Roberts_ without shedding | charitatis, pro qua eti[=a] ad some Teares of Compassion, of | horam tui ipsius immemor esse, Deuotion, yea and of Compunction | sobria quad[=a] ebrietate videris._ too[m]? Shee deserues some Teares | _S. Bern. in Epiph. Dom. Serm. 3._] from vs (Beloued) as well as from | the Poore, weeping now and shewing | [Note: _Bountie to the Poore._] the Coats and garments which this | _Dorcas_ made for them, while she | [Note n: _Act. 9. 36._] was with them[n]. | | But to stop the current of them a | little longer. Begin we with Gods | mercifull preseruation of Her in | _London_ from the noysome | [Note: _Thakfulnesse for Pestilence; because she | Deliuerance from the Plague._] acknowledged it (as was meet) with | humble Thankfulnesse[o]. And then | [Note o: _Psal. 91. 7. Psal. 50. remember, that vpon Her returne | 15. Psal. 33. 1._] home, being summoned by Sicknesse, | by and by she set her _House in | order_, like _Hezekiah_; She spake | to the Hearts of Her Children, | Friends, and Seruants, that were | then about Her (like _Iacob_) by | putting them in remembrance of Her | Departure and their Duties: She | hungered and thirsted after the | Body and Bloud of Her Dearest | [Note: _Worthy receiving the Sauiour, which shee receiued with | Sacrament._] Due Examination[p] of Her | Knowledge; Faith; Loue and | [Note p: _1 Cor. 1. 28._] Repentance, with reuerent Gesture, | heartie Thankfulnesse, deuout | Attention, and very Fruitfully to | the greater strengthning and | refreshing of Her Soule then | trauelling for the other Life. | | And now (Beloued) that she lieth on | the bed of Languishing, we must not | be austere in reprehending euery | Infirmity; but Pitifull in | considering the tender frailtie of | it. | | For what though shee were (as Sicke | [Note: _Passionatnesse by reason of folke are commonly[A]) more | Spiritual and Bodily Dist[)e]per._] Passionate than others, yea than | Her selfe in Her health, yet if God | [Note A: [Greek: Dusareston hoi iudgeth not according to the | nosountes aporias hupo] _Eurip. strange Effects and Symptoms of Her | Orest._] sicknesse, not according to the | short moment and violent passions | of Her Death; but according to the | holy Actions of Her Health, the | former Affections of Her Heart, and | the Generall Course of Her Life[q]; | [Note q: M^r. _Greenham_. 1. Treat. then it is our Dutie, not seuerely | for Afflict. Consc. fol. III. part to censure her passionatenesse, who | 2.] by reason of the parching Feauer of | the Spirit, as well as of the Body, | was disquieted in her Imagination | (as the Physitian of the body could | discerne) though not in her Memory. | Consider therefore O Man (as that | excellent Physitian of the Soule | aduiseth thee[r]) if thou canst | [Note r: _Id. Of Death, fol. 9. beare with a fraile Body, that thou | part 2._] must much more beare with a fraile | Minde and Body too. Consider also O | Man, that this her Pettishnesse did | more wound her to the heart, than | any iniury thou couldst presse her | with. Neither doe I speake this to | nourish passion in any, or to proue | her Anger to be Sinlesse[s]; but to | [Note s: _Vitemus ergo aut be a lesse Sinne, because her | temperemus irac[=u]diam: ne sit Spirituall and Bodily Distemper was | eius aut in Laudibus exceptio, aut so great, or rather because her | Off. lib. 1. cap. 21._] Faith quenched the flame of this | fiery passion in Christs Bloud, | resolued and melted her heart into | many penitent Teares afterwards. | [Note: _Repentance for the same._] Oh, said she to me, (pressing her | with _Dauids_ example, _Psal. | 131._) In my Health I could digest | any iniury, and deemed it base and | vngodly, not to be able to doe so; | but now (I know not how) me thinkes | I am ouer-tender in bearing them. I | am impatient indeed, and then I | weepe for my impatiencie. For I | know (as she her selfe vrged) _The | wrath of Man doth not accomplish | [Note t: _Iam. 1. 20. Psalm. 4. the Righteousnesse of God_[t]. | 4._] | Thus shee was Angrie with her selfe | [Note u: _Ephes. 4. 26. Vel certe for being Angrie with others, and | sic: Si irascimini, vobis then (according to Saint _Ambroses_ | irascimini, quia commoti estis, & rule) it ceased towards them before | non peccabitis. Qui enim sibi the Sunne went down[u]; and was not | irascitur, quia cito c[=o]motus this Holy Reuenge on her selfe a | est, desinit irasci alteri. Id. true fruit of Euangelicall | ibid._] Repentance? _2 Cor. 7. 11._ | | But aye me! me thinkes I now heare | [Note: _Her Agonie._] her groaning vunder the dolefull | pangs of Death, vnder those pangs | of which shee had foretold saying: | I shall suffer much more ere I goe | hence. And can any haue the heart | to heare her groaning pangs, | without renting his owne heart from | his darling pleasure? without | lamenting his owne sinnes, which | vnlesse he forsake betimes, will | bring him to euerlasting | [Note x: _Ezek. 18. 13, 30._] Burnings[x]? or without learning to | compassionate euery weake one, to | [Note y: _--Si quem viderimus assist any one yeelding vp the | pauper[=e] moriturum, sumptu Ghost, because (as Saint _Ambrose_ | iuvemus, & dicat vnusquisq, giues the reason[y]) the holy | nostrum: Benedictio morituri in me Peophet _Iob_ desired the Blessing | veniat: Si qu[=e] viderimus of one, that lyes a Dying: | debilem, non deseramus, si quem in _Benedictio morituri, in me veniat: | extremis positum, non relinquam^s._ Let the blessing of him that is | _S. Ambros. de Bono Mort. cap. 8. readie to die, come vpon me!_ | tom. 4._] | Let vs then, not yet, leaue this | [Note: _Deuotion at Her Death._] Departing Saint. For in the midst | of this her Agonie, after shee had | layen groaning many houres without | any articulate or distinct speech, | yet vpon triall made of Her sense | and memory by demanding of Her, | whether she would haue prayers made | for Her, she answered plainly: With | all my heart, pray, pray. And then | as _Gregory Nazianzen_[a] reports | [Note a: _Orat. 28. de Funere of his Father, that though He was | Patris. Tom. 2._] daily, yea hourely, in great paine | before his Death, yet He was euer | still and quiet from paine, onely | while Diuine Seruice was saying; so | this Deuout Lady forgetting (as it | were) Her former Groanings, did | listen attentiuely to the prayers | that were made for Her, without | fetching so much as one sob during | that time. And afterwards | rehearsing distinctly part of the | Lords Prayer, you might heare Her, | when S. _Stephens_ Vision and last | words[b] were read vnto Her, repeat | [Note b: _Act. 7. 53, 56, 59._] very often these last words of Her | Sauiour[c]: _O Heauenly Father into | [Note c: _Luke 23. 46._] thy hands I commend my spirit_. | Thus on a sudden I haue told you | [Note A: _Reuel. 14. 13._] how she _Dyed in the Lord_[A], and | is _with Christ_[B]. | [Note B _Phil. 1. 23._] | And though we saw her afterwards | mouing her lips; but heard not her | Voice, no more than they that were | at Saint _Ambroses_ Death did heare | [Note d: _Paulin. in D. Ambros his Voice; but only saw his lips | Vita._] moue[d]; yet we must not thinke | _The Spirit of strength_[e], of | [Note e: _Esai. 11. 2._] _Prayer_ and _Grace_[f], is then | onely strong, when we heare a Dying | [Note f: _Zach. 12. 10._] Saint pray, because Christs Spirit | cries in Gods Children, _Abba, | Father_[g], with Vnutterable | [Note g: _Gal. 4. 6._] Groanings[h] which we cannot heare, | and therefore I doubt not, but this | [Note h: _Rom. 8. 26._] Elect Lady cried loudest in Gods | eares, when we heard not her words; | and why may we not thinke now, our | sinnes hindered vs from hearing | them? I am sure, heretofore she | hath spoken againe and againe many | Heart-piercing speeches to deterre | from Sinne, and to allure to | Holinesse of Life. If she be not | hearkened to now, henceforth wee | shall heare Her speake no more. _I | charge you therefore before God and | the Lord Iesus Christ, and the | Elect Angells_:[A] you (I say) I | [Note A: _1 Tim. 5. 21._] charge whomsoeuer shee hath iustly | reproued for any Sin, that you | forsake those Sins; and whomsoeuer | she hath zealously exhorted to holy | Duties, that you performe those | holy Duties, for henceforth you | shall heare Her speake no more. | | But why should I detaine thee | [Note: _Conclusion. Sed quid ego te (Honourable Lady) any longer? Or | morer Frater? quid expectem? vt what doe you (Beloued) expect more? | nostra tecum c[=o]moriatur et quasi That our speech also should Die | consepeliatur oratio? S. Ambr. de together with Hers, and (as it | Obitu fratris. Tom. 3._] were) be Buried together with Her. | O my Blessed Brethren, suffer | neither this Godly Lady, nor Gods | word to depart so dishonourably | from you. | | Suffer not Her so to depart from | [Note: I. you; but let her euer liue in your | _Imitation of Her Vertues._] breasts by Esteeming Her very | highly in loue for Her workes sake, | [Note i: _Ideo laude oris ad by Commemorating Gods Graces in | Hominem vtimur, vt alios apud quos Her; but aboue all by Imitating her | laudatur, in bonam opinionem, & Faith and Vertues[i]. Then you | Reuerentiam, & Imitationem ipsius shall not need to grieue very much | inducamus. Thom. Aquin. 22. q. for Her Absence from you; because | 91._] she is _with Christ, which is best | of all_[k]; because she is _Taken | [Note k: _Phil. 1. 23.--Et Christum away_, not from you; but _from the | laedimus cum euocatos quosque ab euill to come, Esai. 57. 1._ From | illo quasi miserandos non you shee is not Taken, but from | aequanimiter accipimus. Cupio, seeing the plagues and miseries of | inquit Apostolus, recipi iam ... this wretched world, yea from | Ergo votum si alios consequutos seeing the future Deaths of you, | impatienter dolemus, ipsi consequi Her Dearest friends[l], for whom | nolumus. Tertul. de Patient. cap. she would haue wept full bitterly; | 9. Temperet sane Dilecti Gaudi[=u], but you haue greater Cause, if you | moestitiam desolatorum, & will heare S. _Ambrose_ and S. | tolerabilius fiat nobis, quod _Ierome_ comforting themselues in a | Nobiscum non est, quia cum Deo like case, to Reioyce[m] and to | est. Ber. in Cant. ser. 27._] giue God thankes[n], that you Haue | had Her, nay that you Haue Her, if | [Note l: _Non enim nobis ereptus so be you follow Her good example, | es, sed periculis.--raptus est ne and represent her to the life by | totius orbis excidia, mundi finem, your Godly Life. | propinquor[=u] funera, &c. S. | Ambros. de Obitu Fratru. fol. 17._] To conclude: I beseech you all | (Blessed Brethren) Suffer not the | [Note: II. Word of God, which you haue heard | _Practise of Gods word._] this day, for want of the Feare of | God, which is _The firmest | [Note m: _Laetandum est enim magis, foundation of Gods word_[o], to | quod talem fratrem habuerim, quam vanish into aire, into nothing, to | dolendum, quod fratrem amiserim. rebound from your flintie hearts | Illud enim munus, hoc debitum est._ (as a shaft shot against a wall of | _Idem ibid. fol. 13._] Adamant[p];) but in Gods Name, Let | the Sword of Gods Spirit sunder | [Note n: _Non maeremus quod talem euery one of our minion sinnes from | amisimus, sed gratias agimus, quod our bosomes: Let Gods pretious | habuimus, immo habemus. S. Ierom. promise here of praising a _Woman | Epitaph. Paulae._] that feareth the Lord_, feare vs | from our strongest corruptions. | [Note o: _Basis quaedam Verbi est _Atq vtinam praeconia foeminarum, | Timor sanctus. Sicut enim imitarentur viri_. And I may well | simulachrum aliquod in Basi wish with Saint _Ierome_, that Men | statuitur----ita verbum Dei in would emulate and imitate Women in | Timore Sancto melius statuitur, their deserued attributions of | fortius radicatur, hoc est, in Praise[q]. Lastly, if you desire to | pectore timentis Dominum--S. know, besides this motiue of | Ambros. in Psal. 118. Serm. 5._] obtaining Heauenly praise, what | other Meanes you should vse to get, | [Note: III. _Means to Godly keepe and increase such a godly | Feare._] Feare in you, then consider the | examples of Gods dreadfull | [Note p: _Iam. 1. 22. Zach. 7. iudgements[r] on them, that Feare | 12._] Him not, yea on Christ Iesus | Himselfe pursued for our sins[s] to | [Note q: _S. Ierom. epist. ad the fulnesse of Bitternesse by the | Furiam._] iustice of God, consider that | first. Then remember your owne | [Note r: _1 Cor. 10. 11. Reuel. Deaths to haue them before you[t], | 14. 7._] remember your strict Accounts to be | made[u], remember the restlesse | [Note s: _Esai. 57. 11. & 53. 5. Terrour of Conscience[x], which | Mat. 27. 46._] followes the impenitent, and then | or neuer you will _Feare the Lord | [Note t: _Eccles. 3. 14. Iob 7. Greatly_, as _Obadiah_ and this | 1. Psal. 39. 4. & 90. 12._] Blessed Lady did. Be not deceiued | (my Brethren) after all this | [Note u: _2 Cor. 5. 10. Matth. Hearing, it is not a Little Feare | 12. 36._] will serue the turne. For to Feare | God but a little (as _Fulgentius_ | [Note x: _Rom. 2. 15. Reu. 6. saith) is to contemne Him very | 16. Psal. 18. 23. Prou. 8. much[y]. It must bee at least so | 13._] Great a Feare, as must feare you | from your Greatest, your Sweetest | [Note: IV. _So Great a Feare as Sinne whatsoeuer that be, else if | must feare vs from our Bosome you Die in it[a] without Repentance | Sinne._] (which God forbid) your _Worme | shall not die, neither shall your | [Note y: _--Hunc si quis parum fire be quenched, and you shall | metuit, valde contemmi--B. Fulg. de be_, not a praise, but _an | Myst. Mediat. ad Trasim. l.2. pag. Abhorring to all flesh_, the last | 215._] verse of the Prophet _Esay_ with | _Iames 2. 10._[b], and _Ezekiel. | [Note a: _Si in solo vno peccato 18. 10, 11, 13._ | decesserit Homo, irreuocabiliter | mittitur in ignem aeternum--Gerson. | 2. p. de Mendicit. Spirit. lit. D & | H. part. 3._] | | [Note b: _Ex parte enim Auersionis | dicit Iacobus qui offendit in vno | factus est omnium reus, quia | scilicet vno peccato peccando | incurrit poenae reatum, ex hoc, quod | contemnit Deum, ex cuius contemptu | prouenit omnium peccator[=u] | reatus. Aquin. 12. q. 73. a.1 ad | fin. Peccatum enim remitti non | potest, quam disi Voluntas peccato | adheret. Idem. p. 3. q. 87. a. 1. _Knowing therefore_ (as Saint _Paul_| c. & q. 86. a. 2. c. Vnde non concludes[c]) _the terrour of the | potest esse vere poenitens, qui de Lord, we perswade you_ (Blessed | vno peccato poenitet, & non de Brethren) _to feare God_ Greatly, | alio. Si enim displiceret ei illud and to _Giue Glory vnto Him_[d]; | peccatum, quia est contra Deum then you _shall haue praise of | super omnia dilectum--Sequeretur, Him_, then hee _will glorifie_ you; | quod de omnibus peccatis and to say no more than this (with | poeniteret. Id. q. 86. a. 3. the Prophet _Ieremie_[e],) which | c._] will make the Fearlesse Sinner | inexcusable: _Who would not feare | [Note: V. thee O Lord, thou King of Nations, | _Reasons to feare the Lord._] thou King of Saints?_ 1. _For thou | onely art Holy:_ 2. _For all | [Note c: _2 Cor. 5. 10, 11._] Nations shall come vnto thee, and | worship thee_: 3. _For thy | [Note d: _Reuel. 14. 7._] iudgements are made manifest_[f]: | 4. _For there is none like vnto | [Note e: _Ier. 10. 7._] thee, that pardoneth Iniquitie, and | passeth by the Transgression of the | [Sidenote: VI. remnant of thy Heritage[g]?_ Who | _Prayer for Godly Feare._] would not Feare Thee such an | _Almightie, All-seeing, Iust, | [Note f: _Reuel. 15. 4._] Mercifull Lord God? Put thy feare | therefore in our Hearts_ (as thou | [Note g: _Mic. 7. 18._] hast promised[h]) _that wee may | neuer depart from thee_; but | [Note h: _Ier. 32. 39._] clinging inseparably by a liuely | faith, vnto the bleeding wounds of | [Note i: _Si enim amamus Christum, our Blessed Redeemer, may without | vtiq aduentum eius desiderare all slauish Feare[i] of Death and | debemus. Peruersum enim est, & Iudgement, Louingly[k] appeare | nescio vtrum ver[=u], quem diligis, before thy Iudgement-seat, and | timere ne veniat, orare, Veniat without desperate _Crying to the | regn[=u] tu[=u], & timere, ne mountains and rocks Fall on vs_[l], | exaudiaris. Vnde autem timor? ... may ioyfully heare Thee say vnto | Quisquis ergo futur[=u] iudic[=e] vs: _Come ye Blessed of my Father, | times, praesent[=e] c[=o]scienti[=a] Inherit the Kingdome prepared for | tu[=a] corrige. S. Aug. in Psal. you from the foundation of the | 147. tom 3._] world_[m]. | | [Note k: _2 Tim. 4. 8._] Which God grants vnto vs all, for | the All-sufficient Merits of his | [Note l: _Reuel. 6. 16._] Dearest Sonne, the Sweet Lord | Iesus: To whom with Himselfe and | [Note m: _Matth. 25. 34._] the Holy Spirit be ascribed _All | Praise, Honour, Glory, Power, | Dominion and Maiestie, now and | euer. Amen. Amen._ |