36332	----	AN ADDRESS, DELIVERED AT THE INTERMENT OF MRS. HARRIET STORRS, CONSORT OF REV. RICHARD S. STORRS, BRAINTREE, MASS. JULY 11, 1834. BY REV. JOHN CODMAN, D. D. Printed for private distribution. BOSTON: MUNROE AND FRANCIS. 1834. ADDRESS. There are some events, in the providence of God, so completely overwhelming as to render it extremely difficult, almost impossible, to give utterance to the full feelings of the soul through the medium of words. Language refuses its aid to relieve the burdened heart; and the oppressed spirit finds itself more inclined to the deep silence of grief, than to the expression of its sorrows by the human voice. When the heart-rending intelligence reached us of the event that has filled our souls with grief and dismay, we felt that no language could relieve our distress or mitigate our sorrow. We were dumb: we opened not our mouth. Our hearts bled--and they bled most freely in silence. But the solemnities of the occasion await us, and the usages of society demand, that we should attempt to give utterance, in the presence of our fellow creatures, to those feelings, which we can pour out before our compassionate God and Saviour in sighs and tears, without the intervention of set forms of speech. But where shall we find words to express the depth of our affliction? Where shall we find language to depict the character of the dear departed--or to administer comfort and support to the beloved survivors? Mysterious Heaven! how unsearchable are thy judgments, and thy ways past finding out! We bow before that holy and righteous Being, whose inspiration gave us _understanding_, and who has the undoubted right to resume the gift which he bestowed. We know that all his ways are just and equal, and that he will not hold us accountable for any act, committed in the absence of that mental and moral power by which we are enabled to distinguish between right and wrong. On the painful and distressing circumstances, by which our ever lamented and beloved friend is numbered among the silent dead, we will dwell no longer than to express an entire and unwavering conviction, that her character and present condition cannot in the least degree be affected by the manner of her removal from this sublunary state. We have not the shadow of a doubt, that the spiritual intelligence, which once beamed upon us with such mild and gentle lustre, and which was, for a short season, shrouded in darkness, is now rekindled by the same gracious hand that so mysteriously overshadowed it, to burn, with increasing and never-ending brightness, with seraphs that surround the throne of God. It is utterly impossible for the speaker to do justice to the character of our much loved friend, though it has been his privilege to have known her worth for nearly thirty years. The circle of christians which, at the time of his first acquaintance with her, then resided in our metropolis, many of whom are now in heaven, were distinguished for deep and ardent piety. Surrounded as they were by fashionable and increasing errors, they maintained their integrity and held fast their attachment to the doctrines of grace. The precious names of Mrs. Waters, and Mrs. Mason, and other aged saints, are embalmed in the memory of many a child of God. With these venerable pilgrims was associated a young disciple, who, with all the loveliness of youthful attractions, separated herself from the world, and consecrated herself to the service of her God and Saviour. From the prayers and conversation of these aged saints, through the blessing of God, she seemed to receive a peculiar unction of spirit, which was strikingly characteristic of her future course. In all plans of usefulness, which, though small and few when compared with those which distinguish this stirring age, no one took a more decided and active part. Her peculiarly affectionate manner ingratiated her with many, who were won by her mild and lovely spirit to congeniality of sentiment and effort. Her usefulness at that period, in the sphere in which she moved, was by no means inconsiderable; but the great Head of the church had still more important and interesting duties for her to perform. There are few situations in life that present more promising fields of usefulness to a pious, devoted female, than that of the wife of a minister of a united parish. Even the pastor himself, with his additional opportunities of affording instruction from the sacred desk, can scarcely exert a greater or a happier influence upon the minds and hearts of his congregation, than is often produced by the more humble, but not less important labours of his devoted companion. Her influence is not unfrequently greater than his, especially upon her own sex, and upon the tender, opening minds of the lambs of the flock. In the promotion of benevolent enterprize, by female associations, and in maternal counsels and prayers for the children of the church, she finds her appropriate and successful sphere, though upon the whole congregation, in their varied seasons of prosperity and adversity, her silent but benign influence is felt like the dew of Hermon, like the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion. From the more diversified and exciting scenes of usefulness in a city our departed friend was called to the more arduous and self-denying labours that devolve upon the conscientious wife of the pastor of a country parish. With what untiring zeal, with what scrupulous fidelity, she discharged these duties, I need only appeal to this crowded, this weeping, this afflicted assembly! From lisping infancy to hoary age, the testimony is one and the same. The children of affliction remember with affectionate gratitude her tender sympathy and her active benevolence. With the spirit of her divine Master, it may be truly said, that "in all their afflictions she was afflicted." Mothers, with their youthful charge, will never forget her wise counsels and her fervent prayers. The aged and infirm will pour out their benedictions upon her memory, and even babes and sucklings will lisp the praises of one, who watched with maternal solicitude over their cradles, and taught them to pronounce the name of Jesus. But, great and painful as this bereavement is to this afflicted people,--their griefs are almost forgotten, when we turn to the chief mourner in this scene of deep and heart-rending calamity. God help thee, my brother!--The God of Jacob, the Angel of the Covenant sustain thee! That your brethren, your people, the church of Christ, your numerous and attached friends, feel for you, you cannot doubt. Could they have averted the dreadful blow, how readily would they have hastened to your relief. But no human precaution could turn aside the fatal stroke. Dethroned reason will find opportunity to escape the most vigilant eye, and to elude the most watchful care. But dwell not, my brother, on circumstances which were beyond human control, and which affect not in the least degree the accountability of the dear departed. Bury in the grave, to which we are soon to assign these precious relics, as far as possible, the memory of the awful circumstances that attended their dissolution, and think only of the bright and happy spirit, of what she _was_, and what she _is_. O! she was every thing which a fond husband could desire in a companion of his life and labours; truly a help-mate for him in his temporal and spiritual concerns, in his family, and in his parish; in the social circle, and in the widely extended plans of usefulness in which the devoted servant of Christ is sometimes engaged beyond the limits of his congregation. My brother, in the repeated domestic bereavements which you have sustained, you have indeed been greatly afflicted, but you have also been greatly blessed. To the lot of but few does it fall to have been united to two such companions to cheer them in their pilgrimage through this vale of tears.[A] Their sainted spirits are waiting to receive you to those blessed mansions where reason holds her unclouded empire, where sighing and sorrow can never come, where death can never enter, and where sin can never defile. But not yet, my brother. The Lord hath need of you to work in his vineyard. From your repeated and heart-rending trials you will be better qualified, than ever for that important work which the Lord has assigned you in his American Israel. Go on then, my brother, and spend and be spent for Christ; and when you shall have performed your appointed service, you shall be welcomed by those whom you have loved on earth to the society of the redeemed--to the vision of Jesus--to the presence of God. And you, the dear and only child of the lamented dead! My heart bleeds for you. Your loss is indeed irreparable; but a mother's prayers are your legacy, and they are better than thousands of gold and silver. How much she loved you, and how closely you were entwined about the fibres of her heart, is abundantly evident from the affecting fact, that maternal solicitude, struggling with departing reason, directed her to the bed of her sleeping child to bid him a last and long farewell. Although the affecting circumstances of her removal can never be obliterated from your memory, think less of them than of the pious counsels, the holy example, the fervent prayers of your much-loved mother. Let these dwell on your mind, and they will be a restraint, a comfort, and a support to you under all the various trials of life to which you may be called. God bless you, my dear child! May your life be spared to your surviving parent, to console him in his deep affliction, and to be the prop of his declining years. The near relatives of our departed friend claim and receive our tender and affectionate sympathy. More especially do we feel for that afflicted sister, who, while she mourns with us on this affecting occasion, has the additional trial of watching around the sick bed of a beloved husband, deprived also of the exercise of his reason. May she be supported, in this season of her deep affliction, by the consolations of that holy religion, which are neither few nor small. And may all the relatives and the numerous christian friends of the deceased, whether present or absent, be graciously sustained under this painful bereavement, and bow, with humble submission, to the will of God. Friends of this Church and Congregation, with you too we heartily sympathize. You have been called in divine providence to repeated trials. We bear record to your disinterested regard to the cause of evangelical religion in our growing country, in consenting to the arrangement by which, for a definite period, you have been deprived of the immediate services of your beloved pastor. You have hitherto had the consolation, and it has been one of no small importance, of the presence and laborious efforts for your good of the partner of his life. With what exemplary patience, with what admirable self-denial, she sustained the peculiar trials of her situation, watching around the couch of a dying brother,[B] administering to the comfort of your late youthful pastor,[C] adopting into her family the orphan and the fatherless,[D] while her best earthly friend was laboriously employed in the service of the church, are well known to you all, and ought to be suitably appreciated. How far she fell a sacrifice to these painful deprivations--to this uncommon self-denial, is known only to Him, who is best acquainted with the intimate connection between the body and the mind.[E] That she died in your service--in the service of her family--and in the service of her God and Saviour, cannot admit of a doubt. You will delight, I know, to cherish her memory, to dwell upon her virtues, and to imitate her example. And now, my respected hearers and friends, it only remains, that we deposit these precious relics in yonder receptacle of the dead! there to rest, till the trump of the archangel awake the sleeping dust. Then, when the millions of the dead shall burst the cerements of the grave, we doubt not that the bright form of our departed friend, arrayed in immortal youth and vigour, will ascend to meet the Lord in the air, and enter with him into his glory. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote A: Mrs. Sarah Strong Storrs, the first wife of the bereaved husband, was the daughter of Rev. Nathan Woodhull, of Newtown, Long Island; married April 2, 1812--died April 6, 1818, aged 25 years. Eminently devoted to the service of her Lord in life, and sweetly cheered by his presence in death.] [Footnote B: Rev. Charles B. Storrs, President of the Western Reserve College, who left the world for heaven, after five weeks sickness at Braintree, Sept. 15, 1833.] [Footnote C: Rev. Edwards A. Park.] [Footnote D: The two little sons of Rev. C. B. Storrs.] [Footnote E: Her feelings on this subject are briefly noticed in her diary. After alluding to the circumstances of the case, and to what she believed to be the ruling motives of her husband in his request to his people for liberty to engage in the service of Home Missions, she says:-- "I think in no instance of my life have I felt more entirely willing to be in God's hands, and to have him dispose of us as he pleases. My trembling head at times anticipates evil to my dear husband--and my selfish heart, in anticipating the days and nights of loneliness that await me, is ready to say,--'How can I give thee up?' But I would not dare to cherish these feelings. God has an entire right to do with us as he pleases--and I would love him for doing just as he does. But O! strengthen us for our coming trials!"] NOTE. Mrs. Storrs had been for months declining in health--a fact more evident to herself than to others, because she still continued to discharge her usual domestic duties with alacrity and cheerfulness. But often, the conviction of her mind on this subject extorted from her the remark--"my constitution is breaking up--I cannot long live." Though the remark had never fallen from her lips in other years, it was too little heeded by her friends. It was on the evening of March 5th, 1834, that she was suddenly seized with a delirium that indicated inflammation on the brain. A physician was immediately called, and his skilful applications seemed to be blessed; the disease yielded; and after a few days, Reason resumed its seat; not however to hold it as formerly, but only to sway a broken sceptre, and fill the minds of friends with constant alarms. From this time till the first of June, the struggle between disease and nature was constant, and the issue doubtful; but on the whole, it was evident that the _mind_ was losing its power of judgment, and submitting to the control of a bewildered imagination. Her most judicious friends judged it expedient to change the scene, and try the effect of new objects and the revival of old friendships on her disordered system. She herself, having been often benefitted by the fatigues and various occurrences of journeying, consented to the measure with some cheerfulness. And on the 12th of June, we left our home, and leisurely pursued our way to the western part of the State, calling freely on those friends she had long known and loved, and sharing largely in their kind attentions. But nothing could restore to her mind its balance. Occasionally cheerful for an hour--but habitually brooding over some imagined impropriety of conduct, or deficiency of faith and love, she fancied herself a burden to the world, a curse to the church, and an alien from God. It was July 7th when we reached home. And by this time, the disease had advanced so far, as to leave but short intervals between the ravings of delirium. Her agonies, in her oft repeated language, were "inexpressible." Her bodings were fearful. And it was on the morning of the 10th instant, between the hours of five and six o'clock, that she eluded the long continued vigilance of her family, and secured time enough to execute a deed, which of all others she most abhorred when of sane mind--a deed, which she believed to be _right_, because dethroned reason left her a prey to the imagination that the honor of God, and the interests of Zion demanded it. Inscrutable mystery! A more devoted friend of Jesus--a more humble and self-denying disciple--a more laborious and consistent co-worker with the saints--a more prayerful and active promoter of the great Cause of Benevolence--is rarely to be met with in any age, or in any land. Aside of all the fond partialities of one who for fifteen years has known the blessedness of the most intimate companionship with so eminent a child of God, I deem it duty to say, in present circumstances, that her duties were always her pleasures--her religious privileges, her sweetest delights--her grand aim, in all things, the glory of God;--her trust was reposed in his promises alone--her hopes were founded on Christ--and her only desired reward was, the consciousness of honoring the religion she professed. She rests with prophets and apostles. So saith the Spirit, and her works do follow her. R. S. STORRS. Braintree, July 15, 1834. OBITUARY NOTICE. WRITTEN BY REV. B. B. EDWARDS, AND PUBLISHED IN THE BOSTON RECORDER. Died at Braintree, Mass. on Thursday morning, July 10, MRS. HARRIET STORRS, wife of the Rev. Richard S. Storrs, in the 48th year of her age. She was a daughter of the late Mr. Samuel Moore of Charlestown. Her mind was first deeply convinced of the importance of personal piety in listening to the sermons of the Rev. Dr. Griffin then minister of the Park street church. She became a member of the Old South church, when the Rev. Joshua Huntington was its pastor. The depth of the loss sustained by her friends and by the church of Christ, cannot easily be estimated. In her character was that rare union of lovely natural qualities with intelligent, elevated piety, which sweetens domestic life; throws such charms over the intercourse of friendship as all persons can feel but none describe; and which exhibits in a most striking manner what that state was from which man fell, and to which the grace of the Holy Spirit can restore him. The path of her life was covered over with evidences of her kindness. Every where she lived for the happiness of those around her. Her benign inquiries, her cheerful footsteps, her sweet smiles, the same in joy and grief, those mysterious lines on the countenance, which almost ally the sympathies of humanity to the purity of angels, seemed to say to all whom she met, that she was their servant for Jesus's sake. She was truly the light and joy of her domestic circle, shedding the calm and steady lustre of true piety; in her humility apparently unconscious of the blessings which her presence afforded; and always prompt to give all the glory of any goodness in herself and others, to her Lord and Redeemer. She discharged the interesting obligations, which devolve on the wife of a clergyman, with singular readiness, kind feeling and success. She was aware of the responsible and delicate nature of many of her duties, and habitually looked for guidance to the great Head of the church. He was graciously pleased to hear her prayers, and to bless her labors. Her name will long be like precious balm in the hearts of multitudes, who testify, with entire unanimity, to the value of her labors of love. For several months past, "her soul has been full of trouble," for she thought that God had "laid her in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps, that his wrath was lying hard upon her," "that she was cast out of his sight, and should never again be permitted to look towards his holy temple." "She longed for death" and it has come; and we doubt not that her glorified spirit is in that land where the inhabitant shall not say "I am sick," where they "hunger no more, neither thirst any more; and where God shall wipe away tears from off all faces." The funeral of Mrs. Storrs was attended on Friday afternoon in the meetinghouse of the first church in Braintree. We never saw evidences of more unaffected and heartfelt grief, than were exhibited by the large congregation convened on this occasion. Prayers were offered by the Rev. Messrs. Gile of Milton, and Perkins of Weymouth, two appropriate funeral anthems were sung, and a very interesting and affecting address was pronounced by the Rev. Dr. Codman of Dorchester. * * * * * Transcriber's Notes Page 7: Changed hasiened to hastened (how readily would they have hasiened to your relief.) 
36351	----	Transcriber's Notes: Words in italics in the original are surrounded by _underscores_. A row of asterisks represents a thought break. MEMORIAL OF MRS. LUCY GILPATRICK MARSH. A FUNERAL ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE ELIOT CHURCH, BOSTON HIGHLANDS, MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1868. BY REV. A. C. THOMPSON, D.D. PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ELIOT CITY MISSION SOCIETY. BOSTON: GOULD AND LINCOLN, 59 WASHINGTON STREET. 1868. FUNERAL ADDRESS. When the Lord removed his servant Moses, there was but one mourner, and that mourner was all Israel. To-day a whole community is the mourner. A mother--may I not say, _the_ mother--in Israel has been taken from us. A woman, a whole woman, an aged woman, a thoroughly Christian woman,--one worthy to have sat with Mary Magdalene and the other Mary "over against the sepulchre," to have returned with them, that she might assist in preparing sweet spices, and, when the Sabbath was past, to have come back again to the tomb,--is herself to be laid away to-day. We glance at her career and character. It is of small moment where she was born,--it was in the town of Biddeford, Maine; of small moment that it was on July 3d, 1792; of small moment that she was the youngest of twelve children, none of whom now survive. But it is a point of interest to us, that, when a little past twenty years of age, she became by renewing grace a child of God; that the chief reason for leaving home, fifty years ago, was a persistent opposition, on the part of friends, to her Christian activity; that afterwards she left for a time her field of usefulness in this city to attend upon her mother in her last sickness, and then had the satisfaction of rejoicing over the conversion of that parent at the same age she has now herself departed this life. Still later, and under the same circumstances, she performed a similar kind service for her father in his closing sickness, and was cheered by the hope of his conversion too, when just verging upon fourscore. Being in Biddeford at that time for ten months, she established a female prayer-meeting, and several conversions followed. She also, after much opposition, opened a Sabbath school, having obtained permission to occupy a school-house, but at the same time being forbidden to use wood belonging to the town. That, it was supposed, would prevent the attendance of children. But the noble woman was not to be baffled thus. In her own arms she carried fuel from her house. Of course the Sabbath school was a success. She had previously had tempting offers, to the extent even of the homestead to be secured to her, if she would remain there; but Providence, as she believed, evidently called her to Christian labors in this city, and to her mind that was decisive. Pecuniary considerations might not divert her from the Master's service here. How far from a sinecure was that! While acting indefatigably as matron of a reformatory institution, she attended the prayer-meetings of the church to which she belonged, and a private devotional meeting preparatory to each of them. In addition to her regular Sabbath-school exercise, she once a week taught a class of colored children, and spent Saturday afternoons in visiting members of the same, besides paying weekly visits to persons in the House of Correction. One of the senior members of this church hands me, by request, the following memorandum:[Footnote: Rev R. Anderson, D.D.]-- "I have known Mrs. Marsh since the year 1820, or about forty-eight years. In that year I came to Boston from the Andover Seminary, with several classmates, to spend a vacation in missionary labors, and made my home at a religious boarding-house, kept by Miss Witham and Miss Gilpatrick. As I recollect Miss Gilpatrick,--and I well recollect her,--she was the same sort of a Christian woman then that we have known her to be of late years, only without that grand development, which time and the grace of God have given her, placing her among the more remarkable Christian women of her generation. Miss Witham was married, not long after, to the Rev. Amos Bingham, brother of the missionary, and, at a later period, Miss Gilpatrick was married to the Rev. Christopher Marsh, pastor of the Congregational Church in West Roxbury. For several years before her marriage she had filled a responsible station in one of the most self-denying departments of the religious charities in Boston; and always, as I have understood, with the unbounded confidence of those who knew her, in her ability, integrity, and devotedness to the cause of her Redeemer, and in her unwearied efforts for the salvation of those placed under her care. Since that time she has been a striking illustration of an humble, devoted, self-denying, intelligent, useful follower of the Lord Jesus." * * * * * What might be expected of such a one as parishioner? Just what her pastor at Jamaica Plain,[Footnote: Rev A. H. Quint, D.D.] and other friends there testify. The church in that place, then struggling into existence, was not a little indebted to her. It was her constant endeavor to promote sociability in the congregation; she made it an invariable practice to call on all new-comers, and to request others to do the same. Never did she, except under necessity, absent herself from church meetings, nor omit to speak a kind word and also a faithful word to those whom she met, when suitable occasions presented. Her spirit and ways were peculiarly motherly. During her residence here, I have never looked upon her as a parishioner so much as a colleague, my senior, and one that may well be accounted a model. * * * * * What might be expected of such a one as pastor's wife? I indulge in no vague and conjectural portrait-painting, nor yield to any professional bias, but give the deliberate judgment of those acquainted, and qualified to speak. In the delicate relation now referred to, she was greatly beloved at West Roxbury;[Footnote: 1831-1850.] her life there was that of a missionary laboring in the by-ways for miles around. It was very much owing to her truly self-denying and most energetic efforts, that a place of worship was built, for which, as for the communion service, she solicited funds. She collected the Sabbath school, and for a time superintended it herself. She gathered a female prayer-meeting, and a meeting of mothers, both of which she sustained almost unaided. Her kind attentions to the sick and afflicted, to the aged and the young, were unwearied. * * * * * In 1838, the Rev. Mr. Marsh, finding his health improved, was invited to settle again over the church in Sanford, Me., where he had first been a pastor. Soon after, there began a remarkable work of grace in that town, and during the short ministry there, till death closed her husband's labors, Mrs. Marsh toiled and prayed, and rejoiced over a spiritual harvest. It is not too much to say there will be weeping throughout the town of Sanford, where these remains are to be taken, when the news of her decease shall reach the place. What she was as a mother, faithful and tender, there are those present who can testify. What now might be expected of one, with such a character and such antecedents, on becoming our city missionary? Precisely what we delight to record of her. In September, 1861, she began that labor amongst us. Singular devotedness, fidelity, and good judgment have marked her whole ministry here. Not long since she mentioned to a friend that she had taken this passage for her daily resting-place,--"Be careful for nothing." Of nothing that pertained to herself--ease, strength, or health--was she careful. The cause of the poor, and those spiritually perishing, she made her own. She gathered, and chiefly maintained, two or more series of weekly prayer-meetings, and a mother's meeting; she taught a Bible-class in the mission Sabbath school; and that school, by their tearful presence, now attest the deep regard which they entertain for her. * * * * * A sewing school, during the colder season, was one favorite method of usefulness. The first intimation of her coming in was the signal of a general brightening of faces, and her smiles, bestowed upon all, gave fullest satisfaction. While interested in providing employment for each scholar during the session, her chief thought seemed to be, "How can I benefit these immortal souls?" To the utmost would she strive to win their attention to God's Word, to a hymn, or valuable story. Though coming to the school, often weary with labors elsewhere, she would still listen with great patience to the many questions asked, and would bear up cheerfully under the multiplied cares of the hour. But her chief vocation was to visit from house to house. Go out with her into the region assigned. It is no fancy sketch that I draw. Those who have accompanied Mrs. Marsh supply the materials, if not the colors. In her walks through by-ways, after her character had become manifest, words of greeting would everywhere meet her from the little child and from older persons. The young were drawn to her, and for all she had a kind word and a wise word. In the sick-room her presence acted like a charm; the languid eye would brighten, and the name of Jesus was sure to be whispered in the ear. It was as easy for her to pray to our heavenly Father as to speak to any friend; her prayers were earnest, simple, confiding, and appropriate to the occasion and the person. * * * * * Her peculiar field presents phases quite varied, and which quite decisively test character. The concurrent testimony of those who have been associated with Mrs. Marsh more or less intimately, and have seen her in the different departments of Christian work, is that they cannot name a fault in her; that they have been deeply impressed with her singular fitness for such service; that they have found her always calm and collected; that she never seemed surprised at any scene of destitution, or any amount of complaint poured into her patient ear; that she showed herself forbearing and sympathizing, yet watchful and decided; and that, if occasion required,--as occasion sometimes did require,--they found she could be stern. She understood human nature well; character seemed to lie open to her eye. Attempts at concealment or deceit were almost always futile. One had need be master of chicanery to impose upon her. Very few here know what courage there was in that heart. Never otherwise than womanly, never weakly feminine, she exhibited, when there was need, true heroism, a masculine daring of benevolence. She never boasted,--no truly courageous person is ever boastful,--she seldom spoke of what she had done; but there are persons living who know somewhat of a history, in former years especially, that shows the highest style of undaunted, self-forgetting intrepidity. Another characteristic of Mrs. Marsh--and far from being unimportant--was her habit of great exactness in making a written record of articles sent in for gratuitous distribution, and in keeping a detailed account, even to every two-cent purchase, from her "Poor's Purse," which was entirely separate from the mission treasury. * * * * * Her industry was remarkable. It was not fragmentary, occasional, spasmodic; but maintained month by month, year after year, in heat and cold, in rain, snow, and tempest, in weariness, and often in great discomfort walking a long way from her home that she might minister to those in need. After visiting thus from house to house all day, she has frequently sewed till the neighborhood of midnight preparing garments for the destitute. If there are any two stars symbolizing activity and perseverance, it must have been under their conjunction that she was born. Growing old and growing indolent had no affinity in her. It should be borne in mind that almost the whole of this good work amongst us has been performed on borrowed time, since the period of three-score and ten had been reached,--a period which by universal consent is allowed and is usually taken for repose, for remission of all laborious effort. At the hour of her decease last Saturday morning, Mrs. Marsh lacked only thirteen days of being seventy-six. Look at her record for the last year only. Besides being almoner of other comforts and delicacies for the sick and destitute, she distributed more than one thousand two hundred garments and other articles to the needy; more than two thousand religious tracts, papers, books, and the like; and made rising of three thousand visits; which, owing to lameness, was a number less by one thousand than that of the year previous. It should be stated that in early life her constitution and her health seemed not to be firm; and that frequently her toils have been prosecuted amidst no small amount of weakness and even suffering. Hers is one of the cases going to show that nothing conduces more to longevity than benevolent industry. It should also be stated that this perseverance in Christian toil did not stand connected with personal necessities. Children had urged her to withdraw from these labors, and at more than one of their homes is an apartment called "Mother's Room," which has for years stood waiting for her. Loyalty to the Master demanded, as she believed, that all remaining strength should, no less than in former years, be devoted to him. Her life was, to its close, a protest against the prevailing spirit of self-indulgence. Though fully aware that the hour of departure hastened on, she could not bring herself to the pitiful work of merely saving her own soul. There are certain of woman's rights which she strenuously yet modestly vindicated,--her right to quiet benevolent activity, her right to be a ministering angel. You may have noticed that trees and plants, when they feel the approach of decay, sometimes seem to hasten their fruitage just at the last. She was aware that her time was short, and she hastened to make the most of it. And it would be an important omission if the statement were not made that in her views of duty and in her Christian sympathies there was no narrowness. This work of city evangelization was no pet employment. It proceeded from genuine principle, which is always expansive and liberalizing. Her heart went out with special interest to the Home Missionary Society, and yet more toward the foreign fields of the American Board. * * * * * Had our deceased friend the weakness--the comparatively pardonable weakness of vanity? Had the characteristic infirmity of old age come upon her,--a fondness for recounting earlier or more recent labors and successes? From what has been said, you who are strangers to her would hardly expect it, for you have noticed that it is the lighter ears of grain that hold their heads highest, and wave about most freely. Mrs. Marsh was a branch so laden with fruit as to hang low; she was clothed with humility. She sat at the Master's feet. She did not talk about meekness or modesty,--she illustrated them. Moses probably did not know how his face shone as he came down from the mount; our friend seemed not to know how radiant hers was with benevolence; nor how busy were her own feet in errands of kindness. All agree in testifying that this grace of humility shed a sweet, calm lustre over all her other virtues. The only one's faithfulness that she hesitated to speak of was her own; her uniform estimate of herself was, "I am an unprofitable servant." Who ever suspected her of vainglory? Who will say that she was not accustomed to give all glory and praise to God? This quality was too genuine to admit of a sombre tinge. There seemed to be no trace of false spirituality. She exhibited a fine combination of cheerfulness and seriousness. In fact, she had no time for despondency about herself or others. Heart, lips, and hands were too full of something else to admit of moodiness. * * * * * Mrs. Marsh had often expressed a desire that, if it pleased God, she might not outlive active usefulness; that she might die in the harness, might die here amongst us. When two years ago a city missionary in Boston[Footnote: Deacon Wilder.] died suddenly, she said she would like to go in the same way. God has substantially gratified her wish. Now, in all the relations at which we have glanced, and positions as daughter, as head of a family, as head of a charitable institution, as private church-member, as a helpmeet for a Christian minister, and as city missionary, she exhibited the highest order of conscientiousness, and of consecration to God. Have you ever known one who walked more nearly in the steps of our Lord and Saviour, one who did less to please self? Do you recall an acquaintance who appeared to act less from impulse, or more uniformly from an abiding sense of duty, in all quietness and steadfastness doing with her might what the hands found to do? A friend, who has known her intimately for forty years, states,--"I never knew Mrs. Marsh lukewarm or with a cold heart. Her life has been a chain of well doing all along, without one breakage." * * * * * The impression with us is deep, that the character of our deceased friend was in its type a very uncommon one; that by the grace of God it attained to a moral grandeur seldom witnessed. Such concentration, such unselfishness, such devout persistency in endeavors to honor our Lord Jesus Christ raise her to a lofty level. We would institute no comparison between her and the votaries of fashion,--the frivolous, selfish beings, whose thoughts centre chiefly on personal accomplishments and position. "She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth." But for a moment bring to mind those of a more elevated grade, who, by the pen, the pencil, or in the departments of sculpture and music, minister to æsthetic enjoyment, and the mental improvement of a community. Select, if you please, one who attained to the same age with our departed friend, a woman of undoubted talents, of unimpeached morals, the most distinguished tragic actress that England ever produced, and who was applauded to the skies. Let Sarah Kemble Siddons march grandly up that aisle. Ah, to what nothingness does she shrivel in the presence of this heavenly woman, around whom the light of the cross and the glories of eternity gather! Let the present Roman Pontiff, born the same year with this humble city missionary, enter in all his regalia; how does his triple crown grow dim before the crown of righteousness that adorns her head! * * * * * Ten days ago, at the last meeting of the Eliot City Mission Society, Mrs. Marsh, in view of failing strength, sent in her resignation. A committee were appointed to wait upon her, and convey an expression of the general appreciation in which she and her labors are held. They have as yet had no opportunity to do so. They are now present, and will briefly perform the duty assigned them. * * * * * Beloved Friend,--"beloved Persis, who hast labored much in the Lord,"--we speak in behalf of ourselves, and we speak in behalf of multitudes. A church to whom you are endeared, a missionary association bearing an apostolic name, an affectionate and indebted Sabbath school, who are here at this hour, a whole section of our city, many scores of sick-rooms,--German mothers, Holland mothers, mothers from England and Scotland,--bid us say, We all respect you, we love you, we thank God for your coming amongst us. Your prayers have strengthened us; your wise and motherly ministrations have relieved us. The very stones of this rocky place have been worn to smoothness by your busy footsteps. The very dust of our streets is hallowed. Tears fall apace; yet we praise the Lord that there remaineth a rest for his people. "Rest, weary head; Lie down to slumber in the peaceful tomb; Light from above has broken through its gloom; Here in the place where once thy Saviour lay, Where he shall wake thee on a future day,-- Like a tired child upon its mother's breast,-- Rest, sweetly rest. "Rest, spirit free, In the green pastures of the heavenly shore, Where sin and sorrow can approach no more; With all the flock by the Good Shepherd fed, Beside the streams of life eternal led, Forever with thy God and Saviour blest, Rest, sweetly rest." 
27280	----	[Transcriber's notes: Original spelling and puctuation were retained, including u/v and i/j substitution. Text has been put on the left side of the dividing line and notes on the right to make the plain text version easier to work with. Some of the Latin note text was illegible, many thanks to the Distributed Proofreaders Volunteers who helped look up the references in various internet sources.] THE PRAISE OF A GODLY WOMAN. A Sermon preached at the Solemne Funerall of the Right Honourable Ladie, the Ladie FRANCES ROBERTS, at _Lanhide-rock-Church_ in _Cornwall_ the tenth of August, 1626. By HANNIBALL GAMON, Minister of the word of God, at S^t. _Maugan_ in the same Countie. _1 Cor. 4. 5._ Therefore iudge nothing before the time, vntill the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse, and will manifest the counsells of the hearts, and then shall euery man haue praise of God. _Galath. 3. 28._ { Neither Iew nor Greek, There is { Neither Bond nor Free, { Neither Male nor Female, for yee are all one in Christ Iesus. S^t. Hierom. Eustoch. _----In seruitute Christi nequaquam Differentia sexuum valet, sed mentium._ Idem ad Principiam. _Non facie vllam inter Sanctas Feminas Differentiam, quod Nonnulli inter Sanctos Viros & Ecclesiarum Principes, stulte facere consueverunt._ LONDON, Printed by _I.H._ for _Iohn Grismond_, and are to be sold at his shop in _Ivie-Lane_ at the signe of the Gunne. 1627. TO THE TRVLY NOBLE IOHN ROBERTS, Son and Heire to the Right Honourable RICHARD _Lord_ ROBERTS of _Truro_: the Vnualuable Riches of sincere Grace here, and of Eternall Glory hereafter. HONOVRABLE SIR, Although it bee true (which a | worthy Diuine[a] obserueth) that | [Note a: M^r. _Bolter_ Disc. of formall Hypocrites are heartned and | true Happinesse, p. 61.] hardned in their lewd courses & | false conceits of happinesse, when | they heare more infamous Sinners | than themselues, gloriously and | flatteringly commended at their | Deaths; yet we need not feare any | such bad effect by the | Funerall-commendation of Gods true | Saints; because the publike | Testimonie of their iust Praises | doth not onely make the wicked more | inexcusable, and the Glory of Gods | Graces shine farre brighter to | Posteritie; but also enkindleth in | the hearts of the godly a greater | fire of Zeale for imitation. These | [Note b: _Psalm. 37. 37. Deut. are some of the Ends, why it hath | 34. 7, 10, 11, 12. Hebr._ 3. 2. & euer been and is still an | 11. cap._] vnreproueable Custome in Gods | Church, that the Godly should be | [Note c: _2 Chron. 32. 33._] _Marked_[b] and _Honoured_[c] at | their Deaths, as _Hezekiah_ was by | all _Iudah_ & _Ierusalem_: | _Valentinean_, _Satyrus_ and | _Theodosius_ by Saint _Ambrose_[A]: | [Note A: _S. Ambr. tom. 3._] _Basil_, _Gregory_ and _Gorgonia_ | by _Nazianzen_[B]: _Nepotian_, | [Note B: _Greg. Nazian._ _Paula_ and _Marcella_ by _S. | { 30. Ierom_[C]. Had not their Holy Liues | _Orat._ { 28. and Happie Deaths beene published | { 25.] by such vnpartiall Pens, wee should | haue bin ignorant now of many | [Note C: _S. Ierom._ excellent Courses of sanctified Men | { _Heliod._ and Women, of many comfortable | { _Eustoch._ workings of the Holy Ghost in them, | _Ad_ { _Princip._ and should haue wanted many | { _Ocean._] inflaming Motiues to follow their | religious steps. Vpon this | [Note d: _Testor Iesum cui illa consideration I was bold to commend | seruiuit & ego seruire cupio, me vnto Gods people the more than | utramq, in part[=e] nihil fingere; Ordinary passages of your | sed quasi Christian[=u] de Honourable Mothers Holy Life and | Christianâ quæ sunt vera proferre, Death: wherein I haue as a | id est, Historiam scribere non Christian spoken the truth of a | Panegyricum. S. Ierom, Epitaph. Christian, that is, (as Saint | Paulæ._] _Ierom_[d] protesteth in a like | case) made a true Narration; not a | Vain-glorious Panegyrick. Let Poets | and Oratours praise those women, | which _Poppæa_-like[e], are graced | [Note e: _Poppæa cuncta alia fuêre with all other things sauing a | præter Honestum animum. Tacit. Gracious Heart: Let them commend | Annal. l. 13._] their Wit, Wealth, Beautie, | Nobilitie, and other Gifts of | Fortune (as they call them) in | stead of Vertues[f]. Wee the | [Note f: _Laudauit ipse Nero apud Ministers of Christ, and Stewards | rostra formam eius & quòd diuinæ of the Mysteries of God, must | formæ parens fuisset, aliaque adorne none with the Honourable | fortunæ munera pro Virtutibus. Id. Attributes of Heauenly Praise; but | Annal. l. 16._] such as are truly beautified, | enriched, and ennobled with the | Purity and Power of Gods Feare in | [Note A: _Esai. 61. 3._] their Humble Soules[A]. This praise | the Lord will Prosper[g], which is | [Note g: _Eccles. 15. 10._] vttered in that _Wisdome_[h], | whereof the _Feare of the Lord is | [Note h: _Prou. 9. 10._] the beginning_. But for the Saints | themselues: I dare say with Saint | [Note i: _Epist. 125._ where S. _Augustine_[i], that they desire | _Augustine_ refuseth to commend more the Imitation, than the | vnto a wicked Husb[=a]d his godly Commendation of their vertues: and | wife that was dead, not onely therefore to tell you the truth (as | because she desired not his praise, the same Father doth his friend) | saying: _Laudem ab hominibus iam you should neuer haue heard mee | illa non quærit, imitationem verò commend this deceased Lady, but in | tu[=a] tantum quærit etiam hope, that Gods Graces in Her might | defuncta, quantum te dilexit etiam by this meanes, suruiue in your | dissimilem viua_; but also because religious Imitation, and not only | her Husband loued Her not, which he in you and all them that are of Her | proueth thus: _Nam utiq si amares, bloud; but also in all them that | cum illa esse post mortem haue heard or shall reade this | desiderares, quod profectò non Sermon. This is all the gaine I | eris, si quàlis es, talis eris._] looke and pray for, that Gods[k] | word, which I haue faithfully | [Note k: _Ier. 23. 22, 28. 1 Pet. alledged (not without some | 4. 11. Tit. 2. 8. 2 Tim. 2. Illustrations (I confesse) borrowed | 15. 1 Tim. 4. 13. & 6. 3._] from the holy Fathers[l], whereof I | need not to be ashamed) may be | [Note l: _--Ingenuo pudore qui constantly practised by vs all. For | ornabat ætatem, quid cuius esset, when all is done and said, assure | confiteri ... Illud (aiebat) your selfe (Deare Sir) it is only | Tertulliani, istud Cypriani, hoc the Life of Grace, the Grace of the | Lactantij, illud Hilarij est. Sic _Feare of the Lord_ can truly | Minutius Foelix, ita Victorinus, in Honour you, or any vpon earth, | hunc modum est locutus Arnobius. S. sweetly comfort you at your Death, | Ierom. ad Heliodor de Nepotian._] and eternally Glorifie your Soule | and Bodie in Heauen. Abandon then I | beseech you in the name of | Christ[m], all iniquitie, and all | [Note m: _2 Thess. 3. 6. 2 Tim. workers of iniquitie, yea abominate | 2. 19. Prou. 4. 14. 1 Cor. 5. the sweetest sin, to which your | 11. Ephes. 5. 11. Psalm. 26. youthfull affections are most | 4, 5. & 119. 32, 36, 128. 2 endeared, else you will neuer be | Chron. 19. 2. & 20. 37._] able to encline and enlarge them | to the pursuit and practise of so | excellent and Glorious a Grace as | the _Feare of the Lord_; because | this godly Feare and the impenitent | Allowance of any lust, is as | incompatible as Heauen and Hell: so | that if you should hate to be | diuorced from your Bosome-sin | whatsoeuer it be (which God forbid) | you could haue no true right and | interest to the precious promises | of this and of that other life[n]. | [Note n: _1 Tim. 4. 8._] Thinke on this continually, and | hold it your greatest Honour, the | Noblest imployment of your Soule, | as it is indeed, to keep your selfe | (as a King[o] did before you.) from | [Note o: _Psal. 18. 23._] your iniquitie. _Quod si tu (quod | procul absit) nolueris, ego liber | ero. Epistola, immo concio me hæc | mea, cum lecta fuerit, | absoluet._[p] And so I rest, being | [Note p: _S. Ierom. ad Castorin. mindfull of your Vertues, | Materteram._] | | _Saint Mauganthe 19. August 1626._ _Yours in all Christian Deuotion, and heartiest prayer to God for you,_ HANNIBAL GAMON. THE PRAISE OF A Godly Woman. PROV. 31. 30. _--But a woman that feareth the Lord, shee shall be praised._ 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, | quæ 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 Gratiâ. 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 naturâ 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. Hæc 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 corruptelæ, 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 gratiæ) become the partie who shall, and | faciliùs 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 | quantò enim caro eius infirmior, & hath, is more difficult, and the | spiritus minus promptus, tãtò 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 fortè excuse him at the dreadfull day of | viri à 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 putobã, &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, | præter 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 | ædificatione 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 verò timor the Lord in her childrens hearts, | Dei non est, ibi dissolutio vitæ 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 præmio. 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, | Ambitiosè se ornantes. to. 2. S. adulterate paintings, naked | Ephræm 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, _Saluâ Veniâ_, | without pardon from God, because | [Note h: _Eccles. 26. 25._] (saith _Tertullian_[i]) she hath | sinned _Saluo metû_, without any | [Note i: _Sic ergò & ipsi, saluâ feare of God. | veniâ in gehennam detrudentur, dum | saluô metû peccant. De pænit. 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 refrænat 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 quæ gerimus uideri | desuper, sed etiam quæ cogitamus, | aut loquimur, audiri a Deo putamus | &c. Lact. de Irâ 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: | _Verò-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 quàm 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 omninò 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 | à 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 à me non recedant. Quod | quid est aliud quàm talis ac tantus | erit Timor meus, quem dabo in cor | eorum, vt mihi perseuerantèr | adhæreant? 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 ipsâ praise Her vnawares, whom we should | Gehenna iudicat, in re leuissima not praise. And now it were good we | vult[=u] omnipotentis scientèr 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, quòd maior in eo Vis the Lord_ is, should moue vs to | est quàm in foemina, & hinc Virtus affect it, and labour for it, | nomen accepit. Item Mulier à 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 tantò maior deferri | solet, quantò 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 animæ 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 benè, adulterate[f], for this is no | id est saudibilitèr; immo ilitèr et Vertue (proues _Paris._) when men | brutalitèr, videlicet solo metæ feare the _Euill of Punishment_ | feræ, ita enim occupat animum & only; not the _Euill of Sinne_, as | intentionam timentis, oraculos an Adulteresse feares the Comming | cordis ad solam poenæ 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 quæ adulterinum alludes) growen great, and lying | anim[=u] gerit, etiam si timòre 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 verò alitèr timet: danger, without a Beleeuing and | nam & ipsa times virum; sed castè. 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 | à 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 pugnæ, 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 | & indefessæ præconia. S. Ierom. ad _Reuel. 4. 10. 11._ | Therdoram. Epitaph. Lucinij. | {Offensa | { & Now (Honourable and Beloued) though | Timorem {Poenæ. Gloria I haue set nothing at all besides | {Patriæ 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] poenæ 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 quàm Excellencie of this _Feare_, before | probare & prædicare. 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 à Timore conspictus Diuini Schoole-man[f]) but the Shadow of a | tanquam à 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, Terræmotum to ouerthrow all the Deuils | spiritualem in corde humano strongest holds, any[u] | faciens, et omnia Diabolica Bosome-sinne, be it neuer so | ædificia 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 Saluâ castitate, | matrimonia violare, Saluâ 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 sanè 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 cætera 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. | veracitèr 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 præsumit, minus is verè poterit esse securus_: He | veretur, minus præcauet, plus that is not ouer-bold on his owne | periclitatur &c. De Cultu Fæm. strength[h]; but confident in | cap. 2. & de Pænit. cap. 6.--Volo Christ[i], and liues not securely | te timere & non timere, præsumere & in the minion-delight of any knowne | non præsumere, timere vt pæniteas, sinne; but stands in such | non timere vt præsumas. Porro continuall awe of Gods _Presence_, | præsumere ne diffidas, non _Precepts_, _Promises_, _Threats_, | præsumere 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, | præsumere, abjice à te, & tota Honour, Beautie, Policie, these and | præsumptio 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 vultù, parum | est in lingua, in corde noli | respicere, id est, noli diligere, | noli acceptare. Idem in Psal. 65. | to 8._] | | [Note l: _De cultu Fæm. 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 quæ beene alreadie so much commended | semper & ipse contempsit, in animæ 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 hîs 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, clará luce veritatis 14._ Onely _the feare of the Lord_, | discutiens, profectò 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. Enimverò Yea then, _not she_, but _God | quis non animæ 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 illâ 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 sanctæ 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. Quæ igitur _Feare of the Lord_. Vntill such an | causa est, nisi fortè 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 ergò homo non would not commend in Noble | antè laudatur, quia non in forensi _Marcella_ any thing saue Her owne | pelle, sed in interiore Homine antè Godly selfe. _Ipsa Laudabitur_: She | probandus, sic prædicandus 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 prædicatur, &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 Ecclesiæ 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], | ergò n[=o] a nobis laudem exigamus, especially this Promise of Praise: | nec præripiamus iudicium Dei & _Vntill the Lord come_ (as the | præueniamus 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 antè while, best for her to _Feare the | Gubernator non potest quam in Lord_, and so be praise-worthy, | portum nauem deduxerit: quomodò than to be praised for the present. | laudabis Homin[=e] prius quàm 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 | Meritò ergò 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 | legitimè certauerit, coronabitur. for another, whose soule being | Ideoq, sapiens tibi dicit: Antè 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. Fælix 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. Asellæ._] 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 | sinistræ famæ flamma confletur--Nos of the world[x]; so should euery | id agamus, vt malè 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, quàm Dei Enter thou into the ioy of thy | fruitio, quia magis lætatur in Lord_[p]. Where it is best to leaue | Gloriâ & plus gaudebit de Dei Her, euen with her Lord, taking | gloriâ & honore, quàm de suâ more ioy (as a Schoole-man teacheth | Glorificatione, & plus iocundabitur truly) in praising Him, than in | in laudando Domin[=u], quàm 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. Paulæ. 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 Vitâ 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 verò contrà freti vi assurance of pardon from the Merit | illâ Christi, cui per Spiritum of Christs Death and Resurrection; | Sanctum coniuncti sumus, peccatum but also that Power and efficacie | occidamus.--pistiemò quia non satis which is in them, to _Die to Sinne, | est n[=o] peccare; sed etiam benè and Liue to Righteousnesse_.[i] | agere oportet, eadem vis illa | Christi, quâ victor peccati et This was the Life of this Elect | mortis in carne nostrâ 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? Alâs it | has lachrymas Deuotionis & ætatis could not by all the Meanes that | vtiq, iam virilis, atque eas quas were vsed. For _No man_ (saith the | primæus ætas inter infantiæ vagit' Preacher) _hath power ouer the | emisit, lachrymas vtiq, poenitentiæ spirit to retaine the spirit_[k]. | & confessionis. Veruntamen longè Then speake of her Death I must, | amplius vtrisque procèdunt aliæ and yet (to make vse of S. | quæd[=a] lachrymæ, quibus in _Ierom's_ words in a like case) | funditur sapor vini. Illas enim _Quis possit siccis oculis Paulam | lachrymas verè in vin[=u] mutari narrare morientem[l]?_ Who can | dixerim, quæ Fraternæ 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: _Thãkfulnesse 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 ergò 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 certè 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 citò 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 | nostrûm: 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: _Ideò 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 | lædimus cùm euocatos quosque ab euill to come, Esai. 57. 1._ From | illo quasi miserandos non you shee is not Taken, but from | æquanimitèr 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, | impatientèr dolemus, ipsi consequi Her Dearest friends[l], for whom | nolumus. Tertul. de Patient. cap. she would haue wept full bitterly; | 9. Temperet sanè 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: _Lætandum est enim magis, foundation of Gods word_[o], to | quòd talem fratrem habuerim, quàm vanish into aire, into nothing, to | dolendum, quòd 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 mæremus quod talem euery one of our minion sinnes from | amisimus, sed gratias agimus, quòd our bosomes: Let Gods pretious | habuimus, immo habemus. S. Ierom. promise here of praising a _Woman | Epitaph. Paulæ._] that feareth the Lord_, feare vs | from our strongest corruptions. | [Note o: _Basis quædam Verbi est _Atq vtinam præconia 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 | fortiùs 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, irreuocabilitèr | mittitur in ignem æternum--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 poenæ 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 ergò futur[=u] iudic[=e] vs: _Come ye Blessed of my Father, | times, præsent[=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._ | FINIS.