The Praise of a Godly Woman
THE PRAISE OF A GODLY WOMAN
Honovrable Sir,
Although it bee true (which a worthy Diuine1 obſerueth) that formall Hypocrites are heartned and 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 are ſome of the Ends, why it hath euer been and is ſtill an vnreproueable Cuſtome in Gods Church, that the Godly ſhould be Marked2 and Honoured3 at their Deaths, as Hezekiah was by all Iudah & Ieruſalem: Valentinean, Satyrus and Theodoſius by Saint Ambroſe4: Baſil, Gregory and Gorgonia by Nazianzen5: Nepotian, Paula and Marcella by S. Ierom6. Had not their Holy Liues and Happie Deaths beene publiſhed by ſuch vnpartiall Pens, wee ſhould haue bin ignorant now of many excellent Courſes of ſanctified Men and Women, of many comfortable workings of the Holy Ghoſt in them, and ſhould haue wanted many inflaming Motiues to follow their religious ſteps. Vpon this conſideration I was bold to commend vnto Gods people the more than Ordinary paſſages of your Honourable Mothers Holy Life and Death: wherein I haue as a Chriſtian ſpoken the truth of a Chriſtian, that is, (as Saint Ierom7 proteſteth in a like caſe) made a true Narration; not a Vain-glorious Panegyrick. Let Poets and Oratours praiſe thoſe women, which Poppæa-like8, are graced with all other things ſauing a Gracious Heart: Let them commend their Wit, Wealth, Beautie, Nobilitie, and other Gifts of Fortune (as they call them) in ſtead of Vertues9. Wee the Miniſters of Chriſt, and Stewards of the Myſteries of God, muſt adorne none with the Honourable Attributes of Heauenly Praiſe; but ſuch as are truly beautified, enriched, and ennobled with the Purity and Power of Gods Feare in their Humble Soules10. This praiſe the Lord will Proſper11, which is vttered in that Wiſdome12, whereof the Feare of the Lord is the beginning. But for the Saints themſelues: I dare ſay with Saint Auguſtine13, that they deſire more the Imitation, than the Commendation of their vertues: and therefore to tell you the truth (as the ſame Father doth his friend) you ſhould neuer haue heard mee commend this deceaſed Lady, but in hope, that Gods Graces in Her might by this meanes, ſuruiue in your religious Imitation, and not only in you and all them that are of Her bloud; but alſo in all them that haue heard or ſhall reade this Sermon. This is all the gaine I looke and pray for, that Gods14 word, which I haue faithfully alledged (not without ſome Illuſtrations (I confeſſe) borrowed from the holy Fathers15, whereof I need not to be aſhamed) may be conſtantly practiſed by vs all. For when all is done and ſaid, aſſure your ſelfe (Deare Sir) it is only the Life of Grace, the Grace of the Feare of the Lord can truly Honour you, or any vpon earth, ſweetly comfort you at your Death, and eternally Glorifie your Soule and Bodie in Heauen. Abandon then I beſeech you in the name of Chriſt16, all iniquitie, and all workers of iniquitie, yea abominate the ſweeteſt ſin, to which your youthfull affections are moſt endeared, elſe you will neuer be 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 life17. 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 King18 did before you.) from your iniquitie. Quod ſi tu (quod procul abſit) nolueris, ego liber ero. Epiſtola, immo concio me hæc mea, cum lecta fuerit, abſoluet.19 And ſo I reſt, being mindfull of your Vertues,
Saint Mauganthe
19. Auguſt 1626.
Praiſe is a Debt (ſaith Gregory Nazianzen20) and it muſt be paid, not to men alone, but to women alſo; yet not to euery woman, be ſhee neuer ſo noble, wittie, wealthy or faire21, vnleſſe ſhe be godly withall: For fauour is deceitfull, and beautie is vaine; but a woman that feareth the Lord, ſhee ſhall be praiſed.
The Diuiſion.
A promiſe this is and affirmatiue, and an affirmatiue promiſe hath two parts in it. The firſt is the Partie to whom it is made, and ſhee is Muliertimens Dominum. A woman that feareth the Lord, which is alſo the reaſon why ſhe ſhall be praiſed: euen becauſe ſhe is a woman fearing the Lord. The ſecond is the thing promiſed, and that is Laudabitur, ſhe ſhall be praiſed.
I.
In the former, it is not enough that ſhe is a woman, becauſe euery woman is not Timens, one that Feareth, nor ſufficient that ſhe Feareth; becauſe euery woman that feareth is not Timens Dominum, one that feareth the Lord; but ſhe that ſhall be praiſed, is all three. 1. A woman by nature22, where the weaker her ſex is, the more ſhee ſhall be commended. 2. By Grace23, a woman that feareth, where the continuall act of this Fearing is required. 3. That feareth the Lord, where the right Obiect of her continuall feare is limited.
II.
And in the latter we are to conſider; Firſt, to what matters, 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 them24) and if they faile in this dutie, then the godly ſhall praiſe her; and if they ceaſe to doe it, then her own workes ſhall praiſe her,