This glorious deſcription of a woman fearing the Lord, is not mine (Bleſſed Brethren) but the Scriptures, wherein I finde; 1. The cauſe of her Feare to be not Selfe-Loue[68], but the Loue of God; not the ſpirit of Bondage[69]; but the Spirit of Adoption: 2. The Obiect of her feare to be not the precepts of men[70], but the Commandements of God[71]: not his Threats only[72], but his Promiſes alſo[73]: not his Anger only againſt ſin[74], but his Mercy alſo in Chriſt[75]: not his Preſence only, as a Reuenging Iudge[76], but his Forbearance alſo as a louing Father[77]. 3. The workings of her Feare to be in the heat of temptations and afflictions, not Deſpairing[78]; but Beleeuing the forgiueneſſe of her ſinnes, not Limiting God to the present danger; but[79]waiting for his mercy, not Diſtruſting his Prouidence; but hoping for Good[80]: not Murmuring againſt him; but praiſing Him, and praying vnto Him[81], yea (which is the proper Act of her Feare) not Louing any ſin, but hating and eſchewing all ſin[82], not out of a ſlauiſh terrour of puniſhment; but chiefly becauſe it is Sinne, an Infinite euill; and becauſe an Infinite Good God, whom ſhe loueth (ſaith Saint Auguſtine) is offended by it, though ſhe ſhould neuer goe to Hell-fire to be puniſhed for it[83].

Laſtly, in the Scriptures I finde Perſeuerance or Conſtancie[84] to be euer an inſeperable Attendant vpon her Feare! For ſhe is not one that hath not yet taſted of this ſauing Grace, or elſe not continued in the ſame; but ſhe is a woman for the preſent, Timens Dominum, Fearing the Lord. You ſhall neuer finde Her otherwiſe, than (as God would haue her) In the feare of the Lord all the day long, Prou. 23. Fearing and keeping his Commandements alwaies, Deut. 4. Doing her Husband Good and not euill all the daies of her life, verſe the 12. of this Chapter.

It is true indeed, as Feare is oppoſed to Diffidence, Luke 1. So ſhe ſerves God without a Diſtruſtfull Feare all the daies of her life; becauſe of Gods continuall preſence with Her[85], continuall mercy towards Her[86], continuall power[87] ouer Her, in Strengthening, Helping, and Vpholding Her, Eſai. 41. 10. But yet as Feare is oppoſed to Negligence, ſo ſhe ſtill feares God, leſt ſhe ſhould be ſecure by reaſon of his Power which is inuincible[88]; of his Wiſdome, which is infallible[89]; of his Mercy, which is compaſſionate[90]; and of his Iuſtice, which is inflexible[91].

It is as true alſo (which Gerſon and others haue obſerued[92]) that many times a Deuout Soule is ſo diſquieted with a ſlauiſh Feare of the Aduerſary; that ſhe feares leſt ſhe hath not any true Feare of Gods Maieſtie; but yet (B. B.) ſay the Pelagian what hee can to the contrary, ſuch is the Euerlaſtingneſſe of Gods Loue[93], Mercie[94], and Couenant[95], the Vnconquerableneſſe of his Power[96], the Immortality of his Word[97], the Certaintie of his Promiſes[98], the Efficacie of Chriſts Spirit[99]; Prayer[100], Merits[101], and of Faith in them[102]; yea ſuch is the durable vigour of this ſauing Grace of the Feare of the Lord[103], that being once rooted by God, (as Saint Auguſtine vrgeth) it cannot be remoued; but through it we may perſeueringly adhere vnto God according to his promiſe: I will put my Feare in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me, Ier. 32. 40. with Pſal. 80. 17. She then that truely hath this Feare, doth ſo feare the Lord in Loue, and loue him in feare[104], that as in the midſt of Gods not Conſuming, but Conſummating Anger (for ſo Saint Auguſtine[105] calls Gods Anger towards the Godly) ſhee can ſee the yerning and relenting Bowels of a Compaſſionate Father, ſo in the height of Satans Terrifying iniections, ſhe can ſhunne and abhorre Gods Diſpleaſure[106], more than all other miſeries of Puniſhments, and therefore in what ſtate ſoeuer ſhe be of Conſolation or Deſertion, ſhee is ſtill the ſame Woman, Timens Dominum, Fearing the Lord.

Thus wee haue ſeene who ſhe is, who ſhall be praised, lest we ſhould praiſe Her vnawares, whom we ſhould not praiſe. And now it were good we did thinke a little better on the Reaſon, why ſhe ſhall be praiſed, euen becauſe ſhe is ſuch a woman fearing the Lord.

For if any thing, ſo rare and excellent a Grace as the Feare of the Lord is, ſhould moue vs to affect it, and labour for it, eſpecially being found in so weake a Veſſell as a Woman is[107]. For I could tell you, there are more Michals[108] than Abigails[109], more Iezebels[110] than Sarah's[111], more proud Vaſthy's[112], than humble Eſthers[113], more Fearefull women, than Women Fearing the Lord; and therefore the rarer ſuch Phœnixes are (as S. Ierom calls them[114]) not One to be found by wiſeſt Salomon[115], among a Thouſand, greater is her praiſe that feareth the Lord[116].

Then I muſt tell you, that euery Feare is not commendable. Not that Feare which is Hypocriticall, for this is Superſtition, when men feare the Feare of Idolaters[117]. Not that feare which is Worldly, for this is wicked ſelfe-Loue, when men feare Men[118], Loſſe of Goods, Fire and faggot, more than God the Onely Soueraigne Commander of the Soule, the Only Dreadfull Threatner of euerlaſting Burnings. Nor that feare which is Seruile[119] or adulterate[120], for this is no Vertue (proues Pariſ.) when men feare the Euill of Puniſhment only; not the Euill of Sinne, as an Adultereſſe feares the Comming home of her Huſband; but feares not the Committing of Adultery. Nor is that feare commendable, which is Diſtruſtfull or Immoderate like Ruben (as Gerſon[121] alludes) growen great, and lying with Bilhah, for this is Infidelitie when men tie Gods Grace to preſent deliuerance out of danger, without a Beleeuing and waiting Spirit for his Mercie, Eſai. 28. 16.

But the Feare for which a Woman ſhall be praiſed, is informed by Wiſdome, inſtructed by Vnderſtanding, directed by Counſell, ſtrengthned by Might, gouerned by Knowledge, adorned with Pietie, as Saint Ambroſe collects out of the eleuenth of Eſay[122]. It is a Faithfull feare truſting in God[123], and making Him her Feare, Eſai. 8. 13. and her Hope too in the Day of Euill, not without this feruent Prayer vnto Him then: Be not thou a Terrour vnto me, Ier. 17. 17. A chaſt and Cleane Feare[124], Cleanſing from all filthineſſe of the fleſh and Spirit.[125] A Reuerent and Godly Fear[126], Preparing the heart, Humbling the Soule in Gods ſight[127], Trembling at his Word[128], not Diſobeying it, Eſchewing[129] euill, Working righteouſneſſe and Giuing much almes[130]. A Bleſſed Feare it is[131], Bleſſing them that haue it, Bleſſing the Lord that giues it, Praiſing Him and ſaying: That his Mercy endureth for euer[132].

Laſtly, it is an Euerlaſting Feare, euer encreaſing[133], and Enduring for euer[134], though not in reſpect of the Act of Declination or eſchewing of ſinne[135], becauſe in Heauen there is no feare of ſinning[136]; yet in reſpect of the Act of Celebration or Reuerencing God, becauſe there the Saints doe nothing elſe; but ſtill Giue Glory to Him, and Worſhip Him with humble Acknowledgement of their owne Vnworthineſſe, Pſal. 19. 9. with Reuel. 4. 10. 11.

Now (Honourable and Beloued) though I haue ſet nothing at all beſides this Heauenly Manna before your eyes; yet your full Soules muſt not Loath it. For if that only is to be praiſed which is excellent[137], then (by your leaue) I muſt ſtand ſomewhat longer vpon the Excellencie of this Feare, before a Woman can be praiſed that hath it.

I demand then what doe you count Excellent? Riches, Honour, Life. Why, theſe are neuer well gotten, nor well kept; but by the Feare of the Lord. So ſaith Salomon, By the feare of the Lord are Riches and Honour, and Life[138]. Say what you will, it muſt needs be an Excellent thing wherwith Chriſt Ieſus Himſelfe was Filled, and that was with The Spirit of this Feare, Eſai. 11. 2.[139]. An excellent thing which God Himſelfe so earneſtly deſires to be ſtill in vs, and that is this Feare. O (ſaith He) that there were ſuch an Heart in them, that they would feare me, and keepe my Commandements alwaies[140], which is indeed the whole Dutie of Man[141]; without which (Saint Bernard concludes) Euery man is Nothing. He is not a Man (reaſons a Schoole-man[142]) but the Shadow of a Man; becauſe He imployes not his Soule to that noble End for which he had it, namely, to be ſquared and ruled by the feare of the Lord: without which no man can ſo much as Begin to be wiſe, becauſe this Feare is the Beginning[143] of wiſdome, nor ſo much as Begin to Loue God, becauſe this Feare is the Beginning of the Loue of God[144]. It is the Salt (alludes Bleſenſis) that muſt be in euery Sacrifice[145], in euery Worke we doe, ſo that there is no Seruing God, no Reioycing in Him[146], no heartie Repenting[147], no Chaſt Conuerſing[148], no Perfecting Holineſſe[149], no Working out our Saluation, but with Feare and Trembling[150]; nay there is no Saluation, no Bleſſedneſſe without Continuing in this Feare[151], Prou. 28. 14. Againe, is not that Excellent, that will make vs more Excellent than our Neighbours[152], that will Exalt vs aboue them, that will keepe our hearts from Hardning[153], our Houſes from Ouerthrowing[154]? but nothing can doe this; but this Feare of the Lord. This feare (ſaith Pariſ.[155]) can cauſe a ſpiritual Earth-quake in a mans Heart, able to ouerthrow all the Deuils ſtrongeſt holds, any[156] Boſome-ſinne, be it neuer ſo pleaſing and profitable, by reaſon of that Contrarietie and Oppoſition[157] that is betweene Lying in any Sweet Sinne, and Liuing in Gods Feare and Fauour, as you may ſee, Leuit. 25. 36.