Laſtly, this is an Excellent Feare, becauſe it is A fountaine of Life[158]: wherefore? To driue away Sinnes[159], Sinnes which haue beene committed by Repentance (ſaith S. Bernard) and Sinnes whereto we are Tempted, by Reſiſtance[160]; and yet this is not all the Excellencie of this Feare: For it is A fountaine of life alſo: To Cauſe vs to finde fauour at our Deaths[161]; and which is more, Such an Excellent Feare as will make vs Not feare, nor be afraid[162]. Whereupon Saint Auguſtine[163] concludes for my purpoſe: Diſcat timere, qui non vult timere: Diſcat ad tempus eſſe Solicitus, qui ſemper vult eſſe ſecurus. Let him learn to feare, that would not feare: Let him be wary and cautelous for a time, that would be happie and ſecure for euer. Tertullian giues the reaſon[164], because if We feare to Offend, by Fearing we will take heed, leſt we Offend, and by Taking heed, we ſhall be in ſafetie; otherwiſe if wee preſume and be not alwaies watchfull ouer our hearts leſt they offend, we cannot be Saued[165], Ier. 4. 14. Qui ſolicitus eſt, is verè poterit eſſe ſecurus: He that is not ouer-bold on his owne ſtrength[166]; but confident in Christ[167], and liues not ſecurely in the minion-delight of any knowne ſinne; but ſtands in ſuch continuall awe of Gods Preſence, Precepts, Promiſes, Threats, that he dare not ſo much as once make any offer of incurring his Diſpleaſure by the impenitent Allowance of any ſinne in his heart[168], and ſtudies to do euery Good worke as carefully, as if it were the Laſt he should doe in this World, and as exactly, as if his whole Saluation depended vpon it, ſuch a Man (in Ancient Tertullians iudgement[169]) may be truely ſecure of Perſeuering in Grace here; and of being Glorified hereafter[170], 1 Thess. 5. 15, 24. Once more I haue done. Is not that an excellent thing that is for the Good of them that haue it, & of their children after them? Riches, Honour, Beautie, Policie, theſe and the like are not oftentimes ſo, as we ſee by woefull experience in Nabal, Haman, Abſalom, Achitophel; but the feare of the Lord is euer ſo, for the Good of them that haue it, and for their children after them, as the Prophet ſaith, Ier. 32. 39. and God himſelfe before him, Deut. 5. 29.

There is no want to them that haue this Feare of any Good thing that is Good for them[171]. For firſt, Pſal. 25. 14. The ſecret, that is, the feare of the Lord, is with them that feare Him; and is not that enough, though I ſhould ſay no more with the Pſalmiſt, becauſe Godly Feare is Gods Treaſure, Eſai. 33. 6. and Better little with it (ſaith Salomon) than Great Treaſure[172]? But there is more behind to moue you further to affect this Excellent Grace. For if you will Feare the Lord, He will ſhew you his Couenant[173] of life and peace[174], Teach you the way that you ſhall chuſe[175], Haue a Booke of remembrance written before Him for you[176]: Hee will Ariſe vnto you the Sunne of Righteouſneſſe with healing in his wings[177]: He wil hide you in his preſence from the pride of men[178], Keepe you ſecretly in a Pauilion from the ſtrife of tongues, Deliuer you in Temptation euen againe[179]; yea He will take pleaſure in you[180], Pitie you as a Father doth his children[181], Fulfill your Deſire, Heare your crie and ſaue you[182]. And what is all this, 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 praiſed.

She ſhall be ſo; but may not that labour be ſpared? For a man would thinke, ſhe hath been praiſed all this while; becauſe Godly Feare, the Grace of God in Her, and the onely cauſe of her Praiſe, hath beene alreadie ſo much commended vnto you? No (Beloued) my Text (you ſee) applies and appropriates this praiſe to Ipſa, Her own Perſon, by vertue indeed of the Feare of the Lord. For were it not for that, it were better Contemning Her, yea Contending[183] with Her, than Commending Her, becauſe that is a conſtant marke of the Godly to Contemne the vngodly, Pſal. 15. 4. This, of the wicked to Praiſe the wicked, to Bleſſe the Couetous, whom the Lord abhorreth, Pſal. 10. 3. It is not her Friendſhip, no nor Carnis bona (as Saint Ierom[184] calls them) the Good endowments of the fleſh, can priuiledge him from a Curſe, if ſo be, he praiſe her without or aboue[185] her Deſerts, Prou. 27. 14. Onely the feare of the Lord, with the excellent fruits thereof, is Gods Gift[186], for which (ſaith Fulgentius[187]) ſhe ought, and he may ſafely commend her, becauſe then, not ſhee; but Gods Grace in her is Praiſed, Epheſ. 1. 6. Yea then, not ſhe, but God himſelfe is Glorified in Her, Gal. 1. 24.

But what? is not She Praiſed, when Her Huſband, Her Children, Her Kindred, Her Friends, Her Attendants, Her Wit, Her Wealth, Her Beautie, Her Nobilitie, or all theſe and the like of Hers are commended? Yes, all theſe come very neere Her, and mutually receiue luſtre and eminencie from this Godly Feare; but they are not Ipſa, Her ſelfe, that is,[188] principally Her Soule truely Generous, and ennobled with the Feare of the Lord. Vntill ſuch an Humble Soule be found in Her, She is not She, that ſhall be adorned with the Garment of praiſe, Eſai. 61. 3. Therefore Saint Ierom[189] would not commend in Noble Marcella any thing ſaue Her owne Godly ſelfe. Ipſa Laudabitur: She is She that ſhall be Praiſed.

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, no kinde is limited. 1. Therefore for the Extent, to be praiſed euery manner of way. 2. For the Time when it ſhall be beſt for her. 3. For the Praiſer, by him who can beſt doe it. Of all theſe briefly.

Firſt, what praiſe ſhe ſhall haue. 1. Euen that (which being true) is euer accompanied with Deareſt Loue to her perſon[190]. 2. Higheſt eſtimation of Gods abundant graces in Her[191]. 3. Frequent Commemoration of them[192]. 4. Moderate Lamentation at her Death[193]. 5. Solemne Funerals according to the Dignitie of her place[194]. 6. And aboue all, with preciſe imitation of her excellent Vertues[195]. All this Honour God allowes Her, that honours Him with His Feare[196]. But becauſe all Praiſe is properly in Words (as the Schoole-man teacheth[197]) and better words ſhee cannot haue to praiſe Her, than God himſelfe ſpeakes[198], therefore ſhe ſhall be Commended in no other, neither in regard of God, nor of her Husband, Children, Kindred, Seruants, and Gods People.

Firſt in reſpect of God, ſhe ſhall be praiſed for One of his Excellent[199], Hidden Ones[200]: for one of his Iewels, which hee will make vp[201]: for His Daughter[202], His Siſter[203], His Mother[204], His Spouſe[205], His Loue[206], His Doue[207], His Faire[208] one, as Faire as the Moone, as Pure as the Sun[209]: as the Moone by inherent, and as the Sun, by imputed Righteouſneſſe. To her Huſband ſhe ſhall bee commended, as the Louing Hinde and pleaſant Roe[210], the Deſire of his eyes[211]; An Helpe like vnto Himſelfe[212]; His Companion[213]; for A Pillar of reſt[214], ſo that He ſhall haue no need of ſpoile[215]; for a Good Portion[216], a ſpeciall Fauour[217] and Gift of the Lord[218]; a Double Grace[219], Doubling the number of his Daies[220], Fatting his bones[221], and making him knowne in the Gates, when he ſitteth among the Elders of the Land[222]: for a Tower againſt Death vnto him[223]: A greater Bleſſing vnto him than either Houſe or Inheritance[224], Aboue children and the Building of a Citie to continue his Name[225], yea for a Crowne vnto her Huſband[226], not a Gold-ring on his finger; nor a chaine of Gold about his necke, nor a Brouch in his hat; but for a Crowne vpon his head (an Ornament more conſpicuous and eminent than the former, the Principall Enſigne of Princes[227]) gracing him that hath her, as much as a Crown doth Him that weareth it: ſo that there is none aboue her, that feareth the Lord[228], None greater than ſhe, not Great Men, nor Iudges, nor Potentates[229]: Her Grace is aboue Gold[230]. Her Price is farre aboue Rubies[231]. Her Continent minde cannot be valewed[232], and by reaſon of Her, her Huſband is a Bleſſed Man[233], Not like other men[234].

To Her Children ſhee ſhall be Commended; becauſe by her they haue a place of Refuge[235]; by Her they haue good meanes to bring and continue true Honour vpon them[236], and if They (the Fruit) be a great Bleſſing[237] (as it is to haue Iſſue by ſuch a One) what is the Root that beareth it[238]?

But I muſt haſten: How ſhall ſhe be Praiſed in reſpect of her Parents? euen as Rachel[239] for doing ſeruice to them as to her Maſters (the true propertie of one that feareth the Lord[240].) In reſpect of her kindred by mariage, as Ruth, louing them[241], Dealing kindly with them[242], and Cleauing vnto them[243]. And in reſpect of her kindred by bloud, as Eſther, who did the Commandement of Mordecay when ſhe was a Queene, like as when ſhe was brought vp with Him[244], who was exceedingly grieued at his Griefe[245], and procured the Enlargement and Deliuerance of her kindred with her Feaſts[246], her Teares[247], and the Hazard of her Life[248].

In regard of her Seruants alſo, ſhe ſhall be commended becauſe ſhe Buildeth her Houſe[249]: Shee is like the Merchants ſhip, She fetcheth her food from farre[250], She giueth meat to her Houſhold[251], She cloatheth them all with Scarlet[252], and Shee looketh ſo well to their waies[253], that As the Sunne when it ariſeth in the high Heauen; So is her beautie in the Ordering of her Houſe[254].

Laſtly, becauſe all the Eſſentiall Glory and Faireneſſe, which is to bee found in the whole Church, The Woman cloathed with the Sunne[255], as that of Iuſtification & Sanctification &c. belongs to euery Member of the Church[256], and cōſequently to euery Woman fearing the Lord, therefore to Gods people ſhe ſhall be commended, as one of the Hands of the Church dropping with ſweet ſmelling Mirrhe[257]: as the Curtaines of Salomon[258]; As a Lilly among thornes[259]; A Garden incloſed: A Spring ſhut vp. A Fountain ſealed[260].