Ornaments for the daughters of Zion. Or The character and happiness of a vertuous woman: in a discourse which directs the female-sex how to express, the fear of God, in every age and state of their life; and obtain both temporal and eternal blessedness. / Written by Cotton Mather ; [Four lines in Latin from Tertullian, followed by a six line translation into English]

Ornaments for the Daughters of Zion. OR The Character and Happiness of a Vertuous Woman:

From the Words of the Wise Woman, in Prov. XXXI.30.

Favour is Dec••itful, and Beauty is Vain; but A WOMAN THAT FEARETH THE LORD, Shee 'tis, that shall be Praised.

IT may well be reckoned the Brightest Honour of that Sex, which the Holy Spirit of God ha's declar'd W••rthy of a Chast and a Kind Honour from us▪ That when the Fulness of Time was Come, God sent forth His Son, made of a Woman. As a Woman had the Disgrace to Go First in that horrid and Woful Trans|gression of our fi••st Parents, which ha's been the Parent of all our misery; so a Woman

had the Glory of bringing into the World that Second Adam, who is the Father, of all our Happiness: a Woman had the Saviour of Mankind in the Circumstances of an Infant Miraculously Conceiv'd within her; and of a Mary was Born that Holy Thing, which is call'd, The Son of God. There is a Woman, whom we do now without the mistakes, which made that Expression the Occasion of many Ancient and no less Furious than Curious Controver|sies, call▪ The Mother of Him that is God; inasmuch as that very Flesh which was Born of her, and which the Trembling Hereticks of this Age, do not now Tremble to Vilify and Nullify wi••h frequent Blasphemies; I say, That V••sible Tangible Flesh is Personally U|nited, unto the Second Person in the Adora|ble Trinity. Though we do not like the Po|pish Idolaters, for this Cause, imagine that Blessed Virgin to have been free from Origi|nal Sin, when she was on Earth, nor now Implore her Mediation and Intercession, in Heaven for us; and though I do not think, that the Holy Ghost referr'd unto her pecu|liarly, as there are Expositors who think H••+dos▪ when He says, The Woman that fears the Lord, She tis that shall Praised; Yet we may safely account the Female Sex herein more than a little Dignify'd. And how should it Encourage all Women to seek a Saving In|terest in that Redeemer, who was Born of a Woman! how should all Women make their Hears a Lodging for that Lord, who in a Woman received, The Body Prepared for Him!

THE Second, or a priviledge not far from the Second Advancement of that Sex, may be Esteemed, the Share which it ha's had in Writing those Oracles, which make us Wise unto Salvation. As one Woman was the Mo|ther of H••m who is the Essential word of God, so diverse Women h••ve been the Writers of His Declarative word. Though the Apostle do's abundantly intimate unto us, that such Inspirations as Compos'd the Scriptures are not now to be expected, when he gives the pro|hibition so much Transgress'd by the most Absurd sect in our Dayes, That the Woman may not speak in the Church; Yet our God ha's Employ'd many Women to Write for the Church, and Inspir'd some of them for the Writing of the Scriptures. We have not only seen Women doing service for the Tabernacle by such Ingenious Writings as we find menti|on'd in the Catalogues of Beverovicius,, Hot|tinger, and Voetius; or such as that most Ac|complish'd Lady, Anna Maria Schurman ha's in our Age addressed the World withal; for even the Books Published by that Sex, were enough to make a Library far from Contemp|tible; nor ha's even the New-English part of the American Strand, been without A••thoresses that would Challenge a Room in such a Li|brary: They to whom the common use of Swords is neither Decent nor Lawful, have made a most Laudable use of Pens; and they that might not without Sin, lead the Life which old Stories ascribe to Amazons, have

with much Praise done the part of Scholars in the World; But we sometimes also find a Woman among the Ama••nenses or Scribes, of that Spirit, who moved Holy men, to Write the most sure Word of Prophecy. And how much do's this Oblige all Women to study that pre|cious Bible, to the curious Work-manship whereof, the hand of a Woman ha's contributed? how ready should women be to Read the pages, upon which they may see transcribed the Hea|venly discoveries made by the God of Heaven to an holy woman; rather than to mispend their houres, and infect ••heir hearts by the revolving of such Romances, as commonly leave a sensible Taint upon the minds of their unwary readers?

WEE have not only the Song of Deborah, the Song of Hannah, the Song of Mary, and the Prophecy of Huldah, in this matchless book of our God; but the instructions of Bathshebah too, are entered in these bl••ss••d Registers. The Thirty first Chapter of the Proverbs, contains a direction of Bathshebah to her darling Solomon. Solomon that in the fourth chapter of this Book, records the Counsils of his Father, now in the last chapter adds the Counsils of his Mother thereunto. So carefull will wise children be to remember the gracious counsils of their god|ly Parents! Wee have Solomon here address••d by the name of Lemuel, which name some in|terpreters judge to be a lit••le and a loving im|itation of his true Name; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tis usual with our Mothers, from the names of Edward and William and the like, to form some affectionate Appella|tions

for us; but others waving so small a con|sideration, do look upon Le••uel as one of the eight names which the Iewes do ascribe unto that man of Name, and they tell us, that as Jedid••ah proclaimed his being B••loved of ••he Lord, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Le|muel signified his B••longing to the Lord. S••me f••mous persons in the world, have b••en signali|zed by that Character of being Mother-taught; such an one was our Solomon, wh•• had not only a Father, that left behind him▪ Transcendent Songs for Solomon, but also a Mother▪ who taught him such things as the best should not bee unwil|ling to learn. How free, how ••ich is the Grace of God unto Repenting sinners! B••thshebah after a very scandalous F••ll, becomes •• very eminent S••int, yea, a Prophet••ss of the Lo••d. Although a woman may have be••n Remarkable and Noto|rious for sin, yet let her endeavour to make her peace with God: I•• may be made, and shee may enter into the Kingdome of ••eaven, before o|thers that have not had such wou••ds upon them.

'TIS evident, that the nine first verses of the Chapter, are spent in Reciting the most Prudent and winning L••ssons of Bathshebah to her S••lomon. But it is conceived that the rest of the chapter is only Solomons Reciprocation in the praises of Bathshebah. It is indeed a most lovely thing to see such Correspondencies of Desert and Duty, as make Children to count their Mothers worthy of their honour: Noble Romans have sometimes made Flo••id speeches a•• the Funerals of their Mothers, and prof••ssed, That th••y had never in their Lives been reconciled unto them, inasmuch as (they

meant) they had never fallen out: It is the Happiness of a Mother sometimes to have such Sons as Nazia••zen and Austin were unto theirs, whose Names are by their means forever Ce|lebrated: although for the most part we see in mens Readiness to Slight their Mothers, the Reason why the Mother is put first in that Charge of our God, Ye shall fear every man his Mother, and his Father. It is the Opinion of others, That the Conclusion of the Chap|ter, is also the Composure of Bathsheba; and that which confirms them in this Opinion is, The Skill in Houshold Affairs here manifested, which Carries a Little of a Female Aspect with it. However it be, we have here the Des|cription of, A Vertuous Woman, in twenty two Verses, according the Number and Order of the Letters, in the Hebrew Alphabet; Every letter in due sequence beginning a several Verse. Tis reported, that Children among the Jews of old Learning to Write, had their Copies usually given them from those Portions of the Scriptures, which were drawn up wi••h such an Alphabet of the Hebrew Letters in them; whether that were so, or no I am sure that Women among the Gentiles in our Dayes, Learning to Live, cannot easily find better Copies to follow, than those which are in our Context here set before them. It were to be wished, That the Sex which so often looks into the Glass, would sometimes cast an eye upon this part of that Sacred Word, which is Compar'd unto a Divine Glass; that they may see whether they have the Features, or

Habits of, The Vertuous Women, on them. And I pray, let no Woman count her self s•• great a Lady as to put in her Exceptions, against tha•• ••troke in the Cha••••cter of the Vertuous Woman here▪ She seeks Wool and Flax, and Works willingly with her Hands; till 〈◊〉〈◊〉 has pro|cured the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the English Law, wherein, Spinst••r▪ is a Term given to Women of the greatest Quality. When a Gentlewo|man of Ex••raordinary Learni••g was presented before the first King of Great Britain, his first Question to her, was, Madam, Can you Spin? And several of the most Renowned Emperours, have not only Obliged their Daughters to Spin, but also Wore such Garments as those Princely Hands had prepared for them. The Cards at which many Gentlewomen Play wickedly with th••ir Hands, are far more D••••••si••g, than those C••rds which fi•••• the Wool for the Wheel: and the Distaff is an Instrument of better Quality than the D••ce. The Famous Queen Katherine, when 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of high ••ank were s••nt unto her with a Message from K••ng Henry counted it no Disgrace to be found wi••h a Skein of Red Silk about her Neck, at W••••k, wi••h a Maid of Honour by her side. She ••hat hath Bought a Field has no•• thereby Bought a Release from Domestick Busi••esses; the Hands which Carve at the most Noble Tables, may be Laid unto the Spindle, without being Dishonourably Blistered or D••••tied there.

'TIS a f••olish Custome which the Jewes have in Reading Solomons Book of Ecclesiastes;

that they Print the Last Verse but One, of it▪ over again in the C••o••e of all, because they would have the Remembrance and Impressi••n of that Verse to be St••onger upon the••, than that of the Terrible Verse which followes it. But having laid before you the Descrip••i••n of, A Vertuous Woman, which closes up Solomons Book of Proverbs, I must upon anoth••r Ac|count Print, and ask the Daughters of our Common Mother to Read, the Last Verse but One, over again; 'tis this.

FAVOUR is Deceitful, and Beauty is Vain; but a Woman, that Fears the Lord, Shee 'tis that shall be Praised.

THE Words are, as one saves of them, A Roy••l Ga••land set on the Head of a Vertuous Woman by the Hand of God. Some Interpre|ters, do so Allegorize these Words, that they make this Vertuous Woman to be the Church of God. Indeed, there are more Women, than Men, in the Church; and the more Vertuous they pr••ve, the more W••r••hy will the Ch••rch be, to be sig••e•• by, A Woman that Fears the Lord Some ••nterpreters again, do so Sublimate the Words, ••hat they understa••d Every 〈◊〉〈◊〉, P••ous, Devout Soul by this Ver|tuous Woman And it wer•• well, if Women were genera••ly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 V••rtuous, as that they might w••r|thily imp••rt un••o Ev••ry Godly S••ul, the De|nomina••i••n of, A Woman that Fears the Lord. Othe•• Interpreters, do 〈…〉〈…〉 Vertue i•• self to be meant by the Vertuous Woman. Bu••, we

should be sorry, if a Vertuous Woman prove so rare a thing, as to afford a style for a Parable rather than an History. I confess, Vertue it self, and the Names of all Particu|lar Vertues, are Grammatically of the Female Gender; and that the Things may Theological|ly abound in that Gender, is what we may thence take Occasion to be wishing for. But after all, Tis a Real, Proper, Gracious Wo|man, that has her Charact••r and Blessedness in these words Exhibited unto us.—

THE first thing with which we are here treated is,

I. THE CHARACTER of a Vert••|ous Wom••n.

AND this Character is both Negatively and Posi••ively offered. Negatively, Tis not a Deceitful Favour, or, a Vain B••auty that sets her off; Women that have none but those things ••o V••lue themselves upon, are driven ou•• from, The Temple of H••nour, here: But, P••si••ively, Tis, the Fea•• of the Lord that is her Commendation. Tis implyed▪ not only Tha•• Favour and B••auty are poor Things Com|par'd wi••h the Fear of God, but also that they who have the Fear of God, will not Va|lue themselves upon their Favour and Beauty 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Yea, that there is a Favour and Beauty Oppo|si••e, Contrary, Destruct••ve to the Fear of God▪ We may Reflect upon the Whole, in these Conclusions.

Conclusion. 1.

THE Vertuous Woman counts the best Female Favour to be Deceitful, the best Fe|male Beauty to be Vain.

BY Favour is meant, a Com••ly Presence, an Handsome Carriage, a Decent G••sture, a Rea|dy Wit agreeably expressing it self, with all other Gracefull Motions, and whatsoever pro|cures Favour for a Woman among her Neigh|bours. The Virtuous Woman is willing to have this Favour, so far as is consistent wi••h Ver|tue; Shee Counts it a Favour of God for one to be graced with it; But still she looks upon it as a Deceitfull-Thing. She is carefull, that She do not hereby Deceive her self into proud Imaginations, and into an Humour, Conceited of her self, or Contempteous towards o••hers. Carefull She likewise is, lest hereby She De|ceive Unwary men, ••i••to those Amours which bewitching looks and Smiles do of••en betray the Children of men, especially those that are but Children of men, into.

BY B••auty is meant, a good Proportion and Symmetry of the par••s, and a skin well Varnished, or that which Chrysostom calls A Good mixture of Blood and Flegm Shining through a good Skin; With all that Harmonious Air of the Countenance, which recommends it self, as a Beauty, to the Eye of the Spectator. The Vertuous Woman, is not Unthankful for this

Beauty when the God of Nature ha's bestow'd any of it on her; and yet She counts it no Virtue for her to be very sensible of her be|ing, Illustrated with such a Beauty. But still she looks upon it as a V••in thing. She rec|kons it so Vain▪ that she ha'•• no Assurance for the Continuance of it; but that it is, Temporis et M••rbi Ludib••ium, as one of the Ancients ha's desc••nted on it; a thing nei|ther Age Proof nor Agu••-Proof. She sees that Vanity in it, which is upon the quickly Withe|ring R••ses and Lillies of the Field: such a Va|nity as that Sick••beds or Sun beams or a thou|sand Casualties may soon destroy that Idol of ••he Amorites. And upon these Though••s, a V••rtuous Woman takes heed of becoming so D••ceitful and Vain, as many Women are Temp|ted by their Favour and Beauty, to become.

Conclusion. 2.

THERE is a Favour so particularly De|c••itf••l▪ and a Beauty so Remarkably Vain, as that a Vertuous Woman would be loth to be D••formed wi••h it.

THE Favour whereat a Vertuous Woman h••'s a Par••icular D••stast, is that which Promis|cuous Dancing is applauded for. The Exercise of Promiscous Dancing is that which pretends to be a peece of Breeding which demands the Favour of Woman-kind; but a Vertuous Woman esteems them Deceived who count it so; nor will She affect such an Exercise. Jo••

recounts it as part of the Breeding which the Ungodly bestow upon their Children, in Chap. 21.11. Their Children Dance. Now the Ver|tuous Woman is not f••nd of b••ing that way Employ'd. We read the ••aughty Daughters of Zion described and threatened in Isai. 3.16. as, Walking and Mi••cing as they go. Very Renown|ed Exp••sit••rs, Conceive that Scripture to re|fer unto the hau••hty Carriages Learned in the Dancing School. The Apostle Paul in Rom. 13 13. Condemns, Rioting; and the Apostle Peter, in 1 Pet. 4.3. Condemns, Rev••lling. Now the most Learned Criticks in the Greek Tongue, Judge, D••ncing to be the Thing in|tended in the word there used by those Apo|stles. Moreover, The Reverend Assembly of Divines, in their Larger Cat chism, Very iustly mention Dancings among ••he Things forbidden in the S••venth Commandment of our G••d. Nor do's the L••vity of Dancing•• wherein Perso••s Le••p and Fling about so like Bedlams, that the Wisest men have call'd it, A Regul••r Madness, now agree well with the Gravity▪ which Holi|ness is to be accompany'd withal. Such things as these are Enough to make a Vertuous Woman to discard such Dancings from among, The Things of Good Report; and leave them either to the Pagans whose manner t'was to Dance in the Worship of Bacchus, or to the Monkeyes whom of old, they brought forth to Dance at the Festival of Diana. Some of the more Sober Papists, have not stuck to say, The Dancer breaks the Covenant of God, made it B••p|tism; he Promis••d to Renounce the Divel, and

his pomps: but when he enters into a Dance, h•• goes in the Pompous Procession of the Divel. They are not a few Silly Scrupulous prec••si|ans, by whom these Dancings have been Stig|matized. In the Primitive Times, more than One or Two of the Fathers, Thundred against them as, A Diabolical practice; and whole Synods did prohibit the usage of them, even at Weddings as well as at other Seasons. Nor have Reforming Synods of later dayes in France, Holl••nd▪ Poland, foreborn to brandish the Sword of Church Discipline, and provide Censures, for any Dancers▪ that might be found among their Communicants. Austin says, The miserable Dancer knowes not, that as many paces as he makes in Dancing▪ so many S••ep•• he makes to H••ll: And the blessed old Waldenses te|stified, In a Dance one breaks all the Ten Com|mandments of God▪ The most eminent Refor|mers above an hundred years agoe, concur|red in witnessing against these Dances, as an unlawfull Recreation; and among the English Divines, yea among the English Bishops, they have been decry'd by A cloud of Witnesses; they have branded our Dancers as the Caper|ing Goats that will not be found among the Sheep in the Day of the Lord. Shall we say it? Even the Ancient Romans, although they were Heathens, yet reputed skill in Dancing an Infamous thing. S••ipi•• call'd a Dancer, Impudent; Sal••st call'd a Dancer, Dishonest; and they cited it as a Note of ••nfamy. Tully could say, A Dancer is doubtl••ss eith••r Drunk or Mad; and he argued against some, that th••y

must needs be Vicious, inasmuch as they were Dancers; nor did Seneca think it any other than a matter of bitter complaint, That there were Dancing Schools tolerated in the Citty. These are considerations enough to deterr a V••rtuous Woman from the Dances, which are now become so acceptable to This Adulterous Gene|ration. Pardon me ••his Freedom; I had been worse than an Infidel, if I had not used it; for I remember Plutarch himself enumerating the Qualifications of A Vertuous woman, gives this f••r one. She must not be a Dancer. The Daughter of Herodias ha's been so Stigmat••ze••▪ that a Vertuous woman will not be for Dancing after her.

THE Beauty whereof a Vertuous woman hath a Remarkable Dislike, is that which hath Ar|tificial Painting in it. The usage of Artificiall Painting is pract••sed by many women, who think thereby to be valued for a Beauty which they are not Really the owners of: But a Vertuous woman will not be guilty of such a Vanity. There is a wicked Bo••k that pleads for this ungodly practice; but that Good Lady utter|ed the Language of a Vertuous Woman upon Reading such a Book, O Lord, I thank thee, that thou gavest mee not Wit enough to Wr••te such a Book, unless withal thou hadst▪ given me Grace Enough▪ not to Write it. Although it be not Unlawful for a Person Transiently to P••eserve or to Restore her Native Complexion, by Con|venient Medicines, when She is in any special Danger of Loosing it; Yet for a Person to

Paint her self, that She may make some Osten|tation of a Complexion wh••ch God ha's not made her the Owner of, is a thing that ha's heard ill among the most Godly Christians; nor will a Vertuous Woman Easily be Reconcil'd un|to it: Lest when the Saints Rise, as Tertullian wished he might, at the Resurrection of the Righteous, To see whether the Angels are then Carrying any Painted Ladies, in their Arms to meet the Lord Jesus Christ, with Joy, there will be no such sight then to be met withall. The wicked Harlots of old Painted their Eyes; as 'tis said in Ezek. 33.40. Thou Paintest thy Eyes; Understand it of their Eye-browes and E••e Lids, which they ting'd with a Preparati|on of Antimony to Blacken them, and Beautify 'em. This was accounted an Extraordinary Comeliness; and theref••re about the Harl•••• is the Young man a••vised in Prov. 6.25. Let her not take thee with her Eye-Lids Of such E••e▪ t••was that C••prian said, Th••se are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Eyes, with which our God is to be Look'd unto▪ And Jerom reckons 'em among Sc••ndalous Harlotries Now this is One Argument which the Vertuous Woman ha's against the Painting of her face in any part of it; It is the Guis•• of an Harlot. An Adulterate Complexion, is but agreeable to an Adulterous Condition. A Painted Face is but a Painted sign hung out for advice to S••rangers, that they shall find Entertainment there. Tis often the Whores Forhead which admits Paint upon it. Tis well, if you don't find a Snake, where you set a Painted Skin! Moreover, Our Face is a Seat

which ha's much of the Divine Image and Wisdom appearing in it; and it is a Vile Af|front unto God, for a Woman to Deface the Workmanship of the Almighty there; by such an Inversion, as the Hebrew word for this Painting Signifies. Now, the Paint which is laid upon it, not only Disfigures the Face for the present, but also do's Corrupt it and Cor|rode it, and Poison it, and hasten Wrinkles and Ruines thereupon: it will Rent the Face, at the Scripture speaks of it; and I am sure, it should R••nt the Heart, of them that use it. Besides, Our Lord Rebuked it, as a base Hy|pocrisy for Persons to alter their Faces that they might appear to be Fasting when they were so indeed; how much more basely Hypocritical is it, for Persons to alter their Faces▪ that they might appear to be Comely when indeed they are not so? There is no Sincerity in these B••tterflies. It is a Cheat which there is no Enduring of. The more Moral Heathen shew••d a Great Indigna••ion at it; and shall we think a Vertuous Woman can allow of it? And al••s, what a World of P••e|cious Time, is thus th••••wn away, by poor Creatures, who are so taken up with Painting of the Sepulchers in which their Souls ly•• Dead▪ as that they do Little or Nothing ••or the Beau|tif••ing of ••hose Black F••rlorn, Forsak'n S••uls▪ The sin commi••ted in Paintings we must sup|pose committed in Patches too. When the Face is Patched the Heart is Rotten, the Heart ha's m••re Black-Spots than the Face upon it. Some unhappy Ladies by the Just Judgement

of God, have brought forth Children with Natural Patches on: so ha's God been offend|ed at them. The Ancients tell us, That the Divel was the Inventor of this H••llish Art; and it can be nothing but either Lust or Pride (both Brats of the Divel!) that shall dispose any to the using of it. If they that Please men, much more, I am sure, they that thus Cheat 〈◊〉〈◊〉, cannot be, The Servants of Christ; Tertullian well calls them, The Handmaids of the Divel; nor when they Paint their Bodies, do they Glorify the Lord with th••ir Bodies. A Vertuous Woman would be loth to follow no better Patterns than Jezabel, or Maximilla, both of which Woful Creatures have this related of them, That they Painted their Faces, For such would She leave these f••ul Pain••ings; and now the old Picts are dead, She would not help to Revive that Pagan Generation, or make her self a S••ster to the Squaws in the Thickets of America. Nor would She be in the way of such Thunder-bolts, as Dr. Hall in Imitation of the blessed Ancients once darted against such Transgressors, Hear this, yee Plaister-faced Jezabels; if you will not Leave your Dawbi••g and your High Washes, God will one Day wash them off with Fire and Brimstone!

Conclusion. 3.

THE Fear of God is that which the Heart of a Vertuous Woman is under the Power of. The Female Sex is naturally the Fearful Sex; but the Fear of God is that which Exceeds (and

sometimes Extinguishes) all other Fears, in the Vertuous Woman. To state this mat••er a|right, we are to know, That the Fear of God is an Old Testament Expression, as the Love of God is a New Testament one, for all true R••ligion whatsoever. It may then be said of a Vertu|ous Woman, That she is a Religious Woman; She ha's Bound her self again to that God, whom She had by the Sin and Fall of her First Mo|ther departed from; She ha's a Love which do's not cast out the Fear that is no Fault, but confirm and settle her in that Fear of God; That all kind of Piety and of Charity is prevail|ing in her Disposition; That Sobriety and Righteousness and Godliness are Visible in her whole Behaviour; and, That She does J••st••ce, l••ves M••rcy, and walks Humbly with her G••d. But that we may speak somewhat more par••i|cularly.

FIRST, A Vertuous Woman h••'s Awf••l•• as well as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Apprehensions, That there is a God. When Jacob ••f old Perceived the Pre|sence of God, it is said, in Gen. 13 17. He was Afraid. The Vertuous Woman in like manner Believes the Essence of God; and that thought, God is, it raises a Sacred Fear of Him in her humble and moved Soul. She sees the B••ing of a GOD prov'd from the Works of Creation: even as he that made the Image of Mi••erva ingraved his own Name upon it so, that it could not be taken out without breaking all to peices. The whole World is a Book, and all Creatures are the Letters in it, whereby

She Spells out the Existence of a GOD. Even the Dumb the Mute Creatures do loud••y speak this Truth unto her. She Considers, That th•• World had a Beginning; inasmuch as 'tis Older and Changing every Day: And that it could not have its Beginning from it self; in|asmuch as Nothing would then be the cause of Something. So, She sees, There is a GOD; and She sees the Wisdom of a GOD, the Po|wer of a GOD, the Goodness of a GOD, throughout the Universe. She sees Likewise the B••ing of GOD Plain in the Works of Provi|dence; which Preserves all things in a most Excellent Order, Subordinate and Subservient unto a Glorious End. She sees the World like a Vast Army Composed of Quarrel-some, Contentious, Contrary things, and yet holding well together; whereupon She Concludes, Th••re is a GOD who is the Wise General over all. She Considers the Extraordinary Occor|rences in the World; and when She sees Pro|phecies that Exactly foretel what comes to pass many Ages af••er; When She s••es Miracles, that give Check to the Common Course and Road of Nature; When She sees Prayers Ex|traordinarily Answered Good men Ex••raordina|rily Rewarded, Ill men Extraordinarily Punished, She cryes out, The Finger of a GOD is here! She finds her self born with a Notion of a GOD, wherein She ha's not been by any Tra|dition or P••licy of others Impos'd upon; and She graciously Cherishes that Notion. All An|cient Histories hardly mention above Twenty Profest Atheists; and of ••hose that were counted

such, there never was one, without frequent and V••hement Suspicions of a GOD. But all Tendencies t•• Atheism are m••st abomina|ble to the Soul of a Vertuous Woman. She is not such a Fool as t•• say with her Mouth▪ or to Think with her Heart, or to say in her Heart, & Wish, There is no God. The Being of a GOD is at once the Fear, and yet the Wish of her Godly Soul. If any Designing, Debauched A|theist, go to insinuate unto her; That the No••ion of GOD, and HEAVEN, and HEL, and an Immortal SOVL, is but a Trick of some Cunning D••vines, her Answer is with an Indignation, Speedy and Angry like a Flash of Lightning, Satan, be gone!

NEXT; A Vertuous Woman has a most Rev••rent Respect and Regard, un••o all that ha•• the Name of God upon it. They that have the Fear of God in them, are by Him so styled, in Mal. 4 2. You that F••ar my Name The Name of God is all tha••, whereby He makes Himself Known unto us; and a Vertuous Woman will not Irreverently U••e any such Thing, Lest She sh••uld be h••ld not Guiltless b••fore the Lord. She will not utter the T••les of God in any Frothy and Foolish manner; nor will she have a Lo•• Opinion of His At••ributes; nor will she wi••h •• Carnal Spirit come unto His Ordinances. Yea, so far she is from Affron••ing the Name of God her self, that although she should be Dressed never so Fine, yet if she Chance to hear the Name of God Blasphemed, she can Scarce for|bear the Rending ••f her Clothes, as the Usage 〈◊〉〈◊〉

the Jewes was on such a Provocation▪ ••e…sure, it causes the Re••ding of her Heart. Es|pecially, the Word of God, is what ••he Fears to Despise, or Control, or Disobey; it may b•• said of her, She Fears the Commandment; it may be said by her, My Heart Stands in Fear of th•• Word. Of the Precepts in that Word, it is he•• Fear, Oh Let me not break them! Of the Pro|mises there, 'tis her Fear, Oh Let me not fall Short of them▪ Of the Menaces there▪ 'tis he•• Fear, Oh Let them never take hold of me! And at the same time, the Vertuous Woman is very much Concerned, That the Name of God may be duely Honoured in the World. Sanctify'd be thy Name, is the first Petition of her Soul unto her Lord. She would not for the m••st Nassy Wedges of Gold, ever do any thing, that may bring Reproch to the dear Name of God, but she Studies, Contrives, Labours to Advance that Blessed Name as far as ever she can; Oh (she thinks) How may the Name of my Good God, b•• by my means Exalted in the World!

THIRDLY. A Vertuous Woman is Very Circumspect & Sollicitous to Avoid what the God of Heaven may be Off••nded at. The Wis•• man takes notice of this, as one Ingredient in the Fear of God, Prov. 16.6. By the Fear 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Lord men Depart from Evil. And it is ac|cordingly, the desire of the Vertuous Woman▪ to Sh••n all that Evil which God may be dis|pleased at. She ••lies from every Known Sin, as from a direful Serpent, or from a deadly Poison; because that she sees it Offensive unto

that God, who is of Purer Eyes than to Beh••ld Evil, and cannot Look upon Iniquity. What we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Job▪ is Likewise to be said of her▪ ••he is a Perfect Woman, One that Fears God, & ••schewes Evil. She cannot hear the Thought of Incurring the Anger of that God, who Over|turns the Mountains in His Anger; and she Trembles before that God, at whose Voice e|••en the Pillars of Heaven do Tremble. She had rather undergo any miseries, than incur the ••ntolerable and Interminable Torments which the Omnipotent God ha's to inflict upon them that Provoke Him to J••lousy; and upon that Account she is Fearful of Every thing that may be Provoking to her Holy Father. When she over-hears the Lord saying, Oh I do not the A|bominable things that my Soul hates, her Answer is in Words like those that Joseph had unto his Brethren, Oh dare not, I cannot Commit such Things, for I fear God! If Other Women will speak Vainly, Dress Proudly, Live Lewdly, She can say as Nehemiah did of old, But so do not •• because I have the Fear of God! The Ex|quisite Pen of a Dutch Lady hath Celebrated the Zeal of a Scotch Woman, who for her Zeal having her Leg tortured in that cruel Horrid Engine call'd, The Boot, bravely said, My God, I Bless thee, that thou hast given me a Leg ••o be thus used for thee! Thus would this Per|son rather have all her Bones Broken, than to sin so against God, that like David she must ••ry out of, Broken Bones.

FOURTHLY, A Vertuous Woman Labours

to Please and Serve the great God, with the greatest of her cares. The Fear of God, i•• thus described by the Apostle, in H••b. 12.2••. Let us Serve God Acceptably with Reverence an•• Godly Fear. And no••hing is more Acceptable to the Vertuous Woman, than that she may Acceptably Serve her God. Let her be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 never so High Rank, she thinks it no stoop fo•• her, to be a Servant of that Lord, who ha•• all the Angels in Heaven for His Ministers▪ nor do's her Opinion vary from that of thos•• Apostles who chose, to be call'd, The Servants of Jesus Christ, when they might have been called, His Kinsmen; or of those Emperours, who valued it as one of their Prerogatives, to subscribe themselves, The V••ssels of the Lord J••sus Chr••st! Let her be of never so Low Rank, She will not stoop to be a Servant of the W••rld, or of ••he Flesh, or of ••he D••vel; nor can she brook that the Curse of so being, A Servant of Servants, ever should come upon her. When sh•• Con••••mplates that Lord, who is, A Greater than Sol••mon. She crys out, Happy are thy Servants; Oh that I might be one of them▪ And she would alwayes be doing the will of God, in such a manner, as may be pleasing to Him. We read of One, He had this Testimo|ny, that He pleased God. Now, That is the Testimonial to be given of the Vertuous Wo|man; She aspires after the Imitation of the Lord Jesus, in, Doing alwayes▪ the things that pl••ase the Father. It is the Name of a Good man, The man that Pleaseth God; and what|ever Change the Name of this Woman may

undergo, still she keeps that Name, The Wo|man that pleaseth God. How so? Even because that she do's all ••he can in and for the Service of God; and she would not leave Room for that Expostulation of the Lord, If I be a ••aster▪ where is my Fear? No, as often as she says Our Father, so often do's her Heart within her say, Our Master is in Heaven! We read in the Bible, concerning, certain Women ••hat Ministred unto Jesus; and this Woman is ••mbitious to be of that Blessed Company.

FIFTHLY. A Vertuous Woman do's at|tend the Worship of God, with an Unwearied and Exempl••ry Diligence. The Proselytes, that of old were brought unto the Worship of the True God, are thus disting••ished, in Psal. 115.••1. Ye that Fear the Lord And the Ver|tuous Woman acco••••••ngly expresses h••r Fear of God, by worshi••ping of Him that is, Worthy to be Feared It may wi••h only the nec••ssary Variation, be said of her, as it was of Cornelius Long ago, She is a Devout Woman, and one that Fears God, and Prayes to God, alwayes. As the Almighty God was called, The Fear of Isaac; because He was Worshipped by that Renowned man; so may He be called, The Fear of the Vertuous Woman; because this Woman will observe all the parts of that Worship, which is due unto the Lord. There is the Natural Wor|ship of God; whereto she is no less Piously Affected, than Constantly Accustomed. She is a Woman full of Prayer, and Perhaps it may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 said concerning every Room of her House,

••he ha's Perfum'd it with her Prayer. Praye•• is what She will be Early as well as often at▪ and she is every Morning Jealous, le••t like Origen, She give the D••vel an Advantage, by Omitting of it. She m••••es not her Cl••set a place for meer Trifles and Pictures, but for Prayers with Devoutest Meditations▪ She Retire•• into her Closet every Day, that she may there have a Visi•• from the Eternal Bridegroom of her Soul; and whatever Exercises may be at any time upon her mind, She do's as Hannah did▪ She Pours out her Soul unto the Lord, that she may be no more sad. Yea, she is not unac|quainted with solemn Humiliations▪ and solemn Thanksgivings, upon the Just Occasions of them. She is a Woman whom Scriptures and Sermons are very dear unto: and it is not every Trifle (as the want of a Garment, or a dread of the We••ther) that she will make her Ex|cuse for her Absence from the mea••s of Grace. How fain would she be with Mary, al|wayes hearing the Sweet Admoni••ions of her Lord, about, The One thing Ne••dful, and, The Good part which cannot be taken away! The Sabbath she calls, Her D••light; no•• will she w••st the S••cred Hours of i••, in the Naughty S••|perfl••ities of Diet and Raym••nt; but be as of••en as well she can, in the Congregation of▪ The People of God; and there, as her Voice makes a sound tha•• shall be no Base, for the Musick of the Publick Psalmes, thus her Heart is an Altar from whence, during the whole Solem|nity, there ascend unto God, The Sacrifices which He Desires. There is Likewise, the Ap|••••inte••

Worship of God, whereto she counts 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••elf most Indispensably Obliged. She can|••••t bear to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out from the Church of God, any more than Miriam from the Camp of old; but whatever Longings ever may disturb her, She never ha's any more Craving and Raging ones than this, Oh God, Tho•• art my God, my Soul, Thirs••eth for thee, my Fl••sh Longeth for thee, To see thy Power, and thy Glory in the Sanctuary! Indeed▪ among the Turks the Wom••n do never go to Church, but Christian Women would count it Hell upon Earth to be so debarr'd. She is Desirous to Eat and to Drink where she may not speak; and having been Baptized, She is not sa••isfy'd until she come to Eat among the Friends, to Drink among the Beloved, of the Lord Jesus Chr••st. She will not make part of that Vnworthy Croud, which thro••g out of Doors, when the Supper of the Lord is going to be administ••ed, as if they were Frighted at it; or had cause to say, The Table of the Lord is Polluted. She dares not indeed come without a W••dding Garment, but she will not stay away like thos••, whose only Real Apology can be, They ••re both to be at the Pains of putting the Garment on. Although She sometimes counts her sel•• as a Dog, yet like that Syrophenician Woman, She will ask for some, Crumbs from the Table of the Lord. Having had her Soul Purify••d by Regeneratio••, She brings her Offerings to the Tabernacle. She presen••s unto the Church (if it be asked for) a sensible Account, like ••nother Lydia, of some never to be forgotten

Things, which God ha's done for her Soul; or▪ at least, she makes the Church to Understand•• like Ruth of old, That she would come to R••st under the Wings of the God of Israel. No•• would She let the ••uffetings of the Divel, altogether discourage her, from Joyning her self to some Holy Society of Believers, where she may have her So••l Bound up in the B••ndle•• of Life. She was a Noble Woman of Bohemia, that left her Friends, her House, her Plate, and all, and because the Ga••es of the Citty were Guard|••d, Crept through the common Sewer, that she might Enjoy the Institutions of the Lord Jesus Christ at another place where they might be had. Such is the Esteem which a Vertu|ous Woman ha's for the Institutions of our Lord. She can say, Lord, I have loved the place where thy. Honour dw••lls! and when she can't Go yet She's Creep to, The Habitation of His House.

THIS is the Vertuous Woman! It was very cruelly spoken by those two very Ancient Po|ets; the first of which ••sually [in his Come|dies] represented Women, as Very 〈…〉〈…〉 bu•• the Latter, usually represented them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Good; saying, The first represented what ••hey Are; the latter, what they should bee. I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I have in this Discourse represented, not only, what all Women should be, but also, what very many of them Are. And for their En|couragement, we will now pass on unto,

II. The HAPPINESS of a Ver|tuous Woman.

AND this Happiness is here 〈…〉〈…〉 that Word, She shall be Prais••d. Praise, Repu|tation, Commendation, is that which a Woman is very Tender of; tis most appositely then, that the Recompences of a Vertuous woman, are set forth by the Praise that should and shall be given her. Said the Apostle of old, If there be any Vertue, and if there be any Praise, Think on these things. Truly where there is Vertue, there will be Praise; and the Ver|tuous Woman will have her Fear of God, re|compensed with Praise from God, and be for|ever Glorious. We have these Conclusions there|fore now before us.

Conclusion 1.

THE Fear of God, will Recommend •• Woman to the Praise & so to the Choise of such men, as it may be desi••••able to have the Good Opinion of. For a Woman to be Praised, i•• for her to be Married, in Scriptural Phrase|ology; thus tis Lamented among the Judg|ments of God, in Psal. 78 63. Their Maidens were not Praised unto Marriage. Now the Fear of God, is the best way f••r a Woman to dis|pose of her self to such a Marriage, as men usually Court non••, but such as they hear much Prais••d, unto. When the Scripture speaks of the Marriage which Antichrist for|bids unto his Filthy and Wicked Clergy, it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it. The d••sire of Women. Tis that which Wo|men that have any Regard unto H••nour, will D••sire, wi••h Disdain to be otherwise Enj••y'd▪

like that Ingenious Woman, who having her Chastity Sollici••ed, gave that Answer, You must first Give me, what you neither have, nor can ••ave your self, and what yet you can give to me▪ that was, A Chast Husband. The Truth is to be Married unto a Vain, Wild, Ungodly man, is that which no Discreet Woman will Desire▪ any more than to dwell with a Dragon. The Excellent Basill•••• chose to be beheaded, ra|ther than Marry a Pagan Husband. But as for Prudent and Pious Men, t'will be The•••• Desire to be Married unto such a Woman as is Eminent f••r, The Fear of God. There was a Woman of whom it could be said, in Ruth. ••.11. All the Town do's know that thou art a Vertuous Woman; and you know, that this Woman was not Long without a Good Husband, who had first been taken with her Praise. We say, M••tches are made in Heaven; and indeed, the Woman who by the Fear of God, ha's made sure of a Great Interest in Heaven, is most like to meet with such a Match as may give her cause to Thank Heaven all her Dayes. Tis possible, That Unsanctify'd men▪ may Marry only for Portion or for Prettiness; how often do those Respects give us to see Matches made in H••ll! and yet there are few men so Profane, as to look upon that Grace as undesireable in a Wife, of which they them|selves are destitute▪ But men that have the ••ear of God in themselves, when they Choose the Companions of their Lives, will ordinarily Choose to have such, as they shall hear Praised for, The Fear of God; when they do other|wise,

the God of Heaven often payes 'em 〈◊〉〈◊〉 verely for it. It is an old Rule,

No•• solt•••• est Oculis decenda se•• Auribus 〈◊〉〈◊〉

(i. e.) He that would Marry, and be wise, Must choose by Ears, as well as Eyes.

WHEN a man of Vnderstanding, do's under|stand that a Woman is prais,d for, The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God, this is more than all o••her Favour and Beauty to him; and so She comes to tha•• Room in his well-guided Affection, which will survive the Death of all ot••er Favour and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whatsoever; and which many Waters can|not Quench. Instead of saying as many 〈◊〉〈◊〉 There's money, and w••'l hope the Fear of God will come in Time, such a man will say, There's the Fear of God,, and we'l hope that all These Things will be Added: and if he be an Isaa••▪ who prays much over and b••fore his Marriage he will pitch upon such a Wife as will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••inder but Assi••t, his Prayers afterwards Moreover, the Women that ha's, The Fear 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Godpunc; need not Fear, but that she should b•• praised among multitudes of her other Neigh|bours, whom yet she cannot be Married▪ unto If any do D••rid•• her, they are none but th•••••• Absurd, Foolish, Giddy Creatures, that will one day change their song, and with blood•• Tears will then wish, 'O That I ••ad Fear a God Like such a•• one! All that have any sense o•• True-worth, or, whose Good word is of any Wor•••• ••ill be sure to Admire her; tis a proper••••

〈◊〉〈◊〉 every Citizen of Zio••, He 〈…〉〈…〉 than Fear the Lord; but a vile person [Such an one as do's not Fear the Lord] is contemned i•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••yes.

Conclusion. 2.

THE Wisdome which is in, The Fear of God, makes Praise to be the One of the Woman that is Adorned with it. A wise Woman is justly a Prais'd Woman, and a Pris'd one, all over the world. The Wise Woman in the City of A|bel, doubtless was more than a little Praised in the United Acclamations of that City. 'Tis said in Eccl. 8.1. A mans Wisdom makes hi•• Face to shine; and a Womans Wisdom does as much. No Favour, no Beauty is comparable to Wisdom; and tho' a person were all over sparkling with peerless Pearls, yet this is a Fa|vour and a Beauty before which, No mention shall be made of Pearls; for the price of Wisdom is above Rabies: Now, who or where is the Wise Woman? or what is true Wisdom▪ The Claim has been long since laid, by many sorts of w••r••y plodders, and crafty people, in the World; but the Apostle has put in that ••ar unto their claim, That professing themselves to be Wise, they became Fools. If he Politician may challenge the praise of Wisdom, d••••••tless those four MARIES which in the Last Age Sway'd the Scepters of so many Kingdomes with the Profound••st Policy, were Wise Women, ••nd the Elizabeth which came after them, came 〈◊〉〈◊〉 behind them. Th••myris that could Lead

an Army against the Persian, and Zenobia tha•• could head an Army against the Roman, Em|perour, were Wise Women. The Sabinian Wo|men which direc••••d the ••enate out of inex|cricable Difficulties, were Wise ones. It wa•• a Wise Woman of Yek•••• which could manage an Intregue at Court for the Lord General of ••srael. If the Philosopher may Challenge the Praise of Wisdom, doubtless those were Wise Women who were Tutoresses, if I may call them so, to the old famous Professours of all Phi|losophy. The Daughter of Pythagoras who made Comments on her Fathers Books, was a Wise Woman; and so was ••ippatia formerly, who caught the Liberal Arts, and wrote some Trea|tises of Astrology; and so Sarocchia more late|ly, who was Ordinarily Moderatrix in the Disputations of the Learned men at Rome. The Three Corinnae, which Equal'd, if not Excell'd, the most Celebrated Poets of their Times, were Wise: and such Ladies as Olym|pias, or Trota, whose Physical skill, was the wonder of the Universe. The Empress E••docia, who Composed Poetical Paraphrases on diverse parts of the Bible, was a Wise Woman; so was Rosuida▪ who compiled the Lives of Holy men, and Pamphilia who Penn'd no Despica|ble Histories; and the French Lady, who a while si••ce, published Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews; and thus was the Lady Jan Grey, who so admirably could Read the Word of G••d in its Originals. There is Wisdom in these things; and the Women which hav•• had it, are therefore to be Praised. But,

the Apostle said, yet I show unto you a more Excel|lent way; so I say, There is a greater Wisdom than all of this It is the Assertion with which the Wise Man B••gins the Book of Wisdom, in Prov. 1.7 The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Know|l••dge. Or as the Words of his Blessed Father, whom he much Imitated in his Expressions, were, The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom. Or, as it may be read, The chief part of it. Here then, even in, The Fear of God, is, the Prima Sapientia, the chief, prime, grand Wis|dom of a Reasonable Creature. 'Tis a true saying, Non qui multa, sed qui Fructuosa scit, sapit; Wisdom lies not so much in the Knowledge of many Things, as in the Knowledge of Vseful Ones. N••w this is the Wisdom of a Woman that has▪ The Fear of God; she ha•• the Science that will carry her safe thro' all the Storms, all the Harms, all the Temptations of this world, unto the Haven of H••aven at the Last; she has the Wisdom, to Consider her Latter End, and she is, Wise unto Salvation. That adm••rable Woman, Olympia Falvia Morata had very great Accom|plishments; but that which most Accomplish'd her, was, her Embracing of true Religion with all manner of Persecution for it; so that she could say, The World is now become contemp|tible to me. 'Twas this alone which Enabled her, when she lay a dying, at near thirty years of Age, ••o see Heaven open for, her and say to her Excellent Husband, I am now full of Joy, and Sir, I know you now no more! This then is the Praise that belongs unto such a Woman; It is noted unto the Praise of Abigail, She was 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Woman of a good Vnderstanding, and she was of •• Beautiful Count••nance. As for the Woman, ••hat has a Beautiful C••untenance wi••h••••t a Good Vn|derstanding, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for her that is, Fair and Foolish, you can find where she is compared unto, A Swine with a Jewel in her Sa••••t. But if a Woman have the, Fear of God, you now see, that whether she have a Beautiful Countenance, or no, yet she has a Good Vnderstanding. And therefore such a Woman shall be Praised a|mong those Ladies whose Beautiful Aspect is particularly mentioned in the Scripture; and whose Names make that Hexameter verse,

Sara••, Rebecca, Rachel, Abigail, Bathshu••, A••isha••, Esther.

Conclusion 3.

THE Benefits ob••a••ned by, The Fear of God, procure Praises for the Woman that is Endued with it. Said the Psalmist, in Psal. 31.19. O how great is thy Goodness▪ which thou hast laid up for them that Fear thee! Such a Profi|table thing ••s The Fear of God, must needs be a Praise worthy Thing. Let us a little speci|fy the Bl••ssi••gs, and so the Praises, which, The Fear of God, is attended with. As for the Woman, that has the Fear of God; attend now unto the Praises of such a Woman.

THIS is the Woman wh••m the Blessed Lord Jesus Christ becomes, A Sun of Righte|ousness unto. 'Tis said in Mal. 4 2 Vnto you that Fear my Name, shall the Sun of Righte|ousness arise. We find among the Represen|tations of the Church, A Woman clothed wi••••

the Sun. Thus do you now see this Woman cloth••d! And as by Vaion she is got into the Lord Jesus Christ, who like the Sun is the Center of the World, and who like the Sun gives Life and warmth, and growth, unto her Soul, so she is by him Clothed with all that Righteo••sness which D••livers from Death. She not only has an Inherent Righteo••sness, from the Lord Jesus Christ; or a principle disposing her to render both unto God and Man their D••es; but she also has the Imputed Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and being by the Grace of God al|low'd an Interest in the perfect Obedience of her Lord, she now stands as without Fault be|fore the Throne of God. Well may she be a Praised Woman, who shall be such a Righteous one. We say, The Wife shines with the Hus|bands Rayes. Behold here a Woman, whose Husband is, The S••n of Righteousness.

THIS is the Woman whom the Ang••ls of Heaven do most gladly Encamp about. We have received Information from the Inv••si••le World, by Psal. 34.7. That the Ang••l of the Lord Encampeth about them that F••ar Him, and de|livers them. A Woman is usually by Law un|der C••v••rt; but it is an A••geli••al Covert which this Woman has by the Law of Heaven placed over her. She s••metimes has an occasion for a D••liverance; and the host Angel in Heaven, Perhaps the same Angel that visited Mary of old, is upon the Wing ••o hasten it unto her. She has a continual, tho' it may be an Insen|sible Conversation, with Ang••ls of better Ac|count,

than the Sons of God which were En|tangled with the Daughters of men, in the An|tediluvian World; these are her Guardians, her Protectors, and her Monitors. When she was first Converted unto God, she made, Joy a|mong the Ang••ls, because of another Spirit come in to fill up the Room-left in Heaven by the Apostate Legions: It gave a Triumph unto those M••rning Stars, to see one that shall sh••r••|ly come to move in Their O••b. And now she has, Praise among the Angels; they shout and say, H••re is an H••ir of Salvation; and we have the w••llcome and happy care of Looking after her.

THIS is the Woman, who takes a most Laudable course for her own Tempor••l Pros|perity. She is to be Praised, as a Woman that prolongs her own Life. Tis said in Prov. 19.23. The Fear of the Lord, tendeth to Life. It keeps her from ••astning an Untimely D••ath, upon her self, either by R••sh Wishes to Dy, Or by the Overmuch Wickedness which by the sentence of Providence become Capital, or by the Lusts which either Drown the Lamp, or Burn or Wear the Toreed of Life away. She is to be Praised as a Woman that Consults her own Health. Tis said in Prov. 3▪7, 8. Fear the Lord, — it shall be Health to thy N••v••l, and Marrow to try 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••t keeps her from the Sins, which by being the Parents of Crudities and Obstructions, are the Grand Paren••s ••f all Diseases; and being thus forgiven her 〈◊〉〈◊〉, tis likely she will not say, I am sick; or ••e forc'd like the Woman in the Gospel, To spen••

all upon Physicians. She is to be Praised as a Woman that Preserves her own R••put••t••on. Tis said in Prov. 22.4. By the Fear of the Lord, is Honour. It makes her acknowledged for one that ha's the Image of Christ and God upon her; which is THE ONE THING that renders, Honourable; and while she makes it her Business like another Dorcas to Honour H••r Master, He fulfils that word unto her, Them that Honour me I will Honour; and leaves her not cause for that Complaint, Re|proach ha's broken my H••art. She is to be Praised as a Woman that Eff••ctually layes in for her self a Competent and Convenie•••• P••r|tion of Wordly Comforts. Tis said in Psal. 1••••▪5. The Lord hath giv••n M••••t unto th••m that Fear Him. She will not be one of the, Idle Souls that Suffer Hu••g••r; but according to Gods Promise, which is her Store house, her House h••'s in it, all the supplies which are needful for her Glorifying of G••d; and having as much Man••a as will carry her through the W••lderness, She do's not Crave after those Cumb••rsome Additions, which may hinder her pa••sing, Through the Eye of the Needle: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Young Lions have not so good a Tab••e! ••he is to be Praised as a Woman, that procures a Speci••l Guard of God upon her, in an Evil Day. Tis said in Psal. 33.18, 19. The Eye of the Lord is upon them that Fear Him, — to deliv••r their Soul from Death, and to keep them al••ve in Famine. Let things go nev••r so ••ad, she can with Isaiah sing, The Fourty Sixth Psalm, as being one of the Alamoth, or H••d

Persons, concerned in it; She ha's the Blood of our Passeover apply'd unto her, and so she is, Preserved in Christ Jesus, when the De|stroying Angels are the Executioners of the Divine Wrath a broad; She ha's Rahabs Threed for her Defence in the midst of Wasting Plagues, and she ha's a Mark upon her Forhead [which I am sure the Garish Attire there used in our Dayes is not!] for her Preservation.

THIS is the Woman, who takes a most Laudabl•• way for her own Eternal Prosperity too. She is to be Praised, as a Woman, that has made her Peace with G••d. It is said in Psal. 103.11, 12. Great is His M••rc•• towards them that Fear Him▪ As far as the E••st is from the W••st so far hath He removed our Trans|gressions from us. He that was Born of a Woman ha's m••••e satisfaction for all the Wrong•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 her Sins have done to the most Holy Lord; God for the sake of Christ ha's Releas'd her from whatever Punishment was ever due unto her, for whatever Transgressio•• of His Law; and thus. B••ing Justify••d by Faith, she ha's Peace with God. If any Affl••ct••ons come upon he••▪ they are not Vindictive, or Destr••ctive, but Purely Medicin••l; She sees, they are, To do her Go••d in the latter ••nd; they are, To mak•• her partak••r of Gods Holin••ss▪ they are To Work for her a 〈…〉〈…〉 and Eternal 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Glory; She s••ys, Like the Martyr, God 〈◊〉〈◊〉 now Scowring of me▪ to set 〈…〉〈…〉 high 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Heaven for ever. She is to be Prais'd, a Woman that is heard in her Prayer to 〈◊〉〈◊〉

It is said in Psal. 145.19. He will fulfil the Desire of them that Fear Him. He also will hear their Cry, and He will save them. She ••s one who his her Hear••s D••li••ht in God, and so she ha's her Hearts Desire from God; Her Prayers are the Breathings which the Spirit of God have Enkindled in her, and the Power, and Wisdom of G••d, either in the Letter, or in the Better gives a Good Answer to them all; the Almighty gives her a Ri••ht Will, whi••h inclines her to ask of Him, Things ac|cording to His Will; and then He says, as unto Her of old, Be it unto thee, eve•• as th••u Wilt. She is to be Praised, as a Woman that gets her Soul Replenished with such Comforts as have a Fore••ast of He••ven in them. It is said in Act. 9 31. They were Edify'd, Walking i•• the Fear of God, and is the Comfort of the Holy Gh••st. The Holy Ghost Seals her with well-grounded and Eff••ctual Perswasions of Gods ha••ing Loved her with an Everl••sting Love; Hence, whatever Troubles do come upon her, She feels a Word set home upon her, which causes her, like Hannah, To be▪ No more sad. She is to be P••aised, as a Woman whom the Day of Judgment will b••ing Wonderful Glories and R••wards unto. It is said in Rev. 11.18. The Time of the Dead, that they should be Judged, is Come▪ that thou shouldest give Reward unto them that Fear thy Name. Small and Great. She shall be one of the Early Risers in tha•• Morn|ing of the Great Day; When the Cha••ge f••r which her Departed Soul ha's been waiting, is come, her Lord-Redeemer, shall say to her,

Awake and Sing, thou which dwellest in the Dust; and she shall then be marvell••usly Changed into the Likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ Him|self; She shall be made what Moses and Elias appeared in the Mount of God; The Lord Jesus will then openly ••bsolve her and Applaud her; and she shall sit with Him on a Throne, in the Regeneration; her Heart may now even Spring like John in his Mothers Belly, when she foresees the Approches of the Lord. She is to be Praised, as a Woman who is to be made Partaker of Life Eternal. It is said, in P••ov. 14.27. The Fear of the Lord, is a Fountain of Life, to D••part from the Snares of Death. Her Spirit shall be Entertained wi••h a Trans|forming and Refreshing Vision of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, amidst the C••lestial Regions of Light, with all the Sacred Inhabitants of those Regions; Her Body, shall also be made I••|corruptible, and m••re Immortal than ever Eves in Eden was; i•• shall be made Powerful, Fulgent, Ni••ble, Subtile, Spiritu••l, and after a sor•• Angelic••l. So sh••ll she have a F••lness of Joy in the Presence of God, and Pleasures at His Right Hand forev••r more. ••ere is the Wo|man, that h••'s the, F••ar of God! This is the Praise that belongs unto her.

APPLICATION.

BUT shall it now be seen, that Women will more generally aspire after this Charact••r and this Happin••ss? The petulant P••ns of some

Froward and Morose Men, have sometimes trea••ed the Female Sex with very great Indig|nities; Blades, I guess, whose M••thers had Un|du••if••l Children, or wh••se VVives have had but cruel Masters. I am loth to show my Catalogue, nevertheless whole V••l••m••s have been written, to disgrace that Sex, as if it were, as one of those Unnatural Authors calls it, The meer Con|fusion of Mankind. Yea, ••tis no•• easy to re|count how many Licen••ious Writers, have handled that Theme, Femina nulla bona, No Wo|man is Go••d! [or the men were bad that said so] But, behold, how you may Recover your Impaired Reputation! the, Fear of God, will soon make it evident, that you are a|mong, The Excellent in the Earth. If any men are so wicked (and some Sects of men h••ve been so) as to deny your being Rational••Crea|tures, the best mean to confute them, will be by proving your selves R••ligious ones. I do ass••re you, and I h••ve more than Luther to consent and concur with me, in this Asser|tion, That the Actions of even the meanest Milk|maid or Cook maid, when done in the Fear of God, are in the Account of God more Noble Things than the Victories of a Caesar! Thus do I s••t before you, the way for you to be Enn••bled; and thus Ennobled, many of you already are. When the Golden mouth••d Ancient had so far forg••t himself as to call a Woman, An Vn|avoidable Punishment▪ a Necessary Ev••l, a Desi|rable Calamity. With more such Iron Words, he sees cause to add, Sermo est••de muliere mala; 〈◊〉〈◊〉. My Speech is of a bad Woman; and not of

a good; for I have known many Ready to every Good Work. Tis an Observation of Solomons which ha's been somewhat Improv'd against You, in E••cl. 7:28. One man among a Thou|sand have I found, but a Woman among all those have I not found. Nevertheless, in your own Vindication, You may Reply, That Solomon speaks of what is usual about the Courts of Princes; and perhaps about his own Court Es|pecially; A Good man in such a place is a Rare Thing; but a Good Woman there, is a Black Swan indeed; Solomon himself Particu|larly had a Thousand Women to Satiate his Ex|orbitant Lust; a••d possibly, he may intimate, That among all Those he did not find One Wo|man truly Vertuous. O••, if this Reply be not Satisf••ctory, You may Enquire. Whether Sol••mon speak not of such as are by Repentance Reco|vered from th•• Snares of Whoredom when once th••y have been therein Entangled. For a Man to be Reclaimed from the Sin of Vncleanness when once he ha's been given thereun••o is R••re; but for a Woman to be Snatch'd out of the Unclean D••v••ls H••nds, when once he ha's had any full Possession of her, is more Extraordinary! However it 〈◊〉〈◊〉, tis plain, that as there were Three Maries o•• one John, standing under the Cross of our Dying Lord, so still there are far more Godly Women in the World, than there are Godly M••n; and our Church Comm••ni••n•• give us a Little D••m••nstr••t••on of i••▪ I have seen it without going a M••l•• from home, That in a Church of between Three or Four Hundred Communicants, there are but few more tha••

One Hundred Men; all the Rest are Women, of whom Charity will Think no Evil. Possibly, One Reason of it is, because there are more Women in the World than men; but this is not all the Reason. It seems that the Curse in the D••fficulties both of S••b••ection and of Child bearing▪ which the Female Sex is doom'd unto, ha's been turn'd into a Blessing, by the Free Grace of our most Gracious God. God Sanctifies the Chains, the Pains, the Deaths which they meet withal; and furthermore, makes the Tenderness of their Disposi••ion, a further Occasion of Serious Devo••ion in them. Now, God forbid that any of YOU, into whose Hands this Little Treatise m••y come, should Contra|d••ct that Charitable O••servation. And let me tell you, That m••st of You, have more Time to Employ in the more Immediate Service of your Souls, than the Other Sex is owner of. You are Ordina••ily more within the Ho••se, and so may more mind the Work within the Heart, than W••e. Although I must Confess, tis Often otherwise; Yet it is as Often so, that you have little more Worldly Business, than to Spend [I should rather say, to Save] what others Get, a••d to Dress and Feed [should I not also say, to Teach] the Little Birds, which you are Dams unto. And those of you, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Women of Quality are Excused from very much of this Trouble to••. Oh! how much might you do f••r GOD if you d••••ly Considered, The Price in your Hands to get Wisdom!

Well then,

COVNSEL. 1.

THE First Thing unto which I would perswade You, is, To Pray most I••stantly. Con|stantly, Importunately that, The Fear of God, may be Planted in your Souls. The, Fear of God, is indeed already begun in that Soul, which is insatiably Desirous to be there wi••h Re|plenished; and Vnutterable Groans af••er that Fear, will augment the Power of that, which it already argues the Presence of. Said Nehemi|ah, in Chap. 1.11· O Lord, be Attentive to the Prayer of thy Servants, who D••sire to Fear thy Name. The Woman that most aff••ctionately laies this D••sire before God, O that I may Fear thy Name, is already among the Servants of that God, and shall certainly have her Desire Ac|complish••d. Pray Read▪ Believe, Practise that Word of God, in Prov 2 3 6. If thou Cryest after Knowl••dge then shalt thou understand the Fear of the Lord. Crying is that which your Sex has is p••r••icular E••si••ess unto; Behold, what your Cries, your Tears are best Employ'd about. May it then be f••••d about you, B••hold she p••••yes! and may your Prayer to the Lord put ••n suit that Promise of ••he Lord, in Jer. 32.40. I will put my Fear in their hearts. O plead earnestly for the fulfilment of tha•• Great and Precious Word of our God, and say, Lord, Be it unto thy Handmaid according to thy Word.

COVNSEL 2.

HAVING ob••ained the, Fear of God, it shoul•• be your Ambition to be continually Exercisi••••

of it. You are thus advised in Prov. 23.17. Be thou in the Fear of the Lord, all the day long. Let your whole wal•• every Day, be a, Walk with God; and let every Action in the Day, be so done in ••he, Fear of God, as ••hat, Holiness to the Lord, may be written thereupon. Be sure to Begin and Conclude the Day with God; Rob Him not of His Dayl•• Sacrifice. In the Morning be able to say, Oh God, wh••n I a|wake I am still with thee; Take a Morni••gs-Draught of Communion with G••d, first in your Closets, and then with your Houses, and of Resolution to behave your selves as having, The Lord alw••yes b••fore you. In the Ev'ning, Reco••l••ct the M••rcies which you have newly Received of God; and Examine whether you have been so Ze••lous, Watchful Fruitful before God, as you should have been? and whether you can▪ Ly down in Peace with Him? Through|out all the Day, Interweave a, Conscience of D••ty, into all your motions, all your Affayrs. Le•• every Meal, every Sleep, every Visit, and all your Dom••stick B••si••esses, though 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be but the Rocking of a Cradle, be done with an Eye to This, This is the Thing wherein I may perform a S••rvice to God, and Expect a Blessing from God 〈◊〉〈◊〉 T••is is what my God wo••ld have me to be about. Herewithal, Intermingle many Salleyes of Soul, towards Heaven every Day••; by R••ising of some Se••ious, Graci••us, Divine Thoughts, from the meanest occurrents that are before you▪ and by P••rtinent E••a••••l••••ions to God, bo••h i•• a way of Pe••ition and of Thanksgiving upon all Occasions. This tis to be, In the Fear of th•• ••••rd, all the Day long, and Holy in every Turn▪

COVNSEL. 3.

BUT at the same Time You should use a Good Caution against those that would Se|duce you from the, Fear of God. It is men|tion'd as the Singular Unhappiness of Women, in 2 Tim. 3.6. Men having a Form of Godliness, but Denying the Power thereof,— These Creep [like Serpents, as they are] into Houses, and Lead Captive Silly Women, Laden with Sins, Led away with diverse Lusts. T••s noted of Sed••cers, that, like their Father the Divel, the Old, the First Seducer, they have a Special Design upon the Weaker Sex, who are most Easi••y Gained themselves, and then fit Instruments for the gaining of their Husbands, to such Errors, as cause them to Loose their Souls at last. Si|mon M••gus Traded with his Helena, and Monta|nus w••th his Maximilla, for the more Effectual Propagation of their Haer••sies, as J••rom long since Observed; as as Epipha••ius tells us, A|rius promoted his Blasphemies by first Prosely|ting seven hundred Virgins thereunto. That it is no New Thing for Women to become very Mischievous Adversaries unto the Truth, and so unto the Fear, of God, is intimated from that Instance in the Apostolical History, Act. 13 5•• The Jews stirred up the Devout and Ho••oura••le Women, and Rais••d a Pers••cution against, the Mi|nisters of God: Indeed a Poison do's ne••e•• insinuate so quickly, or operate so strongly, as when Womens Milk is the Vehicle, which is given in. But may You be alwayes upon your Guard, against the Fa••se Teachers in these D••yes; and theref••re become so Well-principled in your Catechisms, as that it may not be said of

you. They are ••v••r Learning and never able to come unto the K••owledge of the Truth. If you find your selves unable to fathom some Con|troversi••s which you see agitated in the Church of G••d, and if you must cry out. I have nothing to Draw with, and the Well is Deep, the most likely way to be kept from going out of the Way, is This; Mind what ha's the most Ob|vious Tendency to advance the, Fear of God, in your Hearts and Lives; Mind what most M••gn••fi••s C••rist, and Nullifies Man, and Recom|mends Pract••cal Godliness; tis the, Doctrine according to Godliness, which is the True Doctrine. Or if thou can't Penetrate so far▪ Then mind how those men which are most Eminent for the, Fear of God, are most generally inclined; Mind what is most generally gra••eful, to the Sob••r, G••acious, Patient, Heavenly, Mortify'd part of Mankind; and on the other side, what the most Loose, Proud, Carnal, Railing, Profane, party choose to fall in withal; to Walk in the Way of Good M••n: is most probably to Walk in the ••ood Way.

COVNSEL 4.

WHILE you thus maintain the, Fear of God, Let it very particularly discover it self in your keeping the purpose of the Psalmist, I will take heed unto my Ways that I Sin not with my Tongue; I will keep my Mouth with a Bridle. May it be as much, a Causeless, as it is a Common, Report concerning you▪ That your Tongues are fre|quently not so G••verned by the, Fear of God, as they ought to be. The Faculty of Speech is of such a Noble and of such a S••gnal Figure in the constitution of Mankind, that it is a thou|sand

pitties, it should be Abus••d; but Woman|kind is usually charged with a peculiar share in the Worlds Abuses of it. It is indeed a piece of great Inj••stice, that every Woman should be so far an Eve, as that her Deprava|tion should be imputed unto all ••he Sex. Ne|vertheless i•• highly concerns you to do your part, that in Fames T••umpet, which is a Speaking One, you may be be••ter spoken of, as to the matter of your speaking. The Attainment which therefore I Recommend unto you, is that in Prov. 10.20. The Tongue of the Just, is as Choice Silver. A Woman is ••ften valued according to the Silver t••at She h••s to bring unto them that will call her their M••stress, in order to their being Master of that. 'Tis a few, Pounds, Shillings and Pence, that makes her weigh heavi|est in the Scale of the vulgar Estimation. ••ut a Woman of a Silver Tongue is the person of whom we may most Reasonably say, She is not of Little Worth. As your Speech ought always to be True, and there should be no less an Agreement be|tween your H••arts and Words, then between your Words and Things, ever speaking As you think, tho' it may be not All you think; lest you put Brass or Tin instead of Silver: so your Speech ought likewise to be Rare, like Silver, which is not so common as Copper or Iron is. Be careful that you don't Speak too soon, because you cannot fetch back and eat up, what is ut|tered; but Study to Answer. And be careful that you don't Speak too much, because that when the Chest is always open, every one counts there are no Treasures in it▪ and the Scripture tells us, 'tis the Whore, that is Clamorous, and

the Fool, that is F••ll of Words. Let there be a comely Affability and Ingenuity at the same t••me, in all your Speech, that it may be as Grateful as a Bag of Silver would be to the Receivers of it; and O let there be no Dross in your whole Communication. The Dross of your own Wrath, vent…ed in Scolding, Fury, Vile Names; The Dross of your own Worth, vented in Boasting, Bragging, Self-Ostentations; the Dross of all Filthiness, vented in Ba••dy Talk about the Things which 'tis a shame to speak; let all this Dross be purged out of all your Speech. But instead thereof Let your Speech, have so much Vse in it, that your Discourse may bring as much Emolument as read•• Silver to the Hearers of it; that your Lips may Feed many, your Mouth may be •• Well of Life, and your Tongue may be Health; and that ordinarily your Companions may not be a Q••••••ter of an Ho••r with you, before they may have cause to say of you, Her Discourse has been M••at, Drink, and Physick to my Soul! O that when you are Talking you would ima|gine what the Prophet says, The Lord h••arkened and heard▪ and acknowledge what the Psalmist owns, There is not a Word in my Tongue, but behold O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. I remember Tertullian relates▪ That the Primitive Christians did use to season their F••asts with very savoury Discourses; and he giv••s this Reason for it, Ita fabulantur, ut•• qui sciant Dominum audire; They Talk as knowing that the Lord Hear••▪ Pray carry that in your Minds, and that will preven•• the Impertinent G••ssiping which you have been Reproached for, that will make you•• bring forth such things as you may with Joy find Entred in, The Lords Book of Remembrance.

COVNSEL 5.

THERE is one peculiar Thing more, which you should see that your, Fear of God, extend ••t self unto; and that is, your APPARREL, which you are often Accused for Transgressi••g 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Where the Fear of God Sanctifies the Heart, it will doubtless Regulate the Habit. Pray let the, Fear of God, make you able to stand before the, Word of God; where Women are commanded in 1 Pet. 3▪2, 3, 4. to have, A Coast Conversation coupled with Fear; wh••se Adorning ('tis added) Let it not be the outward Adorning▪ but let it be the Hidden man of the Heart. For ••fter this manner in the old Time, the H••ly Women also who trusted in God, Adorned themselves. And in 1 Tim. 2.9. That they A|dorn themselves in modest Apparel with shame fa|cedness and Sobriety; not with Broidered Hair, or ••old, or Pearls, or Costly Array; but (which ••ecometh Women professing Godliness) with God W••rks. 'Tis true that more Indulgence may be given ••o Women and Children in point of Appar|r••l, than to Men; They were the Wives and the Little Sons and the Daughters▪ which we find wearing most of Ornaments among the Ancient People of God; And yet unto you also, has the God of Heaven given a Law, agreeably to which you are to Attire your selves. You shall permit me to lay before you, a few Max|••••s, every One of which are so many just Con|sequences from the Scriptures that have been given you.

I. For a Woman to Expose unto Common View th••se p••rts of her Body, which there can be no Good End or Use for the Exposing of▪

is for her to Expose her self unto the Venge|ance of Heaven. There is indeed a Covering of the Skin, which is but a Black Mark of one that never yet had a Covering for her Sin. The Black Patches worn by too many Females, are indeed so many Bl••w ones; they are the Tokens of a Plague in the Soul. They are not, the spots of Gods Children, but the Dapples of a Leopard▪ that will never, Learn to do w••ll. They are for the most part upon the Faces that never were washed, in the Blood of the Lamb without Spot••; nor do they argue the Soul wi••hin to be one unto whom our Lord may say, Thou art all fair, there is no Spot in thee. But there is a Nakedness of the Skin which is also, and as much, to be accounted Criminal. The Face is to be Naked because of what is to be Known by it; the Hands are to be Naked, because of what is to be Done by them. But for the Nakedness of the Back and B••••asts, No Reason can be given; unless it be that a Woman may by showi••g a Fair-Skin Enkindle•• a Fo••l Fire in the Male Spectators; for which cause even Popish Wri|ters have no less Righteously th••n severely Lashed them; and for Protestant Women to use them, is no less inexcusable than it is Abomi|nable: nor did a Golden Mouth of old stick to say, The Devil sat upon them!

II. For a Woman to put her self into a Fashion, that shall prejudice, either her Health, or her Work, is to break all the other Eight Commandments as well as the Sixth and the Eighth, which are thereby notoriously v••olated. They that say, Pride feels no Cold, do often

catch a Mortal Cold that they may please a foolish Pride, and the Heat of Hell-flames is that which they thus hasten upon themselves. They that profanely say, As good out of the World as out of the Fashion, often follow such a Fashion, as either hurri••s them out of the World, or unfits them for Living in it. Creatures yet, than which none would be more loth to put on such a Pitch••d Coat of Martyrdome, as Nero clap'd on the B••cks of them that Worshipped out blessed Jesus, to burn them in it. But what Account can they give at last? when Wo|men go so, that they cannot Eat or Breathe, be sure they cannot Work; and it is just with God that they who thus cannot Work▪ should no•• be permitted long to Eat or Breathe.

III. For a Woman to Wear what is not evidently Consistent with Modesty, Gravity, and Sobriety, is to Wear not an Ornament▪ but a Defilement; and She puts off those Glorious Vertues, when she puts on the Visible Badges of what is Contrary thereunto. The Command which requ••res any Grace▪ requires also the Sign of that Grace; hence for a Woman with her Garish, Pompous, Flanting Modes, to hang out the Sign, upon which every Rational Be|holder thinks he ha's Liberty to Read, There dw••lls a Proud▪ Light, Vain, Giddy, Trifling Soul, in that Carcase! this is not according to God; who sayes, Whatsoev••r things are Venerable, what|so••ver things are Lovely, whatsoever things are of Good R••port, Think of these things. They that would approve themselves. The Daughters of Abraham, are to be The Daug••ters of Sarah, too.

IV. As a Poor Woman may not aspire to go with a Bravery, which a Rich or a Great Woman may be allowed in, so neither may a Rich or a Great Woman Extend her Bravery, beyond the Allowance which God ha's given her. There is a Soft-Cloathing which our Lord Jesus do's not seem to deny ••••to such Persons of Quality as are in Kings Houses. But you have doubtless heard, What came of the Frog, which would not be content, Except she might look as big as the Cow. The Ranks of Peo|ple should be discerned by their Cloaths; nor should we go in any things but what may be called Suits. The Woman which will go as none but those who are above her, do or can, showes her self to be as much out of her Wits as out of her Place. And she that will not Cu••|ber Coat according to her Cloath, do's but put a Fools Coat upon her; she that will have more on her Back, than can readily come out of her Purse, deserves to be stript as the Fine Jay was of her borrow'd Feathers. Nevertheless, Vain-Glory may insinuate it self into the Rich and Great, as well as the Poor; and I am to Charge THEM, That they be not High-minded.

V. A Woman, whose Rayment is too Costly to leave her capable of attending the Duties of Justice and M••rcy, commits but a piece of shining Theevery, in that cheating and cruel Finery. She that thro' Excesses in Attiring of her self, is unfitted, for the payment of what she owes, either to her private Creditors, or to the support of the Government and the Mini|stry, by which her Civil and Sacred Well-fare is Watch'd unto, is utterly unworthy, Either

of Credit, or of any Civil or Sacred Advanta|ges. But there are Works of Charity as well as Works of Rig••teousness, which a Woman is also under such obligation to, that all Super|stuities are to be Retrenched for the sake there|of. It seems but Reasonable, That whenever we lay out any thing for purely Ornamental Su|perfluities▪ we should lay out as much in Cloath|ing and Feeding ••••e Distressed Members of the Lord Jesus Christ; I doubt we shall make up very mean Accounts about our Talents, if we do not so.

VI. For an old Woman to flant it in a Youthful Dress, is altogether as prodigious a Disorder, as for the Flowers of May to appear among the Snows of Decemb••r. A Summer Dress will not suit a Winter Age. The Aged show themselves to be Twice Ch••ldren, indeed, if they go like Children, and no••, put away Childish Things. For a Woman that knows her self near her Winding Sheet, still to affect a Wedding Robe, is a Ligh••ness than which there can be nothing more uncomely.

VII For a Pious Woman to Preserve no Distinction from a Deba•••••••• one, in her Appa|rel, where it may be done, is to leave her self wi••hout a Distinction which might preserve her when the Common and Wasting Judge|ments of God are Punishing the strange Appar|rel in her Neighbourhood. It was well ad|vised by Tertullian to the Matrons in his Days, Vt sit in••••r A••cillas Dei & Diab••li Discrimen, that the Handmaids of God would go so as to distinguish themselves from the Handmaids of the Devil; and believe it, the plagues which

come upon the Haughty Daughters of Z••on, will make no Difference between those that make none for themselves. We read concerning The Attire of the Harlot; and the Woman that will Wear like such an one, will probably Fare like her, in her Calamities. The Curte|s••ns in some Nations, of old, were known by Vail••s of a particular shape; and it is pitty but that Vertuous People should agree to avoid such Habits, as Vicious persons have signalized themselves withal.

VIII. When a Woman finds her Super|fluous Acco••trements, to Excite any Lust in her self, She should no longer carry about her the Flint and Steel that strike fire into the Tynder of her Corruptions: If Maryes locks have Entangled her self or others, it becomes her to turn them into a Towel for the feet of the Lord Jesus. To nourish and foment any Dis|temper in our mind••, is for us to Wrong our own Souls, with a P••rensy greater than that of the Possessed Creature, which kept Cutting and Wounding himself among the Monuments of the Dead. For a Woman to indulge her self in a Gaiety, which as of on as ••is put on, disposes her Soul to such a Vanity, as indispos••s her to Devotion, or throwes her into a Frame di••|greeable to th••t of a Stranger and a Pilgrim in the World; this truly do's not, Adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour.

IX. The Woman that must be the High••st or the Soonest in every New Fashion, will here|in alwayes keep the Old Fa••hion of a, Proud Fool It is required of us, Let your Moderation 〈◊〉〈◊〉 known unto all m••n; but for a Woman to

betray such a Levity, that nothing will please her but Changeable Taffata; and it shall be as easy to make a Coat for the Moon, as to accom|modate her fickle H••mour, with One unto her mind; or f••r her to betray such an Ambition, that none shall come to her Dimensions wi••hout an Observable Ex••rbitancy,—this is quite Contrary to a Christian Moderation. If when our Lord should say, She seeks me early, tis on••y the Gallantry of the Age that can say, She is an ea••l•• seeke•• of me; if when our Lord asketh of her, What dost thou more than others? all her Answer must be, I Fl••nt it more, and I b••ave it m••re! tis but a m••sera|ble Story that is to be told of her.

X. If a Woman spend more Time in Dressing, than she do's in Praying, or in Work|ing, out her own Salvation, her Dress is but the Snare of her Soul. An Holy Person among the Ancients, b••holding of one that had been long standing at the Glass, fell a Weeping, and gave this Reason for it, There's one that ha's this M••••••ing s••••nt f••r more T••m•• f••r her Body, than I have done for my Soul How many Ladi••s would re••ite from their ••lasses with Weeping Eyes, upon their own Account, if their Eyes were ever Turned Inward upon themselves, or up|ward unto an Angry God, or Down-ward unto a G••••ing Hell, as they are Turned Awry to, Be|hold V••ity! When a Woman must be set out with a••m••st as much Tackling, as would serve the R••y••l Soveraig••, and m••st be so taken up wi••h D••cking a Body which i•• very sh••rtly to f••ed the Worms, that her Soul which is ••o Live through Eternal Ages, cannot be well Pro|vided

for, she Looses her own Soul, and yet Gains Nothing of that, which if it were All Gained, would not make up the Loss.

XI. In times of terrible, and general Cala|mity, 'tis fit a Woman should abridge her self of that Liberty in her Garb, which at other Times may be allow'd unto her. When the People are in Danger of Ruine, the Voice of God unto them is, Put off your Ornaments. And as for a Woman to be Splendidly Array'd upon a Day of Humiliation, is an Affront not only to the Angels that see how we look in our Sacred Congreg••tions, but also to the God of Angels, before whom we shou••d then appear in what is equiv••lent unto Sack cloth; so for her ordinari••y to glitter with C••stly Array, at a Time when we are peculiarly to, Humble our selves under the Mighty Hand of God, is to make her self like th•••• Midia••itish Doxy, who had Zimri f••r her Gallant, in the face of the whole Co••gregati••n, which were We••ping before the 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

XII. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 R••b••s of any Woman are but v••le Rags if hey either do find her D••stitute of or do not make her Conc••r••ed for, The Clothing of her Soul When Athanasius behold a Woman g••••geously A••••iring of her self, he melted into Tears, For (said he) all this preparation is for h••r D••str••cti••n. Tr••ly a Woman is but Equip|ping her self against A Day of Slaughter, 〈…〉〈…〉 Bo••ily Equipage be all that she is furnish•••• with. If she do not, Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sign••fies all her, Provisi••n for the Fl••sh? I sh••••be not. Array'd in the Fine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 clean and White, which is the Righteousness of the Sai••ts,

the Lamb of God will disdain to take notice of her. If she have not on, The Wedding Garment, the King of Heaven will not acknowledge her as a Guest of His. Let her be, All Glorious within, and from the Needlework of the Holy Spirit, Let her have an Vnder Garment of Grace, upon which an Vpper Garment of Glory shall shortly be indu|ced, or else the Lord will see no Beauty in her. If she had no more than a Peas••od out of which to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 her a Gown and Hood, she would not be so unhappy, as if her Soul go without the White Rayment, which the Lord Je|sus has Counsell'd her to Buy (that is, to Beg) of Him.

THESE are the Lessons, by the Remem|brance and Observance of which, you may b•• kept from such Transgression in your Apparrel as may say, There is no Fear of God before your Eyes.

COVNSEL 6.

BUT, without your, Faith in Christ, your; Fear of God, is utterly to be despaired of. No Good Fruit is to be expected from you, nor do I ex|pect any Good Fruit of all the perswasives unto the, Fear of God, now used with you, unless by a Believing on, you come to an Vnion with, your L••rd Redeemer, who has told ••ou, With|out me you can do nothing▪ Who••ver pretends to Write the whole CALLING ••f a Vertuous Wo|man, and forgets to urge Faith in the Lord J••••sus Christ as the Root and So••rce of all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Vertue, has finely left out the One Thing N••••••••ful. There is nothing so Needful for Wo•••••• to be advertised of, as a Mess••ge like 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was carried from the Lord Jesus to that 〈◊〉〈◊〉

of old, Arise, the Master calleth thee! The Last thing which therefore is now set be|fore you, is mention'd Last, because 'tis the First thing that you are to set upon the practise of; 'Tis That of, B••l••eving on the Lord Jesus Christ; 'tis the Answering of the Invi••ations which that Blessed Lord has given you, Look unto me, that you may be Saved, and, Come unto me, that yo•• may have Rest We are told in Heb. 11 6. Without Faith, it is impossible to please God; and we may therefore say, Without Faith it is im|possible to Fear God. It was when Faith in the promised M••ssi••h was working in the Heart of our Father Abraham, that the Lord said, Now I know that thou Fearest me. Those two things are ••oined by the Psalm••st, in Psal. 115.11. Ye that Fear the Lord Trust in the Lord. Ex|cept we come to a Tr••st in the Lord, for all our Blessedness to be graciously Communicated unto us thro' the Mediator. We discover our…selves to be without the Fear of the Lord; neither sh••ll we ever Grow i•• Grace, if we have not a sensible, affecting, fiducial Know|ledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. O that it may no•• be ••ai•• of you, Woma••, Great is thy Faith! and that where••••, Faith is not of our selves, 'tis the Gifts of G••d, You m••y beg of God this Gift with a mo•••• becoming Importunity, Lord, I would believe; H••lp my Vnbelief!

THAT You may not want a Description of that Faith, with which you should so apply your selves to the Lord Jesus Christ, as that it may be said of you, Who is this Lea••ing upon her 〈◊〉〈◊〉? Let me distinctly en••reat you, to

pursue the Experience of these two Attain|ments.

FIRST, Get a Lively sence of your own Spiritual Death, Sinfulness and Wretchedness. Behold your selves hunted and haunted by the Avengers of Sin, and ready to be Destroy'd if a R••fuge be not provided for you. When you hear the Voice of God, as a Judge Enquiring after you, let it make you as much Afraid as your first Mother in the first Garden was. Take a View of your own Condition, as the Word of God ha's Represented it; and let no Creatures whatsoever then Quiet the Ago|nies thence arising in your minds. Think on the terrible Wants and Woes of your S••uls; th••nk on the Guilt, and F••l••h and Slavery where|in you are pe••••shing every day; think on the Ever-burning Fire, and of the never dying Worm▪ which you are every day in dang••r of going d••wn into; think till you cry out, Oh Wret••hed Woman that I am! Who shall deliver mee? Let not all the Pleasures and Profits and Honours of this World al••ay the D••stresses which your Souls are now cast into; call 'em all, Miserable Comforters! and, Lying Va••ities! and, Ph••sitians of no value! If 〈◊〉〈◊〉 now off••r to procure your D••li••erance, treat that Idol with Contempt, and unspeakable D••sdain. As for any Right••ousness of your own to answer the Demands of the Law, acknowledge, 'Tis all Filthiness; as for any Strength of your own▪ ••o fulfil so much as the Commands of th•• Gospel, acknowledge, I have no Sufficiency! pro|nounce your s••ves LOST, and write yo•••• selves, Wretched and Poor and miserable and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Naked.

BEING thus Humbled, Or having Your Secu|rity in your Natural Estate so far disturbed, that you feel you must Renounce all but CHRIST, all for CHRIST, then cast your selves upon the Lo••d Jesus Christ for all manner of Good. Hum|bly, Hopefully, Joyfully go to Him for all the S••re-Mercies of the New Covenant; for all the Be••efi••s whereof it ha's pleased the Father there sho••ld in Him all Fulness dwell; for all the Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption which He is to be made unto us. First, Accept the Lord Jesus Christ, in His Word. When you hear the Tender of a Jesus made unto you, Reply upon it, Lord, Let me have a Jesus upon any Terms! and like the Dying Martyr say. None but Christ! None but Christ▪ P••nder Seriousl••, How the Lord Jesus Christ Ex|ecutes the Office of a Prophet and of a Priest and of a King; and when you are asked, Whether you are willing to Enjoy the Instruction of that Prophet, the Atonement of that Priest, and the Government of that King, let your sin|cere Answer be, Lord, with all my Heart▪ And then, ••resent the Lord Jesus Christ, in Your Prayer. When you make any Request unto the Almighty, let the Merit and Vertue of the Lord Jesus Christ, be the Ground of your Hope to speed in all. The Mediation of the Lord J••••u••, le•• That bo••h Embolden your Ap|plications to, and Encourage your Expectati|ons from, the God of Heaven. Particularly, when you Pray for the Favour of God, let this be your Dep••ndence, The Lord Jesus Christ ha's made Satisfaction for us by His Obedience, and now He Ever liv••s to make Intercession for us. When you Pray for any Couns••l or Conduct, Rely

upon this, unto us a Savio••r is Given, whose Name is, Wonderful Counsellour! When you Pray for any Succour or Supply, Rely upon this, There is a Man upon the Throne▪ by whom all the ••h••els i•• the World are managed! Oh let the ••iew of a Sweet Jesus cause you to silence all your Dispair of Mercy, and say, Why art thou cast down, O my Soul, Hope in God, since He ha's Provided a Jesus for thee. THIS is the, Faith of Gods El••ct. We re••d in 2▪ Tim. 3.6. Concerning, Silly Women, Laden with Sins; Creatures indeed, which do not Feel their Lo••d. But it is the Call of our Lord▪ in Ma••h. 11.28. Come to me, all yee that are Heavy Laden. May you find your Souls Heavy Laden with a Moun|tainous Weight of Sins upon you; and may you carry such Awakened Souls unto the Lord Jesus, as unto Him▪ wh••m God ha's Exalted, that He may bestow both Repentance and R••mission of Sins upon His Isra••l.

THAT so the Address now made you, may be as well Agreeable as Eff••ctual, give me Leave to press it, under the Notion of a MAR|RIAGE whereof the Son of God now makes you m••st Condescending Overtures. N••ver were you treated with such an Important and Concerning Affair▪ as that which I now Chal|lenge your Earnest Heed unto; and therefore let the Words once used by a Woman, be now with a little Alteration Mine, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee; for I must prevail With thee to take m•• God▪ and my Christ, as thine for ever. The M••••nisters of the Lord Jesus Christ are called 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Friends of the Bridegroom; Now let one 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Th•••• inform you, Th••t▪ the Prince of Life▪ the Lord of Glory, the King of Heaven, makes unto you, even unto sinful Worthless YOU, a Motion of a Marriage wi••h Himself. O do not slight the Motion of such a Tra••scend••nt Match! but, that I may speak in the Apostles Language, Let me Espouse you to one Husb••nd, that I may present you, as a Chast Virgin to CHRIST. We read in Rev. 19 6, 7. There is A Voice as it were of a Great M••ltitude, and the Voice of Mi••hty Thunders, saying, Hall••lu|jah, l••t us be glad and rejoyce▪ for the Marriage of the Lamb is come▪ and his Wife has made h••r self Ready! Could I speak wi••h a Voice like that of Mighty Thunders, I would now call upon a Great Multitude, that they would make thems••lves ready for a Marriage with the Lamb of God. O don't Refuse a Match with the LAMB, lest you incur the Wrath of the Lamb; or, indeed, lest He become a Lion, and He Tear you to pieces, while there is none to De|liver. Methinks, there should not need many A••guments to perswade you unto such a Mar|riage as you now have the Tenders of. If there do, then Consider the Necessity of this Marriage. The Apostle speaking of a Woman, being not married unto ano••her man▪ in a Time of Raging Persecution, says in 1 Cor. 7.4••. She is happi••r if she so abide. But for a Woman that is not Married unto the L••rd Jesus Christ▪ Wo to her, if she so abid! she 〈◊〉〈◊〉 horribly Undone, and Interminably and In|••••lerably Ruin'd, if she so abide! If this be not ••hough, then Consider▪ the Vtility of this Mar|riage. When a Woman is Married unto a Neighbour, she is made Owner of what he

is, and of what he has; and a Beggar may be made an Empress when a mighty Prince has taken her. But let a Woman be Married unto the Lord Jesus Christ, and what follows? '••is no less than that in 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. All Th••ngs are yours, and ye are Chr••sts. O what unsearchable R••ches, are you made presently par|tak••rs of! If th••s avail no••, Consider, then the Exc••llency of ••he Pe••son, who Courts you to the Marr••age. 'Tis said of Him, in Cant. 5.16. H•• is al••og••ther Lov••ly; and can't you L••ve such an 〈◊〉〈◊〉? He is, The D••sire of all Nati|ons; and w••ll not you D••sire H••m? He is▪ The Pea•••• of great price; and will you set no Price upon H••m? He is, The Christ of God; and O why should not you say, Let Him be my Christ for-ever! And if none of all this will br••ak you•• H••ar••s, let it be Co••sidered, That it is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who has made the First Off••rs ••f this Aston••••hing Match. We f••rlorn Creatures, by the H••dges and in the D••tches of Hell, never durst have Dreamt of s••ch an Exaltati••n, if that Glorious Monarch H••ms••lf had not made the First Offers of it▪ H•• was H••mself Mad•• of a Woman, on pur••ose that so He might b•• M••rried un••o the Children of Men; and the Souls of Wom••n as well as of M••n, are capable of this M••stical Marri|age. This Illustrious Lord, who is infinitely High••r than the Kings of the Earth, does now H••mself do so st••ange a thing, as to B••seech you, T••at you w••••ld Accept of Him as th•• Husband of your So••ls; and that you would be willing ••o have an I••••erest in that privi|ledge, Thy Maker is thy Husband, and th•• Re|deemer;

The Lord of H••sts is his Name; and thy, Redeemer. O Heart of Adamant, which these Considera••ions do not Overcome and Mollify▪

BUT it is p••ssible the Women to whom I write, may find their Hearts Complying with the Proposals of the Blessed Saviour, when they see those Proposals more distinctly laid before them. It is therefore Desired, FIRST, That you would Renounce all other L••v••rs besides the L••rd Jesus Christ. It is the Demand of our Lord Jesus, in Hos 3 3. Thou shalt not Play the Harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man, so will I also be for thee. You have indeed given your First L••ves, unto the Idols of your Souls; but O where are your Wonderments that the S••n of God should not be Averse af|ter all, to make You, His! Although the Pri••st of old, might no•• M••••ry a Widow; yet our Magnificent High Pri••st. JESUS, is willing to Marry a Soul that ha's been fearfully Vi|tiated and Prostituted; Thou hast Play••d the Harlot with many L••vers, yet Return again unto me, saith th•• Lord. But that which the Lord now Exp••cts of you, is, to forsake and shake off, all the Old Oppressours of your Soul: forever. Unto the Fl••sh now say, I will not have thy L••sts to be my Laws any more! Unto the World n••w say, I will not seek my Ch••ef Good among thy Vexa••ious Vanities any more! And unto the Div••l say, I will no more be among thy Slaves, whom thou Leadest Captive at thy w••ll! Resolve, that if ever these Other Lords do af••er this Obtain any thing from you, it shall be by the Violence of a Rape, which you will

never cease Crying to Heaven for Help against. And it is, THEN, Desired, That you would Re|ceive the Lord Jesus Christ, With and For all His Mercies. Receive Him, with the Wish of your Souls, To be by Him Furnished and Provi|ded with all manner of Good, and by Him to b••ing forth Fruit unto Him. Receive Him freely, fully, firmly, hoping to Live on Him, to Him, and with Him World without End. Fall down like Mary in the Garden crying out, Rabboni; O▪ my Lord! my Lord! With a Transported Aff••ction say un••o Him, Lord, Be thou mine, make me Thine, and let my J••sus be for ever the Beloved of my Soul! and upon your own Souls lay that Cha••ge Continually, Hark••n, O Daughter; He is thy Lord, and worship thou Him! But Rec••ive Him also very Thankfully▪ for, if when the Serv••nts of Da••id came to Abiga••l, saying, David sent us unto th••e, to take thee to him, ••o W••fe, tis reported in 1 Sam. 25 41. She bow••d her s••lf on her face to the Earth, and said, B••hold, Let thine Handmaid, be a S••rvant, to Wash the Feet of the S••rvants of my Lord: Much more, when our Heavenly David, sends to Marry your Souls unto Himself, it becomes you, must H••mbly to cast you••••selves at His F••et, and adore His Goodness wi••h nev••r-end|ing Hall••lujahs. It was uttered with some Extasy, by that Woman of Old, Whenc•• is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me! But surely then, you have cause to say wi••h as Rapturous Elevations and Accla|mations of your 〈◊〉〈◊〉, O whence is this to me, th••t my Lord Himself. should not only come, but also give Himself, to such a Wretch as I am!

••n the mean time, let not your want of a Dowry discourage you from R••c••iving of that Rich Lord, who ha's infinitely more than, The Earth and the Fulness thereof. Many a Poor Soul is Afraid of Receiving the Lord Jesus Christ, because they have nothing to bring unto Him; they see themselves vile, forlorn, loth|some, and think they, Will the Glorious Jesus Look upon such a•• One! Yes, that He will; nor will he look upon any but such as count and feel themselves to be such; and can Venture to throw themselves into His Arms, notwithstanding their being so. You must come to the Lord Jesus, with such Acknow|ledgments as these; Lord, If thou Marry me to thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I have horrible Debts upon me, which th••u m••st a s••••er for. I have no••hing but Guilti|ness, Wret••hedness, Ig••orance, and Slavery, to R••commend me unto thy favours, THAT, and some Little 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of That, is all that I have to bring unto thy Majesty. With all THAT, I now cast my self upon thee, and according to thy Glorious Grace, I must now be Thine for ever.

I PRAY, That this matter may be brought unto an Happy ••ssue before we 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Reader, As an Embassador, for Christ, I do in the st••••d of Christ b••seech you, That you would be M••rried un••o that Lord Redeemer. Will you give Your Co••se••t unto the motion? Give b••t THAT, ••nd the M••ch is made; and so, Blessed YOU, that ev••r you were Born? Let your Hearts within you, now answer, I Will, and You will make this, The Day of your Es|pousals, and, The Day of the Gladness of your

H••arts. Hear the sweet Voice of the Lord Jesus, from the Lof••y Battlements of Heaven, this Day calling upon you. His Voice is, Art thou willing, that My Righteousness, and Satis|faction and Interc••ssion, be that alone which may Purchase for thee all thy Blessedness? Reply, Lord, I am Willing. His Voice is, Art thou willing that my Teaching and my Eye ••alve, should Lead thee in the way of Peace? Reply Lord, I am willing. His Vnice is, Art thou w••lling, that I should set up my Kingdom in thee▪ and strengthen thee against all the Enemies thereof? Reply, Lord, I am willing. Behold, The K••ot is now Ty'd; a••d i•• won't be long before the Con|summation of it, and your Cohabitation with the Lord. The Lord Jesus will shortly fetch you away to the Mansi••ns in His Fathers Ho••se; and so you shall Be for ••v••r wi••h the Lord. What shall I say more? Let me plead with you like •• S••rvant of my Lord: If you will deal kindly and Tr••ly with my Master, T••ll me; Will you Go to the So•• of God for Life, or no? What is your Ans••e••? Oh let it be like that which Re••eck••h made, in Gen. 24.52. I will go. I have only this to tell you, That You'l spend Eternal Ages in Praising of God for sending this li••tle Book into your H••nds, if THIS may be the R••s••lt and Eff••ct of your 〈…〉〈…〉. But O ••he Incredibl•• T••rments of th•• W••ath, which is Reserved for, The Chil|dren of u••perswadeabl••ness!

I THEREFORE now ••••w my Knees unto th••, O Fath••r of Spirits, That a De••••l of thy Po•••••• may come unto the Reader of th••se Lines, and

that she may be made willing in this Day of thy Power, to give her S••lf and her Love unto the Eternal Son of thy Love; Amen; and let her that Reads also say, AMEN, and AMEN.

COVNSEL. 7.

AND yet there is this One thing more, which Women are to be advised unto; Name|ly, To maintain, The Fear of God, in every C••ndi••ion of Life, into and thorow which the, Will of God may carry them. There are par|ticularly, F••ur States, in One of which all Women are, and to most of which, perhaps, most Women c••me. Let there be set before you, the po••••tr••it••re of, A Vertuous Woman, in each ••f th••se Four States; and let it be y••ur study to answer that pourtraiture by, The Fear of God, in all. While I man••ge that D••••cour••e, I shall take the Liberty to touch now and then up••n the Sign••fication of such NAMES as are most usual with the F••male S••x••; par••ly, because tis a Curi••sity which you w••u••d willingly be Entertained with; but Che••••••y because I may make some Lessons the more easily Remembred, yea, and the more thorough|ly Attended, by that Curiosity. A•• least, I hope, I shall not meet with such an Hard Fa••e, as that German D••vine, who telling his Au|di••ory, tha•• Vrs••la signifyed, A Little Bear, a Wom••n of that Name caused such an Up-roar amo••g the Women against him, as drove him out of the Town.

The Vertuous MAID.

TIS the Wish of the Psalmist, in Psal. 144.12. That our Daughters may be as C••••••er Stones, Polished after the Similitude of a Palace. The Name of Per••el [or Petronella] which Sig|nifies, A Pritty Little Stone, has been sometimes put upon a Daughter. And now behold. A Vertuous Daughter is here styled, A Polished Corner Stone, by the Spirit of God; She is in|deed a Margaret, that is to say, A precious one. It seems▪ tis a thing that more than a little sets off the Happiness of a People, When the Young Women among them, have Accomplishments which render them, like the Tall, Fine, C••stly Pillars, that are usually at the Gates of Pal••ces. The most Chr••stian Jew in his Transl••••ion of that Place, makes the Wish ••o run, That our Daughters may be — the B••il••ing of the Tem••le. And indeed it is no small H••ppiness unto a Peo|ple, when the Young Women among them, do B••ild the Temple of God, and become Stones fit for a Room in that Building. It ha's doubt|less been a most Encouraging thing unto s••me one Gather••d Church of the L••rd Jesus. To see about Thir••y or Forty Gracious Young ••omen, in two or three Years time (as perhaps there have been seen) Addr••ssing them for thei•• Sacred Communion at the Table of the Lord▪ Now tis by, The Fear of G••d, that a Maid may become one of these Happy Daughters. A Vert••••ous Maid, will not count her self too Young 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be Concerned about, The Fear of God, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Obeyes that Call, R••memb••r thy Creator in 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Dayes of by Youth; She beleeves that Word, Behold, Now is the Accepted Time, Behold, N••w is th•• Day of Salvation! And let us now see what her Carriage is.

I Such is her D••votion, th•••• while she Prudently avoids the ••eading of Romances, which do no less Naturally than Generally Inspire the minds of Young People with Humours, that are as V••cious as they are Fo••lish; on the other sid••, she Piously Reads the Bible Every D••y, and she thence fetches those Humble and Holy, and serious Prayers which do obtain for her, all manner of Grace to help in a Time of Need. The Name of Agatha, or, A Good One, is that wh••ch for this cause Pertains unto her; and She is an A••••a, or an Hannah, which is to say▪ A Gracious One.

II. Su••h is her Purity, that while she will not suffer the least B••haviour or Expressi•••• to proceed from her, which may Savour of Ob|scaenity; so neither will she Permit, much less Invite, the Dalli••nces of any Wan••on Crea|tures which may design any thing besides what is H••nourable on her; ••or will she Endure ••o hear any Talk that shall not sound Innocently, wi••hout bestowing the Rebuke of ••t least that which for her sake we stile, A ••aiden Blush▪ upon it. She is an Ag••es, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 A Chast One. The Name of a Catharine, ••••at is, a Puritan, agrees well unto her; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 she had rather have it, though with a ••••••••nful Nick name, than go with out it.

III. Such is her Modesty, that she Chooses to be Seen rather than Heard wherever she comes: and instead of that Confidence in

Repartees and Railleries which p••asses for Good•• Breeding with a Debauched Generation, or instead of being like those who (as one says) More Bridle is their Chi••s, than their Tongues, she Coun••s Tac••, which in English is, Hold your Peace, a Name sometimes worn by some of her Sex, to be a Rule alwayes to be heeded by her self. But if she be Constrained▪ at all to speak, she still is, an ••••••alia, or, a W••ll Spo|ken One; and though she will not be, As an Hind let loose, yet she will ever, Give Goodly Words.

IV. Such is her Industry, that she betimes applies her self to Learn all the Affairs of Housewifry, and besides a good skill at her Needl••, as well as in the Kitchen, she acquaints her self with Arithmetick and Accomptantship, [perhaps also Chirurgery•• and such other Arts relating to Business, as may Enable her to do the Man whom she may hereafter have, Good and not Evil all the Days of her Life. If she have any Time after this to Learn Musick and Language she will not Loose her Time, and yet she will no•• be proud ••f her Skill, though the Name of Lora, that is▪ Learning, (which the Saxons had in use among them for their Wo|men) should justly belong u••to her. She would with all good Accomplishments be a Ruth; which is to say, A Filled One.

V. Such is her Discretion, th••t while 'tis too absurdly counted a Great Curse to be an Old Maid, she makes her Single S••••te a Blessed One by Improving her Liesure from the Encum|brances of a ••amily, in Caring for the Thing•• of the Lord, that she may be Holy both in Body

and in Spirit: and when she sees what Liberty she thereby has, To serve the Lord without ••••|straction, she calls her self a Beatrice, that is, A Blessed Woman. She does not Vow a perpe|tual Virginity, lest her Vow should happen to Expose her; while there are Devils as well as Angels, which do not Marry, nor are given in Marriage. But yet instead of using any Hasty Method to get into the Married Row, and in|stead of taking a Bad Husband meerly to avoid the little Reproach of having None, she do's by her Gravity and Holiness, convince all the World, that her present circumstances are of Choice rather than Force; and the Longer she is in them, the more she do's Consecrate her self unto the Lord.

VI. Such is her Obedience, that as 'twas none of her manner to seek a Match for her self, by putting her self into a Flanting Dress, knowing that such a Dress would make a Wise|man afraid of her, and it were better to have no Husband, than to have such a B••zzard as could be caught by any Cassandra's [or Women that set men on fire] in the Snares of an Ex|travagant Gaiety and Bravery; so when a March do's offer himself unto her, she wisely leaves it unto the Reasonable Judgment of ••er Parents, or Guardians, whether he be in|deed a Match for her, or no; nor will she dispose of her self without their Consent, Con|duct, and Blessing in it. Indeed, she reckons this is a proper T••st, by which a Real and a Worthy Lover may be try'd; Let my Superi|••••s, that have the Disposal of me, know your Mind! so doth she make her self an Abigail,

or her Fathers Joy: and not a Dinah, that is a Judgment unto him.

THIS is a Vertuous MAID! And those Virgins which were so Sacred among the An|cient Roma••s, as to be made the Sanctuaries of the greatest Reverence, did not more de|serve all Resp••ct and Honour, than the Vir|gins which thus manifest, The Fear of God. B••t we hope it will not be long before she becomes a WIFE; which will render her a Mary, that is, an Exalted One; and let us now see, what a Vertuous One.

The Vertuous WIFE.

WHEN Mr. William Wh••tely, was go|ing to Publish a Book, which in|sisted much on the Duties of a Wife, he De|dicated the Book to his Father-in-law; and in the Epistle, af••er Solemn Thanks unto him for his bestowing on him, A most Excellent and Vertuous Wife, he adds, I have been the better Able to show, what a Good Wife should be, by fi••ding the full Duty of a Wife continually per|formed unto me▪ in my own House; most easily therefore might I set out a Picture of that (says ••e) which is hourly convers••nt before my Eyes. I cannot say that I am any further, but I have ••ause to render unto Heaven my daily and hearty Thanks, that I am thus far, advanta|ged for my Describing of A V••rtuous Wife; and if I thus Publish this Mercy of God un|to my self, the unworthiest of men, le•• Me nor be Censured as if my Freedom were a Folly▪ not only because those Eminent Persons ••••|••aens

and Paraeus have before me, in Print Celebrated each of them the Worth of his Vertuous Wife, but also because the Wise Man reckons it among the priviledges of a Vertu|ous Wife, in Prov. 31.28 Her Husband also, he Praiseth h••r.

IT was a great abuse which the Ancients who do••ed upon Virginity, put upon those words of the Apostle, in Rom. 8.8▪ Those that are in the Flesh cannot please God; when they supposed all Married Persons to be Those intend|ed. A Vertuous Wife is one that pleaseth God, as much as if she were cloistered up in the strictest and closest N••nnery; and there with yea, there-in she pleases a Vertuous Husband al|so; she studies to render her self a true Ma••••l, or Amiable person, in his Eyes; and a Right Evo••ias, or, One of a Good Savour to him. You shall now hear her Qualities.

I. As for her Love to her Husband, I may say, 'Tis even strong as Death, many Waters can|not quench it, neither can the Floods drown it. She can like, Sarah, Rebeckah, Rachel, freely leave all the Friends in the World for his com|pany; and she looks upon that cha••ge of God unto His Ministers, Teach the Y••ung Wom••n to Love their Husbands, as no less profi••able, than highly Reasonable. When she Reads, That Prince Edward in his Wars against the Turks, b••ing stabbed with a poisoned Knife, hi•• P••in|cess did suck the Poison out of his Woun••s, with her own Royal Mouth, she finds in her own Heart a principle disposing her to show her own Husband as great a Love. When she

Reads of a Woman called Merpine, who hav|ing her Husband Apoplex'd in all his Limbs, bore him on her Back a thousand and three Hundred English Miles to a Bath, for his Re|covery, she ••••ds her self not altogether un|willing to have done the Like. When she Reads of those famous Women, who after a ho•• Siege in the Castle of Winsberg, having ob|tained this Liberty f••om their Enraged Ene|mies, That they might thems••lves go out, and also take any one thing that they could carry with them, very bravely took up each one her Husband, and so delivered them; she Applauds the Ex|ample and world Follow it. And, when she Reads of that Generous Young Woman, Cla|ra Cerv••nta, who having for her Husband, on•• V••lda••••a, that prov'd full of most loath|some Dis••ases, yet she rended him with all the care and cost imaginable, and Sold her Jewels to maintain him; and at his Death, af|ter ten long years of Languishment, she Re|ply'd un••o her Friends who would rather have Congratulated her Deliverance, That she would fre••ly l••s•• the b••st of her Enjoyments, to purchase her D••ar Va••daura ag••••a! She resolves the I|mita••ion of such a Carriage, while she bestows an Admiration on it. He•• Aff••ctions were not at fi••st founded on the Estate or Beauty of her Husband; and therefore it These happen to be Consumer, Those do out-live their Funeral. T••s Her Piety towards the Commandment and Ordinance of God▪ that Inspires her Aff••ctions; and so ••hey do not grow Cold like a Smith's red hot B••r of Iron, whe•• taken out from the Fire of a misplaced Lust▪ When she addresses

him, wi••h such a Compellation, as, LOVE, her Heart goes with her Lip, and she means what she speaks.

II. But her Love to her Husband, will also admit, yea, and Produce the Fear of, A Cautious Diligence never to Displease him. T'was this which the Apostle Peter meant, when he Recommends unto the Women, A Chast Conversation Coupled with Fear; and Paul, when he requires of the woman, To Re|verence her Husband. While she looks upon him as, Her Guide, by the Constitution of God, she will not Scruple with Sarah, to call him, Her Lord; and though she do's not Fear his Blowes, yet she do's Fear his Frowns, being Loth in any way to Grieve him, or cause an Head-ake in the Family by Offe••ding him. She would have that famous D••cree of the Persians mentioned in the Sacred Bible, That all the Wives give to their Husbands Honour both to Great and Small, to be as a Law of the Persians, al••ogether, Vnalterable▪ In every Lawful thing, she submits her Will ••nd Sense▪ to his, where she cannot with Calm Reasons Convince him of, Inexpediencies; and instead of Grudging or Captions Contradiction, she acts as if there were but One Mind in Two Bodies. If her A|braham give ord••r, Make Ready quickly three Measures of Meal▪ or ••he like, 'tis as quickly done; If her Jacob say to her, I must have you go with me, she most readily yeelds unto him. When she is for Obeying him, In Om|nibus Licitis [i▪ e. in every Lawful thing] she do's not English it, as once the Gentle|woman did, as far as my List i••. If his Vn|reasonable

Humours happen to be such, that she must g••ve some Diversion to them, she Re|members that Rule, In her Tongue is the Law of Kindness; 'tis by the Kindness, the Swee••|ness, the Goodness of her Ex••••••ssi••ns, that she gives Law un••o him. If she speak of him, tis not in such Terms as the Harlot uses in Pro|verbs, The Man; but it is with all manner of Resp••ct: she will nor Blaze any Infirmity of his, nor will she Blast his Reputation; be|ing indeed Sensible that whatever Ignom••ny she cast upon him, it infallibly R••bounds and Redounds up••n her self: here she is a true Mil••a, that is, A Woman of Couns••l. If she speak to him, 'tis not with Talk••••ive and Un|handsome Interruptions, nor with any o••her mis-becoming I••solencies; though he be ne|ver so much, a Ch••••l yet she ••ver t••ea••s him with the Language of an Abigail. Though she be a Sarah, that is, a Mistress; yet she owns that she ha's, a Master; and like Sarah of Old, she will not so much as take in, or cast out a S••rvant, without Consulting Him; nor will she receive any Guests or G••ods into the House, unless, like the Sh••••amite, she may have her Husbands Approbation; and she will have at least some Implicit or General Consent of his, before she will Exercise any Secret Bounties wi••h his Possessions. His Anger will not cause her to Swallow a Reproof with dis|content, and his Fondness will not make her to forget the Honour that she Owes unto him. ••ndeed there is a Store of Michols in the World; Michol, is as much as to say, Who is▪ All (in the House) but She.? But let us

leave it unto such Michols alone, To despise their Husbands in their Hearts; God will punish them.

III. But her Fear of Displeasing her Hus|band, most remarkably appears in the Peace that she preserves with him; and her Antipa|thy to all Con••ention, un••ess it be That of, Pro|voking one another to Love and Good Works. A Susan she is, that is, A Lilly; but never, A Briar, to him; nor will she give him cause to call her, Barbara. She will have no such Passion towards her Husband as may make her worthy to be call'd, A Fury; but if he be himself in a Passion, she strives with the Soft Answers of Me••k••ess, to Mollify it first, and so to Overcome 〈◊〉〈◊〉: She is a true Rach••l, that is to say, A She••p under the greatest Exaspera|tions. A Reverend Person seeing once a Cou|ple that were very Cholerick, yet live most lovingly and peaceably together, demanded of them, Whence it was? and the man made him this Answer, Sir, When my Wife is in a Passion I yi••ld unto her; and when I am in a Passion, she yi••lds unto me; so that we never are in our passionate Fits together! The Good Wo|man will make it her Endeavour to attend the last part of this Contrivance, and will give small or no Occasion for the First. The Marriners count i•• Bodes w••ll to see Two Fire-Balls appearing in a Ship together; bu•• our Good Woman counts Two Fire Balls in an House together to B••de Ill as the worst of Omens; nor will she be a party to maintain a Civil War within the Walls of her Dwelling. She thinks that if there be nothing but Fire! Fire••••

in the House, 'tis a sign that God, Who is, The God of Peace, is not graciously present there; as the Jewish Rabbins have noted upon the Hebrew Names of Ish, an Husband, and Ishah, a Wife; out of which if you take the Two Letters which make the Name of Joh, there will remain only Esh, ••sh, that is, Fire! Fire! The old Heathen took the G••ll from the Nuptial Sacrifices, and threw i•• behind the Altar, to intimate, That all Bitterness is to be thrown away by all Married People; Mercury, or Good Language, is to stand by Venus And this Woman accordingly, puts a|way, ••ll Bitterness, Anger, Clamour, and Evil-Speaking; She is a Right Rebekah, which car|ries, The Blunting or ••indring of Contention, in the sign••fication of it; and a Right Shelomith, which is to say, A P••aceable One.

IV But she is for Plenty as well as Peace in her Houshold; and by her Thriftiness makes an Effectual and Sufficient Reply unto her Husband, when he do's ask her, as he m••st, Whether he shall Thrive or no? She is a Deborah, that is. A See, for her Dilige••ce and Industry in her ••ive. As on the one side she will have none in her H••use to Want, so on the other side, she will have all of them to Work; or as the Holy Spi••it of God Express••s it, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Looks will to the Wa••s of her Houshold, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Eats not the Bread of Idleness. H••r Husband Gains are so managed by her Houswifry an•• Providence, that he finds it his Advantag•• to let her keep the Keys of all; and sh•• will so Regulate all the Domestick Expen|ces, that he shall not complain of, Any Thing

Embezzled. Her very Fore-cast is as useful as much of her Husbands Business; and the Pen|nyes that she Saves do add unto the heaps of the Pounds that are Got by him. He has a rich Portion wi••h her, meerly in her Prudence; that is it which renders her a true Jerusha, or an Inheritance unto him. She i•• particularly care|ful, that she do not bear such a Sail of Gal|lantry, either in her Table, or her Appar••l,, or her Furniture, as may sink her Husband; nor will she be one of those Women, who (as one says) are now such Skilful Chymist••, that they quickly turn their Husbands Earth into Gold; only they pursue the Experiment too far, making that Gold too Volatile, and let it all Vapour away i•• I••significant, tho' Gaudy Trifles That Woman de••e••ves the Name of Dalilah, that is, Poverty; [unless you will venture upon so hard a Name as Jezabel, that is, A Wo to the House;] Whose Discretion shall not be better than a Dowry, to her Owner.

V. And this Thriftiness is accompany'd with such a Fid••lity to her Husband, as that she will not give a Lodging to the least straggling or wandring Th••ught of D••sloyalty to his Bed; lest by her par••ying with wicked Thoughts, the De|vil should insensibly Decoy her to the D••e••s which God will Judge She is a Dove, that will ••••oner Dy than leave her Mate; and her Hus|band is to her, The Covering of her Eyes, a•• such a ra••e, that she sees a Desirable••ess i•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which she will not allow her self to be|••old or suppose in any other; neither will she ••ook upon Another, any more than the W••fe of Tigranes, who af••er the Wedding of Cyr••••▪

whom every one did commend as the Rar•••••• Person in all the Company, being by her Husband ask••d, What she Thought of him? an|swered roundly, In truth I look'd at no Body there, but you, my Husband. A Wanton had as good ••at Fire, as go to Enkindle any False Fire ••r Fools••Fire in her holy Breast; she accounts Adul|tery to be as the Law of M••ses adjudged it, A Capital Crime; and if the Egyptians of old, cut off 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Nose of the Adulteress, Or, if the Athe|nians tore her in pieces with wild Horses, ra|ther had she undergo the Pain of such things than Commit the Crime. She is a Gertrude, or All true, in the Marriage Covenant. Yea, She will even Abstain from all ••ppearance of Evil; and as 'tis abominable unto her to Entertain the least groundless and causeless Jealousie of ••er Husband, or to Torture and Expose her own Soul by the uneasy Frenzy of uncharita|ble ••ur••••izes concerning him, so she will not give him the least opportunity to Think hardly of her self. She will not therefore be too much from Home, upon Concerns, that per|haps ••o him are Vnaccountable: but if ••he Angels do Enquire, where she is, he•• Husband may Reply, as once Abraham did, My Wife is in the Tent. Altho her Husband be not such an Egyptian as to deny her Shoes; yet her us••g•• of them is, as if like a Scythian, she had the Axle-tree of the Charriot which carr••ed her Home after her Wedding, burned at the Door; and she is willing to be painted as the Wive•• of the Ancients were, with a Snail under her Feet. She affects to be an Esther▪ that is, A•• ••idden One. But if a foolish and froward

Husband will wrong her, with unjust suspicio•••• of her Honesty, she will thence make a Devout Reflexion upon her Disloyalty to God; but at the same time very pat••ently vindica••e her In|nocency to man; and the more patiently because the Water of Jeal••••sie procure•• greater Blessings to those that have it Unrighteously and Abusive|ly ••mposed upon them.

VI. But her Fidelity is no where mor•• S••gnalized, than in her Sollicitude for the E|ternal Salvation of her Husband; O how U••••••lling she is that the Precious and Im|mortal Soul of her Poor Husband, should go from her Arms▪ to make his Bed among the Dragons of the Wilderness for ever! The Apo|stles Exclama••ion, What knowest thou, O Wife, but thou ma••st save thy Husband? is her ap|precation, O that I may! Chrysostoms, No•• upon it is, That the Wife is to Remind her H••sband of what was Delivered in the Churche Truly, though a Woman may not Speak in the Church, yet she may humbly Repeat unto her Husband at Home what the Minister Spoke i•• the Church, that may be Pertinent unto his Condition. Thus, every Pa••l may have, Wo|men that Labour with him in the Gospel. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Opportunities are those that a Woman ha's to bring over her Husband unto Real and Seri|ous Godliness, and a Good Woman, will use those Opportunities. An Esther, a Wi••••y Esther, what can't she do with the most haugh|ty Husband in the World? What may ••ot a Godly Domiti••, or a Godly Mo••ica do, for the Souls of their U••conver••ed Husbands? If her Husband be a Carnal, Prayerless, Grace|less

man, she will not leave off her Ingenious Perswasions, till it may be said of him, Behold, he Prayes! If her Husband be under the Power of any Temptation, she will do what she can to pr••vent his D••struction, as that fa|mous Woman did for the City of Abel▪ She would merit the Name of an Eunice, th••t is, A Good Conqueror, by Conquering of her H••sband unto the Liking of all that is Good. Instead of saying to him, Curse God? She pursues him with Loving, Winning, Unwearied Sol|licitations, to, Fear God, and, Serve God, and, Never be Weary of well doing. Instead of being a Dalilah, that shall Entangle him in the Cords of Death, she do's all she can to b•• a Priscilla, that shall more full•• acquaint him with the Things Pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

THIS is a Vertuous WIFE! And such ••n One she will be although her Husband should be very Disobliging to her; She Considers, Tis to the Lord▪ I Confess the Dif|ficulties that some Vnhappy Wives do meet withal, are such, that if they be not very Ver|tuous Wives▪ they cannot possibly Co••form to these Directions; but this I would say, Their being Vertuous is the most Likely way to pro|vide against their being Vnhappy. But if the Case of any such Wise should be so Remarkably Hard, That her Husband proceeds to abuse her with a Cudg••l, [an Hard Case indeed! tha•• a Bride-bash ever should have any Cudgels growing in it!] I know not what further. Advice to give her; Only THIS; Let the Candidness of her Behaviour ••e her 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a|gainst

the Assaults of such a Divel; and if That would further Help to lay s••ch a Fi••nd, I am Cont••nt she shou••d ••ead unto him, Not only the Laws of G••d and Man aga••nst that Barbarity, or the Opinion of Old Ca••o▪ That for a man to B••at his Wife was as bad as any Sacriledge; but also the Emphatical Words of the Blessed Ancients in the Church of God, Loudly Thundering against this Inh••manity; and Particularly Tho••e of the Renowned Chrys••sto••, which are to this Purpose; (if you will allow me, the Translating, of them)

••t is the H••ghest Ig••ominy, no•• of the Wife, but of the Ma••, for a Man to beat his Wife. But if thou hast an Husband that will do ••o, bear i•• patiently; and know thou shalt have Rewards hereaf••er for i••, as well as Praises here. As f••r You, M••n, Let me admonish you, that there is no ••ault so great, as may compel you to beat your Wives. Your Wives did I say? 'Tis a Dishonour for a Man to be|stow Blows upon his M••id; and much more upon his Wife — We might lea••n this from the L••w-giv••rs among the Gentiles, who take a W••fe away from the Man that has bea••en her, for indeed he is a Man unworthy of a Wife. Such a Man, if he may be call'd a Man, and not ••ather a B••••st, is to be count|ed as a Murderer of his Father or his Moth••r▪ If a Man must leave his Father and Mother for the s••ke of his Wife▪ by the Ordinance of God; what a ma•••• Wre••ch is he that shall ••buse her•• f••r whom his very Parents were to be fo••saken? Indeed there is not a simple Fr••nzy in this thing; an I••t••ll••rable Disgrace

do's also accompany it· At the Sighs and Cries of the Abused Wife, all the Neighbour|hood run to the Base Fellow's House, as for the Rescue of a Prey fallen into the Talo••s of a Wild Beas•• that had brok••n in. And such a Rascal were better Buried alive, than show his Head among his Neighbours any more.

See Hom••l. 26▪ in •• Ep ad Corinth.

But wishing all G••od Women, a Delive|rance from such Monsters of Husbands, we will suppose our Vertuous Wife, now grown a Mother; and see how she acquits her self.

The Vertuous MOTHER.

THE Apostle Wills, That the Younger Women, Marry, and B••ar Children; and as ••tis too soon for them t•• Bear Children till they Marry, so tis Ord••narily Expected, that they will Bear Children when they Marry. If a Vertuous Wife be Deny'd the Blessing of Children her Not Bearing is not a Trial that she can not Bear. She humbly, addresses ••he God of H••aven, like Ha••••ah, for that Gr••c••ous and Powerful Word of His whi••h makes Fruit|ful, as Rememb••ing, That C••ildren a••e an He|ritage of the Lord, and the Fruitful Womb is Hi•• R••ward; But she will not Imp••••••en••••y ••••ng, like R••c••el. Give me Children or 〈…〉〈…〉, Lest ••he Dy by her having of those Children. Much less, will she have so Little Wit as to suspect her own Eternal Happiness, because of her Natura•• Barrenness, like those mistaken little Women who have thus argued from that Scr••pture, She shall be saved i•• Child••bear|ing;

Very fine indeed! as if Child••bearing were no less a Condition in the Covenant of Grace, than Repenting and Bel••eving! But her Natur••l Barrenness is rather improv••d by her as an Occasion of her Eternal Happin••ss, by the Spiritual Fruitfulness whereto she is thereby Excited and Assisted; it causes her to be more Fruitful in all the good Works of Pi|ety and Charity; more Fruitful in her En|deavours otherwise to Serve her Generation after the Will of God; more Fruitful in all th••se things whereby, The Heavenly Father may be Glorified: and she will Consider with her self What Service for God, and His People, and my own Soul, have I now a Liesure for?

NEVERTHELESS if our Vertuous Woman become a Parent, we shall see what a V••rtuous Mother, she will approve her self.

I. She is no sooner sensible, that she has Conceiv••d, but she Presently and Solemnly, and Perhaps with Fasting as well as Prayer, ap|p••yes her self to the God of Heaven, That He would with His own Holy Spirit Fill and Shape what is in her; and that what is to be ••orn of her, may be, An Holy Thing▪ She accounts the Treasure now Lodged in her, to be of more Account than all the Riches of a Thousand India's; inasmuch as tis a Never-dying SOUL, by which the Almighty God may be forever Glorify'd. And as ••herefore she carefully avoids all that may prejudice the Formation of the Infant in her, so she l••ves in afore-hand with a due Earliness, and Ear|nestness, that the Infant may be, Sanct••fy••d in

the womb▪ She is not Inordinately set upon having an ••nfant of O••e S••x, more than a|nother; but her great Concern is that which a Big bellied Woman once recorded in a Le|gacy left Written as her Desire for her Un|born Infant, That she may be a Mother to one of Gods Children! Suppose it be a Daughter, wh••ch usually (and perhaps needlessly) is less long'd for; ye•• if it may•• be a Bethiah, that is, A Daughter of the Lord, or, a Diana, that is, A Daughter of God, she ha••s her Choice; and she▪ is freely willing that God should have the Proportioning of Sexes in the World▪

II▪ That she may be Sav••d in Child-bearing, she continues in Faith and Charity and Hol••ness, with Sobriety, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Months of her Time; and puts her Husband also upon the Exercise of those V••r••ues, that it may not only be [She] but [They] that so Continues. By Faith▪ she Relies upon the L••rd Jesus Christ, who was Born of a Woman, for the Salva••ion both of her Soul and of her Babe, if God should not permit her to out-live the Dangerous Agonies of her Travail; By Fai••h, she depend•• upon the Pow••r and Wisdom and G••odness of God, for her Seasonable Deliverance. Like S••••ah Judging hi•• Faithful•• who has promised Th•• B••rden which is in her, she do's ••y Faith, Transf••r into ••he Omnipotent Hands of that 〈◊〉〈◊〉, whose Invitation to her i••, Cast thy Bur|den on the Lord; and she s••arches ••he B••bl••, especially the Psalter, for Words to plead with the Lord upon this great Aff••ir: ••hat word particularly is a Support unto ••er▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉

41.10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; ••e|no•• Dismay'd, for I am thy God; I will streng|then thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will up|hold thee with the Right Hand of my Righteous|ness; and that word in Psal. 24▪ 22. and that in Psal. 37.5. and that in Psal. 42.11. and that in 1 Cor. 10.13. and that in 2 Cor. 12.9. and that in Heb. 13.5. And he•• Faith or Faithfulness to her Consort, is a•• the same time such as do's Adorn the Doctrine of God her Saviour. By Charity, she professes to the Lord Jesus Christ, Thou knowest that I Love thee; and she can say as that Martyr, who un|to the Persecutors that threatned they would bereave her of the Companion of her Life, answered, Christ is my Husband, you can't strip me of Him! By Charity she Loves the Brethren, and by suitable Kindnesses engages them that have an Interest in Heaven, to Pray for her Prosperity. The Sacred Fire of her Charity flames especially towards the Man of her De|sires, whom she Loves with a pure Heart fer|ve••tly; and this Charity helps her, To E••dure all things▪ H••r Holiness causes her to Dedicate all that she has as well as all that she is▪ unto the Service of God; her Holiness makes her ••••end her Time in much Devotion, and use all manner of Exactness and Watchfulness over all her Wayes; ••her Holiness disposes her to be Ready for whatever Event the Soveraign God may order for her; and so Ready, that she can without Amazement Lay by the Li••|••en wherein she would be▪ Laid out, in case like Rachel, she have such Hard Labour, that her Soul Depart. Her Sobriety renders her a

true Sophr••••ia, and causes her with Mode•••• to govern all her Speeches and Passions; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Temperance like Manoahs Wife, ••o forb••••r noxious Excesses in Eating or Drinking; and with Chastity to Mortify a••l ••nclinations unto whatever shall be Loose, Lewd, Lascivious. Being thus prepared for the Hour, when, The Anguish of bringing forth her Child is upon her, she is then ••ound Composing her self with Hope in God; and Resolving, Lord, A•• what Time I am afraid, I will put my Trust in thee! Indeed, the Blessed Sabina, crying out when she Travailed in Prison, and being asked, How she would Endure the Torments and Burnings which her Enemies had prepared for her? answered▪ I now bear the punishment of my Sin; I shall then suff••r Mart••rdom for my Saviour. But a preg|nant Christian will moderate her Complaints in the H••ur, when Pangs take•• hold on her, because, They have been brought by Sin, and because, There is a Saviour who thus came into the World.

III. When she is well Delivered, she is a true. Judith, or a Pra••sing O••e; O how is that Thankful Question immediately Working in her Breast. What shall I Render to the Lo•••• for all His B••••••f••ts! When she 〈◊〉〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉〈◊〉 strong Enough to Hear and Think, she 〈…〉〈…〉 The Hundred and Sixteenth Psalm, to be Rea•• unto her; and when she Contemplates what a•• Million of Mercies there are in the Birth of one Perfect Child, she would, if it were Pro|per, N••me every One, M••••etabel, that is, How Good is God! However, She now Devo•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Child unto God, saying with Hannah, I have ••ut it unto the Lord as long as it Lives; even, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Daughter sh••ll be a Bathsheba, that is, A Daughter of an Oath, to God, that so she may be a Bathsh••a that is, A Daughter of Sal|vation ••rom the Lord. And she desires the Baptism of it, no•• as the Formality of putting a Name upon it, nor as an Opportunity for Dressing and Showing of it, but that thus Com|ing into the B••nd of the Covenant, it may Pass under the Lords Tything Rod, as a Lamb set a part for Him. And how ardent are her Groans, as if she were even Travelling in Birth again, That her Child may be washed in the Laver of the New-Birth betimes!

IV. Her Care for the Bodies of her Chil|dren showes it self in her Nursing of them her self, if God have made her Able for it, and it Easy for her. She is not a Dame that shall S••orn to Nourish in the World, the Children who•• she ha's already Nourish'd in her Womb: if like Sarah, she be a Lady▪ yet she counts it no•• below her to be a Nurse. If God have granted her Bottles of Milk on her Breast, she thinks that her Children have a Claim unto them. It shall not be her Niceness, but ••er Necess••ty and Calamity, if she do not Suckle ••er own Off-Spring; and she will not from ••••oth and Pride, be so Unnatural as to give Cause for that Exclamation. The Sea-Monsters, draw out the Breast, they give suck to their Young ones; But the Daughter of my People, is be|come Cruel, like the Ostrich in the Wilderness, who is hardened against her Young ones, as though

they were not hers. Now having Nurs'd her Young ones, tis her next care, that they be well provided, as with such Conveniencies as belong to their present state, so with such Callings and Portions as may hereaf••er make them Serviceable in their Generation; and when they are grown Marriageable, her Dis|cretion and her Tenderness is yet more Emi|nently seen in her Matching of them.

V. But her Zeal for the Spirits of her Children, is that which does most Eat her up; O how concerned she is, that they may be Brought up in the Nurture and Admo••ition of the Lord! When She first Received her Children, she Imagined the Immortal God committing them to her charge, as the Princess of Egypt unto the Mother of Moses, Here, Take this Child, Nurse it for me, and I••le give thee thy Wages. Wherefore she becomes a Martha, that is, A Teacher, to them all. She begins with them while they are upon her K••e••s, and instructs them how to fall down in Prayer upon their own. She will not put them upon R••venge, by asking them To give her a ••low that she may Be•••• any thing that vexes them; but she fears they will soon Learn That, and every other Vice, without a Teacher. The First Li|quors that she puts into those Little Vessel•• are Histories and Sentences fetch'd from th•• Oracles of God, and Institutions, How to Pra•• ••n Secret unto their Heavenly Father. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then proceeds to make 'em Expert in some Orthodox Catechisms, and will have 'em Learn to Read and Write, as fast as ever they can

take it; and so she passes to the other parts of an Ingenious Educatio•• with them. She is, like another Bathsheba, always instilling into their Children, something that is Wise and Good; and she keeps up that Authority over them that they Fear as well as Love her; and they dare not Refuse what she shall Command. Unto her Instructio•• she also joyns an Inspection of them; so that she is very gravely Inquisitive into their Employments, their Companies, their Experiences: nor will she spare Correcti|ons, where their Miscarriages do call for the Rod; and she will not ov••rlay them with her Sinful Fondness, lest God make them Crosses to her, for her being afraid of Crossing them i•• their Exorbitancies. And besides the Exemple of all Vertue that she sets before them, she is frequently Praying with them, as well as for them, That they may be Saved. She pursues the Lord with such Cries for her Children as the Canaanit••ss used, Lord, Heal my Child, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 annoy'd by a Devil! and such as Monica used for Austin, upon which a great Person said un••o her, 'Tis impossi••le that a Child of so many Tears should ever perish! And she will carry 'em one after another alone into her Closet with her, wh••re she do's wrestle with God for them ••ll, pr••fessing, I will not let thee go, except ••••ou Bless them H••r Children being thus well ••rought ••p she will do as the Lady Cornelia did unto the Ladies who expected she would show them her Jewels, as they had shown her Theirs▪ ev••n Bring forth her well Educated Children as her Jewels.

VI. If she meets wi••h any Disasters 〈◊〉〈◊〉 her

Children, by her Patience and her Piety ••he ••••rns them into Benefits. 'Tis possible, her Children may Sin; but this causes her pre|sently to reflect upon the Errors of her own Heart and Life, and especially upon any De|••••ct in her Conduct unto them. So she is put up••n, The Repentance which is not to be Repented of! 'Tis also possible, her Children may Dy; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is not then like the overwhelmed Wo|men of Bethlehem, Weeping for their Children, and not willing to be Comforted, because they are not. ••nstead of saying like Jacob, All these things are against me, she ra••her says, like Jo|seph, God may mean it unto Good She do's not Roar like a Beast, and Howl, I cannot b••ar it; but she rather says, I can take any thing well at the Hands of God▪ She follows them to the Grave, as a very moderate Mourner, with Hopes, That God is carrying on the Everlasting Designs of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Grace in her Soul by these Dispensations; and with Hopes. That their Souls are gone to be, With Christ, which is by far the Best of all. She look'd upon her Children as meer Loans from God, which He may c••ll far, when He please; and she quietly submits, if God say, Give them up, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have had 〈◊〉〈◊〉 long enough! Of old, such as could not Encounter an Affliction patiently▪ were condemned therefore, To Wear Wom•••• Clothes; but the Clothes of our Good W••••man, will not be a Bar to her Bearing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 This Af••••ction patiently. She pa••ts with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Children in such Terms as Jerom on th•• Occasion directs his Friend unto; Lord▪ To ••ast ••ow taken from me the Children which 〈…〉〈…〉 firts Given to me; I do not complai•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉

thou dost now Receive them; I give Thanks that ever thou didst at fi••st b••stow them. She has al|ready pluck'd out a Right Eye, and cut off a Right Hand for God; and so she can readily part with another Limb, at a Call of Hi••. Yea, Tho' the Death were never so awfully Circumstanced, yet she says, The Will of the Lord be done! and she will not let one Sorrow swallow up the sense of a Thousand, a Milli|on Mercies; but she approves the Temper of that Good Woman, who having Two Children by a violent Stroke Taken from her, hand|somely took up the Third, and said, Blessed be God that has ••••ft me This! If they were Infant Children whereof she is Bereaved, she Assures her self, That the Lord is Their God, and so they can't be miserable; No, L••t me go to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (saith she) They shan't Return to me. If they were Ad••lt Ch••ldren, she Comforts her self. That they might have, The Root of the M••tter, in them, under whatever Clods of ••••••|riness or B••shfulness, i•• might have been Con|cealed; and that whatever suspicious Marks might h••ve been upon them, they might seek and find mercy, Between the Stirrup and the Ground 〈◊〉〈◊〉 she takes that Counsel, R••frain thy Voice from W••••••ing, and thine E••es from T••ars, for thy Work shall be Rewardedpunc;

THIS is the Vertuous MOTHER! And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is One that also counts her Servants to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 after a Sort her Children too; She, G••••des 〈◊〉〈◊〉 House, according to her O••fice prescribed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Apostle; So, that with a Motherly D••por••••ent, unto them, with an Obliging, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Reserved Carriage towards them, and with

a Charitable Regard un••o the Everlasting Welfare of their Souls, You may see her ac|quitting her self evermore as a Vertuous Mistress likewise in the Family. But there is Danger lest she become a Widow before she dy; if she do, let us now take notice of her Frame and M••in, in the Sorrowful Condition that is now come upon her.

The Vertuous WIDOW.

THE Vast Numbers of Poor Widows in Every Neighbourhood, make it very Suspicious, that our Vertuous Mother may at some time or other, tast the Sad, Sowre, Tear-ful Cup ••f Widow-hood▪ If This be the Portion of her Cup, We must suppose that she gives her Husband a D••cent Burial; that is, as on the One side, a Funeral that shall not be b••low his F••gure, so on the other side, a Funeral that shall not be ab••ve her Estate▪ and while she D••slikes the Expe••si••e Humors of Poland, where two or three Funerals com|ing One upon ano••her, are so Extravagantly Chargeable as to Ruine a whole Family; She nevertheless will give as Honourable a•• Enterment as ever she can to the Forsaken 〈…〉〈…〉 of the Soul which was dearer to her than the World.

CONCEIVING our Vertuous Woman to have her Widows Vail upon her, we may behold her demeaning her self as a most Vertuous Person in it.

I. Her Grief on the Death of her Hus|band, is Great and yet Wise, and as wisely

Great as Greatly Wise. Her Mourning is more like a still Rain, than a loud Storm; and in|stead of B••llowing Passions which usually Moul|der a way into a Total and the Coldest For|getfulness, faster than the Corpse of the Hus|band in the Grave, she ha's a Silent but a Lasting sorrow▪ and yet that sorrow Mode|ra••ed by a Filial Submission to the Hard of that Glorious God, before whom she Opens not her Mouth any more than Humbly to ••ay, Lord, Thou didst it. ••he will not by Intempe|rate Vexations and Afflictions of her self, make her self, like the Frantick Women in the E••st-Indi••s, which burn themselves to Death, in the Fire wherein they consume the Dead Bodies of their Husbands; but yet she calls her self, Marah, saying, The Lord ha's dealt bitter|ly with me▪

II. It is now her main study and solace to have an interest in that Promise, Isa. 54 5. Thy Maker is thy Husband. And therefore, like her whom the Apostle calls, A Widow indeed▪ she, Trusteth in God▪ and Continueth in Supplications and Prayers, Night and Day. She Considers her self as now more than ever be|longing to, The Family of God; with a per|sw••sion that He will Cer••ainly and Faithfully Provide for her. Hence also, The Time that she formerly spent in Conv••••sation with her Husband, she now spends in Supplication to, and Meditation on, her God; and by an Extraordinary Devotion, she seeks to find all that in the Alsufficient JESUS, which may R••pair the Absence of the b••st 〈◊〉〈◊〉 up|on Earth. She is an Elizabeth, or one to

whom the F••lness of God, in the Promise of God is enough.

Moreover, if she be Capable of it, she will now more Abound in all the Exercises of Charity towards her Needy Neighbours; whe|ther the have the Name of A••••ee or no, yet ac|cording to the Signification of it, She'l be, Noble••: and she will be an Helena, or an E|leanor which is to say as much as, Pittiful: her Visits, her Bounties, and her Succours to the Poor, are now increased rather than abated, with her New Leasure for them; and if she be a Person of Quality, she becomes yet more Excellent for This Quali••y▪ What is a Lady, in true and Old English, but a Loaf dian, that is, A Bread server? Or, One that will give Loafs of Bread unto the Ind••gent? She is both an Anna▪ a Widow which departs not from the Temple, but serves God with Fastings and Prayers Night and Day; and a Dorcas, a Widow full of Good Works and Al••s D••eds. Thus will she, to better purpose than once another Wo|man did, Explain the Riddle of Sampson, by finding, Honey in a Carcase: promoting the Life of her own Soul, by the Death of him whom she Loved as her own So••l. Much less will she ever venture to Do any thing unworthy the Char••ct••r and Relation of that Person (if he were a Worthy Person) whose Relict she is now become.

III. She reckons that she must now be Fa|ther as well as Mother to the Orphans with whom she is Left Entrusted; and their Fathers Be|loved Image on them, do's f••rther Augment,

ye••, Double her Care concerning them. While her Husband was Alive, she still acted as a Deputy Husband, for the maintaining of all good Orders in the House, when he was out of the way. And now her Husband is Deceas'd, she thinks that upon the S••t••ing of the S••n, the Moon is to Govern, and there shall not be o••e Prayer the less performed, or one Fault the more Indulged, among her poor Lambs, because he is gone. The Kin|dred, of her Expired Husband are also still Welcome and Grateful to her, upon his Ac|count. But she is now particularly more Sollici••ous than ever to Teach her Children how to obtain that Favour of God, When my Father is gone, the Lord shall take me up. Some Women have the Names of Men, a little altered, as Jaquet (from Jacoba) Jo|anna, Joan, Jane, Jennet▪ (all from John) Thomasin Philippa, Frances, H••nrietta, Antonia, J••lian, Dionysia, and the lik••; But all our Widows are put upon thus doing the Works of Men; may their God help them!

IV. She is not Forward and Hasty now to Take the Liberty, which the Scripture does Give unto Younger Widows; that is, to Marry. While she has one Eye Weeping for her De|parted Husband, she has not the other open to see, Who comes next? nor will she think an Ephesi••n Matron, a fit Copy for her. She counts it no ha••d Law, which even the Anci|ent Pagans kept with great Severity▪ That no Widow should Marry within Ten or Twelve Months after the Death of her Husband; and she won|ders

that any Christians ordinarily can, Marry sooner. If she had a Good Husband, his Me|mory has been so Embalmed with her, that ••he cannot presently make a Room in her Affecti|ons for ano••her. If she had a Bad Husband, the Cross felt so heavy, that she will be Slow to be Sure, that it been't Renew'd upon her▪ But if after a convenient stay she do Marry, it shall be, Only in the Lord, Unto a Man that shall be neither Heretical in his principles, nor Exorbitant in his practices; and unto one that may be proper f••r her. Wherefore also if she be very Old, She will not without spe|cial Causes, marry one that is very Young; suspecting that such a pretended Lover m••y Count Hers more than H••r, and that if there be too much (as perhaps a s••o•••• of Years) Inaequality in Age▪ i•• may otherwise Prove as Temptations▪ as it Looks indecent. Indeed Jerom ••ells us, of an Old man at Rome, who had Buried Twenty Wives, which he took one after the Death of t'other; and that he then took the Twenty first, who also had Buried Nineteen Husbands; but methinks, They were an, Vgly Couple. And the Woman where|of Baxtorf 〈…〉〈…〉 his Talm••dic Lexicon, that she Bu••ied Eleven Husbands, and had then an Epitaph of El••ven V••rs••s bestowed upon her self deserved sure the l••st stroke of her Epi|taph, which was to this purpose, A Woman fit to have No B•••• but a C••ld Grave.

V. When she is Match••d unto a Second Husband, whom she will never twit with any Reflecting and Uncomely Remembrances of her

First; She is more than Ordinarily Sollicitous to be, A Good Mother in Law, if she must be One at all; and so do her part for the Remov|ing of those Imputations, which Mothers in Law have generally Laboured under. She knowes that the way for her to have the Blessing of Heaven upon Her Children, is for her to make her self a Blessing to His; and Unkind|nesses to the Motherless Little Birds which now call her, Their D••m, will Certainly be Repay'd by the Just Revenges of God. She is there|fore so far from the partiality of that Mother-in law, who when her own Child hurt a Child of her Husbands by Throwing of a Stone, Whipped the Child that felt the Stone for standing in the Way of the Child▪ that s••••ng it; that she makes no Observable Difference between his Children and hers; unless it be This, That She Correct•• hers her self, and refers his to Him; and yet for her at any Time to inform her Husband of any Ill Manners in his Children, is a thing whereto she has an Av••rsi••n so Ex|tream, that she will never do it, unless upon Extream Nec••ssity. Indeed she Essayes to be such a Wife unto him, that she may no•• me|rit the Name which the Second Wife of Lamech had; N••mely, Zillah, or, but, A Shadow, of a Wife: much less would she be as the First of them was called, an A••ah, that is, An Af|flicter, to him.

VI. At Length Old Age comes upon her; and Prisca or Priscilla, that is, An Old Woman, is her Title; but by an, Hoary Head found in the Way of Righteousness, it is, that she now

Challenges the Honour of, A Saint, even from those Abusive Tongues, which use to traduce for, A Witch▪ Every Old Woman, whose Temper with her V••sage is not eminently Good. She thoroughly studies Every Particle of the Apostolical Charge, That the Aged Women, be in Behaviour, as becom••th Holiness; not make bates, not given to much Wine. Teachers of Good Things; That they may Teach the Young Women; and the nearer she comes to her End, the more Acquainted she is with, Him that is from the Beginning▪ She is not Impatient of being Esteemed, Old; and styled, Bilhah, that is, Fading; nor do's it Offend her, as once an English Queen, to be told, That Age hath Sprinkled its M••al upon her Head. But she keeps longing for the Day, when the Lord Jesus will send His Angels to fetch her unto the Regions of Everlasting Light and Life, and keeps Wishing, Oh Come, Lord Jesus! till she Arrive to be▪ Forever with the Lord.

THIS is a Vertuous WIDOW. God Grant that our Widows may not be Multi|ply'd; but for them that are GOD Grant that they may be thus Vertuous! That is i•• which will render them all, Joch••b••ds, which is, Most Glorious Ones.

I now Praise thee, O my God, for thy As|sisting my Endeavours to describe the Praises of the Vertuous Woman; and Rely upon thy Grace in thy Son, that these my Pour Labours may be Accepted and Succeeded among the Daughters of thy People. AMEN.

FINIS.