FOOTNOTES:
[256] Gal. 3. 28. Epheſ. 4. 15.16. Cant. 2. 10.—Cum ipſos cogitatis amantes, non virum & Fœminam, ſed verbum &c. Animam ſentiatis, oportet. Et ſi Chriſtum & Eccleſiam dixero, idem eſt, niſi quod Eccleſiæ nomine non vna Anima, ſed multarum vnitas, vel potius vnanimitas deſignatur. S. Bern. ſerm. 61. in Cant.
[257] Cant. 5. 5.
[258] Cant. 1. 5.
[259] Cant. 2. 2.
[260] Cant. 4. 12.
[261] Luk. 6. 26. Eccleſ. 15. 9.
[262] Eſay 28. 16. 30. 18. 40. 31. 64. 4. Heb. 10. 36, 37, 38. Hab. 2. 3, 4.
[263] 1 Cor. 4. 5.
[264] 1 Pet. 1. 7. Et nos ergò nō a nobis laudem exigamus, nec præripiamus iudicium Dei & præueniamus ſententiam iudicis, ſed ſuo Tempori, ſuo Iudici reſervemus. S. Ambros. in Luc. l. 8. c. 17. tom. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 5. Eccleſ. 11. 27.28.
[265] Nam ſi laudari antè Gubernator non poteſt quam in portum nauem deduxerit: quomodò laudabis Hominē priuſ quàm in ſtationem mortis ſucceſſerit? S. Ambr. de Bono Mort. c. 8. tom. 4. Meritò ergò differtur, vt ſequatur fœnerata eius Laudatio, cuius dilatio non dispendium; ſed incrementum eſt ... Et ideo laudatio eius non in exordio; ſed in fine eſt. Nemo enim niſi legitimè certauerit, coronabitur. Ideoq, ſapiens tibi dicit: Antè mortem non laudes hominem quemquam. Ratio. Quia in fine hominis nudantur opera eius. Id. Inſtit. Virg. c. 3. tom. 1.
2. Nor only becauſe actuall praiſe is in the lips of the praiſer, and ſo a wicked woman may be praiſed, and yet not be worthy of it, and a godly woman may be praiſe-worthy, and yet not haue it, whereas praiſe-worthineſſe is euer in the partie to be praiſed, and feweſt (you know) haue this worth; but many haue praiſe without it, therefore praiſe-worthineſſe is the Nobler Grace of the two, and conſequently beſt for a Woman to be worthy of praiſe, though ſhe be not praiſed for the preſent.
3. But one of the chiefeſt Reaſons is this; becauſe indeed all our earthly praiſe is Laudatur, that is, for the preſent; but continueth not. Is, but ſhall not be. Sometimes a godly woman is commended, and ſometimes ſhe is not. As S. Paul praiſed the Corinthians[268], Now I praiſe you Brethren, and by and by he ſaith: Shall I praiſe you in this? I praiſe you not: whereas This praiſe here promiſed ſo Is, that it ſhall be ſtill, and that cannot be in this Tranſitory world; but in Heauen, where Her praiſe that feareth the Lord for euer, endureth for euer: Laudabitur, She ſhall be praiſed.
III.
Of whom ſhee ſhal be praiſed.
The beſt Time then for commending Her is yet to come, and that from Him who can beſt doe it; But I muſt tell you firſt, this Time ſhould neuer come, could the ſcoffing Iſhmaels of our daies be heard railing vpon, ieſting at, belying and ſlandering Her and Him that feareth the Lord. It was euer their Deuilliſh propertie[269] with many diſgracefull cenſures to dimme the glory of the children of Light, ſpitefully to aggrauate their tender frailties, rather than to commend their vnreproueable Graces. So of old they ſcourged the Primitiue Chriſtians with their viperous, virulent tongues[270]; but as Saint Ierome thanks God that He was counted worthy to be hated of the world[271]; ſo ſhould euery good man and woman, not much trouble themſelues for the vniuſt cenſures and diſconceits of witleſſe and worthleſſe prophaneneſſe; but rather (as Paulinus[272] exhorts) haue more regard to their good name, leſt any ſparkle or appearance of euill truly proceed from them, whereby any flame of euill report may be kindled, and ſo to liue, that none may ſpeake euill of them without lying. For maugre the malice of all Senſualiſts, the Time will come, when euery man and woman that feareth God, ſhall haue praiſe of God[273], 1 Cor. 4. which is the beſt praiſe, when all is done[274], 2 Cor. 10. Yea (Beloued) that you may not count the Lord ſlacke concerning his promiſe[275], Saint Iames tells you, This comming of the Lord draweth neere[276]: Behold the Iudge ſtandeth at the doore, He is readie to iudge the Quicke and the Dead (ſaith Saint Peter[277]) readie to commend them, whom the world hath condemned; and to condemne them, whom worldlings haue commended: readie to reueale vnto the whole world the good workes of the godly, Honorifico pietatis testimonio, with an honourable approbation of their bleſſed godlineſſe; & alſo to reueale vnto the whole world the wicked Deeds of the vngodly, Manifesto impietatis vituperio, with a publike, and open, vncontrouleable Diſcommendation of their curſed wickedneſſe[278]: yea the Iudge is ready to turne Laudabitur into Laudatur, her praiſe worthineſſe that feareth Him for euer, into euerlaſting Praiſe; ſo that ſhould her Huſband and Children faile to praiſe Her, which yet they do not, for they commend Her in the 29. verſe of this Chapter, ſaying: Many daughters haue done vertuouſly; but thou excellest them all[279]: or ſhould the Godly ceaſe to praiſe Her, which they will neuer do either here or in Heauen[280]. Here Her remembrance is ſo ſweet in all their mouthes, that they ſay:[281] Let her Memory be bleſſed: Let her bones flouriſh out of her place; and Let the name of Her that was honoured be continued vpon her Children[282]: or ſhould Her owne workes giue ouer praiſing Her in the Gates, which they are forbidden to doe, verſ. 31. of this Chapter; yet God himſelfe will haue Her workes follow her to Heauen[283], and Accepting of her[284], and Them, by Chriſt Ieſus[285], Hee himſelfe will praiſe Her, that hath made Him Her Feare[286], Her praiſe[287], ſaying: Well done thou good and faithfull ſeruant, thou hast beene faithfull ouer a few things, I will make thee ruler ouer many things, Enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord[288]. Where it is beſt to leaue Her, euen with her Lord, taking more ioy (as a Schoole-man teacheth truly) in praiſing Him, than in contemplating her owne praiſe, in Glorifying God, than in her owne Glorification[289].
