The Ornament of Women, Title page – Dedication 1
THE ORNAMENT of WOMEN. OR, A deſcription of the true excellency of Women. Delivered in a Sermon at the Funerall of M. ELIZABETH MACHELL, on Eaſter Munday being the 15. of April 1639. By Stephen Geree, MINISTER of Gods Word at Wonnerſh, neare Guildford in SURREY.
PROV. 12.4. A vertuous woman is a Crowne to her Husband.
Proijciamus ornamenta terrena ſi caelestia optamus Tertul. de Cult. Foemin.
LONDON, Printed by T. B. for L. F. and S. G. and are to be ſold at the Signe of the Brazen Serpent, in Pauls Church-Yard 1639.
TO the Right Honourable, Gerard LORD Angier Baron of LONGFORD all true Honour and happines both in this life, and that which is to come.
Right Honour:
IT was a tart and yet true cenſure of the Popes Clergie, Bonifac. Epiſc. In Triburenſi concil: Quando Sacerdotes habuimus aureos, … vaſis ligneis utebā tur, nuno eum ligneos ſacerdotes habemus, aureis vaſis utunturThat they had golden Chalices, but wooden Prieſts. The like may not unfitly bee affirmed of ſome women, who have golden garments, and guilded bodies, but woodden, or leaden ſoules. Ber. Epiſt. 113.For as St. Bernhard ſaid of ſome. Induuntur purpura & byſſo, & ſubinde conſcientia pannoſa iacet. They are clad with Purple and ſilke, but the conſcience in the meane while lies torne and tattered. Fulgent monilibus; ſed ſordent moribus, (ſaith the ſame Authour) they ſhine and make a brave ſhew with bracelets and Iewels, but are baſe and ſordid in their maners and conditions.
But it was farreotherwiſe with your Honours worthy kinſwomā, whoſe adorning was not outward in wearing of gold, or putting on of apparell, 1 Peter 3.3, 4.but the ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, which is much ſet by in the ſight of God. Therefore I have the rather preſumed to prefixe your Noble name to this diſcourſe of mine (how meane ſoever) hoping of Your Honours acceptance, in regard of the relation that it hath to that most worthy, & (in mine opinion) matchleſse Gentlewoman, of whoſe rare vertues, and ſingular graces Your Lordſhip hath often beene an eyewitneſſe, and admirer. So that I am aſſured you will thinke it no prejudice to Your High and profound ſtudies to caſt your eyes upon ſuch an heavenly body, and ſublimated ſoule, as ſhe was, but rather account it as a meanes to refine Your deepe contemplations, and make them aſcend above the Stars and al inferiour Orbs even into the third Heaven, 2 Cor. 12.2, 4. foreign.where the Apoſtle heard unſpeakeable words, which is not poſsible for man to utter, which all Arts and Sciences are ignorant of, ſave that which is called Ars artium, & Scientia ſcientiarum, to wit, Divinity.
For this bleſſed Gentlwoman was the mirrour of her time, conſidering her Age, and Parentage, and may bee a Patterne to Poſterity, both for admiration, and Imitation, Becauſe ſhe ſo ſeriouſly bent her beſt indeavours to the beſt things. For having once found that Pearle of greateſt price, Matth. 13. ver. 45, 46.ſhe was willing with the wiſe Merchant to part with all for the purchaſe of it, as being the only ornament of men and women, ſurmounting al other pearls and precious ſtones. She was able to diſcerne of thing; that differ, and did approve the things that are excellent, ſo that ſhe became, wiſer than the ancient, becauſe ſhee kept GODS precepts, Pſalm. 119.100.wherby ſhe was ripe for heaven, before others of her age, and quality, begin ſo much as ſeriouſly to ſet themſelves towards that holy place. She could not ſatisfie her ſelfe, as moſt doe, with that which went for Religion in Salvians time, Genus quod … sanctitatis, minus eſſe vitioſu. Salv. De Guber. lib. 3. pag. 88.when it was counted ſome kind of Sanctitie to bee leſſe ſinfull than others. Phil. 3.13, 14.But forgetting that which was behinde, and reaching out to that, which was before, ſhee preſſed toward the mark, for the high calling of GOD in Chriſt Ieſus.
Therefore I had two ſpeciall motives which induced mee to wenter this little labour into the light in this curious, and criticall age.
Firſt, To preſerve the happie memory of Your Lordſhips deare and well-deſerving Neece, who was worthie to be had in everlaſting remembrance.
Secondly, Your zeale hath provoked very many, 2 Cor. 9.2.That by her zealous and Heavenly Example J might (if it were poſsible) waken and quicken the dead, and drouzie hearts of men and women, who in the worſt things want the bridle, but in the beſt the ſpurre. J know that the beſt men or women, want warmth and heate in this old, and cold age of the world, therefore I thought ſo lively, and ſparkling a ſpirit as ſhee had, might bee of much force to make many, either bluſh for ſhame, or burne with zeale for the glory of God.
Thus Noble Lord having had often experience of Your rare humility and courteſie, as alſo of your approved piety and charity; I was willing by theſe lines to let the world know, how much J honor you, and your choyce learning, mixt with ſingular modeſty, and ingenuity, which is indeed true Nobility But being perſwaded that you had rather do things praiſworthy than read your own praiſes, Facere laudanda quā audire laudata maluiſſes.I. reſt, and humbly take leave, with all due reſpect and ſervice to your Noble ſelfe, and much honoured Lady, beſeeching the Almighty to drop downe his beſt bleſſing upon you both.
Your Honours to be commanded in Chriſt Ieſus. STEPH: GEREE.