sinners; and in Christ, whilst in the spirit of the world, walking after the flesh, and not after the Spirit, by which the true children of God are led. My friends, mind the Just Witness and Holy Principle in yourselves, that you may experimentally know more of the divine life; in which, and not in a multitude of vain repetitions, true and solid felicity eternally consists. IV. Nor is this reputation, wisdom, and virtue, only to be attributed to Men: there were Women also, in the Greek and Roman ages, that honoured their sex by great examples of meekness, prudence, and chastity : and which I do the rather mention, that the honour story yields to their virtuous conduct may raise an allowable emulation in those of their own sex, at least to equal the noble character given them by antiquity. I will begin with Sect. 77. PENELOPE, wife to Ulysses, a woman eminent for her beauty and quality, but more for her singular chastity. Her husband was absent from her twenty years; partly in service of his country, and partly in exile; and being believed to be dead, she was earnestly sought by divers lovers, and pressed by her parents to change her condition; but all the importunities of the one, or persuasions of the other, not prevailing, her lovers seemed to use a kind of violence, that where they could not entice, they would compel; to which she yielded, upon this condition; That they would not press her to marry, till she had ended the work she had in hand: which they granting, she undid by night what she wrought by day; and with that honest device she delayed their desire, till her worthy husband returned, whom she received, though in beggar's clothes, with an heart full of love and truth. A constancy that reproaches too many of the women of the times, who, without the excuse of such an absence, can violate their husbands beds. Her work shews the industry and employment, even of the women of great quality in those times; whilst those of the present age despise such honest labour, as mean and mechanical. Sect. 78. THEOXENA, a woman of great virtue, being in a place encompassed by the armies of the king of Macedonia, finding she could not escape their hands, rather than fall under the power of his soldiers to be defiled, chose to die: and therefore flying into the sea, delivered her life up in the waters; thereby choosing death, rather than save her life with the hazard of her virtue. Sect. 79. PANDORA and PROTOGENIA, two virtuous daughters of an Athenian king, seeing their country like to be over-run by its enemies, freely offered their lives in sacrifice, to appease the fury of their enemies, for the preservation of their country, • Sect. 80. HIPPARCHIA, a fair Macedonian virgin, noble of blood, as they term it, but more truly noble of mind, I cannot omit to mention; who entertained so earnest an affection for Crates, the Cynical philosopher, as well for his severe life as excellent discourse, that by no means could her relations nor suitors, by all their wealth, nobility and beauty dissuade her from being his companion: upon which strange resolution, they all betook themselves to Crates, beseeching him to shew him. self a true philosopher, in persuading her to desist : which he strongly endeavoured by many arguments: but not prevailing went his way, and brought all the little furniture of his house, and shewed her: This, saith he, is thy husband; that the furniture of thy house : consider on it, for thou canst not be mine, unless thou followest the same course of life: for, being rich above twenty talents, which is more than fifty thousand pounds, he neglected all, to follow a retired life: all which had so contrary an affect, that she immediately went to him, before them all, and said, I seek not the pomp and effeminacy of this world, but knowledge and virtue, Crates ; and choose a life of temperance, before a life of delicacies: for true satisfaction, thou knowest, is in the mind; and that pleasure is only worth seeking that lasts for ever. Thus was it, she became the constant companion both of his love and life, his friendship and his virtues; travelling with him from place to place, and performing the public exercises of instruction with Crates, wherever they came. She was a most violent enemy to all impiety, but especially to wanton men and women, and those whose garb and conversation shewed them devoted to vain pleasures and pastimes: effeminacy rendering the like persons not only unprofitable, but pernicious to the whole world. Which she as well made good by the example of her exceeding industry, temperance, and severity, as those are wont to do by their intemperance and folly: for ruin of health, estates, virtue, and loss of eternal happiness, have ever attended, and ever will attend, such earthly minds. Sect. 81. LUCRETIA, a most chaste Roman dame, • whose name and virtue is known by that tragedy that follows them. For Sextus, the son of Tarquin the Proud king of Rome, hearing it was her custom to work late in her chamber, did there attempt her, with his sword in his hand, vowing he would run her through: and put one of his servants in the posture of lying with her, on purpose to defame her, if she would not yield to his lusts. Having forced his wicked end, she sends for her father, then governor of Rome, her husband and her friends, to whom having revealed the matter, and with tears lamented her irreparable calamity, she slew herself in their presence; that it might not be said Lucretia out-lived her chastity, even when she could not defend it. I praise the virtue, not the act. But God soon avenged this, with other impieties upon that wicked family: for the people hearing what Sextus had done, whose flagitious life they equally hated with his father's tyranny, and their sense of both, aggravated by the reverence they conceived for the chaste and exemplary life of Lucretia, betook themselves to their arms; and headed by her father, her husband, Brutus and Valerius, they drove out that Tarquin family: in which action the hand of Brutus avenged the blood of Lucretia upon infamous Sextus, whom he slew in the battle. Sect. 82. CORNELIA, also a noble Roman matron, and sister to Scipio, was esteemed the most famous and honourable personage of her time, not more for the greatness of her birth, than her exceeding temperance. And history particularly mentions this, as one great instance of her virtue, for which she was so much admired, to wit, That she never was accustomed to wear rich apparel, but such apparel as was very plain and grave; rather making her children, whom her instructions and example had made virtuous, her greatest ornaments: a good pattern for the vain and wanton dames of the age. Sect. 83. PONTIA was another Roman dame, renowned for her singular modesty : for though Octavius attempted her with all imaginable allurements and persuasions, she chose rather to die by his cruelty than be polluted by his lust. So he took her life, that could not violate her chastity. Sect. 84. ARRIA, wife to Cecinna Pætus, is not less famous in story for the magnanimity she shewed, in being the companion of her husband's disgraces, who thrust herself into prison with him, that she might be his servant; and shewed him first by death to be revenged of the tyrant. Sect. 85. РоMPEIA PLAUTINA, wife to Julianus the emperor, commended for her compassion of the poor, used the power her virtue had given her with her husband, to put him upon all the just and tender things that became his charge, and to dissuade him from whatsoever seemed harsh to the people: particularly, she diverted him from a great tax his flatterers advised him to lay upon the people. Sect. 86. PLOTINA, the wife of Trajan, a woman, saith a certain author, adorned with piety, chastity, and all the virtues that a woman is capable of. There are two instances; one of her piety, the other of her chastity. The first is this: When her husband was proclaimed emperor, she mounted the Capitol after the choice; where, in a religious manner, she said, "Oh, that I may live under all this honour, with the same virtue and content that I enjoyed before I had it!" The second is this: Her husband being once exiled, she caused her hair to be cut short, as the men wore it, that with less notice and danger she might be the companion of his banishment. Sect. 87. РоMPEIA PAULINA, a Roman lady of youth and beauty, descended of the most noble families of Rome, fell in love with Seneca, for the excellency of his doctrine, and the gravity and purity of his manners. They married, and lived great examples together to both their sexes. So great was her value for her husband, and so little did she care to live when he was to die, that she chose to be the companion of his death as she had been of his life: and her veins were cut as well as his, whilst, she was the auditor of his excellent discourses; but Nero hearing of it, and fearing lest Paulina's death might bring him great reproach, because of her noble alliance in Rome, sent with all haste to have her wounds closed, and if it were possible to save her life: which, though as one half dead, was done, and she against her will lived; but always with a pale hue, and wan complexion of face, to tell how much of her life was gone with Seneca, her dearest friend, philosopher, and husband. Sect. 88. Thus may the voluptuous women of the times read their reproof in the character of a brave Heathen; and learn, that solid happiness consists in a neglect of wealth and greatness, and a contempt of all corporal pleasures, as more befitting beasts than immortal spirits: and which are loved by none but such, as not knowing the excellency of heavenly things, are |