WHO FELL ASLEEP IN THE LORD, MAY 25, 1707, IN THE 79TH YEAR OF HER AGE.

BY HER SON,

[THE REV. MATTHEW HENRY.]

A

SERMO N,

&c.

PROVERBS, XXXI. 28.

Her children shall arise up, and call her blessed.

THIS is part of the just debt owing to the virtuous woman, that answers the characters laid down in the foregoing verses; and part of the reward promised and secured to her by him, who, in both worlds, is, and will be, the Rewarder of them that diligently seek and serve him.

It is indeed, enough to make them truly and eternally happy, that virtuous people are blessed of God; that the Lord Jesus is raised up in his gospel to bless them, will arise up at the great day to call them blessed,-come ye blessed of my Father; of him they are sure to be blessed. He that sows righteousness, has that sure reward; and those whom he blesseth they are blessed indeed; his pronouncing them happy makes them so. This is enough to engage us all to, and encourage us all in the study and practice of virtue and piety, that the praise of it, whether it be of men or no, is of God. If men should be unrighteous, yet God will not, to forget the work and labour of love, though men should put slights, God will put honours upon those that fear his

name.

Yet, ex abundanti, over and above, this is thrown in as the reward of virtue, that among men also ordinarily it hath its praise; all that are wise and good, to be sure are of God's mind, and will say as he saith, and praise those whom he praiseth; and even in the consciences of others too, it is many times powerfully made manifest. If there be any virtue, saith the apostle, if there be any praise, which intimates that virtue is a praise, not Philippians, iv. 8.

only praiseworthy, and the real praise of those who wear that crown, but is attended with the praises of others who praise it, and praise God for it. What is heaven, but holiness in honour, grace crowned with glory? shining in the perfection of lustre to the blessed inhabitants of the upper world; and such praise as a dark and weak capacity is able to give in this distant and imperfect state is made likewise to attend virtue, and is one of the present recompences of obedience in obedience. In keeping of them there is this great reward.

It follows here, verse 30,-A woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised; which is (1.) a promise to those who are virtuous, that they shall have not only the comfort of it in their own bosoms, living and dying, but the credit of it also among their relations, friends, and neighbours, of whom they shall be had in honour, both present and absent. (2.) It is a precept to those that are about them, that they give them the praise of it. That of Solomon the Jews read as a precept, Proverbs, x. 7. Let the memory of the just be blessed; and, therefore, when they make mention of any eminent saint, they add, Sit memoria ejus benedicta, Let his memory be blessed. We call the burying of our dead friends, the last office of our love to them, but it is not so, there is a further office of love owing to them, a debt to their memories, which we must always be paying, and must not, while we live, think ourselves discharged from.

Though we must not make the praise of men our chief end, far be it from us to do so. If we seek honour from men, we implicitly slight that which comes from God, as not sufficient to reward our services, and balance our losses; yet in order and subordination to the glory of God, we must have Matthew, v. 16. an eye to our reputation with men. Let your light so shine before men, in a good conversation, which is both pleasing and guiding as the light, that they may not only hear your good words, but see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven, from whom proceeds every grace, and every good and perfect gift, and who, therefore, is the Father of all those lights. Not that they may see your good works and glorify you; you must expect to be abased and vilified, and not seek your own glory; but see your good works, and glorify your Father, and that from him all your glory may result and be reflected.

James, i. 17.

We are to value things as they are rated in God's books, and there we are told that a good name is better, Ecclesiastes, vii. 1. not only than precious ointment, but than great Proverbs, xxii. 1. riches, not only than all the pleasures, but than all the profits of this world. A good name* is a name for

Be careful to walk so that you may get and keep a good name, but not by unlawful means, Gen. xi. 4. Many discommend themselves to draw on others' com