FOOTNOTES:
[302] Pſal. 18. 23. Rom. 7. 21, 22, 23, 24.
[303] Pſal. 119. 6, 8. Act. 11. 23.
[304] Mic. 7. 18. 1 Ioh. 1. 9. Rom. 6. 14. Ez. 36. 25. 2 Cor. 12. 7, 9.
[305] Rom. 6. 4, 5, &c. Vis, inquam, illa Chriſti mortis nobis communicatur, vt per hāc Chriſtivim moriamur peccato, ſicut Chriſtus peccato ſemel mortitus eſt, id eſt, non vt peccatum nobis non imputitur, (id enim ad Iuſtiſicationem pertinct) ſed vt peccati vis iam non ſit in nobis efficax, immo verò contrà freti vi illâ Chriſti, cui per Spiritum Sanctum coniuncti ſumus, peccatum occidamus.—piſtiemò quia non ſatis eſt nō peccare; ſed etiam benè agere oportet, eadem vis illa Chriſti, quâ victor peccati et mortis in carne noſtrâ viuere cœpit Deo—nobiſcum communicata facit vt &c. Beza epiſt. Theolog. 45. p. 211.
This was the Life of this Elect Lady fearing the Lord, and therefore ſhe hath right and intereſt to all thoſe Honourable Attributes of Praiſe, which you heard euen now God himſelfe giue her in His owne words.
Bountie to the Poore.
But O my Soule what doſt thou? Why art thou yet afraid to come to her Death? as if while I held my peace and were buſied in Her Praiſes, Her Death could be deferred? Alâs it could not by all the Meanes that were vſed. For No man (ſaith the Preacher) hath power ouer the ſpirit to retaine the ſpirit[306]. Then ſpeake of her Death I muſt, and yet (to make vſe of S. Ierom's words in a like caſe) Quis poſſit ſiccis oculis Paulam narrare morientem[307]? Who can relate the Death of the Lady Frances Roberts without ſhedding ſome Teares of Compaſſion, of Deuotion, yea and of Compunction too[308]? Shee deſerues ſome Teares from vs (Beloued) as well as from the Poore, weeping now and ſhewing the Coats and garments which this Dorcas made for them, while ſhe was with them[309].
Thãkfulneſſe for Deliuerance from the Plague.
But to ſtop the current of them a little longer. Begin we with Gods mercifull preſeruation of Her in London from the noyſome Peſtilence; becauſe ſhe acknowledged it (as was meet) with humble Thankfulneſſe[310]. And then remember, that vpon Her returne home, being ſummoned by Sickneſſe, by and by ſhe ſet her Houſe in order, like Hezekiah; She ſpake to the Hearts of Her Children, Friends, and Seruants, that were then about Her (like Iacob) by putting them in remembrance of Her Departure and their Duties: She hungered and thirſted after the Body and Bloud of Her Deareſt Sauiour, which ſhee receiued with Due Examination[311] of Her Knowledge; Faith; Loue and Repentance, with reuerent Geſture, heartie Thankfulneſſe, deuout Attention, and very Fruitfully to the greater ſtrengthning and refreſhing of Her Soule then trauelling for the other Life.
