FOOTNOTES:

[315] Vitemus ergò aut temperemus iracūdiam: ne ſit eius aut in Laudibus exceptio, aut in vitijs exaggeratio. S. Ambr. Off. lib. 1. cap. 21.

[316] Iam. 1. 20. Pſalm. 4. 4.

[317] Epheſ. 4. 26. Vel certè ſic: Si iraſcimini, vobis iraſcimini, quia commoti eſtis, & non peccabitis. Qui enim ſibi iraſcitur, quia citò cōmotus eſt, deſinit iraſci alteri. Id. ibid.

[318] Ezek. 18. 13, 30.

[319] —Si quem viderimus pauperē moriturum, ſumptu iuvemus, & dicat vnuſquiſq, noſtrûm: Benedictio morituri in me veniat: Si quē viderimus debilem, non deſeramus, ſi quem in extremis poſitum, non relinquam^s. S. Ambroſ. de Bono Mort. cap. 8. tom. 4.

Deuotion at Her Death.

Let vs then, not yet, leaue this Departing Saint. For in the midſt of this her Agonie, after ſhee had layen groaning many houres without any articulate or diſtinct ſpeech, yet vpon triall made of Her ſenſe and memory by demanding of Her, whether ſhe would haue prayers made for Her, ſhe anſwered plainly: With all my heart, pray, pray. And then as Gregory Nazianzen[320] reports of his Father, that though He was daily, yea hourely, in great paine before his Death, yet He was euer ſtill and quiet from paine, onely while Diuine Seruice was ſaying; ſo this Deuout Lady forgetting (as it were) Her former Groanings, did liſten attentiuely to the prayers that were made for Her, without fetching ſo much as one ſob during that time. And afterwards rehearſing diſtinctly part of the Lords Prayer, you might heare Her, when S. Stephens Viſion and laſt words [321] were read vnto Her, repeat very often theſe laſt words of Her Sauiour [322]: O Heauenly Father into thy hands I commend my ſpirit. Thus on a ſudden I haue told you how ſhe Dyed in the Lord[323], and is with Chriſt[324].

And though we ſaw her afterwards mouing her lips; but heard not her Voice, no more than they that were at Saint Ambroſes Death did heare his Voice; but only ſaw his lips moue [325]; yet we muſt not thinke The Spirit of ſtrength[326], of Prayer and Grace[327], is then onely ſtrong, when we heare a Dying Saint pray, becauſe Chriſts Spirit cries in Gods Children, Abba, Father[328], with Vnutterable Groanings [329] which we cannot heare, and therefore I doubt not, but this Elect Lady cried loudeſt in Gods eares, when we heard not her words; and why may we not thinke now, our ſinnes hindered vs from hearing them? I am ſure, heretofore ſhe hath ſpoken againe and againe many Heart-piercing ſpeeches to deterre from Sinne, and to allure to Holineſſe of Life. If ſhe be not hearkened to now, henceforth wee ſhall heare Her ſpeake no more. I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and the Elect Angells:[330] you (I ſay) I charge whomſoeuer ſhee hath iuſtly reproued for any Sin, that you forſake thoſe Sins; and whomſoeuer ſhe hath zealouſly exhorted to holy Duties, that you performe thoſe holy Duties, for henceforth you ſhall heare Her ſpeake no more.