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Chapter 1 Europe in an Age of Conflict and Expansion

She was anointed with wisdom, as Abigail,' whois said to be of excellent understanding .... Suchwas her understanding as that she could readilyrecite fit texts of Scripture for any purpose andfind them out; and for harder places, by singularlabor she attained good skill herein ....She was anointed with true love, causing in

her plenty of good works; as in Dorcas," her Jovewas exceeding great both towards God and to-wards her neighbor. Of God, her love was so greatthat she burnt with the fire of earnest zeal for hisglory, stoutly (even beyond the strength of hersex) opposing sin and maintaining virtue in thosethat were about her .... For the love of God, shekept a continual watch over her ways, lest sheshould offend against his holy will; no child ismore afraid of offending the father or master thanshe of offending God. Because that, notwith-standing all watches, sin cannot altogether bekept out, she was not a little troubled for herfrailties and falls, being always glad when theLord took the matter into his own hands by chas-tising her with sickness; for then, and in healthtime also, she did much complain of her sins andforgetfulness for which it was necessary to becorrected ....Of her neighbor she had also a true love, not

in word but in deed. She had love of almsdeedswhich she plentifully performed to the poor ....From her youth up, the poor were nourished upwith her; their lives blessed her, for that theywere kept warm with her fleeces. Whilst shelived, the hungry could not go unfed, the nakedunclothed, the sick unvisited .... She showedlove by admonishing the disorderly, instructingthe ignorant, and exhorting the backward in re-ligion, by all means provoking to love and goodworks.

'One of the wives of King David (?1010-970 B.C.E.), thesecond king of Israel and the reputed author of many of thePsalms.'Dorcas, also known as Tabitha, was an early Christian con-vert mentioned in the New Testament Book of Acts. Shewas noted for her good works and charity.

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29She was anointed with humility, as Mary the

blessed mother of Christ who, being so highlygraced by God, yet acknowledgeth herself hishumble handmaiden .... She despised the or-naments of vanity, which other women so muchdelight in; her outward habit did show the in-ward lowliness and modesty of her mind. Shestrove against the sharpness of her narural dis-position, and by striving did attain a great mea-sure of meekness and gentleness ....She was anointed with due subjection to her

own husband, as Sarah," who reverenced her hus-band, whose example is most earnestly com-mended by St. Peter" to all wives .... promisingthat thus they become the daughters of Sarah,not being terrified with any fear. Wherefore,having this virtue also added, she was doubtlesswithout fear steadfast in the faith of her salvation.Unruly wives ... have such a mist or dark

cloud of black sins before their eyes as that theycannot see this salvation. They may have hopeindeed, but their hope is presumption, the endof which is damnation.Now as this elect servant of God was beauti-

fied with these graces in her health, so they re-mained in her without being dimmed in her lastsickness.For heavenly zeal, she gave a sure instance

hereof in the beginning of this sickness by com-manding her servants not to trouble her withany worldly affairs, for now she would wholly besettled to heaven. And indeed she lay in her sick-bed as in heaven, full of heavenly speeches andof heavenly comfort. Now all her practice waspraying, confessing of sins, singing Psalms, andgodly conference.For wisdom, when strength of body failed her,

this was s~rong yet in her even unto the end;

lThe wife of the biblical patriarch Abraham; she representsloyalty, hope, and God's promise to His people.4Peter was the most prominent of Jesus' disciples. The twoEpistles oJ1'erer in the New Testament are ascribed to him,although the attribution is quesrioned. The reference towives can be found in I Peter 3:16.