servant for I am in trouble hear me speedily Draw nigh unto my soul v. 18. And thou Rev. 22.20 LORD JESV come yea come quickly My soul out of this Prison bring Psal 142.7 Sand. That I may praise thee O my King. I most humbly beseech thee O Lord mitigate and allay my pains and speedily place me with thee Luk. 22.42 Nevertheless not my will but thine be done Then she looking on the Lady her Mother said to her Dear Mother I now suffer the cruel wounds and pangs of Death AGAIN at another time when her violent pains seized her she cry'd out Pray to God for me my dear Friends pray assist me I am quite spent I am now a drinking the very dregs of the Cup of Affliction Upon which the Chaplain said to her Madam God deals now with you as he did once with his only begotten Son with whom he never was more pleased than when he lay under his deepest sufferings O answered she I do wholly submit my self to God's will. For when I am weak 2 Cor. 12.10 Phil. 4.13 then am I strong I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me NOW the Fits returning very thick upon her she cry'd to God O my good Lord How much do I suffer But it is thy will and it is mine too Grant I may suffer patiently 1 Pet. 2.20 for that it is acceptable with thee ' And I beseech thee O Lord set a watch before my mouth Psal 141.3 and keep the door of my lips that I may not speak unadvisedly with my tongue or murmur against thee For it is my earnest desire always to bless and love thee O my God. AFTER a little pause she turning to the Company said to them I pray God shorten your Agonies when any of you shall arrive at your latter End. And then again she called upon God in these words of David O thou Psal 57.1 Woodf on whom my soul for help relies Let my distress find pity in thine Eyes Mercy Psal 56.1 my God on me thy mercy shew And if thy pleasure does my need says now The sorrows of death compass me round about Psal 116.3 and the pains of Hell have got hold upon me I find trouble and heaviness Hide not thy self from me in the needful time of my distress Hearken unto me answer me and haste thee to help me O my God! I spread my complaint and make my trouble known unto thee Have mercy Lord on thy poor Hand-maid My heart fails and my soul faints within me All these Passages she rehears'd at several times in the midst of her terrible pains for she had not now breath to speak for a long time together AFTER this she sate up in her Bed and with a tone that would have made one think she was not the same person cry'd out Why art thou troubled soul Psal 42.11 Woodf and and restless grown As if forgetten through despair As if thy God had left his care And lower than indeed thou art cast down Trust in him still for thou his Name shalt praise And whom his absence has depress'd his sight shall raise Then the Lady her Mother saying to her Like as a Father pities his Children Psal 103.13 so the Lord pities them that fear him Aye dear Mother answer'd she your love is nothing in comparison of that my Saviour has for me I know my God loves me He speaks to his Hand-maid according to her heart and heaps his mercies upon me 2 Cor. 12.7 Onely lest I should be exalted above measure he has put this thorn in my flesh WHENEVER she had any intervals from pain she sate up in her Bed praising God for the relief and ease he gave her saying I will ever bless and love thee O my good God. And when her grief return'd she held her sides with her hands and excited her self to patience with these words Courage my Soul still bless thy God Courage my Soul still love thy God. Rom. 8.18 For the sufferings of this present World are not worthy to be compar'd with the glory which shall be revealed in us ' Though indeed my pain is very grievous And grief to th' Earth my soul so low does bend Psal 31.10 Woodf That scarce in sighs I can to Heav'n ascend Consum'd with care my soul and life decay And in my wasted flesh unwillingly do stay Now her violent pains returning upon her she cry'd out again I am quite spent O let me gather strength Psal 39.13 Sand. before I pass away and be no more O my God thy Correction is very severe yet will I Kiss the Rod wherewith thou chastisest me Whereupon the Chaplain said to her Heb. 12.8 If you were without chastisement then were you a Bastard and not a true born Child for you know v. 6. Whom the Lord loves he chastens and scourges every Child he receives To which she answer'd 'T is true Sir I am well perswaded of what you say Why My Saviour has suffer'd for me and if I suffer with him I shall reign with him also He had Vinegar and Gall given him to drink and was wounded to the very heart for me Lord cover me with thy Merits impute thy Righteousness to me and let those cruel pains thou enduredst upon the Cross for me make me forget my own As they gave her a little Wine to refresh her she took the Glass and said Mat. 26.29 The hour is coming when I shall drink it new in my Father's Kingdom IMMEDIATELY after this her pains seizing her again she cry'd Psal 42.7 All thy Waves and thy Billows are gone over me Which the Chaplain hearing said to her But Madam you don't add that the Waves of his Mercy and the Billows of his Grace have over-whelmed you also Aye reply'd she 't is very true the Grace and Mercies of my God are greater than all the Miseries I undergo Do you think continu'd the Chaplain who heard her still groan and complain of her being overborn with anguish your Heavenly Father is an gry with you and will let you sink under this temptation No answered she sitting up in her Bed No Sir I know that in all these things I am more than Conquerour through Him that loved me Rom. 8.37 and that as my miseries and troubles abound so his Grace and Comforts abound much more If the Daughter of Sion cries to them that pass by Lam. 1.12 Behold and see whether there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow Yet I will add Come and see whether ever any joy were like unto my joy But O how much sorrow and solace meet together Thou O my sweet Saviour Joh. 16.20 hast said Your sorrow shall be turned into joy Here the Chaplain saying to her Now Madam you experience what St. Paul affirms 2 Cor. 4.16 That though our outward man decay yet the inward man is renew'd day by
spare you to us Here she reply'd without giving the party leave to go on Mat. 26.39 Phil. 1.23 Not my will O Lord but thy will be done Nevertheless it is far better for me to depart and be with my Saviour But O my God Thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven And so proceeded to the end of the Lord's Prayer and afterwards rehearsed also the Apostles Creed Which having done she sate up in her Bed and looking on her Hands Gen. 3.19 Job 19.25 said This poor Body must return to its Dust. But I know that my Redeemer lives and that he shall stand at the latter day v. 26. And though after my skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my flesh shall I see God. 1 Cor. 15.53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal immortality v. 59. And then shall Death be swallowed up in Victory v. 55. O Death where is thy Victory Where is that Sting wherewith with thou wouldst piece me My Saviour has broken it After which she making a little pause did seem to fall asleep but presently turning her self towards the Lady her Mother with a chearful countenance said to her Dear Mother give me up to God again who thus long has lent me to you Whereupon the Lady her Mother lifting up her Eyes to Heaven with sighs and tears cry'd out O Heavenly Father into thy hands I commend both my self and this poor Child thou hast given me Make us I beseech thee partakers of thy holiness that we may be so of thy Happiness also THEN the Patient answer'd I know whom I have believed 2 Tim. 1.12 and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day And looking on the Lady her Mother with a tender look she said to her upon occasion of a Dream she had Dear Mother give me to drink again of your Consolations Whereto the Lady her Mother answer'd It is the Lord shall do that for you my Child Aye replied she yet have I received some by your means also Then the Lady her Mother went on and said Isal 12.13 With joy shall you draw water out of the Wells of Salvation To which the Patient answer'd Tea verily I am drinking already of those Waters springing up into eternal life and my Cup does overflow Lord break this Vessel of Earth that the Treasure may appear which thou bast laid up in it Take unto thee again the Breath wherewith thou bast animated this my poor Body THE next night after she dream'd that she saw two Lamps fasten'd to Heaven which gave a most glorious Light and that at last one of them was caught up and hid in Heaven Which Dream she having told the Lady her Mother the next Morning she said to her My dear Child thou Virgin of Israel Mystical Bride go to meet thy Bridegroom with thy Lamp full of that Oyl thy Saviour has given thee Then the Patient cry'd out Father Luk. 23.46 into thy hands I comment my Spirit Yea I am now going to the Wedding of the Lamb who has married me to himself in his tender mercies and I shall sit down at his Table with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven At which Conversation the Chaplain being present was going to conclude it with these words Well done Mat. 25.23 good and faithful Servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. But the Patient interrupting him cry'd out Oh! this Joy of the Lord is my joy adding That Mercy rejoyced against Judgement Jam. 2.13 in her behalf After this the Lady her Mother and one of her own Sisters who remain'd alone with her heard her most fervently pray to God and rehearse several Sentences of the 6.51 and 143. Psalms which she deliver'd either in Prose or Verse sometimes according to the Old and at other times according to the New Translation And thus applying her self to God with a Zeal beyond expression all her thoughts were now so rais'd that she felt such ravishing Joys as no Tongue can utter How happy am I repeated she often How surpassing is my Joy How can I express it It 's so great that is exceeds all comparison What thanks have I to return to my good God! You my dear Friends speaking to her Mother and Sister help me to ascribe the Glory due to his Name and to set forth his worthy Praise THE Lady her Mother seeing her in this happy condition call'd those in again who were gone out of the Room that they might be Witnesses of this her Joy and Consolation as they had been of her Sorrows She was at this time sitting up in her Bed with her hands joyned together and her Eyes lifted towards Heaven her looks being very lively and chearful and her countenance brisk though modest For the the space of six hours she spoke with a loud voice and did express much in few words using terms very emphatical to represent sometimes her Happiness and sometimes the Joy she was filled with interlacing her discourse with several Sentences both of the Old and New Testament which she utter'd so fast and fluently that it was impossible to remember them all and mixing her inspir'd thoughts with those written Dictates of the Holy Ghost sometimes made her address to our Lord for the Redemption he had vouchsafed to her and then again humbled her self before him At another time she congratulated her own happy state and lastly she return'd a thousand times her hearty thanks to God for the accúmulated favours she had receiv'd at his hand BESIDES She paraphrased several Chapters of the Holy Scripture as the 5th 8th and 12th of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans and the 17th of St. John's Gospel applying them to her self much after this manner My God there is now no condemnation to them that are in CHRIST JESUS I have therefore nothing to fear for I do with all my heart lay hold of his merits who is the Redeemer of the World. I am made free from the Law of Sin and Death which does no more at all affright me and I feel the Spirit of Eternal Life communicated to me by my Saviour Yea O my God I know I am one of thy Children since this thy Spirit so powerfully comforts me Arise my Soul and to th' Aimighty King Psal 104.35 Woodf Sprightly and chearful Hallelujabs sing Oh! how great is my happiness Rom. 8.15 who have not received the Spirit of Bondage but the Spirit of Adoption whereby I can call Him Father who is the Great God and Master of the World. Thou Holy Ghost shalt always bear witness to my Spirit that I am the Child of God and. Co-heir with Christ. Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his Judgments and his ways past finding out v. 36. For of him and through
was the lost Piece v. 9. Then a little while after this she with a loud voice cry'd out as one coming out of a deep Meditation Luk. 23.31 For if these things be done in the green tree what shall be done in the dry WHICH having said she now spoke no more to any body onely she once cried out O how much sorrow and joy how much grief and comfort do meet together in me and then lay down and fell into a slumber In which she had not long continu'd but the Pangs of Death came upon her she had vehement risings at her Stomach her Countenance was fallen sweat proceed from her Body in abundance the Ratling in her Throat increased and her Eyes grew dim and were distorted And being in this condition one of her Acquaintance by name Madam Herault touch'd her arm thinking she was a departing But she recover'd of this Fit and these Agonies being somewhat over her Eyes reassumed the same briskness and liveliness as before she rubbing them with both her hands to disperse the Clouds that had begun already to cover them Her Countenance also was restored to its former gaity and chearfulness and she was heard to make a Melody in singing the 84th Psalm How beauteous is the place where thou Patr. Thy presence Lord dost grant O how long t' approach thy Courts Impatient of restraint And so on THIS was a great surprize to many of them that were there and yet that was not all For after she had took a little breath and slumber'd as before a very little while she stirr'd up her self anew and began to sing the LXXXXII Psalm O what a pleasant task it is Patr. To praise the Lord above Morning and Evening to proclaim His faithfulness and love THUS far onely she went tuning it to the Treble of Claudin with all the Ornaments and Graces that could be And then falling again into the like slumber she remain'd in it as long as the first time after which she tun'd the LXXX Psalm whereof she sang these following Verses onely Thou Shepherd of thy ISRAEL Sandys That Flock-like leadest Joseph's Race Who 'twixt the Cherubims dost dwell O hear shew thy inlightning Face Exalt thy saving power before Manasseh Ephraim Benjamin O from Captivity restore And let thy beams upon us shine Great God of Battel wilt thou still Be angry and our Prayers despise Bread steep'd in tears our stomachs fill We drink the Rivers of our Eyes Our scoffing Neighbours fall at strife Among themselves to share our Right Great God restore the dead to life And comfort by thy quickning Light. AFTERWARDS being seized the fourth time with the Pangs of Death she so remain'd for the space of four hours and then being come to her self again she sang this Stanza Into thy hands Lord I commit My Spirit which is thy due Psal 31.5 Old Transl For why thou hast redeemed it O Lord my God most true THE Lady her Mother hearing her sing with so much strength said to her My dear Child since I have by God's Grace put the first word into thy mouth wherewith thou hast prais'd Him let me put in the last also I shall ever hear thee speak in this World And so she rehearsed these Verses God who my kind Preserver is I will for ever bless Psal 34.1 Patrick My tongue and lips shall be employ'd His Goodness to confess Which the Patient sang with a strong voice her Eyes being open and her looks smiling all the while Then her agonizing fit coming again upon her and the Lady her Mother not being able to see her expire bad her farewel with a most wonderful strength of mind Adieu said she dear Daughter 2 Sam. 12.23 adieu I shall go to thee but thou shalt not return to me We shall see one another again in that Blessed Day of the Resurrection of the Just And thereupon she withdrew and went and lay down upon her own Bed till her dying Daughter had given up her Soul into the hands of her Heavenly Father But above three hours after this the Chaplain Monsieur De Malnoe being desirous to see whether she had any sense left in her took her by the hand shook her arm and called to her to clinch his hand if she heard still and with that prickt her with a Straw but she gave no sign of life But as he was going out of the room her Body was re-animated on a sudden and sitting up again in her Bed she sang the second time Into thy hands Lord I commit My Spirit which is thy due For thy thou hast redeemed it O Lord my God most true THEN he drew near again and laying his Ear to her mouth heard her say to God Luk. 2.29 Lord now lettest thou shy servant depart in peace according to thy Word v. 30. For mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Which having utter'd she without stirring in the least breath'd forth three Sighs and so gave up the Ghost there being seen at the same time both in her Countenance and Eyes which remain'd half open a signal impression of Joy that shew'd her Soul had a taste of the Celestial Bliss even before the Bonds wherewith it was ty'd to the Body were wholly dissolv'd THE END Here follows the PRAYER Taken out of Mons Drelincourt's COMFORTS Against the Terrours of Death Which is mention'd in the 55th Page of this Book O GOD of all Flesh and Father of our Spirits I know that any Death of thy Beloved Ones is precious in thy sight and that whatsoever mine may be thou wilt take care of my Salvation I weighing every thing in the Balance of the Sanctuary do find it very little imports me whether my Life be taken away by a Disease or forc'd from me by Violence provided my Soul enter into thy Glory and be made Partaker of those unutterable Felicities that are with thee To me it must be all one whether my Lamp go out of it self or be blown out by any contrary wind so it be but kindled again at the Beams of the Sun of Righteousness and shine in the highest Heavens for evermore Whatsoever Death I die I shall be happy provided I die in the Lord and enter into that Eternal Rest from all my Labours O Lord thou knowest all thy works from everlasting Thou with one glance discoverest the deepest Abyss and seest to the very bottom of Eternity As thou hast precisely appointed the Hour of Death so hast thou been pleas'd also to determine the manner of it O Great and Living God! it is my Duty wholly to acquiesce in thy Adorable Providence and absolutely submit my self to thy wise Decrees But O my God my Heavenly Father if thou wilt vouchsafe me who am but dust and ashes the liberty of speaking to thee and permit thy Child to pour his / her heart 's desire into thy Fatherly Bosom I do with all the powers of my Soul humbly beseech