will rather open my sin before him in a most humble confession of it and pray that he will increase in me the Grace of true Repentance yea let him wear out this body with sorrow it matters not so he give to me a broken and a contrite Heart which is a sacrifice acceptable to himself As for my part I do most willingly offer up my self Accept O Lord this imperfect Sacrifice and supply the defects thereof by the perfect Righteousness of that great high Priest who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unto God without Spot Let me be accepted as a living Sacrifice holy and well-pleasing unto God which is our reasonable service Crucifie O Lord this old man that the body of sin may be utterly destroyed and I may rise again unto a new life The wages of Sin is death bu◠Rom. 6. ult the Gift of God is Eterna◠life by Jesus Christ our Lord Then repeating the word Gift he added It is meer Grace not of Works but of him that calleth Who shall la◠Rom. 8. 33. any thing to the charge of God elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth I◠is Christ that dyed yea rathe◠that is risen again who is eve◠at the right hand of God wh◠also maketh intercession for us Then after a little interruption of his discourse by a shor◠sleep he thus proceeded I am God's and he wil◠save me he hath honoure◠me with an holy Calling and hath not suffered his gif◠to be altogether useless in me as to the Edification of hi◠Church As to my self I can most truly affirm that I have not served him for filthy Lucre but with a sincere heart and that I was my self first perswaded of the truth of the Gospel and experienced the efficacy thereof before I preached it to others I tasted the good Word of God which by it's power pierceth even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Thou hast known my heart O Eternal God! thou knowest that I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ but have esteemed it my only honour to serve thee and that I have delighted my self in the pleasure of obeying thy will Such was thy goodness unto me I truly and humbly acknowledge that whatsoever good was in me flowed from thy Grace bu◠my defects ought to be ascribed to my inbred Corruption Alas I acknowledg◠this with humble and serious repentance how oft hav◠I sinned in so holy a Charge not only by omitting man◠things which I ought to hav◠done but also by doing many things amiss How of have I offended through negligence and slackness Long since had I been cast off wer◠it not that I had to do wit◠so good a Lord who hat◠born with me and hath bee◠so gracious to me as no◠to exact a severe account o◠my Words and Works Alas O Lord my God! Enter no◠into Judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Let me be found not having mine own Righteousness but the Righteousness of thy Son for the sake of which I beg thy favour Pardon O my God Pardon the Iniquity of thy Servant who is devoted to thy Fear I refuse not thy discipline I know it is necessary only this I earnestly beg that it may turn to my Salvation Chasten me O Lord but in measure lest thou bring me to nothing Let not my tryal exceed my strength lest I Sin through Impatience and become a Scandal to those I should edifie O let me never break out into a murmuring complaint O how light is this chastisement if compared with my fault What are these temporal pains in comparison with those Eternal torments from which I am redeemed by him that poured out hi◠Soul upon the Cross for me For Me This is the languag◠of Faith which makes a particular application of General Promises This is a faithful saying and worthy of a◠1 Tim. 1. 15. acceptation That Jesus Chris◠came into the World to sav◠sinners of whom I am Chief Lord I believe help tho◠mine unbelief Turn tho◠me and I shall be turned indeed Seal all thy Promise in my Soul Cause in the inmost of my heart a lively perception of those sweet word◠My Son be of good comfor◠thy sins are forgiven the◠With such holy Meditatio◠and speeches as these was th◠Thursday night passed over § 7. On Friday morning Dec. 30. Mrs. Rivet his Wife put him in mind of sending one to the Hague for his Son By all means said he that ought to have been done sooner and then gave order himself concerning it About Nine of the Clock he was visited by Renessius a Doctor of Divinity and Pastor of a Dutch Church who in the Latine Tongue saluted him after this manner Most excellent man how do you To whom he answered in the same Language I am yet strong neither doth my Speech fail me but that passage in my bowels is not yet opened and unless that be opened I see I must make my passage another way even that which the Eternal God hath set before me from my Infancy I should be the most ungratefull of men if I should not acknowledge the mercy of God towards me who hath so wonderfully preserved me even from my Cradle Then rehearsing his deliverance from a very dangerous * Viz. A fall whereby his life was in graet hazard accident that befell him in his Infancy through the negligence of the Maid he added From that time my Mothe◠consecrated me unto God and he abundantly blessed me all my life-time and the whole Family And therefore I place all my hope in the goodness of God being ready either to live or to dye I have alwayes thought tha◠either this disease would be my death or else the Stone for I have scarce ever been afflicted with any other distemper I pray you to testifie unto all men that I dye in that Faith and Doctrine which I have alwayes delivered both in Preaching and Writing And if perhaps in some things I have erred I pray God that he will make perfect all my Imperfections The rest of the day was filled up with the Visits of Friends for he would have none hindred from coming to him Let all that will saith he have access to visit me I ought to give an Example of dying to other men With such sayings as these he filled the by standers both with Consolation and with Wonder while he thus proceeded Come see a man who is an Example of the Great Mercy of God What shall I render unto him All his Benefits overwhelm me He hath so disposed my Life that in my whole Course I have had an healthful Body he hath heaped upon me both temporal and spiritual Blessings And now before I am rendred feeble or morose thro' Old age he comes unto me and prevents me he both
of my Race I go on I gather new Strength I touch the Prize I take hold of Eternal Life This body fainteth this Tabernacle is destroyed But there is reserved for me an house in the Heavens not made with hands There is reserved for me in the Heavens an incorruptible Inheritance that can neither be defiled nor fade away About Midnight his pains increased exceedingly which caused him to break forth into bitter cries calling upon God for his help Come Lord Jesus Come I can bear no more yet is not my patience lost but the desire of my Soul towards thee is like that of the dry and thirsty Ground As the Hart panteth for the brooks of water so pantetli my Soul for thee O God! O when shall I come and appear before God! My Strength fails me more and more but my Soul is strong and joyful Presently upon this he fell into a great fainting which Physitians call Lipothymia on which occasion Mr. Martin Lydius a Dutch Minister was instantly called in He was one that Dr. Rivet had a great affection for and he was daily with him during his sickness And therefore what passed between them two we will set down in Lydius his own words which are as follow § 34. This Reverend Father in Christ required that I should be often called to him in the time of his sickness having formerly been his Scholar at Leyden When I came first to him he exhorted me with sweet words to proceed as I had begun saying that it greatly rejoyced him to understand the Affection which the Church at Breda had for me Wherefore I pray thee said he Give me thy hand Go on to adorn the service thou hast undertaken Then he uttered an excellent Confession of his Faith with a strong Voice in which he shewed on what stayes the Protestant Religion which he had hitherto propagated both by Preaching and Writing leaned for the obtaining of that Consolation both in life and death which the miserable Papists cannot have And when I recited some select places of Scripture to him out of the Old or New Testament he would rehearse them again either in Hebrew or Greek I said that I doubted not but with Stephen the Protomartyr he did already see Heaven opened c. To which he replyed with a chearful Countenance and Voice O I have seen that a good while I excused my self that I could not pray to God with him because I was a stranger to the French Tongue and the by-standers understood not the Latine Tongue but he said Pray in that Tongue which both thee and I understand which when I had done and prayers were ended he gave me thanks saying The Spirit of God hath spoken by thy mouth and thou hast exceedingly strengthened me I desire thou wilt alwayes remember me in publick prayers in the Church The next day being exceedingly ill he commanded that none should be admitted to him But when Mrs. Moline heard my Voice she brought me to the bed-side and he received me with a chearful Countenance I am glad said he that thou art come I told him the present time required that he should cast all his cares upon God and be no more solicitous about any thing He answered Yea truly There is nothing that I am any more Solicitous about I only desire the coming of my Saviour yea his speedy coming that I may be loosed from this body of Sin and be with Christ who is gain unto me both in life and death I embrace Christ by Faith I am eve◠pressed down but I am i◠the hand of my Shepherd I embrace my Saviour Jesus Christ and do now wholly pant after my God When he had spoken these and other things of like nature I bid him Farewel but he again desired me to pray with him which being done with a sigh he said O how sweet is this When the fatal day was come about two a Clock in the Morning he would have me called and when I drew near to his bed he took hold of my hand to whom I said Yet a little while and he that shall come will come He answered And why doth he not come And immediately added Yea he is come already This I Testifie Martinus Lydius Preacher at Breda § 35. About three of the Saturday Jan. 7. Clock in the Morning his Wife came near to him and beholding in his Countenance the Image of death she chearfully said Farewel my dear Go rejoycing into eternal life Thou sayest true said he I go unto my God and your God We are all Gainers Amen! Amen Farewel my Son Farewel my dear Niece Fear not I have prayed for you Ye shal◠be happy Persevere to th◠end that none get away your Crown I go before you and ye shall follow me you have no cause to doubt of it We shall be caught up together to meet the Lord i◠the Air and so we shall fo◠ever be with the Lord I have no more to say or do I am ready I am prepared Come Lord Jesus Come receive thy Creature I aspire I hope I knock at the Gate Open O Lord Open unto thy poor Servant His Oppression was manifestly discerned to increase upon him and also a mortal Sopor or drowsiness and Rotling came upon him The Chamber was filled with company but most were of the mind it was not meet to weary him any longer with discourse seeing nothing could be added to that abundant Testimony of his Faith which they had already Therefore about five in the Morning they all departed except Mr. Lydius who silently waited the last season of praying to God for him when he should be drawing his last breath But when it was past eight of the Clock and he discerned but little change and found his Pulse much the same he thought he might abide in that Agony untill Evening therefore he departed promising to return as soon as they should send for him Only those of his own house remained with him who feared to molest him by speaking and were also uncertain whether he could speak or not because of his extream oppression and his lying with his Mouth open Friends at length prevailed with his Wife to withdraw from the sight of his last Agony and only his Son and Niece stood by the Bed expecting his last breath yet neither did they think that had been so near as it was About half an hour after Eight the Colour of his Face was wholly changed and Convulsive motions came on Then his Niece asked him if he yet had his understanding Alas said he speak as complaining of their silence Then said she I pray you do you still feel the sence of inward Joy To which he replyed intelligibly enough Yea My Confidence is firm in me Then making a sign That he would be raised a little His Son and his Niece on each side enfolding their arms about him lifted him higher Then fixing his eyes a while upon them he said Help me
little pause and breathing he renewed his prayer in these words Christ Jesus save me which were the last he uttered and then sweetly breathed forth his pious Soul into the bosom of his Redeemer He changed this Life for an Heavenly on the first day of December in the year 1531. And as Mr. Rollock professed upon his death-bed that he had laid up nothing of this World in his Life so it is observed of this good man That he made no Will because he had nothing to dispose of So far were these first Reformers from seeking great things for themselves Riches profit not in the day of wrath but Righteousness delivereth from death Pro. 11. 4. To be rich towards God to have Luk. 12. 21 an Heart filled with Grace and Spiritual Comfort and the testimony 2 Cor. 1. 12 of a good Conscience that with simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the World will prove the best portion when we come to dye and afford such ease to us upon a sick bed as all the Treasure under Heaven cannot procure the like § 11. The Jewish Writers from that Passage of the Psalmist Psa 41. 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness have a Proverbial saying in Tract Nedar to this sence Majestas divina sedet ad caput lecti aegrotantis i. e. The divine Majesty sitteth or abideth at the sick mans beds-head His sick bed is turned into a Sanctuary by the Gracious presence of God with him This we have seen verified in the former Examples and shall yet meet with a further Confirmation of in the experience of Joachimus Curaeus Curaeus a Learned and Pious Doctor of Physick in Germany and a Zealous Protestant who finished his course in the year 1573. being the Forty first currant of his age He was a person that esteemed Religion to be his greatest concern while he lived and continually exercised himself in a diligent and serious practice thereof And as he would by no means be diverted from working out his own Salvation with fear and trembling by fervent Prayer and all manner of Holy Conversation in the World so it pleased God when he called him out of the World to afford him such an abundant Enjoyment and sence of his love in Christ as carryed him through the Agonies of death with a more than ordinary Triumph and rejoycing In his last hours it was most convincingly manifest that Christ had given unto him a large draught of that water of Life which was in him a well of water springing up unto Eternal Life from which blessed Fountain he poured forth abundant Consolations to all that were with him in that Conflict if so happy a departure and so sweet a sleep as death was made to him may yet be called a Conflict When he found his sickness had prevailed over Nature so far as that his dissolution must needs be hastning on he wholly applyed himself to ardent Prayers and Supplications unto God making use of that exercise for the ease and support of his Soul in sickness which had been his delight and Comfort in his health And several times in one day causing his his Wife and Children to come to him he did with an inexpressible Zeal and Affection exhort them to Piety and Virtue and then in a solemn manner recommended both them and his last charge to them to the blessing of God who in this also heard the Prayers of his Servant and raised up two of his Sons after him to be eminent examples both of Piety Virtue and Learning in their Generation thereby making good his word That the Generation of the upright shall be blessed § 12. Being taken away in the midst of his years at that age which was the ripest for Service he would often repeat the mournful complaint of Hezekiah I have cut off like a Weaver my life c But then his perfect acquiescence in the will of God and rejoycing in his Salvation was as frequently exprest in the following words which are some of those holy sayings which plentifully issued from his pure Heart in this last sickness viz. I am broken O Lord but it satisfies me that thy hand hath done this not the Devil The Body indeed suffers because of Sin but thou Comfortest my Soul with a most sure Hope and expectation of eternal Life I believe O Lord I believe but do thou help mine unbelief I have received a Message of death but I will wrestle with thee O Lord Jesus after the Example of thy holy Pilgrim Jacob untill the Morning beams of thy light break up arise and shine upon me neither will I let thee go unless thou bless me and my Soul be saved Therefore O Jesus Christ thou wilt bless me and save my Soul giving unto me a Believer Remission of Sins Righteousness and Life Come Lord Jesus and let all that love thee say Come And he that loves thee not let him be Anathema Maranatha Thou knowest O Lord who art the searcher of Hearts That I love thee And thou lovest me yea thou lovest me in Truth and art my Redeemer by thy Merit and Efficacy Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit for thou hast Redeemed me O Lord God of Truth And then reflecting upon the time of his sickness for he dyed January 21. he proceeded in further expressions of his assured Confidence in God and inward Joy through the lively hope and foretast of the blessings of that Kingdom he was going to after this manner I shall be with thee in the beginning of this new Year I shall be satiated with the sight of thee O Lord I shall drink with thee at thy Table the New Juice of Eternal Joy even in thy Fathers house where there are many Mansions there is a place for me also and there shall I sit at thy Table Refresh me O Son of God with thy Spirit and with thy quickening presence I come unto thee Jesus Christ Receive thou me according to thy Promise which is the only repast and Recreation of my Soul Iam meum pectus ardet conspectu vitae eternae cujus verè sentio in me initia i. e. Now doth my Heart burn through the sight of Eternal Life the Beginnings of which I truly feel in my self And this is Life Eternal to know thee the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Through thy goodness I have learned and I have taught others rightly to acknowledge thee Do thou again acknowledge me O Son of God and embrace me with thy Saving Grace even with thy Holy Spirit do thou present this Soul to thy Eternal Father who will readily receive it from thy hand My desire and rejoycing is to come unto him and because I am not yet come all delay seems long unto me O thou Sun of Righteousness light me into Eternal light and Righteousness I desire with thine Apostle to be
A Believers Triumph OVER DEATH Exemplified in a RELATION OF The LAST HOURS OF Dr ANDREW RIVET AND An Account of divers other Remarkable Instances BEING An History of the Comfortable End and dying Words of several eminent Men with other Occasional Passages All tending to comfort Christians against the Fear of Death and prepare them for a like Happy Change He shall enter into Peace They shall rest in their Beds each one walking in his Vprightness Isa 57. 2. London Printed for Benjamin Alsop at the Angel and Bible in the Poultrey 1682. The PREFACE I Will not trouble the Reader with a long Preface to a little Book nor waste Time in an affected Apology for my Undertaking to publish the ensuing Stories in the English Tongue for I doubt not but upon a serious Perusal the things here Related will be esteemed by every Pious Christian of that worth and use as will sufficiently recommend this Account of them to their good acceptance who were not capable of reading them in another Language The first and largest part of what is here offered to your Service viz. The last Hours of Dr. Rivet was first written and published in the French Tongue and soon after turned into Latine and printed again in the last Edition of his learned and elaborate Works from whence you have it now translated into our own Language I have added nothing of my own to it nor omitted the mention of the least circumstance there set down but have faithfully represented the whole in the same order as I met with it my self And I may modestly say 'T is as great â— Story of this kind as most Ageâ— can furnish us with That thiâ— might not go alone I have in the Appendix added the Memorable Examples of the Blessed and Peaceful End of some others also eminent for their Piety and zealous Profession of the Protestant Religion while they lived In which where no other Author is cited I have followed the Authority of Melchior Adamus or of those from whom he made his Collections and do assure you that as there is nothing Reported without good Warrant as to the truth of matter of fact so I am confident nothing will occurre but what is suitable to feed and increase those holy Affections and that Pious Zeal which I hope the foregoing Narrative may enkindle in the Readers heart That which I aim at in the whole is the Quickening and Encouragement of Christians in their spiritual Course and that the weighty Sayings and happy End of these Great men may provoke us to imitate that worthy Pattern of Faith and Holiness which they have left us both living and dying Instruction backt by Example is more powerful than that given by Precept alone 'T is truly said Verba docent Exempla trahunt i. e. Words teach but Examples draw Howbeit even the Words of Dying men do usually make a deeper Impression upon the Heart than other Discourses can doe The Sayings of one upon the brink of Eternity are next of kin to those of one returned from the Dead and sent back from another World to give us Warning and direction in our way thither and therefore do justly claim a more than ordinary attention from us These men call to us from the borders of Light having already tasted the Fruit of the heavenly Canaan and have left behind them such a feeling Testimony of its Sweetness and Glory as may greatly engage our Souls in pursuit after that same Blessedness which they are arrived at And if we would have our Death to be as Gainfâ— and Comfortable as theirs wâ— must make the Glory of Chrisâ— the highest End and Design oâ— our Lives as they did Whaâ— is the Talent of Time lent uâ— for but that we might worâ— out our own Salvation with feaâ— and trembling We lose all ouâ— time and pains that are not employed this way and shall aâ— last be of his mind that said upon his Death-bed I repent Dr. Donn of all my Life but that part of it which I spent in Communion with God and doing Good All the World will not relieve a Dying Man For what will it profit a Matt. 16. 26. man if he Gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or what shall a man give in Exchange for his Soul The greatest Monarch that dyes without Grace must subscribe to the last words of Sept. Severus the Roman Emperour Pezel Mellif 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. I have been all things and nothing profits me I cannot but adde the Grave and serious words of Salmasius who was a Man of Great Learning of extraordinary diligence in his Studies and of Great Fame among the Scholars of this last Age and yet upon his Death-bed he pours forth this bitter Complaint Oh I have lost a deal of Time Time that most precious thing in the World whereof had I but one Year longer it should be spent in Reading David's Psalms and Paul's Epistles Oh Sirs mind the World less and God more All the Learning in the World without Piety and the true Fear of God is nothing worth The Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to Depart from Evil that is Understanding In like manner the Great Hugo Grotius after all his Labour Study and Proficiency in other Knowledge at the close of his Life told his Friends That he would give all his Learning and Honour for the Plain Integrity and Piety of John Urick who was a devout Poor man that spent eight hours of his time in Prayer eight in Labour and the other eight he allowed for his Sleep and necessary Refreshments These Learned men found Religion to be the Truest and Best Wisdom in a Dying Hour This is the one thing needfull and we shall all find it so when we must take leave of this World and make our appearance before God That the following lines may thro' the Blessing of God be made useful to the awakening a sence of Religion in those that do peruse them is my Desire and shall be my earnest Prayer to him who alone can bless the Seed sown and increase the Fruits of Righteousness Nehemiah Coxe ERRATA THe Errors of the Press which disturb thâ— sence are thus to be corrected Page 19. l. 23. for Order r. Ardor p. 20. â— 10. for great very r. very great p. 40. l. 19. â—â— seeing p. 133. l. 4. dele which p. 200. l. 8 dele his THE LAST HOURS OF Dr. ANDREW RIVET § 1. THE multitude and variety of things memorable which do occurre in this Narrative doth so much amaze us that through fear of our own insufficiency either to remember or express them in a due manâ—er and according to their â—ignity and worth we cannot â—ut wish this task had been â—ndertaken by abler hands But â—eeing it is matter of fact and â—ords heard which we are to give an account of we had rather so we may but serve the profit of our Friends expose our prudence unto
censure than be defective in our care and good endeavours in this matter wherein that we might be sure to write nothing but most certain Truth we have chosen to bury many things in oblivion by a silen◠passing over what we hav◠but an imperfect remembranc◠of and shall content our selve◠to make a rehearsal with simplicity and truth of those grav◠and almost divine Speeches which as they were poure◠forth by this Holy man wer◠faithfully preserved partly i◠the Memory and partly in th◠written Notes of those wh◠constantly attended on him And yet though we employ ou◠utmost diligence herein w◠shall never be able to give them their just weight and Emphasis for who can imitate that flowing stream of words which with equal wisdom and piety proceeded from him in an almost continued discourse for the space of twelve dayes and as many nights Or who can represent to the Life the motions of a mind boyling with Meditations when the Spirit of God administred such an extemporary effort of sayings proceeding from his fruitful breast and gravely uttered when his sences were no waies impaired as he was diversly acted either by Grief and Fear or Hope and Joy § 2. It will be but necessary before we enter upon the Relation of other things briefly to mention something concerning the Temper and Disposition of this holy person and his Circumstances before his last sickness that the Grace of God towards his Servant may appear the more illustrious when we see with what care and Providence he disposed his Affairs in the whole course of his life but especially in this last act thereof Besides those excellent gifts wherewith he was adorned which cannot here be reckoned up particularly through the Goodness of God he had been favoured with the enjoyment of a sound Mind in a sound and healthy Body he was of a chearful and sedate Spirit holding on in an even course of Life neither lifted up with prosperity nor cast down by adversity So that by the habit of a comely and moderate deliberation he was ever blessed with an inward Joy and possessed all things with delight and Gratitude being no less ready to part with them without regret and trouble pursuing his own profit and advantage in a serious contemplation of the vanity of all worldly things often repeating that of the Apostle The things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. He was never moved with sorrowful events that fell out suddenly whether in publick or in his private concerns as a man surprized by an unexpected evil neither was the tranquility of his mind shaken by them He was wont to say Nothing is impossible I wonder at nothing Neither on the contrary did he at any time break forth into a loose and immoderate Joy as being one set in an higher place and looking down upon all things here below as uncertain and perishing He never found himself on any other account under such perturbation nor shewed the like as upon the decease of the young Prince of Orange who from a Child had been committed to his instruction and tuition and whose Death as he often affirmed he bewailed out of pure Charity and not for any private loss that himself might sustain thereby Because the confidence he had of his excellent disposition and expectation of his longer Life had raised him to the hope that he would prove a useful Instrument for the good both of the State and the Church From that time he seemed to be more than ever drawn off from worldly things and used to speak of them with a certain loathing and disdain The frame of his mind was also discovered by a frequent interrupting of his accustomed course of reading the Scriptures in order in his Family and turning to some select Chapters such as Job 14. Eccles 3. and 4. Psal 49. and 144. From whence he took the occasion of such discourses as shewed what Meditations he was customarily taken up with § 3. In the last week wherein he lived in health being in his Garden accompanied by a Friend and walking up and down therein as he was wont with great pleasure he gave order what he would have done in the dressing of some Trees and then added If I live till the Spring time they will afford me a pleasant sight but if not I shall be in a Garden far more pleasant When his Friend interposed and said There was no cause why he should presage such a thing to himself seeing he was sound and lively he received a Rebuke from Dr. Rivet to this purpose The time is now come that I am to be treated after another manner my age is so far declined and hasting to an end as plainly to declare that death which none can be exempted from stands at my door And truly death is the principal matter that I meditate on God is my witness that I desire not it's delay but am ready with a chearful mind to embrace it yea even this day if the will of God were so On the same day he was entreated by Mr. Hulsius the Pastor of the French Church in that place * Breda that on the next day being Decemb. 25. he would preach a thanksgiving Sermon after the celebration of the Lords Supper which he consenting to do chose for his Text Psal 144. 3 4. Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the Son of man that thou makest account of him Man is like to Vanity his dayes are as a shadow that passeth away In his Sermon he had an eminent assistance from God and delivered his matter with a strong and clear voice and great liberty of speech and chiefly applyed his discourse to shew what favour and honour God had vouchsafed unto man as well in causing that the Son of God should be a Man as in giving him for our nourishment unto Eternal Life from thence teaching the Notice God took of mortal men and how it had pleased him to embrace them in his favour and to magnifie them And in speaking to the answer of the Psalmist Man is like to Vanity he touched upon the loss of the Prince whose Instructor he had been which was then fresh in memory but with words no way inclined to flattery but becoming the Matter and Person that he spoke of and which breathed forth nothing but pure affection withal taking notice of the Goodness of God who in the midst of his Judgments had shewed mercy to the house of Orange to which he had granted a new Offspring a Son being then born that the dying hope of that Noble Family might be revived before him At length he closed with a Meditation of Death an example of which said he seeing Young men that are strong have before them in a young man snatch't from the earth in the flower of his age and strength it ought to be often revolved in their minds and deep thoughts
of approaching death to be entertained which admits of no return to life What is man said he Nothing but flesh obnoxious to putrefaction a flower that springs up to day and to morrow is cut down even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away like the breath that proceedeth out of my mouth For the cold being great that day did so condense his breath that it might be seen of all to whom he was preaching § 4. When the Sermon was finished he returned home as lively and well as he had been seen for some years past nor did he the next day feel any decay of his former strength But on Thursday which was the 27th of December he began to complain Anno 1650. of a pain below his Navel and refusing to eat any Supper desired that a Clyster might be given him but it was to no purpose the liquor being driven back again with greater force than it was injected That night was pass'd over partly in bearing of his sharp pains and partly in serious discourses On Wednesday morning the complaint of his pain was encreased and he desired that the use of a Clyster might be repeated which was done accordingly but with no better success than the former Then were two Physicians sent for and they suspecting that the former Clysters either had not been skilfully injected or else were not strong enough made tryal of the like means once and again but with the same success as before for a glutinous humour had already fast locked up the passage against all Remedies On the next day which was Tuesday they prescribed Pills of Alloes washed and on Fryday the Infusion of Rhubarb either of which did sufficiently agitate his body but effected nothing neither was any way opened for their passage the expulsive faculty being weakened and dulled so that it could give Nature no assistance The wind shut up in his bowels tormented the sick man his Belly was swollen and he was afraid to touch either meat or drink lest thereby his grievance should be encreased There were no proper means unattempted nor any kind of help by Clysters Fomentations or Baths but were made tryal of untill by the stubborn disease that resisted all Remedy he was brought unto death the twelfth day of his sickness the History of which we shall now prosecute more at large § 5. On the second day after his disease had seised him he well understanding the nature of it declared what the event would be Not saith he that I would neglect Remedies that I may please my Friends I will do whatsoever is thought meet to be done being secure as to the issue which I commit to the Providence of God Then he asked his Neece Mrs Mary Moline what she conceived of his disease which he thought would prove mortal And when she answered That her opinion was the same yet that he had no reason to fear any thing having been long prepared to follow God when he should call that the time of his Life hitherto had been long if it were crowned with an happy and Glorious End Thou speakest right saith he and I pray thee alwaies address thy self to me with like speeches and while my sickness continues depart not from me day nor night Promise me now that thou wilt keep a chearful countenance and that thou wilt speak nothing to me but what may administer joy and support to me although I fear not death yet I fear the tryal of those pains which I have alwaies had a very sharp feeling of Then suddainly turning his speech unto God he said Great God! thou art my Father thou hast given me both Life and a new Life thou hast taught me from my youth and I have declared thy wonderful works forsake me not now in my old age Hitherto through thy peculiar favour thou hast preserved me sound in my body and my faculties and the functions of my mind have not been impaired so that a little before I was opprest by this disease I found my self as apt and ready for the exercise of my Vocation as in my Flourishing Youth O Lord God! if it be thy will that I should longer attend upon thy service thou canst asswage my disease in one moment but if thou hast decreed otherwise lo here is thy Servant thy will be done This one thing I begg with most inward affections that thou wilt make me conformable to thy good will Let not thy good Spirit depart from me that in this conflict thy strength may make me a Conquerour Accomplish this O Lord for thine own sake And seeing thou hast imployed me in thy work grant that I may die an honourable death and such as may be an example unto others That I may stand fast in that sound Doctrine which I have taught and may make a good confession thereof before witnesses that thereby thy Church may be both instructed and edified Let me apply to my self by a lively Faith all the Promises of the Gospel and let them put forth their efficacy in me unto my joy and eternal consolation that nothing in the world neither affliction nor distress may seperate me from thee or cause me to doubt of thy love and favour Thou knowest my weaknesses and infirmities permit not the grievousness of my pain to cast me into impatience or murmuring either make my pains tolerable or furnish me with fortitude and constancy sufficient to bear them That I may not offend with my Tongue keep thou the door of my lips § 6. The remainder of the day was taken up with pains the use of Remedies and the Visits of Friends when the night came on he earnestly intreated Mrs. Rivet his wife that she would retire her self into the next Chamber not only because she was afflicted with a vehement Cough but also that he might remove her from the grievous sight of himself when tormented with his pains and because he found his tender affections more moved at the sight of her than any other person So none remained with him but his Neece Mrs. Mary Moline and two of the household servants But who can particularly relate the speeches which he uttered and in a manner poured forth that night and the day following which was Thursday Decemb. 29. with an Affection and Order inexpressible breathing from his Heart nothing but Repentance Faith Charity and holy Zeal In a word he implored the mercy of God with the Greatest self-denial and abasement of Soul confessing himself to be a miserable sinner and casting away all confidence in any good thing which he had done in his life yea speaking of that with great very contempt he accused his own defects and ascribed unto God the Glory of his good works often repeating such expressions as these It is God that hath wrought the work for me Shall I alledge or plead my own Righteousnesses before him Far be that from me If I should justifie my self my own mouth would condemn me I
I beseech you to signifie to them and to intreat for me that they will give me a place of Burial large enough for me and my wife who will quickly follow me When he had thus exprest himself he dismissed him with prayers for the welfare of him and his family § 11. About evening he desired to be helped out of his bed and to sit in a Chair where he perceived the swelling of his Belly to reach to the pit of his Stomach which gave him apprehension that hiâ— end drew neer wherefore sending for Mr. Dauber an emineâ— Civilian he imparted to hiâ— his purpose of adding a Codicil to his Will And in ordeâ— thereto he sent for the Town Clerk and the two Consuls anâ— having fully declared his minâ— to them the business being donâ— and sealed he began to discourse of another settlemenâ— by the resignation of himseâ— and his into the hands anâ— unto the care of God expressing his assurance of the blessing of God upon his and the added That he did exceedingly rejoyce that he should leave behiâ— him a Wife excelling in virtâ— and motherly affection to the chiâ—dren of her husband and also â— Son that was a good man aâ— studious of peace who would be a Father to the * The Children of one of his Sons that was deceased three little ones whose Guardian he was appointed by that Codicil And for this last office he rendred unto them his thanks and to the Council of the City in general and in particular blessed each of them and their Families And when they were departed he went to his bed again and seeing no body stand about him but his little Family he said to his Niece My Daughter do not depart from me but persist with me in the duty of Prayer do not fear to rehearse all those words to me which God shall suggest unto thy heart or mouth this sweet and pleasing communication shall help to pass over this night with the more ease And God will be with us and assist our good intentions He will help our weaknesses and afford us matter of supplications and thanksgivings such discourses are pleasing unto him he attends unto them that fear him when they talk together of those things that belong to the Salvation of their Souls And then as one in a Rapture he said My God! thou hast drawn me and I was drawn thou hast known me from my Mothers womb with a Merciful and Efficacious knowledge thou hasâ— called me by Name thou hast bored mine Ears and I was attentive I have declared thy message in the Congregation and thy word was sweeter than Honey in my mouth Who am I O God but dust and ashes an earthen and a frail Vessel into which notwithstanding thou hast been pleased to pour an holy liquor and seed of immortality Thou livest and thou makest me to live I shall not dye but live for ever with that life which is Col. 3. 3. hid with Christ in God Blessed and holy is he which hath a part in the first Resurrection over him Rev. 20. 6. the second death shall have no power Behold I am dead and also raised from the dead I live not in my self but in the life of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me What should I mention more I can make no return of thy faithfulness to me or of the benefits thou hast bestowed on me Thou hadst chosen me before thou gavest me a being and it pleased thee that I should be born of believing Parents and especially of a Mother eminent in Holiness who dedicated me to thy service from my tender years With how many prayers did she stir me up to that holy purpose With what care and affection did she instill the seeds of Piety into me And the Almighty God who worketh all in all gave his blessing to this diligent nurture and heard her ardent prayers and my Ministry hath been accepted of him I am thy servant O my God thou hast taught me from my youth and I have taught thy wonderful works and thy grace unto this day for thy gifts have not been without fruit in me Thou usest weak instruments for the accomplishing of thy work Thou hast pardoned thou hast helped me thou hast accepted the truth and sincerity of my heart And now O my God seeing it is evident thou wilt have me retire from this valley of Miseries do not thou forsake me in this last and important act If it be thy will that I dye that also is my will I am ready my heart is prepared I give thee my heart for that is it which thou requirest Let this gift be approved by thee Receive this gift which is thine own from him to whom thou hast given all things who gives himself to thee O Lord I give thee thanks thou instructest me thou inlightenest me thou talkest with my Soul O Lord thou imbracest me in the arms of thy mercy Grant also that I may embrace thee by a lively Faith and that I may apply unto my self the Promises of the Gospel which I have proposed unto others let them be Effectual in me that by them I may be supported against all pains yea death it self § 12. Then turning his speech to his Niece he said That I may not tire thee with long discourses Admire thou the Grace of God towards me and bless him who fortifies me with patience Observe my words unto my last breath and commit them to writing as fully as thou canst that thereby my dearest Brother with others of my near kindred and affinity as also my friends may be Comforted and Refreshed To which when she returned answer That she was unable to retain and commit to wriing such an abundance of holy speeches as flowed from him he Replyed Fear not only do thine endeavour and God will help thee If God give me strength I will write a short Epistle which shall be for a testimony that Credit is to be given to thy Relation And he was alwaies wont upon the mention of any thing of this nature to adde Not that I would hereby procure praise to my self But I would have it known unto all That the Religion which I have professed and taught in the name of God is the true Religion and that alone which leads men unto Salvation And particularly I would have my brother informed of that inestimable Grace which I have received of God that he may be abundantly comforted and strengthened in his expectation of a better life which I already enjoy O with how great love have I loved him and esteemed him yea I have loved the gifts of God in him and shalâ— love them to the last I pray God who is the giver of every good gift that he will fullfill strengthen and make perfect his own work in him that he will guide him with his Counsel and at length save and receive him to his Rest The same prayers I make for my Nephew
and remember the Grace of God in me Consider how he brings me down by his mighty hand that he may exalt and Glorifie me in due time The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us This is my joy to glorifie God in my death sweet Death that is a passage unto life eternal O God strengthen the Soul of thy Servant that he may abide constant and invincible unto death I hope the Combat will not continue long Bring to pass O Lord that the End may Crown the Work § 27. Amongst the many Physitians that had attended on him there was one Dr. Crucius a Roman Catholick who came this Morning to visit him and asked him if he still continued to be of good courage Yea verily said he for I am in God and God is in me The Cross which God hath sent is small Every one must bear his Cross that he may follow Christ who hath suffered so great things for me though he deserved no such suffering This Cross increaseth my hope The Lord is Gracious who entreth not into Judgment with his poor Servant Christ hath dyed for my Sins and is risen again for my Justification A while after Mr. Wickelmans a Dutch Minister came and spake to him in the Latine tongue to whom he answered in the same Language God Strengthens me and he will preserve me from all evil I give thanks unto my God for that unspeakable goodness which he hath poured upon me he succours me in this work he hath been alwaies present with me even to this Extremity Then the Minister repeated to him the words of the Apostle 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness At which words he cryed out O welcome Crown there is nothing else that I wait for God dwells in me by his holy Spirit which shall never be taken away from me Grant O Lord that I may keep thy Commands Again when beholding hiâ— pains he exhorted him to patience he answered We cannot we ought noâ— to resist the will of God O Eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ I give theâ— thanks for thy exceeding greaâ— benefits That it hath pleaseâ— thee that I should declare thy Praise even unto very Old Age and that thou makest me able to persist therein unto the last breath of my life § 28. At another hour when the same Minister visited him again and said You are still fighting the Good fight he answered In hope and patience I am wholly Gods and Jesus Christ's my Saviour I believe that he will keep what I have committed to him against that day Even so come Lord Jesus And when this Minister had prayed with him he returned him thanks in these words I give you thanks for your holy Prayers I doubt not but God will hear them God bless you I beseech him to make you a very powerful Instrument of his Glory He also added God hath fulfilled all his Promises in me I have seen them afar off I have believed them I have embraced them I wait for nothing more but to breathe forth my last breath God possesseth me already I feel that there is nothing wanting but that he will give me the wings of an Eagle that I may fly to the Carkass Immediately he subjoyned a verse or two out of one of Beza's French Poems to this sence O Holy Word With all my Heart To thee I flye § 29. Towards Evening the Pangs of death increased upon him The extreme Pains of his bowels his suddain fainting aâ—â— and other grievous Symptoms were the indications of approaching death But in this state and utter decay of thâ— strength of nature his exercisâ— of Faith was strengthened sâ— much the more and his patience confirmed Mourn noâ— for me said he These last hours have nothing terrible in them The body indeed suffers but the Soul is Comforted and filled abundantly The Lord is my Shepherd I shall want nothing His Rod and his Staff shall lead me safely through this short valley of the Shadow of death This little cloud hinders me not from beholding that Heavenly Light which already enlightens my Soul O Lord thou givest me light thou warmest me thou liftest me on high and I gladly follow thee being carried aloft upon the wings of Faith The sharper my pains are the nearer I am to deliverance My wound is grievous but I was silent because thou didst it Have mercy on me O Lord O my God deliver me I am impatient of delay I know that God is faithful and with the temptation he will give a way of escape that I may be able to bear it When he looked towards his Wife she thus addressed her self to him My dear I bless God and rejoyce for thee that I have seen so much of the Grace of God in thee To which he replyed Thou doest well my dear Love The Lord confirm and strengthen thy joy Mine is solid I rejoyce that thou seest the end of my Conversation Thou hast known me and thou knowest that I hate Ostentation and that more hath been attributed to me by others than I have believed of my self for I have been conscious of mine own infirmities and that whatsoever good might be in me was not of my self The Glory is to be ascribed to God alone he hath done the work Perfect O Lord and Crown thine own work I complain not of my pains I have not flattered my self in my disease for when I was first seized by it I was aware that God called for me Is it not time my dearest love Afflict not thy self I go before thou shalt follow e're long Thou hast afforded me help and hast kindly succour'd me God will bless thee and save thee doubt it not It hath been grateful to me and I most kindly accept it that thou hast had so great a Love for this little Boy pointing to his Grand-son make proof of thy love to me by loving him it is a Child void of malice and I have good hope of him if he be well guided Then calling the Child he said Give me thy hand my Son See thy Grandfather upon his death-bed Thou hast already lost thy Grandfather by Mothers side who was a pious and upright man Now thou losest thy Grandfather by Fathers side but thou hast a Grandfather in Heaven on both sides that will never be wanting to thee I hope my blessing will redound upon thee Then taking him between his hands My little Child said he Pray to God! If thou do this diligently thou shalt be like a tall and beautiful Tree planted by the Rivers of waters Have thou fair branches and be fruitful that is Fear God Then shalt thou bring forth Wisdom Prudence and Understanding Be thou Good and Beneficent shunning evil company and God will bless thee thou shalt not be
Zuinglius and others whose labours it pleased God to succeed for the accomplishing of an happy beginning of that great work in Basil and other of the Svisse Cantons He was a person very considerable both for his Learning and Piety but for nothing more to be commended than for his Peaceable temper and Christian Moderation in those controversies with which the reformed Churches were then exercised among themselves in the business of the Lords Supper For though he was both free in declaring and constant in asserting that truth which the Lord had made known to him yet his great care was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak the truth in love and to manage the defence thereof without bitterness towards or Provocation of those that did in that point dissent from him And as he was a man studious of Peace in his life so it pleased the Lord to guard his Soul with a Peace that passeth all understanding and to fill his Heart with Spiritual and Heavenly joy when he came to dye After he had for some considerable time laboured in the Ministry of the Word at Basil it pleased God there to visit him with his last sickness in the Forty ninth year of his Age which he presently apprehended would prove mortal to him and accordingly gave warning to his Friends that they should expect no other But so far was he from being terrifyed by the approach of death that on the contrary he exprest the greatest longings after that Heavenly light and Crown of Glory which he saw ready prepared for him so soon as the earthly house of this Tabernacle should be taken down He waited not for the Consolations of others in this last conflict but was ready to Minister Consolation to all that were about him insomuch that his most Christian and comfortable End was no less for the Confirmation and encouragement of the Godly in their Holy profession than his Doctrine and blameless Life had been He was an example of dying well as he had been before of living well of which abundant testimony is given by those worthy men that familiarly and almost constantly conversed with him in these his last hours Among whom Simon Grynaeus a man whose praise is in the Reformed Churches was one who hath left us the account of the following discourse that this pious Servant of Christ made to him and the rest of the Ministers of the Church a little before his departure which alone is sufficient to justifie all that hath been before said of the frame of his Spirit upon his dying bed It is as follows § 10. You see Brethren what the business is The Lord is at hand he cometh and is now about to take me hence and therefore I was desirous to call you first and with my dearest Friends to satiate this Soul of mine with a sincere Joy in the Lord and true consolation What shall we say then in this last Embrace O ye Servants of Christ whom the same Love to their Lord the same Study and the same Doctrine hath most closely knit together Salvation is obtained It is obtained I say by Christ and we have all Confidence of the Kingdom of God Our Doctrine is certain and light is prepared for our feet It is meet that all Sorrow all fears of Life or Death all doubting and error should be banisht far away Only this my Brethren this only remains that we constantly and faithfully persevere in those footsteps of Christ which we have already entred upon by maintaining Purity of Doctrine in the first place and then by a Life in all things conformed to the true Word of God Other things he will take care of who is Mighty and of his own accord watcheth his own even Christ our Lord He will defend his own Church Let us see to it therefore Brethren that our light so shine that God the Father may be glorified in us and the Name of Christ rendred illustrious through the light of your Sincerity and holy Life See that you love one another in Truth and lead your whole Life as under the Eye and in the sight of God 'T is to no purpose to press Piety with words only The light of Truth and Holiness in Life with the true and Heavenly Spirit of the Mind are necessary if we would vanquish Satan and convert the World to our Lord Christ For O my Brethren What clouds are there arising and what a tempest draws near what alienation of men and what impiety is at the door But Brethren It behoves you to stand fast and to abide it The Lord himself will be present with you in his Concerns O that my Lot were to undergo these dangers with you and that I could often spill this Life for the Truth But however Love is undivided and the bond in Christ indissoluble all things are common to the Godly among themselves These things he uttered with respect to the common Cause of Religion And as to what concern'd himself he told them I matter not the scandal which some have imputed to me as if I had corrupted the Truth Through the Grace of God I am now going to the Tribunal of Christ with a good Conscience There it will be manifest that the Church hath not been seduced by us And of this Solemn Protestation I leave you my Witnesses which I also confirm with my last breath The next day which was the fifteenth from his first sickness he caused his Children to be brought before him and first took them by the hand then stroaked each of them and calling them by their Names said Thou Eusebius thou Irene and thou Alethea my dear Children see that you love God And because by reason of their age they were not yet capable of attending to the Charge of their dying Father the Eldest being but about three years Old he turned him to his Wife and the rest of his Relations present and said It is you that I have bound by this charge to do your Endeavour that according to my desire and what they now hear my Children may be Pious Peaceable and Faithful This he spake with allusion to the signification of their Names And their Mother with the rest signifing their acceptance of this charge he desired them to take a way the Children again The Last night he lived here being come his inward Joy did no way abate but rather increase as death drew nearer to him One of his intimate friends coming in he asked him what News he had brought his Friend told him None Why then said he I will tell you news I shall in a little time be with the Lord Christ A while after when they asked If the light did not offend him touching his breast he said Abundé lucis est Here is abundance of Light The next morning his fatal hour came on before which he prayed with an ardent Affection for the Remission of Sin repeating the 51 Psalm from the beginning to the end And then after a
dissolved and to be with thee Loose me that I may be with thee I am greatly wearyed and I wait for the entertainment which thou hast shewn me As the Traveller in his Journey at Night time desires the Sun-rising so do I desire after the clear light even the sight of the Father Son and Holy Ghost When my voice and speech shall fail me Grant O Merciful Saviour that thy Holy Spirit may speak unto thee in my Heart and make intercession for me with groanings that cannot be uttered Let his motions spring up in my breast and move thy Heart unto Mercy towards me Lord Jesus Christ who sittest at the right hand of thy Eternal Father receive my Spirit § 13. These were the Meditations and this the exercise of this Holy man upon his dying bed He felt this Tabernacle to be falling but knew he had an house not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens and his pious Soul was filled with Heavenly triumph in the certain expectation of a Glorious Resurrection of that same body of his which was now ready to be sown in corruption which with an admirable sweetness and comfort he thus express'd I shall see thee my Saviour in my flesh which thou hast exalted to the right hand of the Eternal Father and I will give thee thanks in the presence of thy Father for all the Good things which thou hast communicated unto me Yea thou wilt place thy Holy Angels to be the Guardians of my Body that they may keep my dust which hath been and to all Eternity shall be the dwelling place of thy Holy Spirit It is impossible that this flesh of mine which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost this Mass of my body which is quickened by the effusion and communication of the Spirit of Christ and so inserted into the flesh of Christ should be reduced unto nothing or abide in death and ever remain dust and ashes But thou who art the Author of Life will remand from the Earth this thine own Image even out of the smallest Crums of dust and ashes that are there By sending forth thy breath thou wilt again build up my body alive and Glorious which shall be the habitation of the whole Divinity dwelling therein to all Eternity There shall we follow the Lamb whithersoever he shall go O Guide truly fair and Divine There shall we sing a New Song Let us rejoyce Hallelujah O Come let us go forth to meet our Saviour Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Right as Citizens is in Heaven but in this Life we must begin Eternal Life and follow the order which Christ hath appointed We shall be cloathed upon if so be that we be not found Naked That most lovely Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world will lead us unto the Fountains of living Waters and wipe away all Tears from our Eyes Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him This Earthly Life is Death but that Life which Christ begins in me is Life indeed Now it is no more I that live but Christ that liveth in me therefore let him be praised O happy Soul in which thou Jesus Christ sittest as the Guide and Rector of all its actions and Motions I see Heaven open unto me Now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace O Lord for mine Eyes indeed have seen thy Salvation Thou O Christ art the Resurrection and Life How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord O Christ my Redeemer carefully watch my Soul that it suffer no detriment by the horrible and infernal Dragon the Devil Let my Soul be bound up in the bundle of Life and let this my passage hence be happy let it be to me the way to those that live an immortal and Heavenly Life § 14. After this he again most affectionately prayed for his Wife and Children but in terms arguing such a nearness to God and Holy Familiarity with him as if a man had been speaking to his Friend and devolving a care upon him that he knew most assuredly he would willingly take upon himself and see to He mightily Comforted himself with the thoughts of Christs sympathy and compassion who saith he will certainly hear me in all these things And when one exhorted him to be of good hope for God would help him he answered 'T is right The Lord will certainly help me by a final deliverance according to that Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord In the Lord then do I dye who is my Life I dye in the acknowledgment Faith and Confidence of Christ the Mediator who is my Shade of defence and my Brother who cloatheth me with the garment of his Righteousness I shall therefore be happy I shall be Righteous O sweet Blessedness sweet Righteousness O sweet change and Translation from Sin to Innocency from Darkness into Light from Death to Life Many Prayers also he put up for the Church of God especially that the pure Doctrine of the Gospel might be transmitted without corruption to Posterity and with Tears bewailed the wickedness of those who by their corrupt Notions were an hindrance to its course And once more a little before his Soul departed his Friends being about him he solemnly recommends himself to Christ and repeats the Confession of his Faith expressing great thankfulness to God for the Reformation and for those that he had used as Instruments therein I am now dying said he and dismist as that Servant of God holy Simeon I also being the Servant of God and Holy I dye in the Confession of the writings of the Prophets and Holy Apostles and of the Ancient Creeds and also adhering to the Augustane Confession I give thanks to God That of his Infinite goodness he hath dispell'd the darkness and restored to us the Light and Purity of his Gospel At length in the midst of his Prayers and earnest breathings after God he yielded up his Soul into the hands and bosom of his Redeemer where he rests from his Labours and his works follow him § 15. Another Instance worthy of our Remembrance and imitation I shall give you in Mr. Matthew Wesenbeck an eminent Civilian who after he had run the course of an Holy Life from his first Conversion to the fifty fifth year of his Age departed this Life at Wittenburg in the year 1586. The means by which God first awakened him to seek after and embrace the knowledge of the Truth was this While he was studying the Law at Lovane it fell out that there was a poor man in the City who being blind made it his business to visit the Sick and to instruct and comfort them as he could with Texts of Scripture in which he was well versed in recompence of which pious office those that were well disposed would relieve his Necessity with a piece of Bread and Cheese After some time this poor man was accused of
Heresie and committed to Prison near this prison Wesenbeck with his fellow Students were wont to recreate themselves with the Ball on which occasion they often heard this blind man with a clear voice singing the Psalms of David according to Luthers Metaphrase and this Holy exercise the good man performed with so much Devotion and Affection as wrought in them a more than ordinary attention to him although it was not without some danger to themselves And it pleased God so to work upon Wesenbeck by this example of Christian constancy and Zeal together with the matter which he heard that thenceforward he began diligently to search the Scriptures and also to read the Writings of those of the Reformed Religion by which means he became not only fully convinced of the Truth but also received it in the Love thereof and abode most constant in the Faith and Practice of it to his dying day being an eminent example of Zeal and strict Piety in his whole life He had an extraordinary Affection to the Holy Scriptures but especially the book of Psalms and the New Testament were most dear and delightful to him And notwithstanding the necessary course of his Studyes and for some time also great Practice in the Law he usually spent at fit seasons no less than five hours in a day in Prayers and retired communion with God He was not like many that can â—â—d no leisure for Religion â—hat is cannot attend to work â—ut their own Salvation but made Conscience to steer his whole course as a man resolâ—ed for Heaven And his Righâ—eousness and Charity towards men was not inferior to his Piety towards God He ever â—bhorr'd those Artifices which â—re too common with practitioners in the Law his Candor â—aithfulness and Justice in his practice made his Name precious to all that knew him And as it pleased God to bless him with a plentiful Supply of the good things of this world so Religion taught him not to â—rust in uncertain Riches but â—o be rich in good works His way was to give a charge â—o all his Servants that they should never turn away the Poor from his door without relief And when they haâ— not presently regarded the poor nor listened so soon as they ought to their cry himself would open his Window and throw down Money to them Thus did this good man spend his Life and his Substance in the Fear of God and working Righteousness and accordingly his latter end was Peace for when he lay upon his death Bed he was filled with the Consolations of God He woulâ— often repeat that of the Apostle Paul Rom. 7. O wretcheâ— man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And that 2 Cor. 1. He hath sealed us and given the earnest of his Spirit in our Hearts by which we cry Abba Father Another time with great reâ—oycing he told those that were with him That now God had shewn to him a place of Eternal Joy unto which he should immediately come and the only thing he desired was that his coming thither might be hastened He would often rehearse divers passages out of the Psalms as The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him in Truth He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him he will hear their prayer and save them And immediately before he gave up the Ghost he professed That he was in Covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ which words were his last § 16. In these experiences we see that they which believe in Christ never dye i. e. thâ—â— never feel the Sâ—ng of death nor fall under its power but are enabled by the Faith of the Son of God perfectly to vanquish 〈◊〉 King of Terrors yea though death assail them in his most affrighting shape yet is he not able to remove them from their stedfastness or to abate their Joyes we have innumerable proofs of this in the End of those Holy Martyrs who though they have been called to seal their Witness for God by violent yea by most cruel kinds of death have notwithstanding finished their course with a most Glorious Peace and rejoycing in the hope of their calling Howbeit I shall not here insist on any of those instances But to let you see that death in it's darkest dress is welcome to a man assured of his Interest in Christ and Peace with God take the story of one Sebaldus Munster a Civilian that flourished about the year 1540. Whom it pleased the Lord to visit with the Plague of which he dyed at Wittenberg in a time when a general sickness raged there This person when some of his Friends came to visit and Comfort him a few hours before his death he shewed to them the Swellings and pestiferous Ulcers which were broken out in his Hand and Arm saying And how do these Bracelets and precious Gemms wherewith my Christ hath adorned me please you At which words when they brake forth into Tears he farther said Let not these by any means seem loathsome unto you for with this Wedding-apparel am I going to enjoy that Heavenly Feast which I shall have with my Christ for ever Thus shall I pass to that everlasting Council of most Excellent and holy Souls and thus shall I be acceptable to God my Redeemer Thus triumphing and full of Joy did he leave the World having got a clear sight of a better that is an Heavenly Countrey And though to dye of the Plague may seem to Sence very dismal yet as Austin hath well observed lib. 1. de Civitate Dei cap. 11. Mala mors putanda non est quam bona vita praecesserit c i. e. No kind of Death is to be esteemed evil which hath been preceded by a good Life for nothing makes Death evil but that which follows Death Therefore they that of necessity must dye once need not be Thoughtful by what accident they may come to dye but rather whither they must go when they dye 'T is an excellent saying of the Author of the Book of Wisdom chap. 4. 7. The Righteous man though prevented by Death shall be in rest The most terrible or suddain stroke can make no breach upon his happiness to whom to live is Christ and to dye is gain They are alwaies safe that have made their Calling and Election sure and on the contrary such are alwayes in danger that live without God in the World I Remember upon occasion of that passage before cited from the Book of Wisdom Mr. Forbs in his Instr Histor Theolog. makes mention of a very memorable Story of a pious and learned man that dyed suddainly in his Study and when some were scandalized at it rashly interpreting this Providence as a Testimony of Gods displeasure against him it so fell out by the wise and Gracious ordering of God for their Conviction and a testimony to his servant that he was found sitting with a Book open before him