they should Thou shalt keep therefore his Statutes and his Commandments which I command thee this day that it may go well with thee and with thy Children after thee and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth which the Lord thy God giveth thee for ever To wicked men God often threatens sudden and untimely death that they should die sooner than otherwise they should have done The fear of the Lord prolongeth or as we have it in the Margin addeth days but the years of the wicked shall be shortned That is they shall not live so long as otherwise they might have done Thus many men shall not live out half their days not half the ordinary time of a man's life Most observable is the instance of King Hezekiah in the 38. Isa to whom the Prophet positively declares Thus saith the Lord set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live and yet upon his humble Prayer Fifteen years more were added unto his days which otherwise he should not have had From which it plainly appears that by sin and disobedience men may shorten their days and cut off from their lives and by Piety and Vertue men may procure to themselves a longer life and encrease of days Now the length or shortness of our lives depends often upon our own voluntary actions upon our pleasing or displeasing God which cannot agree with that Doctrine of Fate I before mentioned Nor do we need any such opinion against the fear of death because we allow that our life depends upon God's good will and pleasure that no instruments of death no ill practices can prevail against us without his appointment And this is a sufficient foundation of assurance and confidence notwithstanding the frailty and uncertainty of our condition here that the Watchman of Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth that his eye is always upon us for Good that we shall live as long and as well as is really best for us and then who would not be willing to die But Another means our Religion affords us to free us from the fear of death is a deadness to this present world and all the trifling pleasures of it For it is an over fond love and doating upon the things of this world and sensual enjoyments that makes persons so unwilling to die The more our appetites and desires are mortified and subdued the readier we shall be to bid an eternal farewell to all these things below It is no wonder that those who know no other happiness but what is to be found in these lower Regions are loth to be torn from their dear possessions and to venture into a strange Countrey which they have so little knowledge of But by this contempt of the world which our Religion teaches us we forsake it in the love of it even whilst we are living and so our business is better than half done before hand and we are freed from those worldly cloggs and encumbrances that too often hang on our vertue and most raised affections Farther the Consideration of Christ's conquering death for us gives a mighty encouragement against the inordinate fear of death For our blessed Saviour hath tasted death for every man and hath taken away its sting hath quell'd its force and overcome its power insomuch that he is said to have abolished it He hath made a way through death and the grave to his Father's Glory and shall we be afraid like Saint Peter to profess and fellow him wheresoever he goes Our Prince and Redeemer hath voluntarily passed through it and shall it grieve us to follow his steps and to come to him through that passage by which he himself entred into his Kingdom Lastly The hope of salvation is another great means that our Christianity administers to us against this base fear of dying I have read it is an ordinary saying among the Turks that if Christians had a right opinion concerning Heaven they could not be so afraid of death which is the onely way to life And it was reasonably asked by the Philosopher of him that promised that all that were of his Sect should be immediately happy as soon as they were dead why then he did not presently die Do we really believe a future Glory and are we afraid to enter into our Master's joy What are we Christians and yet would we live always here Have we already attain'd all the happiness which we aspire after Can we be contented to know no more of God to enjoy no more of his Glory and to love him no more than we can doe in this imperfect State Are we unwilling to receive that reward which we daily pray for Thou knowest not what thou art capable of what perfection what happiness thy soul shall enjoy freed from this troublesome Tabernacle this luggage of flesh and art thou afraid of being translated into the celestial Kingdom One glimpse of that Glory which our Saviour hath promised to us would make as all long to be with Christ No wonder Saint Paul was so ready to die when he had before hand been rapt up into the third Heaven and had seen and heard things not utterable Did we live in the hopes of the future happiness we shall enjoy we should not value any of the pleasures here below nor fear to undergo any thing that stood in his way between us and those blessed Mansions of happy Souls where dwelleth God and perpetual peace and satisfaction free from all care and disturbance from all fear and anxiety from all pain and danger where onely is to be found perfect contentment eternal joy and immortal happiness If Christians perfectly knew the felicity of the other life they would be impatient of the present they would be hardly able to brook or endure living or any thing that detain'd them from such unspeakable enjoyments Wo unto us therefore that yet dwell in Meshech and are forced to abide in the Tents of Kedar Blessed yea thrice blessed are are all those that have passed this miserable world and are received into the heavenly Mansions for one day there is better than a thousand elsewhere One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I still seek after that I may live for ever with him and behold his Glory When shall we arrive at that eternal and celestial happiness where we shall have no more of these storms and dangers When shall we pass all fears and cares and grief and troublesome passions Even so saith the Church all true Christians and sincere Believers come Lord Jesus come quickly and deliver us from these crazy bodies and put on us that house that is eternal and in the heavens Is it so pleasant to us to wander to and fro in this wilderness and be tossed up and down upon these troublesome waves And can it be grievous to us to think of arriving at our journey's end How soon would all the grief and pain and uneasiness that accompanies sickness and the very
Saturday in the Evening Monsieur Claude wou'd needs Write to the Prince of Orange he made use of the hand of one of his Friends for that his own was too weak this Letter was short and comformable to his Condition it exprest the State of his mind and heart in those last moments of his Life He sign'd it with some trouble his Highness receiv'd it and that great Prince who ever places the concern of Religion in the first rank of so many other important matters which depend upon his Conduct understood the loss the Church was going to have and all Hero as he is he was sensible upon perusing it of his being a man as well as we it thereby also appear'd that he valued and lamented the dying person and shar'd deep in an affliction common to so many good Souls On Monday Morning Monsieur Claude askt to speak with his Son as soon as he was come to him he embrac'd him tenderly and said I am leaving you my Son the time of my departure is at hand His Son wou'd have told him that his Distemper was not yet desperate but he replied I have no hopes save in the mercy of God that is my principal Sanctuary take it also for your self my Son and never take any other Presently after seeing that Monsieur Claude grew weaker I askt him whether he wou'd give his blessing to his Family who requir'd it of him through my Mouth most willingly answered he immediately his Wife fell upon her knees by his Bed-side and he spoke to her in these terms My Wife I have always tenderly loved you be not afflicted at my Death the Death of the Just is sweet and precious before God in you have I seen the sentiments of a sincere Piety I praise God for it be constant in serving him with your whole heart he will bless you I recommend my Son and his Family to you and beseech the Lord to bless you His Son kneeling by his Mother did likewise ask his blessing Monsieur Claude who lov'd him as a Father though he liv'd with him as a Brother exprest great Joy at this Request and made him answer My Son I have observ'd in you two Characters which have mightily pleased me that of an honest man and that of a man of Honour maintain these Characters to the last You have chosen the right side perform your Office as a good Pastour and God will bless you I recommend your Mother to you love her respect her I am persuaded you will not fail in this and that she will make you sutable returns Be mindfull added he of this Domestick take care that she want nothing as long as she lives I give you my blessing Hereupon these two afflicted persons had not the power to make him an answer their tears and silence spoke for them I crav'd his blessing for my self he was affected and wearied yet did he give it me according to my desire After that I said Prayers he bid me be short and alledg'd this reason for it I am under that oppression said he that I am not capable of applying my mind at this moment to more than these two great truths to the Meditation of the mercy of God and to the Graces of the holy Spirit That is a great deal Sir said I to him they are two most abundant Fountains of Comfort for you I pray'd God for him and then it was thought fitting we should leave him to his rest After the Sermon in the Morning they pray'd for him in the Church but without naming him At Noon Monsieur Menard and Monsieur Jaquelot came to see Monsieur Claude Monsieur Menard had been his Collegue at Paris After some short discourse upon Monsieur Claude's Sickness said Monsieur Claude to Monsieur Menard pray Sir let 's talk of things more important and more available for me I am in a State of Death but I hope that God will grant me mercy for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ his Son who is my onely Justice Monsieur Menard seconded this thought which Monsieur Claude had started and Monsieur Claude's pangs coming thick upon him this conversation ended with a Prayer Monsieur Jaquelot exprest to Monsieur Claude his concern at his illness to which Monsieur Claude made answer after a very handsome and Christian Manner in praying God to bless him Monsieur Carre came into his Room at one a Clock as soon as Monsieur Claude saw him he told him that his last hour was drawing on and that in a little time his Son would be without a Father but that he besought him that he wou'd be a Father to his Son. Monsieur Carre told him that he had an esteem for his Son that he lov'd him and should serve him in all he could that they were Collegues and that onely Death should part them Monsieur Claude the Father thank't him declar'd he died satisfied and was very intent upon the Prayer which Monsieur Carre made for him Though Monsieur Claude had not been nam'd after the Morning Sermon the report of the danger he was in was immediately spread about the Church and the affection people had for him with their pity and fear drew a world of people to his House more especially I found there several Ladies of his acquaintance and Gentlemen who exprest how desirous they were to hear Monsieur Claude speak and receive his blessing I approv'd of their desires but added that it would be a hard matter to procure them that consolation because his Head was not at liberty to talk long together they nevertheless urg'd me to make the proposal of it I accordingly did so and that too immediately telling him what was desir'd of him I added that the last words of a man of his Character and Merit would edifie as much as several Sermons and that he owed this Succour to the Zeal and Calamities of those good Souls that requir'd this comfort of him a God's name replied he this desire is Just appoint a fitting time for it which you know best and which accordingly was immediately appointed but he was no longer in a condition to speak he had had a Delirium which did not allow him the liberty of prosecuting a discourse in such a manner as might have been expected of him He was again pray'd for in the Church in the Afternoon Service and it was thought convenient he should be named Monsieur Arbusse Preaching at that time said before he enter'd upon his Prayer that there was one of our Brethren that deserv'd to be lamented by all good people that it was Monsieur Claude that they were to pray God for him the whole Congregation seem'd much concern'd at this name Monsieur Arbasse pray'd to God with great zeal was herein accompanied by the whole Church which could not forbear weeping before hand for the loss they were going to have After five a Clock at the Evening Sermon Monsieur Du Vivie pray'd God for Monsieur Claude he
insisted a pretty while upon this point his grief and zeal excited likewise the grief and zeal of the Congregation which dissolv'd into tears At nine a Clock Monsieur Du Vivie came to see him as soon as he drew near his Bed Monsieur Claude gave him his blessing you have prevented my wishes said Monsieur Du Vivie to him I had a design to ask you your blessing God confirm it to you Monsieur Claude made him answer Some time after Monsieur Du Vivie told him that it became him to think of a perfect Justice that may serve before the Tribunal of God where he was going to appear and that he knew very well that this Justice was onely to be found in our Lord Jesus Christ who was made to us by God Wisedom Justice Sanctification and Redemption that 's all my hopes answered Monsieur Claude he added this passage at length I know in whom I have believed c. After which Monsieur Du Vivie said Prayers which the sick-man lissen'd to with great attention Half an hour after Monsieur Du Vivie askt him whether he did not find that his Condition had some affinity with the 73 Psalm My flesh faileth and mine heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my Portion for ever Monsieur Claude rais'd up his Voice and said twice Amen Amen he gave his blessing to some persons of his acquaintance that askt it of him there was especially a deserving young Lady who askt him whether he would impart his blessing to her as well as to the rest why should I not give it you he answered her I have seen evident instances of your discretion and piety I pray God to bless you Monsieur Claude falling into a Slumber his Son wakt him from time to time to give him Consolation 't was done in few words he being too weak to prosecute a long discourse he askt him if he did not place all his confidence in the death of his Saviour yes Son replied he our Lord Jesus Christ is my onely Justice I need no other he is all-sufficient I askt him whether he was not much pleas'd in being thus comforted by his Son I am very well satisfied he replied let him continue I said Prayers and staid with him till eleven a Clock On Monday the 13th of January a sad day for us I was call'd up at five a Clock in the Morning to go see Monsieur Claude who was become extraordinary weak I spoke to him but little he being in great Agonies occasion'd by pains in his Stomach At ten a Clock I drew near his Bed and seeing him in a quieter condition I askt him whether he knew me yes said he to me with a voice pretty strong you are my Pastour my whole recourse is to the mercy of God I expect a better life than this help me to fortifie me in the exercise of meditation and Prayer Notwithstanding his pains finding him constant in his pious inclinations I took upon me the right of his Pastour that he had conferr'd upon me I spoke to him of the sinfulness of mankind and of the riches of the grace of God that have appear'd in the Death of our Saviour Jesus Christ and I exhorted him to place his whole confidence in the Death of that good Saviour These few words excited his piety he gave us most sensible testimonies of his Repentance and of the stedfast Faith he had in our Saviour Jesus Christ and in this happy moment did I also apply that so precious Balm which our Saviour Jesus Christ has put into our hands for the consolation of repenting Sinners Be assur'd said I to him Brother that your Sins are forgiven you through the mercy of God I declare it to you in the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ who has given us a Commission for so doing and I beseech him that he wou'd ratifie it to you by the sentiment of your own Conscience this Declaration which he lissen'd to attentively afforded him mighty Joy I am persuaded said he to me that God will hear the sighs of my Soul and your discourses let us beseech him so to doe by the Prayers I beg you would make in my behalf accordingly we fell upon our knees and I pray'd God for him At two a Clock in the Afternoon there was no longer any connexion in Monsieur Claude's discourse nay and we avoided engaging him to speak for fear of augmenting his Delirium We pray'd often for him in that interval At five a Clock he had somewhat a violent Potion given him for to rouse his Spirits but all ineffectually At seven a Clock he became still much weaker yet did he still hear but was become speechless I bid him give me a sign whether he understood me and that he should give me his hand accordingly he reach't it to me I took his hand and said these words of the 31. Psalm to him Into thine hand I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth at these words he prest my hand and strugl'd to raise his head I continued to exhort him and said Prayers Monsieur Arbusse came to see him and pray'd by him for he was so weak and his senses so spent that Prayer was the onely assistance he could receive from us This exercise lasted till half an hour past Eleven at Night On the 13th of January 1687 Monsieur Menard and I did not stir from his Bed-side till his last gasp when we saw him calmly expire at that time and restored his Soul into the hands of God. Thus Lived and thus Died John Claude in his 68 year after having so worthily perform'd his Office for the space of forty two years or there abouts he was by nature quick and lively but submissive to reason and faith he was Civil Modest Illuminated wise in his Councells a true Friend officious without being troublesome charitable but with choice and much concern'd for the evils the Church labour'd under He understood the World shrifted into intreagues and improv'd all these lights to the repose of the Flocks of the Lord. He had a sagacious Wit a vast Imagination a nice Judgment a just Choice his expression was clear sprightly and strong his knowledge had past the test of Meditation he had fram'd an easie platform of all matters of his Profession each object came in its due place as soon as he spoke or writ and all this was maintain'd with an exact method and mighty beauty of Language He was a learned Divine a great Preacher an able and zealous defender of the Reformation a rigid observer of our confession of Faith an enemy of all such sentiments as might have disturb'd the peace of the Church and the purity of Religion and to the regulations of our Discipline He was of easie access of frank and fluent Conversation and all these great qualities were season'd with such profound humility that when he spoke he seem'd to forget what he was to fit
his discourse to the meanest understandings In France he liv'd belov'd by his Friends esteem'd by his Adversaries and his name which has past with so much lustre into foreign Countries has there gain'd the admiration of those very people who did not love his Religion and ever will be had in veneration in the Church These Characters are to be seen in the works he has given us and if his Son will farther enrich the publick as is hop'd with other Writings that have not yet seen the light they will furnish us with new strokes to render the portraict of this great man the more accomplisht For to have an Heroick Idea of him we must study him and his works Remember them which have the oversight of you which have declared unto you the word of God whose faith follow considering what hath been the end of their Conversation Hebrews Chapter the 13th Verse the 7th FINIS Books Printed for Thomas Dring at the corner of Chancery-lane in Fleetstreet AN impartial Collection of the great affairs of State from the beginning of the Scotch Rebellion in the year 1639. to the Murther of King Charles I. wherein the first occasion and the whole Series of the late Troubles in England Scotland and Ireland are faithfully represented Taken from authentick Records and Methodically digested by John Nalson L. L. D. in 2 Vol. Fol. Systema Agriculturae or the Mystery of Husbandry discovered treating of the several new and most advantageous ways of Tilling Planting Sowing Manuring Ordering Improving of all sorts of Gardens Orchards Meadows Pastures Corn-lands Woods and Copices as also of Fruits Corn Grain Pulse New-heys Cattle Fowl Beasts Bees Silkworms Fish c. with an account of the several Instruments and Engines used in this Profession to which is added Kalendarium rusticum or the Husbandman's monthly Directions also the Prognosticks of Dearth Scarcity Plenty Sickness Heat Cold Frost Snow Winds Rain Hail Thunder c. and Dictionarium Rusticum or the Interpretation of Rustick Terms the whole work being of great use and advantage to all that delight in that most noble Practise The Fourth Edition carefully corrected and amended by J. W. Gent. Folio Almahide or the Captive Queen an excellent new Romance never before in English The whole work written in French by the accurate Pen of Monsieur de Scudeus Governour of Nostre Dame. Done into English by J. Philips Gent. The History of the Holy War being an exact account of the Expeditions of the Kings of England and France and several other of the Christian Princes for the Conquest of Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land wherein are largely represented the great Actions Battles Seiges difficult Marches honourable Retreats admirable Strategems regular Conducts and brave Performances of the Christian Armies in all the said Expeditions Done into English by Dr. Nalson Folio The Doctrine of the Jesuites delivered in a plain sincere discourse to the French King concerning the re-establishment of the Jesuites in his Dominions Written in French by a Learned Roman-Catholick and now translated into English quarto A Collection of the Church Histories of Palestine from the Birth of Christ to the beginning of the Empire of Diocletian By J. M. B. D. quarto Mr. Claude's Answer to Monsieur de Meaux's Book intitled A Conference with Mr. Claude with his Letter to a Friend wherein he answers a Discourse of M. de Condom now Bishop of Meaux concerning the Church in quarto The second Part of M. Claude's Answer to Monsieur de Meaux's Book intitled a Conference with Mr. Claude being an Answer to Monsieur Meaux's References in quarto The whole duty of a Christian containing all things necessary both as to what he is to know and doe for obtaining a happy Eternity to which is added more particularly directions how to prepare for a comfortable Death in Twelves An infallible way to Contentment in the midst of publick or personal Calamities together with the Christian's courage and incouragement against evil tidings and the fear of Death The devout Communicant exemplified in his behaviour before at and after the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Practically suited to all the Parts of that solemn Ordinance * p. 432. * p. 1668. * p. 1671. * p. 109. * p. 163.