him Yea said he I bless God and rejoice that I have seen him and blessed him before I dye When he came near to him he stretched out his hand and received him kindly and then repeated to him what he had before said concerning his Brother affirming That he was a very good man and one furnished with Gifts that are rather solid and useful than conspicuous and ornamental now shall he be the Crown of my Fathers Family I bless God that there remains a man therein to Praise him both in word and work The Blessing of the God of our Father hath been eminently on that Branch of our Family from whence we are sprung there have been found therein many good Men who feared God As for these little Nazarens I recommend them to God And after a little stop he continued his Speech unto his Son My Son I now know thee no longer according to the Flesh my Carnal affections are mortified and swallowed up in the Love of God My love towards my Wife and Children is now wholly Spiritual I have Prayed unto God that he will Sanctifie make thee perfect and glorifie thee My Son Is not my happy departure joyful unto thee what could'st thou with more earnestness have desired for me than a glorious and happy end after a long and prosperous Life Bless God through whose bounty I am now filled with Joy and Peace Fear God my Son for this is the whole Duty of man In all thy Actions love Righteousness Sincerity Peace and Truth that my Blessing may remain effectually upon thee and thy Nephews § 20. This whole day was past over much to his ease and quiet none being admitted to disturb him with their Visits He lay still and was inclined to Sleep and when he observed us to look upon him as if he had been asleep I sleep said he but my heart waketh And when we asked him sometimes how he did Very well said he I feel no pain I am filled with the Grace of God I am not sensible of cold or heat I fear no more the inconveniencies of temporal Life the Spirit of God strengthens me and affords me abundant Consolations I have no doubt of my Salvation He hath set me on high He hath hid me in his hiding place He hath fenced me round about and hath perfected whatsoever concerns me I cannot be troubled any more I am like a Vessel filled with pure Water which no agitation troubles It is God that Justifies who shall Condemn it is Christ that dyed yea rather who is risen again The moments of my time are in his Power I am wholly taken up in the expectation of the decreed hour when he will say Come thou good and faithful Servant enter into the Joy of thy Lord O my God I thank thee that thou hast given me the Spirit of Humility Sincerity and Truth I have not been as a tinckling Cymbal O Lord thou hast known the secrets of my Soul and my in most Thoughts Thou hast taught me in the School of true Doctrine and I have above all sought the Glory of thy Name I have not thought any Virtue or Knowledge to be of my self knowing that all my Sufficiency is from thee alone I have slighted that Mystical Theology which is nothing but Canting and have adhered to that clear pure and saving Truth which is contained in the Holy Scriptures One word of the Son of God who requires the Heart is of more worth than all those humane Vanities which are good for nothing else but to trouble the Purity of the Divine Fountains Suffer not O Lord the improbity of men to obscure the Clearness of thy Word which hath been a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path yea it still affords a Light unto me and guideth me in the dark Paths of the Shadow of Death O Lord I have been jealous for thee and have mourned in secret for the Wickedness of some and the audacious Hypocrisie of others who have Assembled themselves to pull down what thou hadst built up by thy Mercies There yet remain Pious Souls who love the Peace of Zion and mourn under these Confusions hear their Prayers In particular have Mercy on those most flourishing Islands where so much of the Blood of thy Martyrs hath been shed turn the People in them to thy self and to their King give thy Judgments unto that poor Prince and make him worthy to have his just Prayers heard Give the Spirit of Moderation and Wisdom to his own Nation who have sent for him that they may require nothing of him but what is weighed in the Balance of Justice These Discourses being began towards Evening were continued till it was Night which he perceiving and wondring at himself said And am I yet alive and thus able to speak God hath done it he endues me with new Strength that I may glorifie him and extoll his holy Name O Lord I wait for the moment which thou hast determined I believe I persevere I am not troubled The Spirit of God witnesseth with my Spirit that I am a Child of God O Lord thou hast known me throughly I am thy Servant help all mine Infirmities perfect thy work in me Patience and Hope make not ashamed the Love of God is in me even that Love whereby I earnestly desire the Salvation of all yea of those which have offended me without Cause I forgive them and Pray for them There is no bitter Gall in me for God hath caused all bitterness to pass from me and hath given true Peace in me for I roll my self upon him § 21. On Thursday morning Thursday Jan. 5. turning his eyes towards the light he said It is day light Shortly I shall no more know the difference of Day and Night I am come to the Eve of that great and eternal day and am going unto that Place where the Sun shall no more give light God will be an everlasting Light unto me and already O Lord thou sendest the Rayes of that Light into my Soul and openest mine eyes that I may perceive them O how powerfully dost thou work in me while this Old man dyes and decayes thou puttest on me the New man which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him who Createth it that is lively seeth heareth and walketh with enlarged steps it desires nothing more than an outlet into perfect Liberty Deliver me from this Prison that I may celebrate thy Name Yet neither do I so contemn this Body as not to think of its Restauration for I know thy dead shall live yea my dead Body It is sown in Corruption it shall be raised in Incorruption It is sown a vile body but it shall rise again in glory It is sown in weakness but it shall be raised again in power In a word It shall be conformed to the glorious boof our Lord Jesus Christ who is become the First-fruits of them that sleep I shall see him in my flesh My
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
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
calleth me and causeth me willingly to follow him at his Call And now the end of my Life is within my view he still affords me the perfect use of my Reason that I may praise the Holy Name of God in the Land of the Living and instruct my Neighbour by my Example Pray for me my Friends that this Grace may be continued unto me till I draw my last breath that he will strengthen my Faith confirm my Patience and raise my Hope He hath already captivated all my affections to his will I have cast the care of me of mine of life and all my affairs upon him Let him do with my body as pleaseth him so it may but be well with my Soul There is no going hence without pains this Flesh must suffer and fall It matters not provided the Soul obtains new strength and I arrive at a better Mansion than that made with hands It is that I aspire to I lament not the World I have lived long enough and have had leisure to make tryal of all things and to know that they are vanity and vexation of Spirit One thing is necessary To fear God and keep his Commandments for that is the whole duty of man And now there is nothing that I am concern'd about neither is my life dear unto me so that I may finish my course with joy and fulfill the Ministry which I have received of the Lord which is best done at the last This is the end and this the mark which a Christian ought to aim at The end of this frail life is the beginning of Eternal life O happy change Truly I fear nothing Christ is gain both in life and death he forsakes me not If he make heavy my bodily pains yet he increaseth the joy of my Soul Come and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul I called upon him and he inclined his ear and heard me he hath blotted out my sins as a cloud And as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him His manner was to let no Minister part from him before he had prayed with him Pray unto God would he say now is the acceptable time § 8. Towards Evening when the Gentlewoman his wife could not be prevailed upon to withdraw and betake her self to some rest It troubles me said he to see so dear a person and one that I honour so much so far in years and of so weak a body to wear out her self at this rate But then giving way to her desire Seeing thou wilt have it so said he Tarry It is a pleasure to me to see thee The Lord strengthen thee The night before Saturday was spent in grievous pains and in most ardent Prayers for the Church of God for the Princes that were Defenders of it for the People that lived under their jurisdiction and for the Pastors to whom the care of Souls was committed Speaking particularly of the States viz of the Vnited Provinces he said O God withdraw not thy protection from these Provinces neither remove thy Candlestick away Let not thine anger burn against them because of that impiety and profaneness which hath made too great a progress Rather bow their hearts unto Repentance and convert men that they may prevent thy Judgements Let them coalesce in one body especially let them be joyned unto thee without whom all union is but conspiracy do thou praeside in that Assembly bend their hearts so that all their decrees may turn to the good of the Common-wealth and especially of the Church Grant unto them that with due equity nobleness and gratitude they may remember that Prince who only remains of the stock of his noble progenitors whom thou hast made use of to accomplish thy work in the midst of them Indue this child with the Spirit of thy Fear of Prudence Fortitude and Magnanimity and deliver him from profane men base flatterers and such servants as are enticers unto and the Instruments of Vices and infamous pleasures and grant to him such as are faithful incorrupt lovers of Truth and Equity that by their means he may learn to distinguish Vertue from Vice to shun the one and embrace the other It is time O Lord for thee to help When the night was spent he was exceedingly wearied and tyred out both with overmuch speaking and especially by means of abstinence from drink with which he was wont to be refreshed for when through the extremity of his thirst he was forced to take down a little immediately his stomach cast it back again being like a Vessel filled to the top that could receive no more The Physitians afflicted his body with the use of various Remedies but he bore all with an even temper of mind often saying I have told you before that the use of these things will be to no purpose but 't is no matter I must comply with you do what you please for your own Satisfaction § 9. That Saturday he was Dec. 31. mightily enfeebled and sometimes very drowzy he spake but little that forenoon Afternoon when divers friends visited him and were discoursing among themselves of the nature of his disease he heard all that passed between them in the Chamber for he was very quick of hearing and gathered both from their discourses and also from his own knowledge of the disease he labored under that his distemper was that which Physitians call Miserere mei which he was not likely to pass through without very grievous Symptoms such as a burning Fever Delirium and vomiting of his excrements And thereupon he began to be afflicted with much solicitude while his mind was intent upon the thoughts of the grievousness of these Symptoms and in frequent Ejaculations he sent up short and ardent Prayers to God about it My God said he have mercy upon me deliver me from the opprobry which I fear for thou art gracious And smiting his belly he said This is a bag of filth a sink and collection of griefs But thanks be to my God that he hath afflicted me in this more ignoble part my heart in the mean time remaining strong and my brain free and clear so that I might have liberty to meditate upon thy power and goodness This favour O Lord God which is invaluable reserve for me That my mouth may utter nothing but what breaths forth Charity Praises and Thanksgivings O that it may not be defiled with * Viz. The casting up of excrements this filthiness Let this building be brought down where its ruine began which let me behold as one set on high with a constant and peaceful mind even a mind elevated to spiritual things which with all earnestness I follow after knowing that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither can Corruption inherit Incorruption And in the insuing night he did often inculcate Who is mortal man that thou shouldst so magnifie him and think upon him He is like to vanity Flesh
and a wind that passeth away With how small a thing are the strongest among men cast down By a vile excrement by a little obstruction which no Remedies can open Thou hast done this O thou Eternal one Thus it pleaseth thee and I would have it so too Let it be done to me according to thy Word I am in thy fatherly and Gracious hands I fear nothing Thou art my safeguard and my exceeding great reward Then he repeated in the Hebrew tongue that sentence out of Lamentat 3. 24. Thou art my portion saith my Soul And seethose that stood by him were alwayes speaking to him of Good things Well done said he cease not to strengthen me unto that end God will supply you with matter for discourse for he is not only present with the sick himself for his aid but also with them that are called to succour him for he is nigh unto all that call upon him in truth Then he again poured forth his prayers for the Church of God saying O Lord it is thy possession which thou hast purchased with thine own blood forsake not thine own work let an holy jealousie be kindled in thee lift up on high the arm of thy power and bring down the audacious ones which tyrannize over thy flock Rebuke thou the negligent that heal her wounds slightly Reduce into the way those that wander and strengthen that which is ready to fall through division Gather both the one and the other to thy self into one body building them upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the Ephes 2. 20 21. chief corner Stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord. And then making a little pause he added I have been one of those builders I have brought what I received from the Lord that I might put to my helping hand with others towards the building of this Temple and I my self shall be a Living Stone in this Spiritual House He suffered no day nor night to pass over without his Prayers for the House of Orange Tbou hast afflicted it O Lord said he but we beseech thee let it not be destroyed Let this * The young Prince born but a little before Branch grow up which if it be thy good pleasure may come to be a fruitful tree in it's time Let all acknowledge that good to come from thee and that thou alone canst give both being and well-being How great folly is it to put confidence in man and in the Son of man who is nothing His breath goeth forth and then his best contrived thoughts perish § 10. On the next day which 1651. Jan. 1. Lords-day was the first of the year 1651. when he first beheld the light he said O Lord thou hast granted unto me to see the beginning of the year thou hast measured out my time unto the midle of this Age Then he asked what hour of the day it was and what weather when it was answered that the weather was very sharp and severe he was afraid it might hinder his Son◠journey to him Whereupon he addrest himself to God after this manner O my God bring my Son unto me that I may see him embrace him and bless him before I dye Then turning himsel◠to his Wife he said Dost think this earnest desire to see him proceeds from some carnal affection Nothing less Truly I love no man any more according to the flesh I earnestly desire his eternal Salvation and I hope to have those discourses with him which may increase his zeal in adorning his * His Son was a Minister spiritual Vocation I have yet spirit and utterance sufficient for that work Let none be hindred from coming to me It is usual for a man in my station by admonishing others publickly to make confession of his own Faith not for the sake of a little vain Glory O Lord thou knowest for it little concerns me to be approved unto men provided I may approve my self unto God but I desire the Salvation of many and to give testimony to the truth of those things which I have publickly taught This day also was taken up with the Visits of Friends and amongst others that came there was Collonel Verneuil and some more Officers in the Garrison of which two or three were of Poictou unto whom he said I rejoyce that I have opportunity to make a Confession of my Faith before you that are my Countrey-men And I pray you to keep it i◠memory and give testimony of it where it shall be necessary For you see before you◠eyes a man weak indeed but without guile who solemnly protesteth That h◠hath never published in hi◠Writings nor taught wit◠his Lips any thing that di◠not agree with the sence o◠his heart and the Doctrin◠which hath been delivered t◠us by the Prophets and Apostles which is the same wit◠that which is found in th◠Confession of Faith of ou◠Churches in which I hav◠lived and in which I purpose to dye The Lord God Almighty confirm you in that Faith so that nothing may move you from it For what will it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own Soul Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and then all other things shall be added to you Learn to number your dayes And get a wise heart Look upon me and let me be an example unto you It is but eight dayes since I preached to you of Mans frailty being my self in health and lively at that time and now you see the truth of what I said in my self Certainly what is visible to us and set before our eyes hath a more perswasive power than words which only beat the ears And then taking his leave of them he added The Lord deliver you from the allurements of the world and give you an increase of his fear and of all spiritual and temporal gifts A while after there came to hi◠the worthy Snellen Burgomaster of Breda unto whom h◠chearfully gave an account ◠the nature of his disease wit◠the causes and consequents there of and then said Praise be to God who hat◠given me to know the en◠of my life I should be th◠most ungrateful of all men ◠I were not contented wit◠that measure and term ◠Life which he hath afforde◠me and if I should not acknowledge his great Goodness and provident care ◠me in the whole course ◠my life Especially I giv◠him thanks for laying ou◠this place for me to pass m◠old age in amongst good me◠with whose kindness I hav◠been refreshed and to who◠for their multiplied favou◠towards me I can never make a sufficient return of thanks Of your sincere Affection most worthy Sir in a special manner I have had experience for which I give you my hearty thanks and in your Person to your whole Corporation which
forsaken Behold thy Unkle which shall be to thee instead of a Father Be obedient to him and also to thy Grandmother and Mother whom I pray God abundantly to bless with her other Children that her little Posthumous Son that bears my Name may in time Represent me yea exceed me § 30. These holy speeches were sometimes interrupted by a short sleep and sometimes on occasion of the Prayers or Exhortations of the Ministers that came to him He received them all most Cordially and most willingly heard the Consolations that were suggested by them And he would also return Consolations to them He heard their prayers with attention and when they had done was wont alwayes to say That he found himself much relieved And then dismissed them with thanks giving his blessing to each of them as was proper to their Condition Towards Supper time he remembred the noble Virgin Anna Maria a Schurman and said She is a person to whom I have alwaies devoted my Affection and sincere Love she hath honoured me with her holy friendship and hath called me Father In testimony of my paternal Love I give her my little Bible without Points of Plantines Edition which you shall find in such a Place in my Study directing to the place If I had any strength left I would have written a Letter to her with my own hand whereby I would have testified to her how much I Honour her and esteem those admirable gifts of God wherewith he hath adorned her But you my Son shall supply this defect and inform her of my happy Departure and that I have prayed to God that he will Strengthen her in her supernatural Calling and bestow upon her the blessings of a long and prosperous Life What remains Have I not said all I have no more to do but to give up my Soul into the hands of God Is it not time O my God let it suffice Receive my Soul unto thy self O Lord I yield it into thy hands thou hast Redeemed it O God of Truth Thou art my hope and my Confidence from my youth No care afflicts me God hath removed from me the Opprobry which I feared meaning the Vomiting of his excrements a symptome usual in his Distemper He will perfect and that quickly whatsoever belongs to his Glory and my Eternal Salvation If he make any stay if he deferre my deliverance he doth it for your Edification and Salvation Let not my Sorrows be grievous to you but rather bless God who gives me a desirable plume and makes my heart joyful in the midst of my pains Rejoyce therefore and Pray with me § 31. When he had asked what a Clock it was he said to his Wife and his Son I pray you take some food I am not yet fully come to the end of my Work I want nothing and my Niece shall tarry with me and take something here to refresh her They withdrew therefore into the next Room and one brought an Egg to his Niece which he desired her to take As for me said he my Meat is to do the will of God and happily to run out the course of my life I am refreshed with holy and heavenly food My Father feeds me with that Food which he lately offered to me at his holy Table I did eat and was filled The true feeding is the feeding of the Soul that which sustains the true Life As for Corporal meats they are for the belly but God will destroy both it and them Then reaching out his hand to his Niece I Love thee said he with a Love wholly Spiritual a love of true Charity and Affection We will pass this Night together in holy Meditations and speaking to one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs Singing and making melody in our Hearts unto the Lord I feel my Swelling to ascend I fear that in a little time I shall be able to speak no more do not depart from me but continue speaking to me whatsoever God shall bring to thy Heart and Lips lest in my utmost weakness my Memory should fail me and I assure thee God will suggest those things to thee which which shall be for my help and Comfort in the time of need for out of the abundance of the Heart the mouth speaketh His Wife and Son being returned into the Chamber Pray ye said he for me what a joy is i◠to see these holy Souls with me § 32. Oft times through the bitterness of his pains he brake forth into Cryes or rather ardent Prayers unto God and that frequently in the words of the Psalms in the French Metre as Psal 141. 1. Jehovah upon thee I call O hasten unto me Lend to my Voice thy Gracious Ear When I cry unto thee Then adding from Psal 25. 18. Look upon mine Affliction and pardon all my sins And upon the mention of any Text that speaks of the Remission of sins he would immediately subjoyn It is done He hath caused mine iniquity to pass away from me O Lord abate and shorten my Miseries Now is thy time And then repeated from Psal 118. 24. This is a joyful day indeed Which God himself hath wrought We will be glad and joy therein With all our Heart and Thought How great is my anguish but how much greater is my refreshment An high place and a Refuge sure I find the Lord to me In day of my distress he me Relieves with rich bounty They continually suggested to him places of Scripture unto which he would return such answers as did abundantly manifest his Godly Ardor Faith and Patience as for instance when it was said to him God is nigh to all that call upon him in Truth Smiting upon his breast he replyed Here he is here he dwells in me and worketh powerfully according to his good pleasure Then that place was alledged 1 Cor. 15. Death is swallowed up in victory and he added the following words Thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Again from Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did predistinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also Glorified Even so it is said he Grace upon Grace O lovely Chain This is a Golden Chain indeed there wants but the last link to compleat the whole in me O Lord make perfect and Crown thy work That I may dye the death of the righteous and see those good things which eye hath not seen neither have they entred into the mind of man Thou givest me a foretast of these sweetnesses and refreshings which no words can express § 33. Then Mr. Hulsius being present asked if it would be acceptable to him that he should go to Prayer Yea said he Pray The time requires it When he had ended his Prayer he gave him thanks saying You have helped me while you called upon God I found some ease of my infirmity Encourage me the Race is short I even touch the bound
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
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