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
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
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