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
and remember the Grace of God in me Consider how he brings me down by his mighty hand that he may exalt and Glorifie me in due time The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us This is my joy to glorifie God in my death sweet Death that is a passage unto life eternal O God strengthen the Soul of thy Servant that he may abide constant and invincible unto death I hope the Combat will not continue long Bring to pass O Lord that the End may Crown the Work § 27. Amongst the many Physitians that had attended on him there was one Dr. Crucius a Roman Catholick who came this Morning to visit him and asked him if he still continued to be of good courage Yea verily said he for I am in God and God is in me The Cross which God hath sent is small Every one must bear his Cross that he may follow Christ who hath suffered so great things for me though he deserved no such suffering This Cross increaseth my hope The Lord is Gracious who entreth not into Judgment with his poor Servant Christ hath dyed for my Sins and is risen again for my Justification A while after Mr. Wickelmans a Dutch Minister came and spake to him in the Latine tongue to whom he answered in the same Language God Strengthens me and he will preserve me from all evil I give thanks unto my God for that unspeakable goodness which he hath poured upon me he succours me in this work he hath been alwaies present with me even to this Extremity Then the Minister repeated to him the words of the Apostle 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness At which words he cryed out O welcome Crown there is nothing else that I wait for God dwells in me by his holy Spirit which shall never be taken away from me Grant O Lord that I may keep thy Commands Again when beholding hiâ— pains he exhorted him to patience he answered We cannot we ought noâ— to resist the will of God O Eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ I give theâ— thanks for thy exceeding greaâ— benefits That it hath pleaseâ— thee that I should declare thy Praise even unto very Old Age and that thou makest me able to persist therein unto the last breath of my life § 28. At another hour when the same Minister visited him again and said You are still fighting the Good fight he answered In hope and patience I am wholly Gods and Jesus Christ's my Saviour I believe that he will keep what I have committed to him against that day Even so come Lord Jesus And when this Minister had prayed with him he returned him thanks in these words I give you thanks for your holy Prayers I doubt not but God will hear them God bless you I beseech him to make you a very powerful Instrument of his Glory He also added God hath fulfilled all his Promises in me I have seen them afar off I have believed them I have embraced them I wait for nothing more but to breathe forth my last breath God possesseth me already I feel that there is nothing wanting but that he will give me the wings of an Eagle that I may fly to the Carkass Immediately he subjoyned a verse or two out of one of Beza's French Poems to this sence O Holy Word With all my Heart To thee I flye § 29. Towards Evening the Pangs of death increased upon him The extreme Pains of his bowels his suddain fainting aâ—â— and other grievous Symptoms were the indications of approaching death But in this state and utter decay of thâ— strength of nature his exercisâ— of Faith was strengthened sâ— much the more and his patience confirmed Mourn noâ— for me said he These last hours have nothing terrible in them The body indeed suffers but the Soul is Comforted and filled abundantly The Lord is my Shepherd I shall want nothing His Rod and his Staff shall lead me safely through this short valley of the Shadow of death This little cloud hinders me not from beholding that Heavenly Light which already enlightens my Soul O Lord thou givest me light thou warmest me thou liftest me on high and I gladly follow thee being carried aloft upon the wings of Faith The sharper my pains are the nearer I am to deliverance My wound is grievous but I was silent because thou didst it Have mercy on me O Lord O my God deliver me I am impatient of delay I know that God is faithful and with the temptation he will give a way of escape that I may be able to bear it When he looked towards his Wife she thus addressed her self to him My dear I bless God and rejoyce for thee that I have seen so much of the Grace of God in thee To which he replyed Thou doest well my dear Love The Lord confirm and strengthen thy joy Mine is solid I rejoyce that thou seest the end of my Conversation Thou hast known me and thou knowest that I hate Ostentation and that more hath been attributed to me by others than I have believed of my self for I have been conscious of mine own infirmities and that whatsoever good might be in me was not of my self The Glory is to be ascribed to God alone he hath done the work Perfect O Lord and Crown thine own work I complain not of my pains I have not flattered my self in my disease for when I was first seized by it I was aware that God called for me Is it not time my dearest love Afflict not thy self I go before thou shalt follow e're long Thou hast afforded me help and hast kindly succour'd me God will bless thee and save thee doubt it not It hath been grateful to me and I most kindly accept it that thou hast had so great a Love for this little Boy pointing to his Grand-son make proof of thy love to me by loving him it is a Child void of malice and I have good hope of him if he be well guided Then calling the Child he said Give me thy hand my Son See thy Grandfather upon his death-bed Thou hast already lost thy Grandfather by Mothers side who was a pious and upright man Now thou losest thy Grandfather by Fathers side but thou hast a Grandfather in Heaven on both sides that will never be wanting to thee I hope my blessing will redound upon thee Then taking him between his hands My little Child said he Pray to God! If thou do this diligently thou shalt be like a tall and beautiful Tree planted by the Rivers of waters Have thou fair branches and be fruitful that is Fear God Then shalt thou bring forth Wisdom Prudence and Understanding Be thou Good and Beneficent shunning evil company and God will bless thee thou shalt not be
of approaching death to be entertained which admits of no return to life What is man said he Nothing but flesh obnoxious to putrefaction a flower that springs up to day and to morrow is cut down even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away like the breath that proceedeth out of my mouth For the cold being great that day did so condense his breath that it might be seen of all to whom he was preaching § 4. When the Sermon was finished he returned home as lively and well as he had been seen for some years past nor did he the next day feel any decay of his former strength But on Thursday which was the 27th of December he began to complain Anno 1650. of a pain below his Navel and refusing to eat any Supper desired that a Clyster might be given him but it was to no purpose the liquor being driven back again with greater force than it was injected That night was pass'd over partly in bearing of his sharp pains and partly in serious discourses On Wednesday morning the complaint of his pain was encreased and he desired that the use of a Clyster might be repeated which was done accordingly but with no better success than the former Then were two Physicians sent for and they suspecting that the former Clysters either had not been skilfully injected or else were not strong enough made tryal of the like means once and again but with the same success as before for a glutinous humour had already fast locked up the passage against all Remedies On the next day which was Tuesday they prescribed Pills of Alloes washed and on Fryday the Infusion of Rhubarb either of which did sufficiently agitate his body but effected nothing neither was any way opened for their passage the expulsive faculty being weakened and dulled so that it could give Nature no assistance The wind shut up in his bowels tormented the sick man his Belly was swollen and he was afraid to touch either meat or drink lest thereby his grievance should be encreased There were no proper means unattempted nor any kind of help by Clysters Fomentations or Baths but were made tryal of untill by the stubborn disease that resisted all Remedy he was brought unto death the twelfth day of his sickness the History of which we shall now prosecute more at large § 5. On the second day after his disease had seised him he well understanding the nature of it declared what the event would be Not saith he that I would neglect Remedies that I may please my Friends I will do whatsoever is thought meet to be done being secure as to the issue which I commit to the Providence of God Then he asked his Neece Mrs Mary Moline what she conceived of his disease which he thought would prove mortal And when she answered That her opinion was the same yet that he had no reason to fear any thing having been long prepared to follow God when he should call that the time of his Life hitherto had been long if it were crowned with an happy and Glorious End Thou speakest right saith he and I pray thee alwaies address thy self to me with like speeches and while my sickness continues depart not from me day nor night Promise me now that thou wilt keep a chearful countenance and that thou wilt speak nothing to me but what may administer joy and support to me although I fear not death yet I fear the tryal of those pains which I have alwaies had a very sharp feeling of Then suddainly turning his speech unto God he said Great God! thou art my Father thou hast given me both Life and a new Life thou hast taught me from my youth and I have declared thy wonderful works forsake me not now in my old age Hitherto through thy peculiar favour thou hast preserved me sound in my body and my faculties and the functions of my mind have not been impaired so that a little before I was opprest by this disease I found my self as apt and ready for the exercise of my Vocation as in my Flourishing Youth O Lord God! if it be thy will that I should longer attend upon thy service thou canst asswage my disease in one moment but if thou hast decreed otherwise lo here is thy Servant thy will be done This one thing I begg with most inward affections that thou wilt make me conformable to thy good will Let not thy good Spirit depart from me that in this conflict thy strength may make me a Conquerour Accomplish this O Lord for thine own sake And seeing thou hast imployed me in thy work grant that I may die an honourable death and such as may be an example unto others That I may stand fast in that sound Doctrine which I have taught and may make a good confession thereof before witnesses that thereby thy Church may be both instructed and edified Let me apply to my self by a lively Faith all the Promises of the Gospel and let them put forth their efficacy in me unto my joy and eternal consolation that nothing in the world neither affliction nor distress may seperate me from thee or cause me to doubt of thy love and favour Thou knowest my weaknesses and infirmities permit not the grievousness of my pain to cast me into impatience or murmuring either make my pains tolerable or furnish me with fortitude and constancy sufficient to bear them That I may not offend with my Tongue keep thou the door of my lips § 6. The remainder of the day was taken up with pains the use of Remedies and the Visits of Friends when the night came on he earnestly intreated Mrs. Rivet his wife that she would retire her self into the next Chamber not only because she was afflicted with a vehement Cough but also that he might remove her from the grievous sight of himself when tormented with his pains and because he found his tender affections more moved at the sight of her than any other person So none remained with him but his Neece Mrs. Mary Moline and two of the household servants But who can particularly relate the speeches which he uttered and in a manner poured forth that night and the day following which was Thursday Decemb. 29. with an Affection and Order inexpressible breathing from his Heart nothing but Repentance Faith Charity and holy Zeal In a word he implored the mercy of God with the Greatest self-denial and abasement of Soul confessing himself to be a miserable sinner and casting away all confidence in any good thing which he had done in his life yea speaking of that with great very contempt he accused his own defects and ascribed unto God the Glory of his good works often repeating such expressions as these It is God that hath wrought the work for me Shall I alledge or plead my own Righteousnesses before him Far be that from me If I should justifie my self my own mouth would condemn me I