CHAPTER X.
_Of his death._
1. ON the 11th of _April_, 1649, he found himself very ill, and having concealed his sickness five days, was then constrained to take his bed. He endured great pains all over his body, with which his mind too was so much affected, that he profest, if God had not assisted him against the ravings of his imagination, he should have spoken more extravagancies than any madman. “There was much, he said, in such a condition to humble him. But it was the duty of a sinner to honour God, in all conditions wherein he should place him.”
2. During these great pains and torments, and during the whole course of his sickness, his ordinary employment consisted in affectionate elevations of his soul to God, in thoughts and words of blessing, praise, and submission to whatsoever was laid upon him, and of meekness and perfect obedience to all that attended, and had the care of him, with such a humble and contented spirit, that he thought all well done, though sometimes it was otherwise.
3. His patience never gave way to any complaint. And when his keeper, who was of the hospital of charity, with whom he had visited so many poor and sick, importuned him to declare his pain, *“O sister, said he, how does the love of God wipe away all pain? The servants of God suffer nothing.” Another friend asking, if his pain was not great? He answered, no. The other replied, “He thought it was.” “It is true, saith he, that I am much clogged with my disease; but I feel it not, because I do not think of it.”
4. Being urged to take some sweet things, he refused, saying, “These make little for life or for death.” Yet he refused not physic, but took it with a chearful countenance, though it was very bitter, and he had a great difficulty in swallowing. Indeed when one told him of another medicine which had done great cures, he answered, “Patience is a sovereign remedy,” intimating his unwillingness to try it. Yet when it was brought, he took it without any reluctance.
5. His sickness increasing more and more, yet he never called for any thing to refresh him: and when they had forced clean sheets upon his bed, and a pillow, which he had before refused, he said, “Lo! Here lies a gentleman at his ease.”
*6. Feeling some joy arise in him, upon the sight of a person of his acquaintance, with whom he had held a strict correspondence in spiritual things, who came out of the country on purpose to visit him: he immediately repeated thrice over, with great fervour, “I desire nothing more but God.”
7. Reflecting on the poor, the constant objects of his tenderest care, he said to his lady, “I recommend the poor to you. Will not you have a great care of them? You will perform it better than I. Fear nothing: what you give to them, will not lessen the rest.”
8. The greatest part of the first week of his illness, and some part of the second likewise, was spent by him in works of mercy, appointing of alms, and giving orders for letters to be writ into several provinces, about business of charity wherewith he stood charged, and whereof he gave an exact account.
9. Many persons of quality coming to visit him, he received them with much civility, but not without some concern, because most of those visits drew on discourse of worldly things. “They come hither, said he, to talk philosophy; of which I have no need.” And another time his expression was,
“A Christian should talk little.”
*10. A lady of great piety coming to visit him said, “Sir, I would with all my heart lay down my life to save yours.” He replied with a chearful look, and eyes lifted up to heaven, “To die is not to be lost. Our conversation and union will hereafter be more near and intimate.” She said, “But, Sir, if it pleased God to restore your health, and continue you longer with us; do not you desire it? St. _Martin_ desired to live upon these terms.” He answered, “O Madam, there is no comparison between a saint and a sinner! The will of God be done.”
11. The third day of his sickness he desired his director might be sent for. And being asked, if he found himself worse? He answered, “No; but in a business of this consequence, it is not safe to delay, for fear of a surprizal, the judgment and memory being both so subject to decay.” The next day he made his confession, the day after he confessed again, and almost every day till his death.
12. The pastor of his parish having administered to him the Holy Communion, and observing his deep silence, not speaking one word; but only with profound humility, “My God, my God, pardon me; I am a great sinner!” He asked him the reason, why he spake so little, and did not apply himself to those who were well-pleased to hear him? “It is not fitting, said he, to speak in the presence of him whom I have received, nor take up any room in those hearts, which ought to be filled only with God.” He added, *“My spirit is now applied to that joy, which a creature ought to have, to see himself upon the point of being re-united to his first principle, and his last end.”
13. The same day after dinner, one told him, “It was fit to use some diversion from his serious thoughts; the physicians judging his disease to have much of melancholy in it.” To whom he replied, “I never had any joy comparable to that I have felt this day.” He asked him, for what cause? “To think, said he, that I am going to be united with my God.” He added earnestly, “I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. The Spirit and the bride say, Come; and let him that heareth say, Come. And he that thirsteth, Let him come. Behold I come quickly. Amen; Come Lord Jesus!”
*14. About noon, he desired his window might be set open, that he might behold the brightness of the day: which being done, he cried out, “O bright day of eternity! How this sun-shine chears me! Helping me to meditate on that day, which shall never have night!”
*15. The more his sickness increased, the more he strove to unite himself to God by prayer, imitating his master, who in the strength of his agony, prayed the more earnestly. And when the violence of his disease so opprest him, that he had need of greater straining, to keep his mind fixed upon God, he cried out,
“Courage, courage! Eternity is at hand!”
16. Many such speeches he uttered with incredible fervor, tho’ he could not pronounce them distinctly, by reason of the extreme dryness of his throat, occasioned by the fever. At last, stopping his speech, he fixed his eyes stedfastly on heaven, for a quarter of an hour together, with a smiling look, and full of reverence, as if he saw some extraordinary sight. After which gathering all his strength, he sat up in his bed, took off his cap, and holding it in his hand, said, (with words half stifled in his throat, as well by the ardor of his spirit, as the weakness of his body)
“I adore you, I adore you.”
17. The curate having used the service of the church, to which he attended with great devotion, answering to every prayer, asked him, if he would not give a blessing to his children? He answered, “How so, good Sir, shall I presume to give a blessing in your presence? I should be happy to receive one from you.” But being urged thereto, and told the church allowed it, he lifted up his hands and eyes to heaven, saying,
“May it please God to bless you and to preserve you by his grace from the malignity of the world, that you may have no part therein! And above all, my children, may you live in the fear and love of God, and yield due obedience to your mother!”
18. On _Saturday_, about half an hour past ten in the forenoon, ♦being just recovered out of a violent convulsion, looking attentively on those that were present, he made signs with his hands, head, and eyes, with a pleasant countenance, for an intimate friend to come near him. Which being done, he said,
♦ “been” replaced with “being”
“Sir, I have one word to say to you before I die:” (then pausing a little to recover his strength, he testified his affection to him, but in words that could not distinctly be understood. At length raising his voice, and speaking more articulately, he went on) “The perfection of a Christian life, is to be united to God by faith. Let us not entangle ourselves in novelties. Let us adore his conduct over us, and continue faithful to him unto the end. Let us adhere to that one God, crucified for our salvation. Let us unite all our actions, and all that is in us to his merits; hoping that if we continue faithful to him by his grace, we shall be partakers of the glory of his Father. I hope we shall there see one another one day, which shall never have an end.”
19. Some time after, fixing his eyes upon heaven, he said, “The holy Jesus, where is he?” They brought him his picture, which he affectionately kissed. Then turning himself he presently entered his last agony; which held about a quarter of an hour, the greatest part of which he spent in pronouncing the name of Jesus; making as well as he could, acts of resignation, and commending his spirit to God: After which he expired sweetly, and his holy soul departed to its place of rest.
20. Thus lived and died M. _de Renty_, one of the most glorious lights God hath bestowed upon his church in our age. He died at _Paris_, in the 37th year of his age, the 24th of _April_ 1649, about noon. We have great reason to admire the secret counsels of God, in taking out of the world, in the flower of his age, a man so qualified to advance the honour of God, and the good of his neighbour. But when we say, it was the hand of God, all things are therein concluded. Hereby he is pleased to let us know, that he hath no need of us for the advancing his glory; and that when he does use us as instruments therein, we ought to behave with all humility in his presence. He hath translated him to another place, where he glorifies his majesty with greater perfection; and where he waits for us to glorify and love, together with him, God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, to all eternity! _Amen!_
An EXTRACT from the LIFE and DEATH of THOMAS WALSH.
THE INTRODUCTION.
THE exceeding riches of the grace of God our Saviour, and the effectual working of his mighty power, have in all ages shone most conspicuously in the holy lives and exemplary conversation of his eminent servants, _the excellent of the earth_, with whom are his peculiar delights.
And although, strictly speaking, He only is _wise_ and _good_, nevertheless, there is a sense in which goodness is with propriety ascribed both to angels and to men. This consists in their resemblance of him who is the source and model of all goodness, holiness, and perfection; as proceeding from his fulness, whence life and blessedness flow to every creature, whether in heaven or in earth.
Of this kind the scriptures furnish us with several examples, _Abraham_, _Enoch_, _Noah_, _Daniel_ and _Job_, (beside many others) are described in the Old Testament, as men walking before God, and perfect in their generation. And the eleventh chapter to the _Hebrews_ contains little else than an account of ancient worthies, eminently remarkable for their faith, sufferings, patience, and glorious end; who considering themselves as strangers and pilgrims in this world, sought _a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is_ God. And God, saith the apostle, _hath provided some better things for us, that they without us should not be made perfect_.
The time would fail to mention particularly the names of all the eminently faithful, who have lived and adorned their profession, since life and immortality have been brought to light by the gospel. They are an innumerable company. It is enough for us to know, that if _any one loveth_ God, _the same is known of him_. Their _names are written in the Lamb’s book of life_, and shall at last be numbered amongst his jewels.
When names, and sects, and parties fall, And thou, O Christ, art all in all!
Among the number of persons eminent for their usefulness and personal holiness, which the present generation has produced, he, a part of whose life is here related, may justly be considered as one; and his example is one, which in some respects may be said to have its peculiar excellencies.
A circumstantial detail of such things as often find a place in this kind of writings, namely, family, childhood, education, stature, complexion, and a variety of common occurrences, is judged, as well tedious as foreign to the design of the work, which is to represent, principally what passed between God and his soul in the progress of his conversation and daily walking with God.
And yet neither is intelligence of this sort wholly omitted; he has left a few particulars relative thereto, which will enable the reader to form some idea, as well of the former as latter part of his pilgrimage.
His prayer was, ‘That this little book (meaning what is here called the _first part_, great part of which he wrote himself) may be made a blessing to all who shall read it; that the Lord Jesus may make it a means of kindling holy desire in their souls, and of stirring them up to the fear and love of God.’
PART the FIRST.