An ACCOUNT OF The last hours Of Dr. PETER du MOULIN, Minister of God's Word, and Professor of Divinity at SEDAN.  
Who died in the said Town March 10. 1658. Stylo novo.  
Translated into English Out of the French Copy printed at Sedan.  Numb. 23.10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his. 
OXFORD, Printed, by A. L. Printer to the University, for Rich. Davis, 1658.   

An account Of the last hours of D R. PETER du MOULIN Minister of God's word, and Professor of Divinity at SEDAN.  
SINCE his great hurt by a fall from his horse about three years and a half before his death he enjoyed no health. Yet did he not give over the exercise of his charges either in the Church or in the Schools, and very seldom missed preaching once a week, and reading two Divinity Lectures. All his life time he was much given to devotion, but in that last sickly time he was so extraordinarily taken up with holy private exercises that he did almost nothing else but pray and meditate. He kept to the last hour that neatness of language wherein he was so eminent, and the readiness of his memory which afforded him matter of solid discourses upon any subject offered to him in questions,  
Upon Tuesday Febr. 26. he awaked in the morning so weak and oppressed in his breast, that he thought himself not able to preach that day, yet taking heart, he was led and helped up to the Church. Being got into the pulpit with much difficulty, he fainted, and some wine being brought to him, he would not taste it, choosing rather to expect God's help, then to do any thing which might seem to border upon indecency. And he was not disappointed of his hope, for after he had read his text, which was Ps. 16.9. My flesh shall rest in hope, he spoke with more vigour than he had done of a long time before, and applied the doctrine to himself giving an account of his faith and hope to his hearers, taking his leave of them in a manner, and preaching his own funeral Sermon, as if he had a prophetical knowledge that he spoke the last time to his people in the Church.  
Upon Thursday the last day of Febr. he found his oppression so much increased in the morning that there was no small fear of a sudden death. Being then visited by his colleagues who prayed by him, he desired them to remember him that day (which was a Sermon day) in the prayers of the Church. After the Sermon a great company flocked to him to bid him farewell, and to receive his blessing. He looked upon them all, and spoke to them with much facility & presence of mind. To such as he knew to be of an exemplary life he gave praises and encouragements to virtue and piety. Those in whose life he knew there was matter of blame he would not in downright terms rebuke before that great company, but going about in a discreet way he would (adressing his speech to them) commend those virtues that were opposite to their vices, and would say to them that were somewhat given to tricks, that of all crafts, the master-craft was to be an honest man.  
Seeing a blind woman in the company he told her. You want the eyes of the body, but you have the eye of faith, penetrating as fare as heaven. You see not the light of the Sun, but God will let you see the brightness of his face.  
Then turning his eyes upon a Gentleman who was a Roman Catholic, he said, This is a worthy Gentleman, and speaking to him, he said, Sir, I suffer great pains, but God will have mercy upon me; I have many ways offended him: Yet my conscience bears me witness that I never preached or writ any thing but what I believed to be consonant unto the word of God.  
Next, he applied himself to his colleagues, and said, Far you well, my Masters, I have that satisfaction in my mind, that I leave this Church in the hands of persons whom God hath endowed with great gifts, and above all, with an exemplary piety. I make no doubt but that you will carefully look to the conduct of the flock committed unto you. One of them having answered, The Lord grant, Sir, that we may imitate you, for you are that good servant who not only have not buried your Talon, but have very much improved it. You have done good service in your time, and your labours will live, and do good when you are gone: He replied, Ah Sir, you know not how much you grieve me by speaking so: for I have not done all the good that I should have done, & that little benefit which the Church hath reaped by my labour is not from me, but from the grace of God in me, as it is usual with him to do a good effect by a weak instrument, I am conscious to myself that I have neglected my duty in many things, and that I have offended my God; but I have loved his holy truth, and I hope in his mercy; He is my Father and my God, and jesus Christ is my Saviour; Whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life.  
His friends told him that he did himself harm by speaking so much. It is true (said he) but I will die glorifying God.  
The four or five first days of his sickness he spent in expressions of deep humiliation. His prayers were vehement, fervent, and full of penitent sorrow. He acknowledged himself the greatest of sinners, and the most unworthy of the graces which he had received of God. He abhorred his own ungratefullness, aggravating his faults, and despising all that others commended in him. Lord (said he) I have done nothing but deserveth punishment. Thou hast heaped blessings upon me, thou hast honoured me with a holy calling, but I have not laboured according to the great worth of it; I have mingled mine own glory with thine, I have often neglected thy service to seek my particular interest; O how much self love, how many perverse affections have opposed the Kingdom of thy Son within me! How many times have I grieved thy good Spirit by a thousand idle thoughts and carnal affections! But though it had been but justice in thee to have crushed me in thy wrath, yet thou hast always showed thyself a merciful and gracious Father unto me. In very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me. Indeed thou hast sometimes beaten me with thy most terrible rods, thou hast hid thy face from me for a moment, but thou hast remembered me in thy great compassions.  
His devout expressions suffered but little intermission, & his holy meditations none at all. For if sometimes he was kept silent by a drowsy fit one might see by the lifting up of his eyes & hands that his heart was with God. And every time that he resumed his discourse, it was evident that his speech was but the attendence of a longer meditation.  
As when he began thus, Lord thou wilt do it, thou art faithful in thy promises, I am thy creature, Thou hast led me, and taught me from my youth, O forsake me not in this last period of my life: Have mercy upon me, my God, my Father, have mercy upon me, O Lord hear, O Lord forgive, O Lord hearken and do, defer not, for thine own sake, O my God; even for thy Son's sake, who hath loved me and hath given himself for me.  
That meditation of God's mercy he did much stretch himself upon, saying. The mercy of God is infinite as himself no sin so great but may be remitted. How great was Aaron's sin that made the golden calf? How grievous that of David in the business of Vriah? And that of Solomon (whom God had so highly honoured) whose heart was seduced by the love of strange women to the abominable worship of false Gods; And yet God said of him, that if he broke God's statutes and kept not his commandments, he would visit his trangression with the rod, and his iniquity with stripes, but nevertheless he would not utterly take his loving kindness from him. Then making application to himself he cried out, Thou wilt pardon me, even me also, O my God; Thou wilt deliver me from every evil work, and save me into thy heavenly Kingdom. Let me die the death of the righteous. Let me see thy face in righteousness. Let me taste those goods of which thou hast given me many foretastes.— O how happy a thing it is to live in God's fear, and to die in his peace!  
His sickness being violent and his pains sharp, one of the Ministers seeing how he suffered, bade him to be of good cheer, because the time of his deliverance drew nigh: How welcome you are to me (said the holy patient) with that good news! Welcome kind Death. O how happy shall I be to see my God, to whom my heart hath been of a long time aspiring! He will be merciful to me. Pray to him that he perfect his work in me. Then feeling his pulse. It is intermittent (said he) and to another it would presage a sudden death, but my soul cleaves so fast to this wretched body, that it shall have much ado to come out of it.  
Sometimes the violence of his pains extorted some complaints from him. O Lord, (said he) lay not too heavy a hand upon thy poor servant. Thou hast sufficiently afflicted me to make me sensible of my sin. Then correcting himself he added. Nay, Lord, I am far from murmuring against thee; I have kept myself from that in my long trials. Why? I have deserved infinitely more than I suffer. Bruise this dust and ashes, my body; and save my precious soul. As miserable as I am, I would not exchange my condition with that of a King, while I hope in the grace of my God.  
He would be entertained with good discourses, and delighted much that his friends should help him with those texts of Scripture which were the fittest to strengthen his faith and raise his hope: And when they began a text he would end it, and added something to it, or did illustrate it with some interpretation. As when one told him the words of Jacob, I have waited for thy salvation, O God; he said; Many of our Doctors by that salvation understand the temporal deliverances which God did promise his people: but I will apply it to myself in the same sense as you take it. When the words of the hymn of Zacharias were used to him of the tender mercy of our Lord whereby the day spring from on high hath visited us. He added presently. Yea it is that Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings. Likewise when he heard that text of P. 130. I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in his word do I hope, he said; that word is the promise of the Gospel that whosoever, believeth in Jesus Christ hath everlasting life, That is the word which my soul doth wait for.  
He had very often the Ps. 51. in his mouth, and insisted especially upon this verse, The sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise; and then he would say, That sacrifice, O my God, I offer unto thee; Thou knowest my heart, and how it is bruised and wounded with sorrow that I have offended thee. Forgive me, my God, graciously forgive me all my sins, deal with me as thou didst with the poor Publican, as with the humble Canaanitish Woman, as with the converted thief; O let me be this day with thee in Paradise, crucify the old man within me, kill that man of sin which is too quick and too strong, and raise me unto newness of life, that I may behold thy face and be with my saviour jesus Christ.  
He had a particular love for the holy tongue; Seeing a Student that was learned in the same, he desired him to read before him some Psalms in Hebrew: Then he began to reckon how many names were given to God in the Old Testament, making learned considerations upon each. Thus passing from one good discourse to another, he gave occasion to the Student to ask him whether he thought that Hebrew was the Language used in the Kingdom of Heaven: That is not revealed (said the Doctor) neither do I think that the Language of Heaven is known here in Earth; but I think that we shall learn it in a moment when God shall be all in all, and that is that tongue of Angels which St. Paul mentions. This is as other things which God hath prepared for those that love him, things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which are not come into a man's heart.  
The next Lord's day morning being visited by the Minister that was to preach in the morning, he desired him that for his sake the Congregation should sing the one and fiftieth Psalm, which he would often repeat with a profound humiliation; He had also the hundredth and thirtieth in his mouth very often, and the two and thirtieth.  
Once having said the first and second Verses of that Psalm: Blessed is he whose trangression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose Spirit there is no guile, he added, Thou knowest Lord that in sincerity and without guile I humble myself before thy face: I am a miserable sinner and durst not lift up mine eyes towards thee, did I not trust both in thy commandment and promise. Such as labour under the sense of their miseries are those whom thou callest, saying, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will ease you. O then let me come unto thee. Draw me Lord that I may run after thee: I am tired, I am weary to be absent from my God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before God. Alas! I am unworthy of it, for I am conceived in sin; My whole life hath been a continued transgression: yet fare be it from me to doubt of his power and faithfulness. Where sin aboundeth his grace aboundeth much more. It is not for the righteous, but for repenting sinners that he hath given his Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have life everlasting. Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief: Increase and strengthen my fuiths: It is now weak and small, but it is true and unfeigned, and stayeth upon Jesus Christ only: There is no salvation in any other: he is the way, the truth, and the life; None can come to the Father but by him. Away with all other intercessions; Away with all merits of works, all our righteousnesses are but pollutions. Ah my God I have no righteousness but thine, for I am conceived in sin. I never did any work so good but it needs pardon. Mercy, Lord, Mercy. Pardon me my sins, Pardon me my righteousnesses. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity & cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with Hyssop, but let it be dipped in the blood of the Lamb without blemish and without spot, which taketh away the sins of the world. Thou knowest, Lord, that I have loved thy holy truth, and that I have believed thy promises. They are the joy of my heart. They are the comforts which have kept up my soul from being cast down with sorrow; O God, perfect thy work within me. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit.  
When by too long a bending of his Spirit and voice he found himself, spent and constrained to intermit these elevations, he would say or cause to be read before him some Psalms and chose them himself, leaving out those verses which were not for his present use. As when he said the 6. Psalm, he would go no further than the 4. verse, Return O Lord, deliver my soul, O save me for thy mercy's sake, than came to the 9 verse: The Lord hath heard my supplication, the Lord will receive my prayer, & then said, All the rest of the Psalm is not for me; For death is not my fear, but my joy and deliverance from a languishing life; and I have no enemies.  
He that read Psalms to him would also skip over that which was not for the Doctor's use. And if sometimes he did forget some text fit for his turn, he would presently take notice of it. As when the 31. Psalm was read to him, He said to the Reader, you have omitted the fat●est and most convenient text for me; into thine hand I commit my Spirit; Thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth: and you have omitted something about the 11. Verse: I left it out purposely (said the Reader) because you are not a reproach among your neighbours, nor a fear to your acquaintance, neither do they that see you, flee from you. You see that all your Sheep are flocking about you, They bless you and they crave your blessing. I am not sorry (said the Doctor) That my Ministry leaves a good savour after me. I beseech God with all my heart that he send faithful labourers into his harvest, which may do that holy work better than I: O Lord I have not been diligent as I should have been, but I have obtained grace to be faithful. For with all the affection of my heart I have studied to speak and to defend the truth, and I have been grieved with the affliction of the Church. O Lord purify her from all scandal: Let her be blessed and let not the adversaries of thy truth triumph over her for ever.  
So humble he was, and such a contemner of himself, that he could not abide those that expressed before his face the great value which they set upon him, or said any thing to his commendation: And when they came out with some praises, he rejected them with a kind of indignation. Away (said he) with that flattery, pray to God that he have mercy upon me.  
His sickness was an inflammation of Lungs, with a burning Fever, which redoubled every day at the same hour. Once coming out of a strong fit, which had handled him very sore, he said: My God how weary, how tired I am! When shall I rest in thy bosom? When shall I be filled with the true goods? When shall I drink in the River of thy pleasures? I am unworthy of it, O my God but thou art glorified by doing good to the unworthy. It is not for them that are whole, but for them that are sick that thy Son the great Physician was sent. Who so believeth on him is passed from death to life.  
He was compassed about with his family and his chief friends. Every one comforted him according to his Talon. Being asked by one of them whether he did not perfectly hope in the grace of God which was presented to him. I hope (said he) but not perfectly, yet as much as I am able. I suffer now the pains of death: But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me.  
When some comfortable place of Scripture was brought to him, whereby he found himself strengthened, He would rise to embrace him that spoke it, and being too weak to do it, he would take his hand and kiss it, giving him some blessing, and saying, It was the Spirit of God that spoke by your mouth. The Lord bless you and increase his graces in you.  
Another time after an exhortation which had affected him very much, he said, These are excellent words. The Lord by his grace deeply print them in my heart.  
This text of Eph. 1. was alleged to him. Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us in all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. He added the following verse, According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the World.  
Sometimes he was in such a rapture, hearing them that spoke to him of the excellency of that glory which he was going to possess that he opened his mouth and his eyes in an exstaticall countenance pronouncing but few words with great intervals between, as, O what is it to see God's face in righteousness! O when shall I be satisfied with his likeness!  
Many times he would say these words of Psal. 36. How excellent is thy loving kindness O God Therefore the Children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. And these again, For with thee is the fountain of life, and in thy light shall we see light. And out of the Psal. 67. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy Temple.  
Very often he would repeat the 27. the 63. and the 71. Psalm. In the last staying especially upon these words: O God thou hast taught me from my youth, and hither to have I declared thy wandrous works; Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God forsake me not.  
No day passed but he prayed for his Children both present and absent, saying. The Lord bless them, and give them his peace, his love, and his fear.  
Every hour his family did look that he should expire, but he examining his pulse would say, You shall see me very sick, but I shall not so soon die.  
The four first days of his sickness he spoke both day and night with little intermission; So that it is impossible exactly to follow the sluency of his discourse and the fervency of his expressions, especially in his prayers. So much we relate here as we his diligent hearers can remember, for all this was spoken before many and worthy witnesses that resorted to him to hear him, and to learn to die. But the six last days of his sickness he was for the most part of the time in a deep slumber, against which he did earnestly strive. Prick me, said he. Now I should watch. It is not time now to sleep but to die. Watch and pray (said my saviour) that you enter not into temptation. O great God, abandon me not to mine infirmities, but so preserve and keep up my Spirit that I may glorify thee even when I am a dying.  
And though after such expressions he fell presently into his slumber, one might see by his gestures, and by the words which he spoke now and then, that one might say of him as the spouse said of herself, He was asleep, but his heart waked. He opened his eyes, He lift up his hands, He said often Lord be merciful to me, Be gracious to me. Even when he seemed to be deep asleep he would come out with five or six words, which shown what his mind was set upon. Death (said he) is swallowed up in victory. And a good space after: It is the gift of God— It is my hope— It is my comfort. Sometimes the same thing came often to his mind and mouth. For a whole day he would say every time that he awaked: The Word was made flesh.  
When he was too long without speaking his friends were careful to awake him, to know whether he had sense and knowledge still. Being awaked he was asked whether he did lift up his soul unto God. He answered Yes, incessantly. He was asked again whether he would be glad to go to God: O (said he) when shall I see him, that good God  
He was not much troubled with his slumber in the morning from seven to nine, because than his fever was less, which used to redouble about nine. In that interval he would speak with facility. That interval was husbanded to comfort him and to pray by him. He would then hearken to prayers with great attention and to all the good things that were said to him: And it is observable that in this his sickness he was less deaf than he had been ten years before.  
Many times he would feel his pulse, and then said: O what a grief is this? I cannot die. Good God have mercy upon me; Set my soul free. I am weary of being absent from my God. I desire to departed and to be with Christ. O my God, come fetch me, shorten the days of my combat. Let me die I beseech thee. Into thy hands I commend my Spirit, for thou hast redeemed me. O Lord God of truth.  
His Chamber was full of people day and night. Once opening his eyes after a slumber he said: Here is a great company. One answered him. Sir they are your Sheep that desire you to call for God's blessing upon them.  
The Lord bless them (said he) and give them his fear and the promised salvation.  
The two last days of his sickness added to his burning fever and deadly slumber contractions of sinews, and convulsions. Every hour was thought to be his last. None looked to hear him speak any more. All his friends thought that his deep sleep would end in that of death. But about midnight he opened his eyes and said to one of them that stood by: I shall soon be eased, I am going to my Father and my God: He hath heard me indeed. And soon after: I go to him with confidence for he hath arrayed me with his robe. Then being raised into an unexpressible rapture he said, I see him, and with an exclamation, O how beautiful he is. Being thus exalted in Spirit far above the world, although he was always tenderly affected towards his family, he said to them that were there present, putting them far with his hand. I renounce all earthly affections. I will no more love any thing in the World but thee, O God, who dost alone possess me. After these words he continued a good while in that holy rapture causing more edification in all the standers by which his countenance without words, then with all the words which he had spoken before. His eyes were clear and sparkling, his mouth open and panting after the living God. His arms stretched up to heaven, and his body striving wonderfully to rise, as it were to meet and to embrace that beautiful object of his love. All that were present wished that God would receive him in that happy instant. But his hour was not yet come.  
All the next day, which was Saturday the ninth of March, he struggled with the agony of death, being tormented with frequent convulsions, and still fight the good fight by faith, humility and patience. Towards the evening the tokens of his approaching death made his assistants to double their endeavours to comfort him. He understood all that was said to him, and shown holy elevations in his prayer, he gave thanks to those that prayed, saying, the Lord hear you, and the Lord bless you.  
When he heard the glory at hand extolled in some emphatical terms of Scripture, he returned into his former raptures. And once more he pronounced those words of Psal. 17. I shall be satisfied with thy likeness when I awake. And twice or thrice Come Lord Jesus, come, come, Lord Jesus, come. And for the last time that text which he loved so much, He that believeth in jesus Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Then a little after: Lord Jesus receive my Spirit. He that comforted him said to him: Sir you shall see your Redeemer with your eyes. To which he answered with an effort, laying his hand over his heart, I believe it.  
That was the last intelligible word which he pronounced, though he made yet great efforts to make himself understood, and was a quarter of an hour speaking with a fervent affection; But the fleames that filled his throat and palate suffered not the assistants to understant any of his words.  
After this he was half an hour without speaking, yet without losing sense and knowledge. His friends made the last prayer, during which he did perpetually lift up his eyes and hands to heaven. And some moments after he quietly gave up the last breath, dying with peace and joy visible on his face. It was half an hour after midnight, the tenth of March 1658. in the fourscore and tenth year of his age.  
FINIS.