SOME Of the last Expressions and Dying Sayings of HANNAH HILL, Junior,
ON the Twenty third day of the Fifth Month (commonly called July) 1714. being the Sixth day of the Week, this Dear Child was Seized with a violent Feaver and Flux, which so Increased upon her by the third Day of the Week following, that both herself and others present, expected she would then have Departed: But the Lord was pleased to continue Her a little longer, to testify of his goodness for the Encouragement of the Living; At this time she was in a deep Travail of Spirit, Concerning her Future State, and divers times [Page 6] crying out, would say. Am I prepared▪ Am I prepared! Adding, Oh! that I might dye the Death of the Righteous, and be Numbered with them at Thy Right Hand! O Almighty God! Prepare me, Prepare me for thy Kingdom of Glory.
Then She Earnestly intreated those that stood about her, to help with their Prayers, that her passage might be made Easy.
A Friend present (being moved thereto, and Sympathizing with her Afflictions; Kneeled down to Prayer, during which (notwithstanding her extreem pain) she lay still, with great Attention, and Lifting up of Hands and Eyes: a little after she said, Father, I shall Dye, and am now very Willing; And being Admonished (without Fear or Doubting to Rely on GOD's Mercy, whose Love to Innocent Children was so exceding great, that Christ had bid them come unto him; and that she [Page 7] should freely Forgive all Injuries done to her, by any Person whatsoever, so would the Lord forgive her Offences against him, and freely receive her into Mercy; To which she Replyed, I do freely Forgive all, and have nothing in my Heart but Love, to both White and Black. But Father (said she) will every Body Forgive me? It was answered, Yes, doubtless, every one will readily Forgive thee. Then she desired her Father and Mother to forgive her Offences against them; and having their Answer, she seemed to Rejoyce, and be well satisfyed.
After some Pause, she said, O most Glorious God now give me Patience, I beseech thee, with Humility to bear what it shall please thee to lay upon thy poor Afflicted Hand-Maiden. After this she intirely made Death her Choice, and would oft say, I had rather dye and go to God, than to continue in this World of Trouble; Adding, When will the Messenger come Oh! hasten thy Messenger! [Page 8] Then turning to her Father, she said, Oh! that I could Launch away like a Boat that Sails! So would I go to my Dear Brother, who is gone to Heaven before me. Desiring the Bystanders not to grieve Because (said she) I am but going to a better place.
Doctor Owen ▪ who was one of her Phy [...]ans (after all their hopes of her Recovery fail'd) came to visit her, she prayed him to sit down by her, and said, My dear Doctor! all the Town knowes thou art a good Doctor; but I knew from the beginning that I should dye, and that all your endeavours would signify nothing; But Doctor (added she, with a pleasant Air) The Lord has heitherto given me Patience and I still Pray to him for more, that I may be enabled to hold out to the End, for my Extremity of Body is very Great.
She was very Importunate in requesting her Parents freely to give her up to the Will of God, saying, It would be [Page 9] better both for them and her, so to [...]. And when she thought to have prevail'd, Now (said she) I am Easy in Mind. Then asked her Father for a piece of Silver (which he gave her) and after she had held it and looked at it a little while, return'd it to him again, saying, Now I give it to thee freely, for it was mine, because thou gavest it me. Thereby Intimating herself Gods Gift to them and her Example therein, for their Resigning her to him again Chearfully.
When any would seem to Encourage her, with hopes of Recovery, She made light of it, Saying, Why is there so much to do about me, Who am but poor Dust and Ashes? We are all but as Clay, and must Dye; I am going now; Another next Day; And so one after another: The whole World Passes away.
One taking leave of her said, I intend to see you again to Morrow; [Page 10] To which she sharply Replied, Thou mayst see me, but I shall scarcely see thee any more; though I'll not be Positive Gods Will be done.
She would, divers times, say (to her dear Mother) Art thou sorry I am going to my Dear Brother? And to others about her, Why are you Troubled and Weep, seeing I am but going to a better Place? Adding, Oh! that the Messenger would come! That my Glass was Run! Turning her Eyes, and Discourse to Hannah Carpenter (who came to Visit her) she said, My Namesake, I am going to my Dear Ʋncle, (meaning her Husband Samuell Carpenter) who is gone to Heaven before me. Another time she said, Dear Frances, I am coming to be with thee! Meaning her School-Mistress Frances Janney Deceased. Another time Thomas Chalkley being present, she said, Oh! my Dear Martha! (meaning his Wife, Deceased) How do I long to be with thee!
[Page 11]She would be oft speaking of her Funeral, and desired that Friends, and others might generally be invited to her Burial; and mentioned divers Persons particularly by Name, that were Non-Resident, and some Strangers, that but lately came into the Country, lest they should be omited.
At a certain time, near the Medium of her Six Days, most Violent Extremity of Pain, (for so long was she accounted Dying, or at least more than once each Day, had the Symptoms of Death strongly upon her) with a Sorrowfull Countenance and very Mournful Voice she said, O my Dear Mother! I Fear the Lord is displeased with me again; One Answered, Dear Child, Why should'st thou Entertain such thoughts? Because (said she) I am continued, thus long, to endure this Extremity of Body, which none knows but my selfe, nor can any think how great my Pains are.
[Page 12]Her Afflicted Mother being Sore Distrest, to see her Languishing Child lie thus without Help (and willing to try the Effect of a Dose of Medicine, which the Doctor had before prepared) prevail'd with Her to take the same, but it Immediately came up again; at which her Mother, in an Extacy of Sorrow, said, O my dear Child! I am in a great Strait, what shall I do for thee? to which she in a Solemn manner Reply'd, My Dear Mother! Pray to God for Direction; Then Pausing a little, she said, Dear Mother! if thou desires it, I'll take another Dose.
Not long after, it Pleased the Lord, in his tender Mercy to this Dear Soul, to Remove her Doubt, (as appear'd) For, said she, Father, I think the Lord, has shewed me that I do not bear all this for my self only; Hath he not? added she, To which one Answered, It might be so. Ah! (replyed she) He has; Glory to his Infinite Name! For he is better than Kings, Queens or [Page 13] Governours, and there's nothing can be Compared to him.
As her Mind was fully bent Heavenward, so she would oft speak, with earnest Desires of drawing to a Conclusion here, and giving some Directions about her Interment, Desiring that she might be Neat, and Decently laid out; and said she, I shall go Clean to God, for no Ʋnclean thing can enter his Kingdom. Prayed her Father to Provide a Horse▪ least her Mother should not be able to go to the Burying Ground; Desired her Mother to take her Breast smell Bottle, and have a Chair brought to the Grave, least she should Faint there.
The Seventh Day before her Departure, (after querying what Day it was) she said▪ I long for First Day. One replyed, Why, seeing all Days are alike to the Lord? I Know that, said she, but my fervent Desire is, to be gathered into the Heavenly Church. Then [Page 14] turning to her Father said, If I Dye to day, Pray let me be carried to the Meeting-House to Morrow.
When First Day came, she asked if her Mother intended to go to the Meeting? who Answered, No, she could not leave her Dear Child in that Condition: Then (says she) let my Cousins go for it may be the Lord will be displeased if all the Family stay at home. Adding not to look upon one another, but to wait upon God. Then with much thankfullness she exprest the great Satisfaction and Comfort she had enjoyed, by the Publick Testimonies of Friends; and called those that Traveled amongst us, of late, in that Service, to wit, Thomas Wilson and James Dickinson, &c, Gods Messengers, sent from far to Visit and Warn us.
She would repeatedly say, she was freely Resigned and Willing to Submit to the Will of God, whether in Life or Death; and was frequent in Prayer [Page 15] and Supplication to the Almighty, not only on her own behalf, but a real Concern was upon her, for the Wellfare of others: still humbly beseeching the Lord to grant her Patience, and that she would be pleased, with an Eye of Pity and Compassion, to look down upon the Poor Bowed-Down-Ones and on her his Afflicted Servant; O my good God, said she, Comfort the Mourners in Sion, and Support their Drooping Heads; Be pleased to provide for the Widdows and Fatherless, and be thou both Husband and Father to them.
These were her frequent, and repeated Cryes unto the Lord, and indeed it was Astonishing (in one of her Years) to see and hear, how Powerfully she was drawn forth, at times, on Various Subjects, for the space of a quarter of an hour together, to wit, That GOD in Mercy would, yet more abundantly shower down his blessings on Philadelphia▪ and the inhabitants of these parts of the World; [Page 16] The Restoration of her Beloved Aunt Preston, from her long continued and present Indisposition; Earnestly desiring the Lord to accept her Life and [...] her Dear Aunt, who was, and might be so Eminently Serviceable in the Church. A like Concern came upon her Expresly to Pray for her Uncle Loyd and his Family at London; and with great Fervency of Spirit, did she beseech the Lord very particularly, on behalf of her Honoured Mother, that he would be pleased to continue her; and turning to her▪ said, O my Dear Mother! don't grieve so for me, God will bless my Father; Then turning to him said, My Dear Father! Comfort, Comfort, my Dear Mother and the Lord will Comfort thee.
At another time she Prayed Earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest, (in regard it was very great, and the Labourers but few) That he would be pleased to Raise up and send forth, many more Faithful Labourers into the Harvest. [Page 17] She was divers times, concerned to Supplicate the Lord, for Living Water, Oh! said she, that it might Spring up in me to Eternal Life! (Alluding to our Saviours Discourse with the Woman of Samaria, at Jacobs Well) Amplifying and very Suitably applying the Text.
In the time of Health, she greatly delighted to Read, had a good Memory and was conversant in the Holy Scriptures, beyond most of her Age. At a time after drawing to a Conclusion of her aforesaid Prayer, she asked some present, If they had ever tasted of this Water of Life? Who Answered, Yes; Ay [Replyed she] and so do I Glory be given to thy most Excellent Name, O my God!
Not long before her Departure she said, Father the Lord hath assured me I shall be Happy, it was Answered, That is Comfortable Indeed, 'tis better than a Thousand Witnesses; Ay [Re [Replyed [Page 18] she] This is matter of Joy and Rejoycing, can my Soul say, by Living Experience. After she [...] some time, One offered her the Cup to Drink, but she put it by saying Not that Drink, 'tis the Divine Spring of Life, in my Self, I long after, and that I might neither Thirst, nor need to Drink any more of this.
She Desired to see John Wright, [a Friend of the Ministry▪ who, upon Notice thereof, came to Visit her] she asked him how he did, and how his Dear Wife and Children did? Told him, she was glad to see him, and that her Heart was fill'd with Love, to him, and them. She was very respectful to all that came to see her, and Gratefully acknowledged the Kindnesses of all those that were any ways Aiding about her; Thanked even the Servants of the House, for the Services done her; and desired the Lord would bless them, that had been helpful [as she said] to Poor helpless Hannah, [Page 19] She very respectfully thanked Mary Dickinson, for her Kindnesses, and said She had been as a Mother to her in this Sickness; and duty acknowledged Sarah Rolfs and Ann Brown's good Will in their Neighbourly Visits to her. To some she gave small Tokens of her Love, and desired her Parents to do something further of that kind, to such particulars whom she named to them, in Remembrance of her.
The Council which she gave, to her Dear and only Sister and Cousin Loyd Zachary, whom she dearly loved, was very grave and Pithy, at the time when she took her Final Leave of them, viz. Dear Sister! my desires are, that thou mayest Fear God; be Dutifull to thy Parents, Love Truth; Keep to Meetings, and be an Example of Plainness: And Dear Cousin! Be a good Boy, Observe thy Ʋncle and Aunts Advice and the Lord will Bless thee, and they will regard thee as their Own, and do for thee. Will ye not [says she] Father and Mother? [Page 20] And continued, But 'tis better to have Treasure in Heaven where neither Moths, Rusts nor Theives can Destroy.
She had indeed an Admirable Fluency of Pertinent Expressions, Suitable to the Subject matter, which pressed upon her Mind, For which she was often Thankful to the Lord, that he had not only enlarged her Heart in Prayer, but had also hitherto Enabled her to utter those Things, that were, as a Concern, upon her Mind to deliver.
A little before her Departure, [finding a shortness of Breath, and greater difficulty of Speech, her Spirits being now much Exhausted] She desired her Father and Mother's Assistance, on her Failure to Express the Things, which they conceived to be upon her Mind, as Doubtless finding it her Duty to Declare what she did, though with great Difficulty, for she was in all other respects very sparing of Speech, during the whole time of her Illness.
[Page 21]About an hour before her Decease, being in a Slumber, she said, The Fire would not cease burning, until all the Cha [...] was consumed, though Men Strive never so much in Vain, to Quench it. Then desired the Watchers Care of her Sister, least she should take Cold, Took some Drink at her Mother's Hand, and said, Now my Dear Mother! Pray lay thy Head close to mine, and pressed hers towards her Mother's Bosom, which sufficiently betokened the strength of her Affection and Duty to continue, even beyond Expression of Words.
Then she recommended her Spirit to God saying, Glory! Glory! Glory! And so as with the Sound of an Hymn, this Innocent Lamb closed her Eyes and Expired as one fallen into a sweet sleep, without groan or sigh. She Departed this Life the Second Day of the Sixth Month 1714. Being the second day of the Week, about two a Clock in the Morning.
[Page 22]And being her self Translated from this Life to that which is Eternal, in the Heavenly Mansion of Rest and Peace, with God her Maker and Redeemer hath left these Fruits of Love and Good Will to her Dear Relations, Tender Companions and Young People, For whose sakes, Chiefly, 'tis made Publick, as a genuine Collection, from those who were most constantly present with this Noble Spirited, Valiant, little Maid, during the time of her Sickness, untill Death; By one whose humble prayer to the Lord, is, That it might have the Blessed Effect of exciting Children To Remember their Creator in the Days of their Youth, And to live Answerable to his Holy Will, that so they may be Eternally Happy, And God over all may Everlastingly be Glorified, in the Young and Rising Generation, World without END, AMEN.