Speedy Repentance Urged, Speech
The Last Speech of Hugh Stone.
YOung Men and Maids; observe the Rule of Obedience to your Parents; and Servants to your Masters, according to the Will of God, & do the Will of your Masters: If you take up wicked ways, you set open a Gate to your Sins, to lead in bigger afterwards; thou can'st not do any thing but God will see thee altho… thou thinkest thou shalt not be catched, thou thinkest to hide thy self in Secret, when as God in Heaven can see see th…e, though thou hast hid it from Man. And when thou goest to Thievery, thy wickedness is discovered, and thou ar… found Guilty. O Young Woman that is Married, and Young Man, look on … here; be sure in that Solemn Engagement, you are obliged one to another; Ma…iage …s an Ordinance of God, have a care of …reaking that Bond of Marriage-Vnion; if the Husband provoke his Wife, and cause a Difference, he sins against God; and so does she, in such Carriage; for sh… is bound to be an Obedient Wife. O you Parents that give your Children in Marriage, remember what I have to say, you must take notice when you give them in Marriage, you give them freely to the Lord, and free them from that Service & Command you ought to have, yet you ought to have a tender regard to them. O thou that takest no care to lead thy life civilly and honestly, and then Committest that Abominable Sin of Murder, here is this Murderer, look upon him; and see how many are come with their eyes to behold this man, that abhors himself before God; that is the Sin that I abhor my self for, and defire you take Example by me; there are here a great many young people, and O Lord, that they may be thy Servants! Have a care, do not sin; I will tell you, that I wish I never had had the opportunity to do such a Murder; if you say, when a person has provoked you, I will kill him: 'Tis a thous…nd to one, but the next time you will do it. Now I Commit my self into the Hands of Almighty God.
His Prayer.
O Lord our Good God; thou art a Merciful God, and a Gracious and Loving Father; Alas, that thou shouldest Nourish up Children that have … against Thee ! O Lord, I must confess, thou gavest me opportunity to read thy Written Word; Thou art also my Crea…or and Preserver; but, Lord, I have not done according to the Offers of thy Grace; thou hast not hid from me the opportunities of the Good Things and Liberties of thy House and Ordinances, but I have waxed wanton under the Enjoyment of them. I have given thee just cause to provoke thee to Anger, and thou hast left me to Shame, not only on my self but on my Relations. O Lord God I do confess that I have sinned against thee, and done all these Iniquities against thee, and before thine eyes. Lord, I have sinned especially against thee; pardon my Sins of Youth; Lord, pardon this bloody Sin I stand here Guilty of▪ O Lord, hide not thy face from me; I humbly beg it of thee: for there is no man … Redeem his Brothers Soul, but only the Blood of Jesus Christ must do it. Let it be sufficient to satisfie for my poor Soul. I h…e not done any thing that thou shouldest be pleased to shew me thy Love, or that I should have any thing from thee, but only Everlasting Misery. I am unworthy to come to thee; yet Lord, for thy Mercies S…e have pity on me. Now I am coming … Iudgment, Lord, let the Arms of thy Mercy Receive my Soul, and let my sin… be Remitted; Good Lord, let not my sin… which Condemn me here in this world, rise up to Condemn me in the World to come though they have Condemned me in this world, shew mercy, Lord, when I come be fore thy Iudgment-Seat. If my Soul be not humbled, Lord, humble it; let my Petition be acceptable in Heaven thy Holy Mountain. I am unworthy to come into thy Presence, yet O let me come into thy Kingdom; and deliver my Soul from Blood Guil…iness, in the Blood of Jesus Christ▪ O let my wounded Soul mourn for my sin that hath brought me here, Sin brings Ruine to the poor Soul; wo is unto me for mine Iniquity. If I had gone to Prayer in the morning when I committed this sin, Lord God, thou wouldest have kept back my hands from shed…ing innocent Blood: O Gracious God, Remember thou me in Mercy; let me be an Object of thy pity and not of thy wrath; the Lord hear me and pardon my Sins. Take care of my poor Children. I have scattered them like stragling sheep flying before the Wolf; pity the poor Children that go like so many Lambs that have l…st their Keeter; that they may not come to such a Death as I do … Lord, for the sak… of Jesus Christ, and the Righteousness o… thy Son, accept my Soul, and receive me into the Arms of thy mercy; that I may enjoy Everlasting Rest. Pardon all my sins; and let the Prayers of all those that have put up their Petitions for me, be accepted for the sake of Jesus Christ. Now I am coming, now I am coming, thou mayst say, I called to thee, and thou wouldst not come; I must say, my sin brought me here, O the World, and the corrupt nature of man, that has proved my ruine! O Lord, Good Lord, let me enjoy Rest for my Soul. The desire of my Soul is to be with thee, in thy Kingdom, let me have a share in that Kingdom. Now is the time, Lord Jesus; the Grave is opening its mouth; I am now living, though dead in Stn, let my prayers be heard in heaven thy holy place; thy hands hath made me, & I know thou can'st Save me; hide not thy face from me; and affect the hearts of thy people with this sad Ob…ct, that they may labour to serve thee betimes, and may not give themselves up to profaneness and Wickedness, especially that Sin of Drunkenness, which is an in let of all Ab…minations.
[When thou hast thy head full of Drink, the Remembrance of God is out of thy heart and thou art unprepared to commit thy self and Family unto God; thou art unfit to come into Gods Presence. I have cause to … out an… be ashamed of it, that I am guilty of it, because. I gave may to that Sin m…re than any other, and then God did leave me to practise wickedness, and to Murder that dear Woman, whom I should have taken a great deal of Contentment in, which if I had done, I had not been here to suffer this Death.]
Thou art Holy, Just, and Good, and therefore O Lord have mercy on me, for the sake of thy Son pity me, now Lord, I am coming. O that I could do thee better Service.
[Many of you that behold me, I know, wish you never had seen me here.]
Lord, Receive my Soul into a better place, if it be thy blessed will, 'tis a day of great Trouble with me; my Soul is greatly Troubled; give me one Glimpse of Com…ort in thy Kingdom; by & by let me have one dram of thy Grace. Accept of me now at this time, 'tis the last time; Good▪ Lord, d…ny me not, give me, as the W… man, of Sam…ri…, a Taste of that Living Wa…er that my Soul may Thirst no more. I beg it for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
After this, he was by the Prayers of a Minister then present, Recommended unto the Divine Mercy. Which being done …he poor man poured out a few broken Ejaculations, in the midst of which he was turned over, into that Eternity which we must leave him in.
The Speech of Hugh Stone, in the Prison, the morning before his Execution.
When Young People are Married they make use of Prayer in their Families, and when they Pray, they do believe there is Sincerity and Affection in their Prayer; but when Differance between a Man and his Wise doth arise, then that doth occasion hindrance of Prayer in their Family; and when Prayer is wholly omitted, it lets in all confusion; and every evil work: He said. That he used to Pray in his Family, but when he did pray, it was in a formal manner, but now from the Consideration of Eternity that he was going into, he was made the more Con…iderate in his Prayers that he made, and did hope that now he had the Spirit of Prayer in his Praying.
FINIS.