Sermon at Execution of a Man Found Guilty of Murder, Addendum
The Printer to the Reader.
THe general Ʋſefulneſs & Acceptableneſs of this Book, together with the ſpeedy ſale of the 1ſt Impreſſion, as alſo ſome honeſt gain to my ſelf & good to others, has enclin'd me to renew the Impreſſion of it. But to render it the more compleat, I have (yet not without hazarding the diſpleaſure of a worthy Friend, the Reverend Perſon who labour'd for the beſt good of the Priſoner in his laſt hours) procured (utterly againſt his knowledg, I entreat him that it may be with his pardon) by an innocent Wile, the true Copy of the Diſcourſe which paſs'd between himſelf & the Malefactor from the Goal to the place of Execution; judgeing it would contain things for the profit of the living: The laſt words of dying men being wont to leave no ſmall Impreſſions on the hearts of the ſurviving Spectators; many having bin captivated & convinced, & at laſt converted (with the bleſſing of Heaven thereupon) by a Speech from an illiterate Malefactor at the Gallows, who have broken the ſharp ſhining Swords of an Eloquent Divine, and laughed at the Shaking of his threatning Spear: and it being upon experience found that the Publication of the Priſon-diſcourſes between ſome other Malefactors & their friends has prov'd edifying to the ſurviving. By a harmleſs Stratagem I have, as is ſaid, got into my hands a Tranſcript of the Summ & Subſtance of what was ſpoken: (drawn up, for ought I know, for the Author's own uſe, or ye ſatisfaction of ſome of his private friends, who I know have ask'd him to do it) it is as follows.
R. P.
The DISCOƲRSE of the MINISTER with James Morgan on the WAY to his Execution.
Min.
I'm come hither to anſwer your deſires which juſt now you expreſt to me in the Church, that I would give you my company at your Execution.
Morg.
Dear Sir, how much am I beholden to you! you have already done a great deal for me. Oh who am I that have bin ſuch a vile wretch that any Servants of God ſhould take notice of me!
Min.
I beſeech you to make this uſe of it, I believe there is not one Chriſtian this day beholding you, who would not willingly be at the greateſt pains they could deviſe to ſave your precious ſoul: How merciful then is that Man who is God as well as man! how unſpeakably ready is the Ld. Chriſt to ſave the ſouls of ſinners that affectionately look unto him! The goodneſs & pittifulneſs of the moſt tender-hearted man in the world is but a ſhadow of what is in Him. The compaſſions of any man compared with the Bowels of a merciful JESUS are but as the painted Sun, or the painted Fire in Compariſon of the real.
Mor.
Oh that I could now look unto Him as I ought to do! Lord help me.
Min.
Well, you are now a dying man, the laſt hour or 2 of your life is now running. You know your ſelf now to ſtand juſt on the brink of Eternity, you ſhall preſently be in a ſtate of wonderful happineſs or of horrible miſery which muſt endure forever: which of thoſe eſtates do you new count your ſelf ſtepping into?
Mor.
Oh Sir, I am afraid, but I am not without hope that God may have mercy on me.
Min.
Whats your ground for that hope? O ſee that your confidences been'… ſuch as God willby'nd by reject.
Mor.
I don't know well what to ſay, but this I hope is a good ſign, I have lived in many grieveous ſins, in Lying, Drinking, Sabbath-breaking & evil Company-keeping; God has made now theſe ſo bitter to my ſoul, that I would not commit them again, might I have my life this afternoon by doing it.
Min.
That's a great word, God grant it may not be a word only, the good word of a good pang, without a through chang of heart, as you muſt have if you would not periſh everlaſtingly You are not like to have any longer time in this world to try the Sincerity of your Profeſſion.
Mor.
I know it, and I beſeech you Sir to help me what you can: I hope the means uſed with me ſince my Condemnation ha'n't been loſt.
Min.
I would not have the ſenſe of the pain & ſhame which your Body is about to undergoe, any waies hinder your Mind from being taken up about the Soulmatters which I ſhall endeavour to ſet before you.
Mor.
Sir, as for the pain that my body muſt preſently feel I matter it not: I know what pain is; but what ſhall I do for my poor ſoul? I'm terrify'd with the Wrath of GOD; This, this terrifyes me, HELL terrifyes me: I ſhould not mind my Death, if it were not for that.
Min.
Now the Lord help me to deal faithfully with …ou, & the Lord help you to receive what He ſhall …able me to offer unto you. Mark what I ſay: You were born among ye enemies of God, you were born with a ſoul as full of emnity againſt God as a Toad is full of poiſon. You have liv'd now—how many years?
Morg.
I think about Thirty.
Min.
And all theſe 30 years have you been ſinning againſt the holy God. Ever ſince you knew how to do any thing, you have every day bin guilty of innumerable ſins: you deſerve the dreadful wrath & curſe of the infinite God. But God has brought you here, to a place where you have enjoy's the means of grace▪ And here you have added unto your old Sins, moſt fearful Iniquityes: you have bin ſuch a matchleſs, prodigious Tranſgreſſor, that you are now to dye by the ſtroke of civil Juſtice; to dy before your time, for being wicked over much. There is hardly any ſort of Wickedneſs which you have not wallowed in-That ſin particularly which you are now to die for, is a moſt monſtrous Crime. I can't poſſibly deſcribe or declare the ſins whereby you have made your ſelf an aſtoniſhing Example of Impiety & puniſhment.
Mor.
O Sir, I have bin a moſt helliſh ſinner▪ I am ſorry for what I have bin.
Min.
Sorry you ſay: well, tell me which of all your ſins you are now moſt ſorry for: which lyes moſt heavy?
Mor.
I hope I am ſorry for all my ſins, but I muſt eſpecially bewail my neglect of the means of grace. On Sabbath dayes I us'd to lye at home, or be ill imploy'd elſewhere when I ſhould have bin at Church. This has undone me!
Min.
And let me ſeriously tell you, Your Deſpiſeing of Chriſt is a moſt dreadful ſin indeed. You have, for whole years together had the Call of Jeſus Chriſt to ſeek an Intereſt in him, & you would now give all the world for that intereſt, but you would take no notice of him. The Jews of Old put him to a worſe death than yours will be this afternoon, and by your contempt of Chriſt you have ſaid, the Jews did well to do ſo. How juſtly might he now Laugh at your Calamity? And for theſe ſins of yours, beſides the direful woes & plagues that have already come upon you, you are now expoſ'd unto the Vengeance of eternal fire. You are in danger of being now quickly caſt into thoſe exquiſite amazing Torments, in compariſon of which, the anguiſhes which your body ever did feel, or ſhall feel before night, or can ever feel, are juſt nothing at all; and theſe dolorous torments are ſuch as never have an End; as many ſands as could lie between this earth & the Stars in Heaven would not be near ſo many as the Ages, the end-leſs Ages of theſe Torments.
Mor.
But is there not Mercy for me in Chriſt?
Min.
Yes, and its a wonderful thing that I have now further to tell you: Mind, I entreat you. The SON of GOD is become the Son of Man; the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is both God & man in one Perſon, & he is both ſufficiently able & willing alſo, to be your Saviour. He lived a moſt righteous life, and this was that ſuch as you & I might be able to ſay before God, Lord, accept of me as if I had liv'd righteouſly. He died at length a moſt curſed death, and this was that we might be able to ſay unto God, Lord, let not me die for ſin, ſince thy Son has died in my room. This glorious Redeemer is now in the higheſt heaven, pleading with God for the Salvation of His choſen ones.—And He pours out his Spirit continually upon them that do believe on him: might you then be enabled by his grace to carry your poor, guilty, condemned, enſlaved, ignorant ſoul unto Jeſus Chriſt, and humbly put your truſt in him for deliverance from the whole bad ſtate which you are brought into. Oh then his voice is to you the ſame that was to the penitent Thief, This day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe.
Mor.
Oh that I might be ſo! Sir I would hear more of theſe things: I think, I can't better fit my ſelf for my death than by hearkning to theſe things.
Min.
Attend then: The never-dying ſpirit that lodges within you, muſt now within a few minutes appear before the Tribunal of the Great GOD; in what, or in whoſe Righteouſneſs will you then appear? will you have this to be your Plea, Lord, I experienced many good Motions & Deſires in my ſoul, & many Sorrows for my ſin before I dy'd▪ or will you expect to have no other Plea but This, Lord, I am vile, but thy Son is a Surety for the worſt of ſinners that believe in him; for his ſake alone, have MERCY on me.
Morg.
I thank God for what He has wrought in my Soul▪—
Min.
But be very careful about this matter: if you build on your own good Affections inſtead of Jeſus Chriſt the only Rock, if you think they ſhall recommend you to God, He that made you will not have mercy on you.
Mor.
I would be clothed with the Righteouſneſs of JESUS CHRIST.
Min
But you can't ſincerely deſire that Chriſt ſhould juſtify you, if you don't alſo deſire that He ſhould ſanctify you: thoſe 2 alwaies go together. Is evry luſt that has hitherto had poſſeſſion of your heart become ſo loathſom to you, that it would fill your ſoul with joy to hear Jeſus Chriſt ſay, I will ſubdue thoſe Iniquities of thine; I will make a holy, heavenly, a ſpiritually minded perſon of thee.
Mor.
I would ſin againſt God no more.
Min.
But I muſt deal plainly with you: You have made it ſadly ſuſpicious that your repentance is not yet as it ought to be: when men truly & throughly repent of ſin they uſe to be in a ſpecial manner watchful againſt that Sin which has bin their chief Sin: one of your principal ſins which has indeed brought you to the Death of a Murderer, is Paſſion, unmortifi'd & outragious Paſſionateneſs: Now I have been this day informed, that no longer ſince than the laſt night, upon ſome Diſſatisfaction about the place which the Authority hath ordered you by and by to be buried in, you did expreſs your ſelf with a moſt unruly Paſſionateneſs.
Mor.
Sir, I confeſs it, and I was quickly ſorry for it, tho' for the preſent I was too much diſturbed: 'Twas my folly to be ſo careful about the place where my body ſhould be laid when my precious SOUL was in ſuch a Condition.—
Min.
Truly you have cauſe to mourn for it. Secure the welfarre of your ſoul, and this (now) pinion'd, hang'd vile body of yours will ſhortly be raiſed unto glory, glory forevermore. And let me put you in mind of one thing more, I doubt you han't yet laid aſide your unjuſt Grudges againſt the Perſons concerned in your Conviction & Condemnation: You have no cauſe to complain of them: and you are not fit to pray, much leſs are you fit to dye till you heartily wiſh them as well as your own ſoul: if you die malicious, you die miſerable.
Mor.
I heartily wiſh them all well, I bear Illwill to none—What a lamentable thing is this, Ah this is that which has brought me hither!
Min.
What do you mean?
Mor.
I over-heard a man mocking & ſcoffing at me when I ſtumbled juſt now, he does very ill. I have done ſo my ſelf: I have mock'd & ſcoff'd like that man, and ſee what it hath brought me to: he may come to the like.
Min.
The Lord forgive that fooliſh hard-hearted creature. But be not too much diſturbed.
Mor.
Yonder! I am now come in ſight of the place where I muſt immediately end my dayes. Oh what a huge Multitude of people is come together on this occaſion! O Lord, O Lord I pray thee to make my Death profitable to all this Multitude of People, that they may not ſin againſt thee as I have done!
Min.
Amen, Amen ten thouſand times; the Lord GOD Allmighty ſay Amen to this Prayer of yours! It would indeed be an excellent thing if you could now come to receive your death with ſome Satisfaction of ſoul in this thought, That Much Glory is like to come to God by it: I am verily perſwaded God intends to do good to many ſouls by means of your Execution: This is a greater honour than you are worthy of.
[After the Diſcourſe had been intermitted about a minute or two by reaſon of the miery way]
Mor.
I beſeech you Sir ſpeak to me. Do me all the good you can: my time grows very ſhort: your diſcourſe fits me for my Death more than any thing.
Min.
I'm ſorry ſo ſmall a thing as a plaſhy Street ſhould make me looſe one minute of this more-than-ordinary precious time: a few paces more bring you to the place which you have now in your eye, from whence you ſhall not come back alive. Do you find your ſelf afraid to dy there?
Mor.
Sir, If it were not for the Condition that my SOUL muſt by & by be in, I ſhould not fear my death at all; but I have a little comfort from ſome of Gods promiſes about that.
Min.
And what ſhall I now ſay? Theſe are among the laſt words that I can have liberty to leave with you. Poor man, thou art now going to knock at the door of Heaven, and to beg & cry, Lord, Lord open to me! The only way for thee to ſpeed, is, to open the door of thy own ſoul now unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Do this, and thou ſhalt undoubtedly be admitted into the gloryes of His heavenly Kingdom: You ſhall fare as well as Manaſſeh did before you: leave this undone, and there's nothing remains for you but the Worm which dyeth not, and the fire which ſhall not be quenched.
Mor.
Sir, ſhow me then again what I have to do.
Min.
The voice, the ſweet voice of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, (who was once hanged on a tree, to take away the Sting and Curfe of even ſuch a Death as yours) unto all that cloſe with him, His heavenly voice now is, Oh that I & my Saving work might be entertained, kindly entreated, in that poor, periſhing ſoul of thine! Are you willing?
Morg.
I hope I am.
Min.
His Voice further is, If I am lodged in thy ſoul I'll ſprinkle my blood upon it, and on my account thou ſhalt find Favour with GOD. Do you conſent to this?
Mor.
This I want.
Min.
But this is not all that he ſaith, His Voice further is, If I come into thy ſoul I will chang it, I will make all ſin bitter to it, I will make it an holy heavenly ſoul. Do you value this above the proffers of all the World?
Mor.
I think I doe,—and now, Sir, I muſt go no further, Look here—what a ſolemn ſight is this! Here lyes the Coffin which this Body of mine muſt preſently be laid in. I thank you dear Sir, for what you have already done for me.
Min.
When you are gone up this Ladder, my laſt ſervice for you before you are gone off will be to pray with you: But I would here take my leave of you. Oh that I might meet you at the right Hand of the LORD JESƲS in the laſt Day! Farewel poor heart, Fare thee well. The everlaſting Armes receive thee! The Lord JESUS, the merciful SAVIOUR of Souls take poſſeſſion of thy Spirit for himſelf. The Great GOD who is a great Forgiver, grant thee Repentance unto Life; and glorify himſelf in the Salvation of ſuch a wounded ſoul as thine forever. With HIM, and with His free, rich, marvellous, infinite Grace, I leave you; Farewell.
FINIS.
End of the text · Increase Mather, Sermon at Execution of a Man Found Guilty of Murder (1687)