Christ Alone our Life, Narrative
A Narrative of the Occaſion of Preaching and Printing this Diſcourſe, and of the Behaviour of thoſe two condemned Criminals from their Condemnation to their Death; ſubmitted to the charitable Judgment of Pious Readers.
THE laſt day of the Aſſizes at Even, which ordinarily was in Lent, but then put off, I received a Meſſage at my Houſe, to deſire me to viſit a Woman, (a meer Stranger to me, as was her Father alſo) condemned for the Murder of a Child. Next Morning I waited on the Lord Chief Juſtice Pollixfen on the Road towards Rutland, being but two Mile from my Houſe, to deſire the favour of a Reprieve for ſome convenient Time, for me to uſe my endeavours with her. His Lordſhip told me he had reprieved her, not being ſatisfied in the Proof that the Child was born alive. He entertained me with very Divine Diſcourſe, and proper for me and the Woman, and obliged me to give him an account of her, at his return from the Circuit, that if there were good hopes of her leading a Life anſwerable to Repentance, he might procure her Pardon; and his laſt Words to me deſerve my remembrance, Pray Sir, do it ſincerely. Her Name was put into the Pardon by his Lordſhip, and expected to come the next Aſſizes; but came not then as was expected. The next Aſſizes I waited upon his Lordſhip, and ſtaying there, giving what Aſſiſtance I could to the moſt afflicted good Father of the Woman; Mr. Samuel Dudley my kind Friend, came to me, and told me, He was ſhortly to come and ſettle in Town, and was reſolved to make it his buſineſs to viſit the Priſoners; and deſired my Aſſiſtance, which I promiſed when deſired, and had opportunity. The Afternoon after the Woman was ordered to be Executed, being condemned two years before, and the Man received his Sentence, Mr. D. ſent for me into the Priſon, where he was performing his Viſit to theſe poor condemned Criminals. After we had privately diſcourſed them as fully as time would give us leave, the Honoured Thomas Catesby Eſq; the High Sheriff, was deſired to give us leave to preach to them before Execution, which was readily granted, with Thanks for our willingneſs to take pains with them: They had but about a Week to live; we agreed, That one of us ſhould preach the Wedneſday following, and the other the Friday. Mr. D. preached the Wedneſday, after I had been in private with the Priſoners, clearing ſome neceſſary things to them for their Profit; as we had good reaſon to hope they were not unprofitable Hearers, after hearing that Sermon. When I came about the time appointed on Friday, I did not a little wonder to ſee ſo many ſtand in the Street before the Priſon-Gate, and a Crowd within, and the Room in which I did intend to preach, as my Brother had done, ſo full that there was no getting in. As ſoon as I came within the Gate, the Miſtreſs of the Houſe, in her Husbands Abſence, deſired me, (ſhewing a great Concern in her Speech … Countenance) that I would preach in the Se… houſe, for the Crowd was too great for the … I foreſeeing what Offence ſome would … that new thing, and how I ſhould be cenſu… … offered to preach in the Priſon-yard, or in any other convenient. place. The Officers of the Houſe preſs'd me to preach in the Seſſions-Houſe, for the Debtors ſtood in need of, and would be glad of a Sermon as well as others, and they could eaſily and ſafely bring all of them into the Bar, (there being a Vault to convey the Priſoners from the Priſon to the Bar up a Trap-door.) Being overcome by their Reaſons and Earneſtneſs, I conſented to that which was moſt convenient, and ſafe for the Houſe, the Auditory, and for me, tho it was a large place. And to this day I know not how otherwiſe to have done ſo well; nor had I any ways to avoid it, either by refuſing to preach, becauſe the Aſſembly was ſo great, or deſiring them to depart and go about other buſineſs. If either of theſe had been ſuggeſted to me at that time, I hope I ſhould have rejected the Temptation. I foreſaw not the Auditory, nor deſired the place. It was not my Zeal nor my Vain-glory that led me to the firſt occaſion of viſiting, nor to this of preaching. And this may ſatisfie my Friends, and thoſe others, that they did wiſely forbear to give us trouble for this Service, for which we had Authority ſufficient to have born us out. The Reaſons for Printing this plain Sermon enlarged, are not to vindicate my ſelf, nor condemn others, but purely for the Excellency of the Subject, the very Sum of the Goſpel, and pertinency to all, praying that God would pardon its Defects, and make it profitable to many more than thoſe that heard it, ſeveral of whom deſired a Copy of it, and I could not deny their Requeſt; and ſome of my Fellow-labourers and Brethren, hearing what the Subject was, have perſwaded me to print it. But the prevailing Reaſon is taken from God's Glory alone, and deſire of ſaving Souls. I have nothing to ſay to any particular Man; But why ſo angry? Why ſo troubleſom to themſelves? What Evil had I, or my Fellow-Servant done? Know ye not yet what Spirit ye are of? I ſhould be glad if this Evil Spirit were caſt out for its own ſake. I was very much taken with a Story I read of Mr. John White, a very Judicious Divine. He liv'd a while in a Houſe that was haunted; his Maid-Servant complained much of the trouble in the Houſe. He chid her for going near the haunted Chambers, and bad her keep within the compaſs of her own buſineſs. One Night the Spectre, after Mr. White was laid down in his Bed, came to his Beds Feet, opened the Curtains, and looked upon him; to which the fearleſs Miniſter ſaid, If thou haſt nothing elſe to do, ſtand there, and I will go to ſleep. Was ever poor Ghoſt more blew'd? So I would ſay to this reſtleſs Spirit, If thou wilt not go to reſt, and haſt nothing elſe to do, I am reſolv'd to do my Maſters Work as well as I can, when call'd unto it, and not be ſcared or frighted from it by thee. I truſt that he who was a Shield to me from Dangers in Evil Times, will do as much for me in better times. He who walketh uprightly, walketh ſurely. And ſo good Night.
Judge charitably of the Succeſs of our Endeavours, which in ſhort, was as followeth. And firſt of the Woman. We might have looked for better Fruit from a Branch of that Stock from which ſhe ſprang, had her Parents lived to have ſeen her paſt the years of dangerous and fooliſh Youth. Her Parents left her young, with other Children, and her Friends gave 60. l. with her to a Trade in the Exchange. There the old Deceiver and Murderer would ſoon find her out, and draw out her Inclinations to ſuitable Actions, and bring her ſuch Confidents and Acquaintance as could ſerve his Deſigns upon her. When ſhe came to ſet up ſhe came into the Country, and followed the Calling of a Milliner, travelling with Horſes. Her Husband went about as a Bedder; he had married and buried a Siſter of a Family, that for Eſtate might live reputably at home, but delighted in the rambling courſe of Gipſies; and this Man had learn'd the Cant, and followed that kind of Life with his Relations. Some of her Friends betrayed her to this Marriage, as ſhe ſaid, and others were againſt it; and ſhe and her Family were ſo well known, that they were conſtrained to go a great way before they could be married. Becauſe of this Marriage, and meeting ſometimes with the Gipſies in their Travels, and being preſent when (as ſhe conſtantly affirmed to her Death) the Gipſie, her Husband's Brother-in-law, kill'd the Inn-keeper, ſhe was counted one of that Crew; but ſhe conſtantly affirmed that ſhe underſtood not their Cant, nor their way of living and could never endure that her Husband ſhould have any Familiarity with them. She had a ready Wit and Speech, a great ſtout Spirit, but too little knowledge; ſhe was more apprehenſive than the poor Fellow was, but came ſhort of a preparedneſs to die. After that we had opened the Nature and Deſert of Sin in general, we came to thoſe particular Sins for which they were condemned; and when I aggravated their Sins, from the Ignominy of the Puniſhment, that ſuch Offenders were thought unfit to live among Men; ſhe ſtomach'd the Expreſſion, and cried bitterly, through Pride, and the ſenſe of the diſhonour of the Death ſhe was condemned to; and ſlew out in angry Expreſſions at her Proſecutors. We gave way to her Paſſion, and made as good uſe of it as we could for her Conſideration of the ſhamefulneſs of ſin, and a far worſe End to come without Repentance. I laboured to convince her of the Truth of what I had ſaid, and went on to other things. She confeſſed freely, ſhe had been a great Sinner, but not guilty of ſeveral ſins which ſhe named, nor of that for which ſhe was to die; altho Mr. D. told her he was ſent for while he left us, by ſome Perſons of Quality upon the Grand Jury, who remembred the Evidence againſt her, and looked upon her as a very ill Woman; yet ſhe perſiſted in the Denial of the Murder to the laſt, as I ſaid before. We opened to her the ways whereby ſhe might participate in the Guilt; but ſtill ſhe denied all, ſaving that ſhe ſtood at a diſtance when her Husband's Brother-in-law ſtabb'd the Man; and when he had done the Fact, he told her Husband in their Cant, that he had kill'd the Man, and threw away the Knife. The next time I came, I found her very much humbled in Spirit, bewailing that ſhe had been a very great Sinner, and with many Tears and loud Cries for ſin, ſhe ſeemed glad that ſhe ſhould go out of a ſinful World, in which ſhe deſired to live no longer. What? ſaid Mr. D that you may ſin no more? Yes, yes, that I may ſin no more againſt a merciful God. The World, ſaid ſhe, was a ſinful World. And how are you reconciled to the manner of your Death, ſaid I? Said ſhe, I could bear it, I can ſuffer it, tho all the Friends I have in the World look'd on. I judg'd this to be a conſiderable degree of Humiliation, remembring how high ſhe was before. While Mr. D. was preparing to preach, I was preparing them for it, and did explain and enlarge upon ſome things which I was afraid they underſtood not; ſhe apprehended me, and her Knowledge grew. I remember I told her, That ſhe ſhould not think the way to obtain Pardon was to diminiſh her Sin, in Number, Nature, and Aggravation; and that Pardon extended even unto Blood, to all penitent Believers; that the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God cleanſeth from all Sin, and therefore beſought her to acknowledge her ſin of Blood-guiltineſs. She received my Words with meekneſs and ſenſe, but perſiſted as before. At Prayer and Sermon ſhe behaved her ſelf with Attention and Reverence, and we hope it was not in vain; ſhe promiſed to obſerve our Direction in our abſence. Her Demeanour at my Sermon was very attentive, and with Signs of inward Affection. After we had done, Mr. D. deſired them to remember what was preach'd, and to retire, and that we would come again to them that night. When we thought it moſt convenient, we repaired to them; there were ſeveral others in the Room well employed; but ſhe was at Prayers at her Bed-ſide. Her Heart was ſo full, that ſhe could not refrain from ſpeaking out the Language of her own Heart, with good words and matter, Flames of Fervency, and then with Silence. When ſhe roſe up ſhe thanked us for our Pains, and ſaid, She bleſſed God, now ſhe underſtood how it was, and muſt be with her. She underſtood her Caſe, and found her ſelf willing to die; and tho ſhe had been a great Sinner, ſhe hoped ſhe ſhould find Mercy: She now knew the way, ſhe told us; ſhe was not afraid to ſee her Coffin, which was brought into the Room. She deſired to live no longer to ſin in a ſinful World. Next Morning we came betimes, and adjuſted ſeveral matters of Reckonings as Offences, that nothing might be a ſtop in her way. She reproved ſome, and counſelled others. She reproved an old Man for flouting at me when I was wont to viſit, There comes, or there goes your Soul-ſaver, which we took not well, but ſhe ſpake well. While we were buſie with the poor Fellow, ſhe, the Room filling, fell on her Knees, to ſecret Prayer, and continued a good ſpace, taking no notice of any thing that might interrupt her. When the Officer came to unlock her Irons, ſhe wept bitterly, and roar'd, ſorrowing; and rejoycing at her end. I applied my ſelf as pertinently as I could to that occaſion, upon which ſhe was very quiet and well compoſed. After a preparatory Preface concerning Prayer, as the laſt Exerciſe of the Thief upon the Croſs, one of us praid in the Priſon. I told her I would attend her to the place, and bad her, if any Doubt or Fear ſhould ariſe, that ſhe ſhould let me know it. She went along weeping, praying, confeſſing and counſelling one that held her by the Arm. When once I turned from her to ſpeak to the Fellow, ſhe turned quick and ſaid, O Sir, do not leave me. When ſhe came in ſight of the Tree, ſhe burſt out into more Tears, and ſaid, O yonder is the place, yonder is the place; but I am to ſuffer nothing for my Sins, in compariſon of what my Saviour ſuffered for me for my Sins; and was much upon that till we came to the place of her End. There one of us pray'd, and ſhe went up the Ladder without Fear or Boldneſs; ſpake little; ſhe deſired them all to reverence and hearken to the Miniſters of God; confeſſed ſhe had been a great ſinner; and being ask'd about the Murder, ſhe denied it as before; ſhe prayed a little while, and went off to Eternity.
The Fellow had diſobediently ran away from his Maſter and Father, who knew not what was become of him. He gave himſelf to Thieving, and other Sins maintained by his Theft. He was arraigned the foregoing Aſſizes, and burnt in the Hand before my Lord Chief Juſtice Pollixfen, who ſhewed by his Countenance and Carriage an unwillingneſs to condemn him to die, but that he feared there was no hope of his amendment, that would not carry his Warning in his Hand ſo lately given him.
We found him groſly ignorant in the three Forms of Religion, the Lords Prayer, Ten Commandments and Creed; he could not repeat them without help: He was ripe in Sin, but ſlow to take in what was good. He had the ſame pains taken with him which the other had, if not more; for he ſtood in need of more. His Face was covered with ſhame, exceedingly dejected, and he was penitent; ſomething he ſpake of Pardon, of Sin, Repentance and Mercy, but underſtood nothing of Jeſus Chriſt as Mediator, and Salvation by him, or Faith in him. We inſtructed him in thoſe things, and had ſome weak Hopes concerning him; but we had cauſe to fear all would be loſt the morning of his Dying Day. Then we inſtructed him in the knowledge of Chriſt, the Mercy and Grace of God in the Nature of Repentance, Confeſſion of Sin, that his Repentance and Confeſſion might be full, that God might be glorified, and others might be warned, and called from the Evil of their ways. We preſſed him to detect his Complices, and acknowledge the Injuries he had done, and to ask Pardon, who could not reſtore or compenſate. Mr. D. told him, he was at Coventry when he and others had broken into ſeveral Houſes, when they were going towards Ireland. Here all the ſigns of Ingenuity and Goodneſs fell flat, and went in again. An horrid ſullen paleneſs and dulneſs of Spirit ſeized him. We told him, his Detection would be no accuſation of any, we ſhould make no ill uſe of what he told us, to endanger any Man's Life; but if it lay in our Power, to warn them, and call them from the way of Death to Life, and break the Knot and Combination. We applied our ſelves to him with Mercy and Judgment; we told him of the danger of a partial Confeſſion and Repentance, of the horridneſs of the Judgment of God, of the ſinfulneſs of having and hiding Sin; and pleaded with him, by the Patience and Mercy of God, by his Grace in affording him the means and helps God had granted him; how that notwithſtanding what was done upon him, all would be to no purpoſe as to his Salvation, but would aggravate his Condemnation. Nothing would ſtir him, nor a Word come from him. At laſt I told him, 'twas Satan's Great Deſign to lock him up for his own, to harden him againſt Chriſt; and that we would have him know, and the Devil know, that we were the Miniſters of Chriſt, and muſt declare his Word, and ſhould leave him to the Judgment of the Great God. We told him, That whoſe confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſin, ſhall find mercy; but he that hideth his ſin ſhall not proſper. i. e. ſhall not be bleſſed or happy, but on the contrary. We ſpared no Arguments or Pains to recover him out of the hands of the ſtrong Man armed. There were ſome good People with us, who dealt with him to the ſame purpoſe: At laſt God was pleaſed to own us, and preſerve us from a Foyl, and baffle off the Devils; and ſo he told us, He believed none of his Confederates were living, however he knew of none. And then we went on again: His Heart was melted, his Tears returned, his Ears were opened to further Inſtruction. As he went along to the place of Execution, he ſighed, mourned, wept, groan'd, that I never heard the like. Oh! how did he complain of his hard and obſtinate Heart! Oh this hard Heart! O mercy, mercy! Oh ſweet Jeſus have mercy upon me! When he came in ſight of the Tree, Oh! there is the place I am going to! Oh! my ſins have brought me to it! Oh! my ſtealing, my drinking, my ſwearing, my whoring, my Sabbath-breaking, my gaming. I turned to him and ſaid, And your ſtealing was to maintain your other ſins. Oh! Ay, ay. Oh, my hard and obſtinate Heart! Oh ſweet Jeſus, have mercy upon me! Oh Father, have mercy upon me! Oh, pardon my ſins! And thus he continued from the Priſon to the place of Execution, which is, I ſuppoſe, a good Mile or more. He ſaid little upon the Ladder, but deſired all preſent to take Example. He died very ſoon after he was turned off, ſo that I believe his Heart was almoſt broken with Grief before the laſt ſtroke of Death.
This is a plain and true Account of both theſe Perſons, as to the matter, and as to the very Words that are moſt remarkable. I have but few Remarks upon them, 1. They who are not at all aſhamed of the moſt ſhameful ſins, think the Puniſhment deſerved a great ſhame to themſelves and Kindred. 2. It is a good ſign when perſons are more grieved for their ſins, than aſhamed of the Puniſhment. 3. The Devil will hold out to the laſt, and baffle Miniſters if he can; but we muſt not ſuffer it, but reſiſt him with thoſe Weapons that are mighty through God. 4. What Honourable, Reverent, Sweet Words will poor Souls, that have been ignorant Deſpiſers of Chriſt, give him, when they come to ſee their need of him. Grace and Mercy to every Reader of what is written.
Three uſeful Books written by Mr. Edward Pearſe, viz.
The Beſt Match, or the Souls Eſpouſal to Chriſt.
A Serious Warning to a lively and thorough Preparation for Death.
A Treatiſe of God's Unchangableneſs.
Books lately Printed.
A Diſcourſe of Sickneſs and Recovery. By T. Rogers, M. A.
A Treatiſe of Cloſet-Prayer, by Mr. Slater.
Hearts Eaſe in Heart Trouble: A Book uſeful for thoſe that are in Affliction. By J.B.
An Abridgment of the Holy Hiſtory. By S. Clark, Author of the Annotations on the Bible lately Publiſhed.
Sold by J. Robinſon at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard.
FINIS.
End of the text · Edward Pierce, Christ Alone our Life (1691)