Hell Opened, Narrative 4
REader this is a fair Catalogue! A goodly Bedroll! And a very ſweet Penitent! And that I do not wrong his memory, give me leave to tell thee, that of all this money which he laſt ſtole from Mr. Northam (and it is credibly reported the Sum was double to what he confeſſed,) he never took any care to reſtore one Farthing; nay, ordered a conſiderable Summ of it, I think Thirty Pound, to be put out for his Child; and gave order unto his wretched Brother in Law to go to Loo, and in that Chamber where he lay laſt, hanging to the Vallance of his Bed next to the Wall, he ſh…uld find a Purſe of Money, which accordingly he fetcht, but what is become of it is unknown.
However at the Execution of his wicked Siſter, we may chance to hear ſome farther tale and tidings thereof. But for this fellow, he hath a Twelve month ſince received his Doom, and is gone unto his place, and there we leave him.
And now let us return Reader from our Digreſſion, though I think we have not been much, nor long out of our way.
Finding no good ſucceſs in my labors with the Nurſe, I ſent for the Maid to come unto me. Who being ſhut into the Chamber with me, I aſked her what ſhe did think would become of her pretious Soul; that it was better worth than a World, and it was a Thouſand pitties that a Jewel of ſuch ineſtimable worth and value ſhould be loſt for ever. That now it was in a very dangerous … ſtate, and ready to periſh irrecoverably. That as ſhe had by her envy, malice, Inſtigation, and Correſpondence with the Devil Murdered her two Miſtreſſes, ſo ſhe alſo had Murdered her own Soul and Body: And that as they were dead and Buried, ſo would ſhe alſo ſhortly die a very horrible death, and without wonderful mercy be ſwallowed up of everlaſting wrath. That the Fire which was to conſume her in Plymouth would be very painful, but the Fire of Hell in which ſhe muſt live and lye for ever would be inſupportable. That her many and mighty ſins had brought her to this woful condition. And I added, How will you get out of it?
Poor wretch! She fell a trembling and weeping, and deſired my help and direction, and ſhe would labor to follow it.
Whereupon, my Bowels yearning on her, and mingling my tears with hers, I told her I was heartily glad to hear ſuch words drop from her mouth, and through Gods bleſſing ſhe would never want it.
Then I told her. Anne, do you ſit down in ſome ſecret place, and review your life, and look over all your ways, and call your ſelf to an account for all the ſins that you can remember your ſelf Guilty of; and conſider chiefly that your heart and nature are deſperately wicked, that there dwelleth in you nothing that is good, and that you cannot do any thing that is good, no not ſo much of your ſelf as think a good thought, much leſs to Convert and turn your ſelf to God. Then remember every one of the Ten Commandments, and how that you have tranſgreſt againſt them, eſpecially againſt the Sixth. Thou ſhalt not kill; and that for every one of theſe ſins of yours, even for the leaſt you have deſerved to burn in Hell: Oh! Then how many Hells have you merited.
Beſides, conſider all the mercies of God beſtowed upon you, as your Life, Health, Liberty, Friends, Food; and to live in a Land where the Goſpel is preached, and the way to Heaven revealed and diſcovered, and yet how unworthily have you abuſed them to the diſhonor of the Lord that gave them. But principally conſider that all your ſins have been committed againſt God the Father, that Created you, that gave you life and being, againſt God the Son Chriſt Jeſus, who became man, and died for you.
Anne, ſaid I, this makes your ſin exceeding ſinful, a very horrible ſin, that Chriſt Jeſus to ſave you from ſin and Hell, died for you, was crucified and accurſed for you, loſt his heart blood for you, and underwent the torments of Hell for you, to keep and ſave you from them: And yet by every ſin that you have been Guilty of, you have Crucified Chriſt afreſh, you have ſtabbed him to the heart, drawn freſh blood from him. For not one of your ſins can be pardoned without his blood, and you have been very prodigal of it, to ſpill, and deſpiſe, and trample it under Foot, which is Helliſh ingratitude.
Will you ſet home this meditation upon your Heart?
Finally, conſider, that you have ſinned againſt the Holy Spirit of God, who ſanctified you in Baptiſm unto his Service; and that quite contrary to the end and intent of God in Baptizing you, that you might repent, and renounce ſin, you have wallowed in it all your daies, and grieved the good Spirit of God, and only gratified and ſerved the Devil.
And having done this, do you throw your ſelf not upon your knees, but flat upon your face, upon the earth before God, and think as if you were at the very mouth of Hell, and ready to be caſt headlong into the torments of it; that are endleſs, eaſeleſs, and remedileſs; and then with ſhowrs of tears, and with as much Shame and Grief as you can poſſibly confeſs all theſe ſins unto God, and beg of God to give you Repentance unto life, to Weep, Mourn, and be confounded for them; and never ſeave Praying, Sighing, and Groaning unto God in Prayer, till he do make your hard heart wax ſoft within you, and that you be chiefly abaſed and humbled, that you have ſinned againſt God, who is your beſt Friend, Saviour, and alone Comforter.
Beſides, do this at night upon your Bed, and be up early at this work, and deſire the Lord that your late Repentance, may be a true Repentance.
Having promiſed me, that ſhe would take this courſe, we came out unto the other Priſoners. And ſpeaking unto the Man condemned for coyning, I told him, and his Companion who ſtole a Mare, (but is ſince mercifully reprieved,) That God had ſaid, Thou ſhalt not Steal, and as he that Murdered by Gods Law deſerved everlaſting death in Hell, ſo by that ſame Law, did he that ſtole; that burning in Hell was a worſe puniſhment than hanging upon a Gallows.
That it was a wickedneſs againſt the light of nature that they were guilty of: That the very Heathen who knew not God, puniſhed it with as much ſeverity as our Laws.
That they would not willingly have others ſo uſe them, to take away their goods from them:
That every Man had a Right, Title and Prerogative to the fruit of his own and honeſt Labors.
That it was a ſin againſt the whole Land, and Nation to invade the Prerogatives of the King, ſuch as coyning was, being inſeparable from the Crown, and a moſt glorious Flower of it.
That he who would ſtrike at the Royalties of the King, would never ſtick nor boggle to make away the Life of the King, which was ſuch a piece of damnable impiety in it ſelf and conſequences, that none but an incarnate Devil would be guilty of.
That they ſhould do well to ſeek the pace of God in time, and to wreſtle mightily with him for Grace, Repentance, and Forgiveneſs, that ſo they might not periſh everlaſtingly. Their time was ſhort, their work great, it was no eaſie matter to get to Heaven.
That I had known many very holy, mortified, and godly Perſons that had ſpent Threeſcore years in a Religious Life, and cloſe walking with God, yet to be full of fears and doubts they ſhould never get to Heaven. And that they had much more cauſe to work out their Salvation with fear and trembling.
And in the upſhot told them, that if they would ſeriouſly and heartily embrace and follow theſe Counſels, if they would to day, whilſt it is called to day, hearken to the Voice of God, and nor harden their Hearts, there was hope for them in their latter end, For their was forgiveneſs with God that he might he feared, yea with the Lord there was mercy, and plenteous Redemption. Other Miniſters coming in, I bad them farewel for the preſent.
THe next morning about Eight of the Clock, I viſited them again, and ſound with them Mr. G. T. a worthy Miniſter of Exon, who gave me an account of the unſuccesfulneſs of his Labors, as to that wicked Woman the Nurſe; and then in a very pathetical and devout prayer, moſt pertinent to their conditions, with great meltings of his own heart and affections, commended them unto the Lord.
When he was gone, I dealt again with the Nurſe, but no more privately as heretofore; I urged her to repent of her horrid Murders, to acknowledg them, and take the ſhame of them to her ſelf: That ſhe muſt do it. God and Man, Heaven and Earth required it from her mouth.
She ſtill asks me, Sir, what will you have me confeſs an untruth unto you, a matter of which I am not Guilty? I told her that none believed her, that it was a moſt improbable thing that thoſe Perſons who witneſſed againſt her, ſome of them being to my knowledg Perſons fearing God, hating a lie, ſhould ever accuſe her falſly. They had no temptations to it, ſhe never having wronged nor offended them, that as far as I knew, the were as much her Friends, as her Miſtreſſes, that there was neither profit, nor advantage, nor pleaſure, nor honor accrewing to them in taking away her life, and they were too tender, and made more Conſcience than ſo, to draw upon themſelves the guilt of innocent Blood.
And finally, I told her, that ſhe had*made ſwopt a Bargain with the Devil for ſecrecy to her own deſtruction, that all would out at laſt, as cunningly and cloſely as ſhe did carry it, before Men and Angels; and ſaid I, you are one of the moſt bloody Women, that ever came into this Goal, you are guilty of Two Murthers upon your Miſtreſſes, guilty of a Third before God, having drawn in this poor Girl like a Devil, as you are, to joyn with you to ruin them and her ſelf alſo, and though ſhe ſuffered juſtly from Man, yet her Blood would be required from your hands by God, and then you muſt anſwer for the ſhortning of her days, and that deſtruction ſhe and you have brought upon her ſelf; ſo that ſhe was drowned over and over in Blood-guiltineſs: And I did as verily believe ſhe would be in Hell, unleſs there were a very wonderful change wrought upon her, as that old Murderer her Father the Devil was.
Theſe words extorted tears from her, but no confeſſion, and ſhe prayed me to have better thoughts and hopes of her. I told her, I wiſh I had ſome grounds for them, but I could have none, till I ſaw her ſtony Heart rent and ſhivered to pieces, and her Bones broken under the ſence of her Helliſh wickedneſs, and ſhe did not continue to reject the Counſels of God to her own deſtruction.
Upon this her Accuſers, that unthought of, or unknown to me, were at the Door, being admitted, conferred with her; and I betook my ſelf to the poor Penitent, the Maid.
This is a ſad, too ſad a Truth. After condemnation crowds of vulgar Perſons throng in upon theſe Malefactors: The covetous Keepers for love of a piece of money letting them in, who by their looſe; idle, and impertinent diſcourſes, obſtruct the ſucceſs of Miniſterial Labors. However this poor Maid aſſured me, that her thoughts had been upon my Counſels in the night, and ſhe wou'd make it her buſineſs to do it more effectually, and withal, added that ſhe ſaw her ſelf undone for ever.
To which I replied, No, ſhe was nearer Heaven than ſhe was aware of. That her ſins were not too great for God to pardon. That ſhe ſhould remember Three Texts of Scripture that I would tell her.
Firſt, This is a true and faithful ſaying, worthy of her acceptation, that Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners, of whom I am chief. Yea Sir, (ſaith ſhe,) I am the greateſt ſinner in Plymouth.
Secondly, That whoſoever comes unto Chriſt, that is, believes in Chriſt, he would in no wiſe caſt out. That for her to believe in and come to Chriſt, was no other than this; That ſeeing her ſelf by reaſon of ſin to be a damned Wretch, ſhe caſt her ſelf upon the everlaſting mercies of God becauſe of Chriſts death, with hope and expectation of them, and waiting for them.
And then Thirdly, That the Blood of Chriſt cleanſeth from all ſins.
And ſhe ſhould meditate and think upon theſe pretious words of God, and reſolve that ſhe would live and die with them in her Heart. And if ſhe did, and grieved unfeignedly for her ſins, loathed them, and her ſelf for them, my Soul for hers, ſhe ſhould never periſh. For Jeſus Chriſt was a moſt abſolute and compleat Saviour, able and willing to ſave the worſt of Mankind, that would be ſaved by him upon theſe his Terms, and therefore would ſave her. Upon this ſhe wept again.
Having comforted her, and done ſomewhat to bind up her wounds; I added, Anne, there are yet ſome other works for you; you muſt die in Charity with the world, and crave pardon as from God, ſo from Man, eſpecially from your Maſter whom you have ſo grievouſly wronged. You muſt alſo in particular forgive this bloody Woman the Nurſe, that hath ſeduced you to this great ſin, and to your perdition. Will you? Can you do it? If you do it not from your heart, God will never forgive you. Sir, ſaith ſhe, I wit, I do it. And it ſhould not grieve me if ſhe lived, though l died only for this Fact. I forgive her, a I expect forgiveneſs from God.
Then I added, She muſt beware of miſpending her time, or looſing a moment of it; ſhe ſhould take heed of vain thoughts, ſhe muſt be much in private Prayer, and not be long, but ſhort, ſhort in Prayer, but often. She muſt hearken to all the good counſels of Gods Miniſters that would come and viſit her, and do them to the utmoſt. She ſhould be as Spiritual, Holy, Religious, Humble, Serious, and Heavenly minded as poſſible. She ſhould not take any great care of her Body, the leſs the better, as to eating, drinking, or ſleep: Her whole thoughts and care ſhould be ſpent about her Soul, and its ſalvation.
And to conclude, Anne, ſaid I, it is a hard work to die at any time, but for one in thy condition very hard indeed. But however, once thy peace is made with God, and thou haſt repented of thy ſin, and thrown thy poor Soul upon Sovereign mercy in the Blood of Jeſus, never fear death. Take it humbly, patiently, and ſubmiſſively. Bear the indignation of the Lord becauſe thou haſt ſinned, accept of the puniſhment of thine iniquity, yea be thankful unto God, that thou mayeſt be Burnt here and not hereafter. I hope the Lord will make thy death eaſie, ſhort, and comfortable. Thou art yet a ſtranger to the joys of Gods Salvation, and to the comforts of his Holy Spirit: But it may be the Lord will give them to thee in thy bitter torments, and then thou wilt ſcarce feel them; or if he ſhall detain them from thee, yet his Grace is ſufficient for thee; believe in the Lord Jeſus, and thou ſhalt be ſaved.
And finiſhing my diſcourſe with her, ſhe asked whether ſhe ſhould not ſee me again, eſpecially when ſhe was to ſuffer, for ſhe earneſtly requeſted my help, my aſſiſtance to her in that hour.
I promiſed, if it could be obtained, ſhe ſhould have it.
Being now returned to the reſt of the Malefactors, I ſpake ſomething of the Glories of that other World, where truly Penitent and believing ſinners were a going, what an unſpeakable happineſs God had prepared for them, and what wonderful rich grace this was on Gods part, that he ſhould promiſe and tender it unto them. Two of whom I hope were broken hearted, though they wanted much knowledge, and much of that Compunction that they ought to have; that if they would endeavor after more Grace, God, who was the God of all Grace, would give liberally unto them, and never upbraid them with their paſt ungodlineſs.
That the promiſes were not made ſo much unto the meaſure and degree of Grace, as to the nature and Truth of Grace: That a Grain of Gold was as truly Gold, as an heap or Mountain; That the Lord was no reſpecter of Perſons, but an Univerſal, a Common Saviour: That he deſpiſed not the day of ſmall things, He would not quench the ſmoaking Flax, nor break the bruiſed Reed, nor caſt off any ſelf-confounded, and ſelf-condemned wrerches. That whatever their ſins had been, they ſhould beware of doubting or deſpairing of Gods mercies. Their deſpair of Salvation being a greater ſin than Murder or High Treaſon. That I was not ignorant of Satans devices, no ſtranger to his Wiles and Stratagems, who when he could keep them no longer in Chains of darkneſs and Impenitency, would put Souls upon Over-doing in Repentance, and over whelm them with horrors.
They ſhould look to this and believe it, live and die upon it, that Chriſt Jeſus was more willing to ſave them, than they were to be ſaved by him, that though they were to die ſhameful and painful deaths, you to be Hanged; and you to be Burnt. Yet here was a comfortable meditation, it was as eaſie going to Heaven from the Stake and Gallows, as from their Beds; and when their Souls were departing out of their Bodies, Gods Holy Angels would convey them into Paradiſe.
At this good news my Two Penitents wept; and I hope Tears of Joy.
And turning my ſelf unto the Nurſe, Woman, ſaid I, it is the very grief of my Soul, and makes my heart bleed within me, that not one Syllable or tittle of theſe good words of Gods gracious promiſes belongs to thee. This is the Children Bread, it muſt not be given unto Dogs and Devils.
Having finiſhed my diſcourſe, I gathered up the particulars, and ſpread them before the Lord in Prayer, begging grace and glory for them: And that his Divine Majeſty would yet mollifie that Adamant before him, and take away the heart of ſtone, and give an heart of fleſh, and open the Brazen Doors that this Captive of Hell might go forth, and give glory to him by a full and ingenious Confeſſion, and find mercy ere ſhe went hence, and ſhould be ſeen no more.
Taking my leave of them, hoping another day to ſee them in Heaven, I departed the Chamber. As I was going out the Nurſe pulls me by the Coat, deſiring private conference with me.
This very much ſurprized me, conceiving that ſhe began to relent, and that Satan was a falling.
But I was miſerably miſtaken, when with Tears in her eyes ſhe intreated me to deal effectually with the Maid, to declare who ſet her upon it to accuſe her, that ſhe might know them that contrived her death.
I told her, I had already; and in Three conferences could never find her to vary one tittle. That I ſaw the Maid ingenious and Penitent, but had not the leaſt token of true Repentance from her; That ſhe was a Brazen Impudent Hypocrite, thus to diſſemble with God and Man, to pretend Innocency, when her own Conſcience convinces her of the Guilt of ſo much blood. That ſhe ſhould not deceive her ſelf, God would not be mocked, as ſhe had Sown ſo ſhe ſhould Reap. She kept the Devils Counſel, and to the Devil ſhe would go. I had ſpent my time and Spirits for the good of her Soul, but I ſaw no good iſſue thereof; and therefore look to it Woman, Look to it, that this do not make thy Hell hotter than Ordinary.
And then added one word, Prethee tell me, whether thou haſt no ſin at all upon thy Spirit, that troubles thee?
No, Sir, none it all I thank God. I never wronged any one in my life. I never hurt my Miſtris, nor took a Needle of Threed from her.
I asked her father. Whether ſhe had not the Gold which her Brother ſtole from Maſter Northam.
She ſaid No.
I told her my Intelligence came from her own Father, who avowed that her Brother gave it her in a Paper to take to his Child, and that ſhe took it indeed to the Child, but then immediately took it from him again.
All which ſhe ſtiffly denies, maintaining ſhe never ſaw nor knew of One Farthing of that Money, either Gold or Silver: That her Brother was too wiſe to intruſt it to her a poor Woman for his Child, who had a Child of her own. But this is downright Lying and aequivocation, as you will hear at the day of her Execution.