Death, Bill 1
On the laſt Sabbath of her Life on Earth, ſhe preſented this Bill to be Read in the Congregation, which was wholly Dictated by her own Mouth, though Written by another hand.
ESTher Rodgers having received a Sentence of Death, which ere long is to be Executed on her Body, being ſenſible of the juſt Hand of God for her Great and Crying Sins and Crimes, that ſhe is found guilty of before God; Humbly begs the Prayers of all Gods People in this Congregation for her: being made in ſome meaſure ſenſible of her ſad and deplorable Condition, ſhe earneſtly begs, that the Lord would ſtill look down in Mercy upon her, to give her Aſſurance of the Pardon of all her Sins, and to Waſh and Cleanſe her from, That Sin of Blood-guiltineſs, in the Blood of the Lord JESUS CHRIST; that her Faith and Hope may be only upon the Mercy of God in Chriſt, for SALVATION: and that the Lord would Strengthen and Uphold her, and carry her through that hard and difficult Work when called thereunto, that ſhe may not be diſmayed at the Sight and Fear of DEATH: but that her Mouth may be Opened, and her heart enlarged to declare to Others, what the Lord has done for her Soul, and alſo to Warn them that are Beholders to take heed by her Example, leaſt they fall into the like Condemnation.
The Lord was pleaſed to make this a good Day unto her, and ſhe was much ſtrengthned and refreſhed by what ſhe heard from thoſe words, Act. 16.31. Believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be Saved. In which diſcourſe, the Subject, Object, and Principal Act of true Juſtifying and Saving Faith, were touched upon: And in the cloſe of all, the extent of the Promiſe being conſidered, it was particularly applyed unto her upon Believing. The Apoſtle there did not ſpeak to the Jaylour only, but the Charge and Promiſe both are Univerſal. Let every one believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and Whoſoever believeth ſhall be Saved. This was often repeated by our Saviour, particularly unto Martha, Joh. 11.26. Whoſoever liveth and believeth in me ſhall never Dy. Nay further to manifeſt the Riches of Grace and Power of Faith: He ſaith, I am the Reſurrection and the Life, He that believeth in me, though he were Dead, …et ſhall he live.
Here is One in the Congregation at this time, of whom it may be thus ſpoken, That ſhe is a Dead Woman; not only that ſhe was dead in Treſpaſſes & Sins, but is Dead in Law, and by a Sentence of Condemnation muſt be put to Death before another Sabbath come about: And yet there is more than a poſſibility through Grace, that ſhe may Live again; though not in this World, yet for ever in a better, where ſhe ſhall neither ſin nor ſorrow more. Who hath begotten thee to ſuch a lively hope, or hope of Eternal life, O thou Dying Malefactor? Has the Spirit of the Lord Jeſus wrought this in thee by his Word or no? O Examine (whilſt there is Opportunity) thy Hope by thy Faith, and ſee if that be well grounded on Chriſt Himſelf, according to the Word. Not on thine own Prayers, Tears, Humiliations, Sorrows or Repentance, but on the Free Mercy of God, and Merits of Chriſt alone. If ſo, It can never riſe too high, or will make aſhamed by its fall. Yet moſt thou continue inſtant and conſtant in thy Looking unto this JESUS, who is not only the Object, but Author and Finiſher of thy Faith, to eſtabliſh, ſtrengthen and enaable thee to perſevere in Faith & Hope to the End; that thou mayſt not be found to be one of thoſe who draw back to perdition, but of thoſe that hold out to the Saving of their Souls. Be ſenſible, that the ſame Almighty Power which at firſt enabled thee to believe, is neceſſary to keep and carry thee through Faith to Salvation. Beg of God to ſtrengthen thee againſt new Fears, or any Temptations to Unbelief: Say with him. A … time I am afraid, I will truſt in … God of his Infinite Grace grant … Evidence of true Par… … Chriſt both to thee and … we may hold the beginning of … … fidence ſtedfaſt unto the End. … Heb. 3.14.
The Night before her Execution … ſaid to many coming in at once to … her: Oh! I have had the joyfulleſs … to day that ever I had in my whole life. I bleſs God that ever I came into this Priſon. When one of the Company asked her, what ſhe thought of the poor murdered Infants, whom ſhe was inſtrumental to bring into the world, and then perhaps of ſending them to Hell. She anſwers, I have greatly mourned for my cruelty and wrong to them, as well as Sin againſt God in all that I have done. Queſtion again; But how do you think to anſwer the Cry of their Blood? Anſw. I truſt I have an Advocate, and many like things.