Death, Title page – Preface
Death The certain Wages of Sin to the Impenitent: Life The ſure Reward of Grace to the Penitent: Together with the only Way for YOUTH To avoid the former, and attain the latter.
Deliver'd in three Lecture Sermons; Occaſioned by the Impriſonment, Condemnation and Execution, of a Young Woman, who was guilty of Murdering her Infant begotten in Whoredom.
To which is added, An Account of her manner of Life & Death, in which the Glory of free Grace is diſplayed.
By Mr. John Rogers, Paſtor of the Church of Ipſwich.
1 Tim. 1.16
Boſton: Printed by B Green, and J. Allen, for Samuel Phillips at the Brick Shop. 1701.
The Preface.
IT is above Sixty years ſince Courts of Judicature have been Erected in the Town of Ipſwich; yet was it never known in all that time any perſon Arraigned there for any Capital Offence. Which might juſtly be ſuppoſed to be the reaſon that ſo many Thouſands were there gathered, as was ſcarcely ever heard of or ſeen upon any occaſion in any part of New England. Which could not but put all ſerious and thoughtful Spirits in mind of the Great and General Aſſembly that will appear at the Great Day to receive their final Sentence: Which Multitude were gathered to behold the Tragical End of the perſon then Executed, which was attended with ſo many ſignals of Divine Grace and Favour, as the following pages will give a more perfect and diſtinct Account of, which not to have publiſhed, would have been a concealing of the Diſplays of the Declarative Praiſe and Glory of God; and a damp to the Encouragement of Paenitent Sinners to hope for Mercy at the laſt hour. Theſe following Subjects that were handled on thoſe Lecture Weeks when the Criminal was Tryed, Condemned, and afterwards Executed, appearing to be very ſuitable to the Occaſion. And the Diſcourſes which were raiſed from them being judged worthy of publication; not only to revive the memory of thoſe that were happy in hearing of them; but that all others, who may providentially come to the view of them, may be ſtirred up to praiſe the Lord for his wonderful goodneſs, in making ſuch an heinous Sinner ſuch an Inſtance of Converting Grace and Mercy: Neither ſhall any need to queſtion the truth of the repentance of the perſon Condemned, & after Executed, from the ſhortneſs of the time of her Experiences: The Thief that Commenced Converted on the Croſs (as was expreſſed by him that Preached on that occaſion) is a proof of the poſſibility hereof; for with God all things are poſſible: Seeing we read not any thing of his Converſion before he was Nailed thereon, but God (whoſe gifts of Grace & Mercy are free, and diſpoſes of them, to whom, and at what time he pleaſes, did bleſs the publick and private means that were uſed, ſo as to bring about this marvellous Change in this poor Creature, for the Exalting of the Riches of his Grace to miſerable Sinners. So as that ſhe may be counted worthy to be added to thoſe ſeveral memorable Instances of ſpecial Mercy recorded in Ancient Hiſtory, viz. that of Sir Jervace Ellowis, Jacobus Andreas, and others, which Mr. Clarks Hiſtory recites in the Life of the Reverend Mr. William Perkins. So as that upon conſideration of this late & former Examples of like nature all that hear thereof …ay well break forth in the words of the Apoſtle, Rom. 11.33 O the riches both of the wiſdom & knowledge of God how unſearchable are his Ways, & his Judgments paſt finding out.
Further alſo, It is not unworthy to be inſerted, That this poor Creature lately Executed, when ſhe took her laſt leave of her Christian Friend, (the night before her Execution) as ſhe ſti…ed him bleſſed by whoſe Miniſtry ſhe had received moſt benefit & Comfort. So ſhe did the place of her Confinement, (Happy Priſon.) Not unlike that h…ly Martyr, wh… ſuffered Martyrdom in Lyons in France: Subſcribing his Letter to a Friend—From the D…lectable Paradiſe of the Leonine Priſon— And if the Priſon of Martyrs be look… upon as a Paradiſe, What will be the place of their Eternal Ma…ſi…ns in the Higher Heavens▪
William H…bbard.