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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50229	A sermon, occasioned by the execution of a man found guilty of murder, preached at Boston in N.E., March 11th, 1685/6 (together with the confession, last expressions, & solemn warning of the murderer to all persons, especially to young men, to beware of those sins which brought him to his miserable end) / by Increase Mather ...	Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.; Moodey, Joshua, 1633?-1697. Exhortation to a condemned malefactor.	1687 (1687)	Wing M1248; ESTC W19800	66,053	133

hang'd if it were so and once he wish'd he might be hang'd if ever he play'd agen and therefore said he God is just in bringing me to such a death as this And when Anger shall break out into Blows Quarreling and Fighting between Neighbours that ought to live in peace there is great Evil in it This miserable creature before us acknowledgeth that it was so with him In his mad passions he car'd not who he did strike or hurt It is not good for them that have lawful power to strike others to do it in passion It is not good for Parents to strike their children or Masters their Servants or School-masters their Scholars in heat of Anger le●t they become guilty of breaking the sixth Commandment A moral Heathen when his servant had committed a fault that greatly in●en●ed him said to him If I were not angry with the● I would strike thee but I will stay till my passion is over before I punish thee Again a spirit of Revenge is an evil thing it is Murder in God's sight 1. Joh. 3. 15. He that hateth his brother is a Murderer Hatred never rests but in the destruction of the thing ha●ed To say no more here Cruelty is a degree of Murder and a great Evil and most of all for men to be cruel to those that stand in nearest Relation to them as this Malefactor owns that he has been whom they ought to love dearly is an high degree of Inhumanity No man that acted like a man ever hated his own flesh To be cruel tho to a Servant or Slave is a very sinful thing Nay Cruelty tho to a Beast argueth a murderous bloody Disposition The Scripture saith a good man is merciful to his Beast They then that make themselvs sport with Putting dumb creatures to misery do very sinfully Yet that has been practised here of later years in the open Streets especially on one day of the year To do it at such a * I intend the Cocks●alings on Shr●ve Tuesday Time is vanity Heathenish Superstition besides to make sport with exercising cruelty on dumb creatures which had never bin miserable had not the sins of men made them so it is a wicked thing and ought not to be among those that call themselvs Christians Infor. 3. If Murder be such a Crime as hath been shewed It is then a sorrowful thing that so many of the Children of men should be found guilty of this Evil. There are some places of the world where Murder is a common sin The dark corners of the earth are full of the habitations of Cruelty And there are many in the world that call themselvs Christians who nevertheless delight in shedding innocent blood Persecutors are Murderers Bloody Papists are in the Scriptures charged with Murder on this account it is said of them they repented not of their Murders Rev. 9. 21. namely of their murdering the Saints of God for their Religion for the Truth sake and because they would not comply with their Superstitions and Idolatries That Mother of Harlot● the Church of Rome she has made her self drunk with blood many Millions of Saints have been murdered by her Persecutors are Cain's Children O how many are there going up and down the world with Cain's bloody clubb in their hands to this day It was Luther's Saying Cain will kill Abel to the end of the world But besides this That which the Civil Laws of Nations make to be Murder is frequent in some places A late Historian reports that in the the Kingdom of France * See Trap. on Genes 9. 6. within the space of ten years there were known to be no less than 6000 Murders committed And in popish Countries they have Sanctuaries for Murderers (i) Vide C●●● a Lapide in Deut. 19. A man that has bin guilty of wilful Murder if he does but run into a Church as they call it or into a Monastery he is protected in those bloody places of Refuge Their Writers plead for this And tho no convicted Murderer did ever escape the stroke of Justice in this Land which is a matter of rejoicing yet it is a very sad thing that any in such a place as this should be found guilty of such a Crime that men should do so wickedly in a Land of Vprightness but so it has been Divers have been executed for this sin formerly and here is one that is to be executed for it this day And there have been several Murders committed among us the Authors of which are not yet known Some have bin so monstrously wicked and unnatural as to embrew their hands in the blood of their own Children who they are God knowes and will find a time to judg them and one day we and all the world shall know who they are Besides these several others have bin under vehement Suspition and tryed for their Lives on the account of this sin We have all cause to pray for New-England as the Lords People of old were directed to do in case of an uncertain Murder Deut. 21. 7. 8. They shall answer say our hands have not shed this blood neither have our eyes seen it Be merciful O Lord to thy people Israel whom Thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood to the people of Israels charge and the blood shall be forgiven them Be merciful O Lord to Thy people in New-England and lay not innocent blood to their Cha●ge VSE 2. For Exhortation There is a double Exhortation before us 1. Hence men should beware that they do not become guilty of this Sin. It is in Man's corrup-Nature Nothing is more natural than a spirit of Revenge as we see in little Children which discovers that the Children of men bring murderous natures into the world with ' em Hence the Apostle declaring what men by nature are saith that their feet are swift to shed blood Rom. 3. 15. because there is a marvellous Propen●●●y in Man's nature unto this sin Should not the Lord either by special or common Grace restrain them how many would soon become guilty of Murder it self Yea and those too that don't believe any such thing concerning themselves When the Prophet Elisha told Hazael what a prodigious Murderer he would be What said he am I a Dog that thou shouldst have such thoughts of me But in a little time he appeard to be as curs'd a Blood-hound as ever the Prophet had said to him O then beware of this sin And therefore take heed of giving way to wicked Passions Lesser sins make way for greater And especially take heed of great sins For many a man by being guilty of other great sins has provoked the Holy GOD to leave him unto this sin too The poor condemed Malefactor who stands here in the sight of this congregation does acknowledge that he hath by living in other sins provoked God to leave him unto this which he must now dye for And he warns others especially Young Men to

Jesus Christ and preserved by His Providence and the very scope of this the principal business of it is to come from the Third Heaven as a Letter with thy name mine every man 's on the Endorsment of it bespeaking the beleeving looks of every Reader unto a saving Jesus But there are likewise many special passages to this purpose sparkling and glittering like so many Jewels in the Cabinet of God. It is a Rule which our Lord Jesus has given about His Exhortations in Marc. 13. 37. What I say to one I say to All And will not the same square to His Invitations also Yes the old loving Invitations which were more immediately given to other people do likewise call upon us upon whom the ends of the world are come upon Thee and thee and thée Well we are informed in Joh. 7. 36. That when our Lord Jesus was Incarnate among the moving Dust-heaps and Potsherds of the earth here below once on the eight day of the Feast of Tabernacles when there was a vast Confluence of People going to draw water from he Pool of Siloam singing the words of the Prophet With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation Lo then He took occasion to stand that He might be seen to cry that he might be heard to say If any man thirst let him come to me drink So then all the needy dying souls of men are still are thus offered the only Appointed Anointed Redeemer of men does thus counsil them Let me hear from you whensoever whereinsoever you want Salvation But how many other such amazing lines has He also sent down from the Excellent Glory into a desolate world It is the Lord Jesus Christ who has compared the Go●●●l of Salvation unto a well-fraught Vessel sailing up a River whereahout He makes that loud loving Out cry O Never never was there an O yee's vouchsased unto the world like to This in Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth let him come and partake hereof It is the Lord Jesus Christ too who concludes this miraculous Book with that remarkable Period when He would put a full Stop to inspired infallible Writings He does it by exposing His Salvation unto general Acceptation in Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely In a word For the suller Inculcation of such a marvellous Thing we have this immortal King laying upon us in the name of Him that is Higher than the highest in 1. Joh. 3. 23. A Commandment to believe We have Him hence also annexing the Sanctions of a Commandment hereunto laying Bonds Graplings of Iron upon the Consciences of men We have Him both upon Mount Ebal upon Mount Gerizzin giving accents to His Look unto Me. He discharges the dreandful rumbling Thunderclaps of such denunciations as that in Joh 3. 36. He that believeth not shal not see life And many more such Threats and Menaces does He roar out of Sion with wherein the smoke of the Fire and Brimstone reserved in a hot Hell for the Portion of Vnbelievers is blown under the Nostrils of men Yea and He presents no less ch●●ming Encouragements to Beleeving than those in the Preface to the Proverbs of Salomon one Text more above all I have found which I must bring to you as Sampson did unto his Relations the Hen●y which he had light upon it is in Mat. 11. 28. O feed upon it every word in it is a drop of Canaans Hony it is Honey from the Rock He was a renowned Person that once said mallem carere Cibo et Coelo quam hoc Verbo I had rather not have a bit of Bread to put in my mouth I had rather the Sun in the Firmament should shine no more upon me than that I should loose so dear a Word as this Thus our Lord speakes COME gr Deute a most freindly familiar Call q. d. I pray be so kind as to step hither to a Friend But unto whom shall we come Lo He saith come unto Me unto Me that have all things deliver'd unto Me by the Father unto Me that am by Him empowered and employed to pluck never-dying souls from the devouring Jaws of every Death But who shall come mark the Answer Let ALL come But what if we have horrible Burdens of Filth and Fear lying upon us It s no matter sayes our Ever-living and Ever-loving Lord come all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden But what if we do come shall we not miscarry miserably and miss of our Expectations notwithstanding all No no. The Faithful true witness saith unto us I will GIVE you REST. O let the poor fetter'd Prisoner recollect himself James thy name is not excepted in these INVITATIONS It is a Feast of Fat things full of marrow and of wines on the lees well refined which the Lord has made in this Doctrin for the ruin'd Race of sinful men It remains that we make some Vses of it VSE 1. And now Praises Millions of Praises an Eternity of High-praises be given unto our Lord Jesus Christ who speakes such things to the rebellious O the Admiration O the Adoration which the never-enough praised Grace of Jesus Christ should beget in us At the preaching of this Doctrin we have unnutterable cause to do as the Jews did at the building of the Temple in Zech. 4. 7. even to shout Grace Grace concer-cerning it until our Acclamations reach unto the very Heavens It is recorded of the poor slaves among the Brick-kilns in Egypt Exod. 4. 31. That when they heard the Lord had visited the children of Israel and had look'd on their Affliction then they bowed their heads and worshiped behold you have this morning heard that the Lord Jesus Christ hath visited the children of men and bid them in their Afflictions to Look unto Himself O where are the good words where are the kind thoughts that we ought to magnify this Redeemer and His Grace withal David once in an holy Ecstafie of soul 1. Chron. 29. 10 14. Blessed the Lord and said O who am I Verily now all of us have cause to abound with such notes as those Lord who are we that He who sits on the lofty Throne of Eternity should send away unto us that ly starving like odious Beggars among the Ditches and under the Hedges of Hell inviting us to LOOK unto Him and be SAVED The Pharisees of old aspers'd Him with this as His Disgrace but let us cry it up in Him as his Honour This man receiveth sinners The vertuous Elizabeth in Luc. 1. 43. Wondred that the Mother of her Lord should come unto her but what a thing is this that our Lord Himself should Invite us to Look yea to come unto himself That he who sits as King for ever upon the lofty Battlements of Heaven charges the very Angels with Folly should so far smile upon us a company of born-fools wandering about the earth upon

an affront put upon his Imperial Majesty so he that shall kill a man that is made after the Image of God puts a Contempt upon the DIVINE Majesty there is Treason against God contained in the bloody Bowels of this Sin. Upon this account it is indeed a greater sin to kill a good man that has the Image of God renewed in him than to kill a wicked man. Nevertheless that also is a Capital Crime for all men have something (e) Calvin Rivet Pareus in Gen. 9. 6. of Gods Image remaining in them not only in that every man has an immortal soul and is in that respect more like the immortal God than any other creature in the world and in that men have a dominion over the Creatures which is one part of Gods Image on that account does the Apostle say that Man is the Image and Glory of God. 1. Cor. 11 7. But also in that the Law is written in the hearts of men by Nature (f) Ames Theol. lib. 1. cap. 14. though God has executed spiritual death upon Mankind for Adam's Apostasy after a dreadful manner yet he has moderated that punishment hence men in a natural estate yet close with some practical principles of Piety Righteousuess as That God ought to be worshiped that Men should do as they would be done by and the like and many natural men yet have an image of Vortue they have something like Grace a shadow of it they hate flagitious Crimes and approve of a morally honest Conversation These things shew that there are some Remainders of the Image of God in men therefore he that shall murder such a creature is worthy of death But thus for the Doctrinal handling of the Truth before us I proceed to make some Application 1. By way of Information 2. For Exhortation Infor. 1. This Doctrin justifyeth the Authority here in respect of the Sentence of Death which has been passed on the Murderer who is this day to be Executed There is a man standing before the Lord and among His people this day who has done just as my Text expresseth he hath smitten his Neighbour and that with an Instrument of lorn too with a cruel Spit made of Iron the thing proved by several Witnesses and the man that was hurt dyed of that wound therfore he that has smitten him is a Murderer and must surely be put to death Tho' for a long time he denied it nevertheless since his Condemnation he has acknowledged it and yesterday he confessed to me that he had in his Rage murdered the man whose death and blood has bin laid to his Charge he told me that the other gave him some ill language whereby he was provoked and that he said to him if he came within the door he would run the Spit into his Bowels and he was as wicked as he said he would be so that he is guilty of Murder Therefore none ought to blame Those in Authority for causing the Murderer to be put to death Conscience to God to the People under their Charge and to their own Souls also has necessitated them to do what they have done in this matter Let every one remember that Scripture Prov. 28. 17. A man that doth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the Pit let no man stay him if he has shed blood to the Pit let him go and flee thither let all convenient Speed be used in the Execution of Justice that so the Land may be cleared from blood and let no man in Authority stay him let no private person solicit for him But let us be thankful to God that we are under such Magistrates as will do Justice and Execute Judgment punish Sin according as the Word of God requires that it should be done Infor. 2. Hence Those Things which have a tendency to and a degree of Murder in them must needs be evil e. g. Rash sinful Anger is an evil thing Murder begins there 'T was said of those Brethren in Iniquity Simeon Levi That Instruments of Cruelty were in their habitations for in their Anger they slew a man cursed be their wrath for it was cruel Gen. 49. 5. 6. And ou● Lord Jesus Christ in His Exposition of the Sixth Commandment shews that rash Anger is a degree of Murder Mat. 5. 21 22. You have heard that it was said by them of old time Ye shall not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the Judgement but I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Judgment There is Man's Judgment-seat and GOD's Judgment-seat Murder makes a man be in danger of the former sinful Anger exposes him to the latter Not that all Anger is sinful there is an ●nger that is good when a man is angry in God's cause moved with zeal indignation because God is dishonoured that 's very good and a man may sometimes be angry in his own cause too and yet not sin Be angry and sin not But when men are angry without a just cause that 's Evil. When they are angry more than they have cause for that they are all in a flame for a meer tris●e when as one well expresses it a man shall suffer the (g) v. M● C●●●ocks Supplement cap. 9. p. 368. Beco● of his soul to be sit all on ●ire at the landing of every small Boat that 's a foolish and evil thing or when men shall be angry longer than they ought to be an implacable spirit is a vile murderous spirit Anger rests in the bosom of sools Sinful Anger is poys●● which as soon as ever a man has taken it into his mouth he shall spit it out again And when Anger shall break out into Curses and wicked Imprecations that 's wicked Anger This condemned man that stands here confesses that he was wont in his passion to curse all near him He murdered many a man with his bloody tongue before he was left of God to murder any with his hand His mouth was full of Cursing Bitterness before he shed blood And when men in their Rarge imprecate curse themselvs it s a very evil thing there are some that will say They wish they might be hang'd if such a thing be so and many times the righteous Judgment of God brings that very evil upon 'em There is a Printed Relation concerning (h) Sr. Gerv. Elways mention'd by Mr. Howel in his Londinop by Mr. Ball of the power of Godliness l. 4. c. 3. p. 329. by Mr. Leigh in his Body of Divinity Lib. 4. Cap. 16. P. 445. a Person of Quality that was hang'd for a Crime laid to his charge and when he came to dye he confessed that he had been much addicted to that sinful Recreation of Card-Playing and that many times when the Game went otherwise than he wish'd for he would in his passion wish that he might he

there should be any Esau-like despisers of Jesus Christ and his Invitation or his Salvation in the Congregation God forbid that there should be one such child of perdition as an impenitent unbeliever among us all Some persons there are indeed who make a Scruple of it May I venture to look unto Jesus Christ notwithstanding all my vileness my wretchedness my unworthiness To these it may be safely rejoin'd If you find that God hath wrought your heart to a willingness to close with a whole Christ you should not let your Unworthiness be your Discouragement against doing of it The Invitatitation Look unto me is enough to embolden you unto beleeving looks towards the Lord Jesus Christ notwithstanding all the damps doubts which your misgiving hearts may have about your acceptance in it Syrs the Golden Sceptre is held out you may draw near When Jesus Christ said unto Peter you may come he presently ran over the dangerous waves of the boisterous Sea unto Him Truly so since Jesus Christ sayes to you you may look let no hard suspicions and surmises keep you from doing your duty in it The Canaanitess in Mat. 15. 27. did as one of Ancients expresseth it play the Philosopher ●●he disputed the case after this rate A Dog may have Crumbs It seems I am a dog Therefore an ingenious a gracious Therefore I may have Crumbs too Thus may you Argue prostrate at the footstool of the Lord Jesus Christ All the Ends of the earth should look unto thee O Lord I am one at the Ends of the earth Therefore I may look unto thee Surely He that hath his Chair in the heavens will deny no part of the Syllogism which shall thus be framed by a wrestling Faith Though you have bin as bad as any among the Corinthians were of old yet if you have arrived unto a due hunger thirst after Jesus Christ you may endeavour to look unto him saying as Samuel to Eli Lord here I am for thou calledst me and He will be far from saying to you as Eli to Samuel No I called not The Question which some will now be ready to ask is and O that many with an earnestness like that wherewith Peter's hearers put forth their What shall we do would ask such a question How shall I look unto Jesus Christ About this there are a few Directions to be given O set your hearts unto the words that shall be testified among you for they are not vain things your very lives yea the lives of your souls are concerned in them I Know then that besides your occasio●al glances towards the Lord Jesus Christ which every day ought to be very many at least as many as the stings which the infernal vipers do vex your souls withal there is a Set-work of this nature to be solemnly performed both by them whose dead eyes never yet look'd to Jesus Christ by them whose dim eyes have cause enough to continue looking unto him whom they have already seen Now there are Two things to be premised concerning this Let this be the 1st premised It is highly expedient that you should speedily set apart a time to make attempts about the grand work of Looking unto Jesus Christ It is indeed true that an unbeliever hath no other Assureance of prospering in his Essayes to break the iron Prison doors of his unbelief but such an Who can tell such an Who knowes such an It may be as the Prophets of old were wont much to insist upon If you set your selvs to believe in your own strength the Faith of Simon Magus is all you are like to attain unto Yet you may be quickned to do what you can from the renowned History of the man with the withred hand in Mat. 13. 13. unto whom Jesus saying stretch forth thy hand he tryed to do it without any demurr at the seeming unsuitableness of the Injunction and Behold he stretched it forth and it was restored Let this be next premised It is extreamly requisite that this rare work of Looking unto Jesus Christ should be often renewed Sometimes perhaps the spirit of Jealousy will come upon you you will be fearing Alas I did never yet aright look unto Jesus Christ Now the best way ●● sectle these troubled waters will be that which Jo●ah had I will look yet AGAIN And O remember that to do this work often over over again is a thing than which nothing can more tend to your Victory over all the Adversaries of your endless Welfare Yea sometimes if an Half or a Whole of a day were purposely laid out i● this work the time will be found not to have ●in lost when Eternity shall dawn upon the world Hence in 1. Pet. 2. 4. they who have already tasted the grace of Jesus Christ are bid still ●o come unto him Some of us before the sands of another hour be run out shall so meet with this King of glory in his Galleries that we may have a special opportunity to catch hold on the feet of the Lord who deigns to sup with us and like Mary cry my Lord my Lord until we have renewed the Looks that have hitherto kept our souls in life O be you thankful for this and do wish your might what your hands find to do And now Hear and your soul shall live O that you would labour in a wise Retirement to ●if● up the wof●l eyes of your Hell-stung souls towards the Lord Jesus Christ after such a manner 1. Meditate most affectionately on those thing● which may aw●ken the Christ-ward LOOKs of of your sou●s It is hinted in Luc. 1. 17. Tha●●●dina●ily before persons ●an look unto Jesus Christ they must be a people prepared for the Lord. Now to promote and produce this peice or Soul-good there is no Engine li●e to Consideration O Consideration what Me●icine for sou● maladies is comaparable to That If we would but let the Angel of CONSIDERATION stir the Pool how probably might we step in and have our unbelieving eyes enabled to look unto our dear Helper who longs to be doing good unto us It 's said of a Convert in Ezek. 18. 28. He considers he turns perhaps it may likewise at last be said of us he considers he looks There are then 2 or 3 savory Meditations to which if you should give a time and room you may hereafter reap the comfort of it I perceive in Hos 14. 2. and elsewhere that the prophets would sometimes put words into the mouths of them that they were travelling for the Salvation of Something of that kind shal now be done by the bringing of those thoughts into your mind which may comport with the Invitations of Jesus Christ Let your first Head of Meditation be an I Must Think with your selves I must look unto Jesus Christ Say to your own souls about Looking to Jesus Christ as Paul did about preaching of Jesus Christ Necessity is laid upon me and woe unto me