brought him to Execution and from thence conveyed to Gregories Churchyard London where about Noon he was burled That Evening at S. Gregordes Church a Sermon was preached by Mr Randolph Yearwood the Lord Majors Chaplain there being a great confluence of People The Substance wherof take as followeth I JOH 3.15 Whosoever hateth his Brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath eternal Life abiding in him THE Apostles intent in this Epistle was and indeed my design in this Sermon is to promote true love in mens hearts towards one another His Arguments are many which he propoundeth as so many provocations to love Consider these seven 1 Arg. 1 John 5.9 10 11. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness even until now He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him But he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whether he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes as though he should say Love surpasseth hatred as far as light excelleth darkness Arg. 2. Men are not of God but they are the children of the Devil unless they love as brethren This is plain and manifest 1 John 3.10 In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother 1 Joh. 4.7 Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God Arg. 3. He that Ioveth not knoweth not God for God is love 1 Joh. 4.8 Arg. 4. A man otherwise cannot clear up his love to God 1 Joh. 4.20 If a man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a Lyar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen Arg. 5. 1 John 4.10.11 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another Arg. 6. If you love the Brethren ye have passed from death to life 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren Arg. 7. The last Argument is drawn from the dreadful estate of a man that loves not his brother 1 Joh. 3.14 He abideth in death he is a murderer he hath not eternal life abiding in him And now I am returned to the words which I intend to handle Whosoever hateth his Brother is a murderer and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him Here we have two things very remarkable 1. A description of a Gospel-murderer for in the sense of our Law meer hatred doth not make a murderer Whosoever hateth his Brother is what is he a Murderer 2 A declaration of the damnable state of such a murderer And ye know 't is a known case that no murderer hath eternal life abideing in him Let us consider the first of these two truths in the words of the Apostle viz. Obser 1. Whosoever hateth his Brother is Murderer It is requisite to say something by way of Explication to this truth and then by way of Application Whosoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one every malicious man without exception whether he be reputed good or bad holy or unholy if he hateth his brother he is a murderer if he be rich or poor high or low Magistrate or Minister whosoever he be if he hate he is here included in the indictment of murder Whosoever is a term of universality Hateth By hating two things are hinted in Scripture 1. A comparative respect This first is plain in Gen. 29 30. And he went in also unto Rachel and he loved also Rachel more then Leah 31. And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated that is was loved less then Rachel Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also cannot be my Disciple Now 't is not lawful properly and indeed to hate a mans self or his Relations though he might gain heaven thereby Observe Luke the Evangelist saith cap. 14.26 If a man hate not brethren he cannot be Christs Disciple and John the Apostle affirms Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer So that we must take the term hate in some places to signifie a less degree of love so in Luke He that loveth not Christ more then himself more then his Wife or Children more then Brethren or sisters cannot be my Disciple as suppose a man must either forsake Jesus Christ or else his natural and near relation this for saking of them and cleaving to Christ the Scripture expresseth by hating of them not that men hate or may lawfully hate their Friends but they love them less then they love the Lord Christ So Matth. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more then me is not worthy of me 2. Hating is taken for a very strong disrespect and a mighty implacable disaffection in the heart of one man towards another mans person insomuch that a man cannot find in his heart to say well of or do good unto another but he can find in his heart to speak all manner of evil and act all manner of mischief hurt and wickedness against another This is our Apostles sense He that hateth his brother i.e. he that sheweth no pitty or compassion to but prejudice cruelty and indignation against his brother is a Murderer This is utter hatred according to that in Judg. 15.2 I verily thought thou hadst utterly hated her Brother 1. Natural brother Mat. 4.18 And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother 2. Kinsman and Country-man Rom. 9.3 4. For my brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh who are Israelites 3. A Christian one obedient to Christ Mat. 12.48 49.50 Who is my mother and who are my brethren And he stretched forth his hand towards his Disciples and said Behold my mother and my brethaen for whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the holy calling 4. Any humane creature man woman or child Mat. 7.3 4. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye meaning in the eye of any other person but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Or how wilt thou say to thy brother to any man Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye Acts 17.26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth Is a Murderer That is in his desire and
man meaning Paul is a murderer whom though he hath escaped the Sea yet vengeance suffereth not to live Rev. 21.8 But the fearful and unbeleeving and abominable and MVRDERERS heart-murderers and hand-murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all Liers shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the Second death T is not torture enough for a Murderer to die only once God hath designed for him a second death an eternal death no Murderer remaining a man of hatred hath eternall life abiding in him the Devil himself will as soon be saved as he that hateth his Brother Rev. 22.15 For without are Dogs sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers malicious angells devills and malicious men devils incarnate must be excluded together heaven is no place for men of hatred and malice Three Objections Object 1. But some may say 'T is no danger to hate a poor man Prov. 14.20 The poor is hated even of his own e Neighbour but the rich hath many Friends no man nor God himself as some men think mindeth the poor man Obj. 2. A man surely may hate him that speaketh evil that prophesieth damnation against me as in 1 King 22.8 And the King of Israel said to Jehosophat there is yet one man Macaiah the son of Imlah by whom we may enquire of the Lord but I hate him for he doth not prophesie good concerning me but evil Obj. 3. He hateth me saith another he is mine enemy may I not hate him Matth. 5.43 Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy but I say unto you Love your enemies or else you will prove your own worst enemies for it is death the second death to hate a poor man an enemy or any man Is hatred a Man-murdering sin and a Soul-murdering sin Then take heed of helping on this hatred any way As there are ways to provoke to love which few love to walk in so there are tricks and devices of the Devil to drive on the design of hatred in mens hearts that he may drive men to destruction Decline especially naming men by this or the other name of reproach D. Hall late Bishop of Norwick who was a very worthy learned and godly man in a small Treatise of his called Pax terris p. 44. speaks thus Damnentur ad imum usque barathrum illa nominum opprobria Lutheranorum Calvinianorum Arminianorum Puritanorum Praelaticorum Presbyterianorum Independentium quae fidei ejusdem professoribus vulgò objectari solent i. e. Let those terms or names of reproach and disgrace saith he of Lutherans Calvinists Arminians Puritans Prelaticals Presbyterians Independents which are commonly objected to the Professors of the same faith let them be condemned to the lowest hell I am confident they were coined there and they prove an occasion of much hellish hatred among Christians It 's often known that one man hateth another meerly because he passeth in the world under one or other of these dividing names whereas it may be the man deserves no such name but if he do I am fure it is not fit nor Gospel-like to leave loving a man of a different minde in some circumstantial matters of Religion You will not be able to come off in the day of account by this plea. Indeed I hated such a man and I thought I did well for he was called an Episcopal man or a Presbyterian or an Arminian or Anabaptist or a Schismatick and Sectary The Lord God will demand Was not such a man thy brother was he not thy neighbour nay did he not fear my name notwithstanding this or that nick-name maliciously put on him and shouldst thou have hated thy Brother thy Christian Brother a man that lived in all good conscience by thee considering this startling Text Whosoever hateth his Brother is a murderer and ye know O then hate no more that no murderer hath eternal life abideing in him Lastly We see the excellency of Love in 1 Cor 12. ult and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is the way of life as hatred puts mens lives in hazard and jepoardy so love looks after the saving of life it permits others to be in peaceable possession of their own lives and then love to brethren is an evidence of that mans life eternal that loves his brethren 1 Joh. 3.14 We know we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren Hatred is deadly and perillons to men every way and love is of a soul-protecting tendency Love is excellent and lovely in this respect A Philanthropie in us a love to men as men and a love to regenerate men as such assures our hearts we are in the path-way to heaven as malice and hatred is the high-way to hell from which the Lord of heaven deliver your souls 'T is the way the high-way to Heaven a man never goes after God till he walks in love Ephes 5.1 2 Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us So long as men caled Christians live in bitterness wrath anger and clamour evil speaking and in malice they are the Children of the Devil for him they obey but when we are kind one to another TENDER-HEARTED forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake is ready to forgive us this God-like and Christ-like life this love-life is a lovely evidence of our following God our heavenly Father as dear children and of following our dear Lord and Saviour Consider Ephes 4 end and Ephes 5.1 2. and I hope that context will make smooth and sweeten your rough and bitter spirits towards each other mutually A Recollection of the sum of two Discourses between S. T. and N. B. in Newgate on Thursday Aug. 13. and Thursday Aug. 20 1657. both continuing several houres HAving by the Providence of God upon due occasion and call bin with N. B. as an eye Ear witness among others of the wonderfull grace of God to him in his last dayes to the rejoycing of my heart and being desired and prest to contribute some thing to the Narrative by those worthy persons concerned in the publication thereof I shall do it very briefly according to my best knowledge and remembrance My first address unto him was to know what serious sense he had of his hainous sin and his soules condition In answer to which he did in a very mournfull manner largely lay open the strong convictions he had upon his conscience of the sinfulness and damnableness of his sin ennumerating himselfe the several aggravating circumstances thereof with the time and manner of his conviction which began not untill his imprisonment and fetters began For albeit he was followed and filled as he said with distraction amazement and disquietment from the time of the fact making him restless in all places Yet he told me he had no solid conviction of his sin
design and in God's sense and esteem who searcheth the heart As a man that doth not commit the act of Adultery is an Adulterer nevertheless if his heart lust after a woman Mat. 5.28 So if a man never lay violent hands upon another yet if his heart disaffect and hate him he is a Murderer And ye know that no Murderer whether he be a Murderer in the sense of this Scripture or any other hath eternal life abiding in him that is hath the promise of eternal life or the evidence of it abiding in him Do not conceive from this clause that a man who was at any time guilty of blood by murthering another or hating another cannot be saved or enter into life for Manasseh David and others were blood-guilty but upon repentance were pardoned I doubt not of Nathaniel Butlers life eternal though he did destroy and take away the life of his Brother because God gave him repentance and humiliation The meaning is this No Murderer hath eternal life abiding in him if this man abide in his malice hatred and under his murder impenitent and stupid Is he whosoever he be that hateth another a Murderer Then Vse 1. Examine your selves Is Hatred so hainous a sin How may we know then whether we are not haters of any man Now Hatred is manifested thus 1. By refusing to rebuke thy brother or neighbor for his sin Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy brother and not suffer sin upon him Prov. 13.24 He that spareth the rod hateth his son 2. By keeping without cause at a distance from men Gen. 26.27 And Isaac said unto them Wherefore come ye to me seeing ye hate me and have sent me away from you If ye cry Away with him away with him to banishment imprisonment Away with such an one out of my sight I cannot endure this or that person in my sight Thou art an hater and a murderer See Judg 11.7 And Jephtah said unto the Elders of Gilead Did not ye hate me and expel me out of my fathers house 3. Warlike language Gen. 37.4 They hated him and could not speak peaceably to him When men cannot give one another a good word what is this but malice and hatred in the heart Gen. 49.29 The archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him and hated him Bending the bow and shooting bitter words speak out bitterness and hatred within 4. Lying in wait for rising up against and mortally wounding another Deut. 19.11 But if any man hate his neighbor and lie in wait for him and rise up against him and smite him mortally that he die c. Rev. 17.16 These shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Harsh usage shews hatred Try your selvs by these and other Scripture-signs and try impartially Vse 2. Exhort men to lay aside their sin See what the word chargeth upon 't 1. 'T is from the Devill as love is of God 1 Thes 4.9 Ye are taught of the Devill to hate 1 John 4.11 12. This is the Message that ye heard from the beginning that we should love one another not as Cain who was of that WICKED ONE meaning as Cain was a man of cruelty and hatred so he was of the Divell hatred is all hatcht in Hell O then retain it no more in your hearts 2. It proves a man to be yet unregenerate Titus 3.2 3. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish and disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in MALICE and ENVY hatefull and hateing one another But after that the kindness and love of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appeared c. It s too too apparent from this passage that the kindness and love of God hath not wrought kindly upon mens hearts so long as they live in malice envy and hatred how can a man be a cut throat and a Christian at the same time a man of hatred and a child of God 3. Thou art a murderer I have here transscribed some suteable passages of a very reverend Godly man I mean Mr. Joseph Caryl who in his excellent exposition upon the 5th Chapter of Job and 2 verse speaketh thus concerning wrath So in like manner wrath is said to slay a man first because it thrusts him headlong upon such things as are his death he runs willfully upon his own death sometimes by the dangerousness of the action when a casuall sudden death surprises him sometime by the unlawfulness of the action which brings him to a legal judiciary death Secondly his wrath is said to kill him because his wrath is so vexations to him that it makes his life a continual death to him and at last so wearieth him out and wasts his Spirits that he dies for very grief and so at once commits a threefold murder First he murders him intentionally against whom he is wroth Secondly he really murders his own body And thirdly he meritoriously murders his Soul for ever except the Lord be more merciful then he hath been wrathful and the death of Christ heale those wounds by which he would have procured the death of others and hath as much as in him lies procured his own This is true of hatred as well as of wrath for he that hateth his brother is a Murderer 1. He murthers his Brother whom he hates hatred is a wishing and seeking for at least in heart the slaughter death and destruction of his Brother when the Apostle John affirmeth whosoever hateth his Brother is a Murderer his meaning is he is a Murderer of that Brother whom he hateth and he is so because he hateth him 2. He that hateth his Brother is a Murderer more then once he doth not only murder his brother but himself by bringing eternal death upon himself for hateing his Brother he that murders himself is felo de se a Self-murderer is manifest from these words and ye know that no murderer meaning a malicious man hath eternal life abiding in him To be a murderer is 1. A crying sin Gen. 4.10 And he said what hast thou done the voyce of thy Brothers blood cryeth unto me from the Ground If men would think what am I doing now I am hateing my Brother I am murdering in Gods account and murder is a loud sin Surely then we should harbour no hatred Murder 2 It is a very reproachful shameful sin considered in the act that followes it to prove a man guilty of willfull murder renders him a shame to himself a blot to his relations thou that hatest art a murderer O be ashamed of this shameful hatred 3. Murder is a sin that sets the vengeance of God against a man the very Barbarians beleeve that vengeance and death will fall strangely and speedily on Murderers Acts 28.4 And when the Barbarians saw the venemous beast hang on his hand they said among themselves very confidently no doubt this
The Penitent Murderer BEING AN Exact Narrative Of the Life and Death of NATHANIEL BVTLER Who through Grace became a Convert after he had most cruelly murdered JOHN KNIGHT With the several Conferences held with the said Butler in Newgate by the Right Honorable the LORD MAIOR and several eminent Ministers and others As also his Confession Speech Prayer and the Sermon preached after his Execution with several useful Admonitions and excellent Discourses Collected by RANDOLPH YEARWOOD Chaplain to the Right Honorable the Lord Major of the City of LONDON Deut 13.11 And all Israel shall hear and fear and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you London Printed by T. Newcomb for J. Rothwell at the Fountain in Goldsmiths-Row in Cheapside and Tho. Matthews at the White-horse in the New Buildings in Pauls Church-yard 1657. London Saturday Sept. 12. 1657. Reader THis is that Exact Narrative concerning Nathaniel Butler which was some time since promised to come forth by my appointment under the hand of Randolph Yearwood Robert Tichborne Major To the Right Honorable Sr ROBERT TICHBORNE Kt Lord Major of the City of LONDON My Lord You have done being directed and enabled from on high many noble and good actions for this City the Government whereof is yet yours But really my Lord the right honorable act was this your personal and frequent visiting Nathaniel Butler when he lay a prisoner in Newgate His soul certainly was precious in your eyes and this engaged you to send others and to go your self to see him several times I verily believe you will see him yet once more not as a Malefactor in an obscure disparaging Goal but as an Angel of God in the Kingdom of Christ whither I am confident he is gone and you are going Before he went he desired me to give you humble thanks for all the favor he had received from you or by your means from others He was very thankfull to your Lordship and the rest of the Honorable Bench for his Fortnights Reprieval confessing that Court to be both just and merciful Just in condemning his body to death and merciful in sparing his life for some weeks after the Sentence upon design to save his soul And truly you may safely conclude that his soul is safe And is not such a Conclusion a rich Requital of all your Exhortations Tears and Prayers My Lord I shall rejoice to see you grow and abound yet more and more in Righteousness Holiness and as the Elect of God bowels of Mercies which will render you like unto and well liked of by the LORD of Lords To whom I leave you and remain Your Lordship's Servant RANDOLPH YEARWOOD THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Reader THE Malefactor mentioned in this following Narrative was none of mine acquaintance till for his horrid fact he was apprehended and imprisoned So that it was not any Relation of mine to him that put me upon this publication but I undertook this work as judging it of general concernment to all men both good and bad 1. As to the bad If thou art an evil wicked man er woman then this Narrative with the annexed admonitions and sermon c. much concern thee to make thee if possible penitent and truly reformed 2. Art thou a gracious good man or woman then thou hast reason to rejoyce on carth as God himself and the Angels of God rejoyce in heaven ever one repenting sinner Luke 15.7 and 10. I doubt not but thou wilt be well satisfied by the following Lines concerning the true conversion of a very hainous Offendor Now good Reader grant me one request not to look upon the following Discourses as a bare story or a piece of News and so having read and seen it there is an end But read and consider read and pray that this great and extraordinary passage of divine Providence may profit thy Soul which is the desire of my heart and Soul to God himself Otherwise I could not be as indeed I am thy Well-wisher Friend and Servant RANDOLPH YEARWOOD Three Conferences held with Nathaniel Butler during his Imprisonment by the Right Honorable the Lord Major under his Lordships own hand WHen Nathaniel Butler was first apprehended and brought before me he was in exceeding great burden of Spirit full of tears free to confess the Fact with all the aggravations thereof and was sollicitous for nothing but a few days respit for his poor Soul it seeming to me that nothing at that time was on his thoughts but what should become of his Soul At my first Conference with him which was about five or six days after his Condemnation I found him very ready to acknowledge his actual sins and to charge himself with them and the aggravations that did accompany them and this with sad tears of complaint and indignation against himself and his sins but did take no notice of his sinful Nature Which my self and a Friend with me Mr Griffith of the Charter house perceiving We endeavoured by Scripture to shew him his sinful Nature as the Root of all his sinful actions which he diligently hearkened to and was affected with but acknowledged his former Ignorance herein and that he had not so expresly before thougth hereof or been instructed hereabout and what he heard and received at this time among other Particulars was so far blest and wrought into his soul that to our selves and as we heard to others he did from that Night following much insist upon and bemoan his sinful nature and the state of sin he was born in as well as or together with those sinful acts he was guilty of At my second being with him after applying the free grace of God and Christ crucified to his faith for the pardon of his sins I asked him whether his heart could most willingly receive that pardon or a pardon for his life and bid him consider and tell me what his heart said in that Point After a little pause he made me this Answer That indeed he did not desire to live longer in this world for he had found sin so bitter a thing and himself so prone to sin that if he should live longer and sin against God it would be much more bitter to him then death and he did heartily Blesse God that had brought him to the hand of Justice and did truly love the party who as he thought was the Instrument to discover him acknowledging that the Devil had tempted him to lay violent hands on himself and after that temptation to fly beyond the Sea which if God had suffered him to do and so escaped Justice he might have gone on in his former course of sin without Repentance but did truly bless God that had delivered him from these temptations and had brought him to that condition that then he was in he did acknowledge with much thankfulness to God man the mercy of a few days between death and judgement and that God had given him so great a share in
Servants both Ministers and others He did particularly acknowledge the extraordinary pains care and tenderness of the Chief Magistrate of the City to be beyond all president or expression 8. Great affection and compassion he expressed to the souls of others His Fellow-Prisoners profanenefs and desperate security he exceedingly lamented the ignorance and blindnefs of many that came to see him he heartily bewailed They would aggravate his bloody fact and ask him whether the sight of the Bags were not the first temptation to the murdering of his Brother But alas said he it was not the sight of the bags nor the instigation of the Devil that could have put me upon such a wickedness had there not been a cursed nature within me by means whereof I was a Murderer before ever I slew my Brother and an Adulterer and a Blasphemer c. Yea he said he looked upon that original corruption he carried about him a greater sin before God then a thousand acts of murder of adultery c. because it is the fountain of them all which I never saw said he or took notice of till now that God hath opened mine eyes in this wonderful manner Neither do the most of men and women see it but because by the restraining power of God they live free from such gross and scandalous crimes they think themselves in a good estate and that they shall be saved But alas said he they have the same nature that I had and until their natures are changed and renewed they are accounted as guilty of all sins before God and as uncapable of Heaven and salvation as if they had committed them in the greatest act this ignorance of the generality of people old and young he bewailed with much hearty sence and feeling 9. He was very firm and fixed to the Principles of the Protestant Religion though he had but newly suckt them in Insomuch that being several times encountred in Prison by some Priests and other Papists that came to seduce this poor dying Wretch who told him that if he would be reconciled to the Church of Rome and turn Catholique as they call it they has power to pardon absolve him which his Ministers had not and that if he would not renounce his Religion there was no way with him but damnation with divers such menaces to terrifie him and flatteries to ensnare him Yet the Young-man through grace stood against all these Temptations as a Rock that could not be moved but sent them away with a great deal of contempt and indignation He wisht the Civil Magistrate would be watchful and restrain the liberty and prevent the temptations of these Seducers which he promised to make his humble request to them at his death 10. He did not at all doubt of his salvation through Free-grace the merits and love of Jesus Christ though withall he did make it a very solemn Query Whether he might warrantably and safely cast himself upon Jesus Christ on such terms as God holds him forth in the Gospel to poor lost Sinners being such a Sinner as he had been 11. He was not at all afraid of death nor desirous to live but being asked by a Gentleman that stood by what he would do if he should live he answered He desired not life if he might have it partly because he durst not trust his own heart partly out of an infinite desire he had to be with Christ who had loved such a loveless wretch as he was One expression he used was That he was not at all angry with his sin for bringing him to such a shameful end the shame and death do not in the least trouble me He was above all these considerations and desired that God might be glorified in and by his sufferings 12. And lastly He earnestly desired them present to joyn in prayer with him which was performed by a Minister who was witness to this part of the Narative He exprest strong affections and workings of spirit during prayer and much thankfulness for that Christian office In many of these particulars possibly his very expressions in terminis may not be so exactly rendred but a to the import and substance of every particular this is a faithful and true relation In all he spake the manner of his speech and countenance exprest the highest affection that might be THO. CASE Certain Observations of Thomas Parson Minister at Micheal Wood-street London BEing desired to preach at Newgate Aug. 30. in the Afternoon being the Lords day immediately preceding the Execution of Nathaniel Butler I carefully observed him while preaching and had discourse with him both before and after Sermon While preaching I took notine that the man seemed wholly taken up with what he heard not minding the great crowd about him that came to see a poor reed shaken with the wind staring him in the face as a condemned Malefactor but he minded the Pardon I in the Name of God offered him treating of the Pardoning Grace of God with so fixed an eye frequently did he look upon me and so heedfully turn to Scriptures as one taken up with the weightiest matters when as otherwise it might have wrought som discomposure to have so many such Observers When with him before and after Sermon I took notice both of his carriage and Words by both which great discovery of the frame and temper of his mind might be made His Carriage to my Observant and Impartiall apprehension seemed to be excellently attempered to his present condition being sweetly submissive neither servilely dejected under the Apprehensions of his past sins and present state nor forwardly confident as though he forgot he were such a Malefactor His deportment did in my Judgment not without some admiration then after in the reviewing thoughts of it of the Decorum and suitableness of it to his present condition speak a well mixed and compounded sence of his own deserts and divine mercy which also did his Words His Words might be reduced to these two main and excellent heads A declamation against sin and Admiration of Grace Agrainst Sin he expressed the greatest Displicency and abhorrency yea the Sin of his Nature that Root of bitterness which he said men took but little notice of and for actuall Sin abstractedly from the fruit of it even sin as against the holy just and good law of God and as against God that had deserved better at his hands Professing that as in general he had no desire to live so if the greatest hier should be offered him to live if it might occasion his return unto folly he would not accept of life and the World with it And that Sin as Sin even the least Sin did make his heart rise at first thought of it and he could spit it out with detestation wondring that men made no more of Sin bewailing he was no more sensible of and humbled for Sin expressing how affraid he was now of doing any thing might offend God even in the least Then
they are first checked for their sins Therefore good people as you love your own Souls take heed of the beginnings of sin and kill sin betimes before it grow too strong for you If I had done so I verily beleeve and think that sin had not at this time thus killed me as now it will certainly do But seeing it is so that I am here brought a poor distressed Captive unto my death by the Tyranny and cruelty of sin it is my desire that I may through the gracious assistance of God be enabled to do a greater mischief unto sin by my death then sin hath done unto me in bringing me to this death which will I hope but kill my body onely although it be a bitter cursed and a shameful death Oh hearken to what I have said unto you and let me for that purpose humbly beg of all that either hear me or shall hear of me and oh that I could prevail with every young person to cast away sin betimes to check it in the first beginning I do seriously think there is no such course to destroy the growing of it in the hearts of men and women as that would be Sirs I am now a dying man and truly if I knew of any better way to ruine sin then other in mine own observation I would surely now tell you For I bless God I can say it truly that I am a real enemie to sin because sin I find is such a great enemy to God to all Mankind and particularly I have found it my greatest enemy that ever I had Oh that I had taken this counsel which now through the great goodness and grace of God I have given to you certainly it would have prevented the growth of sin in this poor sad and now sorrowful soul of mine Certainly I had not now been here as I am to suffer this cursed and shameful death which I am justly to suffer both from God and Man for my most foul horrid and bloody sin The taking away the life of him who was unto me as dear as my Brother which sin I hope God for his Son Jesus Christ his sake hath in mercie to my poor Soul forgiven This sin this bloody sin I hope the onely wise merciful gracious and good God hath sanctified for the everlasting good of my poor Soul He who is able to bring light out of darkness and good from the greatest evill can by his infinite goodness bring from this sin of mine which is the destruction of my Body the eternal salvation of my Soul This is a Mercy never to be forgotten by my friends that although I have been so unhappie as to stain their Names and Reputations here yet I hope through the grace mercy and goodness of God I may be their joy and rejoycing hereafter Oh this sin that the Devil was suffered to tempt me to commit my wicked heart consenting thereunto I have observed since my imprisonment this blood-guilty sin was as a punishment of my other sins which I went on in without considering whither I was going Had I truly and timely repented of my former sins I verily beleeve and am fully perswaded I had prevented this this foul this horrid sin for which I can never be too much affected nor afflicted Yet nevertheless this sin I hope through the grace of God hath been a rousing and an awakening sin to me it hath caused me to call to remembrance all my former sins and to be humbled for them and I hope through the gracious assistance of God I have truly repented of them all I thank God for his mercy I can truly say that I am now another manner of Creature then formerly I was Formerly God came not into my thought with any joy and content but now to think of God is exceeding precious to my soul To think of the name of God and of his Son Jesus Christ is the chief joy and rejoycing of my soul This is some change and I think a great change and I hope a good change formerly I sinned with great delight and now through the grace of God I delight not in any sin nay I can truly say more I do now through Gods grace hate and loath sin and this I know to be true for I do even hate my most beloved sin The sin of Uncleanness which I do advise all Young-men to watch and pray against and for the more effectual prevention thereof to live very temperately and soberly making no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof This sin I bless God for his grace I can now truly say I hate it I hope if I were to live as many years in the world as I may do moments I should through the grace of God never commit more And the sin of Lying which formerly I made no conscience of I think I can truly say now through the grace of God thar I truly hate it as a wicked sin and Lying now is so base an evil in my sight that I could not be hired to tell a lye no not I hope if I had the promise of my life givenme which in my condition is the greatest gift which man can bestow upon me yet I hope even for my life to save it from this terrible death I should not be tempted to sin against so good a God who hath given me the hopes of an eternal life and delivered me from a thousand times a more terrible death nor against my blessed Redeemer who died to take away my sins and who hath thus graciously looked upon me so vile so wicked and so miserable a sinner as I have been and hath shewed mercy upon me not for any worth that is in me who am the unworthiest of all men but for his own names sake because mercy pleaseth him To whom therefore be glory for ever Amen I have now declared unto you the grounds I have of my hope that I have made my peace with God through Jesus Christ and have obtained through his grace and mercy my perfect reconciliation to God and my blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ I shall in the next place in deep humility as being very sensible that I have wronged very many and therefore I do here humbly beg my pardon from all the World for all the wrong and injury that I have in any kind done unto any one And indeed I should be glad if I could to make restitution to every one but that I am not able to do and therefore I must content my self with begging their pardon and forgiveness which I do here desire from every one man woman and child even for Jesus Christ his sake whom it is that they themse ves must all fle unto for his pardon or else be miserable for ever and as they desire the Lord Jesus should forgive them all their wrongs done against him so I hope they will for his sake forgive me all mine committed against them And as I have desired my pardon and
could willingly serve him in singleness of heart Aus Thou art bound by the Gospel to obey and be in subjection to such a man if he be thy Master 1 Pet. 218 19. Servants be subject to your Masters with all fear of neglecting their lawful commands not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye take it patiently but if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God For even hereunto ye were called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that you should follow his steps Who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously I confesse it were well for Masters for wo to them that are naught and froward making their servants to suffer words and buffetings and other abuses wrongfully and well for Servants if they could serve men gentle and good but however they serve a God and Saviour that 's good and that will reward all that suffer lesse or more for his sake As my advice to you is that you would honour and obey and be faithful in all things to your Masters so I beseech you shun all sins and all appearance of evill but especially flee from idle companions Prov. 13.20 He that walks with wise men shall be wise but a companion of fools shall be destroyed Riotous deboist drunken swearing cursing whoring wretches are fools in the sense of Scripture and seeing it is self-destructive to be a companion with such persons wilt thou walk any more with such drinking to drunkenness Dicing and Carding are things of evill report and very evill things they lead likewise to other evils Nathaniel Butler was a great Company keeper and a great Gamester and what did he grow to at the last 2. Flee 2 Tim. 2.22 youthfull lusts Flee fornication 1 Cor. 6.18 But before a man will flee from any thing he must see that thing to be dangerous Now that Fornication Uncleanness and Whoredom is dangerous I demonstrate thus whereby it will appear every way destructive that it 1. Endangereth Reputation 't is a dishonour to the name and person of a Man or Woman Deut. 23.17 There shall be no whore of the daughter of Israel nor a Sodomite of the sons of Israel Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore or the price of a dog into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God Rom. 1.24 Wherefore God gave them up unto uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies among themselves Heb. 13.4 Marriage is honourable in all and the bed underfiled implying the defiled is shameful but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge 2. Endangereth substance Pro. 29.3 Who so loveth wisdom rejoyceth his father but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance How many have spent fair Estates by following this filthy sin Many spend their own substance and that also which is not their own but their Masters or Parents upon impudent wicked whorish women it is a disgracing and an impoverishing sin who sees not this by experience oftentimes 3. Following Harlots will lead thee to Hell will provoke God to take vengeance on thee Jer. 5 7 8 9. How shall I pardon thee for this thy chidren have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no gods when I had fed them to the full then they committed adultery and assembled themselves by troops in Harlots houses the vengeance of God will rout and miserably destroy such troops when he sets himself in array against them they were as fed horses in the morning every one neighed after his neighbours wife Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul wo then to their souls be avenged on such a Nation as this Prov. 7.25 26 27. Let not thine heart decline to her ways go not astray in her path for she hath cast down many wounded wounded in their credit wounded in their Estates and wounded in their Consciences yea many strong men have been slain by her This is a bloody wounding slaying sin Vers 27. Her house is the way to hell going down to the chambers of death To live in chambering and wantonness is the way to lie down in the chambers of death Remember the two young men named in the Narrative who were lately bedfellows above ground and now are become chamber-fellows bellow for the fear of the Lord prolongeth dayes but the years of the wicked shall be shortned break off then speedily from all sin as you hope for long-lasting life here and for everlasting life hereafter Obj. We can repent and mourn and pray hereafter For did not Nathaniel Butler live a long time wickedly and repented in a short time at the last Answ Do not think that you can repent when you please if you put off Repentance you put it to a peradventure 2 Tim 2.25 In meekness instructing those that oppse themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Do as David did Psal 119.20 who made haste and delayed not to keep the Commandments of God Delays in matters relating to life are most dangerous I hope no man nor woman will presume that the Lord is any way obliged to wait upon them so long as they please indeed it pleaseth him to wait to be gracious but who knows how neer to a period the time of Gods attendance on sinners is Acts 17.30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth alt men every where to repent 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish but that all as Acts 17.30 men every where should come to repentance The Gospel of God and the goodness of God are gone forth for this very end to lead men to repentance but if sinners refuse to repent then after their hardness and impenitent heart under the Gospel goodness and long-suffering of God they treasure to themselves wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 1. God hath a day of grace for every poor sinner 2. He hath a day of wrath for men finally impenitent Think on it is it not a thing proper and likely to provoke God against you to swear in his wrath you shall never enter into his rest seeing men despise his goodness and do receive his grace in vain Nathaniel Batler being Executed in Cheapside over against Milk-street End about eight or nine in the morning a Multitude of People being Spectators he was afterwards cut down and his Corps put into that Coach which