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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76061	A murderer punished and pardoned, or, A true relation of the wicked life, and shameful-happy death of Thomas Savage imprisoned, justly condemned, and twice executed at Ratcliff, for his bloody fact in killing his fellow-servant, on Wednesday, Octob. 28, 1668 / by us who were often with him in the time of his imprisonment in Newgate, at at his execution, Robert Franklin, Thomas Vincent, Thomas Doolitel, James Janeway, Hugh Baker ; to which is annexed a sermon preached at his funeral.	R. A. (Richard Alleine), 1611-1681.; Janeway, James, 1636?-1674.; Franklin, Robert, 1630-1684.	1679 (1679)	Wing A997A; ESTC R42788	47,969	54

in that Duty which he performed with so much affection and earnest pleading with God that all the company were exceedingly melted and their hearts beyond ordinary measure warmed and raised that the room did ring with sighs and groans and there was such a mighty presence of the Spirit poured out upon him and on those that joyned with him that we do not remember the time when ever we had experience of the like In which Prayer after the confession of his sins he begged earnestly for pardon and for an interest in Christ saying O Lord wilt thou let me dye without a Christ Shall I leave this world before thou smilest upon my Soul Thou hast promised pardon and mercy and salvation to those that do repent and to those that do believe Lord I do repent and do believe if I know my own heart I do repent I do believe Lord I roll my self upon thy Son I cast my self at his foot for mercy Thou wouldst be just if thou dost damn me but thou hast pardoned others and it will be to the praise of thy free-grace to pardon me Lord shall those Prayers that have been made and all those Tears that have been shed for me and all those Instructions which have been given me be all in vain With many other Expressions in that Prayer which wonderfully affected the hearts of those that were with him that afterwards we looked upon one another wondring at the Grace of God towards him that one so wicked all his days so young being sixteen years old so lately acquainted with the ways of God should have such a Spirit of Prayer poured out upon him after this he prayed with more life and fervency than before and the nearer he came to his end the more we perceived God was ripening him for Glory After this we took our leave of him not knowing but that was the last day for the Cart stood below and the Coffin fetched down and some of the honourable Sheriffs of Londons men came into the Prison but the Sheriff of Middlesex having not notice to be ready his Execution was deferred till Wednesday following Reader Here take notice that the report that the reason why he was not Executed on Monday was because he was drunk is an abominable falshood for to our knowledge that were with him he did not eat nor drink that morning When we went up to him again we told him we perceived he was not to dye that day giving him caution not to think there was any pardon intended for him and one came from the Sheriff to acquaint him with the reason of the delay of his Execution When his Coffin was carried up to him again one asked what he thought and what were the workings of his heart when he saw his Coffin brought back he said he was much troubled and it daunted him to see it for he could willingly have dyed that day to go to Christ On Monday in the Afternoon he had an excessive pain in his Teeth as we judge occasioned by his leaving off his Cloaths and putting on some thin Apparel to dye in and that evening he expressed great willingness to dye and leave the World He said I see and feel so much excellency in Christ that he is so pure in Grace pure in Holiness pure in all things Lord I count it an Hell to be upon Earth I so long to be where I might enjoy thee and he spent some time in Prayer notwithstanding his pain with much affection wherein he said The pain of the Teeth was great but the pain of Hell was greater On Tuesday the day before he dyed after some time spent in prayer both by him and H. B. being full of joy he expressed himself thus O my dear Friend what a welcome shall I give you when you come to Heaven and say to you Come see come see this is the Glory that you told me of but all that you ever told me was nothing to what I have found O what a place is this O how shall we love one another then Sure it cannot be but Heaven must be a glorious place where God Christ and Angels be The night before he dyed a Minister came to Thomas Savage and after other serious discourse sor satisfaction of a Christian Friend that had seen him before he demanded of him what were now the grounds of his hopes of Salvation He made this reply God both in infinite mercy made me deeply sensible of great sins and not only of them but of the vileness of my heart and nature and God hath made me to abhor my self for my sins and I hope truly to repent of them for that which hath been the delight of my soul is now as bad as Hell and God hath given me to see that all my own Prayers and Tears and all the Prayers of all the good people that come to me are not able to save A Christ alone I throw my self at the feet of Christ for mercy and if I perish I will perish there I feel longings and breathings after Christ and love him more than my life I long to be with him and I would not be to live any longer this World is a little Hell because of sin I fear not death for I hope the sting of it is taken out for me This last night before his death he desired us to sit up with him in order to his better preparation for the great work he had to do the next day that we might wrestle with God on his behalf that when death approacheth so near unto him he might have some nearer accesses unto God into his Soul that when pale death stared him in the face he might see Gods smiling countenance which opportunity we readily embraced and spent the former part of the night in prayer till two of the Clock in the morning about which time he desired us to go down into the Lodge that he might have some part of the night for prayer and meditation alone and to discourse a while with his friend Mr. Baker to whom he most of all did open his very heart and spake more freely to than to any other whom for that reason we left with him and when we were gone down his Friend being with him who told us afterwards he fell into admiration and said What a Prodigy am I What a wonder of Mercy that God should encline the hearts of his Ministers to come and pray with me and pour out their souls in prayer thus for me For me a Murtherer for me a Drunkard for me so vile and sinful Well I cannot but love God and though I go to Hell yet I will love God for his goodness and graciousness to me already manifested in this world yea though I should be damned for my sin yet I could and would love God What would they venture to come and pray with me a Murtherer How did they know but I might have Murthered some of them Pray for me wrestle

for me Well I know God loves I am sure God loves me When he was in prayer some of us heard him say Now Lord I am coming to thee thou art mine and Christ is mine and what need I be afraid of Death Lord give me some sense and some sign of thy love that when my soul shall be separated from my body it may be received into glory Afterwards when he looked upon his Cloaths he had put on to dye in said What have I got on my dying-cloaths dying-cloaths did I say they are my living-cloaths the cloaths out of which I shall go into eternal glory they are the best cloaths that ever I put on About four of the Clock in the morning we went up to him again full of expectation what we would say to us and what we should hear from him and T. D. stood behind him and took his expressions as he spake them from his own mouth and first he told us I account it a great mercy that God hath shewed me the evil of sin before he cast me into Hell sin hath not only brought my body to the grave but my soul in danger of everlasting burning The Lord will have mercy on me I hope I am filled with joy I am no more afraid to die than to stand in this place the Lord make me thankful The Lord hath been working on my soul for it was not I that could pray nor refrain from company nor delight in any thing that is good I have cause to bless God that ever I was taken and this we have often heard him say for if I had escaped I had gone on in my sin and might have lost my soul for ever One asked him which he thought was worse hell or sin using some gesture of body said Hell is very dreadful but sin is worse then hell because sin brings mens souls to hell and sin is that which offendeth God One asked him what he thought of Heaven and he with a smiling countenance said Heaven it cannot be but heaven must be an excellent place for it is an holy place We spake to him concerning his Coffin that was by him whether it did not trouble and amaze him to have it in his sight he replyed with all my soul I coul go into my Coffin oh it is a comfortable place he spake it with joy I can comfortably dye I have found such a deal of joy and comfort that I would not for a world have been without it We enquired whether death did not affright him morning light will presently appear He answered Death indeed did trouble me but now not at all I long for day I am not daunted at death Dye it is nothing this life is nothing but to dye Eternally and to loose God and Christ and Heaven that is Death Hell-tormens is not so much as to be shut from the presence of God Alas who would not dye this death to go to Jesus Christ when my body is upon the Gibbet my soul shall be carried by Angels into Heaven My heart is so drawn out after God that I could leave this world to be with him This world is nothing those that have the pleasures of it have nothing I desire to dye because I long to be with Christ there I shall never sin more there is no sin but joy where I shall sing hallelujahs and praise to God We askt what he thought of the company of Gods people for he had now experience of company good and bad He said I had rather be here meaning the Hole in Newgate with bread and water with such company then to have the company of wicked persons with the greatest dainties It was wicked company that drew me away I account it the greatest mercy to have the prayers of Gods people for me had I had my deserts I had been now in Hell where I should have had no prayers no instructions God doth love me for he hath inclined the hearts of his people and Ministers to pray for me and their prayers have prevailed Being ask'd what promises he found to be his support against the guilt of sin now he was to dye he alledged these repeating the words himself Whosoever will let him come and drink of the waters of Life freely and He that confesseth and for saketh his sin shall find mercy and Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will Abundantly Pardon This word Abundantly Pardon did often refresh his soul I have sinned abundantly but God will pardon abundantly After these he mentioned another viz This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief and said I do relie and throw my self upon Jesus Christ I do believe there is merit enough in him and all sufficiency in him to save me it is nothing that I can do will save me He complained that it was the grief of his soul that he could love God no more and love Christ no more for his mercy toward him in giving him so much time and so many helps in sending so many Ministers to instruct him but added when several Ministers had been with me I threw of all and returned to sin and did as vainly as any I could not have repented and believed of my self it is the work of God He often said I fear not death it was nothing with him to die and go to Christ He often said that he had rather die immediately having an interest in Christ than to live a thousand years in this world in the enjoyment of all the pleasures of it without Christ And that he had found more pleasure and delight in the Ways of God since he came into Prison than ever he found in all the ways of sin He confessed his sins saying he first neglected and profaned the Sabbath and said this was the beginning of all his wickedness that on the Sabbath morning he studied what company to go into in what place of sin he might spend the Sabbath then to wicked Society then to Ale-houses then to Brothel-houses then to Murther then to Theft then to Newgate and yet at last he hoped to heaven He lamented saying I have striven to dishonour God and to run into sin oh that I should spend so much time in serving of the Devil and now have but a little moment of time to spend in the service of God and to the glory of God This discourse being ended we desired him now on his last morning before he went into Eternity to pray with us and he willingly consented and his prayer was as followeth being taken from his mouth by Thomas Doe-little that also took in writing his preceding discourse Verbatim The Prayer of Tho. Savage in Newgate with those that sat up with him the night before his Execution O Most merciful and ever

A Murderer Punished AND PARDONED OR A True Relation of the Wicked Life and Shameful-happy Death of Thomas Savage Imprisoned Justly condemned and Twice Executed at Ratcliff for his Bloody Fact in Killing his fellow-servant on Wednesday Octob. 28. 1668. By us who were often with him in the time of his Imprisonment in Newgate and at his Execution Robert Franklin Thomas Vincent Thomas Doolitel James Janeway Hugh Baker To which is annexed a Sermon Preached at his Funeral The Twelfth Edition with the Addition of the leud life and shameful death of Hannah Blay who was condemned and executed for being guilty of the bloody murther committed by Thomas Savage With other new Additions London Printed for P. P. in the Year 1679. To the READER IN the following Narrative you have a Relation of the bloody murther committed by T. Savage with an account of the wonderful mercies of God to his poor soul after the committing so bloody a sin To which is added a short relation of the carriage and Behaviour of that vile Strumpet Hannah Blay during the time of her being in Newgate to her Execution which though it hath nothing in it worthy to be related yet she being an instrumental cause of that bloody resolution was thought fit to be inserted that she may remain as an example of shame to all leud women and a severe example of Gods justice upon such cruel monsters who are not contented with endangering the soul of such ignorant young men that have not the fear of God before their eyes with their abominable Whoredomes and Adulteries but as it were to make sure of destroying both body and soul together by adding to their former sins the guilt of shedding innocent blood And as you have a wonderful instance of Gods free-grace to the soul of T. S. so the foulness of his fact the danger of damning his soul and the twice shameful execution which he suffred may be a means to preserve all young men and Apprentices from being guilty of the like fact And as a help to you herein you are advised to be very careful what company you keep That you addict not your selves to drinking or gaming or company-keeping which is the ruin of many young men who by getting a habit of keeping company or other Vices are to often drawn to purloin from their masters to maintain them in their extravagancies by which means they do not only run the hazard of exposing their bodies to publique-shame if they be discovered to the great grief and even heart breaking of their friends when they hear of their ill courses but the wrath of God and eternal damnation of their poor souls as you may see in the Narrative of T. S. who first began with Company-keeping from Company-keeping to Whoring from Whoring to Thieving and murther And lastly be careful to spend the Lords-day and all thy other spare time in the service of God as reading Praying hearing the Word preached which may be a means to preserve thee from the guilt of sins of this nature and other sins likewise if thou apply thy self seriously to this work But whiles I am advising of others I my self commit an error in exceeding my ●onds being confined to a Page I rest A real well-wisher to the eternal happiness of your immortal soul BLood doth cry aloud the blood of man when violently shed by cruel hands for private revenge or covetousness or the satisfaction of some such base lust doth cry as far from Earth to Heaven for vengeance And however some horrible murder may be secretly plotted and as secretly effected yet seldom are they long unpunished even in this world for besides that sometimes the guilty accusing consciences of such Persons who have committed this heinous crime do so inwardly lash and torment them that they can find no rest until they have made discovery of the Fact with their own mouth there is the all-seeing eye of sin revenging God which doth find them and a strange hand of his Providence which doth often Follow them and entangle them in their steps when they are flying and seeking some hiding-place which doth as it were bind them before they are in chains and deliver them before they are aware into the hands of Justice to be punished But there is another blood which doth send forth a louder cry namely the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for the sins of men which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel crying for mercy and forgiveness This blood hath such prevalency and vertue that when it is applyed by Faith unto the most notorious Malefactor guilty of blood as well as other wickedness it doth out-cry and drown the voice of blood and every other sin and washeth the most impure Soul dyed in sin unto a scarlet and crimson hue This blood we hope was sprinkled upon the Conscience of this Murtherer who had a little before embrued his hands in the blood of his Fellow-servant for having given such evidence of his sincere repentance and true faith unto several of us Ministers and other Christians that were with him before and at his Execution we hope though he were justly punished with the first death by the hand of man for his crime that through infinite free Grace and Christs blood he hath escaped the second death and wrath of God in Hell The narrative may give the same satisfaction to others which the Publishers hereof have received which is as followeth THomas Savage born in the Parish of Giles in the Fields he was put out Apprentice to Mr. Collins Vintner at the Ship-Tavern in Ratcliff where he lived about the space of one year and three quarters in which time he manifested himself to all that knew him to be a meer Monster in sin in all that time he never once knew what it was to hear one whole Sermon but used to go in at one door and out at the other and accounted them fools that could spare so much time from sin as 2 or 3 hours on a Lords day to spend in the Lords service He spent the Sabbath commonly at the Ale-house or rather at a base house with that vile Strumpet Hannah Blay which was the cause of his ruine he was by a young man now gone to Sea first enticed to go drink there and after that he went alone and now and then used to bring her a Bottle or two of Wine which satisfied not her wicked desires but she told him if he would frequent her house he must bring money with him he told her often he could bring none but his Masters and he never wronged his Master of two-pence in his life still she enticed him to take it privately He replyed he could not do it because the Maid was always at home with him Hang her Jade saith this impudent slut knock her brains out and I will receive the money this she many times said and that day that he committed the murther he was with her

Gods Truth also stood betwixt him and eternal happiness and told him that I spake it with reverence that the Holy God must be a Lyar or else he dying in the guilt of these sins must be certainly and eternally damned I asked him what do you think how will you escape the damnation of hell and the great wrath that is come You have heard what God saith what do you say what course will you take and what means will you use that you may not according to God's threatning be cast amongst Devils into Eternal devouring flames to this at present he made no reply but did often shake his head and lifted up his eyes towards Heaven Next I endeavoured to bring him to a sight and sense of the corruption of his nature and of the sinfulness of his heart and told him all those sins were in his heart before they were actually committed and turned him to the saying of Christ in the 15th of Matthew ver 19. For out of the heart proceedeth evil thoughts Murders Adulteries Fornications Thefts False-witnesses Blasphemies and told him that in his repentance for those sins he must not only lay to heart and be grieved for the outward acts but lament and bewail the inward principle of corruption whereby he was so strongly inclined to such horrid abominations according to the example of David after his sins of Adultery and Murther in his confession did follow them up to the rise and original from whence they did spring Psal 15. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me By this time I perceived some workings of heart within him and that he was in some measure sensible of his lost estate and by his deportment and carriage to be cast down not knowing what to do I was unwilling to leave him without some grounds of hope that it may be he might be saved that there was a possibility that he might obtain pardoning mercy and be delivered from that great damnation that was due to him for his great transgressions I began to open to him the readiness of Christ the fulness and sufficiency of Christ to save the greatest sinners and that God I hoped in mercy to his soul had sent me one of his Embassadors to offer him a pardon and Eternal life if he were but willing to accept of Christ upon the terms of the Gospel for his Lord and Saviour and did encourage and assure him upon repentance and faith in Christ there was mercy yet for him though a Murderer from these Scriptures Isa 1. 18. Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow and though they be as red as crimson they shall be as wool As I opened to him the great mercy of God in Christ toward Sinners dyed in grain that were sinners of a scarlet colour that had committed heinous transgressions he brake forth into tears and wept plentifully at the tydings of mercy and possibility that such a one as he might be saved Besides I turned him to some Scripture-promises that God would certainly forgive his sins and save his Soul if he could repent and get Faith in Christ Such as Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy and Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon This Scripture he diligently heeded and turned it down in his Bible and these two Scriptures the night before he suffered amongst others he alledged as the grounds of his hopes of mercy I also gave him some Scripture instances of great Sinners that had obtained mercy turned him to the example of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. to that of Mary Magdalen Luke 7. 37 38. to that of the Jews Acts 2. 37 38. that were guilty of the blood of Christ that had murdered the Son of God a greater murther than which could not be committed and yet upon Repentance and Faith many of them were pardoned and saved To that of Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15 16. shewed him how God had set up Paul as a pattern of Free-grace towards great sinners for the encouragement of such that though guilty of great sins afterwards should believe To all these he hearkned very carefully and took notice of the places of Scripture for his meditation after I left him And last of all I endeavoured to set before him Jesus Christ as the only Remedy and Saviour for his Soul and shewed him the insufficiency of all his Duties Prayers and Tears to get off the guilt of the least sin that if he could shed a thousand tears of blood for any one vain thought it would be no better than puddle water to justifie or to save him Much discourse I had with him at this time besides what is here inserted and several other times when I went to visit him in Newgate which I willingly omit because this book should not swell to too great a bulk After all I went to prayer with him in which Duty he was much dissolved into tears he seemed to me and his faithful Friend that was most with him above all others to be very earnest in Prayer and with weeping eyes to beg for pardon and for Converting Grace and Christ to be his Saviour which was much insisted on in the prayer that was made for him After which advising him to consider of what I had said for that time I took my leave of him The next time after this Discourse that Mr. Baker came to him he Enquired how it was with him he said what T. D. had said did very much startle him that he knew not what to reply and cryed out very much of the heinousness of his sins that he should commit that horrid Sin of Murder and knew not what to do for that left a deep impression upon his heart that God must be a Lyar or else he in that condition of impenitency must be damned yet he laid hold upon that promise that was unfolded to him That if a sinner turned from his wicked ways God would abundantly pardon And afterwards read on the verse that followed Isa 55. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. Upon which considering said Men cry out for death and vengeance no mercy to be had from men but Gods thoughts to a repenting sinner were life for he delighteth not in the death of a sinner About four or five days after this he was puzled about his performing of Duties and resting only upon Christ for Salvation for he was tempted if he performed duties to rest upon them or to let them alone and leave them off if he must rest only upon Christ At which time H. B. coming to him enquired how it was with him now and how he hoped

especially as they were against a good and gracious God according to Psal 51. 4. and Luk. 15. 8. 2. He was deeply sensible of and grieved for the corruption of his heart from whence his actual sins did proceed according to Psal 51. 5. 3. He mourned over his back-slidings because God was thereby dishonoured 4. He found it hard to believe yet professed he would roll himself and relie upon the merits of Christ alone for salvation and if he perished he would perish there 5. He was much in a little time in duty yet did profess himself he saw the insufficiency of them to justifie or save him according to Phil. 3. 9. 6. He made choice of Christ before all before life it self according to Phil. 3. 8. 7. He longed for the morning when he was to dye because he desired to be with Christ according to Ph. 1. 23. 8. He greatly loved God because much was forgiven him according to Luk. 7. 47. And said though God should damn him yet he could and would love God 9. He loved the company of Gods People and professed he had rather be with Gods People in Prison with Bread and Water than with the ungodly with liberty and greatest dainties according to 1 Jo. 3. 14. 10. He blessed God that ever he was taken and imprisoned thinking it better to be in chains and brought to dye than to go on in sin 11. He was most broken and melted for his sins when those that came to visit him were gone from him and not in their presence when hypocrites mourn before others and are less affected when alone yet this was sometimes his trouble lest God should lose the glory of the work he had wrought in him This was observed by one that was usually with him when others went from him 12. He wept for joy at that time when he could not find that God loved him that he was not cursing and swearing and singing against God as others did and he himself formerly 13. He found and tasted more sweetness in the ways of God in praying and mourning for sin than ever he found in the commission of sin 14. He accounted sin to be worse than hell 15. He had a spirit of Prayer given to him so plentifully that it was an astonishment to many that joyned sometimes with him considering how ignorant he was a little before according to Act. 9. 11. For behold he prayeth 16. He looked upon the loss of God more than the torments of hell and feared it more 17. He prized heaven because there he should sin no more These were his own expressions and what we observed that were frequently with him and Reader do thou pray and watch that thou mayst not be guilty of this young mans sins but pray and labour that thou mightest obtain the like evidences for heaven A Relation of what passed in the imprisonment and at the Execution of Hannah Blay H. B. belonged to a bawdy-house in Ratcliff where T. S. used to frequent and was always welcome so long as his money lasted his money being gone H. B. presently puts him upon robbing of his master which he could not easily accomplish by reason of the diligence of the servant-maid and to murther the maid rather than fail of getting money which he accordingly did and goes again to H. B. and tells her what he had done then flies but the justice of God pursued him so fast that he was soon apprehended and committed to Newgate After he had accused H. B. for putting him upon the murder she was apprehended and committed also At the Sessions she was indicted and condemned for being accessary to the murder committed by T. S. In the time of her imprisonment she was very rude and debauched being seldom sober except at such times when she could not by no means procure drink to be drunk withal She often endeavoured for to make T. S. drunk with her which she once or twice effected and endeavoured very much to draw him off from his Repentance by driving his old trade of sin and wickedness if any advised her to Repentance and to take care for the future estate of her soul she would laugh at them and reply in some such language as she had learned in the devils School with which she was well stored She was from that Sessions reprieved till the next fully perswading her self she should escape that bout and spending her time according to her former course of living taking as little care what should become of her Soul as though she had never offended a gracious God and as if there was no devil to torment her nor Hell to be tormented in but now Sessions being again come and she again brought down to the Sessions-house in the Old-Baley had sentence to be executed at Ratcliff where the Fact was committed The night before her execution the Ordinary of Newgate came to administer the Sacrament to her which she refused saying she could not dye in charity with some whom she named judging them the cause of her second judgment and Execution The next day being Friday Feb. 26. she was conveyed in a Cart from Newgate to the place of Execution where she ended her wicked life by a shameful death without the least sign of sorrow or repentance for her abominable whoredoms and wickedness 2 TIM 2 22. Flee also Youthful Lusts I Am come this day to speak to you in the name of a dying man and dyings mens words should leave living-affections and lasting-impressions upon the hearts of the Hearers Nay that which is infinitely more I am come to speak to you in the Name of the living God and therefore I beseech you be serious remember that we are not now about a laughing-business it is no less than for lives and Souls and for all that I know as you demean your selves now it may fare with you to all Eternity and if that will make you mind what I say the more know this That what I shall now speak is but a Comment upon what was yesterday delivered in brief from one that was in perfect health and in the Grave the same day And who knows whether there be not some here alive and in health that before to morrow morning shall be lumps of Clay and this the last Sermon that ever they shall hear Wherefore I beseech you sirs if you love the life of your souls hearken as if you expected to dye as soon as my sermon were ended The shortness of my time will give me leave to spend no time at all by way of reflection upon the Context but I shall immediately fall upon the words as they lye before us Flee youthful lusts In which you may observe 1. An Act Flee 2. The Object Lusts 3. The quality of the Object Youthful lusts The Doctrine that I shall take notice of from these words is this Doct. That it is the great duty of young people to be exceeding careful to avoid the sins which usually attend

their age Or if you please That it highly concerns young men to flee youthful lusts It 's no cowardise to flee from sin In the prosecution of this Doctrine I shall shew 1. What are the common sins of young people 2. What it is to flee from Youthful lusts 3. Why they should flee from Youthful Lusts 4. I shall apply it I shall name some of those sins which young ones are subject to First Young people are very apt to be disobedient to their Parents or Masters O how great a rarity is it to see young people as ready to obey as their Parents are to command Most children are children of Belial that is without a yoak Let Parents command advise nay intreat all 's to little purpose How ready are they to break the bond which God and Nature lay upon them to dutifulness Though the Command of God be plain enough though his Threatnings are terrible and though this sin seldom goes unpunished in this life yet Children take little or no notice of them One would think that one Scripture should scare them Prov. 30. 17. The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it What is the English of that why they shall come to an untimely end Have not the sad complaints of many at Tiburn sufficiently demonstrated this to be true Have not many cryed out with a Halter about their neck Children if you value your lives and souls take heed of disobeying your Parents That was the sin which brought me to this untimely and shameful end 2. Another youthful sin is Lying Poor Children quickly learn this Lesson of their Father the Devil It is not without good reason that the Psalmist Psal 58. 3. gives such a Character of wicked Children which went astray from the womb telling lyes and the older they grow the more skil'd they be in this devilish art it 's likely they are ignorant that it is a sin that cuts the bonds of all society it may be they are told how dear Ananias and Sapphira paid for one lye Act. 5. 3. nay though the word of truth tell them more than once That Lyars must dwell with their Father the Devil in that black Prison Hell though they hear of a Lake of Fire and Brimstone that burns for ever Rev. 2. 18. and that such as they are must be cast into it yet for all this they 'l venture still 3. Sabbath-breaking is another youthful sin O how little do most of the young people of this City mind the sanctifying of the Sabbath Doth not the multitude of Apprentices and Children that wander up and down Moorefields on the Lord's Day speak this to be too true they dare not make bold with their Masters time on the Week-days but as for God's Day That they spend as if God had set apart one day in the week for young People to sleep drink and play in they dare as well eat a piece of their fingers almost as to do that on another day which they do then and the truth of it is they look upon the displeasure of a dying man as terrible but the Anger of a holy God they make light of O little do they think what precious time that is their Souls are naked and they then may have Cloathing they are starving and they may then have Food the Market is then open Provisions for Eternity may then be had But O prodigious Madness the hearts of most young ones speak in this language As for Christ Heaven and Soul let them go we have better things to think on more weighty matters to mind And it is true indeed O young man what is the company of vain wretches like thy self the wanton embraces of a whorish woman the turning off thy Cups and Damnation more needful than the hearing of Sermons than Praying and reading and Salvation Sure you should not alwaies be of that mind O little do you imagine how dear you shall pay for all the pleasures you have on the Sabbath out of Gods House This this was THE SIN which lay like a load upon the Soul of this poor Young man The profaning of the Sabbath that was the bane of him This carried him out of Gods way into the Devils quarters O how bitterly did he bemoan himself for this sin as the cause of all the rest Of said he when I should have been begging the life of my soul I was plotting the death of my soul and body too Did none of you stand by the Cart when he wept so bitterly and cryed to the Lord to forgive this great and dreadful sin Did none of you hear how earnestly he begged of you to have a care of that sin as you loved your lives and souls O wretch said he that I was I studied how I might spend the Lords day in the devils wo●● I thought I could never dishonour God enough and that time that I should have served God most in I did most for Satan● in them then I play'd my mad pranks I went into the Church indeed sometimes but I may speak it with shame and deep sorrow now I never heard one whole Sermon all the while I was with my Master and indeed I laugh'd at those that spent the Sabbath in ●●aring of Sermons and praying and looked upon them as the ver●●●t fools in the world I was glad when the Sabbath came that I might have time to run to my vile comrades I rejoyced that I could then go to satisfie my cursed lusts with whorish women O! tell young men from me That the breaking of the Sabbath is a costly dangerous sin Sirs the substance of this Sermon I received from his mouth and will you not believe a dying man Do you think he did but jest 'T was on the Sabbath day he went to a Whore 't was on the Sabbath he robbed his Master and 't was on the Sabbath that he killed the Maid But because this sin is Epidemical I leave a short story with you and desire you to think of it and then if you like what follows break the Sabbath still The story is this A dear friend of mine was preaching about the sanctifying of the Sabbath and had occasion to make mention of that man that by the special command of God was stoned to death for gathering sticks upon the Sabbath-day Whereupon one of the Congregation stood up and laughed and made all the hast he could out of the Church and went to gathering of sticks though he had no need of them but when the people came from the Sermon they found this man stark dead with the bundle of Sticks in his arms lying in the Church-Porch And yet for all this there stands a young man in that corner that makes nothing of idling away the Sabbath and there sits another that minds not the Lord's Day except it be to get into wicked company and take

lusts are you in good earnest friends and will you promise as in the presence of God that you will do what you can possibly to discharge your duty and to follow those directions that I shall give you In hopes that some are resolved by the help of God to do what in them lies for the keeping all under their charge from everlasting burnings I shall advise you 1. Be good your selves and labour to be paterns of Holiness and to shew your Children and Servants by your conversation that you your selves believe that there is a God an immortal soul heaven hell and eternity let your language be savoury and speak you to be one that hath been with Jesus Let your actions be regulated by the Word and endeavour to let them know that you are not in jest when you speak of God and their Souls Psal 10. 1 2. 2. I charge you as in the presence of God as you will answer the neglect of it at the bar of that great Judge take an exact account of your Servants how they spend their time what company they keep what they do upon the Sabbath and if you would make any thing of Religion be as careful that the Sabbath be spent in Gods service as the week-days in yours I could tell you of a Servant that was wont many a time and oft to complain of his Master and say If my Master had ever examined me the Text on the Lords day or called me to account where I had been or what I had heard I am perswaded I should never have come to so sad an end as I am now like to do 3. Instruct them oft in the matters that concern their eternal welfare Sirs tell them I beseech you with all the earnestness that you can for your lives of the danger of sin give them wholesome advice tell them of the necessity of Conversion allow them a little time to pray and read and let them know that you take notice of any thing that is good in them 4. Pray for them cry to the Lord mightily and say O that Ishmael may live in thy sight Lord hast thou not a blessing O my Father for me and mine O pitty dear Lord my children and my Servants and let all under my roof be of the Houshould of Faith and of the Family of the Lord Jesus And now once more I beg you to be in earnest 't will be the true●t evidence of the truth of your Grace to be faithful in this work 'T will be your joy upon a Death-bed 't will be your Crown in another world Vse 5. One word by way of advice to you young people brethren you saw yesterday what it was to fall into youthfull lusts and to day you have h●●rd something of the danger of these things Methinks by this time you should be in a rage 〈…〉 methinks you should all say Well now I will never ●p●●● the Sabbath day as I have done I 'le never come near the company of vile women this I hope shall be a warning unto me as long as I live Are you in sober sadness of this mind Oh that the Lord would keep this always upon your hearts O that you now may not get out into the cold world and shake of the sense of these things But do I not see some weeping eyes and aking hearts and what dost thou say poor soul O Sir I am the man you mean but is it possible for me to escape Hell I have lived in almost all these sins for many a year what shall I do I shall answer this honest request and the God of Love and Power set it home 1. Labour to be acquainted with the Principles of Religion be much in reading of the Scriptures search and you will find never a word there to encourage sin but all against it they will make you wise to salvation consult the word and you will escape the wrath to come which shall surely fall upon all those that live and dye in their sins Psal 119. 9. 2. Labour to understand wherein your happiness lies it lies not in Riches Pleasures and Honours but in the Favour of God Psal 4. 6. Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and the righteousness thereof set your affections on things that are above and not on things below 3. To be sure keep the Sabbath strictly and attend upon a powerful Ministery Then is the time to buy provisions to live upon for ever 4. Keep good Company Get out of wicked mens society Mark those that walk soberly and that mind their souls and make much of them and beg an interest in their prayers and take their advice If you once grow weary of good company I shall have but little hopes of you and it 's a sign God means good to poor souls when they are very desirous to be in with them that are dear to God A warm Christian-companion O Sirs you cannot value him too highly 2 Cor. 15. 33. 1 Pet. 4. 4 Heb. 6. 12. 5. Take heed of sinning against Conscience Let Davids Prayer be yours Psal 19. 13. Keep back thy servant from presumptious sins let them not have dominion over me 6. Take heed of putting of Repentance remember now your Creator now is the acceptable time O if you value your lives make haste and delay not an hour but go and fall upon on your knees and beg of God to give you Repentance unto life Give God no rest day nor night till he have changed your heart and made you to see your need of a Christ and to give up your self to Christ O cry out this night A Christ dear Lord a Christ for my poor Soul or I am lost for ever Eclesc 12. 2. Psal 119. 62. 7. Be much in consideration Commune now and then with your heart and think seriously whither you are going and ask your soul what a condition it is in and what it hath to bear up against the fear of death and what provisions are made for Eternity look into your purse what money hast thou that will go currant in another world spend much time in thinking I askt this poor boy how he spent his time in prison he answered In praying reading and consideration 8. Neglect not prayer ask and you shall have seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you be frequent and serious in this duty forget not secret prayer and look after your Prayers and be not content except you here of them again 9. Be diligent in your Callings be not slothful in your worldly business idleness is the devil's shop Rom. 11. 12. 10. Hold out to the end remember what they shall have that conquer resolve for Christ and Heaven upon any terms Well Sirs now my work is done have I been beating the air What shall become of these two Sermons yesterday you heard one out of the Cart and from the Gibbet and to day from the pulpit and what are you resolved to do what shall the tears prayers and entreaties of that dying young man be so soon forgotten if they are can the commands of the living God be so easily contemned Is there nothing in all that I have been speaking what are you still of the same mind that you were or are you not I say again I must leave you and a thousand to one whether I shall ever see you or speak to you more once more I charge you as you love your own Soul as as you fear the wrath of God and the flames of Hell Flee youthful lusts FINIS