and unprofitable and righteousness cannot be attained by them no nor by any of yours said she the best of you must acknowledge you have sinned and are sinners and that in your best righteousness therefore by the deeds of the law can no flesh be justifyed in the sight of God but now the righteousness of God is manifested without the law c. she earnestly pressed that that though they had not all sinned as she whose sins was manifest yet so unclean was their best works that if God should enter into judgement with them they could not stand nor escape the wrath of God it was said that was true according to the old covenant But now we are considering our selves under another covenant As intimating that according to the covenant given us in Christ men might be accepted and stand just before God in their own works not considering that God hath made him that knew no sin to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him but still in him she glorifyed nor would be beaten off from it nor moved to rejoyce in any thing else nor to seek after any other thing to rejoyce in but stood fixed like him God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the cross of Christ by whom the world is crucyfied unto me and I unto it This I observed in her reasoning with divers that though somtimes she would to commend that grace in Christ tell them how it had taught her and had and did work upon her such humiliation willingness to take shame c. And to satisfie them did tell some that she had confessed her sins and declared her wayes so farre aâ— she knew them to her faithful friends and they had prayed for her and God heard them yet when she was urged to try the truth of her faith and repentance that way and from the truth of such things to gather or make to her self a ground and foundation for her faith and â—ope she would not plead them at all but relinquisht them as empty weak and unprofitable to that purpose and would glory in nothing as the ground of her faith and hope but the cross of Christ the grace in him to man ward who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification that only through faith in it had healed and put strength in her soul and did strengthen her to plead for her hope of eternal life to good purpose against all that would have moved her from it I perceived also the too usual way that men walk in with sinners to urge repentance confession and sorrow for sin and that it iâ— such as doth not bring forth any such fruit in truth it worketh not the righteousness of God it is even such as in which they are teachers of the law nd know not what they say nor whereof they affirm urging Gospel precepts and duties on the terms of the covenant of works the man that doth them shall live in them and cursed is every one that comes short that is first telling them it is their duty to repent to believe c. without testifying to them any certain ground of repentance and faith in what Christ hath done and is become for them as true for them in Christ whether they belâ—ive of no yea before they dare assure them of any truth in the Gospel declarations for and towards them and then to provoke to it tell them if once they can find such a frme and that their graces are true according to such signes as they give they may thence conclude God loves them and Christ dyed for them c. In this they understand not what they say nor where of they affirme for as without opening a door of repentance in the redemption wrought and obtained from the curse of the law and preparation of forgiveness of sins in Christ through his blood and preaching it in his name there could have been no repentance towards God nor could it have been equally required and so had been nor mans duty having onâ—â— sinned and being sinners they must have been utterly and for ever shut out from God and from his mercy so neither is there any arme or power of God put forth to work repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ but in the testyfying or preaching the cross of Christ or in that which is equivalent the discoveries of Gods goodness and propitiousnesse to sinners that is in and through our Saviour so that as the Apostle saith Herein is not love that we have loved God but that he hath loved us first sent his Son the propriâ—iation for our sins so may I say herein is not repentance unto life that men first repent and beleive before they know weather God hath had love of pitty and compassion towards them in Christ wheather Christ have by the grace of God tasted death for them or no and then ground their knowledge and assurance of that upon the truth of their repentance and graces What I observed bâ—â— bring to my mind a former passage that I shall now relate I went to visit a woman condâ—mned to death for killing her husband and met with one in the Prison coming from her that told me she feared iâ— was in vain for two godly Ministers had been with her and taken great pains and could not bring her to any plain confession nor perceive any such true contrition as mightgive them any hope concerning her and they had given over yet I desired I might see her and was permitted the woman being very 〈◊〉 on her bed spake frowardly to her that led me in what said she have you brouâ—ht me in another torm nâ—or to which I replyed that I came not to judge or torment or trouble her nor to ask or require any thing of her but to tell her good news the best for her that ever she heard and it was certain and true upon whichshe lift up her head and asked what it was I told her that Jesus Christ came into the world to save her from her sins even her by name for he came into the world to save lawless and disobedient sinners ungodly and prophane sinners even such as were Murtherers of Fathers of Mothers Man-slayers Whore mongers Adulterers c. Yea even Blasphemers of the name of Christ and Persecutors of the Church of God and such as were disobediently and rebelliously against light coming to them such such he came to save from their sins she said that was good news indeed but could I indeed shew it her in the word of the Lord that expresly for such Iesus Christ came into the world to save them I told her yea it was plain and fully there testyfied and did shew it her in that 1 Tim. 1.8.9.15 comparing the verses and that with other Scriptures I shall not enlarge this discourse to shew how I did evidence and shew it by that and other Scriptures and apply
the instructions thereof to her but she called for her Bible and did consider and ponder on what was said and then desired the woman that brought me to leave her chamber and when she was gone out told me I had spoken that which went to her heart and discovered to her all that she had done and yet in shewing where her help was and that now she would freely and fully telâ— me all that was in her heart that accidentally she killed her Husband she beleived but not wittingly intentionally and that was not it that had provoked God to bring her to this judgement but something else that she had done hidden and allowed her self in which lay much upon her but now something had touched her heart that made her willing to acknowledge it as perceiving though it was vile there was for giveness and washing and therefore she was free to confesse her sins and declare her wayes to me and desired me to pray for her telling me others had been with her urging and pressing her to confess her self guilty of what she knew her self clear off and because she could not confess what they would have her judged and condeâ—ned her and left her as hopeless but as they set nothing before her of any ground or door of repentance opened for such so it wrought nothing upon her but wrath but after she was instructed she repented and sorrowed after a godly sort even unto life to the hope of which she was quickned and strengthned by the resurrection of Christ who was delivered for our offenses c. And retained that hope in him even unto death as was discerned and believed by some that continued with her to this I adde no more in this place nor unto this relation of Rose VVarnes but that she meâ— with more such tryals in the two or three dayes time she lived and was in like manner strengâ—hned to resist the tempter in them and not moved from the faith and hope of the gospel but waxed more strong therein by occasions of tryalls Some broken remembrances of Mrs Rose VVarnes speech at her execution containing the summe of it with some supplyes of words where her spirits and strength failed according to what her self had expressed oâ—t in the Prison and before many witnesses You are gathered together a great company to look upon me I hopâ— none with any joy at my shamefull death I am perswaded there is none rejoyce at it but that you do pitty me sympathize with me and I pray God make it of good use to you all The Lord is righteous in all that is come upon mâ— even unto this shamhful death I suffer it justly from his hand for I have sinned against him greivously sinned and sin brings shame it must have punishment yea I may say what profit had I of those things of which I am now ashamed the end of those things is death there fore let all take heed and be warned in time not to dally with sin God hath condemned sin in the flesh in condemning his own Son in the flesh for our sins he was made the banished One for us his Fathers wrath lay hard upon him he was in an Agony and under the power of darkness and sweat as it were greae drops of blood and water trickling down to the ground and was hung on a tree and all this as our surety he suffered in the flesh for our sin sin therefore must still be judged and condemned in the flesh and if we sin against him that was hung on a tree for us all if we sin against his grace that brings salvation to all men in due time for he by the grace of God tasted death for every man he shead his blood for every one of you for every Creature of mankind on the earth and gave himself a randsome for all and is the true light that lighteth every man that comes into the world a testimony in due time therefore if we sin against this grace especially those that name the name of Christ and that have tasted that the Lord is gracious as I have done he can by no means in clearing clear the guilty he will not let sins go unpun shed it must be judged in the flesh and if judgement be not received and â—ubmitted to now that we judge our selves it must be judged in the flesh for ever for ever in the wrath to come where their worm dyeth not and their fire is not quenched oh that is a hundred thousand sold worse then this shameful death this will be over presently and the sting is taken out of it by him that was hung on a tree for us but no end of that when a thousand times a thousand years are past its never a white shortned it s still for ever and ever therefore God is gracious as well as rightteous infinitely gracious in judgeing me thus here that he may not condem me in the world to come I have all my punishment here though far lesse infinitely lesse then my iniquity deserves yet here I have all and all this is nothing to the lake of fire the second death and whatever I could have suffered less then that had been infinite mercy yet such his mercy I might have escaped this too had I received reproof and judged my self in time but I heardned my heart against many reproofs of instruction the reproofs of this Gospel they are the way of life they powerfully reprove and melt the heart though I did not turn at them I was as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoak nothing less then all this would bring me down I made mention of the name of the Lord but in late times not in truth nor in righteousness I walked with a blessed pretious people I tell you they are a blessed people think not the worst of them nor of the way of truth they walk in or as if the word of the Gospel of the grace of God that brings salvation to all men were without efficacy because I so sinned for I walked close with God and with his people and hid his word in my heart which I heard among them I had been preserved from so sinning against him but it was not heeded by me I did not hide it in my hart that I might not sin against him I went sometime to hear and of these late years when my iniquities had prevailed over me I went but seldome and when I heard I heard overly overly overly I did not in hearing hear I did not do what it was working in me to will and to doe I heardned my heart against the reproofs of instruction and would not take shame I thought to hide my self as Adam but with pitiful coverings when I had greviously sinned against God in turning aside to another then my Husband I thought to have concealed it that I might not take shame and that brought me to this in which God is righteous and if men have done me any wrong
great joy and composure and after earnestly praying to God for the people and that he would graciously receive her soul which she freely and cheerfully committed to him she yeilded her body to the Executioner to whom she said alas poor man come do thy office shall I go higher or lower which caused some that stood by to change their minds for they had said a while before that she lengthned out her discourse to spin out time because she was loath to come at it but now observing this free proffer of her self to the Executioner without any hastening her they on the other hand admired to see her so willing to dye when the rope was fitted to her neck she again protested her great peace and joy in the view of the blessedness she was going to and it was thought by many the body scarce retained the soul or life after it was turned off for she was not seen to struggle nor scarce if at all move in any part as they said that was neer blessed be God for his mercy in giving such a proof of the truth and faithfulness of that saying that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Her Speech SInners come hither you to me I call That you may warned be by this my fall Which for your sakes the just Lord ordered To appear so publickly admonished That you thereby might be and so prevent Your suffering such like or worse punishment For such like punishments or worse will be Thiâ—â— lot that won't henceforth be warnâ—d by me Had I been warn'd before by others I Had not come hither in this wise to dye But since his mercies I therein dâ—d slight And turned not to him so as I might In justice he permitted such a fall Mercy to shâ—w to me and to you all Take heed of sins deceits the wayès thereto Take heed how you do venture on to go For Sin more sub ile then a Serpent is Happy the souls that its inchantments mâ—ss I thought my self once strong enough to stand Against its charms and that I had command So of my self that I from it could keep Me safe but since alas for grief to weep It â—ft hath bronght me so it will do you If you by me will not he warned now The vitious courses which I see possest The minds of many I did once detest I loathed to think to wrong the marriage bed Or walk in such bad wayes as thereto led But oh alas while some smooth company Pretendiâ—g love and friendship cheerfuly I entertain'd and sorted with no harm Thinking in them their fair pretence did charme My foolish heart into so plâ—asing sleep That under shows of love lust gan to â—reep Slily into my breast to laugh and play And jest and sport with them while I gave way Such was sins first in windings and the wayes That sinners used heapes of woes to raise Upon my person while some snares did lay To catch me and their mates did me betray Who being nought themselves did seek that I Might be so too as if my company In badness would their badness mittigate Or their litentiousness extenuate And I alas too ready was to close With sins and their sweet charms till I did loose Of vertue all the savour then I feltâ— The pangs of hell within me but I dealt Deceitfuly and hid my sins and grew From worse to worse which now I saâ—ly rue Woe worth such false acquaintance whâ— pretences Of love and friendship gave to my offences The spring rise oh then be warn'd by me And shun all foolish wanton company All merry junkettings and gossipings For much iniquity from such things springs Who walkes with wise men wisdome shall attain But a companion unto persons vaine For such vile sinners who their faults confess And heartily therein do seek redress Had I not mercy now therein obâ—ain'd Oh how my soul had stain'd been my heart pain'd With fears of after woe sinners behold Take heed of sin never therewith be bold For it will-misery to you procure Either while here or that that will indure Eternally be warned then by my fall Let me Rose Warne a warning be to all And yet an instance of such mercy toâ— As may perswade you whatsoere you do Not to despair of mercy but submit To bear Gods chastisement and turning yet To hope and seek for pardon of him who His only son sent that he might undoe The devils works of sin and death for all Who gave his life and unto all doth call To look to him and saved be since this A faithful saying worth acceptance is That he into the world did come that he Might Saviour of the cheifest sinners be And such hath saved yea since God dâ—th swear That of the truth of what he saith no fear Might us possesse that he hath no deâ— light In death of wicked men but that the right They rather turne to and their sins forsake That of life in his love they may partake To sin is bad but to despair is worse For that 's the certain way to death and curse Who sins not shanâ— be tempted to despair Therefore of sin and its deceits beware But having sinn'd repent for God will give Mercy to those that turne and they shall live Through Jesus Christ our Lord so farewell all And see ye warned bee by this my fall Qui ante non cavet post â—olâ—bit Who so doth not of sin beware before His doleful state shall afterward deplore Et qui ante dolet post gaudebit Who penitently here their sins bewaile Hereafter shall have joys that nere shall faile Upon R. W. She that was lost we hope is found Shee that was dead doth live again She that in lust and sin was drown'd We hope with Christ doth now remain Oh pretious blood that washt her so Free grace that did her so redress That by the ladder she might go To endless and eternal bliss Lord send us to that fountain too And throughly wash our souls therein Without which all that we can do Cannot deliver us from sin And keep us from such sins and shame As blurd and shortn'd here her daies That we may glorifie thy name And go to heaven by better wayes Rofe Warne EPIGRAM Rose Warne thy name was oh that thou hadst been Rose Warned thou such mischeifs hadst not seen But being not Rose Warned by thy fall Thou art Rose Warne a warning unto all SHe left by her speech and demeanour a very great admiration of it and affectedness with it in the auditory which was very great and numerous from the Town and Country though the fewer from the Country because it was not the market day who generally so far as they heard her at least returned with abundance of compunction and seriousness upon their spirits glorifying God for and in her diverse saying they never saw any executed that dyed in that manner and with that cheerfulness and hope in God and with such
unto eternal life and for whatever in his wisdome might most conduce to that end but whether the saveing or destroying this present life might most conduce to that end or might most tend to his praise that was a secret reserved in his own breast and not so revealed that we might know till we fee it in the issue and then our faith strenthens to believe that best and most tending to that end which he doth He only knows how in what manner and by what means to deliver the godly in and out of temptation and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished And â—s infinite merâ— that such sinners and back sliders may yet in turning to him tâ—at smiteth them and approâ—ching to him by Jesus Christ through that new and living way opened by his blood be reputed as godly accepted as true worshippers and be washed in the blood of the Lamb and have their names changed in Heaven and be counted much to partake of the inheritance with the Saints in light behold what manner of love is this that we such sinners that have justly deserved to be called by other names here should have our sins forgiven in Heaven and be called by a new name there Even sons of God heires with Christ of the inhereritance of ilfe let this at all times satisfie and that he also knoweth how to deliver even to deliver us from all our transgressions and out of all our temptations whether by life or death leave that to him and make not hast to kindle sparks or to appoint him his way which way he must shew us that mercy he hath given us encouragement by his blood to hope for unto eternal life This or what else was said of this nature she replyed that indeed is enough to satisfie and did quiet her heart and this life she valued not in comparison of it but she might tell me of something that gave her some encouragement to hope for this life also but she thought I would not approve it nor was she without fears of her own mistake in the application of it and it was this that scripture was much brought to her mind and did follow her I shall not dye but â—ive and declare the works of the Lord. Psal 118.17 I told her that was primely spoken of Christ as the whole Psalm as applyed by our Saviour and the Apostles shew and of him 1. As personally considered and yet he dyed once but could not be holden of death nor hindered by it from declaring the works of the Lord he it is that liveth and was dead and behold he is alive for evermore Nor did he dye in death or fail of his undertaking and work but therein and thereby declared the workes of the Lord the Father glorified his Name in his sufferings and glorified it again in raising him and giving him glory c. 2. As mystically considered in his body the Church who though chastened sore yet are not so given over to death but that a seed of them is preserved to call upon him and declare all his wonderful works and his word that he hath put in his mouth and in the mouth of his seed which shall not depart and in a subordinate and secondary fence it might be spoken of David yet he did dye and was buried and his Sepulchure saith the Apostle is with us to this day But he was not cut off untimely but preserved to the service to which he was called and fit in his generation and to finish his course with joy He was yet a little longer spared to declare the works of the Lord. And I would not question but this scripture might be brought to her mind by the spirit of the Lord to comfort and encourage her soul with this that he that was chastened sore and dyed yet was not given over to death but was raised and ever liveth to make intercession for her and to declare the works of the Lord that she made her self very much uncapable of declaring to Gods praise and to declare his works in her and in delivering from blood guiltiness that she also might declare there while that she had breath here and this gives ground of encouragement that she should not dye in dying but in such wise live because he lives as that the works of the Lord might further be declared in and by her and he know how to magnifie his name in and by her death as well as by her life nor did this give any ground to hope for this life When I went another time to see her she told me she expected I would have writ something for her to read and consider for her helpfulnesse in the understanding that Scripture aforesaid that she might understand where her mistake was I answered I did not think it had so much impression on her spirit I mean her mistaken application of it and truly I did not the less but the more fear her death by the hand of Justice in that she was so ready to catch at any thing and to compass herself with sparks as even to apply that to her self which was spoken of the Son of God to gather hopes of this present life from and not more bowed to accept of the punishment of her iniquity in any thing God should order as to this life for the hopes sake set before her and spoke something further to the opening it again then I must let it go and I thank God it doth not much trouble me to part with it for nothing of my hope as to eternal life goes with it that which hath quickned me to that nourisheth that is the resurrection of Christ from the dead who was delivered for my offences the Name of the Lord as declared in him that name of God and truth in Jesus hath made me free given me boldness and confidence by the faith of him to such purpose she spake but I confess said she I had a desire if God see it good that this life might be spared partly for my dear childrens sake and cheifly I think that I might live to know more of that worthy name that I might honour it as I have given occasion of great blemish and reproach to it but God knows my unfitness my heart is deceitful oh let it suffice me if his name may be magnified whether by my life or death After the Sessions was appointed and she had notice of it I went to see her and she told me how on the first news of it her strength departed from her a suddain astonishment and trembling befel her and she thought of appearing before so many in such a case was terrible to her but she soon recovered some strength to hope in the mercy of God that had turned her heart and feet to his teâ—monies and to that rock of which she had been unmindful that he would stand by her and perfect what concerned her so as might be best for
her and tend most to his praise I endeavoured then and in my several visits before the Sessions to open and apply that gracious instruction encouragement and warning in Isa 50.10.11 Both shewing who is the Lords servant there spoken off whose voice is to be obeyed in all things and why called Gods servant what his voice is and why called the voice of the Lords servant and how to be obeyed in all things in all it saith or testifieth instructeth reproveth requireth and how therein God is truly feared and worshipped by us and likewise that such true fearers and worshippers of God may sometime walk in darkness and have no light and in what fence that is to be understood and lastly that when so yet they are not left wholly comfortless or as Orphans but bave the name of the Lord to trust in their God to stay upon to lean and depend on and wait for though they know not what to pray for as they ought in such cases not knowing what manner of deliverance may be best for them and tend most to his praise nor see any way of escape looking on the right hand or on the left or which way deliverance should come yet he that knows how to deliver doth also make intercession with God according to his will and hath the tongue of the learned and so knows how to speak a word in due season to him that is weary and is made perfect and infinitely fitted to all his work and office through sufferings this the rest this the refreshing But when we will be in such dayes of darkness kindling a fire and compassing our selves about with sparks we must expect this at the hands of the Lord to lye down in sorrow from them She much rejoyced in the word of the Lord which as she found she did eat and it was to her the joy and rejoycing of her heart yet was she not without some unsettlement and confusion or discomposure upon her spirit between fears and hopes as to this life being encouraged by many to hope for the saving of it and seek't to pervert the hope and perswasion given her in the mercy of God through Christ to an expectation and looking for it in saving her from this judgement and on the other hand by all the instruction and encouragement she met withal from the Name of the Lord and his grace in Christ led to rest and rejoyce in that which gave her hope in Death and therein willingly to resign and give up the hopes and desires of this life and to leave the matter to him quietly as accounting the hope of eternal life which God had given her in Christs infinite mercy and enough to sati-fie The Sessions being past and she condemned to death being found Guilty by the Jury upon little or no certain evidence of her guilt of the fact of which they found her guilty yet without any frowardness or prejudice I could perceive against the instruments she did acquaint herself with the Lord in it and accepted it as from his hand as a righteous and gracious punishment of her iniquity and was much more setled and composed in her spirits than before and so more fit to hear and receive the encouragements and instructions of his name as I found at my first visit of her immediately on her return from the Sessions when she had received her sentence When first I applyed my self to some reminding and further opening of the name of the Lord and particularly of that great instruction and encouragement in it that through and by the means of his death by which peace and atonement is made for sin and he impowered to forgive sins on earth he hath power to save from wrath to redeem from all iniquity to restore and bring back from all their wandrings to God to receive and make accepted on their turning to him in his gracious drawings even such as have sold themselves for their iniquities and for their transgressions are put away from sucâ— nighness fellowship mercy and good things as otherwise they might have enjoyed here and to this purpose be is Annoynted and consecrated for evermore having on his Ascention on high received gifts in the man not only for men as they are sinners in themselves and from their first natural root but from the rebellions also though rebellion be as the sin of witchcraft in which men make a new and personal compliance and confederacy with Satan as if the compliance made with him in their first natural root were not enough and sell themselves for their iniquities as if their being carnal and sold to their hand under sin through the disobedience of one were not sufficient they sin after the similitude of Adams transgression yet though they have so done to him belongs mercy forgive ness even for towards them see Dar 9.8.9 with Isa 50.1.3 There is help in him for such as have destroyed themselves Hos 13.9 'T is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners even such sinners as are lawless and disobedient sinners that will not be reformed or reclaimed by the law of grace but prophanely go on hideing and holding fast and allowing themselves in their sins and are murtherers of Fathers murtherers of Mothers Man-slayers Whore-mongers Adulters Abusers of themselves with mankind and if there be any thing contrary to sound Doctrine they are lawless and disobedient in going on in the trade and way of their own iniquities till the laws of God and men say hold on them yet such Christ came into the world to save and not for such only but for blasphemers of the Name of Christ and Persecutors of the Châ—rch of God which are mentioned by the Apostle there as his sins and greater then the former as to matter of fect and as in the sight of God yet such Christ Jesus Came into the world to save not to save them in their sins but from them And God hath exalted him a Prince ' and a Saviour for to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to such He is the propitiation now with God for sins of that nature that might have been prevented and might have been kept from by the Grace of God and that not only for those to whom he hath given an understanding to know him that is true and that are in him but also for the world for them who yet lye under the power of the wicked one that judgement may not be speedily executed but a door of mercy and life may be held open while yet he is by any means calling them that in turning their sins which yet are detain'd in heaven against them while they continue in them may be bloted out c through this man therefore is preached to you the forgiveness of your sins for he came because of that truth to forgive such sins as men cannot righteouslly forgive as in that Jer 3.1 c And can have