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
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
the hearts and prayers of his people he did several times throw himself on the free grace of God in the blood and merits of Jesus Christ alone for his Salvation renouncing all but Christ acknowledging that he beleeved to be washed from his bloody Fact and all his other sins by no means but by the blood of Jesus Christ At my third and last time of being with him which was the night before he died I indeavoured to hold forth to his faith from Scripture the glorious state in heaven to all Eternity that Jesus Christ had purchased and was in the possession of for true believers and into which such souls should immediatly enter when they leave the body and abide there with Christ their Head for ever To which he gave very great heed and attention and though his lips said little yet to my apprehension his soul spake very much for it wrought in his body as if it were raised up by Faith through what was held out to him even to the admiring of that grace and glory The working of his soul was mixt with Tears as I conceive of Joy for he mentioned nothing of the fear of Death though he was often minded of it how neer it was at hand nor did I then perceive any paleness in his face or sinking of Spirit the Symptomes of the fear of Death But that those workings of his Soul were reachings after that glorious Inheritance held out in Rom. 8.17 To be heirs of God joynt heirs with Christ which Scripture was then opened to him And that glorious inheritance set forth by the concurrence of several other Scriptures with an indeavour to give him a View by the eye of faith of that which in a very few moments after his soul should to all Eternity be made partaker of in joy and glory with Christ in Heaven which was infinitely more then could be expressed or conceived and this I judge did make his Soul so work within him After some time in prayer I parted with him and almost the last words I had from him were these He told me he was really offended with himself because he hated sin no more which had caused him to offend God so much he told me Satan was busie to perswade him That all his Faith and Repentance was false but he had beleeved the Divel too long and he would trust him no longer but now cast his eternal soul on the free grace of God in the Blood of Christ alone for Salvation renouncing himself wholly In this resolution and frame of Spirit I left him And as I am informed through the free grace of God he did abide and increase in it to his last breath Upon the whole I am truly perswaded from that Work of God that I observed to be wrought in him and the degrees of it that though his former life was full of all wickedness his soul exceeding ignorant of God and his own sinful nature all that time and his Repentance and Faith in Christ very late yet that the free grace of God who is not bounded to time did make both his Faith and Repentance true and do beleeve he is with Christ in glory I do not give this Publike Attest to encourage sin but to magnifie the free grace of God in Jesus Christ to Sinners and I do assure whosoever reads this that poor soul which is the Subject of it found sin to be exceeding bitter before he had any tast of the sweetness of Gods free grace in Christ Hoping this may be of Publike Use I am free to Attest it with my Name September 10. 1657. Robert Tichborne Major A brief Account of a Visit given to Nathaniel Butler a Prisoner in Newgate upon the Friday before he suffered by Tho. Case a Minister of the City of London wherein he made these following Observations THE said Nathaniel Butler expressed 1. A deep sense of that desperate Bloody fact which he had committed which he loaded with all the blackest aggravations that might be especially with this Consideration That for ought he knew he had destroyed body and soul with oue blow He had begg'd and obtained a space of Repentance from his Judges but had not afforded his Brother one moment to beg pardon at the hand of God This Consideration stuck so deeply upon his spirit that it had well nigh sunk him into despair had not God sent in some relief by the hand of one that visited him in prison in the instance of Manasseh who having sacrificed his sons unto Devils and shed much other innocent blood upon his repentance finding mercy did not despairingly afflict himself with the consideration of what became of the souls of those whom he had so cruelly murdered Secret things belong unto the Lord c. 2. He exprest not only sense of the guilt of Blood but a right Gospel-notion of the sinfulness of sin All sin the least sin not as destroying only but as defiling not as contrary to the Creature in the effects of it but as contrary to God in the nature of it A grieving of the Spirit a crucifying of Jesus Christ afresh a most unworthy requital of the love of a crucified Saviour 3. He discovered also that which indeed was the thing which I came purposely to the Prison to enquire after viz. A right apprehension of Original sin the Corruption of his Nature which he lookt upon as the Fountain and Spring-head of his Murder Theft and all other actual wickedness bewailing them all with David in their first source and spring Behold I was born in sin and in iniquity did my mother conceive me Ps 51.5 In a word He had as right a notion of the state of Unregeneracie as ever I found in any new Convert 4. He exprest also an high appretiation of Jesus Christ not only for pardon of sin but for power against sin not only to deliver the soul from the wrath to come and everlasting burning but from the state of Nature As a Fountain of Holiness as well as a Fountain of Happiness 5. An high apprehension and admiration of Free-grace in pardoning such a sinner as he was Which he exprest with much self-abhorrencie as one that had no regard to the Sabbath never acquainted himself with the Bible or Catechism never prayed And if a good Thought were entring his heart he would thrust it away from him with greatest indignation The pardon of these with other sins he admired in some such language as the Apostle did 1 Tim. 1.13 6. God had vouchsafed him a sweet taste of the Promises some whereof most suitable to his condition God had pitched his soul upon which he repeated with so sweet a relish as a man might perceive his soul was even ravished with the sence thereof 7. Wonderfully did he bless and admire the goodness of God in calling such a cruel enemy to mankind as he was in murdering his Brother into the prayers compassion and care of so many of his precious
declare what the Lord had done for him and to speak also by way of Counsel to those that came to see his execution When we had withdrawn for two or three hours from him into the Lodge some of us observing in the mean time that he did slumber and as we supposed that he slept also then we all returned to him he lying covered upon the Bed in his cloaths when we came again about him he raised up himself and fell afresh to his former good Discourse Then I sat down by him and did read the 14 verse of the 51 Psalm Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God thou God of my salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness I then divided the Verse into these two parts 1. Davids prayer Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God c. 2. Davids promise and engagement to God upon the granting of his desire And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness Then I made these Observations from the words of David Viz. 1. Obs Not only a wicked unregenerate man but a gracious godly man may possibly commit a most horrid murther David was blood-guilty 2. Obs The sin of Murther is a very dangerous sin where-ever it is found Deliver now that word implyeth danger Deliver me if David murther he is in danger of damnation 3. Obs 3. Prayer is a work for a person guilty of blood Deliver me this David said by way of desire and supplication yea most of this Psalm sets forth Davids prayer which was preferred upon the account of his bloodshed Prayer is the best way to obtain deliverance from blood-guiltiness 4. Obs From those words O God thou God of my salvation that There is salvation in God for men that have shed blood if those men become penitent and beg that salvation This Note did refresh Nathaniel very much 5. Obs From the Promise And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness that men who know what it is to have the guilt of sin guilt of blood or any other sin taken away will certainly sing aloud of Gods righteousness faithfulness truth And indeed this poor man did magnifie God and sing aloud of his righteousness making mention of his and his only he desired us to sing Psalms several times with him and to rejoyce with him which also we did About five a clock he fell into such a rapture and extasie of consolation as I never saw nor I beleeve any of my fellow-Spectators for he would shout for joy that the Lord should look on such a poor vile creature as he was He often cried out and made a noise and indeed did not know how to express and signifie fully enough his inward sense of Gods favour saying Must he be an heir an heir of God and a joynt-heir with Jesus Christ a fellow Citizen with the Saints c. He could not bear such a glorious discovery Now that his joy was right Evangelical joy appeareth thus in that mourning and bitterness went before it yea he rejoyced with trembling and could exceedingly often say that he would yet have a deeper and a more thorow sense of sin he could never be sufficiently abased before the Lord. Now the time was at hand that he should be carried forth to Execution but he thought it was not neer enough for he asked several times What a clock is it I demanded why he enquired so concerning the time of the day Would you gladly die said I. Yes yes saith he I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all About seven the Coach came to carry him away the Keeper knockt off his Irons and now he was a freeman indeed for the hand of Grace had before this time taken away the Fetters and Bolts about his Spirit and Conscience I went with him in the Coach and by the way his great desire was as he passed through the Streets to fix his heart more fully on God and to think with more intention and firmness of minde upon the riches the unsearchable riches of Grace In a short time having passed through many thousands of people many of whom prayer for his soul and shewed compassion otherwise to him he came under the Gibbet which stood in Cheapside just over against the end of Milk-street where he had done the murder he went up the Ladder the Executioner standing above him and I below upon the Ladder When he was tied to the Gibbet he began to speak to the people having a Speech written which he purposed to have read through A true Copie whereof followeth verbatim Beloved Friends I Am here a miserable Creature and had not God of his infinite Grace and Mercy looked upon me as sad a spectacle of misery as ever your eyes beheld by reason of my wicked and sinful life And now by the justly hand of God I am come here to die justly for my sins And it is my desire that all that see me or that hear of me might learn this most true Lesson from me that have not learned it from the Word of God in the Scriptures That the wages of sin is death I have been a very great sinner and as I think the greatest of sinners And my desires are that my repentance may be greater then my sins Which I am affraid is impossible to be without the infinite mercy of God who hath graciously promised to accept the will for the deed The particulars of my sinful life I have for all those who shall be pleased to look into it gathered together and given to my Lord Mayors Chaplain and intreated him to have it printed for a timely warning to all other young-men especially to the Apprentices of this City that by my harms they may through the Grace of God learn to beware Good people That which I shall speak unto you is but little because my strength is now but weak Indeed I wish I had more strength that my words might reach not onely unto the ears but unto the hearts of every rebellious and disobedient Child and Servant in this great City yea throughout the whole Nation And my counsel is that every one would take heed of the beginnings of sin I remember when I first was enticed unto evil ways and practices I was tender and fearful of them and trembled to think what those waies might bring upon me but I neither hearkened to the Word of God nor the voice of mine own Conscience which exceedingly checked me but resolved to go on therein and through the Devils enticements joyning with my wicked heart by degrees I grew more bold and hardy in evil waies every day more then other and at last came to be so far hardened in sin and wickedness that evil waies and actions were as familiar unto me as eating and drinking was Truly Sirs This is very true and this I speak by sad experience to warn every one that they would hearken either to Gods Word or unto their own Consciences when
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
untill he came to be alone in his Chaines like Manasseh 2 Chron. 33 11.12 his prejudgment of the sentence of death brought in the thoughts of an eternall after-estate and then said he my conscience was enlightned and a wakened to see my self in the glass of Gods law and under the judgment of eternal death which wrought such horror consusion and astonishment that made me cry out in the bitterness of my soule as one under the wrath and tertors of the Almighty Moreover said he the thoughts of this second and after-death of my poor soule did blot out of my remembrance the death which was approaching Hereupon I began further to apply to him after this manner That in this your present condition there are two things of greatest concernment to your soule First that you be rightly regulated in your repentance Secondly rightly directed the way of beleeving in Christ I shall endeavor to make both plain and practicable 1. Not to swell the Narrative with the rehearsall of what I offered him about a true and right conviction of sin not of this notorious sin only but of others also and the corrupt root and fountain from whence all sprang with the nature and necessity of a Gospel-repentance pressing seriousness and sincerity upon him this not being a time to Trifle much less to dissemble about the weighty concernments of his soule a false and a faigned repentance being as bad as the sin it self with more the like as occasion was offered N. B. Answers very sensibly in these and such like words following not in a continued discourse but in an Intercourse of speech N. B. Oh saith he not only this one haynous sin but multitudes of other sins are set in order before me as well small as great and the smallest appeareth great to me as being against a holy God and an infinite good I never thought such things to be sins which I now see to be sins Oh what an ignorant dead Creature was I before I now apprehend the filthiness and feele the hardness of my heart my heart is discovered to the very bottome the whole trade and course of my life is brought to my remembrance and wringing his hands the most of the time Oh now saith he I discerne I was in a miserable and damnable condition before I committed this foule fact Others think themselves in a happy condition because they are not under the guilt of my sin and under the same sentence but alas they are lamentably mistaken as I also was Now do I apprehend the sinfulness of my thoughts and secret immaginations as wel as outward actions And all this and much more exprest with such a manner and measure of earnestness as did apparantly signifie that the two-edged Sword had past and pierced through the very powers of his soule discerning and abilitating him to discerne the inward thoughts and intents of his heart Oh saith he I dare not lessen my sins nor extenuate my great sin they are against the righteous law and holy nature of God and frequently in our discourse he would intermix this speech of Davids with hands wringing and strong affection against thee O Lord have I sinned against thee even thee O Lord have I sinned and done wickedly and Lord Pardon mine iniquity for it s exceeding great Psal 25.11 And when I proceeded upon the parts of repentance and contrition as one great branch of it he said That he did heartily repent to his utmost as before the Lord and did hope the Lord would break him more Oh saith he it s the griefe of my heart I can grieve no more and though my heart is broken yet I am sensible of hardness yet remaining and by way of concession to my words saying Oh it s not a time to Trifle indeed I know my heart is deceitfull but I desire nothing more then a through and faithful discovery of the deceitfulness of my heart by all that come to mee that I might not mistake and lose my soule and amongst other deceits I desire to avoid this of resting upon any repentance of mine but upon Christ only for salvation but I hate sin heartily not only for that it hath brought mee to this misery but also for its filthy nature and because against a holy and mercifull God 2. The second thing I endeavoured to mannage was the possibility of pardon and salvation notwithstanding the magnitude and multitude of his sins which when I began to speake his heart was raised to an earnest expectation and attention rejoycing to think there might be a dore of hope I proceeded to three or four considerations to evidence his sin pardonable and his soule salvable First because there was more grace in God to forgive and more vertue in the blood of Christ to save then was in his sin to damne him Secondly because God in the Gospel had determined all sins of all sorts pardonable except only the sin against the holy spirit Math. 12.31 1 John 5.16 which for sundry reasons he could not possibly be guilty of this I did inculcate the more that he might sted fastly and firmely beleeve the record and testimony hereof before he went further unto which he did profess a full and sound assent gathering herefrom hopes that he might be saved and exulted in those hopes Thirdly that God had recorded eminent examples in his word of shewing his mercy to such sinners who had committed the same sin and that with a higher hand viz. Manasseh 2 Kings 21.16 compared with 2 Chron. 33 11 12 13. I did endeavor to enforce the Parallel about the meanes and manner of Gods humbling by the same fetters of affliction upon which he said Oh I bless God for this affliction I bless God that I was discovered and taken I might have run out my course in sin and directly to hell had not God taken this course with me Oh I would not exchange my present imprisonment with my former liberty in sin for all the world I hinted also the Murder of David in the matter of Vriah and Davids prayer again Psal 25.11 which he said Mr. Samuel Jacombe of Lumbard Stret had preacht on in the Prison which did much help his hopes and he voluntarily called to remembrance the Jewes who murdered Christ Acts 2.36.37.38 and made a comfortable improvement thereof Fourthly I alledged that the Gospell did pronounce and proclaim pardon of sin and eternal salvation upon true repentance and beleeving on the Lord Jesus Christ and there was no visible barr to exclude him more then any other in world the substance of this faith lying in this that if upon the sight of his lost condition by sin and upon a firme assent to the record of God concerning his sons being an only and al-sufficient Saviour he could but cast himself upon the mercy of God and roule his sinfull sincking soule upon the Lord Jesus as a foundation heartily hateing sin and abhorring himself and cleaving to Christs righteousness
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