eyes and his mouth though his teeth were set before and offered to speak but could not recover the use of his Tongue but his reviving being known within an hour the Officers came to the house where he was and conveyed him to the place of Execution again and hung him up again until he was quite dead whence he was carried by his mourning friends to Islington where he now sleepeth in the Bed of his Grave until the morning of the Resurrection from whence though buried in dishonour he will then be raised in glory Thus you have had the Relation of one that was but young in years but old in wickedness you have read of his Sabbath-breaking prophaness swearing lying stealing drunkenness fornication and the like sins which he confessed himself frequently and deeply guilty of and to compleat and fill up the measure of his sins he added to the rest the horrid sin of Murther I believe you have scarcely heard of sin grown up to such maturity in so short a time as it did in him who when he was imprisoned was under sixteen years of age And what could any expect should be the issue and product of sin arriv'd to such perfection but Death and wrath and the vengeance of eternal fire But behold here an instance of Free-grace His sins did abound but Gods grace did super abound Sometimes God doth sow the seed of grace in the heart that is most unlikely to receive it and reapeth great glory to his Name by pardoning great sins VVe read that when Ephraim was bent upon wickedness so that a man could hardly expect the restraining of Gods anger any longer but that it should kindle in his breast and break forth in a flame to devour a people so rebellious yet the Lord expresseth himself in a way of wonderful mercy and astonishing free-grace Hos 11. 8 9. How shall I give thee up O Ephraim How shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee as Zeboim My heart is turned within me not against Ephraim but towards him my repentings not mine anger are kindled together I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger And the reason is not drawn from any thing in Ephraim to move him but only from himself For I am God and not Man If one man had been so provoked by another and it had lain in the power of his hand to have avenged himself on his enemy surely he would not have spared or shewn any favour But because he is God and not Man whose thoughts are not like our thoughts and whose mercies are not like our mercies but further removed above them then the Heavens are removed above the Earth in comparison with whose mercies our most tender mercies are not less then cruelty therefore because he is God and not Man and herein would act like himself he hath pity and sheweth favour unto Ephraim Take another instance in Israel who had made God to serve with his sins and wearied him with his iniquities having pressed God herewith as a Cart is pressed with sheaves and nothing but vengeance could rationally be expected and that God should say as at another time for God doth not shew such favour to all and at all times that the freeness of it might be the more evident Ah I will ease me of my Adversaries and avenge me on my Enemies and I even I am he that will make such audacious sinners see and feel what an evil and fearful thing it is to affront and provoke me yet read how graciously God pardoned Israel declaring the ground of it to be only for the glory of his own Name Isa 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Surely no motive from this young mans person or any good previous disposition he being so exceeding vitiated by such defiling sins could in the least encline God to have mercy upon him but the motive was taken from himself and his own bowels He had mercy on him only because he would have mercy and compassion only because he would have compassion If some yea many are passed by who have escaped the more gross pollutions which are in the world through Lust and never committed such God-provoking sins as you read in the Narrative that he committed but for lesser faults are punished everlastingly when God hath had mercy upon him and thrown the skirt of his love over him and wrought a gracious change in him we must say with our Saviour Mat. 11. 26. Even so Father because it so seemed good in thy sight It is through free grace that any are saved but in the Salvation of such a one God hath demonstrated the exceeding riches of his grace towards him through Jesus Christ Eph. 2. 7. Let not any from this example of Gods free grace presume to continue and indulge themselves in a sinful course hoping to obtain mercy at the last as he hath done and so turn God's glory into shame and his grace into wantonness for it is a rare example hardly again to be parallel'd will a man run himself through the body because some have been healed of such wounds will a man drink down poyson because some by an Antidote have expelled the poyson and escaped with life is not Presumption the bane and ruine of Millions of Souls may not God cut you off in the act of some of your sins and not give you time for repentance and if life doth continue may not he deny you the grace of repentance doth not custom and continuance in sin harden your heart and fasten you in Satans Chains hath not God threatned that such who cry peace peace to themselves though they walk after the imagination of their own hearts to add drunkenness to thirst that he will not spare them but his anger and his jealousie shall smoak against them and that he will blot out their name from under heaven Deut. 29. 19 20. The great improvement which should be made of Gods gracious dealings with this young man is for all to admire God's Free-grace and especially for poor distressed souls that are upon the brink of Hell in their own apprehensions and are ready to despair of Gods mercy because of the greatness of their sins to take encouragement from hence and hopes that there may be mercy in store for them they have not been murderers whatever their sins have not been and if a murderer hath been received into favour why may not they hope Let such think with themselves that it is free grace hath saved him and let them sue out at the Throne of Grace for the same grace which is freely tendred unto them A Recollection out of this Narrative of those passages from which in charity we do conclude that the work of grace was really wrought in his soul or the Evidences of T. S. of his Title to eternal happiness 1. HE bitterly lamented his sins and loathed himself for them
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
blessed Lord God I beseech thee O Lord look down upon me with an eye of pity if it be thy blessed will it is thy infinite mercy that I am on this side the grave and out of Hell O Lord I have deserved to be cast into torments to all Eternity How have I offended thee and run on in fin and thought I could never do enough to abuse thy mercy pardon the sins that I have committed wash that blood from off my soul let not me perish to Eternity It was an horrid crime to shed innocent blood pardon that sin O Lord let the blood of Christ cry more for mercy than the blood of that creature cry for for vengeance O Lord thou hast been merciful to me in giving me time to Repent for ought I know her soul is undone for ever Lord forgive me Lord forgive me I knew not what I did Forgive my Sabbath-breaking Lying Cursing forgive my drunkenness blot them out of the book of thy remembrance turn them away behind thee Lord I have repented of them from my soul that ever I should offend a God so good and so merciful and gracious I do believe on thee and do wholly throw my self upon thee I acknowledge it would be just in thee to damn my Soul but it will be infinite mercy in thee to save me and what free Grace will it be in thee to pardon me It is dreadful to lose the body but how dreadful will it be to lose the Soul to all Eternity Lord let it not be in vain that I had so many instructions O let me not go down to hell let my soul bless and praise thy Name for ever for what thou hast done for me thou hast been at work upon my heart and thou hast helped me to Repent the Lord be praised Lord I desire to be more and more humble under the sence of my sins for they are dreadful there are many souls that have not committed those sins that are now in Hell O what a mercy is it that I am not in those flames in those devouring flames Lord as thou hast spared me here spare me to Eternity Let not my soul perish Lord reveal thy self unto me make known thy love unto me tell me my sins are pardoned tell me that I have an Interest in Christ before I go hence and be seen no more that I might leave some Testimony behind me that I might tell thy Ministers what thou hast done for me and tell thy People what thou hast done for my Soul Lord this will not be onely for my satisfaction but for thy glory Blessed Lord pardon the sins that I am guilty of and take away this cursed base heart of mine break this rocky stony heart in pieces these sins of Murder and Drunkenness c. were in my heart before I thought no eye did see me commit those sins but thou didst see me Lord turn my heart to thee and take away this heart of stone and take away this cursed nature for it was this cursed Nature that brought me to these sins and to this end and I was in danger of loosing my soul to all eternity but Lord though I a great sinner Christ is a great Saviour he is able to save me from my sins though they be never so great I do believe Lord I speak freely from my heart so far as I know my heart I do believe it is my grief I can sorrow no more for my sins which have been the cause of offending thee so long and so much One drop of thy blood sprinkled upon my soul will pardon all my sins Lord cross the black line of my sins with the red line of thy blood I am not able to answer for one vain thought much less for all my horrid crimes Lord save my immortal soul that I might sing praise to thee to all eternity Thou hast pardoned Manasseh that was a great sinner and Mary Magdalen and Paul that were great sinners and the Thief upon the Cross and thy mercies are as great thy mercy and thy love to repenting sinners is not shortned though my sins be great yet thy mercies are greater then my sins Lord be with me in my death then let me have some comfortable assurance of thy love unto my soul of the pardon of my sins do thou be my God and my Guide now and to all eternity Amen This Prayer he put up with much earnestness with great brokenness of heart for sin that all that joyned with him were exceedingly affected and blessed God for the Spirit of Prayer they discerned God had so plentifully poured out upon him After we had some other discourse with him we took our leave of him telling him we purposed to see him again at the place of Execution After two or three hours when the time of his going from Newgate drew near we were willing to return to see him once more there and the rather because one Minister that had not yet been with him was desirous to visit him and then again after some few words with him we asked him to go to prayer again once more saying Now this will be the last time that we shall pray with you in this place And he did perform this duty with great liveliness that now he excelled himself and the nearer he came to his end the more fervently we perceived he prayed but we took notice that in this last duty in Newgate he was much in praising God and blessing God for his mercy to him to our great astonishment After a few words when this duty was over we took some of us our final farewell of him and he expressing his thanks to Gods people for their prayers for him and to the Ministers for their love and pains with him was commended by us to the Grace of God saying ' Thomas The Lord be with you the Lord of Heaven be with you O the Lord of mercy help you and have compassion on you This morning he expressed himself to his Friend H. B. thus Oh my friend we cannot tell how glorious a place Heaven is but if once I get thither and could drop down a Letter to you and tell you of the glorious things I there shall find how would it rejoyce your heart And to his Friend parting with him said I know God loveth me and that I am going to the Kingdom of Heaven The last Speech of Thomas Savage at the place of his Execution at Ratcliff Gentlemen HEre I am come to dye a cursed and ignominious Death and I most justly deserve it for I have Murthered a poor innocent Creature and for ought I know have not only murthered her body but if God had no more mercy of her soul then I had of her body she is undone to all Eternity so that I deserve not only death from Men but Damnation from God I would have you all that look upon me take warning by me the first sin I began with was Sabbath-breaking
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 trueâ—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 hâ—â—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 â—pâ—â—â— 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
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 â—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
in the morning and she made him drunk with burnt Brandy and he wanted one Groat to pay of his reckoning she then again perswaded him to knock the Maid on the head and she would receive the money he going home between twelve and one of the clock his Master standing at the Street-door did not dare to go in that way but climbed over a back-door and commeth into the Room where his Fellow-servants were at Dinner O saith the Maid to him Sirrah you have been now at this Bawdy-House you will never leave till you are undone by them He was much vexed at her and while he was at Dinner the Devil entered so strong into him that nothing would satisfie him but he must kill her and no other way but with the Hammer to which end when his master was gone with all the rest of his Family to Church leaving only the maid and this boy at home he goeth into the Bar fetcheth the Hammer and taketh the Bellows in his hand and sitteth down by the fire and there knocketh the bellows with the Hammer the Maid saith to him Sure the boy is mad Sirrah what do you make this noise for He said nothing but went from the Chair and lay along in the Kitchin window and knocked with the Hammer there and on a sudden threw the Hammer with such force at the maid that hitting her on the head she fell down presently screaking out then he taketh up the Hammer three times and did not dare to strike her any more at last the Devil was so great with him that he taketh the Hammer and striketh her many blows with all the force he could and even rejoyced that he had got the victory over her which done he immediately taketh the Hammer and with it strikes at the Cupboard Door in his masters Chamber which being but slit-Deal presently flew open and thence he taketh out a Bag of Money and putting it upon his arm under his cloak he went out at a back-door straight-way to this base house again when he came thither the Slut would fain have seen what he had under his Cloak and knowing what he had done would very fain have had the Money he gave her half a Crown and away he went without any remorse for what he had done Going over a Stile he sat down to rest himself and then began to think with himself Lord what have I done and he would have given ten thousand worlds he could have recalled the blow After this he was in so much horrour that he went not one step but he thought every one he met came to take him He got that Night to Green-wich and lay there telling the people of the house that he was to go down to Gravesend that night he rose and walked about and knew not what to do Conscience so flew in his face The Mistress of the house percieving the Lad to have money and not sealed up said I wish this Lad came by this money honestly The next morning he going away towards Woolliedge the Mistress of the house could not be satisfied but sent for him back and told him Sweetheart I fear you came not by this money honestly Yes indeed Mistress saith he I did for I am carrying of it down to Gravesend to my Master a Wine Cooper VVe live upon London-bridge and if you please to send any one to my Mistress I will leave my money with you So there were some people going to London and he writ a Note to send to his Mistress and he left the Money with the woman of the House and went his way wandring toward VVoolliedge and there was in the Ship-yard about which time news came to Greenwich of the Murther that was committed at Ratcliff by a youth upon his Fellow-servant and that a bag of Money was taken away the Mistress of the House forthwith concluded that sureit was the same Youth that was at her house and that that was the Money whereupon she sent men out presently to seek him who found him in an Ale-house where he had called for a pot of beer and was laid down with his head on the Table and fallen asleep one of the men calling him by his name Tom saith he Did you not live at Ratcliff He said Yes And did you not murther your fellow-servant He confessed it And you took so much money from your Master he acknowledged all then said they You must go along with us He said Yes with all my heart So they went forthwith to Greenwich to the house where he lay that night where when he came he met his Master with some friends and when his Master spake to him of it he was not much affected at first but after a little while burst out into many tears thence he was conveyed to the Justice at Ratcliff where he fully confessed the Fact again and by him was committed close Prisoner in the Gaol of Newgate where Mr. H. B. who after some acquaintance with him had this preceeding Narrative from his own Mouth came to see and speak with him and he seemed but little sensible of what he had done Are you said he the person that committed the murther upon the maid at Ratcliff He said Yes O what think you of your condition What do you think will become of your precious Sou you have by this Sin not only brought your body to the Grave but your Soul to hell without Gods infinite mercy Were you not troubled for the Fact when you did it Not for the present Sir said he but soon after I was when I began to think with my self what I had done The next time he asked him whether he were sorry for the Fact He said wringing his hands and striking his breast with tears in his eyes Yes Sir for it cuts me to the heart to think that I should take away the life of a poor innocent Creature and that is not all but for any thing I know I have sent her soul to Hell O how can I think to appear before God's barr when she shall stand before me and say Lord this wretch took away my life and gave me not the least space that I might turn to thee he gave me no warning at all Lord. O then what will become of me Soon after the imprisonment of this Thomas Savage in New gate Upon the desire of one of his Friends Mr. R. F. and T. V. went to him in the prison and had liberty with much readiness from the Keepers to discourse with him They asked him if he were the person that had murthered the maid He answered that he was they did then open to him the heinous nature of that sin endeavouring to set it home upon his Conscience telling him of the express Law of God Thou shalt not Kill and the express threatnings That whosoever sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed They spake to him of the Law of the Land and the punishment of Death which
me Sometimes he tempts me to delay telling me that it is time enough for me to think of Repentance when I am Condemned and that God is a merciful God and sometimes he tempted me to Despair telling me that it was impossible that so monstrous a sinner as I had been should be saved But blessed be God that he made me to think that these were but the Devils Temptations although I have been sadly hurried with them for some days but that which did most fill me with terror was the frequent fears of the Devil 's appearing personally to me which did so exceedingly trouble me in Prayer so that I could say nothing when I kneeled down but was fain to set the Candle down before me and durst not look one way nor other for fear I should see him and my thoughts have been so vain many times when you have been reading to me that I have scarce heard a word of what you said A Discourse betwixt H. B. and T. S. Prisoner in Newgate after some Friends went away dissatisfied fearing he had not a sense of his sin c. H. B. asking him how it was with him He replied It is the grief of my Soul that I should be no more affected I think I have the most rocky stony heart in the world if ever there was an heart of Iron I have one it is not fit to be called an heart To have others come and pray with me and instruct me and see how they are affected with my condition and yet I not at all affected with my own condition Oh it is the grief of my soul to see it so and yet as soon as Ministers and good people are gone and I walk about and consider oh it melts me and breaketh my heart in pieces to think I can mourn for sin and grieve for sin no more when Gods people are with me because it causeth them to think that I am not sensible of my sin though blessed be God I am in some measure sensible of the evil of my sins and it is the grief of my soul to think how I have dishonoured God and abused his Mercy and spurned against his Mercy and Patience After this they both spent some time in Prayer and H. B. asked him how it was with him now He said I find so much sweetness in prayer although I cannot find God loveth me that to think I am not Cursing and swearing as others are but be confessing my sin my very tears trickle down my Cheeks for joy sometimes I find my heart so dead and dull in duty that I know not what to say in Prayer at other times I find my heart so full and so much affected in Duty that I could wish I might never rise off my knees The night before the Sessions H. B. coming to him asked him if it was not terrible to him to think of appearing before the Barr of men he answered methinks when I consider seriously of it what a light poor thing mans Barr is in comparison of Gods Barr yet mans Barr is enough to daunt one to hear them say Take him Gaoler tye him up but to appear before Gods Barr who knoweth all the sins that ever I committed he saw all my secret sins and for God to say Take him Gaoler take him Devil shut him up in the Dungeon of Hell Oh! that is enough I believe to make the stoutest heart in the World to tremble for there is no recalling that sentence and I believe there are many go out of this Prison as I saw formerly three that went to be hanged and they were almost drunk and did sing all the way they went but oh their note was soon changed when they came to stand before Gods Barr. The morning before he went to the Sessions H. B. and the Prisoner spent some time in prayer the Prisoner in his prayer did earnestly beg of God that he would keep him from those temptations he might be exposed unto by bad company After this he was taken down to the Sessions house but was not called because the Jury of Middlesex did not sit that day At night H. B. came to him again and asking how it was with him he answered he found it no easie thing to be a true Christian I thought before I came to Prison that reading a Chapter now and then and saying the Lords Prayer and the Creed at night when I went to bed would have saved me though many times I was asleep before I had half done but now I find it no such easie thing to get to Heaven nay I find it the hardest thing in the World for my Prayers and Tears and Duties if I could fall upon my knees and never rise off from them while I live they would not save me for all this is but my duty but I now know there is merit enough in the blood of Christ to save me and he did earnestly beg of God in Prayer that God would wash his Soul in the blood of Christ and blot out all his sins out of the book of his remembrance and turn them behind his back though I as earnestly beg they might be all spread before my face that I might have a more humble and throughly broken heart for them Lord one drop of that blood is enough to wash away all my sins And so after some conference H. B. left him for that night who heard from one that was with him that night that he spent that time most in Prayer and Reading The second morning in the time of the Sessions Mr. Baker that was a careful friend for the good of his Soul went to the Sessions House where he found him well and in good Frame and continued with him for the space of two or three hours that morning after which time Mr. Baker was from him to hear the Tryal of the Person that was arraigned and afterward executed for the Fire upon the house burnt down in Mincing-Lane for the space of half an hour or thereabout in which time in company of other Prisoners he was much distempered with something that he had drank amongst them which did take from him his understanding that he was not his own man we judge that though this did cast a blemish upon the profession that he had made after he came to Newgate it was not a voluntary act but some surprisal or design of the other upon him partly because the quantity was far less than what at other times he could drink without any disturbance to his head A Friend also heard Hannah the Strumpet that enticed him to his former wickedness say Others have made you drunk to day but I will make you drunk to morrow But afterwards he was afraid to drink in their company but rather denied to take what was necessary for his refreshment The Prisoners were much against his accusing of that Harlot and did much perswade him to take something to chear his Spirits and when T. D. was
whereby I got acquaintance with bad company and so we went to the Ale-house from the Ale-house to the bawdy house there I was perswaded to rob my Master as also to murther this poor innocent creature for which I am come to this shameful end I was drawn aside I say by ill company pray take heed of that for it will not only bring your bodies to the grave but your soul to hell have a care of neglecting the Sabbaths it is that which hath not only brought my body to the grave but my soul in danger of eternal torments And try the ways of God for the Lord be praised I have found so much of excellency and sweetness in Gods ways that I bless God that ever I came into a Prison And now though I am leaving this world I know I shall go to a better place for I have repented from my soul for all my sins not because I am to dye for them but to see that I should do that whereby I should deserve Hell ten thousand times over and so dishonour God Now the Lord have mercy on my Soul The Prayer of THOMAS SAVAGE at the place of Execution O Most merciful and for ever blessed Lord God I beseech thee look down upon my poor immortal soul which now is taking its flight into another world which now is ready to appear before thy barr Lord I beseech thee prepare me for it and receive my soul into the Arms of thy mercy and though my body die and I come to die this shameful death yet let my soul live with thee for ever Lord pardon all the horrid sins that I have committed the Sabbath breaking Lying Swearing Cursing Vncleanness and all the rest of my sins that ever I have committed Lord give me a new heart and give me faith that I may lay hold and throw my self fully and wholly upon thee enable me O Lord give me saving repentance that I may come to thy Bar and thence be recieved into glory let me not be a prey to Devils to all eternity let not my soul perish though my body die let my soul live Lord let me not be shut out from thy presence and let not all the Prayers and Tears and Counsels and instructions that have been made and shed on my behalf be in vain pity my poor soul Lord my immortal soul Lord it would be just with thee to cast me into everlasting burning I have been a great sinner but Christ is a great Saviour O Lord thou hast pardoned great sinners and thou canst do it Lord and Lord wilt thou not do it Lord let me not be a fire-brand in Hell and a prey to Devils to all eternity let me not then be shut up with Devils and damned souls when my soul takes its flight into another World Lord I have repented for what I have done from the bottom of my heart I have repented and Lord if thou wouldst damn me thou wouldst be just but how infinitely more would it be for the glory of thy free grace to save such a sinner as I am good Lord pour down thy Spirit upon my soul O tell me that I have an interest in Christs blood good Father good Lord before I go hence Lord I am willing I am willing to leave this world I can prize thee above all there is nothing I can prize like to thee wilt thou not recieve my soul recieve it into thy arms and say Come thou blessed of my Father good Father for Jesus Christs sake pity my poor soul for pities sake Lord it is not my Prayers or Tears will save my soul but if ever I am saved it must be through free-grace and the blood of Christ and if there be not enough in that Blood Lord I am willing to be Damned Lord look down upon my poor soul and though I have been such a sinner thou art able to pardon me and wash me apply one drop of thy blood to my soul Lord my immortal soul that is more worth then Ten Thousand Worlds It is true Lord I confess I have taken a great deal of pleasure in sin I have run on in sin and could not invent where to go on thy day and was wont to study into what place and into what company I might go upon the Sabbath day forgive me Lord wash me receive me into thy arms O Lord Oh for one glimp of mercy Lord if thou wilt please to reveal thy self to me I shall tell it to all that behold me It is a mercy Lord that I am not in Hell and that thou showest me the bitterness of sin before I come into Hell it is a mercy Lord that I have had the Prayers converse and instructions of so many of thy Ministers and People Lord recieve my soul one smile Lord one word of comfort for Jesus sake Oh let me not go out of this world let not my soul perish though I killed a poor innocent Creature Lord deal not with me as I dealt with her but pity me pity me for Jesus Christ sake Amen One asked him in the cart Well now Thomas how is it with your soul What sense have you of God's love He answered Sir I thank God through infinite mercy I find God loves me and that now I can chearfully go After his Cap was over his Eyes he used these Expressions Lord Jesus recieve my Spirit Lord one smile Good Lord one word of comfort for Christs sake though death make a separation between my soul and body let nothing separate between thee and my soul to all eternity Good Lord hear me Good Father hear me O Lord Jesus receive my soul VVhilst he did thus pathetically express himself to the people especially to God in prayer there was a great moving upon the affections of those who stood by and many tears were drawn from their eyes by his melting speeches All this was the more remarkable in this young man being under sixteen years of age when he was first apprehended After he was turned off the Cart he strugled for a while heaving up his body which a Young man his friend perceiving to put him quickly out of his pain struck him with all his might on the breast several times together then no motion was perceived in him and hanging some considerable time after that and as to all outward appearance dead insomuch as one said to another friend of his namely Mr. B. Now he is in Eternity and the people beginning to move away the Sheriff commanded him to be cut down and being receiv'd in the arms of some of his friends he was conveyed by them into a house not far distant from the place of Execution where being laid upon a Table unto the astonishment of the beholders he began to stir and breath and rattle in his throat and it was evident his life was whole in him from the Table he was carried to a bed in the same House where he breathed more strongly and opened his
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 woâ—â— I thought I could never dishonour God enough and that time that I should have served God most in I did most for Satanâ— 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 â—â—aring of Sermons and praying and looked upon them as the verâ—â—â—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
his pleasure in it And how canst thou endure to hear of this without trembling But I fear thy heart is so hard that thou art ready to rage against this reproof well if the case be so I have done with thee but believe it God hath not yet done with thee and the Devil hath not done with thee and though thy Conscience say nothing now yet I tell thee That hath not done with thee neither let none think I am tedious upon this head if young men will but reform this sin I promise I will never tell them of it more Christians I hope that there be some such here would it not be a blessed sight to see the Fields the Taverns the Whore-houses empty and the Churches full would it not be a blessed Reformation O when shall it once be which is the sweeter Musick to hear the air eccho with the confused hollowing and roaring of lewd young men playing upon the Lords day or to hear the sound of singing of Psalms repeating of Sermons Praying reading of Scriptures which is like to end best Isa 56. 2. Amos. 8. Isa 58. 13. 14. Ezek. 20. 12. 4. Another youthfull sin is Mis-spending of time Young ones think they have time enough before them and therefore make nothing of trifling it away How far are most from following the Apostles counsel in redeeming of the time what do you think many hours discourse of filthy bawdy stories is that redeeming of time Is sitting up whole nights to play at Cards and Dice redeeming of time Is robbing your selves of sleep to lye in the bosom of Dalilah redeeming time If this be redeeming of time then some of our young ones and many of our gallants redeem time bravely 'T was a notable one that of Seneca If saith he one ask me for my Purse I am not very willing to give it him If he beg my Estate I think it a mad request but if he ask me to pass away time with him two or three days of time I pass not much upon it but it 's easily granted and thus one of the most precious things in the world is vilified O little do people think how glad they shall be one day of one of those hours that they spent in foolery Oh call time again will be the language of more then one upon a death-bed Could you talk with some of the mad young ones that are in Hell that lived five or six years ago in as much pleasure as you do now and spent their time like you but it may be little dreamed of being in Hell so soon but might reckon of forty or fifty years to live could you I say talk with them and ask them what they think of time now they would quickly say Oh a world for one praying hour Oh where are the people to be found that seriously consider that there is not a moment of Time but we must be accountable for 'T was excellently spoke of that poor young man when he was in Newgate amongst the common Prisoners one Sabbath-day they asked him to play at Cards with them Oh saith he you and I have something else to do with our time than to play at Cards Is it now a time for us to be sporting away the Sabbath when we have but one poor Sand left to work for Eternity 5. Another youthful sin is Keeping bad company Are there not many of the Devils Emissaries that make it their business to decoy poor young ones O what a happiness do they promise them a goodly happiness indeed to carry them to the Devil 't was not without cause that David in Psal 1. 1. did pronounce them blessed that had least to do in wicked company whatever deluded creatures think of their mad jovial Company one that is well in his wits looks upon their society as an emblem of Hell Psal 120. The young man upon whose account we are here met this day told me that two or three wicked fellows first got him out to spend a penny but little did he think whither they were leading of him and after they had been at one place they carried him to another till at last they brought him to that House out of which few go without their Deaths-wound This was the general complaint of them that went this last Assizes to Tiburn And yet how are silly souls pleased with such company whose greatest kindness is to make them go merrily to Hell And are they still such sweet natur'd creatures that you can't love too much who do what they can possibly to deprive you of your truest happiness and make you miserable for ever O how will your boon Companions greet one another in Hell nay it may be upon Earth too I remember I was once with a drunkard that lay a dying and after I had prayed with him in comes one of his old Companions in sin and askt him how he did at which he was ready to gnash his teeth and made this dreadful reflection concerning him to me O that that was the wicked wretch that drew me away if it had not been for him I had not been in so lamentable a condition upon a death-bed Prov. 1. 10 11. 6. The sixth youthful sin is Cursing and Swearing How ready are young ones to learn the language of their Father It was not long since that I heard a little Boy swear at every sentence he spoke O what will such be when they come to be old if they begin so soon scarce creep on their feet and yet running post to Hell Oh how many are there of this daring generation that bend their tongues like bowes and shoot those arrows against Heaven which will fall down dipt in the poyson of Divine Fury It would make one's heart ake to hear how some belch out their hellish Oaths to hear how cruelly they rake in the wounds of Christ and crucifie him afresh not considering that at the same time they are butchering of their own souls and if one tell them of their swearing how ready are they to swear That they did not swear and turn and laugh as if it were a creditable thing to be like the Devil and an honour to make hast to hell O how many are there of this black Crew that brave it out with their Damn-me and Sink-me and Oaths as if they would dare the Almighty to his very face and as if there were little of truth in Gods Threatnings and his Anger a very light matter O sinner what if God should take thee at thy word when the next Damn-me is in thy mouth and stop thy breath with an Oath in thy mouth what if God should go to cursing too Do you know what a dreadful word that is Go thou cursed O! what if God should swear too That thou shalt never enter into his rest Couldst thou but see the flaming tongues of those horrid sinners that know what the meaning of that word Damn-me is couldst thou but see how they bite