Faith and I could easily tell you to satisfie you that I do repent and do believe but truly so to do as I ought I find it the hardest thing in the World I do believe and I do not I cannot tell how to believe that Christ died for sinners so as to throw my self wholly and fully upon him and to think my Tears and Prayers will do me no good But here Reader we must take notice of the unwearied diligence of the Devil in using all means from time to time to undo ruine and wound the soul of this poor Malefactor who would not forbear to sollicit him to sin after he was cast into Prison for former Iniquities he had committed for we cannot but judg that the Devil was loath to lose such a prey as his Immortal soul when he had brought him to the very mouth and gates of Hell to have him snatched out of his hands by the free Grace of God the Devil did work the more because he knew his time to tempt him was but short to blemish and eclipse the gracious work of God upon his heart and cloud the glory of God's mercy in saving such a sinner He was by some former acquaintance visiting of him who shewed their love to a death-deserving sinner no other way than by calling for drink and desiring him to drink with them overcome therewith and after some former convictions of sin and his lost estate did twice relapse into the sin of drunkenness whereby he caused many to fear that all this while he had no more than some common workings of the spirit and put us to a stand that we knew not what would be the issue of these things but yet not daring to omit endeavors if possible as instruments under God to save his soul we did after this visit him again and again and set forth unto him the greatness of his sin that he should sin yet more against the Lord and in his affliction and chains to provoke the Lord to greater wrath against his soul with many words to that purpose After which his soul was wounded his heart was pierced he knew not what to do he asked may mercy be had for a backsliding sinner to which were given him some Scriptures where God called to backsliding sinners to return and invited them to repent and promised mercy to them if they did even after they had done as wickedly as they could and this was much enlarged upon before him from Jer. 3. 1 to 15. verse But God that had begun to awaken and to rouse his conscience that he might set him up as a pattern of Free-Grace would not let the Devil go thus away with his soul but brought him to a deep sense of his falling into sin that he much lamented with many tears the sadness of his state the misery of his Soul saying what will become of my soul my Immortal soul I cannot think what will become of my soul I deserve Hell ten thousand times over and have I now but one grain of sand left in the glass to work for eternity shall I neglect God any longer O I have neglected God too long already striking his hand upon his brest and wringing his hands and shaking his head and weeping abundantly said Lord what shall I do O God what shall I do Lord what will become of me If God had dealt justly with me I had now been in Hell I had been dashed into Hell when I murthered that poor innocent creature I wonder that I am not now in Hell that such a wretch as I am not in Hell God hath been pleased to manifest more mercy to me in sparing of me and affording me so long time for repentante but I have neglected time and relapsed into drunkenness and vain talking time after time I thought this place meaning the hole in Newgate a hell upon earth and did account it a heaven to be among the other Prisoners but now God hath tried me whether sin will be bitter and displeasing to me or not I have this day being Lords day been among the Prisoners and they asked me to play at Cards but instead of complying with them I reproved them and told them for my part I had profaned Sabbaths enough already I have but a little time to work for my soul and I ought not to neglect time now that they likewise he told them if they rightly considered had something else to do and striking his hand upon his breast with much earnestness he cried out with tears Now now I find that God hath been at work that God hath been at work upon my soul he hath I am sure been at work for now I see so much evil and tast such bitterness in sin that I am not so much troubled that I am to die nor so much troubled that I am in danger of hell as to think I should so dishonour God that I should so offend so gracious and merciful a God and spurn against all his mercies Oh my soul my Immortal soul I know not what will become of it to all eternity it is the grief of my very soul that I have neglected time as I have done now I see so much need of Christ and so much preciousness and excellency in Christ that if the greatest King in the World should come and throw his Crown at my foot and tell me I should enjoy it and all the glory of it for millions of years and should have my liberty presently and should say but it must be without Christ I would sooner choose to die this moment nay to be racked to pieces by ten thousand deaths or burn ten years together so I may have a Christ I speak freely from my heart so far as I know my heart and now I find it is not only the Devils tempting me hath brought me to this but this cursed wretched devillish heart of mine within It is within me so that it was in me before it was committed by me I deserved hell ten thousand times over before I committed this horrid sin well now I am resolved I will pray as much as I can and weep and wrestle with God as if I were to have Heaven for it but when I have done all I will deny all for my Prayers and Tears cannot save me and I will fully and wholly throw my self at the feet of Christ and if I am damned I will be damned there and more he spake to this purpose in Mr. Bakers hearing About three dayes after Mr. B. coming to him asked him how it was with him He told him that the Devil was very busie with him and did sollicite him grievously with his temptations perswading him to have thoughts of escaping these things said he hindred my minding of God one part of the day the other part of the day the Devil fills me with drowsiness that I can neither pray nor read nor perform any duty nor mind any one that prays with 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 Devils 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 or 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 was 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 God's 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 from 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 Bar of Men he answered Methinks when I consider seriously of it what a light poor thing Mans Bar is in comparison of Gods Bar yet Mans Bar is enough to daunt one to hear them say Take him Jaylor tie him up but to appear before Gods Bar who knoweth all the sins that ever I committed he saw all my secret sins and for God to say Take him Jaylor 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 Bar. 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 a sleep 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 Duty but now I 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 Trial 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 surprizal 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 cheer his spirits and when T. D. was with him on Saturday before
therefore begin to ask what shall you do that you and yours may be saved and your servants and Children might escape the snares of Satan and flee youthful lusts And 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 patterns 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 Judg take an exact account of your servants how they spend their time what company they keep what they do upon the Sabbath if you would make any thing of Religion be as careful that the Sabbath be spent in God's service as the Week-daies 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 one to any 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 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 wholsome 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 pity dear Lord my children and my servants and let all under my roof be of the houshold of faith and of the Family of the Lord Jesus And now once more I beg you to be in good earnest 't will be the truest 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 youthful lusts and to day you have heard something of the danger of these sins Methinks by this time you should be in a rage against sin methinks you should all say Well now I will never spend the Sabbath day as I have done I 'le never come near the company of vile women This I hope shall be a warning to me as long as I live Are you in sober sadness of this mind O that the Lord would keep this always upon your hearts O that you may not now get out into the cold world and shake off the sense of these things But do I not see some weeping eyes 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 those sins for many a year what shall I do I shall answer this honest request and the God of love and power send it home 1. Labour to be acquainted with the Principles of Religion Be much in reading of the Scriptures search 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 those that live and die in youthful 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 Ministry 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 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 1 Cor. 15. 33. 1 Pet. 4. 4. Heb. 6. 12. 5. Take heed of sinning against conscience Let David's Prayer be yours Ps 19. 13. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me 6. Take heed of putting off Repentance remember now thy Creator now is the acceptable time O if you value your lives make hast and delay not an hour but go home fall upon your knees beg of God to give you repentance unto life give God no rest day nor night till he have charged your heart and made you see your need of a Christ and made you to give 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 Eccles 12. 1. Psal 119. 62. 7. Be much in consideration commune now and then with your heart think seriously whither you are going and ask your soul what a condition it is in what it hath to bear it up against the fear of death what provisions are made for eternity look into your purse what mony 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 prayer 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 hear of them again 9. Be diligent in your calling be not slothful in your worldly business idleness is the devils 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 will 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 intreaties 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 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 Doolitel Thomas Vincent James Janeway Hugh Baker To which is annexed a Sermon Preached at his FUNERAL The Thirteenth 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 Tho. Savage With other new Additions London Printed in the Year 1671. 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 commiting 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 had 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 lewd women and a severe example of Gods Justice upon such cruel Monsters who are not content with endangering the Souls of such ignorant young men that have not the fear of God before their eies with their abominable whoredoms 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 suffered 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 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 very 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 publick shame if they be discovered to the great grief and even heart-breaking of their Friends when they hear of 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 other spare time in the service of God as Reading Praying Hearing the Word Preached c. 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 bounds being confined to a Page I rest A real well-wisher to the eternal happiness of thy 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 as from Earth to Heaven for vengeance And however some horrible Murders may be seeretly 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 hainous crime do so inwardly lash and torment them that they can find no rest untill they have made discovery of the Fact with their own mouth there is the all-seeing eye of a 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 hidden 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 virtue that when it is applied 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 died in sin unto a Scarlet and Crimson hue This Blood we hope was sprinkled upon the Conscience of this Murderer who had a little before embrued his hands in the blood of his Fellow-servant for having given such evidences of his sincere repentance and true Faith unto several of its 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 Christ's Blood he hath escaped the second death and wrath of God in Hell The Narrative may give the same satisfaction to others which we the publishers hereof have received which is as followeth THomas Savage born in the Parish of Giles's in the Fields 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 two or three 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 mony 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 replied he could not do it because the Maid was alwaies 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 Murder he was with her in
be inflicted upon him that he had but a few Weeks more to live and then he would be Tryed and Condemned and Executed but they told him that the punishment of Temporal Death was but small in comparison with the punishment of eternal Death in Hell which he had deserved and was exposed unto They told him that so soon as Death should make a separation between his Soul and Body that his Soul must immediately appear before the dreadful Tribunal of the Sin-revenging God and there receive its final doom and be irreversibly sentenced to depart from the presence of the Lord in everlasting fire if he were found under the guilt of this or any other sin They asked him if he knew what Hell was telling him what a fearful thing it would be for him to fall into the hands of the living God how intollerable the immediate impressions of Gods wrath would be upon his Soul what horrour and anguish he would there be filled withal and how he would be bound up in Chains of darkness until the judgement of the great day and then told him of the Glorious Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to Judgment that Soul and Body should be then joyned together and condemned together and punished together with such exquisite torments as never entered into the heart of man to conceive declaring the extremity and the eternity of the Torments of Hell which were the just demerit of his sins Then they asked him whether he had any hopes of escaping this dreadful punishment of hell He answered that he had They enquired into the grounds of his hopes he told them that he repented of his fault and hoped God would have mercy on his Soul They asked him whether he thought his Repentance would procure for him a Pardon He knew no other way They told him that God was just and his justice must be satisfied and there was no way for him to do it but by undergoing the eternal torments of Hell and did he know no way of satisfying Gods Justice besides and pacifying his anger that was kindled against him No he knew not any and 〈◊〉 did he hope to be saved He answered yes They â—â—quired whether ever he had experience of a gracious change wrought in him Herein he could give no account and yet hoped to be saved Yes They told him his hopes were unsound having no good foundation and he would find himself disappointed that it was not his repentance his tears and prayers though he ought to use them as means that would save him if he fixed the Anchor of his hope upon them That if he hoped to be saved in the condition which for the present he was in he would certainly be damned That he must cast away all those groundless hopes he had conceived and endeavour to despair in himself that being pricked and pained at heart through the apprehensions of the wrath of God ready to fall upon him and seeing no possibility of flying and and escaping if he looked only to himself he might cry out What shall I do to be saved and enquire after a Saviour and then they spake to him of the Lord Jesus Christ and the way of Salvation by him which before he was sottishly ignorant of as if he been brought up in a Countrey of Infidels and not of Christians The words spoken to him by these two Ministers seemed to take little impression upon him whilst they were present yet after they were gone the Lord did begin to work and he did acknowledg to Mr. B. that two had been with him he knew not their names whose words were like arrows shot into his heart and he did wish that he had those words in writing especially one expression of T. V. That he would not be in his condition for ten thousand Worlds did affect and so affright him that he said it made his hair stand an end An account of a Discourse betwixt T. D. and T. S. about fourteen daies after he was Prisoner in Newgate VVHen I came in and saw him in Irons I said were these Fetters for the sake of the Gospel they would be far more precious than chains of Gold but see here the cursed fruits of Sin that thou shouldst all thy life-time have been a faithful servant of God hast neglected no time to serve the Devil I asked him how old he was he said 16 years old I told him he was a young man but an old sinner then I began to set my self to bring him to a sense of his sin and of his miserable and lost estate and asked him whether he believed there was a God he answered yes and dost thou believe that this God is true he said yes and taking up the Bible I asked him dost thou believe that this is the Word of God he answered yes Then I told him according to this Word he was a damned wretch and God had past a sentence of death upon him and told him plainly that he should not enter into the Kingdom of God but be a companion of Devils in a lake of Brimstone to all Eternity meaning without Repentance Conversion and Faith in Christ Then I turned him to several Scriptures and told him this was the Word by which he must be judged at the 〈◊〉 of God and be damned or saved according 〈◊〉 then he should be found to be converted oâ—â—â—…converted The Scriptures were these 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God be not deceived neither Fornicaters nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Esseminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind ver 10. Nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God Another Scripture I read to him was Gal. 5. 19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness ver 20. Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies ver 21. Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God The next Scripture to the same purpose was Rev. 21. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death I told him these were the words of the holy true and infallible God this was the sentence which God had passed upon him as the desert of those abominable sins which he was guilty of for these Scriptures pointed at several of the sins which he confessed he had lived in and had committed as Drunkenness Lying Uncleanness and Murder I cryed you confess your self guilty of these sins and that God threatneth you with eternal death with everlasting torments and exclusion from his Presence and Kingdom not only God's Justice but God's Truth
he died he charged him with this sin which had caused such a blot upon all the profession he had made and what great cause he had to be humbled before God and desired him to tell him as a dying man whether it was his voluntary act and delight in excessive drinking or no and he did profess that he knew it was not the quantity that he had drunk which was not neer so much as at other times he did use without distempering himself However God was pleased to make him tast the bitterness of that cup in that he had given such occasion to sinners to speak evil of the ways of himself upon the stones cried out Oh that I should offend God! And though he did much lament the scandal yet he always said that he looked not upon it as a sin of Drunkenness but a circumvention or to use his own words that something was put into the drink to distemper his head On Saturday during the Sessions he was Arraigned and pleaded Guilty confessing with many tears and wringing his hands that he did through the instigation of the Devil and enticement of that wretched Creature meaning his Harlot thâ—â— he had committed that bloody Fact which was sucâ— an horror to his Conscience that he would not do it again for ten thousand Worlds his carriage and confession was such that he much moved the Honourable Bench and Jury and most of the Beholders On Munday next he received his Sentence of death after which time he was with the other condemned Prisoners and did pray with them four times a day and read to them and sung Psalms with them After the execution of the rest he had time given or procured him by the Honourable Sheriff of London for some daies which he improved to the great advantage of his Soul On Friday night he uttered these expressions in Company with H. B. being the day that the other Prisoners were Executed I find saith he so much sweetness and delight and pleasure in Gods ways and so much folly in the ways of sin that if there were no Heaven to reward nor any Hell to punish I could not but love the waies of God and the people of God O it is so sweet to be in company with them praying and conversing with them over what is in hearing others Swear and Curse that I account it as great a mercy as any almost that I may be in their company O methinks it is a Heaven to me to be with Gods Ministers and People and Prayer now is so sweet that I grudge the time alwaies when I am off from my knees or go down to the Grate Now there is nothing in the World I prize like Christ one Christ above ten thousand Worlds now I do repent and I do believe through mercy it is the Lord's work but I earnestly beg and pray for a more humble and a more broken heart and a more through sense of sin and a greater sorrow for it and beg that God would enable me to come to him to believe in him Lord saith he Faith is thy work Repentance is thy work do thou enable me to repent nay thou hast enabled me to repent and I do from the very bottom of my heart Lord as far as I know my own heart I repent that I should offend so gracious and so merciful a God as thou art Lord and Faith is thy work Lord saith he hast not thou said no man can come to thee except the Father draw him draw me O Lord and I shall run to thee enable me to believe Lord and I shall believe nay I do believe Lord that Jesus Christ his Blood was not shed in vain did Christ die for nothing Lord did he not die to save all repenting and believing sinners of whom I am chief On Saturday at night in Company with Mr. Baker he discoursed thus O my dear Friend taking me by the hand come hither saith he and opening the Coffin look here is the ship saith he in which I must lanch out into the Ocean of Eternity and is it not a terrible thing saith he to see ones own Coffin and Burying cloaths when at the same time I am as well as you do you think it would not daunt you and to go to the Gallows to have the Halter and to die there were this for the sake of the Gospel I should not care were it ten hundred times a worse death but to suffer this cursed death for such horrid sins O this is sad why said I you have a greater mercy in some respect than those that die in their beds for they are full of sickness and pain and cannot so well mind repentance as you who are well and have nothing else to mind Ah Sir saith he their sins are of a far less nature than mine and so they do not need so much repentance as mine do my dying for such horrid sins makes my repentance to be so much the more hard Oh saith he I believe it it is a hard work to die I could carry it out as bravely as any do you think I could not But to consider that as I die and am sentenced from Gods Bar so I must be for ever immediately either be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable To consider this would make a stout heart to tremble those poor Creatures that were here the other night meaning the other condemned Prisoners they know not what it is to be in an Eternal state and if they are gone to Hell O Lord how miserably are they disappointed who hoped for to have gone to Heaven and are sent from thy Bar to endless burning Lord what a mercy is it that I have a little time longer left let it be improved to thy glory and let my soul live and I shall praise thee The Last Lords-day he lived he desired to be alone and spent it in wrestling with God by prayer and in other duties in order to his preparation for his great change by death that then he expected the next day in which duties he found so much of God that he had some fore-tasts of the joys of Heaven and when we asked him what of God he had found that day he replyed that he had such pleasure and delight in mourning for sin and praying unto God that he was loath to come off from his knees at night there were some Ministers that sate up with him and spent that night in Prayer with him and for him and in conference on Munday morning came T. D. to him before day thinking it was his last day for an order was sent on Friday for his Execution on Munday and said to him Thomas how is it with you now your last day begins to dawn he said blessed be God I am not affraid to die because I hope I shall go to Jesus Christ after some time in Prayer for him we desired him to spend some time 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 die 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 I 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 haue 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 wondering at the Grace of God towards him that one so wicked all his days so young being 16. years old so lately acquainted with the wayes of God should have such a spirit of prayer poured out upon him after this he prayed with more life and fervency then before and the nearer he came to his end the more we perceived God was ripening him for his 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 London's 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 Munday 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 that 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 Munday in the Afternoon he had an excessive pain in his Teeth as we judged occasioned by his leaving off his cloaths and putting on some thin apparel to die in and that evening he expressed great willingness to dye and leave this world he said I see and find so much excellency in Christ that he is so pure 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 thee Teeth was great but the pain of Hell was greater On Tuesday the day before he died 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 and Christ and Angels be The night before he died a Minister came to Thomas Savage and after other serious discourse for 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 approached so near unto him he might have some nearer accesses of God into his soul that when pale death stared him in the face he might see God's 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 others 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 incline the hearts of his Ministers to come and pray with me and pour out their souls in prayer thus for me For me a Murtherer for me a Drunkard for me so vile and sinful Well I cannot but love God and though I go to Hell yet I will love God for his goodness and graciousness to me already manifested in this world yea though I should be damned for my sin yet I could and would love God What would they venture to come and pray with me a Murtherer How did they know but I might have murthered some of them Pray for me wrestle for me well I know God loves
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 sin and thought I could never do enough to abuse thy mercy Pardon the sins that I have committed wash that bloud from off my soul let not my soul perish to Eternity It was 〈◊〉 horrid crime to shed innocent bloud Pardon that sin O Lord let the blood of Christ cry more for mercy than the blood of that Creature cry 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 remembrance turn them away behind thee Lord I have repented of them from my Soul that ever I should offend 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 the 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 have 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 humbled under the sense of my sins for they are dreadfull there are many Souls that have not committed those sins that are now in Hell O what 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 only 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 losing my soul to all eternity but Lord though I am 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 my 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 than 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 sin 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 purpoâ—… 〈◊〉 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 farewel of him 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 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 this 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 die a cursed 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 on her soul than 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 thereby I got acquainted with bad
company and so went to the Ale-house from the Ale-house to the Bawdy-house there I was perswaded to rob my Master as also to murder 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 souls 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 waies of God for the Lord be praised I have found so much of excellency and sweetness in Gods waies 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 die 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 Bar 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 nâ—w 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 received 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 pitty 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 of 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 haue 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 interest in Christ's Blood good Father good Lord before I go hence Lord I am willing I am willing to leave this world I â—an prize thee above all there is nothing I can prize like to thee wilt thou not receive my soul receive it into thy arms and say come thou blessed of my Father dear Father for Jesus Christ sake pitty my poor soul for pitties 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 than 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-Sabbath-day forgive me Lord wash me receive me into Thy arms O Lord Oh for one glimps 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 shewest 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 receive my soul one smile Lord one word of comfort for Jesus sake O 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 pitty me pitty me for Jesus Christ's 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 Sir I thank God though 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 receive my spirit Lord one smile Good Lord one word of comfort for Christ's sake tho death make 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 Whilst 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 seeing 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 received 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 eyes and his mouth though his teeth were set before and offered
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 despâ—seth 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 Tyburn sufficiently demonstrated this to be true Have not many cried 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 Lies and the older they grow the more skilled they be in this devilish Art it 's like they are not ignorant that it is a sin that cuts the bonds of all Society it may be they are told how dear Ananias and Saphira paid for one Lie Act. 5. 3. nay though the Word of Truth tell them more than once That Liars must dwell with their Father the Devil in that black Prison Hell though they hear of a Lake of Fire and Brimgone that burns for ever Rev. 21. 8. and that such as they are must be cast into it yet for all this they 'll venture still 3. Sabbath-breaking is another youthful sin O how little do most of the young people of this City 〈◊〉 the sanctifying of the Sabbath Doth not the multitude of Apprentices and Children that wander up and down Monefields on the Lord's-day speak this to be too true they dare not make bold with their Masters time on the Week-daies 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 of 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 may then 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 Christi Heaven and Soul let them go we have better things to think on more weighty matters to mind And is it 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 shall 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 God's 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 God's Way into the Devils Quarters O how bitterly did he bemoan himself for this sin as the cause of all the rest O! 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 cried 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 work I thought I could never dishonour God enough and that time that I should have served God most in I did most for Satan in them then I plaid 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 time I was with my Master and indeed I laughed at those that spent the Sabbath in hearing of Sermons and Praying and looked upon them as the veriest 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 mâ—n from me that the breaking of the Sabbath is a costly and 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 the 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 doâ—e 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 Tavern 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 Lord's 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. 14 15. Ezek. 20. 12. 4. Another youthful sin is Mispending 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 lie in the bosom of Daliah 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 veâ—y willing to give it him if he beg all my Estate I think it a mad request but if he ask me to pass away time with him two or three daies 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 than 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 â—â—mmon Prisoners one Sabbath-day they asked 〈◊〉 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 Tyburn 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 asked 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 case 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 O how many are there of this Daring Generation that bend their tongues like bows and shoot those Arrows against Heaven which will fall down dipt in the poison of Divine Fury It would make ones heart ake to hear how some belch out their hellish Oaths to hear how cruelly they take 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 his 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 God's 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 those tongues for madness it may be it would make thee think that an Oath is no such light matter You say words are but wind but believe it this wind will rise to such a Storm as will not be allaid without deep repentance till it hath blown thee into hell Did you never read the third of Mal. v. 5. I will come near to judgment and will be a swift witness against the false Swearers and such as fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts But you 'l say your tongues are your own who is Lord over us Psal 12. 4. You shall hear one shortly that will answer that question and let you know that he is Lord over that and that your own Tongues shall be made to condem you But what is it that I see How does that swearing Wretch storm and rage there at me for telling him of his sins Come come sinner if you spare not God I promise you I will not spare you and I tell thee What thou hearest is nothing to what thou shalt feel 7. The next youthful lust that I shall mention is Drunkenness Do not many I wish old ones were not here too guilty act as if their business in this World was to eat and drink and take their pleasures The Devil bids them read the Text Eccles 11. 9. Rejoyce O young men and they are easily perswaded to take his counsel and so they drink and roar and consider not what a reckoning will be brought in at last neither do they stand till they have read the latter part of that verse but know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment Not considering the meaning of that whole Scripture which is but this Go young man lie at the Taverns and Alehouses do drink and be drunk but remember this you shall be damn'd for it and God will make you take off t'other Cup whether you will or no and that is a Cup spiced with Wrath and Fury But you see not neither do you yet feel it and therefore you do but laugh at all this you say with those in Matt. 24. 49. My Master delaies his coming and therefore you eat and drink with the Drunkards you say let him talk till his heart akes I will never leave my Pleasure for you why Man Wilt thou then be desperate Dare you say I 'll drink though there be Death in the Pot though Hell be at the bottom of the Cup or do you think that God will be worse than his word and that though he threaten high yet he means no such matter O sinner deceive not thy self and if you forget the rest carry home but that one Text Deut. 29. 9 10. If any one hear the words of this curse and yet bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine own heart and add drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare him c. Do you read on and read it again and think of that Scripture the next time that you sit down to your Cups Little do poor creatures think how dreadful a sin Drunkenness is and how many it bringeth with it I 'll tell you of one story of my own knowledg and then I shall leave this A certain Drunkard that I knew very well when he was in drink quarrelled with his Fellow-servant and after a few words knocked him down with his Flail and killed him at one blow Afterwards by Friends he made a shift to escape the Halter and comes home again and swears and curses and drinks at as high a rate as ever but at last when he was in the same yard where he did this Murder he dropt down dead in a moment and I was one of the first that saw him 8. Another youthful sin is Vncleanness Is not England too near a kin to France Do not many of our young ones act as if they took pattern by Sodom and had learned of Gomorrah Jeremiah made sad complaint Jer. 5. 7. And are we less guilty Doth not the Scripture speak plain enough against this sin Though the Pope count it a Vemal fault yet those that are guilty of it will find that his Pardon will give them little ease when they are cast into a Bed of Flames Sure our hot young men seldom read the book of Proverbs but act as if that simple young man Prov. 7. 13. did run no great hazzard What was it that brought Thomas Savage to Theft and Murder what brought him to that shameful death O how bitterly did he take on that he should ever see the face of that Vile Woman O! had he but considered whither he was going and that most of her Guests go to Hell had be but thought seriously how bitter that sin would prove I believe he would have lain in Flames as soon as with that abominable woman Did none of you hear what he said when he was upon the Cart Did none of you see with what earnestness he spoke Why this was one great thing that he begg'd of you young ones as his dying request That you would have a care of this sin 9. The next youthful sin that I should mention is Theft Drunkenness and Vncleanness are two costly sins especially the latter and poor creatures are usually so bewitched with that that Credit Purse Body Soul and all must go rather than that beastly sin should not be gratified How many Servants are there that wrong their Masters imbezel their Goods and secretly wast them by the fore-mentioned sin and I believe I need not tell you what a tragical end Theft hath That Prodigy of her Sex and disgrace of Women could not be satisfied with Wine and good Chear her Purse must be fed as well as her stinking Carcase What do you come hither said she for without Mony Why where should I have it said he What hath your Master none replied that Monster Yes said he but I never wronged him neither can I. Nay said she if you be thereabout come no more here But alas the poor Creature is insnared so that he cannot but go to ask counsel of this Daughter of the Devil how he should manage his matters so as to get that money which his Master had She makes a ready reply and adviseth To murder the Maid to bury the theft O that unfaithful servants would think of these things and now and then read that Scripture Tit. 2. 10. and Luk. 16. 6. I should here speak something of the bloody sin of Murder but the Word of God the Laws of Men the Power of Conscience and the signal Judgments of God against such puts me in some hope that I need not much insist upon that I shall add but one sin more 10. Another youthful sin is Incorrigibleness How resolutely do most young ones go
be regarded Shall the Lion roar and will not such a Beast as you tremble Know this as stoutly as you brave it out now you will shortly quake But you are resolved come on it what will venture you will But hold sinner I prethee let 's reason the case a little do not act like a Fool and a Mad-man Were you ever in Newgate Do you know what a Prison is Are Fetters such desirable things Hath the Devil done you so much kindness as that you must venture your liberty for his sake Come tell me sinner what good did the devil ever do for thee willingly Is it worth the while to do and suffer so much for one that never intended any good to any in the World Consider a little young man is it nothing to come gingling in your chains before an Earthly Judge Is the sight of the Bench nothing Is it nothing to have your villany laid open before the World How do you think you shall look when Evidence comes in clear and the Jury shall cast you What brave it out still But what will you say when the Judg shall pass sentence upon you to be carried from thence to the Prison and from that to the place of Execution It is nothing to have ten thousand Spectators of your shameful end But methinks I hear some of that hellish rout laughing and saying It is but a swing or two and then all 's over their misery 's at an end But hold there sinner then thy misery will begin for thou shalt appear immediately before the Bar of God and there receive another sentence ten thousand times more dreadful than the former What do you make nothing of that dreadful word Depart thou cursed and then immediately the devil takes your soul They wait for their prey and thou must be reserved in chains of darkness in unspeakable and unavoidable torments to the Judgment of the great day and then thy cursed body and soul shall meet O what a dreadful greeting will that be when body and soul shall be cast into everlasting flames Well young man now what do you say Is it best venturing still But it may be thou beginnest to think what a strange censorious man is this Such Preaching is enough to make one out of their wits What is there no such thing as repentance a Grace a God one may be saved for all your railing What do you think of Tho. Savage did not he repent I hope you will not say that he is in Hell No indeed for I verily believe that he is a Saint in Glory but how do you know whether God will give you repentance I must tell you he is a singular instance such a one as we shall scarce hear of in an age and I remember that he that is oft reproved and hardens his heart shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy But though I speak thus Brethren I hope better things of many here and things that do accompany Salvation I am perswaded here are some young ones that had as live venture their lives as indulge themselves in the forementioned youthful Lusts I think I have some ground to say what I do Brethren I beseech you make not my boasting void neither let me be ashamed of my confidence I am perswaded I say again that some of you now hate what sometimes you did delight in and though it may be in the days of your darkness you lived in your sins yet now fear to fall into them as much as you fear Hell Courage my Brethren go on bravely and the Lord be with you you are the hopes and joy of old Christians they bless God from their hearts to see such Flowers in Gods Garden hold but out be strong and quit you like men and heaven shall be yours as sure as if you were already there Vse 4. I shall here speak something by way of advice to Masters of Families and Parents It lies much in your power to set a stop to that mighty torrent of wickedness that doth almost overflow this City Remember Sirs what a dreadful sin the sin of Murder is What then do you think of those that murder souls that starve souls How do you think God will take it at your hands that you should be so careful that your work be done and never mind his at all Is it nothing to you that one that dwells under your roof must dwell in everlasting burnings Are you so barbarous as to be indifferent whether your servants and children are damned or saved What can you answer when those of your own house shall stand before the great God and say Lord if it had not been for my Master I had never sinned against thee at the rate that I did He never told me any thing of the danger of sin he would be sure to call me up betimes to look after his business and if I neglected that I should quickly hear of it but as for the Lords Day praying or reading or any thing that concerned God or my soul I never was so much as reproved for the neglecting of them O! if I had been but told of such a dreadful place as this is and what sin would end in sure I should never have ventured as I did Sirs I beseech you think how you shall answer such an accusation at the day of Judgment as sure as you live you will then be speechless Parents methinks you have something within you to put you upon your duty What have you no love at all to the fruit of your Bodies Is it no great matter whether your children sink or swim would you be contented to see them in a house that is in a Flame do nothing to get them out Would you have your children fire-brands of Hell for ever will you do nothing to rescue them from that devouring Lion who would tear them in pieces can you bear to hear them cry out against you and ready to fly in your faces Doth it never trouble you to think what a greeting you shall have in another World when they shall curse the day that ever they saw you when they shall say I may thank you for this dreadful misery you never catechised me you never told me one word of this place of torment you never corrected me for my sin if you had it may be I should not have lain under this intollerable anguish What do you say Sirs to these things Methinks they call for your serious consideration Really if these be not weighty matters I know not what be Let me ask you in meekness whether it be not a piece of the most barbarous cruelty in the world to let your children and servants run to hell without doing what in you lies to stop them But I hope by this time some of you are a little convinced of the dreadfulness of the loss of a soul are loth to have the guilt of the blood of souls to lie upon you for ever and