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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	day_n	lord_n	sabbath_n	6,348	5	9.8380	5	true

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

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

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

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

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

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

them as if it were ten times a greater fault for to reprove sin than to commit it Nay some are come to that height that they make but a mock of Hell and Judgment as well as sin Isa 5. 19. But these are so vile a Generation that I have little hopes of prevailing with them Psal 28. 4 5. Jer. 22. 21. Gen. 19. 14. II. The next thing I proposed to speak to was To shew you what it is to flee sin In this I shall be very brief 1. Not to commit it Take not up this Serpent for it hath a deadly sting in the tail of it Embrace not this Dalilah for she will betray thee hast away avoid it if you do not it is as much as your life the life of your soul is worth Isa 1. 16. 2. Flee That is avoid the very occasions of sin It 's ill jesting with edg-tools They are safest that are farthest from it A hundred to one but thou art caught if thou play with the Bait. Who but a mad man would take strong poyson into his mouth and say that he will then spit it out Who would choose to sleep upon the top of a mast Believe it Sin is one of the most dangerous things in the world and he that tampers with it plays with Hell and is sporting with the Devil 1 Thes 5. 22. 3. Flee that is hate it with a perfect hatred Say what have I to do with Idols any more How shall I do this and sin against God Labour for a spiritual antipathy against sin and to loath it as David and Paul yea as God himself Psal 139. 23. 4. Flee and perswade others to flee for the danger is not unconsiderable Tell others what sin will prove at last and perswade them to consider what the wages of such work will be Psal 119. 157. III. Why should we flee youthful lusts 1. Because our Captain bids us flee we have his Commission nay his absolute command may I not say his Entreaty too What is the meaning of all those pathetical Expostulations Turn you turn you why will you dye Why doth he bid us to beseech you to look about you What is the design of all the Scripture Wherefore do we Preach and pray Methinks the Ministers of Christ should be like those Angels that warned Lot to flee out of Sodom and when he lingred they pulled him and bid him hast and flee for his life I might be infinite in Scriptures for the proof of this Psal 34. 11 14. 2. Because of the danger of not fleeing If the wrath of God if Hell and Damnation if everlasting Misery be to be avoided then Sin is for as sure as God is true Sinners must be damned if they flee not sin 3. Because of the benefit that we shall have by fleeing sin We shall be everlastingly secured If Heaven and Glory be worth the getting if Happiness and Salvation considerable if a Kingdom and Crown be worth the having this may be obtained by fleeing from sin APPLICATION IV. Vse 1. Is it so That it is our duty to flee youthful lusts Then let all this Congregation of young men and women consider how well they have obyed the Command Sirs be faithful to your Souls and ask your selves speedily What you have done Young men Are you guilty or not guilty It 's better you should be asked this question at the Bar of Conscience than at the Bar of God's Judgement Children how say you are you as ready to obey as your Parents are to command Doth not your Conscience tell you that you can tell a lye to cover a fault and yet not be much troubled Some of you are come here this day to hear News more than to hear your sin reproved but where are you on the Sabbath-day May not I see you idling in the Streets and sitting at your doors nay may I not see you in the companny of wicked creatures in an Ale-house Well sinner well the reckoning will come up by and by I pray tell me How do you spend your time Is it in your Chamber upon your knees and at your honest Callings and in Civil and Christian Society who are the persons that you take most delight in Are they those that discourse of God and their Souls and warn one another with words of Grace VVhat think you of Cursing and Swearing Do you fear an Oath Or do you think the deepest Oaths the best Rhetorick and most graceful if I may so speak to your Discourse VVhat language do you speak the language of Canaan or the languague of Ashdod Can you stretch your selves upon Beds of Ivory and drink VVine from morning to night and look upon this as the only life Is it not a pleasant thing to lye in the embraces of wanton VVoman And cannot you use unseemly dalliance and say am I not in sport Did you never wrong your Master in your life And dare you do so still And how would you take it if I should come to you and tell you roundly of all your sins Could you bear it if I should come close to you and set Hell and Damnation before you Young men I beseech you answer me I tell you again it 's better for you that I should ask you this question here than God hereafter VVell have you put it to your Conscience And are you guilty I must tell you plainly I cannot but think that abundance of this Congregation are in many of these sins deeply guilty and yet there stands a slye sinner no more affected then the ground he treads on thou think'st I do not know thee but that if possible I may stop thee before thou com'st to the Gallows and Hell I shall do what I can for my soul to reach thee wherefore give me leave in the next place to speak one word by way of Conviction Young people I am not come this day to tell you News my business is not to tickle your ears but to do what I can possibly to keep you from that place of shame the Gibbet and that place of torment Hell I believe here are many that I shall never see nor speak to while the World stands and that our next meeting will be before the judgment-seat of Christ and therefore I must tell you I must not jest with you I speak to those that are guilty you know well enough who I mean Let me ask you soberly Do you believe that there is a God and that he is privy to all you do and dare you outface God with your wickedness Or do you make account his eye is nothing so man do not know can you so Believe it sinner you will shortly know that God and your Conscience are witnesses enough to cast you and is this nothing are not the threatnings of a God to be regarded shall the Lyon 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