A50164:199
Speedy repentance urged a sermon preached at Boston, December 29, 1689
Speedy repentance urged a sermon preached at Boston, December 29, 1689 : in the hearing and at the request of one Hugh Stone, [a mis]erable man [under a just sen]tense of [death] for a [tragical and] hor[rible murder : together with some account concerning the character, carriage, and execution of that unhappy malefactor : to which are added certain memorable providences relating to some other murders, & some great instances of repentance which have been seen amongst us / by Cotton Mather.]Speedy repentance urged a sermon preached at Boston, December 29, 1689 : in the hearing and at the request of one Hugh Stone, [a mis]erable man [under a just sen]tence of [death] for a [tragical and] hor[rible murder : together with some account concerning the character, carriage, and execution of that unhappy malefactor : to which are added certain memorable providences relating to some other murders, & some great instances of repentance which have been seen amonst us / by Cotton Mather.]
Boston: printed by Samuel Green, 1690
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Articles › Article 2 › Section 2: Example. II.Articles › Article 2 › Section 2: Exemple. II.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
—O (said he) What a wonder of Mercy is it to my soul, that God hath not cast me immediately into Hell, and given me no Time to repent, or to beg for an Heart to Repent! But […] Mercy hath spared a great Sinner. —The stoutest man (said he) that ever lived, should he but seriously think on ETERNITY, and have no Christ to fly unto, it will so sink the the Heart of him, that he could never bear it; but the Lord will show Mercy to my distressed soul.
—O (said he) What a wonder of Mercy is it to my soul, that God halh not cast me immediately into Hell, and given me no Time to repent, or to beg for an Heart to Repent! But 〈…〉 Mercy hath spared a great Sinner. —The stoutest man (said he) that ever lived, should he but seriously think on ETERNITY, and have no Christ to fly unto, it will so sink the the Heart of him, that he could never bear it; but the Lord will show Mercy to my distressed soul.
He gave himself wholly to Prayer, and would excuse Watchers from sitting with ⟨p. 12⟩him, that he might be at leisure for Communion with God alone. Sometimes he would give a start as he lay, and being asked the Reason of it, he said, O I have a great work to do! and but a little time to do it!
The Conflicts which he endured in his Spirit were unutterable, under which, he• day & night kept wrestling with God for His Mercy. One morning his Brother enquiring of him how he did, he replied, O I have had as doleful a night as ever man had, I have had three great enemies this night encountering with me; the World, the Flesh, & the Devil. I have been this night, both in Hell & in Heaven; and I can truly say with David, all this night long I have watered my couch with my ars, but as the day broke, my Saviour came & vanquished the Devil, & told him that he had no right in me, for He had Redeemed with His own Blood.