A50229:51
A sermon, occasioned
A sermon, occasioned by the execution of a man found guilty of murder, preached at Boston in N.E., March 11th, 1685/6 (together with the confession, last expressions, & solemn warning of the murderer to all persons, especially to young men, to beware of those sins which brought him to his miserable end) / by Increase Mather ...
Boston: printed by R.P., 1687
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
And he told me, that he did foolishly please himself in thinking that he had sufficient reason to stay at home, because he had not clothes good enough to appear publicly in; whenas the money that he misspent in drink would have procured him Clothing. Let others then by his Example be warned against this evil, lest they provoke God, and feel sorrow for it, as he has done, I doubt there are very many in this great Town, guilty of his sin in this particular, perhaps some that are professors of Religion, which is dreadful to think on. I hear some say, that there are many Hundreds, nay, some Thousands in this place, that seldom hear a Sermon preached, from one end of the year to the other: if that be so, it is very lamentable. What is like to become of the souls of such profane persons? If they that are in place of power (be they Superior or Inferior Officers) can possibly redress this evil, they will certainly do a Service acceptable to GOD, and to our Lord JESUS CHRIST.
And he told me, that he did foolishly please himself in thinking that he had sufficient reason to stay at home, because he had not clothes good enough to appear publickly in; whenas the mony that he misspent in drink would have procur'd him Cloatheing. Let others then by his Example be warned against this evil, lest they provoke God, and feel sorrow for it, as he has done, I doubt there are very many in this great Town, guilty of his sin in this particular, perhaps some that are professors of Religion, which is dreadful to think on. I hear some say, that there are many Hundreds, nay, some Thousands in this place, that seldom hear a Sermon preached, from one end of the year to the other: if that be so, it is very lamentable. What is like to become of the souls of such profane persons? If they that are in place of power (be they Superior or Inferior Officers) can possibly redress this evil, they will certainly do a Service acceptable to GOD, and to our Lord JESUS CHRIST.
But I proceed to the Second Exhortation. If Murder be such a Crime as has bin declared, then