N00355:152
A sermon occasioned by the execution of a man found guilty of murder preached…
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 that murderer to all persons; especially to young men, to beware of those sins which brought him to his miserable end.) / By Increase Mather, teacher of church of Christ.
Boston: printed by R.P. i.e, 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.
You seem to bewail your sin of Sabbath-breaking, well, know that you shall never have another Sabbath to break.—The Lord help you to keep this as you ought. I cannot pass this particular without once more commending it to your serious Consideration; O chew upon it, dwell upon it, that a few hours hence you shall certainly dye. It's a very awful thing to us to look upon you, a person in your Youth, Health, and Strength, Breasts full of milk, and Bones moistened with marrow and then to think that within so many days this man, tho' in his full Strength must die: and methinks it should be much more awful to you.
You seem to bewail your sin of Sabbath-breaking, well, know that you shall never have another Sabbath to break.—The Lord help you to keep this as you ought. I cannot pass this particular without once more commending it to your serious Consideration; O chew upon it, dwell upon it, that a few hours hence you shall cirtainly dye. It's a very awful thing to us to look upon you, a person in your Youth, Health, and Strength, Breasts full of milk, and Bones moistned with marrrow and then to think that within so many daies this man, tho' in his full Strength must dy: and methinks it should be much more awful to you.
5. Your Death will not expiate your Offence in the sight of God, nor cause the Turning away of His Anger from you: Its true the shedding of your blood will take away, the Sin from the Land that it shall not lie there, else innocent blood ⟨p. 92⟩should be imputed to the Land; but this does nothing towards the Satisfaction of Gods Justice In order to the Removal of his wrath from the Murderer. Punishment makes no amends for Sin, unless it be that which was inflicted upon Christ as he stood in the capacity of a Surety in behalf of the Elect, and so bare both their sin and their punishment, but otherwise Hell torments don't satisfy God's Justice nor quench the fire of his wrath, muchless can any bodily suffering do it, tho it be the highest, even death it self. Do not then deceive your self; Say not I have sinned, its […], but am now to suffer the Law, and that being undergone I shall then be quit. It is so indeed as to any thing that men can do to thee, but thy death does not at all deliver thee out of the hands of Divine Justice. Nay rather Sixthly,