N00355:165
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.
5. Heartily bless God, and wonder at His Kindness therein, that He did not suddenly take thee away with His stroke, as He has done many such a sinner as thou hast been. Many a Drunkard has staggered and reeled into the Pit, has dropped into Hell in a moment, and gone full of Drink into the place where there is not a drop of water to cool his tongue. Bless Him that he did not choke thee with a Lye in thy mouth, or make thee fall down dead as soon as ever thou hast vented it. So were Ananias and Sapphira served, Act. 5. 5,—10. Bless him that He did not stop thy breath just when some execrable Curse or Oath was out of the evil Treasury of thy filthy rotten heart crawling up that […] of thy thr•••. Bless him that he did not strike thee dead in the place when the• wert profaning of His Sabbaths and for not sanctifying that holy Rest unto God, that He did not in the twinkling of an eye send thee to the place where thou should have no rest, night no• day. O bless him for this time of Patience and forbearance; for a space to repent that Divine Long-suffering has afforded thee. Bless Him that He has given thee a longer time of Consideration & Preparation for a latter end, that that poor wretch had who was by thy cruel hand ⟨p. 100⟩hurried away •nto Eternity in a little time. When thou gavest him his death's wound, Vengeance might have given thee a fatal stroke, and sent thee to thy own place before him. But he is gone, and thou art left, and forborne a little (tho' but for a very little) longer;—let the Goodness of God lead thee to Repentance.
5. Heartily bless God, and wonder at His Kindness therein, that He did not suddenly take thee away with His stroke, as He has done many such a sinner as thou hast been. Many a Drunkard has staggered and reeled into the Pit, has dropt into Hell in a moment, and gone full of Drink into the place where there is not a drop of water to cool his tongue. Bless Him that he did not choak thee with a Lye in thy mouth, or make thee fall down dead as soon as ever thou hast vented it. So were Ananias and Sapp•irah serv'd,