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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.
Min. And let me seriously tell you, Your Despising of Christ is a most dreadful sin indeed. You have, for whole years together had the Call of Jesus Christ to seek an Interest in him, & you would now give all the world for that interest, but you would take no notice of him. The Jews of Old put him to a worse death than yours will be this afternoon, and by your contempt of Christ you have said, the Jews did well to do so. How justly might •e now Laugh at your Calamity? And for these sins of yours, besides the direful woes & plagues that have already come upon you, you are now exposed unto the Vengeance of eternal fire. You are in danger of being now quickly cast into those exquisite amazing Torments, in comparison of which, the anguishes which your body ever did feel, or shall feel before night, or can ever feel, are just nothing at all; and these dolorous torments are such as never have an End; as many sands as could lie between this earth & the Stars in Heaven would not be near so many as the Ages, the end-less Ages of these Torments.
Min. And let me seriously tell you, Your Despiseing of Christ is a most dreadful sin indeed. You have, for whole years together had the Call of Jesus Christ to seek an Interest in him, & you would now give all the world for that interest, but you would take no notice of him. The Jews of Old put him to a worse death than yours will be this afternoon, and by your contempt of Christ you have said, the Jews did well to do so. How justly might •e now Laugh at your Calamity? And for these sins of yours, besides the direful woes & plagues that have already come upon you, you are now expos'd unto the Vengeance of eternal fire. You are in danger of being now quickly cast into those exquisite amazing Torments, in comparison of which, the anguishes which your body ever did feel, or shall feel before night, or can ever feel, are just nothing at all; and these dolorous torments are such as never have an End; as many sands as could lie between this earth & the Stars in Heaven would not be near so many as the Ages, the end-less Ages of these Torments.
Mor. But is there not Mercy for me in Christ?