N00729:182
Pillars of salt. An history of some criminals executed in this land, for capital crimes. : With some of their dying speeches; collected and published, for the warning of such as live in destructive courses of ungodliness. : Whereto is added, for the better improvement of this history, a brief discourse about the dreadful justice of God, in punishing of sin, with sin. : [Two lines from Deuteronomy]
printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1699
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.
Mor. Sir, if it were not for the Condition that my Soul must by and by be in, I should not fear my death at all; but I have a little comfort from some of Gods promises about that.
Min. And what shall I now say? These are among the last words that I can have liberty to leave with you Poor man, thou art now going to knock at the door of Heaven, and to beg & cry, Lord, Lord open to me! The only way for thee to speed, is, to open the door of thy own soul now unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Do this, and thou shalt undoubtedly be admitted into the Glories of His Heavenly Kingdom: You shall •are as well as Manasseh did before you: leave this undone, and there's nothing remains for you but the Worm which dyeth not, and the Fire which shall not be quenched.
Mor. Sir, show me then again what I have to do.
Min. The voice, the sweet voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, (who was once hanged on a tree, to take away the Sting and Curse of even such a Death as yours) unto all that close with him, His Heavenly voice now is, O that I and my saving work might be entertained, kindly entreated, in that poor perishing Soul of thine. Are you wil•ing?
Min. The voice, the sweet voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, (who was once hang•d on a tree, to take away the Sting and Curse of even such a Death as yours) unto all that close with him, His Heav•nly voice now is, O that I and my saving work might be entertained, kindly entre•ted, in that poor perishing Soul of thine. Are you wil•ing?
Mor. I hope I am.
Min His Voice further is, If I am lodged in thy Soul I'll sprinkle my blood upon it, and on my account thou shalt find Favour with God. Do you con•ent to this?
Min His Voice further is, If I am lodged in thy Soul I'le sprinkle my blood upon it, and on my account thou shalt find Favour with God. Do you con•ent to this?
Mor. This I want.
Min. But this is not all that he saith, His Voice further is, If I come into thy Soul, I will change ⟨p. 83⟩it, I will make all sin bitter to it, I will make it an holy heavenly soul. Do you value this above the proffers of all the World?
Mor. I think I do,— and now Sir, I must go no further, Look here— what a solemn sight is this! Here lies the Coffin which this Body of mine must presently be laid in. I thank you dear Sir, for what •ou have already done for me.
Mor. I think I do,— and now Sir, I must go no further, Look here— what a solemn sight is this! Here lyes the Coffin which this Body of mine must presently be laid in. I thank you dear Sir, for what •ou have already done for me.
Min. When you are gone up this Ladder, my last Service for you, before you are gone off, will be to pray with you: but I would here take my leave of you. Oh than I might meet you at the Right Hand of the Lord Jesus in the Last Day. Farewell poor heart, Fare thee well. The Everlasting Arms receive thee! The Lord Jesus, the merciful Saviour of Souls take possession of thy Spirit for himself. The Great God, who is a great Forgiver, grant thee Repentance unto Life; and Glorify Himself in the Salvation of such a wounded Soul as thine for ever. With Him, and with His free, rich, marvellous, Infinite Grace, I leave you. Farewell.
Being Arrived unto the place of Execution, his Last Speech upon the Ladder, then taken in Short-Hand, was that which is here inserted.
I Pray God that I may be a warning to you all, and that I may be the last that ever ⟨p. 84⟩shall suffer after this manner▪ In the fear o• God I warn you to have a care of taking th• Lords Name in vain. Mind and have a car• of that Sin of Drunkenness, for that Sin lead to all manner of Sins and Wickedness: (min• and have a care of breaking the sixth Commandment, where it is said, Thou shalt not a• no Murder) for when a man is in Drink, he i• ready to commit all manner of Sin, till he fi• up the cup of the wrath of God, as I hav• done by committing that Sin of Murder. • beg of God, as I am a dying man, and to appear before the Lord within a few minutes that you may take notice of what I say to you▪ Have a care of drunkenness, and ill Company and mind all good Instruction, and don't tur• your back upon the Word of God, as I hav• done. When I have been at meeting, I hav• gone out of the Meeting-house to commit sin and to please the lust of my flesh. Don• make a mock at any poor object of pity, bu• bless God that he has not left you as he has justly done me, to commit that horrid Sin of Murder. Another thing that I have to say to you is to have a care of that house where tha• wickedness was committed, and where I ha•• been partly ruined by. But here I am, an• know not what will become of my poor sou• which is within a few moments of eternity I have murdered a poor man, who had […]
One Hugh Stone, upon a Quarrel, between himself & his Wife, about Selling a piece of and having some words, as they were walking together, on a certain Evening, very barbarously reached a stroke at her Throat, with a Sharp knife; and by that One Stroke fetched away the Soul, of her, who had made him a Father of several Children, and would have brought yet another to him, if she had lived a few weeks longer in the world. The wretched man, was too soon Surprised by his Neighbours, to be capable of Denying the Fact; and so he pleaded, Guilty, upon his Trial.
ONe Hugh Stone, upon a Quarrel, between himself & his Wife, about Selling a piece of and having some words, as they were walking together, on a certain Evening, very barbarously reached a stroke at her Throat, with a Sharp knife; and by that One Stroke fetch'd away the Soul, of her, who had made him a Father of several Children, and would have brought yet another to him, if she had lived a few weeks longer in the world. The wretched man, was too soon Surprised by his Neighbours, to be capable of Denying the Fact; and so he pleaded, Guilty, upon his Tryal.
There was a Minister that walked with him to his Execution; and I shall insert the principal Passages of the Discourse between them; in which ⟨p. 86⟩the Reader may find or make something useful to himself, what ever it were to the Poor ma• who was more immediately concerned in it.
There was a Minister that walk'd with him to his Execution; and I shall insert the principal Passages of the Discourse between them; in which ⟨p. 86⟩the Reader may find or make something useful to himself, what ever it were to the Poor ma• who was more immediately concerned in it.
Minister. I am come to give you what Assistance I can, in your taking of the Steps, which your eternal Weal or Woe, now depends upon the well or ill taking of.
I Pray God that I may be a warning to you all, and that I may be the last that ever ⟨p. 84⟩shall suffer after this manner▪ In the fear o• God I warn you to have a care of taking th• Lords Name in vain. Mind and have a car• of that Sin of Drunkenness, for that Sin lead to all manner of Sins and Wickedness: (min• and have a care of breaking the sixth Com•mandment, where it is said, Thou shalt not a• no Murder) for when a man is in Drink, he i• ready to commit all manner of Sin, till he fi• up the cup of the wrath of God, as I hav• done by committing that Sin of Murder. • beg of God, as I am a dying man, and to ap•pear before the Lord within a few minutes that you may take notice of what I say to you▪ Have a care of drunkenness, and ill Company and mind all good Instruction, and don't tur• your back upon the Word of God, as I hav• done. When I have been at meeting, I hav• gone out of the Meeting-house to commit sin and to please the lust of my flesh. Don• make a mock at any poor object of pity, bu• bless God that he has not left you as he has jus••ly done me, to commit that horrid Sin of Mu••der. Another thing that I have to say to you is to have a care of that house where tha• wickedness was committed, and where I ha•• been partly ruined by. But here I am, an• know not what will become of my poor sou• which is within a few moments of eternit• I have murder'd a poor man, who had 〈…〉 ⟨p. 85⟩little time to repent, and I know not what is become of his poor soul; Oh that I may make use of this Opportunity that I have! O that I may make improvement of this little little time, before I go hence and be no more. O let all mind what I am a saying now I'm going out of this world. O take warning by me, and beg of God to keep you from this sin which has been my ruine. [His last words were] O Lord, receive my Spirit, I come unto thee, O Lord, I come unto thee, O Lord, I come, I come, I come.
