N01369:41
The sad effects of sin. A true relation of the murder committed by David Wallis, on his companion Benjamin Stolwood: on Saturday night, the first of August, 1713. With his carriage oftener condemnation; his confession and dying speech at the place of execution, &c. : To which are added, the sermons preached at the lecture in Boston, in his hearing, after condemnation; and on the day of his execution, being Sept. 24. 1713.The sad effects of sin. A true relation of the murder committed by David Wallis, on his companion Benjamin Stolwood: on Saturday night, the first of August, 1713. With his carriage ofter condemnation; his confession and dying speech at the place of execution, &c. : To which are added, the sermons preached at the lecture in Boston, in his hearing, after condemnation; and on the day of his execution, being Sept. 24. 1713.
printed by John Allen for Nicholas Boone, 1713
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.
To be preserved from Sin, 'tis to enjoy ⟨p. 6⟩a preservation, that, my Brethren, we cannot be too Thankful for.
Two things now demand a most affectionate Consideration with us; First the Method, and then the Mercy, of this Happiness, I with-held thee from Sinning against me.
I. The Method of our Good God, in With-holding us from Sinning against him; This is various, and curious, and has many Wonders in it. We will take the Surprising Subject into our Contemplation.
I. The Method of our Good God, in With-holding us from Sinning against him; This is various, and curious, and has many Wonders in it. We will take the Surprizing Subject into our Contemplation.
First; Our Good God With-holds the Temptations and Occasions of Sin; This is one Method in which He withholds us from Sinning against him There is an Army of Evil Spirits, united under one Leader, for which cause they all go under the single Name of, Saran, or, The Devil. The Design of these Evil Spirits, is to Tempt us unto Sin, that so they may by their Temptations bring us under their Condemnation. Our Tempter, the Devil, goes about, seeking ⟨p. 7⟩whom he may Deceive into Sin, & by Deceiving Devour them. As our Lord said, Luk. XXII. 31. Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you: So may it more or less be said, about every man in the World; Sinner, Sinner, Satan the Tempter hath desired, that he may have thee, to Tempt thee unto some undoing Wickedness. Indeed Satan must have the permission of God for it, before he can fall upon us. But now our God very often does not permit Satan, to Tempt us with such Fury, and such Success, as he would otherwise assault us withal. Our God has the Tempter in a Chain; He holds in the Ty-'Dog. He withholds the Tempter from Ensnaring of us, and thereby He withholds us from falling into the Snare of the Wicked. There are People set upon mischief. 'Tis very strange that they do no more. 'Tis because God Chains up the Devil, and won't let him suggest unto them, what they may do. Our Indians had else done a thousand times more mischief, ⟨p. 8⟩than they have, to our Plantations. This World is also full of those Things, which are the Occasions, the Incentives, the Inducements of Sin. The Stumbling Block: of Iniquity do even fill the World. But our God with-holds us from Sin, by with-holding from us, those things that would provoke us to Sin. He takes the Stumbling-blocks out of our way, & so withholds us from Falling into Sin upon them. Our God withholds us from the exorbitant Out-breakings of the Lust of the Flesh, and the Lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, by withholding from us the Objects, that are the Fuel of them. We say, 'Tis opportunity that makes a Thief. Our God withholds many a man from many a Th••t & other Sins by this; He won't give him an Opportunity. He won't give Riches to one man; and so the man is withheld from the Denying of God. He won't pinch another man with Poverty; and so the man is withheld from Taking the Name of God in vain.
First; Our Good God With-holds the Temptations and Occasions of Sin; This is one Method in which He withholds us from Sinning against him There is an Army of Evil Spirits, united under one Leader, for which cause they all go under the single Name of, Saran, or, The Devil. The Design of these Evil Spirits, is to Tempt us unto Sin, that so they may by their Temptations bring us under their Condemnation. Our Tempter, the Devil, goes about, seeking ⟨p. 7⟩whom he may Deceive into Sin, & by Deceiving Devour them. As our Lord said, Luk. XXII. 31. Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you: So may it more or less be said, about every man in the World; Sinner, Sinner, Satan the Tempter hath desired, that he may have thee, to Tempt thee unto some undoing Wickedness. Indeed Satan must have the permission of God for it, before he can fall upon us. But now our God very often does not permit Satan, to Tempt us with such Fury, and such Success, as he would otherwise assault us withal. Our God has the Tempter in a Chain; He holds in the Ty-'Dog. He withholds the Tempter from Ensnaring of us, and thereby He witholds us from falling into the Snare of the Wicked. There are People set upon mischief. 'Tis very strange that they do no more. 'Tis because God Chains up the Devil, and won't let him suggest unto them, what they may do. Our Indians had else done a thousand times more mischief, ⟨p. 8⟩than they have, to our Plantations. This World is also full of those Things, which are the Occasions, the Incentives, the Inducements of Sin. The Stumbling Block: of Iniquity do even fill the World. But our God with-holds us from Sin, by with-holding from us, those things that would provoke us to Sin. He takes the Stumbling-blocks out of our way, & so witholds us from Falling into Sin upon them. Our God witholds us from the exorbitant Out-breakings of the Lust of the Flesh, and the Lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, by withholding from us the Objects, that are the Fuel of them. We say, 'Tis opportunity that makes a Thief. Our God witholds many a man from many a Th••t & other Sins by this; He won't give him an Opportunity. He won't give Riches to one man; and so the man is witheld from the Denying of God. He won't pinch another man with Poverty; and so the man is witheld from Taking the Name of God in vain.
If God should order for man, some, Conditions, & some ⟨p. 9⟩Employments, & some Companions, which He withholds from them, Verily, they would be drawn into abundance of Sin, more than they are.
If God should order for man, some, Conditions, & some ⟨p. 9⟩Employments, & some Companions, which He witholds from them, Verily, they would be drawn into abundance of Sin, more than they are.
Secondly, The Diverting of us from Sin, by the Good Hand of God, this is one Method used by our Good God in withholding us from Sin. We should Sin more than we do, but our God withholds us, by finding something else for us to do. One gave this agreeable Account• how he kept his Innocency; The Devil don't find me at Leisure, to do what he would have me to do. Infuriated Saul would have Embrued his hands in the Blood of a Servant of God, but God called him off! We read, 1 Sam. XXIII. 27. There came a Messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come away:—You know for what. Many such a Messenger comes unto us from God, that calls us another way, when we are just upon some sinful perpetrations. The Flood seems to have been as notable, as General, an Example of this Observation. The ⟨p. 10⟩Curse of the Flood, is in this turned into a Blessing on the World. The more fructifying mould of the Earth, has been so damnified by the Flood, that men live now with more Difficulty than they did before. No man that knows the Heart of man, will deny, that a Flood of Wickedness is prevented in the World, by mens being so necessarily taken up how to Live in the World. What infinite Wickedness would men be hatching every where, if they had nothing else to do! If the World had nothing but Fruitful Plains in it, it would soon be an Entire Sodom, and fit for nothing but a Conflagration. Indeed our God withholds us from Sin, when he Compels us to Work. For the most part, our God plunges us into such indigent Circumstances, that the most of our Thought, and our Time, goes to the Earning of our Bread. By Engaging us in our daily Occupations, without which we and our Families would starve, Our God withholds us from Sinning against Him. And ⟨p. 11⟩sometimes when our Vocations are not enough to Engross our Care, and withhold us from Sin, our Vexations must; God finds out for us Vexations that shall. One man is hampered with such a Malady; another man is Embroiled with such an Enemy; a third man is taken up with such an Inconvenience. Why so; The Voice of the All-wise God unto us in these things is, Thus I withheld thee from Sinning against me!
Secondly, The Diverting of us from Sin, by the Good Hand of God, this is one Method used by our Good God in witholding us from Sin. We should Sin more than we do, but our God witholds us, by finding something else for us to do. One gave this agreeable Account how he kept his Innocency; The Devil don't find me at Liesure, to do what he would have me to do. Infuriated Saul would have Embrued his hands in the Blood of a Servant of God, but God call'd him off! We read,
Thirdly; Interest, Interest; That is a Surprising Method of God; That is a strong sort of a Curb, wherewith our God Withholds us from Sinning against Him. The Metal which the Curb is usually made of, is well known in the World. We say, Interest will not Lie; tho' it will often make men do it. Every man is True to that, which he takes to be his Interest. This is a most Exquisite Policy of Heaven, as I may call it, in the Government of the World. Humane Society, would be Damaged, yea, Disbanded, ⟨p. 12⟩if some Sins were not become very odious, which yet men are naturally enough prone unto; It is Interest that has made them Odious; men feel 'tis for their Interest that they should be so. God makes the Transgressors feel that word; Hab. II. 9, 10. Woe to him that Coveteth an Evil Covetousness; Thou hast consulted shame to thy self. God makes men see, that by such and such Sins, they shall bring a Mischief on themselves; This withholds them from Sinning against Him! There is a Detestable Generation of men, who go under the Name of Deists. These Dangerous Wretches pretend unto a kind of Moral Virtue; Their Moral Virtue is this; A man expects the Civilities of his Neighbours; his Condition would be insupportable should his Neighbours count him unworthy of their Civilities. Now, that a man may not Lose the Civilities of others, he must then treat them with Civilities. These are all the Bonds of a Good Behaviour, that these Baptised Infidels ⟨p. 13⟩are sensible of. This is all, that keeps the Dangerous Monsters, from Stealing, and Lying, and Murder. Our God withholds men from Sin, by making them see, that their Neighbours will else withhold their Civilities from them▪ Tis the Hope of Gain, by their show of some Godliness, that withholds many men from the Grossest Efforts of Ungodliness.
Thirdly; Interest, Interest; That is a Surprising Method of God; That is a strong sort of a Curb, wherewith our God Witholds us from Sinning against Him. The Metal which the Curb is usually made of, is well known in the World. We say, Interest will not Ly; tho' it will often make men do it. Every man is True to that, which he takes to be his Interest. This is a most Exquisite Policy of Heaven, as I may call it, in the Government of the World. Humane Society, would be Damaged, yea, Disbanded,
Fourthly. There is the Method of Conscience; Our God withholds us from Sin, by the Control of Conscience, which He has placed as His Deputy in our Souls. Men durst not Sin as they would, because of what the Candle of the Lord shows unto them; they can't Sin except they put out this Candle. A Conscience which tells them, That they who do such things are worthy of Death; The Conscience which causes a Wicked man, to do what no other man could bring him to; Act. XXIV. 25. To Tremble at the Thoughts of a Judgment to come. That stands in the way of many a man, like an Angel with a Flaming ⟨p. 14⟩Sword, and stops him, when his Way is perverse before the Lord.
Fourthly. There is the Method of Conscience; Our God witholds us from Sin, by the Controul of Conscience, which He has placed as His Deputy in our Souls. Men durst not Sin as they would, because of what the Candle of the Lord shows unto them; they can't Sin except they put out this Candle. A Conscience which tells them, That they who do such things are worthy of Death; The Conscience which causes a Wicked man, to do what no other man could bring him to; Act. XXIV. 25. To Tremble at the Thoughts of a Judgment to come. That stands in the way of many a man, like an Angel with a Flaming ⟨p. 14⟩Sword, and stops him, when his Way is perverse before the Lord.
And our God, by ordering a Good Education for us, keeps our Conscience in a more Wakeful and Active Plight; so that we cannot get over the Checks which it gives unto us. This Light within, tho' it be so darkened that it is not a sufficient Guide unto Life, yet it shows us, many Fair Things, and like a Fire it scalds us if we do any Foul ones. The Supreme Governor of the World holds the World in order by this Golden Engine, & withholds men from very much of the Disorder which else they would rush into. Many a man would Murder his Parents, Destroy his own Wife, Debauch his Neighbours, Blaspheme God, Burn down the Town, and run a muck among the people, if some Conscience did not withhold men from Sinning at such a rate of Outrageous Madness. The men who proclaim it, that they have shaken off the Regards of Conscience, and suppressed & smothered ⟨p. 15⟩its Admonitions, they are but so many Beasts of Prey let loose upon the World; It is from the Curse of God, when such Increase and Multiply.
And our God, by ordering a Good Education for us, keeps our Conscience in a more Wakeful and Active Plight; so that we cannot get over the Checks which it gives unto us. This Light within, tho' it be so darkened that it is not a sufficient Guide unto Life, yet it shows us, many Fair Things, and like a Fire it scalds us if we do any Foul ones. The Supream Governour of the World holds the World in order by this Golden Engine, & witholds men from very much of the Disorder which else they would rush into. Many a man would Murder his Parents, Destroy his own Wife, Debauch his Neighbours, Blaspheme God, Burn down the Town, and run a muck among the people, if some Conscience did not withold men from Sinning at such a rate of Outrageous Madness. The men who proclaim it, that they have shaken off the Regards of Conscience, and suppressed & smothered ⟨p. 15⟩its Admonitions, they are but so many Beasts of Prey let loose upon the World; It is from the Curse of God, when such Increase and Multiply.
Fifthly, and Finally. I can show you a more Excellent Way, than all of this. There are those whom a Good God Withholds from Sin, by infusing into their Souls a Principle of Grace, which is contrary to Sin; A Principle under the power whereof, men cannot Sin like other men. A Principle of Piety does God shower down from Heaven, into the Souls of some; […] Principle of Respect unto all the Holy and Just and Good Laws of Heaven. By such a Principle the Dispositions to Sin in the Hearts of Good men are Mortified; & the Considerations which deter from Sin, are Entertained, with a most Lively Efficacy. Under the force of such a Principle, a man cannot but hate Sin, and Loath Sin, and refuse to Sin; and if he be pressed unto: Sin, he will say, Gen. XXXIX. 9•. How shall I do this Wickedness, and ⟨p. 16⟩Sin against God? O admirable way of being Withheld from Sin! To be inspired with an Antipathy to every known Sin. The New Nature in a Child of God says to him, No, Thou shalt not Sin; Oh! Do not the Abominable Thing, which is hated by the Soul of God! This lays a Glorious Restraint upon him. Oh! that we were more commonly Restrained so! But now,
Fifthly, and Finally. I can show you a more Excellent Way, than all of this. There are those whom a Good God Witholds from Sin, by infusing into their Souls a Principle of Grace, which is contrary to Sin; A Principle under the power whereof, men cannot Sin like other men. A Principle of Piety does God shower down from Heaven, into the Souls of some; 〈…〉 Principle of Respect unto all the Holy and Just and Good Laws of Heaven. By such a Principle the Dispositions to Sin in the Hearts of Good men are Mortified; & the Considerations which deter from Sin, are Entertained, with a most Lively Efficacy. Under the force of such a Principle, a man cannot but hate Sin, and Loath Sin, and refuse to Sin; and if he be pressed unto: Sin, he will say, Gen. XXXIX. 9•. How shall I do this Wickedness, and ⟨p. 16⟩Sin against God? O admirable way of being Witheld from Sin! To be inspired with an Antipathy to every known Sin. The New Nature in a Child of God says to him, No, Thou shalt not Sin; Oh! Do not the Abominable Thing, which is hated by the Soul of God! This lays a Glorious Restraint upon him. Oh! that we were more commonly Restrained so! But now,
II. The Mercy of our Good God, in thus Withholding us from Sinning against Him; This is what we are to wonder at; and what exceedingly bespeaks our Praises unto Him. This will appear immediately. For,
II. The Mercy of our Good God, in thus Witholding us from Sinning against Him; This is what we are to wonder at; and what exceedingly bespeaks our Praises unto Him. This will appear immediately. For,
First. We shall fall into Sin, yea, into all manner of Sin and Blasphemy, and such as would never be Forgiven too; if our God Withhold us not. We are every one of us Depraved with Original Sin; and this our Original Sin is the Original of Every Sin; it contains in it a propensity to every Sin. We must every one of us all confess, Behold, I was •hapon in Iniquity. We must every one of us make that Confession, ⟨p. 17⟩The whole Imagination of our Heart is only Evil continually. Our First Parents whom God justly made the Representatives of all Mankind, were made Mutable. And it was no unjust Thing in the Sovereign One to make them so: Immutability is the Prerogative of none but the Infinite GOD. These our Parents, abused their own Liberty, and brought upon themselves a most Sinful Pravity; which cannot but be derived now unto us their Unhappy Children […] A Seed of Evil Doers, Children that are Corrupters! We are born with Hearts whereof we read, Matt. XV. 19. There proceed out of them, Evil Thoughts, Murders, Adulteries, Fornications, Thefts, False witness, Blasphemies. There is no Heart among us, but if God should not withhold it, rapid streams of Sin would burst from it, and whole Torrents of Iniquity. Bring in a Catalogue of all the Crying Sins found any where among the Children of men, there is no Heart among us, but what would soon carry us into the worst of them all, if God Withheld us not. And if God should allow Satan to fill this Heart, an Heart that is of it self so desperately wicked, no man alive can imagine to how a desperate a ⟨p. 18⟩Degree of Wickedness we should be carried, and with how vehement an Impetuosity! An Evil Spirit not forbidden by God, will go forth, and persuade an Aha•, an• prevail also, to any thing in the World. If God should not Withhold our Adversary from hurting of us, his Devices would soon be too cunning for us: The Charms and Chains of Hell would soon bring the last Confusion upon us.
First. We shall fall into Sin, yea, into all manner of Sin and Blasphemy, and such as would never be Forgiven too; if our God Withold us not. We are every one of us Depraved with Original Sin; and this our Original Sin is the Original of Every Sin; it contains in it a propensity to every Sin. We must every one of us all confess, Behold, I was hapon in Iniquity. We must every one of us make that Confession,
