AS the melancholy occasion on which we are now assem­bled, requires a plain serious discourse, such an one as is adapted not to gratify curiosity, but to lead us to a reli­gious improvement of the awful sight now before our eyes; I shall not spend any part of the little time allowed me, in critical remarks on the words now read, or on their connec­tion with those that go before, or that follow them; nor shall I entertain you with the opinion of this or the other learned expositor concerning them. The plain and obvious sense of the words, and what must immediately strike the mind of every one that attentively hears or reads them is, That excess in wickedness is the height of folly, because it tends to, and is likely to end in an untimely death. This is a truth worthy of our serious consideration at all times, but especially on such an occasion as this, when we are come together to see it verified in a particular instance. I hope therefore for your serious attention while I endeavour to illustrate this truth, by shewing,

I. When a man may be said to be "over-much wicked." And,

II. That an untimely death is what this leads to, and is likely to end in—and while I apply these things to the pre­sent occasion.

[Page 6] I. I am then, in the first place, to explain the expression of being "over-much wicked;" or, to shew, when this may be said of any person in particular. To which it may be said,

1. A man may be "over-much wicked" in respect to the kind or sort of sin he commits.

Sin is justly stiled "the transgression of the law." And the word transgression implies excess or going too far; it means going beyond the bounds or limits prescribed. All sins of com­mission, all offences against negative precepts, do therefore consist in excess. When the divine law says, "Thou shalt not" do this or that, he that does it transgresses the law, he passes over or goes beyond the bounds set him. So that e­very transgression may be said to be over-much.

But yet all transgressions are not equal: Some have greater evil in them than others. He that commits one sin, does in­deed as really transgress the Divine Law as he that com­mits another; for the law allows of no sin at all: But in some kinds of sin the transgression is greater, or there is a further departure from the rule of righteousness; and con­sequently some sins do in their nature or kind imply greater excess than others. And a man may he said to be "over-much wicked" on account of the sort or kind of sin he com­mits.

In sins against the second table of the moral law, the comparative evil, or the degree in which one sin exceeds ano­ther, may be judged of by the damage or injury done either to a particular person or to the public. The Divine Law which requires me to "love my neighbour as myself," and forbids my hating any person, is transgressed by hatred ex­pressed in reproachful and provoking words; but the trans­gression is not so great, as when hatred is discovered by rob­bing him of his goods, burning his house, wounding his person, or taking away his life. In these cases the trans­gression [Page 7] or excess is proportioned to the injury done to a par­ticular person. But then crimes are likewise to be consider­ed as they affect the community. And in this view some of them have a greater degree of evil in them, or are more ex­cessively wicked than others. Every thing that disturbs the peace and safety of the public is evil. Now this is done by tattling, tale-bearing, lying and defamation; whence it is that these kinds of vices are punishable as breaches of the peace. But the happiness of mankind, considered as form­ed into society, is much more affected by robbery, burglary, burning houses, and such like crimes, which are therefore justly esteemed greater transgressions. And indeed if men cannot be secure in their possessions, if they cannot rest safely in their beds, but must be in continual danger of having their houses broken open and plundered, or burnt over their heads, while they are asleep, the happiness of society is at an end, and government is in effect dissolved; for such a state is little, if at all, better than a state of nature.

A person therefore who commits these greater offences, these more enormous transgressions, may well be considered as being "over-much wicked."

2. The man is over-much wicked who repeatedly and frequently commits the same crime.

The frequent repetition of any fault renders a person highly criminal. A man by the long and habitual practice of wickedness of the lower kinds, may contract greater guilt and expose himself to a more severe condemnation, than would have resulted from the commission of a much greater crime in a single instance. A truth worthy of the very serious con­sideration of all such persons as indulge themselves in smaller sins, and think they are secure so long as they abstain from gross and scandalous violations of the Divine Law.

Now if a man become "wicked over-much" by frequently [Page 8] repeating and living long in the practice of sins of a lower kind, what amazing guilt must he contract, and what an awful condemnation has he to expect, who lives long in the habitual practice of great transgressions, or frequently repeats the same enormous crimes? When such vices as imply great excess in the very nature of them, are frequently re­peated and long lived in, it cannot be doubted that men are "over-much wicked." They are so in the sight of GOD, the unerring Judge of the World. Hence that threatning, "But GOD shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses." ^‡ All the enemies of GOD shall be destroyed, but this shall especially be the case of him that goeth on still in his trespasses. The man that frequently commits the same sin, or lives in the habitu­al practice of it, shall by no means escape. And hence ap­pears the justice of those human laws which inflict higher punishments on a second or third conviction of the same crimes.

3. Men are "over-much wicked" when they persist in their sinful practices, notwithstanding their having had plain and repeated warnings of their danger.

A man must be stupid to a degree that can scarce be sup­posed, who goes on for any considerable time, in the practice of gross wickedness, without feeling some uneasiness in his own mind, on the account of it. There are seasons in which conscience must awake, and when it will be heard. Or, if the consciences of sinners are ever so hardened and even "seared with an hot iron," yet when they practise such crimes as expose them to the stroke of human laws, they must sure­ly have at some times very uneasy apprehensions, and even distressing fears of being detected. "In the dark they dig through houses which they had marked for themselves in [Page 9] the day-time: They know not the light. For the morning is to them as the shadow of death: If one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death." ^* One would imagine, did not experience prove the contrary, that the thief who had been in great danger of being detected, and had felt these TERRORS OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, should "steal no more, but labour working with his hands," for his support. And his returning to such practices after such warn­ings, argues his being wicked over-much; it proves that he is to an awful degree under the power of satan and his own heart's lusts, and it is a dreadful token of his being given over to ruin and destruction.

In those cases in which human laws inflict higher punish­ments on a second or third conviction, and especially where death is the penalty on a third conviction, a person has still plainer and more solemn warnings given him. Those low­er punishments are designed to reform the offender, and they are well suited to answer this design. He ought to look on them as warnings of more severe punishments to be expec­ted if he refuses to be reformed, and "still goes on in his trespasses." And he that being thus often reproved, har­deneth his neck, has nothing to expect but that he shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

These are the ways in which men render themselves ex­cessively vicious. When a man commits the grosser kinds of sin; when he frequently repeats the same vice; or when he persists and hardens himself in his transgressions under solemn warnings; in each of these cases a man may be said to be "over-much wicked." But when all these circum­stances concur and unite in the same person; when his crimes are of the higher kinds greatly injurious to particular persons, and utterly inconsistant with the safety and happi­ness [Page 10] of the community; when such crimes have been fre­quently committed and long lived in; and when lighter punishments, instead of detering and reforming the offender, do but render him more bold and presumptuous; then is the person in a very high degree wicked over-much. His character is compleat and finished: The measure of his sins is filled up, and the man is ripe for destruction.

But I proceed to the second thing proposed, viz.

II. That an untimely death is what excessive wickedness tends to, and what it may reasonably be expected to issue in.

This observation may be illustrated and confirmed by the following considerations.

1. Being "over much wicked" tends to shorten the life of a man, or to bring death sooner than otherwise it would have come according to the ordinary course of things.

There is "a season and a time for every purpose under the sun," and God "has made every thing beautiful in his time:" Among other things "there is a time to die." ^‡ Old age is, according to the course of nature, the time to die. When nature is worn out, and can no longer discharge its functions, it is time they should cease: When the season for either doing or getting good in this world is over, it is time to leave it: When the earthly house of this tabernacle is gone to decay, and is no longer a proper habitation for the rational soul to reside in, and exert its noble powers and ca­pacities, it is the proper time for its being dissolved, and for the soul's entering upon another and more perfect state of existence, in which its capacities of Action and of Enjoy­ment shall no longer be clogged and prevented from exert­ing themselves as they now are. And there seems to be a propriety and beauty in leaving this world when a man can no longer be either useful or comfortable in it; especially if he be prepared for a more exalted and perfect state of ex­istence. [Page 11] Hence we have that description of the death of a good man in old age, "Thou shall come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season." ^† Old age being thus the "time to die," according to the course of nature, the death of a person in youth or middle age, is stiled untimely, or a man is in such a case said to die before his time, that is, before the time which nature seems to point out for dying, or before the time, to which, according to the ordinary course of things under the government of Divine Providence, his constitution might have held out, and so he might have lived usefully and comfortably.

Now excessive wickedness tends to an untimely death in this sense. It has both a natural and a moral tendency to this: And the tendency is so strong that it may reasonably be expected, that this will be the issue and event.

Excess of any kind does in its own nature tend to weaken, wear out and destroy the human constitution: It introduces disorders, pains and weakness, which all tend to the dissolu­tion of the body, and frequently bring on death sooner than it would have come in the course of nature. This is especi­ally true of some particular kinds of wickedness, and per­haps of none more than Intemperance and excessive lust. "Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart." ^‡ "They die in youth" whose "life is among the unclean." ^* And then all kinds of wickedness, especially when practised in an excessive degree, tend to procure an untimely death as they provoke GOD, the sovereign ruler of the world, to cut men off in the midst of their days. Hence we have such threat­nings as these, "Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days," ^† and "he that getteth riches and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool." ^¶ These threatnings a righteous GOD carries into execution in various ways; sometimes by dis­eases, [Page 12] and at other times by accidents, all of which are under his direction and accomplish his pleasure. Again,

2. Being "over-much wicked" tends to an untimely death as it exposes a man to capital punishment, or to be cut off by the sword of civil justice.

It is commonly said of one that has suffered death as a malefactor, that he came to an untimely end. And there is a propriety in the expression; for such an one dies sooner than he would have done in the ordinary course of things; he dies while his strength is firm in him, before his constituti­on is exhausted and death become necessary according to the established laws of nature: He dies before the season which the wise man calls the "time to die;" and therefore when, humanly speaking, he might have lived longer.

Now if we take the expression of a man's dying before his time in this sense, or understand by it his suffering a vi­olent death from the hand of civil justice, it is true that be­ing wicked over-much exposes a man to it.

Civil Magistracy is an "ordinance of GOD," and a very important and necessary one. The great end and design of it, is the public good; or the security, the peace and hap­piness of civil society. This end cannot be attained unless magistrates are vested with sufficient power to punish male­factors, and that with such a degree of severity that others may be restrained from imitating them. Accordingly GOD has committed the sword to the magistrate, and constituted him "the revenger to execute wrath on him that doeth evil." ^‡ Some crimes are so great and of so pernicious a na­ture that nothing can expiate them, or secure the public from the ruinous effects of them, but the death of the crimi­nal: Accordingly GOD has, in mercy to the community, committed the sword to the magistrate, and constituted him [Page 13] "a revenger to execute wrath" on such persons. It has in consequence hereof been allowed in all ages and nations, that the civil magistrate has a just right in some cases to in­flict capital punishments, or to take away the life of a male­factor. One of the laws GOD gave to mankind in general was, "whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." ^* There can therefore be no doubt that murder is to be punished with death: Nor is this the only crime that may justly be thus punished. When GOD himself condes­cended to become the King of the Jewish nation, and in this character gave them a body of judicial laws, he ordered that several other crimes besides murder, should be punished with death. Now, though the laws given peculiarly to the Jews, do not necessarily oblige other nations to whom they were not given; yet, since they came from GOD, it must be al­lowed that there was nothing unjust either in the laws them­selves, or in the penalties with which they were inforced.

Human laws, consider crimes in a political view; and the scale by which the evil of them is measured and determi­ned, is their tendency to destroy the public good, or the safety and happiness of society. If, therefore, there are crimes, the prevalence of which will certainly destroy the safety and se­curity, and even the being of society; and at the same time, men are not to be detered or restrained from practising them by any other method, it is lawful for the magistrate to put them to death. The right of self-preservation belongs to communities as well as to particular persons. This right will justify a private man in taking away the life of one that assaults them, when he can no other way defend his own life against him; and it will as fully vindicate the magistrate in putting to death the criminal, against whose destructive prac­tices the public cannot otherwise be secured and defended.

[Page 14] It can hardly be doubted, that a long continued course of house-breaking, and robbery is as destructive of the being and happiness of civil society, as a single instance of murder; and more so than some crimes that were made capital by the Jewish law; and if this be granted, the justice of punishing it with death seems evident. By the law of Moses a man was justified who killed the person he found breaking up his house in the night. ^* It seems therefore that this crime did, in the judgment of the Divine Lawgiver, amount to a forfeiture of life. For as every man has a right to his life, it is murder to kill a man who has not forfeited his life: But in this case, the killing was allowed, and therefore the forfeiture must be supposed.

Now, if a course of house-breaking and robbery be justly punishable with death, it is plain that being in this way over-much wicked is the way for a person to die before his time.

I will but just add,

3. Death is always untimely to the person who is unpre­pared for it: And in this sense he that is wicked over-much is in the utmost danger of dying before his time.

Death is untimely whenever it comes before that great and important design for which life was given, is answered: And it had been better not to have lived at all, than in this respect to have lived in vain. We are sent into this world as probationers for an eternal state. The great end for which life is given, and on the account of which it is worth having, is that men may obtain a right to, and the necessary quali­fications for, a state of complete and everlasting happiness, in that unseen world into which they enter at death: That they may obtain the pardon of their sins and acceptance with GOD through the blood of JESUS CHRIST his Son, and be made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.

[Page 15] Being "over-much wicked" directly tends not to prepare men for heaven, but to render them "vessels of wrath fitted for destruction." By frequently repeating sinful actions, and persisting in them under warnings and reproofs, men treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and reve­lation of the righteous judgment of GOD. Nor can a man take a more direct way to die before his time, that is, before he is prepared for death, than by being over-much wicked. For resolutely persisting, and going to great excess, in those things for the sake of which the wrath of GOD comes on the children of disobedience, is by no means the way to obtain the mercy of GOD, through CHRIST to eternal life: But it is the way to harden men in sin and impenitence, and to ren­der them the proper objects of the everlasting indignation and wrath of the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.

But it is time to apply what has been said to the present so­lemn occasion. And how can I more properly do this, than by saying, "This day is this scripture fulfilled," before your eyes, and may your "eyes affect your hearts!" You have now before you a man that has been "over-much wicked;" one that has rendered himself notorious by the practice of great and enormous transgressions, such acts of injustice and violence as are destructive of civil society, and utterly inconsistent with the happiness of the community. His crimes have been frequently repeated and carried to an asto­nishing excess: He has persisted in them under warnings and reproofs, and to an awful degree hardened his heart un­der rebukes and punishments. The lighter punishments in­flicted on him, and even the sentence of death and prospect of execution, have been so far from bringing him to true re­pentance, that they have not restrained him from repeating his crime, and that in a number of instances. He has been a remarkable instance of impenitence: Seldom does the cor­ruption [Page 16] of human nature shew itself in so strong and affecting a light: Few men, it is to be hoped, have so entirely sold themselves to do evil. And now you all see the end of such a course. He now stands before you in the character of a condemned malefactor, and one that is in an hour or two to receive the due reward of his evil deeds, even death from the stroke of public justice. He has to an awful degree been "over-much wicked," and is now agreeable to the threaten­ing contained in my text, to "die before his time." He is to die while a young man, but twenty-eight years of age, and when according to the ordinary course of things he might have lived much longer. He comes to an untimely end, as he is to suffer a violent death, in the execution of a legal sentence. And I pray GOD his death may not prove untimely in a still worse sense, by coming upon him while he is unprepared for it.

So melancholy a spectacle suggests several useful re­flections, and must surely engage our minds to fix and dwell upon them.

The whole world would be no consideration at all to induce any one of us to stand in the place, or be in the condition of the criminal before us; shall we not then carefully avoid, and be continually on our guard against every thing that tends to bring us into so unhappy a state? We all have the same corruptions of soul, the indulgence of which has rendered this man so excessively wicked, and brought him into the unhappy condition in which we now behold him. He therefore who gratifies any of the sinful inclinations of his own heart, takes the direct road to ruin and destruction. Every indulgence of a vicious appetite strengthens it, and renders it the more difficult for him afterward to subdue or even restrain it. Every act of sin of any kind strengthens the habit: And every step a man takes in a course of vice, [Page 17] brings him nearer to that excess in wickedness of which we have so deplorable an example now before our eyes. Men grow extremely wicked by degrees. When they first en­gage in sinful practices they intend to keep within some bounds, and to be but moderately vicious; and perhaps would tremble at the thought of committing those greater crimes which they afterwards run into without remorse or concern. By practising smaller sins they are emboldened to commit greater iniquities. And this is what may reason­ably be expected, as it is exactly agreable to the [...] on of human nature. Every act of sin strengthens [...] inclination of the sinner, and at the same [...] weakens the natural restraints from sin, such as the [...] of conscience, a regard to reputation, fear of shame, and [...] punishment. Now it is not to be wondered at [...] from one degree of wickedness to another until they arrive at the greatest excess, when they are thus continually strength­ening their own vicious inclinations, and at the same times abating the force of all those principles which were implant­ed in them on purpose to serve as natural preservatives and restraints from sin. Especially considering that by the habi­tual practice of wickedness, though in a lower degree, men provoke an holy GOD to withhold from them the restraints of his Providence and Grace, and to leave them to be as vile as unbridled corruption can make them, and so to bring themselves to an untimely death in this world, and to an aw­fully aggravated condemnation in the world to come.

This is the case particularly with regard to sins of unrigh­teousness or dishonesty. Men seldom, if ever, begin with the higher degrees of this kind, such as house-breaking, rob­bery and murder; but they first practice the arts of cheat­ing and defrauding; from thence they proceed to the lower kinds of pilfering and theft, and are by degrees brought [...] ­der [Page 18] the power of satan, and hardened in sin till they are pre­pared to commit all iniquity with greediness. "So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain" until at length "he taketh away the life of the owners thereof." ^* And indeed it may generally be expected, that he who will be guilty of house-breaking and robbery, will (if resisted, or like to be ap­prehended) take away the life of a man.

Now, if this be the way in which men become "over-much wicked, so as to die before their time," of how great importance is it that their vicious inclinations instead of being gratified and strengthened, should be resisted and curbed in early life; and that those principles in human nature, which serve to restrain men from gross sins, should be kept alive and strengthened? Much of this kind may be done by a re­gular and virtuous education: And a criminal neglect of family religion, instruction and government is frequently the means of bringing persons to infamy and damnation. When family religion and instruction are neglected; when no or­der or government is maintained in private houses; when the reins are thrown loose on the necks of giddy and thought­less youths; when children who have not discretion to go­vern themselves, are not governed by others; and when mas­ters care not where their servants are, or how they are em­ployed, in the night, so that they do but perform their daily task; what can be expected, but that they will go from lower to higher degrees of wickedness, until they arrive at the most infamous and the most ruinous excesses? The case is still worse when heads of families by their own vicious examples encourage their children and servants in those evil practices, which all their authority should be exerted in pre­venting and suppressing. To such unnatural parents, to such cruel masters, (if any such are now present) I must say, look on the criminal now before you, under sentence of [Page 19] death and going to execution, and think seriously what ago­nies you would feel were you to see a child or a servant of your own, any one whom Providence had committed to your care, instruction and government, in his condition; and to reflect on yourselves as having been instrumental in bringing him into it. And here I cannot help wishing that the mistress of this unhappy person, who he says not only encouraged, but employed him, when a boy, in stealing things of small value, were now present to see what she was criminally in­strumental in bring him to.

A principal design of public execution is, that others may fear and do no more so wickedly. Let the instance before us be improved with this view. Let it engage all who have the education and government of others committed to them, to bring them up in a virtuous, religious manner; to give them proper instruction, and to maintain a due govern­ment over them; to encourage in them every thing that is virtuous and praise-worthy; to curb the first appearances of vice in them; and to restrain them from such practices, and such company as lead to it. Let all beware of habituating themselves to the lower kinds and degrees of wickedness, lest they be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, and lead by insensible steps to the greatest excess in wickedness, even such as shall bring them into the melancholy condition of the unhappy person now before us.

It is owing to the restraining grace of GOD, that any sin­ners are kept from the greatest excess in wickedness. But this grace is ordinarily afforded in these ways; and therefore we ought to be careful and diligent in the use of such means. And he that does not by the use of them endeavour to preserve himself, and all committed to his care, cannot reasonably expect that GOD will keep him or them.

After all, it must be owned that such restraints as may be [Page 20] expected in these ways, will not absolutely secure sinners from the danger of being so excessively wicked as to die before their time. There is no safety in a state of impenitence and un­belief. In order to a person's being in a state of security, it is not sufficient that his corruptions be under some present restraints, but they must be really subdued and even morti­fied by the sanctifying operations of the Spirit of CHRIST. Nor indeed is habitual grace a complete security in this case; for though "he that is born of GOD doth not commit sin" ^‡ so as to live in the practice of it, yet it is not impossible but he may in a single instance commit a capital crime. The lively and continual exercise of grace is the only way to be safe and secure. Let sinners then be awakened to flee for refuge to the hope set before them in the gospel. Let the terrors of hu­man, as well as those of the Divine Law, excite and quicken them hereto. Let none rest satisfied or think themselves se­cure till they experience the regenerating and sanctifying in­fluences of the Holy Spirit, changing them into the love and the image of GOD. And let not believers content themselves with grace already received, but let them be careful to live in the exercise of it, and to grow and increase in it. Let it be their care to maintain a constant and lively sense of the glorious perfections and the continual presence of GOD. And [...] them, in the steady practice of the duties of piety and de­votion, maintain communion with GOD in CHRIST. In these ways they may expect to be kept from the evil that is in the world, and bro't safe to the enjoyment of eternal salvation.

I am now to finish my discourse by applying it particularly to the unhappy person who has occasioned it, and at whose desire it is delivered.

Isaac Frasier, You now appear in this public manner, as one who has been "over much wicked" and as one who is [Page 21] now to die before his time." It is of the last importance that you be thoroughly convinced of all your sins of heart and life; and particularly of the crime for which you are to suf­fer; that you be deeply humbled for the extreme evil and the amazing folly you have been guilty of; and that, under a sense of your being a guilty and justly condemned creature, you make your flight to the hope set before perishing sin­ners in the gospel, even to the infinitely rich, and infinitely free grace of GOD exercised through JESUS CHRIST, the all-sufficient Mediator of the new Covenant. And it is of infi­nite importance that you do this immediately, since you are now within an hour or two of the eternal world.

Your sins go before you to judgment. They have been too open and notorious to be denied, and too great and ag­gravated to admit of any sort of excuse. Besides smaller crimes, of which your own conscience must doubtless accuse you, and which were the steps by which you proceeded to greater, you have in some very high instances transgressed the eternal law of justice and righteousness, in violently tak­ing away the property of other persons. You have in a sur­prising number of instances, broken into their houses, and robbed them of their substance, and in one instance set their dwelling on fire, wasted their goods, and endangered their lives. Your crimes of house-breaking and robbery have been frequently repeated: You have persisted in them after hav­ing been convicted and punished a first and second time; and that when you well knew, and was solemnly warned of it, that death was the penalty on a third conviction. Nay you have shewn yourself wicked and hardened to a degree we should scarcely have thought human nature capable of, were we not convinced by the fact; for even after sentence of death had passed upon you for this crime, no sooner did you obtain liberty by breaking prison, than you immediately re­turned to the practice of the same wickedness. Thus have [Page 22] you, though often reproved, hardened your neck, and now you see the consequence, you are suddenly to be destroyed and that without remedy. The peace and well-fare of the public, and the safety and security of particular persons render it necessary that your forfeited life should be taken away. Justice requires that you should suffer; and it is necessary that you be made a public example to deter others from committing such wickedness.

And, if your crimes deserve so awful a punishment from man, what do they deserve from GOD? The bo­dily death you are now to suffer, is nothing when com­pared with the death of the soul, that eternal death which means an endless existence in a state of exquisite misery; and which your sins justly deserve. You have in an high-handed manner, transgressed the laws and trampled on the authority of GOD, the sovereign ruler of the world: You have greatly offended and provok­ed HIM who is able to destroy both soul and body for­ever. The just penalty of the Divine Law, which you have broken, is that death which consists in being cast into the "lake of fire." And if death from the hand of man be so terrible, what must that be which comes immediately from the hand of the Lord GOD Almigh­ty? If you can scarce support yourself under the near prospect of your approaching execution, how can your heart endure or your hands be strong when GOD shall enter into judgment with you? "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD." ^¶ Well [Page 23] may your flesh tremble for fear of HIM; well may you be afraid of his judgment. 'Tis necessary that you suf­fer the death to which human justice has condemned you; nor may you on any terms expect to escape it: But, blessed be GOD, there is a possibility of your escap­ing eternal death. Sufficient provision is made in the new covenant for the pardon and salvation even of so great a sinner as you have been. The Blood of JESUS CHRIST cleanses from all iniquity. The salvation pro­cured by the Sacrifice of CHRIST; which compre­hends pardon, sanctification and eternal life, is by the gospel offered to you. O! how infinitely great is the mercy of GOD in making you such an offer after your many and great offences, your presumptuous and ag­gravated transgressions! Admire, and be astonished at his grace, and bow your soul to an humble, believing and thankful acceptance of it. Sensible of your asto­nishing guilt, and liableness to eternal condemnation; apply to and trust in the righteousness of CHRIST for pardon and acceptance with GOD. Sensible of the a­mazing corruption of your nature, that fountain of sin in your heart from whence the sins of your life have proceeded, apply to the blood of the REDEEMER for healing and cleansing. Pray earnestly to GOD through CHRIST, that he will be merciful to you, a guilty, condemned malefactor.

To conclude, You are now on the very brink of an awful, an endless eternity; in an hour or two you must enter on the unseen world; and your everlasting con­dition [Page 24] will be fixed and determined. This is the last sermon you are to hear,—these are the last offers of pardon and salvation through CHRIST that are ever to be made you. O! accept them immediately, for your eternal happiness depends upon it.

And now, may that GOD who is able to accomplish those things which are impossible with men, grant you repentance unto life, sincere faith in HIS SON, and that holiness without which no man shall see GOD. To his infinitely rich and free grace in JESUS the all-suffi­cient Mediator of the new-covenant, we are now in our concluding prayers to commit and commend you.