Warnings from the dead. Or Solemn admonitions unto all people; but especially unto young persons to beware of such evils as would bring them to the dead. / By Cotton Mather. ; In two discourses, occasioned by a sentence of death, executed on some unhappy malefactors. ; Together with the last confession, made by a young woman, who dyed on June 8. 1693. One of these malefactors.

An Holy Rebuke to the Unclean Spirit.

Uttered on a Day when Two Per|sons were Executed for Murder|ing of their Bastard-Children.

JOB. XXXVI. 14

They Dy in Youth, and their Life is among the Unclean.

TIS a Text, whereupon you may this Day, in this Con|gregation, behold a very doleful Commentary! You have before your Eyes, a Couple of Malefactors, whose Murderous Unclean|ness, ha's now in their Youth brought upon them, a most miserable Death. May your Hearts now give a profita|ble Attention unto the Use that should be made of such a dismal Spectacle; and of the Text now Read, which has been dreadfully▪ fulfilled in the Specta|cle. There are two Persons in this

Assembly, who shall never ano|ther Sermon; their Unclean life, is within these few Hours to be Extinguished by the Justice of God; ere the Clock that just new Struck, and the Glass that now▪ runs, have done so, about five Times more, they are to be gone before God the Judge of all; and be|cause they have been Fools, therefore their Souls before this Night, shall be Required of them. I Suppose, The Circumstances of These will oblige Them, to entertain the▪ Truths of God, this Afternoon, with a most singular Agony of Soul; but, I demand this from Allthe rest of You, that the Cir|cumstances of These, do quicken you all to mind, What you shall be told, concerning the Lamentable Desolations, which an Unclean Life do's bring upon the Children of men. Breef••y, As Fa|ther Latymer once presented unto a great man, a New Testament, with this In|scription ••mbossed▪ on the Cover of it, Wheremongers and Adulterers God shall Judge: Thus, I am to present, espe|cially Young People, with a Bible this ••••ay, and show them this Line upon it, They Dy in Youth, whose Life is among

the Unclean. There was, you know, a man whose Name was Job, and that man was Perfect and Upright, and one that fear|ed God, and Shunned Evil. He was a Persored of Quality, who dwelt in Arabia the Hap|py▪ and indeed, he made it Happy, by his dwelling there. Horrid and Hide|ous Trials nevertheless befell this Excel|lent Person; who under these Trials, was Visited by some Comfortable Neigh|bours, that yet proved but miserable Com|forters. There were Three more Aged men, and all of them, Venerable Saints, of God, who took their Turns, in deal|ing with Afflicted Job, about his Con|dition before the Lord. But at length is came unto the Turn of a Fourth, named El••hu, who stood somewhat longer than, the rest, in the Disputation; and among other Arguments, by that Eminent per|son handled, One in our Context is, The sad plight of Ungodly men, in the Black day, when the Vengeance of God shall overtake them for their Ungodliness: Especially when there is any thing beyond the Com|mon measures of Impiety, in that ungod|liness. There will come a Time, when the Wrath of God shall no longer for|bear the Recompences, which belong

to ungodly men; and in our Text, we have an Intimation, both When, and Why, such a Time shall come upon them. These ungodly Creatures are here called, ••••••••rites in this Book of Job; as they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 justly also called Fools, in the Books 〈◊〉〈◊〉 David and of Solomon: because every Sinner would be counted better than Indeed he is. Now,

First, If you would know, WHEN, the Displeasure of God shall break upon the Heads of ungodly Sinners, You are here informed, They Dy in Youth. It seems, That an Early Death, a Death in the Prime, and Spring of their Days, is that whereunto they make themselves Obnoxious. In the Original tis, Their Soul Dyeth; so that it is a Spiritual and an Eternal, as well as a Temporal Death, which is to come upon them In Youth:—Some Read it, In a Tempest, or With a Shaking: and thus, it notes their coming to a Death, which may be called Violent; some Storm or Stroke of the Divine An|ger, shall Violently hurry them out of the World. And there are who so Trans|late it, They Dy Rearing; as if, their Death were to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with such Rear|ing Distresses as Wretches upon the Gal|lows

use to be Turned over with. Be sure, Tis a Woful Death, as well as an Early one, that abides those who give themselves up to the Courses of Remar|kable ungodliness.

Secondly, If you would know WHY, these ungodly Sinners are thus, over|whelmed, with the Indignation of God, You are here advised, Their Life is a|mong the Unclean. It may be rendered, Among the Sodomites: and it is possible, that here may be an Allusion to the Destruction, that came upon the Sodo|mites, when our Lord Jesus Christ, giv|ing a Type of the Conflagration which He will shortly make upon this Earth▪ Rained from Heaven the Vengeance of Eternal Fire, upon the Cityes which He Spa|red not. q. d. They are for their A|bominable Uncleanness, just like what the Young people in Sodom were; and therefore God shall in their Youth sieze them with Snares, Fire, and Brimstone, & an Horrible Tempest. You may see how|ever, That Uncleanness is a most remark|able instance of Ungodliness: to say of one, He is Unclean, is to say, He is very Wicked. Receive then the Doctrine, which requires to be Lodged in your Meditations.

An Early and a Woful Death, is the Fruit of an Unclean and a Wicked. Life.

We have two Assertions here to be Advanced and mentioned.

Assertion. I.

As a Wicked Life in general may be called, an Unclean one, so an Unclean, Life, in particular is a very Wicked one. It is true, That all Wickedness, is called Un|cleanness, in those Oracles, of Truth, which never miscalled any thing. Thus, the Wicked Nature which we were all born into the World withal, ha's that said of it, in Job 14.4. It is an Unclean thing. Thus, the Wicked Person who do's Re|nounce God, ha's that said of him, in Eccl. 9.2. He is Unclean. All our Sin|fulness, is call'd, A Filthiness of Flesh & Spirit. When a Child of God ha's asked, for a Deliverance from Sin, he so Ex|presses it, Wash me thoroughly from my Iniquity, and Cleanse me from my Sin. And a man that Lives in Sin against the God that made him, is denominated in Job 15.16. An Abominable and Filthy man. Why? Because the most Loathsome. Dirty, Nasty Object in the World, is not so Distastful unto us, as all Wickedness is unto our God, who is, Not a God that

hath pleasure in Wickedness.

But then there is One peculiar sort of Wickedness, which the Term of Un|cleanness is more strictly put upon; tis the Violation of that Chastity, which is Enjoyned upon us, by the Seventh Com|mandment, in the Holy, & Just, & Good, Laws of our God. And why is this Luxury called Uncleanness, but because of a Special Filthiness, and Ugliness, which this Vice is attended with? Indeed, such is the Wretchedness of the Corrupti|on, in man, that it is hardly safe so much as to mention in his Hea••ing, the Several kinds of his Damnable Wickedness. It was the Apostolical Council, in Eph. 5.3. All Uncleanness, let it not be once Named among you. And accordingly, The Holy Spirit of God here in our Text, as well as else where, has used a Notable Anti|phrasis, to describe the worst Uncleanness by. The word for, The Unclean, is The Ho|ly; because tis not easy to find any word Convenient and Emphatical Enough, to set out the detestable Unholiness, that is in such Uncleanness. However, we may with some Scripture-Phrases indigitate the Chief of those Diabolical Pranks, that are Committed by those whose

Life is among the Unclean. Breefly,

There is then a Cursed Self-Pollution, which is usually the first Pit of Unclean|ness, where into they fall, that are, The Abhorred of the Lord. Wretches there are, that like Wicked Onan, do so Sacrifice their seed unto the Devil: and these are meant by those Effoeminate, concern|ing whom tis said, in 1 Cor. 6▪9,10. Be not Deceived, They shall not Inherit the Kingdom of God.

There is next, an Odious Fornication, which is a further Step, of that Unclean|ness, where unto the Raging Lusts of men do carry them. Tis that, wherein Un|wedded Persons, of both Sexes, do pros|titute themselves; and it is reckoned a|mong those Works of the Flesh, whereof we are assured in Gal.5. 20,21. They which do such Things, shall not Inherit the Kingdom.

If they that have been thus▪ Unclean, do come to Marry, it is well if the Un|clean Spirit still haunt them not. The•••• are Inexpressible Uncleanness, in the Married Stare, which the word of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 has Branded, in Col. 3.5. Under the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the of, Inordinate Affection; for which Things sale the Wrath of God comes upon the Children of Disobedience.

And sometimes, the Uncleanness grows into Adultery; Yea, Perhaps a doubled Adultery: wherein the Marriage-Cove|nant is fearfully broken by Sinful Crea|tures, that shake off the Yoke of God, imposed from the Beginning. The Ini|quity so often Damned in the Word of God; but especially in Prov. 6. 29,32. Whosoever touches his Neighbours Wife, shall not be Innocent; whose Committeth Adul|tery with a Woman, Lacketh understanding; he that doeth it, destroyeth his own soul.

Sometimes also, There is an Incest per|petrated in that Uncleanness, whereto the Hellish Fires in the Hearts of men do carry them. They will needs invade that Comfortable, and Profitable, Order, which God has Established in Humane Society, as now increased, for the Pro|pagation of mankind. It was the Edict of Heaven, in Lev. 18.6. None of you shall approach to any, that is near of kin to him. And to show, that such and such De|grees were not forbidden unto Israel a|lone the Lord adds, For in all these the Nations are Defiled, which I cast out before you.

Yea, which is horrible to be Spoken! such a Vile Uncleanness, do some among the debased Children of men, sink down

into, that Sodomy and Buggery it self, ha's been among their Crimes. The Great God ha's had Occasion to issue out such precepts, as those, in Lev. 18.22,23—against such unutterable Abomina|tions and Confusions. Alas, There is in Europe, a Land Professing the Christian Religion, where such Devillish Practices are, they say, very frequent; but flam|ing Fire from Heaven will shortly de|stroy that Accursed Land. Nay, And in this Land of Uprightness too there have been some that have thus Dealt Wickedly. And I have one very wonderful Exam|ple to tell you of it. In the Southern Parts of this Country, about the Year 1641. a Beast brought forth a Creature that had something of an Humane shape. This Monster had a ••lemi••h in one Eye, just like what a loose Lew'd Fellow in the Town, was known to have. This greater Monster, being upon this Account Suspected, was Examined upon that suspi|cion, and upon his Examination Confes|sed his Guilt of most infandous Bestia|lities, for which he underwent a deserv|ed Execution. You hear what the Acts of Uncleanness are; but I am to tell you, That there are Unclean Thoughts,

which are Prohibited by the Lord our God; even as in Math. 5.28. A Looking upon a Woman to Last after her. And there are Unclean Words, which are also Prohi|bited; Even, as in Eph.5.4. Filthiness & Foolish Talking. In all of these things, there is Uncleanness. But what shall be said of this Uncleanness. In one Word, It is a Wickedness. Tis Rebuked every where the whole Bible over. Bat indeed, I need not Appeal unto the Bible, to prove the Wickedness of Uncleanness. The Natural Reason and Conscience in man, will testify unto it. Even an Abimelek, a Philistine, will pronounce it, A Great Sin. Until the Souls of men, come to be debauched, into the Vilest of Degen|eracies, they cannot but see a World of Wickedness in this Uncleanness. Why, the plain Wrongs which all the Unclean do both to themselves, and others, are e|nough to make every sensible Person, say, God forbid, I should ever do such Wickedness! Wherefore, to pass on.

Assertion. II.

An Early, Death, and a Woful Death, is likely to beside them that Lead such a Life. We should a little Particularize, upon both Articles in this Proportion. I say then,

First. The Death of the Unclean, is like to be an Early Death. Of Unclean|ness, we may say as the Wise man says of the Adulteress, in Prov. 6.26. It will bent for the Precious Life. The Life will be by that Sin, quickly prey'd upon. Tis the Commination of God, in Mal. 3.5. I will be a Swift Witness against the Adulterers. Truly, when our God Comes to Anim••d|vert upon them that live in Uncleanness, He will make a Swift work of it. As our Lord says, I will Early Destroy all the wicked of the Land; Why, the Unclean of the Land, are some of the most Wick|ed in the Land. If you Enquire, Where|fore the Death of the Unclean must be an Early One? For Answer, This, Pun|ishment is both Naturally and Morally Entail'd upon them. Uncleanness is a•• thing that will Cruelly wast the Bodies of those that are addicted thereunto; as the Apostle saith, He that Committeth For|nication, Sinneth against his own Body. So may it be said of him that Committeth any other Uncleanness whatsoever. Tis said about Uncleanness, in Prov. 5.8,11. Remove thy way▪ far from her; Lest thou mourn at Last, when thy Flesh and thy Body are Consumed. It will bloodily Disturb

the Frame our Bodies, and Exhaust and Poison the Spirits, in our Bodies, until an Incurable Consumption at Last, shall out us down, out of Time. It pro|cures many Grievous Diseases: Hence come Gouts, Cramps, Palseyes, and Scor|butick Taints, upon the whole Mass with in us: Yea, There is a Grievous Disease that sometimes Invades Horses, and because that Men do now so much Play the Brui••, that very Grievous ••••••|ease, is in a disguise come upon Men also, to Chastise their Bru••shness The Se|venth Commandment well fellows the Sixth; Uncleanness has a Self Murder in it. ••ut that which further ••astens this misery of Uncleanness, is the Just Revenge of Almighty God upon it. It was the Almighty God upon it. It was the Admen••••••••n, in Eccl. 7.17. Be not over much Wicked, Why shouldest thou Dy before thy Time? Now the Unclean are in|deed Wicked Over much. Uncleanness is a most Villianous Abuse Offered unto that Plastick Spirit, by which Permeating the whole Creation, the Great God for|meth all things. Well might the Lord then say, concerning this very Sin, Shall not my Soul Visit for such an Evil as this? Why, Tis an High Treason against the Ma|jesty

of Heaven; it is a Clipping of the Coin, that ha's the Image of the Great God upon it; and it is treated as a Ca|pital Offence, accordingly. What is man himself, but the Picture of God? Yea, There is one man, who Lies in the very Bosom of God, and is God Himself Blessed forever. The Roman ••mperour made it a Criminal Thing for any man to Carry his Picture into any Sordid pla|ces: but how then shall the Glorious God bear it, for a man to Smutty His Picture with all the Superfluities of Naugh|tiness? Or, will that Man, who is God, and in the Bosom of God, bear it, that by our Fault, it should be said, There is a man, that is a Beast? There's a man Wal|l▪ wing Like a Dog, & Like a Swine, in the most base Uncleannesses! We pretend all of us, to be the Members of the Lord Jesus Christ; Yea, but shall we make those Members, to become the Weapont of Unrighteousness? We are Built all of us, to be the Temples of the Holy Ghost: Yea, but shall we make these Temples, to become the Hig••sties of the Devil? Truly Death, and an Early Death, is but the Proper Wages of Such a Wickedness?

Secondly, The Death of the Unclean,

is, like also to be a Woful Death. There are indeed Innumerable Woes, which they that Live in Uncleanness, are, while they Live, Exposed unto. Particularly, If they come to be settled in a Marriage, among their Neighbours: 'tis well, if they don't meet with sore Crosses, Vanities and Vexations, in their Marriage, to Correct them for the Uncleanness, in which while they were Single they indulged them|selves. When David had been Unclean, this follow'd upon it, in 2 Sam. 12. 10,11. The Sword shall never depart from the House; Behold, I will Raise up Evil against thee, out of thine own House. But it is when thy come to Dy, that the Unclean see the Extremity of their Woes.

If you Enquire, Wherein the Death of the Unclean will be a Woful One? For Answer, It will Probably be in much Poverty, however in much Dishonour, that the Unclean must leave the World. Un|cleanness, is that whereof we are told, in Prov.6.26. By means thereof, a man is brought unto a piece of Bread. It is Com|monly by Fulness of Bread, that persons do Pamper themselves into Uncleanness; Yea, but by Uncleanness they come to be Scarce worth a Piece of Bread, when

they go off the Stage. It brings a Se|cret, but a Certain I last, upon the E|states of men: Job said of it, It is a Fire that consumes to Destruction, and it would R••••t out all my Increase. Uncleanness, is that also, whereof we are told in Prov. 6.33. A wound & a Dishonour shall he get, & his Reproach shall not be wiped away; that Committeth it. However Honou|rable a man may be otherwise, Unclean|ness will soon lay his Honour in the Dust; there is a Hot in the Scutcheon, when Un|cleanness has defiled it: Paul said of it, It is a Vile Affection.

Again, The Unclean must Probabl•• leave the World, with the Humiliation of seeing None, or however, but a Poor Posterity rising after them. Tis a fre|quent Thing, for that Great Blessing of Children, to be Deny'd where the Guild of much Uncleanness is Lying on the Soul. It was Threatned in Hos. 4. 10. They shall commit Whoredome, & shall not In|crease. There was no Conception in the House of Abimelek, while Uncleanness was designed there. We read of one Committing Adultery, and Presently said our Lord Jesus upon it, I will kill her Children with Death. Tis no Uncom|mon

Chastisement for Uncleanness, Write this Person Childless, saith the Lord. Or, if Children are not always▪ Deny'd, yet they are often Cursed, where much Un|cleanness is cleaving to the Family. It was Threatned, in Hos. 2. 4. I will not have Mercy upon her Children, for they are the Children of Whoredomes. It ha's been Commonly said, Peccatum Seminis punie|tur in Sem••••e: Men are very unhappy in their Seed, because of the Uncleanness which those men have used. The Sin of their Bodies, they pay for it in the Fruit of their Bodies. Their Unclean|ness ha's this Consequence, that their Off|spring are not only an Infirm Genera|tion, but also they do themselves fall into the Like Iniquities that their Pa|rents did before them; to bring the Gray Hairs of those Drooping Mour|ning Parents with Sorrow to the Grave.

But, Lastly, and Chiefly. There is an Horrible Death of Soul, with which the Death of the Unclean is to be Ag|gravated. The Second Death, is indeed a Woful One; but such, O such, will be the Death of the Unclean forever. We are assured Concerning such, in Rev. ••1. 8. They shall have their Part, in the Lake

which burns with Fire and Brimstone; which is the Second Death. Alas, There is a Judicial Cecity and Sottishness, which Uncleanness do's for a long while bring upon the Souls of men: we read▪ It takes away the Heart. Ay, But, when the Sinners come to Dy, Oh! Wha•• Horror do's then distress their Forsaken Souls! They Tremble, as the Unclean Felix did; They Tremble, in the Fore|Thoughts of the Judgment to come; and they are horribly afraid of coming into that Judgment. Nay, But the Judgment cannot be avoided. And what will it be? Will the Thrice Holy God, Re|ceive any of them, into His Everlasting Rest? No, No. We are Assured in Rev. 21.27. There shall in no Wise Enter into it any thing that defileth. But what then 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Then Imagine this Day, that you see these Unclean Goats, Quaking, and Shak|ing, before the Tribunal of the Lord Jesus Christ, as they shall at the Last Day, with a Fearful Expectation of a Fiery In|dignation to devour them. And now, Hear the Judgment! Why, The Un|clean have Cherished an Infernal Fire in their own Bowels. For this Cause, the Judgment of God upon them, will 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Depart, ye cursed into Everlasting Fire! The Unclean have Gratify'd the Devil, who is a Foul-Fiend, in their Filthinesses. For this cause the Judgment of God upon them, will be, Depart, ye Cursed, with the Devil and his Angels. The Unclean have done Bruitish Things with their Bodies in this World; they shall there|fore be Raised with Ugly Bodies in the World to come; and in these Bodies, they shall be so Tormented as to cry out, O for a Drop of Water to cool my Tongue! It is said of the Unclean, in Hos. 7.4,6. They are as an Oven heated by the Baker, they have made ready their Heart as an Oven. Well, for this very cause, in the Day of the Lord, that shall Burn like an Oven, they shall fall under such a For|midable Doom as that, in Psal. 21.9. Thou shalt make them as a fiery Oven, in the Time of thine Anger; the Lord shall swallow them up in His Wrath, and the Fire shall devour them.

It Remains that these things have now their, APPLICATION

And I Behold, Who, Behold, What, is the Mortal 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the World! The most of men do now Dy in Youth; More Dy before Twenty, than after Six|ty:

Yea, tis now to no more than Se|••on Years that a Life is by the Reckon|ing of the Law Abbreviated. But what is it that so drags us along to an Untime|ly Death? Truly, Tis Wickedness, and especially, tis Uncleanness; That is the Knife which cutts the Throats of Mil|lions in every Generation. It was de|manded, in Joh 21. 17. How is the Candle, of the Wicked put out? Our Lives are not permitted, of themselves to go out, but they are put out by Hasty Anticipa|tions of Mortality. Whence is this? Tis our Wickedness that is the Extingui|sher. Ah! SIN; He that sees it, may say upon it, and unto it, Have I found thee, O mine Enemy! SIN tis, that I do in the Name of the Great God, Indict this Day, for the Murdering of the World. It was That which at first Robb'd us of the Immortality, whereof our God made us Capable; and it is That which Continually further Weakens, and Shortens, and Forfeits our Lives. E|very Sin is Mortal; there is none Venial. Wherefore, If any of you are going to meddle with any Wickedness, and especi|ally with Uncleanness, I am to call upon you, Man, There is Death in▪ the 〈◊〉〈◊〉! I•• thou Lovest thy Life; O do not that A|bominable

thing, which is hated by the Soul of the Lord! By Sinning against God, it is that men, do Run upon the Thick Bos|ses of His Buckler: Yea, but those Thick Bosses will be the Death of all that R••n upon them. And there are some De|grees of Sinning, which the Magistrates, the Vice-gerents of God, must also in his Name, inflict a Death upon. There are Particularly, some sorts of Turpitude, wherein if men Offend, the Officers of God in the World, are to Rid and Cleanse the World of these Offendors. Job said, If my Heart have been deceived by a Woman, this is an heinous Crime, yea, it is an Iniquity to be Punished by the Judges. And the Crime sometimes may become so unnaturally heinous, that nothing less than Death, should be the Punishment from the Judges for that Iniquity. But on the other hand, It is a Maxim of Wisdom, in Prov. 19. 23. The Fear of the Lord, tendeth to Life; and in Prov. 19. 26. The Fear of the Lord, prolongeth Dayes. No Elixir Like to that! Religion, t'will Establish those Good Terms between God and Us, that we shall not complain, Lord, we are Consumed by thine Anger! And Re|ligion, will beget such a Calmness, a Sere|nity, a Satisfaction unto our Spirits, as

will Contribute more than a little to their long Abode in their Clay-Tabernacles But after all, if a Religious man do Dy Betimes; as many old ••••••lves Live, when Young Lambs Dy▪ What then? Suppose it be so.

At hene si Moritur, Vita Perennis erit. The man is to Live in another and bet|ter World forever; Even for infinitely, more than Hundreds of Thousands; of Millions of Ages. His Life, in that World, after the Efflux of more Years, than the Stars in the Sky, than the Sands; on the Shore, than the Drops of Water in the Deepest Ocean, shall be no nearer to an End, than the first Minute it Commen|ced! Of Religion, I do then say with Moses, in Deut. 32. 47. Man, it is thy Life! A Bad man once cry'd out, Wh•• shall Live? And a Good man after long answered the Problem so, The Just, he shall Live.

II. Behold, One Ground of the Mortality, which we dayly Behold up|on the Rising Generation in our Land. What multitudes among us, do we see Dy in Youth! This Land is making the La|mentation that was made by the Church of old, The Lord ha's called an Assembly a|gainst me, to Crush my Young men, How many Scores of Young men have sometime 〈◊〉〈◊〉

been lost from one Little Town, within two or three Years, by the Disastrous Plagues and Wars that have been upon us! And how many of our Young men that have Travelled into other Countrys, have there fallen under the Terrible Hand of God! Unto us may our God say, as He said unto Israel of old, Your, Young men have I Slain. But what for, I pray? Now, Methinks, the Wickedness, & Especially the Uncleanness too rise among our Young People, should be acknowledged, among the Causes of these Calamities. What said the Prophet in Isa. 9.17. The Lord shall have no Joy in their Young men, for every one is an evil door. So little Joy indeed ha's our God in our Young People, that He is every day saying over them, Indians, Do you come; Frenchmen do you come; Fevers, do you come; & cut off as many of those young People, as come in your way! Dreadful case! But, O Lord, what means the Heat of this thine Anger, against my poor miserable Generation? Truly, you see the Rise of all this Mischief. Tis be|cause there are so many Evil Doers in this Generation. But of all the Evil-doers, a|mong our Young people, there is one more frequent, or more fatal, than the Unclean|ness, wherein so many of them do mani|fest

their Wickedness. It is possible, that Old people, may by their Beastly Baseness help to pull down the Fury of a Provo|ked God upon the Land. It is here said The Hypocrites in Heart have their Life a|mong the Unclean. Why, There may be Old Professors, Old Church-Members, that may be Old Hypocrites in this regard. They seem to be Religious, they will be much at Meetings, they Look devout at the Table of the Lord, they will be very Zealous and Precise about some little Niceties; Yea, but they are most Wanton Satyrs in Secret places; their Wantonness makes them Stink, before the Son of God, who will have the Churches to know, that He Searches the Hearts & Tryes the Reins of the Children of men. Such thing as these, are the Achans of the Land. But it is the Young people that are this way the most Extravagant. How few▪ Oh! how few can say as the Blessed E|zekiel did, Ah! Lord God, Behold my Soul ha's not been polluted from my Youth! No, I remember a strange passage which E|rasmus's Confessor had in a Sermon a|gainst Adultery; If, said he, the Law of Stoning Adulterers to Death were now Exe|cited, all the Stones of this Great Rocky

mountain here, would not be enough to serve the Executions. Instead of that, I might say, If all the Young People, that have many ways, Polluted themselves, from their Youth up, were turned out of our Assemblies, we should have Thin Assemblies Left! And there are especially two of the most un|grateful Seasons, that Young People take to multiply those their Diabolical Pollutions. There is the Close of the Sabbath, and there is the Joy of the Harvest; these in|stead of being improved in Thankfulness to God, are Employ'd in spreading of Un|cleanness through the Land. Yea, But for this very Cause it is, that God Almighty is by His Desolating Judgments apace turning of them out of our Assemblies. God from Heaven, is denouncing of that Wofulness upon us, in Jere. 6.11. I am full of the Fury of the Lord, I will pour it on the Assembly of the Young men together; and that in, Jere. 42.26. Her Young men, shall fall in her Streets. But I now tell you, Why such Things do come to pass? The Time was, that there were Unclean Young men among the people of God; Yea, even those Young men that were set a part for the Service of the Tabernacle, were, how Unclean! It was then said, The Sin of the Young men was very great before the Lord.

And what comes of it, but this? The Lord Slew the Young; men with sweep|ing Desolations. Mark what I say, The Omnipresent God, He is a Witness to all the Unclean Things done by you in Se|cret places, which, as the Apostle says, T were a Shame to speak of. The All-seeing Eye of God is upon you, in all the Revels, and all the Riots, and all the Baudy Un|clean Exorbitancies, wherein you, Work out all Filthiness with all Greediness. Yea, but the Jealous God immediately then says to the Angel of Death; Go Brand those Young Wretches, for Destruction; set a Mark upon them, that so the Beesom of Destruction of may sweep them away, among the Generation of my wrath. So tis, that so many of you come to Dy in Youth! Leave off then, O Young people, all these Evil wayes. Let me call upon you, as the Angel did upon Austin; Take up the Bible & Read! Take up the Bible & Read! And now turn, as Austin did, unto that place in the Bible, Rom. 13.11,12,13. It is High Time to A|wake out of Sleep; cast off the Works of Dark|ness; Walk Honestly,—not in Chambering and Wentonness. Unclean Austin was thus Reclamed; Good God, That we may now see many an Unclean Sinner so!

But,

III. Behold, what we are to do, that so an Early, and a Woful Death, may not O|vertake us. Do that which the Apostle Directs in 2 Tim. 2. 22. Flee Youthful Lusts.

Let me now, with all due Solemnity Ad|dress all those who are yet in their Youth, with some Necessary Crho••tations unto those things, that may prevent their Dying in this their Youth. When Solomon was go|ing to make the Report, of the Wickedness, and especially of the Uncleanness, practised in Jerusalem, he said, in Prov. 7. 7. I Dis|cerned among the Youths, a Young Man void of Understanding, Such an one there was in the Snares of Death. Are there none of those Youths, no such Young Ones, void of Un|derstanding, or, at least, none that are in a desperate Hazzard of becoming such, in this Great Congregation? It is with You, that we are now to Expostulate; and unto you, I say; Consider what you are doing, Consider where you are going; Hear the Compassionate Jesus now Sighing over you, O that they were wise, and that they would Consider their Latter End! Upon every Act of more Enormous Wickedness, and especial|ly of Uncleanness; you may say, as in Isa 38. 12. I have out 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my Life. You Ripe•••• in Sin apace, except you Bewayl and Forsake that Sin. You are Likely to Dy in Youth, if you do not now Turn in Youth, from the

Sins that make you worthy to Dy. It has been Celebrated, as a property of our Na|tion; They are, [as Lucan said of Another] Prodiga Gens Animi, properare facillima morte••••.

Yea, But if we are forward enough to throw away our Lives, in a way of Courage, yet, Oh! Let us not be so in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 way of Wickedness, and of Uncleaness. Young man, why so fast? If thou arrive at Hell, half an Hundred Years hence, one would think, That should be soon enough! But art thou mad upon going down to dwell in the Consuming Fire, and in the Everlasting Burn|ings; before the ordinary period of Humane Life? Foolish Youth! Who hath Bewitched thee? Consid•••• seriously, the direful Con|comitants of the Death, which thou art in such a furious career unto: The Rattle Snake is Leaping apace towards thee, young man; and it will fasten a thousand Stings 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thy Soul, when it shall shortly Coyl about ••••ee. Consider, the Anguish which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wilt feel in thy Heart, when thou art passing out of this World. How wilt thou Mourn at the Last, and then Gnash thy Teeth, What a Fool was I thus to destroy my own Life and Soul for ever! For a young man to be thus Cursed, Like a Sinner of an Hundred Years Old! Consider the Welcome which the De|vils will give thee, at thy passing into the other World. How will those Fiends of

Darkness then insult over thee? and say, What? Are you come hither! Young man, whence came you? what, from a place where you had the Gospel of God ever Sounding in your Ears! Do they then from such a place as that, make such haste unto this Place of Torment! And O Consider the Everlasting Regret, that will Torture thy Soul, when thou shalt have the Unclean Dragons of the Wilderness, a|bout thee for ever.

Under the Influence of these Considerati|ons, Let these Counsels be Acceptable with you.

First. Whatever you do, you must keep this Rule as your Life; Let not your Life, be among the Unclean. Have you fallen into the Quagmires of Uncleanness? O Get up, like true Sheep, immediately; get your selves Washed in the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Rinsed in the Saving Waters of Regeneration and Repentance; yea, Let the Fifty First Psalm for ever be the Tune of your Devotions. About this you have cause to be the more earnest, because there are very few Recovered out of this Iniquity. Says the Wiseman, in Prov. 2. 19. Few Re|turn! even when they are quite worn out, their poisoned Souls will still be using Looks, and Words, that show them to be still Open Sepulchres. O Return, if possible, Return. And now, whenever and however you may

be Urged any more unto Uncleanness, Repel the Temptations, as the pious young Joseph did, in Gen. 39. 9. How can I do this great Wickedness, and sin against God! If the Temptation grow yet more outragious, what if you should set your selves to Sing unto the Lord a proper Hymn, that may be a spe|cial Antidote against the Infestations of the Fiery Flying Serpents? It may be Musick may Compose and Allay the Royls in your Souls, and the Evil Spirit may withdraw, at the Harp of David.

[Such a Shield as this, has been sometimes held up against such Fiery Darts.

Oh! Glorious God, who dost Improve. The Son of thy Vast Love, To be a Saving Prince unto Them who to Him shall go. Thy Second Person took on Him Mans Nature, to Redeem Mens Children from all Sin, and from The Plagues which thence do come▪ He having Done thy Will, Resign'd Himself to every kind Of Blows, from thy Enkindled Wrath Inflicting Hell and Death. This past; That Just and Humble One Reviv'd, and took His Throne: All, That my Soul, may Live, and I Each Lust may Crucify.

Now is He Able by His Merit, And Willing with His Spirit, To Succour them, that in Distress At His Word Him Address Pitty! Dear Lord: some pitty show, By Him, to Me that Go Sad all the Day, because a Slave Poor, Me vile Devils have. Let Him, I beg, O Let Him be, Priest, Prophet, King, to me; And of my Soul-foes make me more Than a brave Conqueror!

Such Thoughts as these leisurely and tho|roughly prosecuted, will Nail thy Lust unto the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ; and let ••me tell thee, there is no way to Mortify a Lust, but by Hanging it, on that Blessed Cross]

But suppose a Disposition to Uncleanness, may be such a Grain in a mans. Temper, that it may be called, His own Iniquity; what shall we do then? Why then, there is a famous Prescription,

Ores, casta Legas, Jejunes, otia vites, St Servare Voles Corpora Casta Deo.

First, Pray much, and pray with him, Lord, Create in me a clean Heart. Then East as well as Pray; if you Fast, the Un|clean Kind may go out: Fasting Spittle will

kill a Boyl. Nextly, Read much the Sanct|ifying Truths of God: It is by Taking heed thereto, that, The Young man may cleanse his way: but shun all obscaene Books, as you would the Rags that had the Plague a|bout them. Once more; Be not Idle, be not Slothful, have something at your Calling still to do. So you may come to say, as one usually too hard for the Devil did, The Devil never finds me at leisure for him. You know, when and how David fell! But permit me to add one Advice more; and that is; Call for a Chafing-Dish of Burning Coals A Chast Person sollicited unto Folly requested the young man, to do one thing for her, first; That was, To hold his hand one quarter of an Hour in a Chasing-Dish of Burning Coals for her sake. He refused this, as a very unreasonable Thing; but she then Replied, And how then can you ask me, for your sake, to throw my self Body and Soul, into the Fire of Hell, to Ly and Burn and Broil in that Fire throughout Eternal Ages! Is not that more unreasonable? Argue at such a Rate as that; perhaps one Fire will fetch out another? Even an Heathen of old, Chaffering: about an Unclean Bargain, could say, No, I won't Buy Sorrow at so dear a Rate. O Think, what a p••rensy 'tis, to cast a Soul into Eternal Fire, for the Dream of, The pleasures of Sin, which also are, But

for a season. But unto all add this; wha•• will all signifie, if you associate your selve among the Unclean? It was with reference to Uncleanness, that it is said in Prov. 6 17. Can a man take fire in his Bosome, and his Cloaths not be burnt? Why, if you take the Unclean, for your Companions, it you Drink with them, if you Dance with them, if you Game with them, and if you spend your Time, in their Nocturnal Frosicks, you take Fire in your Bosomes; your Souls will take Fire from such Incentives. Be not such a Beast as to run into the Fire; A Com|panion of such Fools will be destroyed.

But ••ert▪ Among whom then, shall be your Life? The Rule is, let your Life be a|mong them, that have the Fear of God with|in them. Don't think, That a Young Saint will make an Old Devil; but know, that if thy life be not among Young Saints, thou art like to go to the Devil before thou art Old Say, with the Psalmist in Psal. 119. 63. I am a Companion of all them, that fear thee, O Lord, and that keep Thy Precepts. There are young Persons, that lead a Godly, a So|ber, a Righteous Life; Let your Life be a|mong persons of such a Life! Let your Life be among the Young Josiahs, that Seek the Lord while they are yet young; among the Young Timothies, that from a Child have known the Holy Scriptures; among the young Obadiahs, that can say, I fear the Lord from my Youth.

There are young persons, both Men and Maids, who sincerely and secretly give themselves up to the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit, in the Covenant of His ••rac••; and who then openly Lay hold on that Covenant among the People of God; May your Life be among such young ones! There are young persons, both Men and Maids, in this Town, who do not spend the Sabbath-Evening in such pol|luting Diversions, as too many do; but they then in Little Knots come together, to seek the Face of God, and Sing the Praise of God, and Repeat the Sermons of the foregoing Day; May your Life be among such young Ones! I am confident, you all wish, Let me die the Death of those Righteous young persons, and let my Last End be like Theirs! But I say to you, Let your Life be among them, or else your Death will be your Eternal Separation from them.

And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of all; Be at last prevailed withal, to take the Warnings of such as have D'd in Y••uth, because their Life has been among the Unclean. You have seen some, in their youth carried from the Living, by the Whirlwind of the Wrath, of God! Oh! may the Groans, the Cries, the Dolorous and the Dying Ejulations of those Young Transgressors, become Effectual Warnings into all of you that are yet alive. Let it be

so, Lest, that come upon you, which is foretold, in Prov. 29. 1. He that being often Reproved, hardeneth his Neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without Remedy. The young persons that have sometimes Died in and for their Uncleanness among us; have you not heard their solemn Admonitions when their Trouble, their Darkness, and the, Dimness of their Anguish, has been upon them. When those forlorn Outcasts have stood just upon the Edges of an awful Eter|nity, how vehemently have they call'd upon all Survivers, to Beware of coming to the place to Torment after them! Oh! how they have Roar'd unto our young ones, Whatever you do, Sirs, do not Lead such Unclean, Pro|fane, Prayerless Lives as we have done: How have they Roar'd, Whatever you do, make sure of a precious Christ, for an Immortal Soul, before it be too Late! Well, Take these Af|fectionate Warnings And among the rest, Give Ear unto the Dying Speeches of the young Woman, whose Execution you are to see this Afternoon. She has put into my Hand, and sign'd with her own, these Dying Expressions of her Distressed Soul; which it will not be unprofitable, for me to publish this Day among you.

I Am a Miserable Sinner; and I have Justly Provoked the Holy God to leave me unto that Folly of my own Heart, for which I am now Condemned to Dy. I can|not but see much of the Anger of God a|gainst me, in the Circumstances; of my Wo|ful Death; He hath Fulfilled upon me, that Word of His, Evil Pursueth Sinners. I there|fore desire, Humbly to Confess my many Sins before God, and the World: but most par|ticularly my Blood-Guiltiness. Before the Birth of my Twin-Infants, I too much Parlyed with the Temptations of the Devil, to Smother my Wickedness by Murthering of them: At length, when they were Born, I was not unsensible, that at least, One of them was a|live; but such a Wretch was I, as to use a Murderous Carriage towards them, in the place where I lay, on purpose to Dispatch them out of the World. I acknowledge that I have been more Hard-Hearted than the Sea-Monsters: and yet for the Pardon of these my Sins, I would Fly to the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the only Foun|tain set open for Sin and Uncleanness I know not how better to Glorify God, for giving me such an Opportunity as I have had to make sure of His Mercy, than by advising & entreating the Rising Generation here, to take Warning by my Example; and I will there|fore tell the Sins, that have brought me to my

shameful End. I do Warn all People, and especially, Young People, against the Sin of Uncleanness in particular; 'tis that Sin, that hath been my Ruine; well had it been for me, if I had answered all Temptations to that Sin, as Joseph did, How shall I do this Wickedness and Sin against God? But, I see, Bad Company is that, which leads to that, & all other Sins; and I therefore beg all that Love their Souls to be familiar with none but such as fear God. I believe, the chief thing that hath, brought me, into my present Condition, is my Disobedience to my Parents: I despised all their Godly Counsils and Re|proofs; and I was always of an Haughty and Stubborn Spirit. So that now I am be|become a dreadful Instance of the Curse of God belonging to Disobedient Children. I must Beway I this also, that although I was Baptised, yet when I grow up, I forgot the Bonds that were laid upon me to be the Lords, Had I given my self to God, as soon as I was capable to consider that I had been in Baptism, set apart for him, How happy had I been! It was my Delay to Repent of my former Sins, that Provoked God to leave me unto the Crimes, for which I am now to Dy. Had I Seriously Repented of my Uncleanness the First Time I fell into it, I do Suppose, I had not been left unto what followed. Let all take it from me; they▪ little think, what

they do, when they put off turning from Sin to God▪ and Resist the Strivings of the Holy Spirit. I fear, 'tis for this, that I have been given up to such Hardness of Heart, not only since my long Imprisonment, but also since my Just Condemnation. I now know not what will become of my Distressed, perishing Soul. but I would humbly Commit it unto the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ; Amen

Every Clause of this Writing, has more than Once or Twice been Distinctly Owned by this Dying Soul, before Various Witnesses. Indeed, I Fear, I Fear! This is not All that she should have Acknow|ledged. However as far as they go, may the Lord God now Sanctify these War|nings, to all the Young Ones, for whom they are intended!

§ And now, unto you that are presently to Dy, an Early and a Woful Death, be|cause of your Life among the Unclean [as well as unto the other Poor Crea|ture, that for the very same Crime, stands here in the same Condemnation with you] I have but One Word more to speak.

I Question whether ever any Prisoner in this World, enjoy'd such means of Grace as you have done since your Imprisonment; & it may be there never was a Prisoner more Hard-Hearted, and more Unfruitful, than you

have been under those means for a long while together. Many Hours would not serve to Recite the Instructions and Awake|nings that have been inculcated upon you, since you were first Apprehended; and you have now but a few Minutes left you, to make Sure of that Great Salvation which has in all been tendred you. But Miserable Soul, How canst thou Escape, if thou neglected that Great Salvation? However, there is One Word, wherewith I am to acquaint you after all; 'tis in Zech. 13. 1. There shall be a Fountain Opened for Sin, and for Uncleanness. Your Sin has been Unclean|ness, Repeated Uncleanness, Impudent Unclean|ness, Murderous Uncleanness: You must, like the Leper, Cry out, Unclean! Unclean! But behold; there is a Fountain set Open for you. Only be it known unto thee, that all thy known Sins must be Vomited out by thy Penitent Confession of them, when thou comest unto that Open Fountain. And Oh! How should this Dissolve your A|damantine Heart into the most Penitent Confession, when that altho' you have shed the Blood of your own Children, to cover your Uncleanness, yet the Son of God, is willing to Wash your Soul, in his own most Invaluable Blood? Come then I be|seech you, unto that, Open Fountain; Come with Importunate entreaties that the Blood

of the Lord Jesus Christ, may Wash away all your sins; and that you may be Sanctify'd as well as Justified, by this Blood of the New-Covenant. Because you have been a Bloc|dy Wretch, therefore 'tis that now you must not Live out half your Days; The Primitive Christians, I find sometimes using these words, We count it a sort of Murder to di|sturb Conception; and what shall we count it then to Kill Infants already Born into the World? Why, Thou Elizabeth, (and thy Black Fellow-Sufferer there!) has been such a Bloody Murderer. But Oh! See to it, that you be not a Deceitful One; you say, That sin becomes Bitter, and that Christ be|comes Precious, to your Soul; O be concer|ned that you be not Ruined by this thing. A Deceitful heart hath turned her aside, she D••es with a Lye in her Right Hand! Altho' Solomon speaking of them that have been Rescued from the entanglements of Unclean|ness, could say One man among a Thousand have I found, but a Woman among all those have I not found; yet, why may'st not thou, what ails that Unconquerable Heart of thine, that thou mayest not be such a Saved Woman? What shall I say? tho' thou hast gone a Whoring, yet Return unto me saith the Lord. Say then! Within a few Minutes thou shalt be standing be|fore the Judgment-Seat of God, from

whence there was never made the of|fer of a Saviour,; But I am now once more to Renew that Offer in thine hear|ing. Say, thou Forsaken Soul! The Lord of Heaven Himself, do's from Hea|ven yet once more ask of thee; Shall be thy Lord-Redeemer? Shall I bestow on thee Wisdome, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption? Dost thou Consent, Poor Soul, Canst thou Consent? Behold, this is the last time of asking. The Lord of Glory does now, after all thy Abominations, put this upon thee; Shall I give unto thee, both Repentance and Remission of Sins? Shall I bring thee into a state of Reconciliation with God? If thou dost Refuse, thou shalt never hear one Kind Word from the Lord Jesus more; thou shalt hear nothing but the Thun|der of his Wrath Cursing of thee in the Bottom of Hell, till the very Heavens be no more! If thou dost Comply, there is then yet Hope in the Latter End; thou art then yet a Prisoner of Hope!

Oh that we may now see thee Washing the Feet of Our Lord with thy Tears, and with a moved

Melted, Broken Soul. Clasping ••bout those His Glorious Feet, untill He shall say, Her Sins which were many are For|given her!

FINIS.