An authentic and particular account of the life of Francis Burdett Personel, written by himself. ; Who was executed at New-York, September 10th, 1773; in the twenty-sixth year of his age, for the murder of Mr. Robert White.

An AUTHENTIC and PARTICULAR AC|COUNT of the LIFE of FRAN|CIS BURDETT PERSO|NEL, &c.

I FRANCIS BURDETT PERSONEL, was born in Ireland, tenderly raised by careful and industrious parents, who took all care imagin|able of me in my education. Tho' eight years schooling were laid out upon me, I did not improve it, so as to answer the design of my parents, they find|ing that I had not so much learning as they expected I might have had in that time, bound me an apprentice, according to my own desire, to a good trade: When master of my trade I went to England; but on my voyage thither, put into Wales, went from thence to Bristol, in England, tarried there some time, and went from thence to Shepton-Mallet, in Somersetshire, where I also abode a considerable while, and was re|garded by all who knew me for my sober deportment. My mother hearing where I was, continually impor|tuned me, by letters, to come home; which I accord|ingly did. My father being now dead, I began to be very careful about worldly affairs, and was remarkably sober; yet, my mother being a passionate woman, could never be content with me; do what I could, I might have done it better. She often said to others, that being an only child, she loved me beyond mea|sure; yet it grieved me that she was of such a tomper. I now became acquainted with a young man, who knew her temper, and desired me to go with him to a frolic; which I accordingly did: He espied a

young woman walking along, whom he knew; he spake to her, and desired her to go with us to take a glass of liquor, which she did, and was in company with us, till it was so late, that I dreaded to go home. She was the first lewd woman I was ever in company with: But sin and Satan strove so much with me, that I left my mother's house to be at liberty. While from under her eye, I was guilty of pleasing the sinful ap|petites of the flesh many times; she hearing of me, ne|ver rested, till she got me home again. I then lived with her six or eight months; but soon growing weary of her continual admonitions, was resolved to get out of her reach: Accordingly, came to Ameri|ca, where I staid eighteen months; I then returned to Ireland, was very much distressed when I got home, and was resolved never to leave home again. I came to my mother in a poor and miserable condition; but she received me tenderly, and kept me concealed, lest the neighbours should see me before she had provided cloathing for me. I then lived with her one year very comfortably; but, she fearing that I would leave her again, advised me to marry: I was glad of this proposal, and said, if she was willing, I would seek me a wife as soon as possible; she answered, she had one already provided, of an honest family, who had seven sisters already married to creditable men, and that none of the family ever had the least blemish in their characters; she said, that the one she had provided for 〈◊〉〈◊〉, was the youngest, and I might get a handsome dowry with her: I asked her name; when I heard who she was, I said I must have some time to think of it, (not that ever I designed to have her) but was un|willing to put my mother in a passion: She said, I might have time to make love to her, but have her I must, or never be a penny the better at her death. Thinking the young woman not handsome enough, nor sin eying her in the least, knowing myself to be but young, I resolved not to have her, let what would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 My mother was at me day after day to

have her, but to no purpose. Being rid of this im|portunity by the young woman's being married to another; through disobedience I came off to Ameri|ca a second time, and have never since returned. I lived in Baltimore county, in Maryland, for eighteen months, as a servant, and served but so much of four years due for my passage. Being now in want of clothes, as those I brought from home were wore out, and those I had of my master but indifferent, though far better than what other servants got for common. At length, I took a thought to run away, and accordingly did in a foolish manner; one morn|ing, after breakfast, my master came home, and shew|ed me what was to be done; I worked a little after his departure, then took my ax with me, went about a mile through the woods, and seated myself on the top of a hill till night, it being then the spring of the year, though the trees were not yet green. I tra|velled that night but slowly, my shoes being bad and the roads very deep, as it had rained. I got within a mile of Baltimore by day-light, and then, for fear of being discovered, went and laid me down in the woods; but, having only a shirt, jacket, and a pair of trowsers upon me, and it raining very much, I could not sleep, being cold, wet and hungry. I now repented of my running away, and would have returned home, had I not recollected that I had heard my master say, he would treat a runaway that returned, worse than one that used his endeavour to get off; therefore, I would not go home, nor tell that I was a runaway, but wish|ed to be taken up; and, with an expectation of being taken, came on the high road at mid-day, and went into Baltimore Town. As nobody questioned me, I enquired for a certain tavern, where I had heard my master say he used to put up at; coming there, I mentioned my master's name, and said, that he desir|ed me to get a dinner there; the landlord asked me if my master had given me a note. I said, no: Then said he, I cannot let you have dinner. I wished to

be taken up, yet would not inform him I was a run|away.

I then walked through the town, and came to a road that leads to Annapolis, I reached the river by sun-set, where I waited till two Gentlemen came who wanted to get over; they asked me to whom I belong? I said to Squire Carroll of Annopolis, which was false; but he living in Annapolis, and I wanting to get there if possible: They examined me no farther, knowing that whom I called my master had several farms, and his servants continually going from one to another: I travelled with this lie in my mouth till I came to Annapolis; it was evening when I came to town, and I had neither money, friends, nor clothes, I walked about hoping somebody would take me up, but nobody noticed me. Going to a Gen|tleman's house, I laid me down under the stoop, hop|ing that some one from within would examine me, but there came none. The next morning I walked out of town very feeble and hungry not having eat for a long time. I then wandered I know not where, steering partly by the sun, travelled by day on the high road, caring not much whether I was then taken up or no, but was resolved to keep going whilst I was able. I met several people, and saluted them, and so passed on: At length, I saw a Gentleman on horseback coming towards me, which daunted me, fearing he was in pursuit of me, I saluted him, passed on, and sometime after met his brother, who ques|tioned me: I told him I was just free, and my mas|ter was such a villain, that he would not give me my freedom dues, and that I came to Annapolis, in search of a friend, to acquaint him how my master served me. But unhappily, I told him, my friend had left town before I came, and having no money I left town, with an intent to get work in the country; he replied his brother wanted a workman but could get none this while past, therefore, desired me to call at his brother's house, told me his name, and gave

proper directions, and desired me to tarry there till his brother came home, where I went, and spoke to the Gentlewoman, who ordered me a dinner, which was very welcome to me just then: When the Gen|tleman came home, I engaged with him for four months under the name of James Alkins, having been with him a week or two, pleasing him, being handy at any sort of plantation work, he let me have necessary apparel; with him I lived till after harvest, but he not letting me have my earnings, lest I should leave him before my time was expired, and I fearing my master would hear of me, borrowed a coat, hat, and other necessaries suitable, under a pretence of visiting a friend, and went off, being provided with a pass I had written myself, and signed a Magistrate's name to it, changing my name to Patt Percy; having now some money, I delayed not till I got into Vir|ginia; and, being well dressed, could write a passible hand, and understood some figures, I set up for a Schoolmaster, accordingly I got a school, where I taught for some time, was very well regarded by my neighbours, some gave me credit for one thing and some for another. I lived very happy, as I thought, just then, and could go out on a evening after school and serve the devil with delight. I continued this practice for some time, till I went to hear the Baptists called by some New Lights. I went more out of curio|sity then any thing else, having heard much of them: The first sermon I heard pricked my heart. I went to hear them often, wrestled against sin in a measure, and would not commit such as appeared base in the world, and as few others as possible.

I had a desire to leave off all fin; but depended on the broken staff of my own strength, therefore could not do it: I obtained the name of being a re|ligious young man by some, who knew not what it was; and I myself was deceived, thinking I was con|verted when only convicted, and wanted to join the church, but was not accepted, upon which the young

men derided me: yet I continued to hear preaeching, and, to appearance, had I staid there, should have been brought to the knowledge of God through Christ: But two men, who suspected me to be a run|away, saying they would take me up, occasioned my leaving this place, being unwilling to return to Ma|ryland to my master. I went to a widow, whom I was bound in oath to be married unto, borrowed a mare, bridle and saddle of her, under a pretence to go to town for some things; from whence I went, calling myself Francis Personel, alias Burdett Personel, and never returned. About an hundred miles there|from I sold the mare, bridle and saddle, and travelled to Pittsburg, nigh which I tarried sometime.

Thus you may see I have been a hypocrite, and what sin have I not committed, except the sin against the Holy Ghost? And, I may thank God for restraining me by his grace from that, for my heart was bad enough.

* 1.1 After I came to New-York, I took a wife; and notwithstanding I knew she had followed a loose way of life, I loved her. In short the next morning af|ter I had been married and beded to her, I consent|ed to her going to her old habitation, till she could pay some debts which she said she owed, and for which otherwise I would be sued, but she could pay them very soon: She was not long there before I took her away, as I could not bear to think of her follow|ing that course any longer. I did not let her want whilst I was able to work, and could get it to do; but, unfortunately, I had not been long married before I was taken so ill, as to be unable to work; and, as we saw no other way, rather than be beholden to the peo|ple we lived with, we concluded unanimously, that we must either parish, or she take to her old course; ac|cordingly, she prostituted her body as usual. The first night she went on this occasion, she returned somewhat

cheerful, and said she had met with a young woman that lent her some money, and declared she had no conversation with any man that night. I answered, it was no matter if she had, I would never tell her of it. Next night she went and brought home some cash, which she said was lent her in like manner. Sometime after I was ill, she went out every night she could, to which I still encouraged her, even so much as to go with her some nights part of the way, and would pass the evening at some neighbour's house till nine or ten o'clock, then meet her at the place ap|pointed, and come home, as though we had been to|gether all the time we were out. This abominable practice we followed until the 16th of May, when I went to her father's, not expecting to return that night, neither did she expect me, according to her own confession, otherwise she would not have staid out so late. Upon my coming home that night, I sat down contentedly, knowing what she was after. I waited for her till after nine o'clook, and she not re|turning, I proposed to go to bed; and my landlady said she would lock the doors. As I was unwilling she should he shut out all night, I said to my landlady, if she would sit up fifteen minutes, I would go and see if I could find her; but if I did not return in that space she might shut the doors and go to bed. I went in quest of her, and came to the house where she was, and notwithstanding that she was there, as I learnt by hearing her laugh, she was denied to be there; and, as I was going out of the house, through the en|try, I heard her speak in a room, the door being shut; going to the room widow, I heard two Gentlemen speak, but knew not who they were at that time: Mr. Gl—r came out of the room and returned in about fifteen minutes, after which they shortly came out, as I was standing near the room window. I expected that the Gentlemen would depart from her, and then intended to go home with her; but the Gentlemen took her one by the one arm, and the other by the

other arm, and so went away. It is not easy for me to relate how I felt. As I had given her liberty be|fore that time to act in such a manner, according to the proverb, What the eye don't see the heart don't grieve at yet, I confess, I had no right to meddle with the Gentlemen; but the devil whom I faithfully serv|ed at that time, drew near and tempted me to get a weapon, making me believe if I could strike one or both of them and take away my wife it would appear in the eyes of some of my neighbours that I was an honest man, and innocent of her doings; with this resolution I went into the house where they had been, and see|ing no other weapon, unfortunately took the wooden bar of the door, and having pursued and overtaken them, made a blow which struck Mr. Robert W—to on his head, and by it he fell to the ground. My wife ran off: Upon recovering the weapon to defend my|self, Mr. Gl—r enclosed me, letting the bar fall to the ground. I fought with my hands After a short combat; Mr. Gl—r begged his life; I said it was granted: Whereupon he asked me, why I had had struck Mr. Wh—te? For being in company with my wife, in a bad house at an unseasonable hour, said I: Upon my honour said he, I had no connection with her, nor have I reason to believe that Mr. Wh—te had? I replied, if they were innocent I was sorry that I struck them. In the fray I lost my hat, and so did Mr. Gl—r his. While seeking for them, I consider|ed, as Mr. Wh—te did not stir, that he might be dangerously wounded; therefore, finding Mr. Gl—r's hat and my own, and seeing some people approach, I made immediately off with them both. I was at home some time before my wife came, and told my landlady what happened, in order to make her believe that I was innocent of what my wife followed. I went to bed that might, and after rising in the morning, took Mr. Gl—r's hat, and give it to a neighbour to keep, where I suppose it remains* 1.2.

Herein God is glorified for putting a stop to the sinful course that my wife and I followed, (as it was altogether abominable in his sight, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity) by detecting, apprehending and executing of me; for though I did not intend to kill Mr. White, when I struck him; yet, as it proved the cause of his death, I confess I am guilty of the murder of him, inasmuch as I had given my wife the liberty before-mentioned. Some people have said, that it was a made up thing be|tween my wife and me; but it is false, neither do I blame her in the least, as I am the sinful wretch, and really guilty, and none else: Why then should I strive to conceal that from the world, which is well known unto God?

Thus you may read how great a sinner I have been. I have provoked God times without number, procured his wrath daily, served the Devil faithfully, deserved nothing, had I my deserts, but everlasting damnation; several other heinous, soul damning sins have I com|mitted, which are not here mentioned; and yet, af|ter serving the Devil so long, having been guilty of so many crimes of the deepest dye, yet God was pleased to draw me from the mouth of the pit, to pluck me out of everlasting burnings, and to receive me even at the eleventh hour, and to give me the knowledge of himself in and through Jesus Christ. Oh! the riches of the free grace of God to such a sinful wretch as I am, as I shall endeavour to make appear as well as I am able, being assisted by the grace of God. The last day of July I received sentence of death; I knowing that I was then out of Christ, prayed for a long day for repentance, and six weeks were granted me. Certainly, if I had been put to death at that time, I should have been a lost soul, for my conscience was a hell to me, and witnessed against me: I then saw hell open, as it were, to receive me, and could then see no way of escape, for I was almost in despair, and was in dread that the holy Spirit of

God was withdrawn from me, never more to return. The condition I was then in I am unable to express. I came to prison, was put in the condemned room, where I sat very melancholy, and expected some of the Clergy to come and see me. I sent for a Divine of the Church of England, but he did not come just then. I then sent for Mr. Pilmore, a Methodist Mi|nister, but he did not come that day, which made me almost think that I was forsaken of God and his Mi|nisters too. I was advised to send for Mr. L—le—d, a Methodist; I accordingly did: He came, with two others, and advised me much; I declared that I was a great sinner, and that I had transgressed God's holy laws, despised his counsels, and grieved his holy Spi|rit, and was not worthy to take his holy name into my polluted lips: He counselled me not to despair, and made mention of several great sinners whom the Lord had made monuments of his mercy, which are record|ed in the holy Scriptures. He came three or four times, advised me much, prayed and sung whenever he came, and I must say, the Lord was pleased to make him an instrument in his hands, of some good to me. Perhaps, the reader will be glad to know how I was delivered from the fear of hell: It was done in so short a time, that I can scarce tell; this I know, I prayed earnestly to God, after I was awaken|ed and alarmed, that he would be pleased to pluck me as a brand from the burning: The Lord shewed me the danger I was in, the follies and madness of my past life, in living so many years without God in the world, he was pleased to shew me that I was un|der the curse of a broken law, and that if I departed this life, without an interest in Jesus Christ, that I must be eternally lost; therefore, seeing Christ the Saviour, and none else, I prayed him to be merciful to me for his own Name's sake, plead his own most gra|cious promises, which he hath left on record, desired him to save me, else I parish, importuning him con|stantly until he was pleased to hear me and grant my

requests. The first mark or instance I had of it, was this, my troubled conscience was at ease, my slavish fears were taken away; I now no more dreaded hell; Christ Jesus was altogether lovely to me: I could see that my sins crucifyed him, which grieved me: My imprisonment, my death, and the punishment due to sin did not move me; now nothing troubled me, but the thought of having offended so good a God so of|ten as I had done. The Lord was pleased to give me so much of his divine presence, that I was so lifted up, that I thought it was all well, imagining that I was quite out of danger, I almost forgot how nigh I was to everlasting damnation; but the Lord being willing to let me see and know that of myself I was nothing, permitted Satan to tempt me, I being a poor weak creature when left to myself, and not calling on the Lord to assist me, was soon overcome; after Satan got that advantage of me, I was cast down so low that he made me believe all my former peace was a delu|sion; I was between hope and despair, was in dread to pray, lest it should be an abomination to the Lord; at this time Mr. L—le—d came into the room, and was instrumental in leading me to prayer.

I was visited at different times by the Rev. Dr. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the Rev. Mr. Page, the Rev. Dr. Rogers, the Rev. Mr. Levingston, the Rev. Mr. Fering, the Rev. Mr. Mason, the Rev. Mr. Gano, Mr. Pilmore and Mr. Rankin; who, though of different denomi|nations, are, in my opinion, each of them experien|ced Ministers of the Gospel, some more, some less, according to the measure of the gift of Christ; and I acknowledge their kindness in frequently attending me, whilst under condemnation, in the prison; I hope the Lord blessed, a word, from each of them to me; therefore to his name be the glory ascribed.

I am just going to depart to an eternity, and would have all sinners to take warning, by my shameful ig|nominious, tho' most happy end: It is no matter of joy to me when I think that it is my sins brought me

to it; yet it yields me comfort and consolation to die; when I think what God has done for me, even in my last hours. Oh! how happy should I have been, if I had know so much of God in time past, as I do now: but blessed be God, that he was pleased to reveal his Son Jesus Christ to me, even inprison. O Lord God was not I the chief of sinners, the most vile wretch on earth; and as thou, O God, has been pleased to forgive me for thy Son's sake, so for his sake, and for the honour and glory of thy holy name, do thou enable me to set forth a few lines, as a cau|tion to sinners, and, O God, do thou be pleased to bless them, though weak, that thy holy name may be glorified by my death, and that it may redound to the honour of the ever-blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

TO THE PUBLIC.

GOOD people and bad: But, Why did I say good? There is none good, no not one. Whatever you are, whither rich or poor, learned or not, that read this, be assured that you must taste death as well as I, and in a short space of time. Your delicate bo|dies must be meat for worms, must lay rotting in cor|ruption as well as mine. You are all certain of death, but uncertain when you must die; and there is nothing more sure, than that you must appear be|fore the judgment-seat of the Lord Jesus Christ, to give an account of the deeds done in the body. Know|ing, therefore, that all this is true, there are three things which should make a sinner, out of Christ trem|ble: The first is, When the soul is to depart from his body. The second, When it is to appear before God to receive judgment: And the third, When sen|tence is pronounced. Oh! how terrible then will death be to a sinner. O dreadful moment, which cuts the thread of time, and begins the web of eter|nity. It is not the most terrible consequence of

death, to leave this world; but it is, to give an ac|count of our actions unto the Creator of the world, especially in such a time, when you cannot look for mercy. The thoughts of appearing before a holy God, made even Job tremble, who was so just, that the Almighty himself rejoiced in having such a ser|vant. If Job trembled, then, methinks, sinners out of Christ, have greater cause to tremble; for, if they depart out of this life in an unconverted state, how will it amaze them, to behold the Lord Jesus Christ himself alive; not a dead image, nor in that state of humiliation when he suffered on the cross; but upon a throne of majesty, and seat of justice: Not in a time of mercy, but in the hour of vengeance: Not naked, tho' with pierced hands, but armed against sinners with the sword of justice, when he will come to judge and revenge the injuries which they have done him: God is as righteous in his justice, as in his mercy; and, as he hath allotted a time for mercy, so he will for justice. O sinners, think of these great truths, and consider the things that belong to your everlasting peace, before it is too late. Remember, O sinners, that you were born into this world under the wrath of God, by reason of the original trans|gression committed by your forefather Adam, and see that every sin which thou committest, deserves nothing but God's wrath and everlasting damnation. Per|haps, some think that they are already Christians, and converted to God, because they have been baptized in their infancy, and brought up in such a church: But, my friend, whoever thou art, that harbours this opinion, without being born anew of the Spirit of God, you are as yet mistaken; for that was the very thought that I built my profession upon for many years, to my grief, and if I had departed this life in that state, I should have been infallibly lost: there|fore, as I am a dying man, I tell you with love to your souls, as Jesus Christ himself said and confirmed it with an oath, saying,

Verily, verily, Except a

man be burn again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Thou drunkard, thou bold blasphemer, thou thief, thou whoremaster, thou Sabbath breaker, thou adulterer, thou fornicator, thou extortioner, thou unjust dealer, thou liar, and thou daughters of hell, that are bond slaves, both you and your guests, to the Devil; you, I say, that take delight in prostitut|ing your bodies as common whores, rather than work for an honest living; do any, or either of you, here mentioned, think that you are Christians, or that if death was to cut you off this day, that you would be received into the heavenly Jerusalem, where no un|clean thing can enter. O! says the foolish sinner, death is not so near me, I am yet young and hearty, but when I arrive at such an age, then will I repent: If I were to become serious in my young days, I should lose all the pleasures of this life. O! be it known to you, that if this is the language of your heart, you are deluded by your master, the Devil, whose you are, and whom you serve, whilst carnally minded. Long was I deluded by him in the same manner, until he made me commit the crime for which I justly die; and, if the Lord was not pleased to make me a monument of his mercy and free grace, I should suffer in hell to all eternity. O sinners! con|sider how my sins brought be to this end; and remem|ber my words, your sins, if not repented of, will bring you to eternal torments. Consider, you are ever dy|ing while in the body, still drawing nigher the grave; therefore, you should be always ready. O young peo|ple! do ye seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near, for the Lord has made a gracious promise unto you; he has said in his word, that they that seek him early, shall find him let old hardened sinners go on to serve the Devil, if they are so minded; but, you young sinners, seek ye the Lord in your youthful days, and you shall find thim, and you old hardened sinners, whose heads are gray, whose looks of hair may be called the blossoms of

the grave; methinks you have been slaves to the De|vil long enough, if you could but know it; beg of the Lord, therefore, to shew you what you are by nature and by practice. Here is encouragement for all sinners, old and young, be their sins ever so nu|merous, ever so heinous, or of ever so deep a dye, yet the blood of Christ Jesus is able and all-sufficient to cleanse from all sin and iniquity; and seeing that the Lord is gracious unto me at the eleventh hour, in a prison room, to me that has been in vilest of wretch|es; methinks, every sinner ought to come and try the Lord, Oh! the goodness of God, the riches of free grace in and through Jesus Christ. Now, if you seek the Lord, you'll certainly find him; his promises are such, that the heavens and the earth shall pass away, but one jot or title of his word shall not fail. If you neglect it, and obey not the sound of the Gospel, now in your day, be it known unto you, that you must obey the sound of the trump of God at the last day, when the angel of the Lord shall sound it, and cry aloud, Arise ye dead and come to judgment; then, O sinners, ye must come whether you will or no: as you die judgment will find you; as the tree fall|eth, so it doth lie: If death sweep you off this day, in your sins, where do you think you will find your|self; certainly in torments, never to cease. O then flee from the wrath to come unto the city of refuge, unto a crucified Jesus, unto the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world of believers; con|fess your sins unto him, for he alone is able to cleanse you from them by his atoning blood, and is ever rea|lly and willing to do it, if you should think yourselves unworthy by reason of your many offences; remem|ber me, the chief of sinners, that as the Lord was gracious to me, so will he be to you, if you diligently seek him. Is not the blood of Christ sufficient to cleanse from all sins? and, is not God able and willing to save all that come unto him in and through Jesus Christ? But, if you that are filthy remain filthy still,

till death comes unawares, and cuts you off. Alas! for your poor souls, it were better for you never to have been born. The day of judgment will be an awful, shocking, dreadful day to you; when the Lord Jesus Christ will come in the clouds of heaven, in power and great glory, with his holy angels, in flam|ing fire, to take vengeance on them who know not God, and have not obeyed the Gospel. Who will be able to bear everlasting burnings? How will it grieve you, when you see them that were greater sinners than you, placed at the right hand of the Judge, waiting for a crown of immortal glory, and you yourselves at the left hand, waiting for the word, Depart! ye cursed! into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels! O terrible sentence! depart! alas dread Sovereign, whereto? Into hell! into everlast|ing torments! where the God of heaven will pour forth his wrath on the damned souls to all eternity! Oh sinners! of all ranks and conditions tremble! And ye harlots of the city of New-York, and you inn-keepers, that entertain such in your houses; and you married or young men that are so led by the Devil, tremble, for you are all in danger of dropping into hell every moment, and certainly will if death overtakes you before you have got an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, then if you intend to escape the wrath to come; if you seek or desire the salvation of your own souls, fly from sin, shun every appearance of evil; shun gaming, drinking, lying; shun bad com|pany of all sorts; keep holy the Sabbath of the Lord, attend to hear the word of God preached with an earnest desire to benefit thereby, forsaking all your former sins and iniquities, and praying to the Lord constantly, and then no doubt the Lord will bless a word from one or another of his ministering ser|vants to your hard hearts, to the breaking of them in pieces. The word of God is like unto a hammer, sharper, then a two-edged sword when it comes with power, and if the Lord is pleased to bless a word

unto you, then will you see the danger you are in; and if God so begins that work, the Lord Jesus will certainiy give you repentance, and will take away the heart of stone, and give you a heart of flesh. Then thus much being done by the grace of God, your mind, your will, and the powers of your soul will be changed by the Spirit of God from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto the everliv|ing and true God; your feet, formerly so nimble to run into destruction, will now be employed in go|ing to the house of God, and attending on his ordi|nances; your eyes that lusted after all manner of vanities, will be now fixed on the words of salvation, the testimony of his will, the sacred Scriptures. Christ Jesus whom you so long rebelled against, will be now more precious to you then ten thousand worlds. This is something of regeneration or of the new birth, which Christ spake of, and is what I wish you may attain to for Christ's sake, that your precious, everlast|ing and never dying souls may be found worthy of the promises of Christ, and of the glory, and those joys which no tongue can express, and which are laid up for all who truely love and serve the Lord; and the glory thereof shall be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.

OF MY EXPERIENCE.

WHEN I was condemned, I saw myself out of Christ. I saw that I was under the curse of a broken law, that I was a child of hell, a bond slave to the Devil for many years, which threw me almost into despair. Knowing that God was just, and that my sins had overtaken me. My neglecting the calls of mercy so often in my past life, made me think that the Lord would not hear me now. The day after I was condemned, I had but little hopes; my past life being in my view, was a great shock to me. The 2d day of August, my burden was great, and my trou|bled conscience was a hell to me. But, happily, be|fore a week was expired, the fear of hell was taken away from me, and my troubled conscience was at rest. I saw that the blood of Christ was fully suffici|ent to cleanse from all sin and iniquity. When the Ministers of Christ came to see me, I did not let them know that I enjoyed this peace, for, I was in dread least I should be deceived. After I enjoyed this peace two or three days, then I made it known, and was so lifted up with inward frames and feelings, that I al|most forgot what God had done for me, in plucking me like unto a brand out of the burning: Then I thought that I was past all danger; but God was pleased to let me see that I was nothing of myself, in the following manner: Satan tempted me to sin, and I not being on my guard, was overcome: Satan re|mained near me a long while, and overcame me a se|cond time, then he wanted to make me despair: He conquered me so far, that he made me believe, all my former peace was a delusion; then I was in dread to go to prayer, lest it should be an abomination to the Lord. I was in great distress for some time, until I was told of the goodness of God in different manners, which, when I had heard, I burst into tears; then was I slain. After that, I could draw nigh to God in

Prayer, in an humble manner, but had many wrestlings with Satan, yet the Lord helped me to resist. I then 〈◊〉〈◊〉 enjoyed inward peace, but it was a considerable 〈◊〉〈◊〉 before I could say Christ suffered for me. This 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that I could not be saved without a Saviour. I knew and believed, that Christ Jesus was the pro|mised Messiah, the Anointed of God, and I trusted on him, his blood and righteousness, and on none else. The Lord shewed me, that I had nothing in me that could commend me to God, therefore I continually pleaded the promises of Christ, until he was pleased to give me faith, that I could say he suffered for me. I always gained ground by the instructions of the Mi|nisters; yet was tempted by Satan, after all this, to unbelief; but the Lord gave me to know it was a temptation, and helped me to overcome. I saw that I was given much to spiritual pride at times, which made me pray God to humble me. The week be|fore my death, I was so lifted up at times, and to that degree, that the approaching death seemed a comfort to me; yet, at one time I could find my faith stronger than at another. I could say, that Christ Jesus raised me from death to life. Nay, I was twice dead; dead in sin, and dead by the laws of man, agreeable to the justice of God. Before I was brought to life saving|ly by God, in and through Jesus Christ; and as I am shortly to die a shameful death, which I brought upon myself, by reason of living so long without God in the world; yet I would die this death, in the confusion I am now in, rather than live in this world, to be carnally minded, as usual. I die now to live eternally. Glory be to God for his free gift, bestow|ed on me a vile sinner. I die, though most unwor|thy of the title, one of the Israel of God, and an heir of glory.

Vide WATTS'S HYMNS, B. II. H. LXXXII. &c.

ARISE, my soul, my joyful pow'rs, And triumph in my God; Awake, my voice, and loud proclaim His glorious grace abroad.

He rais'd me from the deeps of sin, The gates of gaping hell, And fix'd my standing more secure Than 'twas before I fell.

The arms of everlasting love Beneath my soul he plac'd, And on the Rock of ages set My slipp'ry footsteps fast.

Now shall my body faint and die, And thou my soul remove: Oh! for some guardian angel nigh, To bear it safe above.

He is a God of sov'reign love, That promis'd heav'n to me, And taught my thoughts to soar above, Where happy spirits be.

Jesus, to thy dear faithful hand, My naked soul I trust; Now, my flesh waits for thy command, To drop into my dust.

Prepare me, Lord, for thy right hand, Now is the joyful day; Come death, and some celestial band, To bear my soul away.

Thus finish I may parting song, And now I close my eyes. Receive me, Lord, into thy arms: Its thou alone I prize.

The above Francis Burdett Personel, towards the close of his life, appeared very cheerful and resigned to the will of God. When he was told by the offi|cers, that they came to wait upon him, we are inform|ed, he said smiling, That he was ready; and when at the gallows, gave an exhortation with much com|posure, and resigned himself to the King of Terros.

(a) It has been said, that he was tried at Lancaster, after he left Virginia, for horse-stealing, in company with another, which he did not mention in the ac|account of his life; but, as the true state of the affair cannot be justly ascertained, at present, it must be omitted.

(b) After committing the crime of killing Mr. White, he went off, (having informed his landlady, as before mentioned, of that action) and, as he said, when coming back to get his effects, which were in New-York, was apprehended.

Notes

• * 1.1

  For some transactions prior to this time, not in his MS. see a note, marked (a) at the end.
• * 1.2

  The account of his pursuit and apprehension, add|ing in not (b) at the end, is not in his MS.