THomas Mackerness, Late of March in the Isle of Eley; was a Man of a most Profligate and Heinously Wicked course of Life. As to his Parentage and Education, (being utterly a stranger to him till after his Condemnation,) I can say nothing, nor is it much material. But by his own Confessi­on to me, and others, he was fa­mous, or rather infamous for all man­ner of Impieties; living many Years [Page 2] in such a Dissolute Flagitious and Atheistical way, as was extreamly hazardous to his Souls Eternal wel­fare, and exposed him to the fatal stroak of Justice, even from Men here: He told me, that for Drunkenness, Swearing, Whoring and Theft, none had exceeded him; that in these Capital and Epidemical Sins of the Age, it was not possible to apprehend how Notorious he had been: For of late Years especially, he had abandoned all fear and re­gard of God, giving himself wholly up to work Wickedness; and to use his own Phrase, Had been the Devil's Pack Horse; or in the Apostles stile, Led captive by him at his will. At last seized by the hand of Justice, and laid in the Goal at Wisbech, there he discovered the Hardness of his Heart, and Impenitency, by all the ways he was capable of in those Circumstances he was then in. Thus obdurate did the poor Wretch con­tinue till the Assizes, and Sentence was passed on him; which was on Wednesday the Fifteenth of August [Page 3] Last: I went not to Visit him till the Saturday Night after his Condemnation, being prevented by some Extraordinary Occasions.

When I first came into the Room, one was praying with him, and I observed him to be intent upon that great Work. After it was over, I entered into Discourse with him about his Soul con­cerns.

It was easie to discern by his Looks and Expressions, that he was under great Rebukes and Tumults within, from a Guilty Conscience. Sometimes his Countenance would be very Sad, Dejected and Disturb­ed, as Indicative of inward Horrour, Gripes, and Struglings, fetching bitter Groans: Other­while he would speak with self ab­horrence; charging Sin with vehe­ment Indignation, and highest Ag­gravations of himself, saying, What a vile Wretch have I been, for Lying, Swearing, &c. and the other Sins [Page 4] before mentioned, with utter neglect of God, and of his Sabbaths; there was not a Viler and more Wicked Wretch upon the Earth. He Listen­ed Attentively to Counsel, and said, he had too long turned away his Ear from hearing instruction. He Enquired sollicitously, how he might come to God: Said, that he was convinced it was his Duty to go to God, but How he should go, and in what manner, he added, I could instruct him better then he knew of himself. Now (said he) I am Resolved to Prepare my self for Dying, though at first, when I returned from the Place of Tryal, and Condemnation to Prison, many Vain Projects came into my Head of preventing my Execution: And truly (said he) all along I have cherished flattering, but false hopes of Escape, never once admitted a serious thought of Death; till I heard the Judge say, Mackerness, You shall Die: And then those Words struck me to the Heart, yet for a time I stifled that Allarm; till on a Sudden [Page 5] my Mind Labouring hard under ma­ny Temptations to the contrary, and overcoming them, I was fully deter­mined to a Vigorous and Serious Ap­plication to the Things of another Life.

Hereupon I Endeavoured to help him what I could, in the Great work he had to do for his poor Soul; Desired, and Assisted him to look into himself, that he might dis­cover the Vileness, and Deformity of his Depraved Nature, that Foun­tain of Corruption, from which all the Evil of his Life proceeded, spend­ing some time in such Discourse as I thought most conducive, throughly to inform him of his Lost, Undone Estate, not without some fruit; I at last commended him to God by Prayer, so left him that Night, pro­mising to come again the next Night.

Accordingly, I went, and found him at Prayer himself, and in much the same temper of Mind, though still [Page 6] more hopeful. He declined a mul­titude, saying He desired no company, but that which might do his Soul good. For now he found all was vanity, wished he had looked into his own heart, when he came first into Pri­son, and desired a few days longer to have prepared for Death, but, since that was impossible, feelingly declared. That the worst place in Hell would be too good for him, if he did not industriously improve every Minute of this little Time. In Prayer he did with great eagerness catch hold of the expressions I used, Repeating them over again with more than ordinary fervency: When I im­portunately begged of God, that those poor Sinners (including the rest of the Prisoners, and particularly that poor Woman that suffered with him) might be as Firebrands pulled out of the burning, he vehemently cryed out, Firebrands indeed Lord: And when I added, A Christ, good God, for these miserable Souls, he cryed aloud, A Christ, and nothing but a Christ, weeping as he spake; with much more [Page 7] to the like purpose, giving various expressions of a Heart, in some good measure broken with a true sense of sin and misery thereby, seeming de­sirous to speak with me alone, but could not that Night, by reason of much company, and therefore de­ferred it till Morning.

Coming again the next Morning, he did ingenuously open to me the state of his Soul, and acquainted me how Satan, that malicious and sub­tile Adversary, did watch for Ad­vantages against him, to obstruct his Proceeding, in the great Busi­ness of his Soul's Salvation; ma­nifested more Self-Detestation, ac­companied with Pathetical and Ar­dent Longings after Christ. Now I observed in him some kindly Be­ginnings of True Repentance; which I laboured to Promote with utmost diligence. He shewed me several Books lent to him, con­cerning which he asked my Ad­vice: My Reply was, That he had not time to Read Books, and [Page 8] that I judged it best to lay them all aside, except the Bible, and a little Book, Intitled, A Guide for Heaven; because it contained Excellent Directions for a saving close with Christ.

I directed him to several Texts of Scripture, which I desired him to Peruse, and Meditate upon, in my absence: He thankfully ac­cepted my Directions, and when I returned in the Evening, he sa­luted me on this manner, Welcome, welcome Guest indeed! I can now tell you, that you, and none but such as you are, that come to do my Soul good, are welcome to me. One might read a marvelous change of his inward Disposition in his Countenance; he seemed transport­ed with more than ordinary sense of the Quickening and Comfort­ing Influences of Divine Grace: I have been considering (saith he) the Advice, your gave me, and Meditating on those Scriptures, you directed me to: And, Oh! I see [Page 9] it is Nothing but a Christ will do me good: Oh the Sweet Promises that God hath made to Returning Sinners! Blessed be God I am out of Hell. I had thought I had been in Hell in the Night; I saw, as it were, Hell Gaping, the Devil Roaring, and my own Con­science Condemning me to the Pit of Hell; and indeed crying out with Horrour, Blood gushed from my Nose: Some, that lay in the Room with me, said, I had been in a Slumber, whether I was, or no, I could not well tell, but thought I might be so. However, when I found my self out of Hell, Oh, how it affected me! Then he Wept and Melted kindly, saying, Oh, what a Wretch am I that I should Sin against so good a God, as this, who hath de­clared himself so ready to forgive! I am resolved to lie at his Feet: I am convinced that I am a lost undone Creature out of Christ: It is not all I can do, that will or can save me: Were I to Live my days over again, and spend them in nothing but Prayers and Tears, that could not Save me, [Page 10] no, it is nothing but the mercy of God in Christ, that must save me; and upon this will I trust. I am re­solved that at the last I will lay my self wholly at the Feet of God's Mercy in Jesus Christ, and there I will Die: This he utteered with raised and enlarged Affections. They have brougt my Coffin, and I am not afraid to see it; proceeded he, I thank God I can freely Lie down in it: These Shackles about my Leggs are, as if they were not; I do not regard them. My Heart is so cheared with the con­sideration of the Pretious Promises God hath made to poor perishing Sinners; and Why not to me? And Why not to thee indeed said I. She Lov­ed much, to whom much was for­given: Ah Reply'd he, it is much must be forgiven me, Much indeed. More to this purpose passed be­tween us: Several other Mini­sters were with him that Day, and Prayed with him as he told me, what Discourse they had with him I know not.

[Page 11] On Tuesday Morning, being the day before his Execution, after some Conference for the settling his Faith and Hope upon a right bot­tom, cautioning him against all the delusions of a subtile Tempter, and self-deceiving Heart, that he might not be confident in himself, or any thing else, but only in the sure Word of Truth, he broke out in­to a most Pathetical Rapture, not without a Flood of Tears, Admire­ing the Love of God to Man in Christ Jesus, so as was wonderful to behold, and next to inexpressible: Thus he continued for about a quarter of an hour, his Heart seem­ed, as if it would break in pieces before it could get vent, it seem'd to me impossible such Words, as then flowed from his Mouth, should proceed from any other than an Heart truly touched and broken with godly Sorrow, and that felt indeed, what the Love of God in Christ meant. Oh how did he a­base himself, saying, There was no [Page 12] Creature upon Earth more loathsome, than he was to himself by Reason of Sin, adding, He had been the Devils Vassal, and Drudge, hurried on by him to all manner of Evil, and that now God should touch his Heart with re­morse, make him sensible of his Sin, he did admire with greatest thank­fulness. One sitting by, and speak­ing of Assurance, that Christians should labour for it, as a most ex­cellent thing, He answered, If the Lord will not give me the assurance of the Pardon of my Sins before I die; yet if he will but inable me to Hope in his Mercy, to seck him, wait, and trust in him, I will praise him. I spent the greatest part of this day with him in Prayer, Instruction, and Exhortation. He was not without some damps upon his Spirit that Afternoon, sig­nifying his fear of miscarrying; oft loading himself with his Sins, as exceeding the common size: And yet durst not but own, that the Merits of Christs Blood and Mer­cies of God through him, were in­finitely more and greater. Verily, [Page 13] it was marvellous to me, to ob­serve the Methods of Free Grace with this Poor Man: How the Lord by a holy Fear and awaken­ing Apprehensions of the evil of Sin, and eternal Misery, preserved him from carnal Security, and Pre­sumption: And also upheld him from sinking into horrid Dispair, by let­ting out some Tokens of his Love, and Mercy to him, now and then. He was ever most humble, when most raised with any Hopes of finding acceptance with God through the Lord Redeemer.

Having left him three or four hours, in the Evening, I visited him again, at which time People came thronging into the Chamber, so as created some trouble to the Keep­er; and He looking round on them, dropt several seasonable and weigh­ty Exhortations to them, saying, Come see the Fruit of Sin, and what it will bring you all unto, if you don't take warning by me, and turn to the Lord by true Repentance, I mean not, [Page 14] you shall all come to Shackles, and a Halter, but to such an Hell in your Consciences. Oh, I have felt a Hell in my Conscience. Then looking up­on his Coffin, Ah, saith he, I am thinking a House, a Town, a Coun­trey, nay a Nation, could not hold me, not long ago, and to morrow I must be confined within the narrow li­mits of that little room. Look Sirs, what they that have most, must have at last but their length, a Coffin: Then shaking his Head, saith he, I may truly say with Solomon, All worldly things are but Vanity, and Vexation of Spirit, Vexation of Spirit indeed to me.

Spending again some time in cal­ling upon God with, and for him, he was sweetly affected in the Du­ty, and cryed out, Lord, thou hast said, Whoso is weary and heavy laden, let him come to thee for rest for his Soul, and he shall find it. I am hea­vy laden with the Burthen of Sin, it is a heavy Burthen, that I have lain under these three, or four days, but [Page 15] thanks be to God, it is lighter than it was, Lord, thou hast said, He that cometh to thee, thou wilt in no wise cast out.

It growing late, he desired the Company might be dismist, and I left with him alone; I desired we might sing an Hymn before they went away, all readily assented to it, he joyned with us with a very audible and chearful Voice: After we had done, he said, Blessed be God I can sing with chearfulness. Did you not Mind me, how chearfully I sang? My Heart is very much refreshed with the Consideration of Gods Mercy, so that it affected the Hearts of all that were present; there were not many dry eyes in the Room, though full of People, who were astonished at what they saw and heard. When all the Company was departed, he told me, his Companions, that came to visit him, said, Look, how he is fallen in two or three days, shaking his Head and lifting up his Hands, he retorted, Oh happy fall for me, [Page 16] would to God I had so fallen sooner; Blessed be God for this fall, it is the happiest fall that ever I had: After a little pause, To Morrow, said he, my poor Soul must take its flight out of this Body; Oh that it might flie into its Saviours bosome!

I signified to him, that I had thoughts of staying with him all Night, he told me he could have been glad of it; but for some rea­sons we omitted it: He Prayed me to come Early in the Morning, and then not to leave him till I saw him Executed. He most Af­fectionately thanked me for the Ser­vice I had done him, praying God to reward me: I told him my work was wages, excusing my self that I came not sooner to visit the Prisoners, telling him, it was oft in my mind so to do, but a Sin­ful Shame prevented me; Oh! said he, Would to God you had come sooner: And truly I found a Gene­ral Acceptation among all the Pri­soners, beyond what I could ex­pect; [Page 17] I mention this only to en­courage my Brethren in the Mini­stry to visit poor Prisoners. You cannot tell till you try how welcom you may be to such distressed Souls, and how serviceable for their Eternal welfare. The general greeting I had from this poor Pri­soner after my second visit, was, Wel­come, Welcome.

Here I cannot omit the Civility of Mr. Bloodwick, their Keeper, who did readily admit of any that might be helpful to the Souls of those under his charge; and the peculiar excellency of Mrs. Blood­wick is worth taking notice of, by whose over-sight the Prison is kept with great neatness, whereas other Prisons are so filthy, as renders it very prejudicial to the Health of those that visit them; here it is not so, the Nicest persons need not fear be­ing offended with ill scents.

But to digress no further, I left him that Night, promising to be with him Early in the Morning: [Page 18] Soon after Four I went to him, we spent most of the time till Nine in Discoursing of what he had Read after I left him, and in Prayer: The frame of his Spirit still remained Humble, Tender and in good measure: Spiritual Death and Judgment were now Solemn things in his Account and the thoughts thereof lively and influen­tial on his whole deportment. He laboured with mighty concernedness how to Die Well, pressed all about him with strong Arguments to live better than he had done; especial­ly he strictly admonished and charg­ed his Wife, who had been a co­partner with him in all his villany, that she should immediately Re­form, and what straits soever she came into, still to depend upon, and trust in God, following and serving him in ways of true Religion and Godly Fear, to keep her self from the snares of evil company, which had been Ruinous to him, so dangerous to her already, and is one of the greatest Engines of destruction the Devil uses [Page 19] in the World. Not only the Life of his own Soul was precious to him, but he shewed strange Zeal for the Salvation of others, pitied poor Sin­ners with bowels of Compassions, oft declaring his deep sense of their miserable state, who lived careless in the matters of their Souls Eternal Peace, and Comfort.

A little before Execution, en­quiring of him what Confession he thought to make, he said, he was not inclined to speak much publickly in that respect, for this reason, That he judged it useless, and at most would only gratifie some, who came for nothing else but to hear him tell a long Story of a Vicious Life, which was more likely to discompose his own mind, than tend to their Edification. Moreover he said, I cannot affect the Guilty, and for others, some may believe me, some may not: The Guilty know themselves. I will there­fore leave them to God and their own Consciences, wishing them true Repentance, that they may never come to this mi­serable End. He did not think fit to [Page 20] go out of the World accusing others, whom he could no more than ac­cuse, and neither bring them to de­served Punishment for what they had done, nor prevent thereby their pro­ceeding in the same course of Wicked­ness: No, for (said he) God must convince them, and change their hearts, which he did, and would pray earnest­ly for to his last.

He was desirous to imploy all his little space in seeking God, and gi­ving up himself to Jesus Christ in humble prayer; now and then saying, Oh! my Time is short, within a few hours, yea moments, I shall be in Eter­nity; O vain World!

And thus he prepared himself to Embrace Death with comfort; for though any one might see great se­riousness in all his Carriage, when going to the Place of Execution, and when there, yet as little sadness ap­peared, as ever did sn any in his con­dition, that was not absolutely stu­pid, and insensible.

[Page 21] Requesting me oft not to leave him till Death separated us, I ac­companied him to the Place of Exe­cution, where I prayed with him, committing his Soul to God, he joyn­ed with me with great Ardency: Then was sung the latter part of the 39th Psalm by his appointment; in singing whereof he seemed Elevated in Heart and Voice above most pre­sent. At last turning about and look­ing round on the multitude, he took his farewell in these words, or words to the like effect.

‘Gentle Spectators, You are come to see a sinful miserable wretch suffer this Ignominious Death; I thank God it is not terrible to me, for I trust that I shall find Mercy with God for my poor Soul, through the precious Blood of my sweet Jesus. You may see here what Sin will bring you to; Oh take warning by me; take heed of Sin; shun Temptations; flee Evil Company; beware of Sabbath-breaking, for by this Sin the Devil begins with many [Page 22] to draw them to all manner of Wickedness, so he did with me; Oh forsake all your Evil Ways! turn to the Lord, he is a gracious God. Oh vile Wretch! that I have so sinned against a holy, just and merciful God: I have been a Prodigal indeed, but I hope now a Returning one; Oh that they that have been my Companions in mischief, may repent before it be too late! I beg of them to fear God, and mind their Souls: There may be some of them that hear me at this time, the Lord touch their hearts: Oh do not still go on! you are known to God, who will call you to account for all one day: Think of it, I beseech you; the Lord give you Repentance, and Pardon your Sins, that you may not come to this mise­able End you see me come to.’ With more to the like purpose.

Then Resigning himself to God, and beging Acceptance with him, for the Merits of a Dear and Alsufficient Re­deemer, he Ended this Temporal and miserable Life.

[Page 23] Hitherto I have given a bare Hi­storical Relation of what came with­in my own personal knowledge; and I Appeal to God for my Fidelity in the whole: For, though in some things I may have varied from his precise words, (which yet I have stuck to as much as is possible) I dare confidently affirm, that I have not de­parted from his Sense, and the truth in any thing. Only let me add far­ther a few Observations for Spiritual improvement; as, what may from the Preceding Narrative be inferred.

First, That when God sets sin upon the Conscience, and inlightens the mind to see its Guilt, the most obdurate sinner cannot withstand the Terrors of Divine Wrath: This was most plainly demonstrated in this Man's Case▪ He that had once made a mock of Sin (as all ungodly Fools do) and no fear of the Great and Ter­rible Majesty of an Infinitely Holy, Just and Omnipotent God, did lay con­straint upon him; but in contempt of Hell and all the Threatnings of E­ternal Divine Displeasure, swaggered [Page 24] it out in those ways that lead directly to Eternal perdition, till the Lord graci­ously let in some beams of Holy Light into his Soul; then how horrid were his Sins? and how dreadful the apprehensi­on of their just desert! Oh, the Ago­nies that I saw him in! How did he Tremble? And the thoughts of having to do with an Angry Almighty God, will shake the Hearts of the stout­est Sinners; for, Who knows the power of his Wrath? Who can dwell with Ever­lasting burnings?

Secondly, That when Men come once seriously to consider Death, Judgment and a future State, the necessity of a Christ for their Souls, will presently and evidently appear to them: Did not Men cast these out of their Thoughts, it could not be that they should live at ease; set so light by a Saviour as the generality of them do. Alas! Men put the evil Day far from them, and look upon Death, Judgment and things of another World, as at a vast distance; or at most not absolute­ly certain, and so their Preparations for Eternity are but Languid, Remiss, [Page 25] Heartless and Insignificant: But let Death look them in the Face, and their Minds be possessed with Sober, Lively, Believing Apprehensions of the grand important matters of a World to come; then give them a Christ, and nothing but a Christ is the load and earnest cry of their Souls. Oh, the worth, ex­cellency and necessity of that pretious Christ that they had long before vilified and rejected!

Thirdly, If the Lord please to put a poor Sinner upon sollicitous care and concern for Saving the Soul, no means will be neglected, no diligence in the use thereof wanting for that end; es­pecially they will be much in Prayer: Cry oft and mightily to the Lord for Grace and Mercy: Give God and their own Souls no rest, till they find both. Nothing more remarkable than this in the present instance. What a price did he set upon Prayer? as appears by this, that he gladly accepted the Prayers of any, though of never so mean capacity; and though at first he could only Pray with others help, yet upon my pressing him to exercise himself in Prayer, [Page 26] using his own expressions, and telling him (when he pleaded he could not Pray without help) that a due sight and sense of our Sins, Wants and Mi­series, would find us matter enough for, and open our Mouhts wide in Prayer. He acknowledged he wanted not words to plead with the Judge for his Life, accepted my Counsel, set upon the Duty, found assistance and comfort therein; told me when I came next to him; I thank God now I can Pray: And I have heard him with Ardour of Affecti­on make his Address to God. No time, no pains were now too much for mak­ing his peace with God, obtaining par­don of sin, and working out his Salva­tion. But alas! is it not a sad, and too certain a sign, that few are as solicitous as they ought for their Souls. Would there then be so many Prayerless per­sons and families in the World? Would God's Holy Day, Word and Wor­ship, and Necessary Means of Grace be so neglected? Oh! that in Wisbech, and every place there may be more Praying, Striving and Running in the ways of Gods Ordinances for Heaven; [Page 27] that they would testifie abundantly that they are in good earnest to provide for their Souls, and that the one thing necessary is their chiefest business and only weighty concernment in this Life.

Fourthly, They that apprehend the Mercy of God in Christ aright, will look upon him as a most holy and Righteous God also: They'll not set Free Grace, and the Infinite Riches of his Mercy in opposition to his Justice, but admire and adore his Grace the more, by seeing a full satisfaction to his Justice in the Blood of his own dear Son of indispensible necessity. Scarce did any more magnifie the Love and Free Grace of God to sinners, than he; Blessing the Lord with admiration, that his Mercies were so infinite, Compas­sions boundless; yet had he an Eye up­on his Righteousness, and severest Ju­stice: Oft, when speaking how gracious God is, and merciful to poor sinners, such as he was; he would add, He is a just God too. Yea indeed he will be just, as well as merciful; and therefore he is merciful in Christ only, who can [Page 28] satisfie his Justice: Oh that Sinners therefore would not presume upon the meer Mercy of God, contenting them­selves with a general Notion, that God is merciful, and so will save them: For all the Mercy and Grace in God, will never save one Soul, but as it Runs through the Lord Jesus Christ, the only proper Channel of its Conveyance to humble penitent believing Sinners. 'Tis Christ alone, who by the Sacrifice of himself hath made Attonement for Sin, paid a Price adequate and satis­factory to Infinite Justice, born the Curse, fulfilled the Righteousness of the Law, for the Justification and Sal­vation of those, who believe in him, and obey his Gospel.

To conclude: Receive a word of Ex­hortation; Up and be doing; omit no opportunity; spare no industry for se­curing the Eternal Interest and Happi­ness of your Souls; let not the awaken­ing Call of this sad and Dismal Provi­dence prove in vain, to any, whose Eyes or Ears, it hath already, or hereafter may Reach: Awake, awake, secure Sinners, and know the Day of God's [Page 29] Patience, and Long-suffering towards you, that you may be prepared for, and safe in the Day of his Vengeance. O Sirs! the Judge is at the Door; the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord is nigh, to every one of you: Search your Consciences: T [...] the State of your Souls: How do you think to stand before the Dreadful Tribunal of the Great God? Is Arraignment and Condemnation, at an Earthly Bar, and the Execution of Man's Sentence, so Amazing and Terrifying, what will it be then, to be Tryed, and Cast Eter­nally, by the Great and Righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth? O trifle not with Eternity! But again, search your Hearts and Consciences: If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things; But if our hearts condemn us not, then have we con­fidence towards God. O fly to Christ! accept of him upon Gospel-Terms; there is no escaping the Wrath to come, but by an Interest in him; make sure of it then, and live not without a Christ, that you die not without a Christ: Die in your sins, and so die [Page 30] eternally. If the Lord will bless, and make this useful for the Conversion of any Soul; give God the sole Praise, and Glory. Amen.