Cotton Mather

“ 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 ben 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, and all other Sins; and I therefore beg all that Love their Souls to be familiar with none but such as fear God. ”

“ Ever since you knew how to do any thing, you have every day been guilty of innumerable sins; you deserve the dreadful wrath and curse of the infinite God. But God has brought you here, to a place where you have enjoy'd the means of Grace. ”

“ 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 Fountain set open for Sin and Uncleanness. I know not how better to Glorify God, for giving me such and Opportunity as I have had to make sure of His Mercy, than by advising and entreating the Rising Generation here, to take Warning by my Example ”

“ MIN. I beseech you to make this use of it, I believe there is not one Christian this day beholding you, who would not willingly be at the greatest pains they could devise to save your precious Soul: How merciful then is that Man who is God as well as man! how unspeakably ready is the Lord Christ to save the Souls of sinners that affectionately Look unto him! The goodness and the pitifulness of the most tender-hearted man in the world is but a shadow of what is in Him. ”

“ You are in danger of being now quickly cast into these exquisite amazing Torments, in comparison of which, the anguishes which your body ever did feel, or shall feel before night, or can ever feel, are just nothing at all ”

“ The Everlasting Arms receive thee! The Lord Jesus, the merciful Saviour of Souls take possession of thy Spirit for himself. The Great God, who is a great Forgiver, grant thee Repentance unto Life; and Glorify Himself in the Salvation of such a wounded Soul as thine for ever. With Him, and with His free, rich, marvellous, Infinite Grace, I leave you. Farewell.
Being Arrived unto the place of Execution, his Last Speech upon the Ladder, then taken in Short-Hand, was that which is here inserted. ”

“ The Son of God is become the Son of Man; the Lord Jesus Christ is both God & Man in One Person, and he is both sufficiently able & willing also, to be your Saviour. He live a most righteous life & this was that such as you and I might be able to say before God, Lord, accept of me as if I had lived righteously. ”

“ Mind and have a care of that Sin of Drunkenness, for that Sin leads to all manner of Sins and Wickedness: (mind, and have a care of breaking the sixth Commandment, where it is said, Thou shalt not do no Murder) for when a man is in Drink, he is ready to commit all manner of Sin, till he fills up the cup of the wrath of God, as I have done by committing that Sin of Murder. ”

“ There is hardly any sort of Wickedness which you have not wallowed in. That Sin particularly which you are now to Dy for, is a most monstrous Crime. I can't possibly describe or declare the sins whereby you have made your self an astonishing Example of Impiety and punishment. ”

“ I James Morgan, being Condemned to Dye, must needs own to the glory of God, that He is righteous, and that I have by my sins, provoked him to destroy me before my time. I have been a great Sinner, guilty of Sabbath-breaking, of Lying, and of Uncleanness; but there are especially two Sins whereby I have offended the Great God; one is that Sin of Drunkenness, which has caused me to commit many other Sins ”

“ And for the further peace of my own Conscience, I think my self obliged to add this unto my foregoing Confession, that I I own the Sentence which the Honoured Court has pass'd upon me, to be exceeding just; inasmuch as (tho' I had no former Grudge and Malice against the man whom I have killed, yet) my Passion at the time of the Fact was so outragious, as that it hurried me on to the doing of that which makes me justly now proceeded against as a Murderer. ”

“ And let me put you in mind of one thing more, I doubt you han't yet laid aside your unjust Grudges against the Persons concerned in your Conviction and Condemnations: You have no cause to complain of them: and you are not fit to pray, much less are you fit to dye, till you heartily wish them as well as your own soul: if you dye malicious, you die miserable. ”