For this, Walton reproached him bitterly; upon which they both followed him, Lee with his pistol, and Walton with a large stick, and robbed the gentleman of his watch and fourteen shillings. Had Walton been contented with what the gentleman had given him, in all probability they might have escaped; but Walton perceiving a bulk in his pocket (which was thirteen guineas) demanded it, which Mr. Chalmer refused, and recovering his spirits, told them, “Except they would give him his watch, he would follow them.” Walton observing this, took the pistol from Lee, and made his escape over the fields; but Lee having the watch, was closely pursued, and taken with the watch upon him.
He was first committed to Bridewell, and continued there six weeks: during his stay there, God was pleased to incline the heart of one to visit those who were there confined, and to publish the glad tidings of salvation; and God gave Lee an ear to hear the gospel-sound, and an heart to embrace it. He took great delight in hearing: and a visible alteration was observed in his whole behaviour. He was convinced of his lost and undone state; was sensible how vile and guilty he was before God: was much by himself in reading and prayer, frequently and earnestly crying for mercy. But he was very fearful lest his many and great sins would exclude him from the favour of God; and though he was only guilty of this robbery, yet he acknowledged himself a vile and hell-deserving creature, for his whole life. It was now the grief of his heart that he had ever sinned against such a good and gracious God: who he acknowledged had been frequently striving with him. For (said he) I remember when I have been drinking and merry-making with my companions, in the midst of my mirth, great horror and distress have seized me, that I have often times been forced to leave my company, and retire by myself. I have been frequently distressed on account of my sin: my conscience has checked me in, and after the committing of it; but by company and mirth it would soon wear off, though not so, but at times it would return again.
The very first time he heard the preaching in Bridewell, the terrors of the Almighty fell upon him, and the arrows of God stuck fast in his soul. The sense of his crime (not as it was merely against the laws of man, but as it was against the law of God) and all his former sins greatly distressed him. The thoughts of death, but especially of a judgment to come, made him tremble exceedingly. He feared the wrath to come, and knew not how to flee from it. He was desirous to know what he must do to be saved; but did not see Christ the way of salvation. He was now crying out undone! undone! and writing bitter things against himself. He was so desirous to hear the gospel, that he would rather lose the favour of his relations and friends, that visited him, than lose one opportunity: saying, “He had but one friend to please, and that was Christ.”
He heard with such attention and affection, that he seemed even to eat the words of the preacher. He earnestly longed for the pardon of his sins: but for the first three weeks he had not the least glimpse of comfort.
Shortly after, as he was in prayer, crying earnestly for mercy, under great horror of soul, God broke in upon him in a wonderful manner, which he thus expressed to the person that preached.
*“I believe now my peace is made with God through Jesus Christ. I experience a great change in my soul, for while I was at prayer, last night, in great terror, apprehensive that I was going immediately body and soul to hell: I cry’d out so loud that my fellow-prisoners in the next ward heard me, and called to know what was the matter: I told them that I was going to hell, and begged their prayers for me: but while I was in the midst of this horror and despair, I suddenly experienced a blessed and comfortable change: my mind was immediately calmed: I believed my sins were forgiven: the fear of hell was taken away: and I was so far from fearing death, that I was now more desirous to die, than to live.”
He earnestly desired prayer to God in his behalf, and wept bitterly that ever he should sin against him. It was very observable from this time, that the greater sense he experienced of the mercy of God to him, the greater abhorrence he had of sin, and of himself for committing it.
He was now more serious in hearing the word than ever; and was frequently singing of psalms and hymns. He could not bear to hear any of his fellow-prisoners profane the name of God, but would reprove them and exhort them with a serious concern to reflect on the consequences of such a behaviour.
“Oh! (said he) did you but feel the terrors I lately did for my sins, you would dread the thoughts of ever sinning again.”
“I have (says he, to a friend) deserved eternal death; but blessed be God who hath taken away the sting of death, and the guilt of sin; and now I can walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and not be afraid: now I can lay down and rise up, can live and die in peace.”