*He replied: “I will not tell a lie to save ten thousand lives. It is true, life is sweet, but the love and favour of God is sweeter to me than life itself: how do I know, but while I am telling of a lie to save my life, I may be struck dead, and lose my precious soul for ever? I shall therefore plead guilty: not with a design to obtain the favour of man thereby: for I expect, I deserve none; but because I would not offend God, and grieve his Holy Spirit.”
A by-stander asked him, Whether he was willing to die?
He said, “When I consult with flesh and blood, it seems hard to leave the world in the bloom of my youth; but when I consider I am going to him whom my soul loves, then I long to be dissolved, and to be with Christ Jesus.”
This, with much more to the same import, he uttered, with a chearful countenance, and with such an humble, yet confident boldness, as filled all with admiration that heard him.
A Roman Catholic, being present, could not believe that it was possible for any one to know his sins were forgiven; but acknowledged he believed Matthew to be a pious young man, and that if it was to be known here, he did know it.
A near relation being of the same opinion, as to the knowledge of the forgiveness of sins, he said, “Believe me, as I shortly expect to die, and look on myself as a dying man, I am positive God for Christ’s sake hath pardoned all my sins; and I am not afraid to face death, for death cannot hurt me.”
To some, he said, “My living in an alehouse exposed me to much evil company, and I was forced to hear much cursing and swearing, to which I myself was too much addicted. This with my living in uncleanness, made me forget God; so that God for my manifold sins, left me to commit the crime, for which I am justly to lose my life. But I have no cause to complain, since God hath made me repent, and see the evil of my ways in my chains: and glory be to his name, he hath set my soul at liberty. Oh! blessed be his name for his unspeakable goodness to me, so vile and wretched a sinner, for he hath enabled me to repent with a repentance not to be repented of. I formerly took great pleasure in committing sin, but now I hate the very thoughts of sin; and I really believe (by God’s grace) I could not commit a sin to gain a kingdom.”
After the person, by whom he was first convinced, had been with him, he cryed out, “Oh, that he could be with me always, then would my prison be a palace, and my confinement better than liberty!—*But, why do I want a man to be with me? Have I not the presence of God with me? Have I not communion with Jesus Christ? And that is more valuable than all the helps and conversation of poor sinful man.”
Being informed there was a minister belonging to the gaol, who would help him in his addresses to the Almighty God:
He answered, “Why don’t he then? Why don’t he come and instruct me? Why don’t he wrestle with God for me? I see no regard paid to the immortal souls of any that are confined here. They are running head-long to hell, and no one seeks to stop them. None prays with; none admonishes, reproves, exhorts them: but he that is filthy, is left to be filthy still. What! Have the prisoners in Newgate, immortal souls! And yet no one regardeth them? Are they so good as not to need reproof and admonition? Or are they so bad as to be past recovery? Who can tell, but by frequent, earnest and heart-searching preaching, God might reach some hellish sinner here, as he reached me in Bridewell? And shall the servants of the Most High God be forbid to preach in Newgate!——What! forbid to preach to the servants of the devil!——Servants of the devil, did I say? Devils incarnate; but yet they are not blacker than I: and the blood of Christ hath reached me, and the same blood can cleanse the most defiled and vilest sinner here.——Lord, pity us in Newgate, and send some one to preach thy word; and do thou make it effectual to reach their hearts.”