When he was brought to the bar, he said but little; only pleaded guilty to the indictment: but when he received sentence of death, with an audible voice, he said, “Though I stand condemned at the bar of man, I shall be acquitted at the bar of God; for he hath forgiven me all my sins, and assured me of his glory.”
After his return back to prison, he was solid and serious, yet remarkably chearful: crying out “What a vile wretch am I; and yet God for his Son’s sake hath pardoned me, and I shall stand before his throne, and praise him for ever; for I am an heir of God, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ; a citizen of Zion, and a companion with saints and angels to all eternity: Oh, how do I long to die, that I may be with Jesus Christ, who is my lot and portion: Oh, the happiness I shall enjoy when I have left this clay! O, help me, sir, to glorify God: I do praise him; but shew me how to do it more and more, and more still: I cannot do it enough till I come to heaven, and I shall not do it enough then.—*Blessed be God for what I have experienced in these cells: these dark and dismal cells have been light and pleasant places to me; for I have had the prospect of eternal glory; and have seen that eternal glory reserved for me! Thither, thither, am I going: I have but one storm to endure, and I shall be in harbour for ever.”
One asked, “Whither he should not be glad of a reprieve, and whither he had not hopes of not being included in the dead warrant?”
He reply’d, “My flesh and blood desire life, but my soul longs to be where death shall be no more. Welcome life; and welcome death: if I am reprieved, I shall bless God; and if I am included in the dead warrant, I shall still praise and magnify his name.”
One inquiring “Whether he had any to make intercession for him?”
He replied, “I have no one on earth to intercede in my behalf: but I have one in the court of heaven, who hath interceeded for me, and obtained my pardon. My pardon is sealed above, and sealed with the broad seal of king Jesus; that shall abide to all eternity!——Jesus is my friend, and he will prepare a place for me.”
The two persons that were condemned for murder seeing his seriousness, and the time he spent in singing and prayer; cursed him for “Making such-a-do, about nothing,” (as they termed it) and said to him, “Why, we shall only be hanged.”
“Only be hanged (says he) and is not that bad enough, to die in ones youth and vigour, such a shameful death?”
They answered, “Why, we must all die, one time or other; and now is as well as another time.”
“How can you (replied he) speak so carelessly about the most important thing in the world? But you forget.——Death is not all: for after death there is a judgment and eternity! Indeed for my part I am easy; because I know I shall be happy: but I wonder you can be so easy, and your peace not made with God.——Why you are on the brink of hell, and will be miserable for ever, if you die without repentance.”