The morning of his execution, when his fetters were knocked off, he pulled off his hat, and with great seriousness, blessed God that had vouchsafed him his presence, and prayed for the increase and strength of grace to hold out to the end.
*The person who was taking off his irons said, “He was afraid he should hurt him.” “Oh, fear not, said he, nothing can hurt me here, and I shall shortly be where nothing shall hurt me to all eternity.”
When the ordinary of Newgate asked him, “if his peace was made with God?” He answered, “Yea, I know my peace is made with God, and that God, for Christ’s sake hath pardoned all my sins.”
As he was going to execution, he seemed full of prayer and praise; his countenance chearful, and his deportment serious and solid. In Tyburn Road, a gentleman begged leave that the cart might be stopped, for two young women to speak to him.
To one of them he said, “My dear Nanny, don’t fret for me, for I am going to heaven: look up with an eye of faith, and you will see the holy angels waiting to be my convoy. My Lord Jesus is calling me, and I shall shortly be with him in paradise.”
When he came to Tyburn, and saw among the spectators, the instrument, under God, of his conversion, he called out to him.
“Now I know you and I shall soon meet together in glory. I am going thither, and I know you shall soon follow after. I know that I have been a vile sinner, undeserving the mercy of God: but I know also that God, for Christ’s sake, hath pardoned all my sins. Oh, this is a happy time indeed! Blessed be God I am not afraid to die. Now I experience what you so often told me about the children of God’s triumphing over the fears of death.”——Then with a smile he said, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; the strength of sin is the law. But blessed be God, who hath given me the victory over sin, and over death, through our Lord Jesus Christ.—Surely God’s mercies are unbounded: they extend to the chief of sinners: for since the grace of God hath reached me, what room is there for the vilest sinner to despair of pardon?”
The last words he was heard to speak, was to a near relation. “My dear, don’t vex yourself for me; for I shall be in heaven in two or three minutes.” Prayers being ended, he committed his spirit into the hands of God, with a chearful countenance, being in the 20th year of his age.
His body was taken care of by his friends, and on the Sunday following, was decently interred in Tindall’s burial ground.—Mr. H. and another friend, performed the last office of prayer and praise over his grave, before a great concourse of people; where we must leave him to rest till the morning of the resurrection, when his body, sown in dishonour, shall be raised in glory.