The last SPEECH and dying Words of Thomas Vert, who
was Execute at Durham the 12th August 1730, for the
Murdering of his own Sister, for which he was try'd, condem-
ned and Execute, and being cut down from the Gallows and
laid in his Coffin, his Mother perceiving him to breath, upon
using of proper Means he was brought to Life; then he de-
clared to the Reverend Mr.Nixson the Happiness of the
Blessed, and the miserable State of the damn'd in Hell.
Lastly, how he was the second Time Execute.
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YOU tender Parents all both far and near,
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And all you that have got Children dear,
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Come buy this little Book, a Guide to be,
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To such as do run on in Vanity.
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In Durham now is living there,
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A Gentleman that had two Children dear;
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The one a Daughter beautiful and fair,
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Th' other a Son, whom he did love so dear.
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The Girl she was of Temper meek and mild,
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The Son to wicked Courses was inclin'd.
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For in his infant Years he'd curse and swear,
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which fill'd his Parents Hearts with grief and care.
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This Girl was ten Years younger than the Son,
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Seeing her Brother thus in sin to run:
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Tho' she was but a young Infant in Years,
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Thus to her Brother she did speak with Tears.
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Dear Brother, darling of my Father's Heart,
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Hear what a Child does into you impart,
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If you do thus run in this course of Sin,
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My tender Parents to their Grave you'll bring.
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Each Day the heavenly God above you dare,
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Your whole Delight it is to curse and swear;
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My Father's Substance you do daily waste,
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For to maintain your Actions most unchaste.
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My Soul does mourn to see my Mothers Tears,
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My Father's Heart it is opprest with Fears,
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Least that some sad untimely Death you die,
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And so be lost to all Eternity.
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When he did hear the tender Babe say so,
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He with his Hand did strike her such a Blow,
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That on the Ground alas! she Breathless lay,
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Cursing and Swearing then he went away.
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Then soon her Mother came into the Room,
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Seeing the Child lie dead upon the Ground,
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Strangely surpiz'd, did for the Doctor send,
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And call'd for Help then from her dearest Friend.
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But all in vain, they found her Life was gone,
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And none did know who had the Murder done;
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But plainly to them all it did appear,
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That by some cruel Hands she murdered were,
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But now the great Almighty brought to pass,
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This Thing so hateful in his Sight at last,
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And he to Justice soon was brought and try'd,
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And a true Penitent at last he died.
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Three Nights after this sad Thing it was done,
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He was drinking at an Ale-house in the Town,
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Having a Strumpet in his Company,
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With whom he had a Mind that Night to lie.
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Wallowing in his filthy vain Delight,
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About the hour of Eleven at Night,
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The Room did in a blazing Light appear
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And heavenly Musick sounded in his Ear.
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He said, What heavenly Host sure can this be,
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That comes to visit such a Wretch as me?
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And to his great Surptize there did appear
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The Apparition of his Sister dear.
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Her Clothes more white than driven Snow they were,
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And round her Shoulders hung her flexen Hair;
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Seeming attended with a heavenly Tribe,
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That gently mov'd along to his Bed side.
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He said, Now in the Name of God I pray,
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From whence came you, and why'd ye trouble me.
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with that a Voice did answer him again,
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I am the Babe that by your Hands was slain.
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Repent, for now your Time is drawing near,
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The fatal Day on which you are to die;
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Think on the Promises which was made,
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If you repent You still Your Soul may save.
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My tender Parents do lament for me,
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But I am blest to all Eternity:
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Make now much of the Moments You have here,
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And crave a Blessing of Your Parents dear.
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Thus spoke the Vision; he did no more see,
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He straightway pray'd, and fell upon his Knee,
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First, asking Perdon of the Lord on high,
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Least he was lost to all Eternity.
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Soon as the Morning Day-light did appear,
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To his distressed Parents did repair,
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And then before them on his Knees did fall,
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And freely did confess the Truth of all.
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His Parents wept, and rung their Hands full sore;
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Saying, sure none e'er was so opprest before;
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The blessed'st Babe that ever yet drew breath,
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By thy base Hands is snatch'd from off the Earth.
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Now of you both we soon must be depriv'd,
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The Time's but short that you have to survive,
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For tho' we are your tender Perents dear,
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We are bound this heinous Murder to declare.
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with Grief they did disclose it instantly,
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And he was try'd, cast, and condemn'd to die,
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Such a repenting Soul was never seen,
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Daily imploring Mercy for his Sins.
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Then for his aged Father he did send,
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Father he said, my sad and fatal End
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Is drawing nigh, and therefore let me have,
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My Father's Blessing, that is all I crave.
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Father, what must I do my Soul to save,
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Since there is no Repentance in the Grave,
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My Time is short that I have here to dwell,
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Lord keep me from the burning Lake of Hell,
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while Tears like Fountains trickled down his Face,
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His Father said, My Child this Spark of Grace,
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Does cheer my Soul, I'll join with thee in prayer,
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And hope the Lord will our Petition hear.
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Father, A Child's Disobedience is a hainous Sin,
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And strictly does the Lord forbid that Thing,
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Honour your Parents, and your Days shall be
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Long in the Land which God does give to thee.
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But I've the holy Laws of God transgress'd,
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My tender Sister I of Life bereft;
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I'm old in Sin, altho' in Years but young,
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Father, I have been a disobedient Son.
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(2)
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Son, I will pray to God both Night and Day,
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For thee while in this world you have to stay,
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And I do hope the Lord will pardon thee,
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And therefore now in Prayer join with me.
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O blessed Lord, great is a Parent's care,
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In Mercy now, my Father's Prayer hear,
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Then humbly on their Knees they both fell down
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The mournful Father and the dying Son.
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while they were stedfast at their fervent Prayer,
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with wringing Hands came in his mother dear.
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Crying, "my Son, O Lord, what must I do!
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Ive been a tender mother unto you.
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you my Child, I once thought I was blest,
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"And tenderly I nurst you at my Breast:
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"But little thought my tender Care wou'd be,
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"To bring you up unto the Gallows Tree.
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Thousand of Tears among them there was shed
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His Parents look'd like People almost dead;
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Kissing his dying Lips, they must away,
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Time won't permit them longer for to stay.
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with him two Highway men there was to die:
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Thousands did go to see them passing by,
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And when they came unto the fatal Tree,
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He turn'd himself about and thus did say:
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young men all, that's in your blooming years
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"Behold a wretch surrounded with his cares,
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"if I my tender Parents had obey[?]d,
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"in Satan's Snares I had ne'er been betray'd.
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tender Sister told me of my Sin,
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"And of the wretched State my Soul was in;
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"For which, the fatal Blow to her I gave,
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"which sent her down into the silent Grave.
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I could not bear the word of God to hear,
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"The Advice of my dear mother could not bear;
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"[?] now repents of all the Crime Ive done,
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"And now I die,[?] my Glass is almost run.
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when thus he spoke, the Cart it drew away,
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And he resign'd his Breath upon the Tree;
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After some time the Body was cut down,
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And to his Father's House was carried Home.
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Then as they for his Funeral did prepare,
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One Day his sad and mournful mother dear,
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Stood weeping by his Coffin where he lay,
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And Kissing of his lips tho' cold as Clay.
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She quickly did perceive him to draw breath
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His Eyes he open'd and thse words exprest:
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"Alas! where am I now, my Saviour dear,
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"Am I returned back to this world of Care.
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His Mother over-joyed away did run,
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And told his Father he to Life was come,
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His Father said, "I'm griev'd this News to hear,
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"For he will still be punished I fear.
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His Father goes the Truth of this to see,
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And found it so just as his Wife did say;
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They laid him in a Bed, and did prepare,
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Rich Cordials then his Spirits for to chear.
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Being reviv'd, he thus spoke to his Friends,
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"I beg you for a Mininster will send;
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"For I some wonders have for to declare,
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"Sinners to teach the word of God to fear.
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The Reverend Mr. Nixon being come,
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Amaz'd to see the wonders that was done,
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"He asked the Youth, how Things with him might be
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"when he was launch'd into Eternity.
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He said "Sir, for to tell the Happiness
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"My Soul's been in, I cannot it express,
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"But let the Atheist be assur'd hell find
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"A great tremendious God to judge mankind.
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surely is a burning Lake in Hell,
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"And Heaven where godly Saints and Angels dwell;
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"But disobedient Children ne'er come there,
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"Nor such as do prophanely Curse and Swear.
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true Repentance I my Pardon gain'd,
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glorious heavenly Promise I obtain'd:
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"But my Companions that did die with me,
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I see them in the Gulph of misery.
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now my Parents dear, grieve not in vain,
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"Your Loss it is my everlasting Gain:
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"And tho' my morning Sun goes down at Noon,
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"All Flesh must die, and God does know how soon.
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Petition not for me I pray,
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"The second Time I must go to the Tree,
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I only was sent back for to declare,
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"These Things to Youth that Disobedient are.
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The Father being tender of his Son,
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The King acquainted of what had been done,
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In hopes a Pardon that he might obtain,
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But as 'twas murder, was deny'd the same.
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Again then he must executed be,
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So carried was in's Coffin to the Tree
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There willingly embrac'd the fatal Hour,
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while Tears for him did many Thousands shower.
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His Parents patiently their Suffering bore,
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In hopes he does injoy great Heaven's store;
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I hope this will a fatal warning be,
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To those that do their Parents disobey.
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