Selected quad for the lemma: blood_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
blood_n	body_n	shed_v	sin_n	8,682	5	4.7257	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28412	The Bloody murtherer, or, The unnatural son his just condemnation at the assizes held at Monmouth, March 8, 1671/2 with the suffering of his sister and servant, for the murther of his mother, Mrs. Grace Jones, for which the said son was prest to death, his sister burnt, and his boy hang'd : with a true accompt of their trials, penitent behaviour, prayers, speeches, and circumstances thereunto relating : with letters of several worthy divines.		1672 (1672)	Wing B3259; ESTC R18868	28,377	74

done more for you than a Brother or Sister can do Can a Mother forget her Child saith the Prophet Isa 49.15 But can a Child forget a Mother Could you forget what pains she underwent in bearing what trouble in nursing what care in providing for you But then if you consider yet further How suddenly you thrust her out of the world whereby she was deprived of time to put the affairs of her Soul in order it may more humble you and consider whether depriving her of space to call on the Lord for mercy you may not have hurt her Soul more than her Body especially if she was taken away in an unprepared estate And further all this was done not rashly in your drink or passion but was a premeditate and deliberate act of your Soul Oh! how doth my Soul bleed at the consideration of your horrid Sin mine Eyes are not dry whilst I write I know not how yours are in reading it As t' was an act of your hand your body was guilty of the Sin but as it was a deliberate act your Soul is partaker in the guilt and both Soul and Body defiled with your Mothers blood But alas my Brother the act is not all though bloody the corruption of Nature and Fountain that sent forth those bitter streams is to be bewailed The Cause is worse than the Effect that deep pollution of your Nature and that corruption which put on this wicked act is to be bewailed The sins of your life which provoked God to give you up to shed a Mothers blood are to be lamented It is like by committing many other sins and by neglecting to serve God your heart came to be hardened by degrees and so from one wickedness to another till at last you adventured on this high crime Think then I beseech you in how full a manner your Heart was under the dominion of the Devil and what quiet and peaceable possession he had of your Soul so that if this sin had not been committed you might have perished for your other transgressions And now I beseech you to consider whether it doth not concern you to think in what a woful estate your Soul is when a studied and deliberate slaughter of a Mother fills up the measure of your sins what hope remaineth of escaping Eternal misery without deep and sound Repentance when the Scripture saith expresly that Murderers are shut out of Heaven Rev. 22.15 I write not this to drive you to despair but to draw you to Repentance And oh that you would cast your self down in the dust and bitterly bewail this bloody and black sin with the sins of your life which prepared you for this Oh that you would be continually on your Knees begging for Pardon and Peace Oh that your head were a Fountain of Tears and that you could weep day and night for the wrong you have done not only to your own Soul but also to him that made you and her that bare you Great sins must have great Repentance 't is not true except it he very deep 't is not true except it be for all as well as some 't is not true except it be for sin as sin t is not true except it bewails original corruption as Davids Repentance of his Murder and Adultery left not his depravity unlamented Psal 51.5 Now that you may not miscarry this great work of such high concernment but that your Repentance may be Repentance unto Salvation never to be repented of I beseech you for Gods and your own Souls sake to observe and follow these directions 1. Beware of whatsoever may be an hindrance to the true humiliation of your Soul Take heed of too much company or bad company privacy or retiredness may be much for your advantage vain company will have vain discourse desire all such to depart from you whose discourse tends not to your Souls profit let only such be conversant with you who will help you in your work which is to fit your self for an happy Eternity 2. Take heed of worldly and vain discourse loose not precious time in unprofitable talk spend not your Breath otherwise than in penitent sighs groans and prayers and in giving warning to such as come about you to avoid the sins which brought you to this sad condition 3 Take heed of pleasing your appetite in taking too much drink or in a too liberal use of meats be much in fasting which is an help to Prayer and let the diet you take be moderate and mean as becomes one that judgeth himself unworthy of life or comfort abstinence from the enjoyments of this life is a great help and furtherance of mortification and humiliation Bishop Atherton found that by shutting the Windows making the room somewhat dark was helpful to humiliation 4. Take heed of thinking that if your life pay for your Mothers you do thereby make satisfaction to God for though that be some satisfaction to the Law of the Land yet not to God who is only satisfied by the death of his Son Jesus Christ which satisfaction you must lay hold on by Faith and apply the blood of Christ to wash away the foul sins of your Mothers blood And such faith cannot be separated from true repentance therefore you must practice the one that you may be assured of the other 2. Embrace all means that may further and promote you in the way and work of Repentance 1. Read much in the Scriptures and such Soul-searching Books as may help to awaken direct comfort and further you in the way of Salvation especially look much into those books as treat of Conversion Repentance and the last things as Death Judgment Heaven and Hell it would do well also to get such Books as have been set forth of penitent Malefactors as Bishop Atherton Nathaniel Butler Thomas Savage and others who being cast into Prison for great crimes were through Divine mercy brought to Repentance and left the world not without hope of Salvation read also the Penetential Psalms and labour to get your heart affected by reading and be not contented except you profit by it 2. Meditate much on the guilt of your last great sin and the former that led you to it wast no thoughts about the world or worldly things think much how God might possibly chastise your Parents for their worldliness in and by you for whom it may be they were more careful to provide than for their immortal Souls And think also of your own ingratitude who requited a dear Mother so evil as to take away her life whose greatest fault it may be was that she was too eager to make you great and rich in this world Think also of the strict Justice and severe vengeance of God whose wrath is a consuming fire and also who is a terrible avenger of Innocent blood which cryeth for vengeance think also what is like to become of the Body and Soul of that poor wretch who was your Companion in guilt and

who was drawn by you to be a partaker of Blood that so his sin and misery as well as your own may incite and draw on to Repentance Pray without ceasing for Mercy Pardon and Peace cry unto God for a broken and contrite heart and say often with a bleeding heart as David Psal 51.14 Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God let prayer be your continual exercise Above all things pray for a saving sight and sense of sin and of your need of Christ And that you may be deeply humbled as well for your other sins as this last was not your breath in unprofitable discourse which may be better spent this way You have a blessed Eternity to provide for and all the time you have to live on Earth is little enough to bewail the sins of your life and to fit your self for an everlasting state Therefore redeem your precious time and account every Minute of great value be very thrifty of it Oh let not drinking gaming or vain talk devour those precious hours which you may and ought to improve for your Eternal Salvation Redeem all you can from sleep company vain discourse c. and spend it in self-examination humuliation prayer confession of sins and supplication for Mercy Remember God upon your Bed and meditate on him in the night watches remember the greatness of your sin and the worth of your Soul and let it be your great business to get the one pardoned and the other saved If Soul-helping friends come to visit you hold them fast and intreat their Prayers and Counsel and let them not leave you till you hove reaped some spiritual benefit from them but if worldly and carnal friends come to see you such as have little favour of God and Grace dismiss them speedily with some good admonition for the time they stay is like to be lost which you should esteem as an unvaluable Treasure Lastly let me intreat you for your Souls sake and by the Prayers that I have made and the Tears I have shed for it that you would not slightly read these lines which I have written nor throw them away after once reading them but that you would ponder on them and endeavour to practice the instructions given you by him that desires your Repentance and Salvation And oh that God would set your sin home to your Conscience and save you from Eternal death and the wrath to come By what I have written you see that I look not upon you as utterly past hope and help your sin though great is not unpardonable if you can truly believe and heartily repent the blood which David and Manassah shed was upon their true Repentance forgiven And the Arm of the Lord is not shortened nor the Fountain of Mercy exhausted The Blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin 1 John 1.7 Though they be as Red as Scarlet or as Crimson Isa 1 18. You are not yet so far from Heaven but you may by true Faith and Repentance get it Nor are you so near Hell but you may yet by the means of God escape it but remember the Work you have to do is great your time short and your strength small therefore whatsoever you find in your heart to do for your Salvation do it with all your might Eccles 9.10 you have lost too much time already loose no more but immediately about this great Work to make up the dreadful breach that is between God and your Soul and to fit it for his glorious presence which that you may diligently and faithfully perform to your everlasting Salvation is and shall be earnestly requested whilst you are on this side the Grave by him who is Your Souls Friend and Remembrancer Tho. Jackman Directed thus For Mr. Henry Jones Prisoner in Monmouth BY the labours of the aforesaid Ministers and the repeated perusal of this Pathetical Soul-searching Heart-melting Letter it pleased the great God in infinite Mercy to give this desperate Malefactor a sense of his most dangerous state the grievousness of his sins and the necessity of a Christ to preserve him from the Jaws of everlasting destruction henceforward he was very little concerned for his body or the pains of death it was to suffer but extreamly sollicitous about the affairs of his Soul He was often bewailing his sinful heart and the Errors of his life how much time he had wretchedly wasted in the Devils service and how little he had now to spend for Gods Glory and his Souls advantage he was very diligent in reading the Holy Bible and good Books and very frequent and fervent in Prayer some forms of which we conceive for the assistance of his Memory were found after his death in writing in the Prison which take as follows O Almighty God Lord of Heaven and Earth Judge of Angels and Men give leave to a vile wretched and dejected Soul to come into thy presence who deserves nothing but Plagues and Torment Fire and Brimstone permit a trembling Malefactor to look towards thy Mercy Seat and for Jesus sake attend unto my cry and hear the voice of my Tears O Eternal goodness if thou forsakest me the huge load of my sins will sink me into desperation and fiery Prison my estate is most sad and pittyable and there is none to deliver me let thy tender Mercies speedily prevent me for I am brought very low I am astonished at the sight of my Iniquities for they are great and numberless O Lord support me with thy blessed Arms or I shall fall into a Sea of misery and never rise again fear and terrours do surround me and the evil spirits watch for my ruine may I not a grievous sinner beg one drop of comfort who am ready to perish may I not pray to thee in the time of my distress when thy fierce Waves are coming over my Soul my pensive fainting and troubled Soul I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am dictracted wilt thou be angry with me for ever wilt thou draw out thine anger into all Generations most Gracious God give me leave to lie at thy sacred feet and sigh and mourn and bewail my self a little before I descend into my Grave where there is no repenting give me leave to confess my Iniquities and beg this favour that I may not go down into the Regions of darkness and dwell with Devils Ezek. 18.31 thou willest not the death of sinners thou takest no pleasure in their Torments O then Well-spring of Life and Salvation who hast promised pardon to the penitent let the sighing of the Prisoner come before thee whose heart is melted in the midst of his Bowels I confess O Lord I have been proud and prophane and despised thy truths I have been greedy of the world and distrusted thy providence I have made hast to be rich and ruined my self This O God was the bitter root from whence all my sorrows do grow my worldly-mindedness This made

of her head about an inch above her ear the slug remaining in her head the Wound was found when prob'd by Chyrurgions to be about six inches in length she falling down they for the present left her but fearing it seems they had not compleatly done their work about two houres after they return and though one would have thought the direful Reflections on what they had done might have rais'd in them a Consternation and the ghastly spectacle of a Murthered Mother touch'd and somewhat mollified the obdurate heart of this wicked son yet contrariwise so little were they dismay'd thereat and such small Impression could this woful Object make on their savage spirits That these sons of darkness fell afresh to their bloody banquet it being then about 9. of the Clock the same Evening when the amazed and blushing Sun had withdrawn it self far enough from beholding so foul and barbarous an Action And then the young Assassinate George Bridges young indeed in years but old in wickedness steps on ●●e bloody stage to present the second Act of this most lamentable Tragedy for doubting she was not yet quite dead and her soul fully dispatch'd into the other world this young son of Belial George Bridges with a Knife cuts her throat making a Transcision about five inches long clear through the great Artery and Jugular veins and as 't is credibly related this Imp of Hell a stranger to Grace and Rebel to Nature scoffingly told his Master on that horrid occasion That his Mothers throat cut as tough as an old Ewes and here 't is observable how these two wretched creatures could be so hardned in wickedness and bold in villany as to have the impious courage to return unto the place and person where they had so lately committed such an abomination for although their Guide and Conductor the black Prince of the Air assisted them with the obscurity of Night yet every Bird and Bush might methinks have strucken Terror in their conscious souls and they might by time have reflected on what they had done and consider'd they had b●en hatching Cockatrice-Eggs and weaving the Spiders web But God was not i● all their thoughts and the Divel had lull'd the ●eared cons●ences into a lethargick Slumber not to be awakened but with Thunder their thoughts were wholly th●●ghts of Blood wasting and destruction were in their paths which in short time fell on their own heads this being done the son then took from her what money she had about her reported to be about 5 li. enough to pay the Villain his promised reward that assisted in her murther and several Rings off her fingers which Providence after order'd partly to discover it then they endeavor'd to drag her dead body to the before-mention'd river Munnow hard by the wood-side but it prov'd too heavy for them or on I know not what other considerations they at last left it neer the place where they did the Fact the boy went to the farm-house of his slain Mystriss near the wood the son home to her house in Monmouth who coming to the door gave a little rap with his fingers his Sister Mary who stay'd up for him presently let him in as 't was afterwards prov'd against her at the Assizes that night wash'd his bloody clothes Next morning early on Thursday Octob. 12. a poor woman of Monmouth going into this Wood to gather some sticks saw this dead body and approching neer fo●nd it to be Mrs. Jones whom she well knew and therupon returning back acquainted the Magistrates that in such a wood lay such a person murther'd on which they went to the house of Mrs. Grace Jones and found her son Henry in bed and told him they heard his Mother was murther'd he made strange of it and seem'd to be much troubled at it but going with the townsmen to the place where his mother lay dead by her was found several footsteps and measuring the feet of them that were present they found those footsteps ●o fit the feet of Henry Jones and suspecting him 〈◊〉 be concerned they charged him with the murther and had him and his Man before two or three Justices met for that purpose who examin'd first the Boy and then the Master the Boy confess'd that his Master shot her in the head and the Master said the Boy cut her throat and so the one impeach'd the other After this the daughter M. Jones was taken into examination suspecting her to be guilty with her brother in this Murther not only for beating of the little children for crying and making enquiry for their mother but for washing her Brothers bloody cloaths and endeavoring to conceal her mothers death yet some friends thinking her to be innocent became Bail for her shewent at liberty but within five or six weeks after she made her escape from Monmouth and was gone several miles towards London which the Bail hearing of she was pursued apprehended and carried back again where she was committed prisoner till the next Assizes together with her brother and the said George Bridges After Mr. Jones's commitment several able Ministers went to visit him viz. The Reverend and learned Dr. Goodwin Minister of the Town of Monmouth Mr. Pollington Minister of Newland and Mr. Betham Minister of Whit-Church who used their most strenuous endeavors to make him sensible of the heinousness of his sin with which from the first moment of his being taken into custody he seem'd to be extremely affected besides these one Mr. Jackman Minister of Newent sent a Letter of Advice to him which being full of excellent Matter we should not discharge our duty if we did not publish it here verbatim as followeth A Godly learned Ministers Letter to Mr. Jones soon after he was committed to prison SIR IN giving you the trouble of these Lines I have no other design than the discharge of my Conscience and the awakening of yours by a faithful and friendly admonition My Office as a Minister binds me to lay out my self for the salvation of mens Souls and being deeply apprehensive of the danger of yours both in respect of that bloody fact which you have committed and the sins which made God leave you to commit that unnatural Murder I could not but give you my best advice though at a distance Now since Conviction of Sin is the first step to Repentance I beseech you in the fear of God to consider how hideous and gastly the Sin is which you have commited which had it been only of a stranger that had no way obliged you might have made you go mourning to your Grave How much more then to take away the Life of her who gave you yours that bare you in her Womb dandled you on her Knees and nursed you in her bosom Oh! of what a deep dye is a Mothers Blood what a prodigious sin is Matricide In this how have you out sinned Cain as much as a Mother is dearer than a Brother and hath

me unhallow thy day and despise Religion the promises of God and Eternal felicities it was my filthy base and sordid covetousness which drew me to disobedience and blood guiltiness which cuts me off in the midst of my days O that I should be such a Son of Belial as to die my hands in the blood of my Parent that bore me upon her Knees and laid me in her bosom that I should be such a wretch as to side with the Devil and the unrighteous Mammon in taking away her life who groaned for me O the fulness of this deed of darkness which fills me with grief horror and astonishment but is there no Balm in Gilead no Physician there to heal a wounded spirit to support a sinking sinner O Father of Mercy though my goods and life is forfeited by this Hellish deed let not my hopes of Heaven be left and my precious Soul Thou O God of truth hast said it John 1.9 If we confess our sins thou art faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness And how unrighteous was I to send her out of the world who rejoyced greatly when I came into it I speak it Lord in the bitterness of my heart I am the vilest Son the bloodyest Villain that ever breathed in the Air. Never was Turk or Moor guilty of such horrid wickedness but thou seest my prost●ation and thou hast heard my groans put my Tears into thy Bottle are they not in the Books O searcher of Hearts thou knowst it is not life but unfaigned sorrow and Mercy that I implore Burn this my flesh wound and destroy it so that my Soul lie in the Arms of Jesus O wash me clean in that purple River which flowed from his side and let all my lusts be drowned in my sorrows Jer. 1.9 O that my head were Waters and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears that I might weep day and night O God of Patience and consolation look not upon the blackness of my crime but upon the wounds of thy Son who is mighty to save Isa 63.1 for his sake let my Prayer come before thee for my soul is full of troubles and my life draweth near unto the Grave Isa 63.15 Look down from Heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy Glory where is thy zeal and thy strength the sounding of the bowels and of thy mercy towards me are they restrained O holy Jesus offer up my suit to thy Father and plead for a Soul who begs compunction of Spirit and thy loving kindness and the addition of a few days to my life that I may give testimony to my friends and the world that I am a penitent Murderer as David and Manasses and many more who now are in the City of God O most Gracious and Merciful Father who art unwilling that any should perish speak Peace to my troubled and guilty Soul and heal the gaping wounds which I have made in my Conscience and knock off my Chains of flesh and take me to thy self though I become least in the Kingdom of Heaven Ever blessed Jesus I humbly beseech thee to save the Soul of my servant whom I have drawn to the gates of death and misery by engaging him to joyn with me in spilling the blood of the Innocent for the horridness of which I cannot weep enough if my Tears would make a River and rise above its Banks and drown the Fields where I sinned O thou Prince of Peace look with a favourable Eye upon thy Servants who are bound in affliction and Iron may thy wounds satisfie for those which we have given and thy blood for that which we spilt and deliver us from the Eternal Prison the crime I confess was hainous and desperate but it was I O Lord it was I that did it lay not my sin to my Servants charge but pity and pardon him for thy name sake and deliver him from the spirits of darkness and eternal damnation O my dear Saviour though we suffer here an ignominious death and become objects of scorn and derision spectacles to men and Angels do thou hear and help and forgive us that we may shortly dwell in the blessed Regions where we shall never sin nor sorrow more Do it for thy everlasting Mercy sake most Merciful Saviour Jesus in whose name and words we further pray Our Father c. O Lord I know not what to pray for as I ought let thy Spirit help my infirmities and enable me to offer a Spiritual Sacrifice unto thee by Jesus Christ O Most Gracious and Glorious Lord God the Saviour of the world who art infinitely holy and happy and it is from thee I must expect the possibility of being either the vilest of thy Creatures or the unworthiest among such as own a God I do humbly prostrate my self before thee confessing from the bottom of my heart that I have transgressed my duty towards thee my Neighbour and my self and that by neglecting to do those things that thou hast expresly forbidden and this not through ignorance and frailty but knowingly and willingly against the motions of thy Spirit and the checks of my own Conscience to the contrary and to my shame I confess that I have lifted up violent hands against her that bore me being the Instrument to take away that life whence I derived my own such is the terror of my sin the stain of my polluted Conscience that nothing but the blood of my Redeemer can wash it I am troubled for my sins and my thoughts are disquieted within me I pant for mine heaviness and all the day long I groan for my offences Psal 15.14 Deliver me from guiltiness O God and in mercy save my Soul And since my life hath hitherto been a president for the height of pride and cruelty my actions to this remainder of my life did loudly say there is no God since the Devil h●● tempted me to destroy my body O give me Grace to beguile him of my Soul let me henceforth be the more diligent and careful as I have been hitherto remises and wilfull my misery is unspeakable O let me not loose my Relations and Soul too but grant me I implore thy goodness a sincere Contrition a hearty confession and Repentance which thou hast promised Mercy and Pardon I have sinned with Peter and David O! give me their heart-melting sorrow and Salvation make me a great Penitent as I have made my self a great sinner let my Tears not only confess but my heart change from a brutish to a Christian temper that I out of due sense of my horrid Impiety and a serious apprehension of my guilt which lies before me may with all earnestness of Spirit with all vigour and resolution beg and at last obtain Mercy for Christ his sake who dyed upon the Cross to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 O! heal my Soul by his wounds let his Innocence attend for my guilt