FAIR WARNING TO Murderers of Infants: BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE Trial, Codemnation and Execution OF Mary Goodenough AT THE Assizes held in Oxon, in February, 1691-92.  
TOGETHER With the Advice sent by her to her Children, In a Letter Signed by her own Hand the Night before she was Executed; with some Reflections added upon the whole: Printed for the Public Good.  
LONDON: Printed for Jonathan Robinson, at the Sign of the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Churchyard▪ 1692   

TO THE READER.  
IT would grieve a Man to think how many's Curiosity will tempt them to buy this Paper; how few's Consideration will lead them to make useful Application of it to themselves; how many more will, through a vainly censorious Wit, charge the Publishing this Letter, as a Trick to pick Pockets; how few's Wisdom will conduct them to fall in with the direct Tendency it hath to enrich and ennoble their Minds; whilst most, it's to be feared, read such things with no more concern, than Persons in Health, read Quack-Doctors Bills, and make no better use of them. Yet he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear; this Letter speaks by strong Consequence at least, to the highest concerns of Mankind in general, it lays open men's greatest Mistakes about, and misconducts of them: Oh that they were wise, that there were in all that shall read, an heart to consider this. In this Letter is wrapped up most suitable Persuasions to the Youth of these Kingdoms, to consider thoroughly of, and engage themselves heartily in their Baptismal Covenant. It gives an awakening Alarm to negligent Parents, to instruct their Children in, and conduct them diligently into the Paths of Heavenly Wisdom, lest they deeply mourn at last, (as this poor Woman did) their fatal Cruelty to their children's Souls▪ This Letter suggests a Warning to Adulterers and Adulteresses, to repent of, and forsake their Crimes, lest God bring them to repent by open shame, as he did this poor Creature, or suffer them to go on in a covert way to Hell. It's a Cry after the Backsliders in heart, those who have had strong Convictions, taken up good Resolutions, and followed them for a while, with a course of Amendment, but are returned with the Dog to his Vomit; that they return to God from whom they have fallen, lest he in Judgement give them up to commit enormous Sins, to fali under dismal Punishments, yea, the most dismal of all, final Impenitency. Here's a discharge to all their Hopes of the Favour of God and everlasting Life, who are but formal, hypocritical, heartless Pretenders to Religion, till their Hearts are renewed, as well as the Face of their Conversation reformed. And who amongst the dissolute, profane and profligate part of Mankind, can say, but here's a most passionate Cry to them that break and shake off the fatal Chains wherein the Devil is leading them down to the Chambers of Eternal Death? In short, there's that in this Letter, which may lead all to the most intimately acquainting themselves with their own Mortality. There's that by which, all Persons may determine, whether they belong to the Kingdom of Light, or that of Darkness; the Letter of a Dying Persons Trial of the Truth and Life of her Repentance, Faith, Love and Obedience. Reader, will you not use what you have bought? do you know all this Letter tells you already? Oh be persuaded now to fall a doing it. Will you censure it as being above these Children? Oh cast it not away as if it were below you; it was calculated as a Guide to them through their Lives. Will you charge it as too wordy? Oh confute not your charge, by making it appear there are not Words enough to persuade you to become Pious. Well, when the Testament of our Dying Jesus, nay, his last charge in that Testament, Do this in Remembrance of me, prevails so little with Christians, what Effects shall we hope for, from the words of a Dying Malefactor, recommending him to the World she has so lately left? Yet canst not thou Oh God, that causest Gibbets to preach, make the most Refractory of Rebels hear? You that will not hearken to Moses and the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, will you not hear, tho' one is here raised from the Dead, a living Witness to the great Truth they taught? Was she not dead in Trespasses and Sins? Was she not made alive to God, through Jesus Christ think you, before she died to Nature? Hear her then, Christ Jesus by her, that your Souls may live. Open thou the Ears Oh God, that are deaf to the Voice of Charms. Is not Judgement thy strange Work! Oh then Reform Multitudes by the Chastisement of this one Criminal; who will otherwise by their Rebellions, run themselves into great Misery in this World, if not also into everlasting Misery in the next: Well, whether any Person that reads this Letter, will give a practical regard to it or no, this is certain, it will barden where it does not soften. They are a Degree nearer Hell by refusing, who don't advance towards Heaven by embracing its Instructions. And if ever they repent, their slight of this Counsel, will yield them a most bitter Reflection; or if they never repent, this reflex Advice will add to the Smart of their Eternal Vexations in the World they're posting to, of Horror and Despair.  
As to that man who had the first and principal hand in this Woman's and her Infant's Tragedy, I would desire some Neighbours (supposing he'll scarce take pains to read this) to ask him seriously some such Questions as these. Whether he did not act the Devil's part, when he tempted this Woman as Satan our Saviour, to purchase a Supply for the cravings of her Nature, by a Crime tending to the Ruin of her Soul? Whether he that serves the Devil in his Life, and reputes not, is not like to fall into his Condemnation and merciless hands at Death? Whether he believes God has commanded Thou shalt not commit Adultery? If he does not, whether he believes, or can prove the Christian World Fools, or Madmen, who also thus believe it? Whether God has not owned this Command, as often in History, so now by avenging the Breach of it, in this his fellow Criminals Death? This were easily argued, tho' she was Condemned at man's Bar for another Crime. But if he believes God has forbidden Adultery, whether he thinks God will always bear with him, in the violating the plain Letter of his Laws? Whether he that being often reproved hardens his heart, shall not suddenly be destroyed, and that without Remedy? Whether he does not flatter himself with a secret Thought of future Repentance? Whether it be not his best, and may not happen to be his only time to repent now? or if he has no thought of Repentance, how he can think to dwell with devouring Flames, or everlasting Burnings?  
And as to the Neighbourhood of this poor Woman, if the Judgements of God abroad in the World should teach the Inhabitants of the Earth Righteousness, surely then this Judgement of God, fallen upon one amongst you, whom you knew, with whom you conversed, is now clearly designed by God to teach you Righteousness. Think it not a Warning to you against the particular Crimes for which she died only: Tho I dare affirm it positively, you are not secure of yourselves, that you shall not commit the Crimes, or worse than those for which she died; till you get your Hearts renewed and changed, as she has showed you in the Trial of herself. No, nor are you then secure of avoiding the commission of such enormous Crimes, but in your close walking with God, and through Faith on Jesus, receiving continual Supplies of Grace and Strength from him to resist Temptations. Did not David commit Adultery and Murder? Was not this Woman as Religious as most of you? Did not she seeminly out go many of you? Will you not be warned by her Fall then, not to content yourselves with a Form of Religion, without the Power of Godliness? But I would chiefly apply myself to you on the behalf of her poor destitute Children. The Law of the Nation exacts from you the care of their Bodies, does not the Law of God under several Penalties, require you to take care of their Souls? Are not their Souls more valuable than their Bodies? Are not you become as Parents to these poor Orphans? The case of Orphans and Bastards is deplorable. Parishes indeed, take care to place them out where they may learn a slavish way of living at the cheapest rates, but seldom consider whether they'll be carefully instructed in the Fear, and piously conducted in the ways of God where they have placed them; a Cruelty indeed (Oh monstrous) many religious Persons are guilty of towards their Children. The best Trade and most knowing worldly Master is all their enquiry. Will you be so cruel to these children's Souls? know if you be, their Blood will God require at your hands. But whilst I speak to all, I'm afraid lest none will think themselves concerned. Are there none amongst you that have devoted yourselves to Christ Jesus in an everlasting Covenant, and Love him in Sincerity? I apply myself to you in Christ's words, Feed these his Lambs. Of such little children as those of this Woman's, with you are the Kingdom of Heaven; are they not Christ's Members whilst they are yet devoted to him in Virtue of their Mother's Faith? Will not God reward your labour of Love towards them? Will they not be Blessings to the Families, to the Town they shall live in, and an Honour too, if you endeavour to bring them up to the Practice of their Mother's Precepts? Take care her Children learn to read, learn the Catechism; read to them, and press upon them this their Mother's Last Will concerning them. Don't stick at a little charge or trouble to do them good. Will any thing please you but the good you have done with what you had, when you come to die? Will any thing displease you then but that you have done so little! And I beg leave to mind you of an Obligation, which, however to you it may seem small or none at all, yet by God perhaps, is accounted no small one upon you, to be kind to those poor Children. Who knows how far your Uncharitableness hiding yourselves from your own Flesh, from this poor Woman's Wants, contributed to the strength of that Temptation which brought her to that Sin and Punishment which have left these Children Motherless. It was for want of Bread she said: If her Modesty did make her ashamed to beg, did not her meager Look, her starved Children, her meanly furnished House and Table beg from you, should you not have answered this silent Prayer by Charity? Tho you did not do it then, show your Repentance now in showing a more bountiful and constant Kindness to her Children. This way God has left open for you. I wish all Parishes might by these Considerations, be brought more narrowly to inspect the State of their poor Neighbours, and consequently to administer to them. Some noisy poor are maintained in their Idleness, whilst other modest poor are starved in the midst of their Labours.  
In short, from this Woman's Crime and Punishment, may we be brought firmly to believe, Except we repent we shall all likewise perish: May they that think they stand, take heed lest they fall: May all hear and fear, and do no more wickedly.   

An Account of the Trial, Condemnation and Execution of Mary Goodenough, at the Assizes held in Oxon, in February 1691-92.  
Marry Goodenough Widow, aged about 40 years, lived at Bradwell in the County of Oxon. Being in great Poverty and Straits, even to the want of Bread for her and hers; she was seduced by a neighbouring Baker, (reported Infamous for like Practices with others,) through his Promises of some Allowance towards her necessary Maintenance, to the commission of Adultery with him who was a married Man: She becoming with Child by him, concealed it to her time of Travel, which, when she fell into, she also concealed under pretence of Sickness, till on the 3d. day, 2 or 3 Neighbours suspecting the matter, came to her, and upon search, presently discovered by her Breasts, etc. that she had had a Child. Upon their charging it, she immediately owned and directed them to the Infant, which lay wrapped up in a Blanket at her Feet in the Bed dead. She had a Son about 7 years old, and a Daughter about 11, whom she shut out of the Room in the time of her Labour: The Daughter told the Neighbours she heard her Mother cry out. About Ten days after her Travel, she was brought to Oxon, committed Prisoner to the Castle, and toward the end of February, being about a Month after her Committment, she was brought forth and Tried before Judge Airs, at the Assizes there: The Witnesses, (who were the Neighbours above mentioned) deposed the Matter of Fact, as above declared; and she acknowledged the Purport of it, and particularly that she called not out for Help, as also with relation to the Child afterwards, That it perished for want of suitable Help and due Attendance; so that upon the whole Matter, she was justly Convicted of Murder, and received Sentence of Death. Together with which, when the Judge pronounced it, he told her with a most becoming Concern and judicious Piety, to this purpose, That she had committed Murder, where even Nature, as well as the Laws of God and of the Land, one would have thought, should have bound up her Hands, and so had drawn the deepest Charge of Blood upon her Soul; that from Man's Law nor Gods, there was no escape for her natural Life; quoting her that Passage, He that sheds Man's Blood, by Man shall his Blood be shed; And the Statute Law of this Realm to her Case. Yet in Answer to her vehement Cries for Mercy from him, he directed her to God, as being gracious, merciful and ready to forgive the Gild of that, and all her Sins which would bind her over to a great Tribunal, and more dismal Sentence; and persuaded her to apply herself to the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant, which could wash out the deepest Stains, and dissolve the strongest Gild of her Sins. Whilst she lay under Sentence of Death, she was with Care and Diligence, attended by the Ordinary, Mr. Blackbourn, (Minister of Cairfax in Oxon) to her last hour; he instructed her in the way of Salvation, frequently prayed with her, and gave her the Sacrament on the Sabbath-Day, which was the very day before she died; she giving good Evidences of her Repentance. She was also during this time, visited by the Nonconforming Minister in Oxford, who from the Wednesday before her Death, had daily Conferences with her. In his 3 first Conferences, he most industriously applied himself to lead her into an affecting Sense of the Sinfulness of her Nature, the Sinfulness of every Sin, to bring her to an humbling Reflection upon all the Sins of her past Life before God, as also to show her the fearful Consequences of an unpardoned, unrenew'd State; still interweaving the comfortable Doctrines of the Gospel. One particular result of these Conferences, was her sending for him on the Friday before she died, and acknowledging with great Remorse, that she had been convinced of her Duty towards God, by the Famous Mr. Birch, late of Burford; and had resolved on those Convictions, to live more Piously, and accordingly endeavoured it. But in some process of time, had baffled them, and returned to her former Remissness in Religion, Forgetfulness of God and of her Soul, etc. in the two last Conferences, the Minister proceeded to make more particular Application to her, concerning her closing with the Offers of Pardon and Salvation, on the Terms and Grounds of the Gospel Covenant, which she professed her Readiness to embrace: But he admitted it not without the most trying Search he could possibly make into the Nature and Grounds of her professed Consent, that she might not be imposed upon as to her Eternal Estate: She aswered the most trying Questions with great Sincerity, and to the great Satisfaction of the Minister, who also prayed with her at these Conferences: Most of the Prisoners attended usually whilst he discoursed her, and it was hoped, some of them, to good purpose. The Night before she died, she was observably more Cheerful in her Countenance, more Free and at Liberty in her Speech, and more Satisfied in her Condition, than ever she had showed before. She said she had been under Clouds and Darkness, but God had vouchsafed her the Light of his Countenance. She Blessed God that had caused her Iniquities to find her out, else, said she, I might have gone on in my Sin, smother smother, till I had fallen into Hell. And this she did with Signal Demonstration, that she had a cheerful and sensible Feeling of what she said. When she was asked what she would have prayed for for her, she answered greater Assurance of God's Love, but Blessed God for good Hopes through Grace. To the Pious Advice and Fervent Prayers in this her Letter to, and for her Children, I am persuaded none of the Bystanders, can from their Hearts, witness any less, than that she gave her Heart as well as Hand, the Night before she was Executed. This was her own Project and Desire, and she did then most solicitously beg of God that he would give her a Mouth of Courage, to say something that might be for his Glory, and the good of their Souls who should come to see her die. And when she was put upon writing to the man who had drawn her into this Wickedness and Shame, she was more than willing, nay, seemingly, desirous to have something writ to him; Tho' she said she feared he was so hardened in that Sin, it would not reclaim him: And tho' he neither came to see, nor sent to her, neither took any manner of Care of, or showed any Pity towards her, after she was in this Distress: But want of time prevented a Letter to him. When she came to the Gallows in the Castle-Yard at Oxon, at about 6 of the Clock on Monday Morning, being the 7th. of March, 1691-92. she said, or did little there but died; only begged of the People to be warned against her Sins, by her shameful and untimely End. And indeed, without a Miracle almost, it could not be expected she should say much more; for she must needs be in great Confusion and Surprise, who in less than Two months' time, was Committed, Tried, Condemned and Executed for her Crime. Besides, she seemed never to have had any great Faculty or Freedom of Speech; and farther, the Fatigue and hard Fare of a Prison, to one that kept the Two Thirds of her Lying-in Month there, had mightily weakened her, and impaired her Spirits; tho' she declared to one that carried her some Victuals, she eat them out of Conscience; Looking upon it, as a Duty required of her by God, to support her Nature for the short space of time she had to live. In short, tho' she died without such outward Demonstrations of it as some have done, yet there are few or none that saw the last Scenes of the last day of her Life, but must own she appeared to have a great Abhorrence of Sin, a strong Love to Holiness upon her Heart, and a sincere Desire to propagate them both in others. Her Character amongst her Neighbours, was a Quiet, Honest, Civil, Harmless, Poor Woman; yea, Religious too, before this Fact: And thus you have seen what was necessary to lead you clearly into this her following Letter of Advice to her Children, and to Recommend it to you, as being the Advice of a Dying Penitent.  
My Dear and Loving Children,  
IT is no small addition to my Troubles, that I cannot see and speak to you before I go hence and be no more in the Land of the Living; especially considering how wanting I have been towards you: I would most willingly have endeavoured to do that for you at my Death, which I have hitherto neglected. I am now forced to take this way of Writing, and to beg the help of another Hand, my own Hand being as my Heart is, trembling; and my confused Head uncapable of expressing what I desire to impart to, and impress upon you. I leave nothing in this World with so much Grief and Trouble, as you my poor Children, and it greatly aggravates my Sorrow, that my Sin shortens my time with you in this World: As I have heinously sinned against God and my own Soul, against him whose Body, and her whose Bed, I joined in defiling; and against the Life of that unhappy Infant, which I took not care to preserve; So have I also offended against you, my Dear Children, whom, through my own Default, I am forced to leave to the wide World, ere you are fit to live in it; and to leave you under a Blot, to be reproached it may be, with that which is not your Fault, but Unhappiness: But as to this, I'm less concerned, if you shall but make a good use of it, endeavouring to humble yourselves under that mighty Hand of the Just God, which falls so heavy, even upon you through me: Consider this your Affliction is righteous with God, since you also were born in Sin; and that it may by your due Improvement, be a means of greatest good to your Souls. That which is my greatest Trouble with reference to you, is, that I have not only conceived and brought you forth in Sin, but have neglected the means I should have used, for the changing of you from Darkness to Light, and bringing you from under the Power of Satan unto God: And tho' I have indeed brought you to Baptism, therein professing to give you up to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to be his true and faithful Servants, and to engage you by that Solemn Vow against the World, the Flesh and the Devil; Yet I have not instructed you about that Engagement, nor called upon you to perform it. Had I considered how much I myself stood obliged to God in my Baptism, and by my farther Resolutions upon sometime hearing of my Duty from Mr. Birch, I had never fallen into those Depths of Sin, which have brought me into the Depths of Misery that at present cover me, 'Tis now my last time to call, and your last time of hearing me call in the Land of the Living; this Call is accented to you with Groans and Sighs from the deepest Bowels of a Dying Parent: 'Tis a Call to which God and all good Men witness to be your Duty, yea, to which your own Consciences will witness to be so. If you diligently listen to them, and do not stifle and harden them by sinning against them, 'tis a Call to the performance of what I have laid you under, the most Solemn Vow and Oath to Almighty God to perform in your Baptism. 'Tis a Call of both of you, so soon as ever you come to understand yourselves, to sign or take upon you your parts of that Baptismal Covenant which you are brought under, according to the Direction given you in Page 155, of the Reverend Mr. Allein's Sure Guide to Heaven: Which I herewith send you, that you may have all the Blessings of that Covenant for your Heritage in this Life, and the alsufficient God for your everlasting Portion. If you take not upon you this Covenant so soon as you ripen in Understanding, but should go on to neglect it to your Lives end, I testify to you both, that your Baptism will prove no other, than a strong Band to tie you faster to everlasting and aggravated Misery. And take notice, this Call to you to this your Duty, is from one who feels every Sin cut deeper into her Soul by its having been acted against such a Vow, so early laid upon me, so reasonable, so beneficial a Vow: A Vow, which had I kept, would have kept me from those Sins which now as Spears, pierce my Heart, and are the poisoned Arrows that drink up my Spiritis. A Vow, which if kept by you, will sweeten the bitterest Miseries of your Life; yea, the most harsh and terrifying Embraces, of the most painful and linguering Death. A Vow, which ought to curb all your sinful Inclinations, and to constrain you to all virtuous and religious Conversation in the World. A Vow, which greatens all the Sins that the World count little, tho' they will not so account them I'm sure, when they come either to repent of, or suffer for them eternally. In short, it is the Vow upon you, in force of which, I conjure you both, deeply to consider, and diligently to observe this my Dying Charge, that you may live eternally.  
Let not the Devil cheat you of your Youthful days, with the Promise of a long Life to come, wherein you shall serve God and save your Souls. Let him not cheat you with the fair outside of Profit, Pleasure, Ease or Esteem in Sin; no, nor with the hopes of Secrecy, Impunity, or the hopes of an after and late Repentance. This last, believe me, is most difficult to attain, most dangerous to trust to. And as to Secrecy and Impunity in Sin, both which were promised me by the Father of Lies, behold how I enjoy them, whose Crimes are brought forth and punished in the sight of the Sun; and then depend on them if you can or dare: 'Tis a Mercy I bless the God of Grace for, that I enjoyed them not. Believe God's Word, which tells you a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed: Be you so wise for yourselves, as to be Companions of those that fear the Lord, whilst you eat all idle Company, or loose or profane, with more care, because more dangerous than Persons infected with the Plague. The former will corrupt your Souls, the latter do but threaten the corrupting of your Bodies. I charge you as you will answer it at the Tribunal of the great God, that you get and labour to understand the Catechisms I herewith send you; Two Questions at least every Week out of them, that the Elder of you teach it to the Younger, whilst you are together. Hence shall you learn what God would have you be, believe and do the Ten Commandments, Lords Prayer and Creed, being there. Thus shall you not be destroyed for lack of Knowledge; which want highly greatens my present Misery. I farther charge you, that you read some part of God's Word daily, diligently and reverently in your Bibles, since according to that Word, you must finally be Judged. I charge you to keep the Lords Day holy to the Lord, spending it in publicly hearing God's Word, where most sound and affectionately Preached: And in privately reading and meditating on that Word, and in Prayer; because God has promised great Blessings to those who keep that day from polluting it. And because your religious Conversation all the Week depends much, that I say not altogether, upon this; I charge you that you pray to God devoutly and fervently on the Morning and Evening of every day at least, confessing the Sins of your Natures, and the Sins of your Thoughts, Words and Deeds; begging Gods Pardon and his Renewing Grace, that you may amend, and grow fitter every day you live, for Heaven when you die: Beg also in your Prayers, God's Protection, Provision, Guidance and Blessing, as those who are sensible that on him you depend for Life and Breath and all things. Renounce particularly in your Prayers, the Black Si●s for which I die; and pray to God that he will not farther visit them upon you; yea, Watch and Pray, that you enter not into Temptation to them. Be content with what Condition God shall assign you in this World. Besure you Love your Neighbours as yourselves; do no body the least Injury in Thought, Word or Deed; yea, Love your Enemies, even those I charge you, who, you may think had the first hand in your poor Mother's Death, whom with all the World, I do now heartily forgive. Set a Watch before the Door of your Lips, against all Swearing, Lying, Idle Talking, or Foolish Jesting, Slandering or Censuring any, that you offend not with your Tongues. See that you be diligent in whatsoever Employment God shall assign to you for the gaining a Livelihood in this World; obey those that shall have Rule over you, as Masters, Mistresses, etc. in all things Lawful, for the Lords Sake: And beg time from them, yea, Redeem time by your Diligence from their Business, wherein you may serve God every day. eat all unjust ways of getting, tho' for the Supply of mere Necessity. In a word, get Gods Commands into your Heads, and hide them in your Hearts, that you may not sin against him. Remembering always you are not of yourselves sufficient, so much as to think any good thing as of yourselves; but believe it upon my sad Experience (who failed, and fell by trusting to my own strength for performing the good Resolutions I took up) Without Christ you can do nothing; That all your Sufficiency is of God, whose Spirit and Grace you must therefore beg, as you would do Bread when you are ready to starve, of your Parents. Since Christ hath told you, if Parents tho' evil, give good Gifts to their Children, how much more will not your Heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask it, and continue ask it? Oh Children, would you live happily and die so, take the Advice of your Dying Mother. Would you not have it to say at last, How have we hated Instruction and despised Reproof? Would you not have God laugh at your Calamity, and mock when your Fear cometh? Oh then, take my Advice as here given you. Would you be Blessings to your Generation, the Love of Good Men, the Delight and Care of Heaven, Read then, over and over, Ponder and Practise my Advice: Bind these my Precepts, on your Heads, Hands and Hearts; an Ornament of Grace they will be unto you, even as Chains about your Neck, and Bracelets on your Arms. Oh what a Peaceful, Happy and Joyful Life had I lead, if I had ever chosen these ways of Wisdom, these ways of Pleasantness which I mark you out! Oh what an Honourable Death should I have died, what a Sweet, Flourishing and Blessed Memory should I have left behind me; whereas now, Woe is me, my Life is going out like the Snuff of a Candle, cut off in the midst of my Years, the Proud Waters are come in unto my Soul. Oh what would I now give, Ten Thousand Worlds surely if I had them, that I had lead my Life as I am persuading you, the Dear Fruit of my Womb, to lead yours! Oh had I my past Life again, would I barter it away for Toys, for Vanity or sinful Pleasures? Should the World or the Devil again impose upon me as I find they have done? No, surely No: Yet alas, had I kept the Precepts I have recommended to you, from my Youth upward, as exactly as I would beg of you to keep them, or as you would wish you had kept them, did you stand in my present Circumstances, yea, allowing these Precepts to contain a perfect Rule of Life, yet would there be one thing lacking and chargeable upon me, even a Satisfaction for the Gild of my Sin, in and from Adam. Nor can my present Prayers, Tears, Penitent Confessions, Promises of future Obedience, etc. expiate that Gild, much less atone for all the Violations of God's Laws through my past Life. Oh no, I must have the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus to cover my naked Soul withal, before the Bar of God, in order to my Acceptance and Salvation. Where's any room then, my Children, for that vain Conceit, think you, that Persons may be too diligent, exact or abounding in the Way and Works of God? When you have done all, must you not own yourselves unprofitable Servants? But oh how much short of the whole will you fall, when you do all you can, of whatever I have counselled you! Believe me then, (for 'tis undoubted Truth) never any repent of too much Diligence in God's Service whilst they lived, much less when they came to die. Oh that I could draw forth the present earnest Pant of my Soul before you! Sure they would put your Souls into the like or better motion. Hear Children the Prayers of your Dying Parent for her own Soul, which she puts up with infinitely more Earnestness if it were possible, than she could pray for her Release from the present Chains she wears, the Dungeon she lies in, the Shame and approaching Death she is to undergo: Yea, hear the Prayers, and pray them whilst you live, which your Dying Mother makes for you; not for Riches, Preferment, Esteem, Ease or Plenty in this World: No, let the World enjoy the Gods they dote on. May you my Children (who are born with Souls naked before God, and so ought to be ashamed) have the Clothing of Christ's Righteousness to cover your sinful Nakedness: May you (who have Souls exposed to the Wrath of God, for the Sin of your Natures, and the Sins of your (but as it were,) newly begun Lives, have Christ's Righteousness as Armour against the second Death, Armour of Proof to keep off all furious Discharges of God's Law upon you. May you who have Souls miserably poor by Nature, void of all saving Knowledge and Grace, which are the true Riches, have your Souls made Rich by Christ Jesus, with his Gold tried in the Fire, Rich in Faith, Rich with all the Graces of his Holy Spirit dwelling richly in you, Rich in the Love of God manifested to your Souls, and Rich through Christ's Purchase, in your being united to him, having a sure Reversion of Eternal Glory. These mighty Blessings may you seek after, may God give you them early. Had I looked after them, as I advise you now to do, I might once more easily have attained and secured them, I might have had the Use and Comforts of them through my Life; Oh that I may not now fail of these Blessings at Death! Alas that I have driven it to this doubtful Point! God and Christ waited on me with these Offers ever since, and are ready always to bestow them upon you, if you are but ready to receive them. Well, shall I show you the way wherein you are to seek these Blessings, wherein seeking ye shall find, yea, wherein only seeking, I hope myself to find them; why truly 'tis in the way of Repentance and Faith on the Lord Jesus Christ: The World think they can as easily Repent and Believe, almost, as I can write the Words; but alas! they'll find themselves desperately mistaken, if they don't alter their Minds, mistaken to their endless Ruin.  
Oh how hard is it for me to believe my Heart, which was but some Weeks ago, in deep Love and League with Sin and with this World, to be now absolutely, unalterably, irreconcilably set against all Sin, and set fixedly to mortify its Members to this World! My Heart once flattered me, the Change was wrought, but alas! 'twas but a Cheat: And do not I now want the issue of some time and trying Temptations, to prove to me whether its present Pretensions to a Change, be true or no? Oh my Children, don't think of delaying to begin Repentance till the time comes of Sickness or of Death, when most begin it indeed, but its odds whether one in an Hundred of them ever end it to a long Eternity. Every day you delay it; every Sin you commit, renders it more difficult to attain. Every Delay draws on the Curse of God, provoking him to give you up to a Judicial Hardness. Begin this great Work betimes, which you'll see occasion never to break off till your Lives end. Who would be so Mad as to have the whole Volumes of their Accounts of Sins to call over, when they should have nothing to do but die? Lament your lesser Sins now, that you may not have greater hereafter to lament. Lament your Buding early Sins, 'tis the way wherein you are likely to prevent gross and more grown Sins; resist the first springings of every Motion of Sin in your Thoughts, that's the way to prevent its growing into sinful Thoughts, and yet more sinful Actions. Oh that I had thus used myself to fight against my Lusts, surely through Almighty Grace, I could not have been thus miserably foiled by them, surely I should have been more than Conqueror. When now alas! Behold what Shame covers me; I am Contemned, the Scorn of Bad Men, and a Scandal to the Good; and now whither shall I cause my Shame to go? Well for all this, I once thought I had repent. Beware then, rest not in Sorrow for some single Sin alone, rest not in present Pangs of Grief for, or hasty Resolves against Sin in general. Pray, Strive, and wait upon the Grace of God in God's way, to have your Hearts deeply touched with Shame and Sorrow for, with loathing of your natural Aversion from God and what is good. Labour to see an evil in Sin, greater than all you can suffer for Righteousness sake: Labour to feel it an intolerable Burden, which therefore you are glad to throw off on any Terms, and by which you are brought to admire God's Terms of Pardon through Christ.  
I needed a Saviour, Christ Jesus, as soon as I was bron, and so did you; yea, and every day you live, your need of him greatly Increases. Is it too soon to look after an Interest in him? or can you do without it? You have an Interest in Christ, if you unseignedly consent to have him on the Terms in your Covenant of Baptism, (for which, see Mr. Allein's Book again, Page 135.) But Oh Fool that I was, whilst I was Well, at Ease, in Business, I saw no need I had of a Saviour; Or if I thought I wanted him upon the sight of some affrightful Sin, or in some serions Fit, I took him for that time, and banished him again when I had done with him. I thought I could have him with a wet Finger almost, A Lord have Mercy upon me! an outward Reformation, some cold Prayers now and then, going to Church, repeating my Creed: I thought I could have served my turn of Christ, without any cordial Affection or sincere Consent. I was for having him with the World and my Sins, or when I could have these no longer: But these Shadows are fled away, now the Deceit lies plain. Christ Jesus is indeed to be had without Money and without Price; but I must give up myself to him, if I will have him; and that's no Price neither, for I am myself the Purchase of his Blood, tho' I have unjustly detained it from him. Now I am convinced I must Love, Honour and Obey Christ Jesus, and so must all that will receive him to the saving of their Souls: And oh Blessed Jesus, how can I be sure that I love thee now, who a while since, loved not thy Ways, nor thy People, for the sake of thine Image on them, nor thy Laws the Image of thyself, who was for the most part of my Life, doing those Works which thou camest to destroy? How can I assuredly know that I Honour thee, who lately slighted and trampled under Foot thy Blood, the Blood of the Covenant, contemned the Methods of thy Government, despised in my Heart the Mean and Garb of thy Subjects, even the chief Glories of thy Person, whilst on Earth, viz. thy Deep Humility, Extensive Charity, Heavenly Mindedness, Readiness to do thy Father's Will, Faithfulness to advance his Glory? Thy Submission and Pray'rfullness to him, thy Patience, thy Purity of Heart and Life, thy strong Faith even under strong Hunger; These I despised, in that I endeavoured not the Practice of them, nay, practised contrary to them. How know I, in short, that I Honour thee now; who know to my Sorrow, a while since, I preferred Sin, my Name, yea, the Devil in Disguise, before thee? Oh my Lord, how know I that I now have a fixed and unalterable Disposition to obey thee, when before I came into this Prison, yea, before I came into these condemned Circumstances, other Lords had Dominion over me, my Practice was quite contrary to thy Commands? What, have I learned the Christian Exercise and Discipline so soon? learned habitually to deny myself, that always used to please myself, even to the Refusal of myself to thee? Have I learned to Watch and Pray in good earnest, that I enter not into Temptation, whose Aim and Endeavour was chiefly for Profit, Pleasure or Esteem in this World before? What! have I learned to resist the Devil, that never understood his way of Fight, his Baits and Snares before? Have I learned to despise all this World for Christ Jesus, that could not a while ago, deny a lustful Thought, sinful Word or Action for thee? How do I forsake this World for thee, from which I'm forced by the Punishment of my Sins against thee? Have I learned to believe all thou sayest practically, that scarce a while since, could give any reason why I believed any of it historically? Oh Good God what a Change is this! who amongst my Neighbours will believe it's wrought in my Heart? Or how can I believe, at least, how can I be assured of it? Only the Almighty Grace of God can effect, and the Spirit of God assure this Change. Thus, thus it must be with me and every one before they die, if ever they be admitted into the Kingdom of Glory. Did the World know and believe this, would they not be startled at it? But who hath believed this Report? Children, will you also be numbered amongst the Deceived, and at the next Remove, the Damned Multitude? Oh be Wise, be Instructed, Kiss the Son of God, lest he be Angry and ye Perish from the way, when his Wrath is kindled but a little: Blessed are all they who place a rightly grounded Trust in him. Oh learn betimes to Love, Honour and Obey this Lord that has Redeemed you with his Precious Blood shed upon the Cross, his Meritorious Righteousness; learn to hear and know his Voice, he speaks to you in your Bibles, by Faithful Ministers, by your own Consciences, by his Spirit, by Sound Christians; if you seek to get into their Company, their Houses, yea, their Hearts, by enquiring of them concerning his Will: Nay, sure he calls you by your Dying Parent, now to come to him that you may have Life, to prefer him before this World, before childish Sports and Vanity. Oh my Aching Heart for you, my Yearning Bowels towards you, what a World of Snares and Wickedness have you to pass through? What a Life probably of Labour, Contempt and Poverty to undergo, and of Persecution too, if you will live Godly in Christ Jesus? What a Subtle Devil to resist, Cunning and Malicious to cheat and destroy you? To whom shall I leave you, to whose Care and Conduct? You have been sometime without a Father on Earth, shortly you'll be without a Mother too: Will you not seek a Father in Heaven? Oh choose Christ Jesus, he'll be a Friend, a Portion, a Guard, a Guide, Honours, Pleasures, all things; yea, more and better than all things to you, in him God will be your Father. Oh Blessed Trinity in Unity! wilt thou accept my (I hope now unfeigned) Dedication of these my poor Children to thee? Oh Son of God wilt thou be their Saviour from Sin and from Eternal Death? Oh Blessed Spirit, wilt thou early Enlighten, strongly Incline, and powerfully Enable them, to choose God for their Portion, Jesus for their Prince and Saviour, thy Word for the Rule of their Life? Shall my Unworthy Prayer be heard on the Account of my Saviour for these my Distressed Children? Oh then I'll no longer call them forsaken, no, nor think them so; the Lord is their Shepherd, they shall not want. Well, had I my Life again my Tender Hearts, would I not again Travel in Birth with you till Christ were form on you? were you not Happy think you, if you were in such a case? will you not be happy, Children, if your God be the Lord? Well then, as you love your Souls, Pray daily, Early, Earnestly, that you may be Renewed in the Spirit of your Minds; Pray till you find a Return of your Prayers, Pray till you can understandingly and truly say, you need no more Grace, no more Aids against Corruption, no more Help in Religious Duties, no more Wisdom and Resolution to contest against the Devil, who will be always Tempting you; then I'm sure you'll from this time to your latest Breath on Earth, and in all likelihood, till you breathe Praises in Heaven. If you pray aright, pray earnestly, believe those Honest Christians that tell you there are Joys in Religion above the Joys of Harvest; not to the Formal, Sluggish, Inconstant, Trifling Christian, I believ, but to the Diligent. Must you not work in this World to maintain you? will you not work for Eternity much more? with what words shall I Excite you? will not my Death, my Doubts, my Danger of Everlasting Death excite you? Oh I exceedingly Fear and Tremble, lest your hard Heart should bar out, or despise my wholesome Council; how oft has Heaven Thundered in my Ears, and yet I dead in Trespasses and Sins, arose not to call upon my God? I started indeed once in my dead Sleep, but the World Flesh and Devil, soon Lulled me asleep again, faster than I was before, on the Pillow of Carelessness and Security: Now by waking Pains I pay for that Lethargic Sleep.  
Come, cast a Look with me into Eternity; see if that will move you: Oh that I could leave you the Eyes wherewith I now see; but use your own, I mean the Eyes of your Mind, to look into Eternity. Such Thoughts will Instruct and make you Wise; Thoughts of your Temporal Death may stir you up to lay hold on Everlasting Life: Keep Death always in view of your Minds, so whenever it seizes, it shall not surprise you.  
If you shall fear at any time henceforward, when you are reading this Paper, that I'm gone to the Blackness of Darkness for ever, where God is only known by the Vengeance which he Executeth, where the Damned drink Eternally of Rivers of Flaming Brimstone, and keep Company with Spiteful Fiends in endless Despair: Will you not be afraid to follow, tho' it were a Mother, to that Eternal Prison? Or how can I bear the Thought that you should come to share, yet not alleviate, but sharpen Torments before Intolerable? To Curse my former Negligence towards you, and your own Neglects of my present Advice in so doleful a Place, in such dreadful Company for ever? Oh take Heed better, Ten Thousand times better a Millstone were hanged about your Necks, and you cast into the Depths of the Sea. But if you can believe from this Copy of my Mind, that I'm gone to Heaven the place of Everlasting Joys, will you not take my foregoing Advice, wherein I have marked you out the Straight and Narrow Way thither? Oh if you do, who can tell the Joys shall attend our Meeting in those cheerful Regions that never know a Storm, nor so much as fear a Cloud? Blessed with the most Healthful, Refreshing Airs of God's Countenance, Watered with the Rivers of Pleasures that flow at his Right Hand: Oh how shall we there Rejoice Eternally together!  
Oh that I could prevail with you to Meditate some time every day upon Eternity! Your Mother in a few Hours will be swallowed up therein, will not that draw your Thoughts a little thither? Oh that you might be Haunted as it were, wherever you go with the Thoughts of Death and Eternity. I see Death marching towards me every Hour and Moment, and is it not thus marching towards you and all the World, whether they Eat, Drink, Sleep or Play? I see my Judge seated on his Throne, will he not be yours likewise? having Eyes as a Flame of Fire, which will pierce into all the Secrets, both of mine and your Hearts and Actions. I see methinks, my own Conscience unfolded and as it were, compared with God's Omniscience, where all I have done in the Body is Recorded; and is there not in Heaven a Register kept of your Actions too? I hear the Devil as it were, charging all my Sins against me at God's Bar, Asserting my Services to his Interest, and putting in an High Challenge to me as his own. Will he not serve you so think you, if you serve him? I would think I hear on the other side the Blood of Jesus pleading for my Ransom from Eternal Death and Hell, as being made a Penitent Believer: This is all the Life I have in Death. Will you not want it at your Deaths? may you not have it in your Lives? In short, I see as it were, Hell naked before me, and Destruction without a Covering: I see Heaven filled with Crowned Martyrs, Triumphing Saints, and Shining Angels all swallowed up in the Light and Love of the Glorious Jehovah. And now what Hope and Fear fills my Head and Heart? I can't certainly determine which is my Place and what my Portion. I lived neglecting to determine this great Point, 'tis just if Heaven suffer me to die doubting of it. And will you dare to do so? can you like to die so? Oh now a World for such a Repentance as I could be assured I should never repent of were I to live in this World again; as that I should hate Sin in my very Soul, and burn it up with Jealousy and Indignation. Oh for such a Love to God and Holiness, as I could be assured, if I were to live on Earth again, would carry me through the Force of contrary Examples, through the Fires of raging Persecution, through the deepest Waters of Affliction, through the strongest Contradictions of my own Corruption, to Love, Serve, Honour, Fear, Obey, Trust, Reverence, Desire, Delight in the Living God. Then would I welcome Death in its closest Attack and most dismal Shape; yea, I would leave this World with a more cheerful Heart, than ever I bore in it through my whole Life. My Dear Children, that I have any Hopes now of Pardon of my Sin, Peace with God and Everlasting Life, is owing to the abundant Riches of the Glory of God's Grace: Oh take you heed of Sinning that Grace may abound; if you do, you may come to rue it for ever. But go I must hence, whether I hoped or no; Time draws to a Close, and calls me to bid you a long Farewell. Farewell my Dear Children, May your Souls be bound up in the Bundle of Life: I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace; May the very God of Peace Sanctify you wholly, and preserve you Blameless in Body, Soul and Spirit to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. Amen, Amen.  
Signed with my own Hand, Marry Goodenough.  
POSTSCRIPT.  
I am in this Paper a Witness to you my poor Orphans of your Duty and Danger, Oh force me not in as a Witness against you by your Carelessness and Obstinacy, at the Great Tribunal, whither I am now called, and where you must shortly appear. Read this Paper, or get it Read to you by my Neighbour Thomas Bolt, or Mrs. Mary Rose, or such others as will teach you to Understand and Improve, not to Contemn and Neglect it. Read it over, or a good Part of it every Lord's Day; be not ashamed of my Dying Confessions or Advice; for they are the best Remains of your Dying Mother, the only Legacy she has to leave you, and if well Improved, they will indeed yield you a Goodly Heritage.  
FINIS.