THE YOUNGMAN'S Second Warning-piece: OR, A Miracle of Mercies.  
Being a true Relation of the horrible suggestions, and tentations, wherewith Satan assaulted me A. W. Stationer of London, whereby he prevailed so far, as to force me to sin grossly, and to despair fearfully, in so much, that he brought me near unto the making of myself away, many and sundry ways, from the which the Lord in mercy delivered me.  
And therefore as a testimony of my thankfulness to God, and love to my brethren, and former sinful associates: I have thought good to publish in print, both the manner and time of my conflict, and also of my delivery.  
Perused and allowed of, by four godly, and learned Divines in this City.  
The second Edition, Corrected by the Author.  Ephe. 6. 13. 16. 
Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.  
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  
LONDON. Printed for Anthony Wildegoose, and are to be sold at his house, in Little-Woodstreete, in Bunting Alley. 1643.   

THE YOUNGMAN'S SECOND WARNING-PIECE.  
Being a true Relation of the horrible suggestions, and tentations, wherewith Satan assaulted me, A. W. etc.  
WE read in the Gospel of Saint Luke, that the rich man 
Luk. 16. 27, 28  being in hell torments, he prayed Abraham to send Lazarus to his father's house, to warn his five Brethren, that they came not into that place of torments.  
In like manner, I having been in mine own apprehension, for a time, in the same place of torments, and thorough the mercy of the Lord, being delivered from thence; I have thought it meet to manifest as much charity as he, towards my Brethren and associates, in warning them by my example, to beware of coming into that place. And to this end, I have thought it meet to set forth in print, a true and perfect Relation, how I have been assaulted; with the fearful suggestions of Satan, as followeth.  
I having been guilty of the actual committing of some gross 
My falling into sickness. Eph. 5. 3.  sins, even such as the Apostle saith, are not to be so much as once named, as becometh Saints; it pleased the Lord to visit me, with a fearful and dangerous sickness, which occasioned me to call my sins to remembrance, and I was much troubled in mind about them; but within a while, even within the space of two, or three days, it pleased the Lord to give me some ease, both of mind and body; at which time one William Parker coming to visit me, I desired him to read some portion of holy Scripture unto me, which accordingly he did; and then I desired him to read a singing Psalm unto me, which he likewise condescended unto; and first we sung together the fifteenth Psalm, and afterwards the thirteenth, until we came to the last verse, which containeth these words: 
I will give thanks unto the Lord,  
And praises to him sing,  
Because he hath heard my request,  
And granted my wishing.   
And even in that moment of time, as we were entering on the 
Satan's first Temptation.  first part of this verse, Satan stood at my right hand, tempting me to blaspheme the great, and fearful name of God, with the words of jobs wife, to curse God, etc. and this he forced so vehemently on my mind, that I had no power to resist him; in so much, that I thought verily I had done it indeed, and could not otherwise be persuaded, so that upon this occasion I was distracted, and could have no rest night nor day, being verily persuaded, that the Devil would fetch me away quick, and carry me into his own place of torments: thus I continued a while crying out, I had committed such a sin, as there was no hope of pardon for, and I was so outrageous, that no one durst stay with me in the Chamber; then by my Master's means, there came a Minister to visit me, and by his instructions, I received a little rest of mind for a while, but afterwards the Tempter came more vehemently, and prevailed indeed.  
So that hereupon then, I cannot say with the Apostle, I knew 
2 Cor. 12. 2.  a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, taken up into the third heaven: But I can say, I knew a man in Christ almost ten years 
The Trance.  ago, who was from his sick bed cast down into the second hell, in his own apprehension, and there for a while most grievously tormented by the Devil, and his hellish spirits; and this was very terrible unto me, especially considering how those infernal spirits rejoiced at my coming thither, and being amongst those spirits, me thought, they upbraided me with this vain saying, On earth a Saint, in hell a Devil; and then how ready they were to execute their office to the full in tormenting me; also me thought, there were the spirits of some of my sinful acquaintance there, ready to help to torment my soul.  
And here my brethren, behold and consider the craft and 
Note diligently.  subtlety of this cursed Hellhound, Satan, who in all my life time before, tempted and provoked me to sin most fearfully; which the Lord in his mercy was pleased, in the time of this my sickness, to convince my conscience of; Satan takes occasion, hence to suggest unto my Soul, this fearful apprehension, to wit, that for my unworthy receiving of the Lords Supper, and my profanation of his Sabbath and the like sins, I was tormented in Hell.  
Whence we may see and behold, that Satan shapes his tentations 
Observe.  according to our several states, conditions and dispositions.  
But to proceed, after that I had lain about three or four 
A Vision.  hours in the foresaid Trance, then me thought I was restored from thence, and stood upon the Earth, and that all the Sky was on a light fire, and that Christ Jesus came to Judge the Earth, and was set upon his Throne, and that I was to appear before his Judgement seat. Immediately, then me thought I looked upon myself, and was a most black deformed and ugly Creature, both by reason I had been such a vile sinner, and for that I had been in the pit of Hell; and Oh! me thought that if I were but like unto those 
* Mr. Nathaniel Shute and Mr. Mulline.  two godly Ministers, who were about their master's work, or like my master, and my fellow apprentice, or the like, then should I not be afraid to appear before Jesus Christ; for I conceived them to be more free from sin than I was, & that they might appear before the Judge without fear, but that could not I do. In this trance when I had continued a while longer, I came to myself, and then fell into a serious Consideration of those things, which were very fearful & terrible to my Soul, not only for the present, but a long time after: For though it pleased God to heal my body, and so raise me up from my sick bed, yet was it his good pleasure to defer the healing of my soul a long time after.  
In which time, the Devil, who, as Father Latimer speaks of him, is the only diligent Bishop in his Diocese, did bestir himself, and like a roaring Lion went about seeking to devour me, tempting me to lay violent hands upon myself: And this he did first by tempting me and provoking me to commit gross sins, and then in suggesting unto me after this manner as followeth.  
Wherefore dost thou not make thyself away? thou belongest not to Christ, therefore it is thy best course to make thyself away quickly, for thou committest great sins daily, and therefore the longer thou livest the greater sinner thou wilt be, and answerable to thy sins shall be thy torments in Hell fire. And truly brethren, this foul Fiend did prevail so far with me hereby, that I was divers times very near the making away of myself; I lived such a Melancholy discontented life, that indeed I was weary of living upon the earth, and I thought that death would put an end unto all miseries here, and seeing I must to hell at last, I had as good go sooner as later.  
Whereupon, one day being very sore assaulted after this manner; 
Satan's second temptation.  there standing a Ladder in the yard where I dwelled, I was tempted to get a Cord to have hanged myself, but through God's great mercy I was prevented.  
Then he perceiving he could not prevail this way, he left off this tentation for a season, and yet he left not off tempting me to the committing of gross sins, and would never let me be at quiet except I were acting and committing one sin or other to the terror and disquieting of my Soul, insomuch that I lived a most miserable discontented life, so that sometimes, yea divers times I had not power to follow my Calling, but would oft sit by the fire, or lie upon my bed divers days together, and neglect my business, though I had scarce bread for myself and my wife.  
Thus continuing for the space of six or seven years, after my forementioned trance, without peace or rest, night or day, and playing many unadvised wilful feats, rejecting the Counsel of my best friends; At the last the old Serpent comes again, with his 
Satan's third temptation.  former Assault and Tentation, labouring to put me upon the work of sending both my soul and body in a bloody Chariot speedily into Hell fire.  
And to effect this he takes his opportunity on a day, I lying upon 
Satan's fourth temptation.  my bed in a miserable discontented fit, and my wife going to market to buy provision, and leaving me alone, I took a knife in my hand, and put it to my throat, and did so much with it that blood came out and I felt it smart.  
Whereupon it pleased the Eternal God, Creator and Preserver 
God's merciful deliverance.  of all mankind, to put this Meditation or Consideration into my mind, O wretched man that thou art, art not thou able to abide one quarter of an hour's pain and smart, in cutting thine own throat, and wilt thou suffer the devil so to beguile and cozen thee so much, as to persuade thee thou art able to endure eternal torments, and so to plunge thy soul into everlasting misery? Whereupon me thought I heard the voice of God from heaven, saying, O do not make away thyself, dost thou know what I have for thee to do?  
And so My soul (to speak in the words of the Psalmist) is escaped 
Psal. 124. 7.  as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler, the snare is broken and I was delivered, blessed be the name of the Lord.  
Howbeit the Tempter left me not yet, but after that the Lord 
Satan's fift temptation.  had delivered me from my former danger, Satan followed me & suggested unto me, that it were best for me to leave my wife and children, and live in some other place, and sometimes that it were best for me to drown myself, and very near unto the doing of these and such like wicked and unnatural actions had Satan sometimes brought me, but the Lord in mercy prevented him,  
And in all this time give me leave also to tell you I had no heart 
Neglect not holy duties.  to Prayer, for being such a wicked wretch as I apprehended my myself to be, I was persuaded that my prayers and all other duties were abominable, so that I did either omit them, or else I performed them untowardly; the truth is, I had no heart to any goodness.  
And thus brethren by reason of my yielding unto Satan's 
Yield not to Satan's temptations.  tempting me first to the committing of sin, and then to despair and make away myself, by reason of my sin, I endured a hell upon earth for the space of above ten years, and then it pleased the Lord, out of his abundant mercy, to deliver my soul, and that by this means,  
I being at my work upon the 14. of November, 1643. my fellow 
Take notice of the Lords mercy to me.  workman and I falling into discourse of good Ministers, he told me that that evening I might hear a good Sermon at Bartholomew Lane, near the Exchange, so we having no great haste of work, we concluded to go together to hear it: and when we came thither we heard one Mr. wiles, whose Text was 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord jesus Christ, let him be anathema, Maran-atha: from which Text he delivered such heavenly matter, concerning the excellent condition of them that love Christ, and so laid open the fearful condition of them that do not, with the properties and qualifications of true love to Christ, that through the mercy of God, it wrought so upon my inner-man, that since that time I bless God, I have been well in mind.  
And now Brethren, I beseech you do not conceive of this Relation 
Brief Exhortations.  as a feigned or forged thing, for I profess unto you all, it is a most certain truth; and therefore I beseech you believe it, and labour to make good use of it: Oh learn by my example to beware of sin, lest God in justice, not only give you over to be temporally tempted by Satan, as he formerly hath done me, but also to be eternally tormented by him, without all hope of recovery.  
And you my Brethren of my Society, for to you especially do I intent my Exhortation, I beseech you consider, that you have more means, by reason that your Calling is oftener to have to do with good Books, than many other Callings have; and yet alas Brethren, I fear we have been more profane and wicked, than such as are of many other Callings. O beware of Intemperance and Excess, for that we have been too guilty of; Oh labour to know God, and to live with God, and keep close to him in frequenting holy duties, both in public & private; and so turn unto God with all our hearts, and that speedily: And I beseech you be thankful to God for me, and pray for me, that the Lord who hath in mercy begun a good work in me, would confirm it unto the day of Jesus Christ; which he grant for Christ's sake, Amen.  
 
NOw if any through ignorance may suffer themselves hereafter to be persuaded either by their own corruptions, or Satan's temptations, that this former Relation is but a feigned thing, or some melancholy Fit only, or such like, I would entreat them to take an opportunity to come to my house in Little-Woodstreet in Bunting-Alley, and I will with the Lords help, give what satisfaction I am able.  
FINIS.