The ORDINARY of NEWGATE his Account of the Behaviour, Confession, and Last Speech of the Malefactor that was Executed at TYBURN on Friday the 25th Day of MAY, 1711 .

AT the Sessions held at Justice-Hall in the Old-Baily, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, the 16th , 17th , and 18th instant, Four Persons, viz. Three Men, and One Woman, who (upon their Trials) were found Guilty of several Capital Crimes, did accordingly receive Sentence of Death. One of them is order'd for Execution, and the other Three have obtain'd Her Majesty's most gracious Reprieve; which I hope they will improve, to the Glory of God, and the Good of their own Souls.

While they were under this Condemnation, I constantly visited them, and had them brought up twice every day, to the Chapel in Newgate, where I read Prayer, and the Word of God (which I expounded) to them; giving them such Instructions and Admonitions, as I thought most proper for Men under their unhappy Circumstances.

On the last LORD's DAY, being the 20th instant , and the Day of Pentecost, I preach'd to them, both in the Morning and Afternoon, upon these Words, Joh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come, (whom I will send unto you from the Father) even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testifie of Me.

As I had began, on the Sunday before, to discourse upon those Words, so I now further enlarg'd thereon, prosecuting the same Subject (as proper for the Day) and shewing, That in the Text these Two Things chiefly are contain'd, viz.

I. A Discovery (in general) of the whole Sacred Trinity: J (saith CHRIST) will send the Spirit from the Father.

II. A Description (in particular) of the Holy Ghost; of whom it is here said,

1. That He is the Comforter.

2. That He will come.

3. That He shall be sent, viz. {By the Son.

From the Father.

Unto the Apostles, and their Followers.

4. That He is the Spirit of Truth.

5. That He proceeds from the Father.

6. and lastly, That He is to give his Testimony of the Son.

To each of which Heads, and Particulars, I spoke amply and distinctly; and shew'd, That He who is here said to be Sent, is no ways Inferior to, but in all respects Coequal and Coeternal with Him, By Whom, and From Whom, He is Sent: That this Mystery of the Sacred Trinity, included in the Text, is (in a very great measure) vail'd from us: That tho' much had been, and much more might still be said on it, yet we must all acknowledg our selves insufficient for these things: That it is unsearchable and unattainable by us, to Perfection, while we are on this side the Grave; and therefore ought rather to admire it with all humility of Heart and Soul, than be too curious in our Inquiry into it: That our Incapacity of comprehending it, is no Argument for our Disbelief of it, since we have it reveal'd, both in the Text and other Scriptures. In a word, That it is the great Object of our Faith; which ought to have a mighty Influence on our Lives, so as to engage us entirely to love that Good GOD, who is so excellent, and so far above all our Thoughts, and humbly serve and adore that Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, which we are not able to comprehend, but may (as indeed we should) have longing Desires to be united unto Him (that Most Glorious and Most Happy Being) who can make us all glorious and happy as Himself, and will most certainly do it, if we sincerely purpose and endeavour to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present World; as the Apostle expresses it, Tit. 2. 12.

This was some part of the Doctrin I preach'd to them; and I concluded both my Forenoon and Afternoon Sermons with these, and the like Exhortations to all my Auditory in general, and to the Condemn'd in particular; That they would consider, How they had offended the High Majesty of Heaven, that Great and Mighty GOD, who is able both to save and to destroy, and who ought so much the more to be fear'd, by how much He is Great and Incomprehensible: And, That as it was their Duty, so likewise their Interest, to apply themselves to Him, in fervent and devout Prayers for Grace to believe, and repent, that they might be sav'd.

This chiefly was the Subject I entertain'd them with, at my attendance on them every day. They seem'd to be very attentive to those Admonitions and Instructions I gave them, both in publick and private; and he who is now appointed to Death, did freely confess his Sins; giving me the Account of himself, which (in short and in substance) is as followeth.

Josiah Wilson< no role > This name instance is in set 4686. , alias John Waldren< no role > , Condemn'd for breaking Mr. Thomas Cotterel< no role > 's Show-glass, and stealing out of it a Gold-Watch of the Value of 10 l. He said, he was about Eighteen Years of age, born in the Parish of St. Andrew, Holborn : That for a time he work'd with his Father in the Art of Periwig-making ; but growing loose and extravagant, he endeavour'd to supply his Wants by the many Robberies which he committed in Houses and Shops, and on People walking in the Streets; yet (he said) he got little or nothing but Shame in that wicked Way: for thereby he often brought himself to Justice, and was in July last, and at other times, burnt in the Hand, &c. He confess'd, he was guilty of the Fact he is to die for, and wish'd he had been so wise as to take Warning before, but it was now too late; he hop'd other Offenders would take it in due time, and so prevent their coming to the like sad and shameful End. Upon my telling him, That (for the clearing of his Conscience, and the obtaining the Divine Mercy) he must take care (among other things) to make such Discoveries as he was able to make, and might be useful, either to the Publick, or to any Private Persons; he said, He could discover no more, than he had confess'd to me; adding, That the Profaning of the LORD's DAY had been the First Cause of his Ruin; and therefore out of Goodwill to others, he warn'd 'em here against that Sin especially, that so they might not be drawn away, as he had been, and shamefully fall by the Hand of Justice, as he does.