A True ACCOUNT of the Behaviour and Confession Of the Nine Criminals that were Executed at TYBURN, On Friday the 31st of May 1689 . whose Names are as follow, viz. Charles Hughes< no role > , Jacob Turner< no role > William Bird< no role > , Charles Lee< no role > , Edward Sibley< no role > , William Miller< no role > , Richard Bullen< no role > , Thomas Watkins< no role > , James Felton< no role > .

ON the Lord's-Day the Ordinary read Prayers, and preacht twice to the condemned Prisoners. In the Forenoon the Text was the 8th Verse of the 5th Chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. There is no Principle more fixt in a reasonable Creature, than a restless desire after Happiness. Yet Men mistake in nothing more, than in a fond persuit of such false measures and means as reach not true substantial Blessedness. Therefore, to undeceive miserable Pretenders to Happiness, while they wander in a painful Labyrinth of unsuccessful means to attain it, our Saviour in these eight Beatitudes directs to such proper and genuin dispositions, as will certainly send to, and instate the Soul in teal Felicity. Heartpurity is a Frame not only blessed at present, but leads to future Happiness, in the perfect knowledge of God in Heaven, joined with an exact Assimilation to him, and a delightful enjoyment of him to all Eternity.

The parts of the Text were explicated, and Evangelical Heart-purity stated as the Spring of all sincere Obedience. Real Heart-purity is an universal Conformity of all the Souls Faculties and Affections to all the Precepts of Divine Revelation, tho cross to carnal Reason, or slie Self-Interest. It forms clear and honourable Conceptions of God, suitable to his Divine Excellencies, so as to be transformed, into their Divine Effects.

Heart-purity strikes at the Root of all Self-seeking, which confines the Noble Soul to particular low for did Times. It will enter into us as the Refiner's Fire. It will become every way absolute. It will not suffer any Corrival with God, either in point of commanding our Obedience, or Courting of our Love. It strikes at all speculative retired spiritual Filthiness in the Heart. But a mixture of Carnality, where Hypocrisie predominates, renders all the parts of spiritual Religion uneasie, yea, casts them off as grievous. Contrarywise, the power of Godliness will make a Man live up to the heighth and dignity of his renewed Nature, and not to act degenerately, below his holy state, as not being enslaved to any Lust or Passion.

An Heart purified by Divine Truth, may assure itself, that it is translated into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God. It may view the Plot of its Salvation transtted already, in the impression of a Godlike Nature.

Here were mentioned some Arguments, to demonstrate that the pure in heart are blessed; also the misery of all prophane persons, in being devoid of the Beauty of Holiness.

After many Motives urged, to use some Rules or Directions how to attack and promote Holiness, the Ordinary spake thus to the condemned Criminals.

O who would not study to promote He art parity in the present love and practice of it, that they may be welcomed to the Fessvities of heavenly Glory. Why then do we grasp after sordid Vanities, and not take hold of Blessedness by an holy Violence?

Examine therefore, Is there a Change in your Hearts, Thoughts, Words, Actions and Affections? Is here a mighty world of Renewing Grace on your Spirits? Try your Title to heavenly Felicity, by your universal, constant sincere and chearful Obedience to the Commands of Christ.

O why are we dead to the love and practice of true Piety, as if Heaven were a phantastick Dream! Why are we as hot and eager on Sinning, as if Held had no Fire, or it was all vanisht into Smoke?

O who would not ambitiously aspire to get a Sight of God, who is the matchless Mirror of Divine Truth, and the insinite Beauty of all Perfection! If we hope for such a Sight, why doth it not warm us with the greatest love of Holiness, and put us, as it were, into a Transport of most active Zeal in a course of Piety?

But why should I use farther Arguments to allure Men to embrace their own Happiness? Holiness is the matter of our freest Choice. The Lord sets Life and Death this day before you. Do not obstinately hate Knowledge, nor reject the Fear of the Lord, by whose Smiles or Frowns men live or dye eternally. The very Hell of Hell, is to be given up to the cursed consummation of wickedness; but the very quintessence of heavenly Happiness, is to be made perfect in Holiness, as a lively, lovely Representation of the Deity, Only the pure in heart shall fee and enjoy God, in whose presence is Fulness of Joy, and at whose Right Hand are Rivers of the Divinest Pleasures to all Eternity, without any stint or saciety.

On Monday the Ordinary visited the Condemned, and inquired what Divine impressions the Author of all Grace had made on their Hearts by the foregoing Counsels and Prayers. They reply'd, That they were much awakened from their Security in a Sinful course, that the sight and Sense of their Iniquities did much afflict and trouble their minds. To which I reply'd, That clear and strong Convictions in Confidence may vanish in a fruitless sense of Sin, unless they proceed to a thorow work, of Conversion.

To this, One more knowing than the rest assented, and desired me that I Would expound in the Afternoon the 10th and 11th verses of the 7th Chapter of the 2d Epistile to the Corinthians.

After all the Seven Signs as inseparable Concomitants of true Repentance, had been treated of the Condemned said, That they now understood the Nature of Repentance more clearly and fully than before, yet they acknowledged that they could not work such a change in their own hearts. I told them, That the New Creation was a more wonderful Effect of God's Power, than the forming of the visible structure of Heaven and Earth. I declared in what Respects.

On Tuesday the Ordinary having prayed with the Condemned, askt them One by One, of the Employment they were bred up into, and how they sell into a vicious course of Life?