A True ACCOUNT of the BEHAVIOUR, CONFESSION, AND Last Dying SPEECHES Of the Four Criminals that were Executed Together with the PAPER Writ by Captain HARRISON's own Hand, and Delivered to a Minister at the place of Execution.

On Friday the 15th of April, 1692 .

THE Ordinary Visited the Condemned Criminals every Day, and other Ministers till their Execution.

On the Lord's-Day in the Forenoon, a Sermon was Preacht from the Ninth Psalm, and the 12th Verse, When the Lord makes Inquisition for Blood, he remembers them. Hence five Particulars were insisted on. First, The several sorts and degrees of Murther. Secondly, The heinous Circumstances and Aggravations of that Sin. Thirdly, The sad Consequents and Effects of it. Fourthly, How the Guilt and Defilement of Blood-shedding may be Expiated, and the Pardon of it obtained. Fifthly, Directions how to prevent the committing of so great and crying a Sin: With Advice to the Condemned. On the Lord's-Day in the Afternoon, a Sermon was Preach'd from the 26th Chapter of the Acts of the Apostle., and the 10th verse, To turn them from Darkness to Light, and from the power of Satan unto God. In treating on which words, several general Heads were unfolded.

1st. Spiritual Darkness, includes a State of Sin and Ignorance of Christ in his Redemptory Offices, as the Day-Star of Righteousness, to chase away the mists and Hellish Darkness, in the Love of Lusts, and Contempt of the Power of Godliness.

2dly, The misery and sinfulness of Spiritual Blindness.

3dly, The means of Curing Spiritual Blindness, and the Duties of such who are savingly Illuminated by Christ's Spirit.

The Second Efficacy of the Gospel, consists in turning Sinners from the power of Satan's Bondage unto God. In treating of which, were shown these Heads.

1st. The misery of being in Satan's Bondage. 2dly, Signs of being set free from it. 3dly, Proofs of true Conversion unto God. 4ly, If yet, you are estranged from him, Directions how you may turn to him with your whole Heart. 5ly, From both parts of the Text the Conclusion was thus directed to the Condemned.

How sad is this, That the stroke of Death is ready to be Inflicted on you, and yet, that few, if any Remarks of Converting Grace are found upon your Hearts! Have you not presumed, that your want of knowledge in Divine Concernments, shall plead an excuse of your Prophaneness? Ignorance of the mind of God, and their Duty is rather the strongest linck in the Devil's Chain of Darkness, whereby he hath bound you, in the stupid Love of your Lusts. Hence it is, that you cannot discern the worth of Christ, nor your own want of him. The very first work, in the forming of the New Creature, is to bear the true knowledge of God in Christ into the Soul. This will discover the defiling Intrigues of Sin: It will make you Vile in your own account, as acknowledging this to be a Miracle of Mercy, that Divine Justice doth not frown you into Hell. What an Hell of Darkness have you created in your Hearts! This hath made Satan to rule in you, as his proper Province. Yet how profoundly have you slept in your Security! The Prince of Darkness hath so inchanted you, that by Ignorance he hath betrayed you, to your Ruin. Is it not high time for you, to awake out of your pleasing Dreams of future Happiness, tho' Satan hath bound you fast under his Dominion Would you find Christ to be your Redeemer, then Cancel your Indentures to Satan, and set the Seal of your Obedience to the Laws of Holiness? Think not that some slight Reformation is through Conversion unto God. This subdues the Pride of Mens Hearts that they trust not in a Pharisaical-Self-Righteousness. It silences all Disputes against the strictness of Gospel Commands: It roots out all Prejudices against the Power of Godliness.

Neither distrust the faithfulness of God's Promises, to Redeem you from Satan's Bondage, if you be sincerely resolved to return unto the Lord. He is able to subdue the Tyranny of Satan, and the Love of your Lusts. Can you think so meanly of the Lord, that he will not promote his own Kingdom and Interest in your hearts, if you be sincerely willing to resign them, in Obedience to his Sacred Laws.

This was his great design from Eternity, and shall be assuredly fulfilled, for the Exaltation of his own Honour and Glory. O therefore strive to be partakers of the Divine Nature. If you be delivered from the power of Satan you will be Renewed and Establish'd by Christ's free Spirit, to run the Paths of God's Commandments, and will be prepar'd to every good work with a Zealous Joyfulness,

I proceed to give an Account of the Behaviour and Confessions of the Condemned Criminals.

I. Henry Harrison< no role > found guilty of the wilful barbarous Murther of Doctor Clench. He was bred up a Lawyers Clerk , afterwards he Listed himself to be a Trooper in the Lord Dartsmoth's Regiment. Upon the 10th of January last he offered to discourse with me upon the cause of his Commitment. I desired, that whatever he said, he would do it, as in the presence of the heart-searching God, and as if he were at the point of Death. He did profess he would do so; he said, That he had been Arraigned before for Murther, but it was only found Man-slaughter. That he did not after this walk so Circumspectly, as he ought, but was guilty of prophaning the Sabbath, and many gross Sins, which he lived in very securely. But that God by this distress had awakened him to call to mind those great sins which he had committed, saying, that God had strange ways to bring Sinners to Repentance. Upon this, I advised him, sincerely to Justifie God, as Righteous, in finding him out in his Iniquities. Or else Death would be more terrible, and his Eternal State very hazardous, if he now trifled with God, and did not ingeniously Confess his sinful course of Life. Hereupon he spoke very vilely of himself, as having been of a dissolute Life; that he seldom minded the Publick Worship of God, nor the private Duties of Religion. That he was a common Swearer in ordinary Discourse, and guilty of Notorious Sins, That he never received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, because it is an Obligation to amend an Evil Life, which being accustomed unto, he forbore the Sacrament, that he might not aggravate his Sins, and future Condemnation. I told him, That his being unwilling to come under such a Sacred Tie of Reformation exposed him deeper into Satan's Snares of Temptation.

After this, he freely acknowledged, That he had some Acquaintance with Doctor Clench. and too much Familiarity with the Woman, to whom the Doctor lent Money; and that upon his not liking of the Security given for the Repayment, the Doctor would not forbear any longer; Harrison said, this did fret him, yet he used no threatning words, and said, That if his Son had been accessary to so barbarous a Murther, and himself knew it, he would discover him. Harrison made frequent Appeals to God, that he knew nothing of this Crime, in Thought, Word, nor Deed. I reply'd, That if he made any false Appeals to God, it would very much hazard his Salvation; yea, that this would bring swifter Destruction upon him, and that his persisting to deny the Murther, would make him to be less Credited, because two persons who lately Murthered their Wives, imprecated themselves, if they knew any thing of it, and yet after an hours