A True ACCOUNT of the BEHAVIOUR, CONFESSION, AND Last Dying SPEECHES Of the Criminals that were Executed at TYBURN, On Wednesday the 20th of December, 1693 .

THE Ordinary preacht to the condemned Criminals in the forenoon on the Lords day: The Text was from the 23d Ch. of St. Luke, the 42d and 43d v. Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom.

These words are the summary of the Christian Faith, declared by the late convered Thief, under the Abasement of Christs Crucifixion. Tho he suffered with him as a notorious Malefactor, yet being baptized in the laver of Christs blood, applied to him by the Spirit of Regeneration, he died as a Martyr for Christs cause, in asserting his Godhead against all the reviling of his Enemies. Let no man expect the like wonderful change of corrupt nature. For this single example of late Repentance, and the thorough Conversion to God in Christ, was and will be without any such future miraculous unparallelled president: This Converts Faith equaliz'd in some degree that of Abraham; for God made an express Covenant of grace with him, and showed him many present favours to encourage his Faith: But this Thief believed, before Christ spake friendly to him. Moses Faith was confirmed by a succession of miracles; God appeared to him in the flaming Bush, not consumed: But this Convert saw Christ crowned with Thorns, the Livery of the Earths curse, for the sin of man. Peter believed, seeing Christ walking on the Sea, as on a firm Pavement; but now Christs hands and feet were nailed to the Cross, as tormented in all the Nerves of his sacred Body, yet this Thief stedfastly confest Christ to be the King of Eternal Glory, tho he were erected higher on the Cross, as a worse reputed Criminal than either of the Thieves. He renounced all the spoils of his robbing Trade as dross and dung, that he might win an interest in Christs favour, counting now, the very fear of God to be his chiefest treasure. How remarkable was his humility and self-denial? he did not desire that he might sit at Christs right hand in heavenly glory, as a peculiar favourite, only he prayed, Lord remember me, shew me the least glimpse of thy favour admit me to be only a Door-keeper in thy celestial Temple, and this shall abundantly satisfy me. It is the sum of all happiness to be the meanest Pensioner of Christs kingly bounty and beneficence. Herein he acknowledged that Christ was the sole purchaser, and absolute disposer of heavenly glory; as if he had thus said, O my Lord I am ashamed and deeply grieve, that I no sooner knew thee, that I might longer have honored and served thee, than possibly now I can, in the extreamest part of my life; thus I seal the sincerity of my heart in owning thee for my Lord and my God, with the chearful shedding of my Hearts blood. Observe Christ waited to be gracious, and therefore immediately accepted this late Converts sincere, yet fervent and modest petition. Observe how Christ replied, as under the form of an Oath, Verily, verily, I say to thee, this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Late Converts, if they have been notorious sinners, need extraordinary divine assurances of their future blessedness; five reasons were given of this. Let us therefore not delay our repentance and conversion to God; let us greive that we have so long stood out against all the sollicitations of Christs Spirit, to get our hearts renewed and our lifes reformed; so shall we behold the beatifying vision and fruition of the God of glory, in the celestial Paradise; herein all the mysteries of Salvation are made known perfectly, without the least with holding of assent unto them; here God in Christ is all in all, for the perfecting of the Saints felicity. To be with Christ in Paradise is the highest happiness of heaven, Christs continued presence garrisons the celestial Paradise, that Satan, the subtile Tempter, cannot possibly inject into our minds the least diverting thought from our fixt contemplation and rapturous admiration of Gods infinite excellencies, would we enjoy this immediate blessedness after death: Let us then be awakened from our security in sinning. This Convert had very serious and deep reflexive acts of Conscience, which reduced him from his distracted state in sinning to the soberness of a sound mind. He was not converted altogether in an hurry of confused dolorous passions and exclamations against himself, for bringing this shameful death upon himself. It was not the rending of the Rocks, nor the Thunder striking of the dead out of their Graves, which wrought this strange conversion; it was rather his being baptized with the sprinkling of Christs blood on his soul, which sanctifyed the extremity of his sufferings to the healing of his corrupt nature: His heart was changed and mollified, by hearing Christs prayer for his most malicious enemies. Thus Christ showed the miraculous effects of his death in saving this sinner, tho himself was reputed the Chief of Criminals, and was cast out, as the Pest and Execration of the Nation.

The Conclusion was thus directed to the Condemned.

And now, that I ay more immediately apply my self, to you who are under a sentence of death; let not this single instance of a late effectual repentance, cause you so to presume on Gods mercy, as to imagine true conversion, in your last hours, an easie and slight performance. No, 'tis certainly a very difficult and laborious work (however possible and performable) for habits of grace and virtue are not ordinarily introduced into the Soul, but by a frequent repetition of holy actions, like as vicious habits were contracted by a reiterated usage of sinful practices, and how hazardous a thing it is, to expect extraordinary means of grace and conversion, after having forfeited the ordinary auxiliaries of Gods Spirit, by a customary disobedience.

The Convert Thief did not trifle with Gods goodness and forbearance (as many men do) but readily answered the first call of the divine Spirit inviting him to repentance. He probably never before heard of Christ never saw any of his miraculous performances, never knew any thing of his doctrine, and consequently had not receiv'd any, till now, external motive to become his follower, and accept of the Gospel terms of Pardon and Salvation.

'Tis likely also that Christ in wisdom deferr'd this extraordinary proof of his Almighty Power, till the last act of his life, thereby to evidence more fully his Divine Nature, and that he is the All-sufficient Redeemer of the world, now when he seem'd by his ignominious sort of suffering the vilest of Malefactors.

Beg therefore of God to quicken your resolutions of turning unto him immediately, and of supplying your late repentance by the more powerful workings of his Holy Spirit upon your hearts.

Divine wrath is let out to the utmost after death, then obstinate Sinners shall for ever be deprived of all the seasons of grace, or any possibility of future happiness; Then shall they be utterly unable to amend any defect in the work of their Conversion. There is a limited Season of Grace, as well as of a mans natural life in this world. Be imployed therefore in the fulfilling of your heavenly Fathers Will, with all diligence and chearfulness, that Christ may say to each of you at the time of your dissolution, well done good and faithful Servant, enter with joy into my everlasting Kingdom.

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

I. Richard Kensey< no role > , Gentleman, Condemned for the murther of one Henry Hutton< no role > , in the Parish of St. Brides within the liberty of London . He was born of Parents of good Reputation, aged 27 years; He came over with King William into England, hath served him; 5 years in Flanders ; He was in the Expedition of Ships sent to reduce Corke and Kingsale, now is under Brigadeer Churchill; he came from Flanders as a Lieutenant to raise Recruits here, but a week before this unhappy accident; he said that he did heartily repent that he was prone to be in drink, and actually to, when he joyned with the two Breams condemned for the same Murther. That he will take care hereafter to serve God and the King faithfully, to avoid evil Company, and to be more strict and watchful in his course of Life, if he may obtain sparing mercy.

II. Arnold Breams< no role > , Condemned for the foresaid Murther, was born of Parents of good Quality and Reputation, who are now dead; yet it grieves him that he hath not ordered the course of his life according to that Religious Education which was be