A True Account of the Behaviour, Confession, and Last Dying SPEECHES, of the Criminals that were Executed at Tyburn, on Wednesday the 18th of Sep. 1695 .

THE Sessions at the Old-Baily held Seven days. There were sixteen received the Sentence of Death, most of them for Clipping the Currant Mony of this Kingdom. Thirteen Women formerly Condemned for Clipping, but their Sentence being respited, as pleading there being quick with Child, they were this Session called down to their former Judgment, and received the Sentence of Death. The Ordinary and other Ministers of this City Visited them every day. The Ordinary preacht several Sermons to them. On the Thanksgiving day in the Forenoon he preacht upon this Text, viz. the 37 Verse of the 20 Chapter of Ezekiel, I will cause you to pass under the Rod, and I will bring you into the bond of my covenant: And I will purge out from among you the Rebels. These words, are Gods gracious promise to the Penitent Remnant, whom he brought back from the Captivity in Babylon, and Settled them in Jerusalem: Thus he Separated from Rebellious Hypocrits, a peculiar Remnant, whom he appropriated to himself; as worshipers of him in Sincerity. This Text Alludes to that of the 27th. of Leviticus and the 32 Verse. It was the Custom of Shepherds to lay their Rod on each of their Sheep, as they pass'd out of the Fold, for the more exact Counting them one by one, that none of them might be Lost. So Christ the Faithful Shepherd of Souls puts his elect Flock under the Rod of his Discipline and Government, that they may be kept persevering in the ways of Holyness to Eternal Life. Christs Sheep are markt and sealed by his Confirming Spirit, as being in the bond of an Everlasting Covenant of Free-Grace in him. But the Lord will Purge out of his Church such Hypocrits, who Rebel against the Scepter of his Righteousness.

His Fan is in his hand, which is his Discriminating, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Vindictive Justice, by which He will thoroughly Purge his Floore, wherein Hypocrits as chaffy Pretenders to his pure Religion lye mixt. Therefore let all such who subject not themselves to the power of Godliness, but are indifferent whether Christ or Antichrist prevail, be awakened from pleasing themselves in meer formal Flourishes in Christian Religion; otherwise being Protestants at large, they will be in danger to be seduced, by receiving the Mark of the Romish Beast in their Right hand as secret Friends to the Papacy, tho' not Seal'd in their Foreheads as openly profest Papists. How will this strike deep deadly Stings into the Consciences of such, who tho' they were Specious Professors of Christ's pure Religion, yet they never past under the Rod of his strict sacred Discipline, so as to submit to the Laws of Christ's Sanctifying Spirit.

Next was demonstrated the misery of all Unregenerate persons who never yet entred themselves into the Sacred Bond of Gods Covenant in Christ.

2. How such who are Aliens from Gods Covenant, may be brought into the sacred Bond thereof.

3. What are the Inhappying priviledges and benefits of this Covenant.

4. What are the Duties incumbent on all such, who are desirous to be advanced into a federal Union and Communion with God through Christ. Here were laid down, in what essential properties, True Faith and Repentance, differ from presumptuous hopes of Heavenly felicity, with an exhortation to get and exercise those saving graces without delay, as Indispensably Requisite to make men Happy.

The Conclusion of the Sermon was thus directed to the Condemned.

You have heard, that it is Gods design by his desolating Judgments to purge out rebellious Sinners from among his peculiar people; yet tho' he brings his Judgments to light every Session, and hath made others Examples of his just severity: You have not been cleansed from your Impieties, 3 Zeph. 5. You have rather with Impudence and more Confirmed Obstinacy, Rebelled against the Lord. But know for Certain, that if Gods Judgments on others, be not a Fanning Wind to cleanse and separate you from your Wickedness; they shall be the Whirlwind of his Wrath, to speed you to a more aggravated and Irrecoverable Destruction. Therefore persist not in Rebelling against Christs Seepter of Mercy stretcht out to you, in the Counsel of Righteousness and Reconciliation to the Incensed Deity; otherwise you will judge your selves Unworthy of Eternal Life. Consider that the Lord might justly have made you a Mittimus to Hell, when he hath only sent you hither, as to an house of Correction. Let not the Disciplinary Rods of God be spent in vain upon you, that the more you are smitten the more you should resolve to Rebel. Then Gods milder Corrections of you, intended for your Reformation, will be turned into the devouring Stings of Scorpions. Rather submit to the Lord's severest methods for your amendment; beg of him to Sanctify your distresses, that they may be the means of your sincere Conversion. This cannot be till the Pride of your Hearts, in a forward persuit of sinning, and the froward perverseness of your Wills in Rebelling against Gods sacred Laws, be subdued by the Sanctifying Spirit of Christ. Then you may lay hold on the strength of Gods Covenanted Mercy in Christ, that he may be Reconciled to you and Intail his Favors upon you; this cannot be till you Subscribe to all the Obligatory Duties of true Repentance in the thorough change of your Hearts.

Let those sincere Penitentiaries, who were restored from the Babylonish Captivity, become the patterns of your Conversion to God in Christ. Consult the 50 Chapter of Jer. the 4, and 5th. verses. And the 24th. of Jer. the 7th. verse. The 14th. of Ezekiel the 22 and 23d. verse. Those Converts did not only set their Faces toward the God of Zion and his pure Worship in a meer formal profession of it, but they had a sincere resolution joyned with a studious Endeavour to fulfil all the Duties of Gods Covenant, in which they had bound themselves by a Solemn Renovation thereof.

As they had grieved the Holy Spirit of God by their Multiplied sins, so they mourned as Doves of the Valleys, pouring forth penitential Tears from the Spring of their Contrite Hearts.

They sought the Lord with fervent humble Supplications, not only that he would be Reconciled, but also to change the Corrupt disposition of their Nature; they were Resolved to pass under the Rod of Christ's Holy discipline, for the subduing the Pride of their Hearts in former rebelling against his Sacred Laws, yea to Loath themselves as vile for all their Provocations, after the Lord was pacified toward them, and Seal'd their pardon. Consider, whether you do truly imitate these eminent Patterns of Conversion unto God.

Rather you have willingly yeilded your selves Captives to Satans Yoke. Why should not Christs Government, which is very Honorable and most Equitable, be Complacential to you, that so you may be Instated in all the priviledges of Gods federal Love? Resolve immediatly to break off your Confederacy with sinners, which you have possibly confirmed with an Oath of secrecy, thereby presuming to Escape the stroke of Justice, while you have robbed on the Mountains of prey. Gladly submit to the Scepter of Christ's Righteousness; subscribe all the Articles of his Covenant, for the confirming of your allegiance and obedience to his Sacred Laws; so shall you not fall a prey to Satans wrath, but become the purchase of Christs Redeeming Grace. Let the Son of God become the Shepherd of your Souls, to Guide you in the paths of Holyness to Eternal life. Suffer his Rod of correction to drive out the sinful folly of your wandrings from the Fold of Righteousness: Then his Staff of Covenanted Mercy shall support you under the sentence of death pronounced against you: It is not too late to return to the Lord; be sincere in your Sorrowing for sin; humble and fervent in your Supplications for Divine Mercy, so will Christ the great Shepherd of Souls lead you to the calm Waters of Divine Consolation in your dying Extremities; he will turn this Cup of trembling into a Cup of Salvation; he will conduct you through this Dark Valley into Gods Celestial Kingdom, wherein are Divine Pleasures overflowing, to satisfie and delight the Souls of true Converts, through all the Ages of Eternity.

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

I. Duke Cooke< no role > , condemned for High Treason in Clipping the Currant Money of this Nation. Aged about 30 Years. He was a working Gold-smith , and said that he might have lived Comfortably on that Employment. He had Good Education from his Parents, but did not follow their Advice. He had many notable Expressions drawn from the Sacred Scriptures; which affected his Heart; so that he wept for his sins; saying, that they were now a Heavy Burthen on his Conscience; chiefly because he had offended a Gracious God, and did not improve the motions of his Holy Spirit, to have turned soon to thee Lord: yet now he Solemnly profest that the sins which he most Loved, were most Abhorred by him. He Confest, that Gods Restoring Grace had kept him Chast and free from Acts of Uncleanness; yet he had not the sense of God's renewing grace in changing the Corrupt disposition of his Heart; for sometimes he did Drink to Excess, and walkt abroad on the Sabbath, when he ought to have observed and Porformed the Worship of God in Private after the publick Ordinances ceas'd. Upon my whole Observance of him, I do hope that he was a true Penitent.

II. Tho. Pastmore< no role > , Condemned for High Treason, in forging and Counterfeiting several peices of Money, also for Clipping several hundred Pounds in Silver. He was a Cane-Chair-Maker : But said, that having no Employment he became poor, and so joyned himself to bad Company. He did not deny his Crime. He said that now he Repents that he did not keep the Sabbath but was very apt in mispending It. For which God left him justly to himself in committing other sins; namely Drinking to intemperance. I asked him, what saving Faith and Repentance was?