A True Account of the Behaviour, Confession and last Dying Speeches of the Condemned Criminals, that were Executed at Tyburn on Friday the 23d of this Instant April, 1697 .

On the Lords-Day, after the Condemnation of the Condemned Criminals; a Sermon was Preacht on this Text, Luke 22. 61, 62.

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter; and Peter remembred the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, before the Cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

And Peter went out and wept bitterly.

IN these Words you have several Doctrinal Observations which I shall treat on by way of Introduction to the last Verse.

Observe, that before Peter went out of the High-Priest's Hall, where he denied Christ, to consider of the vileness of his Sin; Christ turned himself to look on Peter: Observe the gracious Disposition of Christ, he did not so much care to vindicate himself from the Jews false Accusations, thereby to consult his own safety, as to recover Peter out of the Swounding Fits of his Faith. Christ is very Compassionate toward Backsliding Souls, when they Sin out of infirmity rather then any Deliberate purpose; yet, Peter melted not into Tears till Christ lookt on him.

Observe, That the very first Reflections on Sin, spring from Preventing Grace. We can soon harden our Hearts in Sinning, but we cannot soften them in the least Degree, unless Christ join the Power of his Divine Spirit with his pittiful look, to Mollify and Affect the Heart with the Sense of Sinning.

Thirdly, Peter Mourned not till he remembred Christ's Words, which warned him that he would deny Christ. The word of God is mighty in Power, to work on Sinners Hearts, when set home by the Authority of Christs Spirit, altho' it failed to keep them close to their Duty through forgetfulness or want of intensive Consideration.

Bless the Lord if he read you a Lecture of Repentance in the troublesome Convictions of your Consciences; no doubt Peter did thus, for when he heard any Cock crow he wept bitterly for the denial of his Lord; yet merrily to shed Tears for Sinning, is not essentialy necessary to Demonstrate the sincerity of Repentance. Tears shed by the Facility of a natural Constitution, are no Proof of such a degree of Sorrow in the Heart, which attend the forming of the new Creature in Christ. Judas in his sorrowing for betraying Christ, sought to work off the horrour of his Conscience, yet had no sincere Desire to get his Heart changed: But St. Peters Tears did flow from the Spring of a contrite Heart, whither Sinners shed Tears more or less, if the Heart be in the Work of Godly Sorrow, this Intitles them to the promises of Comfort. If any Man shall pretend that he never denied Christ as Peter did, and therefore need not mourn with any bitterness of Spirit; let me ask such a Man, whither he never did Imprison any Truth of Christ in Unrighteousness of Life; is not this to exceed the Jews in Cruelty, when wilful Sinners presume to dig new and deep Wounds in Christs Heart, by the indulgence of any Lust?

I shall proceed to Treat of St. Peters Preparation for his Repentance in his going out of the High-Priest's Hall, that he might better consider the greatness of his Sin. Observe that Solitariness affords great Advantages for godly Sorrow to vent its self in a free Current, without Obstruction in privacy; is no Diversion whereby to remit a Soul humbling Disposition for sinning. It is very Observable that when Christ raised Jairus's Daughter to Life, he first call out all the Minstrels, who did allay the Grief of her Friends, or Scoffingly avouched that she was not to be recovered to Life. The Sinner who is dead Spiritualy, cannot be quickned to the Life of Grace, till he stand up from the Dead; till he quit his merry Companions in Sinning, that Christ may give him the Light of Life. Jocund and Sensual Associates will derid the very buddings of Repentance in the Self-abasing Convictions of the Sinner; they will study and strive to stop up those Spiritual Springs of Godly Sorrow, as soon as they are digged.

While I commend Privacy for Godly Grief to vent it self with more freedom; I do not intend to excuse all publick Declarations of Godly Sorrow: For in case of publick Scandals, there must be a visible Acknowledgment of grief for offending the Community of Christians; also bold Exemplarities in Sinning is prevented from spreading, while others behold the Pangs and Agonies of Conscience in their Repenting Associates; yet Secret Mourning is least exposed to Pride. Christ encouraged his modest Spouse to Mourn as a Dove silently, in the Cliffs of some Rock: Her Countenance when Furrowed with Wrinckles, by plenty of Tears, was most Beautifully pleasing to Christ; Penitential broken Hearted Sighs and Groans, are the most Powerful Rhetorick to Conciliate Christ's favour. Repentant Tears are a most Beautiful Rainbow, the Comforting sign that God will not drown such a Soul in the Deluge of his Wrath, He will disdain to speak Peace to an Impenitent Sinner: He will not give such a good look, but will frown them into the Regions of Eternal Darkness.

The conclusion was thus Directed to the Condemned.

Suffer me to make some Scrutiny into the Nature of your Repentance: Is it Voluntary, and not extorted out of present Passionateness of Spirit, for contracting publick Shame and Punishment? Do not your Tears dry up, upon the notice of a Reprieve? And your Lusts take deeper Rooting? Doth your Sorrow contract your Heart in Lusting after Worldly Vanities? And enlarge them in seeking after the Vniversal change of your corrupt Nature? Doth your Mourning sigh the Old Man your Lusts grown up into a Customary Familiarity, Into a speedy Consumption? do you rend in peices with delight the whole Body of Sin? And to make sure, that being mortified, it shall no more revive in the Love and Indulgence of any Lust.

A true Penitent will not so easily be Reconciled to a good Opinion of himself, as God is ready to Pardon him upon the least budding of a tender Sense in Sinning; yet, How hath Sin spread its Infection in you? To the very Vitals of Modesty: Your Souls Leprosy is in a manner deadly and Incurable; for when one Sin hath seemingly been healed, a worse hath broken out, yea, took deeper rooting in the Love of it. Have you not hardned your Hearts against the loudest Call of God, that you would Repent and Turn to him by the amendment of your Lives? How many sad warnings have been set before you, of Adjuging Sinners to a suddam Ignominious Death? And yet you have not dreaded such examples of Justice bleeding every Sessions before your Eyes. Do not persist to put quite to silence the Convictions and Checks of your Conscience, least God resolve that these shall never more warn you or reprove you.

Do not Condemn your selves to an utter dispairing of God's Mercy for an indulged Iniquity: 'tis reported that the Crowing of a Cock strikes terrour into the Lions Heart. Real Penitents quite discourage Satan from Tempting them to renewed Acts of Sinning, by being always in their Watch to preserve their Integrity; this you have lost, yet strive to recover it by Repentance; let your Consciences continually beat a very shrill Alarum, to mind you of Death, that you may duely be prepared for it. Consider that the Seasons of Grace and Salvation are short and very uncertain; do not therefore slumber on a Bed of Security in Sinning. Awake Sinner from thy Impenitent State, stand up from the Dead, quit the Company of all Sinful Associates, so shall Christ give thee the light of Spiritual Life and Comfort: Watch for Christs appearing to Judgment, so shall you receive the abundant Reward of Joy and Blessedness, for sowing in Tears in the Valley of this World. Such who watch in a due frame of Heart for their being Summoned by Death to Christs Judgment-seat, shall receive it as a grateful Invitation into the Mansions of Eternal Rest. So shall such feast on the Divinest Pleasures, on the Sensations of Gods Love and Favour, which shall overflow without any Stint or Abatement through all the Ages of Eternity.

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

1. Laurence Wilkinson< no role > , Condemned for Coining false Money, aged 35 Years, born in Lancashire ; he was the Son of a Farmer in that County, but was disobedient to his Father, and Married against his consent. He kept a Victualing-house at the sign of Adam and Eve in West-smith-field , he staid there not above one Year. He did not deny that at times he put off bad Money. He seemed Penitent.

II. Walter Harding< no role > , Condemned for Coining Counterfeit Mony, aged 40 Years. He was born on the edge of Herefordshire . He was a Silver-Smith in Coleman-street . He