hand, the insupportable Torments; and on the other, the unspeakable Joys of Eternity. He ingenuously confest the Crime for which he was to die, and begg'd Pardon of God, both for it and for all other the Miscarriages of his Life, which he acknowledg'd to have been great and many.

V. Thomas Gorden< no role > , Condemn'd for Burglary. He was Born in Barkshire , and was now about 25 Years of Age. and for some time past had served with a Gardiner at Chelsey ; He acknowledg'd he had not liv'd as he was convinc'd in his Conscience he should have done; but had many ways offended God, and broke his Holy Laws and Commandments; which he said he was sorry for, and repented of, and hop'd to find Mercy with God. Thus he exprest his Repentance and Confidence, and would not be persuaded to confess, but obstinately denied the Fact he was found Guilty of.

VI. John Harris< no role > , alias Dennis< no role > , likewise Condemn'd for Burglary. He was a Roman Catholick , born in Warwickshire , and about 24 Years of age. He told me he had served the King as a Soldier 3 Years in Colonel Kirk's Regiment, and 5 in Colonel Windham's, and afterwards went to France , where he served 3 Years in King James's Guard. And then returning to England, he was employ'd for about 2 Years by some Colliers trading to Newcastle . He own'd his Life had been vicious, and much tainted with Sin, of which he never had (till now) a Heart to Repent. And therefore acknowledg'd the Justice of God in bringing him to this Shame and Misery. He was (as I said before) a Roman Catholick , but yet he readily joyn'd in Prayer with the rest, and seemed somewhat affected with, and wrought upon by my Admonitions. He confest the Crime for which he was Condemn'd, and exprest a Sorrow, and desire of God's Pardon for it.

Now what remains, is that I should give an Account of that unfortunate Gentleman, Mr. John Cowland< no role > , who was condemn'd for Stabbing Sir. Andrew Slaning< no role > Baronet . Mr. Cowland was Born in the City of London , and of a good Family. In his younger Years he was Apprentice to a Goldsmith , (and as I am inform'd) did live a very Sober and Religious Life. He was frequent in Prayer, and hearing Sermons, and in reading the Holy Bible, and other godly Books, and gave up himself to the Knowledge and Service of God. But having unhappily left this pious Course, and abandon'd himself to the World, in following the Genius and sinful Pleasures thereof, the Spirit of Religion grew weak in him, and had then no such Influence as before, upon the Actions of his Life, which became more and more irregular. 'Tis true he averr'd to me, that in the midst of his Miscarriages, his Thoughts were sometimes tending towards God, and there were some happy Intervals wherein he earnestly desir'd to return to his Heavenly Father with full purpose and solemn Vows of Amendment. But the World had got such a fast hold on him, that he could not get rid of it, and broke all those religious Vows and Resolutions of his as often as he made them, so that he daily sunk deeper into Sin; and God, from whom he had receded and drawn back, having for a time left him to himself, he fell upon the commission of that enormous Crime he afterwards abhorred with the greatest detestation imaginable, not only because he was to die for it, but because he had rendred himself so odious in the sight of God by it. He often repeated these Words with which Holy David, in a case not altogether unlike his, apply'd himself to God, Ps. 51. 14. Deliver me from Blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my Salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. He told me that the remembrance of his Sins was now infinitely more bitter and grievous to his Spirit, than the vain and empty Pleasures of them had been sweet and agreable to his Flesh; And that he must needs confess from his own sad Experience, That had he but known the regrets and torments, which even in this World, a vicious Life bring upon a Man, he could not (tho' the Temptation had been never so great) been ever drawn or allured into Sin.

This may serve as a very good Lesson to those bold and rash Offenders, who drink up iniquity like water, without considering what a Poison Sin is, and how deadly sick it will make them at last: What violence they must needs use towards themselves; what unpleasant Potions they must be forced to take for their Cure and Recovery: How they must pass through a fiery Trial, and hate, loath, and abhor themselves and their sinful Lusts and Pleasures, before they can obtain the least degree of true Satisfaction and Comfort. In a word, this may plainly discover to the Sinner his great madness and folly, in venturing upon that which will prove the infallible Cause of his ruin and misery.

From the beginning of his Confinement to his Dying-hour, Mr. Cowland exprest an extreme Sorrow, not only for this, all other, the sins wherewith his Life had been tainted: He cry'd mightily to God for Mercy and Forgiveness, and shew'd all along the greatest Repentance that was possible. He pray'd most fervently, and did earnestly desire the Prayers of others, that God would be merciful to his poor Soul, and that he would give him Grace to become the greatest Penitent, for he judg'd himself the greatest Sinner that ever was. His Expressions were all pathetical and hearty, and most of them Scriptural; whereby he shew'd he was well read in the Word of God.

In short, he appeared not only to my self, but to other Divines (that were his Acquaintance, who also visited him) to have a true sense of his Condition, and a right apprehension, both of the Judgments and Mercies of God. His Soul earnestly long'd after the Bread of Life, and he express'd the strongest desires, and shew'd the best Disposition to receive the Blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; which he did three several times after his Condemnation. I think it my Duty thus to set forth this Penitent Sinner, whose Repentance I verily believe, was equal to his Crimes,; no Man (to my knowledg) that liv'd in Sin, ever Dying better. Tho' I must confess I should be very loath to give the Sinner the least occasion of flattering himself with these vain hopes, That he may at last acceptably repent and be sav'd; yet I thought my self obliged to say what I have here said, to magnify the Goodness of God, which in a most Singular and extraordinary manner, was extended to this Penitent, and which (perhaps) may not in such a high degree, ever be shewn again to any other presumptuous Sinner.

I now come to the last Period of these Persons Lives. This Day being their last, I came pretty early in the Morning to the Prison, where having prayed with them, and at last wrought it upon Forest and Gordon to confess the Facts they were to dye for, which hitherto they had most strongly deny'd; I did (upon their earnest desires, and my great hopes of their sincere Repentance) administer the Holy Communion to most of them. Then they were carried to Tyburn ; and there I met them again, and pressed them for the last time, to discharge their Consciences: Upon which they told me, they could say no more, nor no other, than what they had said to me before: all of them (Lewis excepted) owning with grief, their being Guilty. After this, I proceeded to Prayer, and the singing of a Psalm with them: And that being over, I apply'd my self again to Lewis in particular, to endeavour to make him confess; but he still persisted in his former Denial. Then I recommended every Soul of them to God, and left them to his Mercy. They desired the Standers-by to Pray for them: And after they had been allow'd some space of time for their private Devotions, they were turn'd off; calling upon God, and uttering with their Expiring Breath, these and the like Expressions. Lord have Mercy upon me, Lord, Save me for thy Mercies sake. Into thy hand I commend my Spirit. Lord Jesus receive my Soul. Lord, I am coming, I'm coming, &c.

This is the most exact and impartial Account, which can be given of these Dying Persons, by PAUL LORRAIN< no role > , Ordinary .

Friday, Dec. 20. 1700.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

Rob. Whitledge< no role > , Bookbinder , at the Bible in Creed-lane within Ludgate , sells all manner of Bibles, Common Prayer, and other Books, very well Bound and Cheap.

B. Lilburn, that formerly liv'd on Ludgate-hill next to the King's-arms Tavern near Fleet-bridge; and lately near gteat Moor-gate, now lives at the golden Board and Ball in the Old-Baily, where is to be had all the Medicines she usually Prepares.

London. Printed for E. Mallet, at the Hat and Hawk in Bride-Lane, 1700.