AT the Sessions of Oyer and Terminer, and Gaol Delivery of Newgate, held for the City of London, and County of Middlesex, at Justice-Hall in the Old Bayly, the 14, 15, and 16 Days of October, 1685. These Persons following reeieved Sen­tence of Death, viz. Samuel Presby, Richard Hooker, Edward Linsy, Robert Nichols, Thomas Crompton, Mary Fisher, Thomas Gardner, Richard Jones, Katharine Brown, Matthew Morgan, Mary Collwood, Ann Davis.

The Ordinary earnestly Admonish'd them on the Lords day, that they would redeem their mispent Time, in a serious consideration, for what special Sins the Lord had withdrawn his preventing Grace; which he never doth, till Sinners have quench'd the motions and excita­tions of his Holy Spirit, enviting them by his Long Suffering unto Repentance.

Before the Ordinary began to read Prayers, he advised all the Prisoners, as his usual man­ner is, to observe most Solemnly the the Lords Holy Day, and to return unto him, as the only rest of their Souls, by seeking true Satisfaction and Delight in him, and his Service, from whom they wandred all the Week past, by the Vani­ty of their Hearts and Conversations: And that the Condemned Criminals in a special manner would be very Intentive on the publick Prayers of the Church, and to the Sermons which should be Preach'd to them, which they promised to do.

In the Forenoon the Ordinary Preach'd on the 21 Ver. of the fifth Chap. of St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans, viz. As Sin hath reigned unto Death, so hath Righteousness unto Life, by Jesus Christ our Lord. From which, he informed them of the deplorable Estate of all Men, being virtually concerned in the Apostacy of the [Page 2]first Adam, whose Sin was complicated with many Aggravations; and that by the single Offence of this first Man, being under the Covenant of Works, as requiring of him per­sonal perfect Obedience, being Created after the Image of God, in perfect Righteousness, the least declination from his Obedience did involve most justly himself, and all his Natural Posterity, as being their common Representa­tive and Trustee for them, in the same State of Sin and Misery. Thus his Sin reigned unto Death, in all such who sin after the similitude of his Transgression: Inasmuch, that beside the vicious Inclination of their Nature, they make his Sin become their Own, by a volun­tary increasing those sinful Dispositions inhe­rent in themselves. In like manner, as a Vici­ous Off-spring, do strengthen and augment an hereditary Disease, by their proper and vo­luntary Intemperance and debauch'd Excesses.

Therefore it is very unreasonable and absurd to cast the blame of our personal Provocations upon any fatal Destiny in God or on the im­putation of Adams first Sin to his Posterity, con­sidering that every Man entitles himself to the guilt of Adams Sin, and adopts it voluntarily to become his own, by treading in the same steps of Disobedience.

Here was declared what personal Sins be­came most deadly, as being least capable of Gods Mercy in Pardoning of them; then what are the poenal horrid consequences of such Sins, they being more aggravated in their own Nature. Also it was declared what are the cha­racters by which we may discover, which is that chief beloved Sin, as reigning in us, and will certainly prevail over us unto Death Eternal, if not timely and sincerely Repented. Here­upon was added many Arguments to mortifie such Sins chiefly, lest they [...]eig [...] unto Death. Also the difference betwixt true and coun­terfeit mortification of Lus [...]s; with directions how to subdue the Law of Sin, that it may not prevail over us.

Then the Ordinary proceeded to shew the misery of all such in whom Sin reigns, in the Love and Indulgence of it; and that it is im­possible to be set free from the Law of Sin and Death, but only by the infinite Righteousness of Christs Active and Passive Obedience, impu­ted to Sinners, by Gods free Grace upon timely Repentance, and a sincere Faith, deriving strength from the influences of Christs Spirit, for the re­novation of their Hearts, and universal Obedi­ence to Gods Commandments: inasmuch as true justifying Faith accepts of Christ in all his Offices, in his Kingly Righteousness to rule us by his Laws and Spirit, as well as to save us by his Priestly Righteousness. This is the only true compleat method of Salvation, because God hath sent his Son to bless us. How? By turning us from the love and dominion of all our Iniquities, equally, as in turning them from us in the damning guilt of them.

Thus God justifies none in an ungodly state. We must first be Regenerated; which contains Faith, Repentance, and new Obedience, before we can obtain Gods actual Pardon, in as much as these are the Terms and Qualifications of the Covenant of Grace, to make us capable of the Benefits purchased by Christ for us, so that his Kingly as well as Priestly Righteousness must reign in our Sanctification, and obedience to his Laws, that we may inherit Eternal Life. As for that Objection That God Justifies the Ungodly it cannot be meant of such whom he finds in an Ungodly State, but only of Rege­nerate Persons, who are called Ungodly in a less degree, as having still the remainders of Defilement in them, which makes even them unlike to God, as having [...]ot in this Life perfect Holiness, and therefore Justification is not by our best inherent Righteousness, which needs constant daily extending of Christs Righteous­ness to cover the s [...]ots of our holiest Services.

Here the Ordinary excited them to a regular Genuine Faith and Repentance, that so, as the Malignity and Infection of Adams Sin, confir­med by their customary Excesses, had reigned unto Death; so the Benign efficacy of Christs Righteousness might reign more triumphantly in the infinite value and vertue of it; as for our Justification, so to produce in us by the Almigh­ty Operations of his holy Spirit, not only a state of Sanctification, but with it all degrees of Spiritual Life, in progressive Holiness, till it be consummated in Eternal Glory.

Here those degrees of spiritual Life were enu­merated, and how Christs Righteousness reigns in those in a transcendent Efficacy beyond all the degrees of spiritual Death contracted by the Malignity and Defilement of the first Adam's Sin, of ou [...] personal voluntary Pro [...]ocations.

After this the Ordinary made a *s;hort Speech to the Condemned Malefactors, and dismissed them with Prayer and the usual Benediction of the Church Liturgy. In the Afternoon he read the solemn appointed Offices, and another Sermon was preach'd to them on these Words, To Day if you will hear his Voice, harden not your Hearts. Which the Person who preach'd trea­ted of very closely and pathetically: So that I hope it made a good Impression on them.

Now I proceed to give an account of what fitness they were in for their approaching Death.

Katharine Brown, of the Parish of Twitnam, Indicted October the 4th. for that being Deli­vered of a Bastard Child, on the same Day she carryed the Child to a Brook, and put it there in, Choaking and Drowning it with Water. It was proved the Prisoner confess'd the Child was hers, and that she was Delivered thereof in a Meadow, but that it was Born Dead: but being no ways Credited, she was brought in Guilty.

In this sad Instance, which is too frequent, its observable how Satan prevails upon Sinners [Page 3]by degrees: first he Tempts them to Immodesty, and Laciviousness in Conver­sation, by not setting a Watch over their Hearts, to prevent inward Lusting in the first Motions and Ebullitions of it; then by unwary Converse with prophane Persons, Tempts them from Chambering and Wan­tonness, to comply with flagitious desires of gratifying sensual brutish Commixtures; to cover and conceal the turpitude and shame of which, he draws them to Murder their Illegitimate Off-spring; which is a most unnatural Crime, in as much as the very Sea-Monsters Suckle and Preserve their Young. But common Reason depra­ved, grows impatient of any restraint from the dictates of Nature, and so exposes to the most abominable Crimes.

Murder, especially that of the Mothers Murdering of her own Child, is a most horrid Sin, which cries loud to Gods Justice for the Discovery and Punishment of it. The Ordinary assured her, that without a sincere extraordinary Repentance, the guilt and defilement of so abominable a Crime could not be expiated: for she ought to have considered that she conceived the Child in a base way, and therefore stood engaged to have declared her Remorse in bringing it to Christs Holy Baptism, and to have acknowledged publickly her great scandalous Sin. Yet she was so averse from this Ingenuity, that to cover her vile Of­fence, she offered not her Child to Baptism, which is the Laver of Regeneration, that so it might be dedicated to the holy Trinity, but had chosen rather to devote her self Soul and Body to eternal Destruction, by embrewing her Hands in the Blood of her Innocent Babe. She was told how difficult it was to Repent of such a Murder; when as no Sin is more hardning of the Heart, it being so directly against humane Nature, and renders the Murderer more stupid than any Beast.

That she was not to sink in Desparation, yet so to aggravate her Crime, as upon sincere Repentance, to look up to a Cru­cified Jesus, who prayed for those who shed his most sacred Blood; which if she beg fervently of God, to apply it by an unfeigned Faith, the infinite Merits of it will not only atone Divine Vengeance, but expiate the deep defilement of so horrid a Crime.

She was not able to reply any thing more to me, than that she was truly sorry for so great a Sin, and desired me to Pray for her, that God would soften her obdurate Heart, and work in her a thorow Repen­tance, that she may not Dy in her Sin, tho she might suffer a publick shameful Death for it.

She was ignorant in Soul concernments, and could not Read, therefore could give the less account of the change of her Heart.

Mary Fisher, Mary Collwood, and Ann Davis, were not free to Discourse with the Ordinary, concerning their present Re­pentance, in order to their Everlasting Hap­piness, because upon pleading they were Quick with Child, and the Jury of Wo­men bringing in their Verdict it was Truth, they three Criminals were ordered to be kept in Goal till they shall be delivered in Child-bed.

The Ordinary told them that he had ob­served some Criminals in the same circum­stances with them, had grown more Ob­durate by so long a Respit from Death, perverting the Equity and Clemency of the Law, that the Innocent Child shall not Perish with the guilty Mother, into an oc­casion of greater Security and Impenitency. He wish'd that their Reprieve might not produce such ill Effects in them, but ra­ther, that they would consider whether their Children were Legitimate: if not, this was but a very Sinful Artifice to prevent a sudden Execution, hoping thereby to get a Transportation. But if they did not Re­deem precious Time, and repent sincerely of all their vicious Courses, the Justice of God and Man would yet bring them to condign Punnishment, and by the Abuse of longer time they would be less fit to Dy, and so aggravate their Eternal Con­demnation. They took my Advice in good part, and I shall not be wanting in my Ser­mons and Prayers to remind them of their Promises to improve their respit from Death to the belt advantage of their Souls.

Matthew Morgan, Indicted for breaking up the House of Elizabeth Bell, September the 18th. and stealing thence 7 s. in Mo­neys, he having little to say for himself, was brought in Guilty.

The Ordinary endeavoured to convince him of the greatness of his Crime, because he could not but offer Violence to the [Page 4]contrary dictates of his Conscience, before he broke open the Closet-door, to carry away the Goods of her who prosecuted him. He con­fessed he had been a Sinner many ways, but he was convinced now of his evil course of Life, and earnestly beg'd of God, that he would give him Repentance, an hatred of his Sins, and an obedient frame of heart unto his Laws, and then hoped he should find mercy at the hand of God, whether he lived or dyed.

Robert Nichols and Thomas Crompton, were In­dicted for assaulting, Aug. 30. the Body of Ed­ward Herring, with a Sword, giving him a mor­tal Wound, on which the said Herring dyed. Nichols pretended he did not draw his Sword himself, but the Scabbard was drawn from his Sword by another: But setting aside Pretences, upon Evidence sufficient, Nichols and Crompton were found Guilty.

The Ordinary told them, that it was a great sin to obstruct the course of Justice, in endeavour­ing to rescue any man arrested, out of the hands of the Bayliffs; that such a practice brought on fatal Effect;, in shedding Innocent Blood: and that to Kill an Officer of Justice in the Execution of his Office was Murder.

They expressed much Grief for offending God, in the violation of the Laws of the Nati­on, providing against such outragious Attempts, and for all other provocations of God by their evil Courses, which might expose them to the committing of this Crime. So that they ho­ped, thorow Christ's meritorious death, which made satisfaction to God's offended Justice, that he would pardon them, and wash away the defilement contracted on their Souls, by shed­ding humane Blood, though they did not ma­liciously design it.

In my next Visit of them, I told them, That the Heart of Man is very deceitful, and that they were not to rest in, much less to trust to any initial Sorrow for Sin, but to endeavour what lay in them, that they might obtain of God the carrying on of their Convictions to a perfect work of Conversion. Therefore I en­quired of them, what grounds they had to be­lieve, that God was reconciled to them in Christ. I assured them, that as the Enmity betwixt him and Sinners is mutual, so he expected that they should be reconciled to him, in casting away their rebellious dispositions, as they desire he should be at peace with them, in pardoning the guilt of their Sins, that the chief Blessing of his Free-grace consisted, in turning them from the love of all Iniquity, that Christ may be formed in their hearts as the hope of glory. This lively hope they could not have, unless they were conformed to the power of his Death and Resurrection, in dying to the indulgence of their Lusts, and in being quickned to the life of Ho­liness.

Upon this they were desirous to be farther directed by me, how they might proceed safely to hope for a blessed Eternity. I told them they must be willing ingenuously and sincerely to de­clare what their former course of life had been; and that the review of their Sins must be with as bitter a detestation, as they had committed them with delight, that so they might leave some publick Testimony of the truth of their Repentance, because their Crimes had been so Notorious.

Hereupon Edwand Linsy, Condemned, for Feloniously deserting the Service of the King, after he had taken Pay, said that he was heartily sorry for his Crime, and all other Sins whereby he had provoked God to leave him to such Dis­loyalty.

I told him that it was a great Crime to with­draw himself from the Service of His Majesty, and that he could not have any pretence for it. But this Disloyalty was founded on the breach of his Vow and Covenant, made to and with Christ at his Baptism; he had not fulfilled that Sacramental Oath, wherein he engaged to for­sake the Devil and all his Works, that he might become Christ's faithful Servant and Soldier to his lifes end. Neither can any man be truly Loyal to his earthly Sovereign, who is not faithfully obedient to his heavenly Father and Almighty Re­deemer.

Richard Hooker was not so affected and penitent for his Crime as he ought to have been.

Samuel Presby was formerly burnt in the hand, yet took no warning, and gave but a slender account of any remorse for his Sin.

Henry Cornish, late Alderman of London, was Indicted for High-Treason, in conspiring the death of the late King with other Traytors, to raise a Rebellion, in order to subvert the Government, was, upon a full Evidence, brought in Guilty; who is to be executed in Cheapside, facing King [...], near Guildhall.

Also Mrs. Gaunt, for harbouring, and assisting several of the Rebels that were in the West, was Convicted of High-Treason, and Executed accordingly at Tyburn.

Mrs Elizabeth Gaunt was very morose and obstinate, and would not admit the Ordinary to convince her of her great Crime, nor to pray with her.

About Nine of the Clock in the morning, those Prisoners Convicted of High-Treason, were drawn in Sleds, the others in Carts, to the several places of Execution, who seemed very penitent all the way they went, Mr. Ordinary praying with them. After which, they exhorted the Spectators to take warning by their untimely End of the Effects of Sin. Then they prayed earnestly by themselves, desiring the Peo­ple to pray for them, after which they were all Executed.