Pillars of salt. An history of some criminals executed in this land, for capital…

H S. I hope I shall.

Min▪ Well, we are now but a very few paces from the place, where you must breathe your last. You are just going to take a most awful Step, which has this most Remarkable in it▪ That it cannot be twice taken. If you go wrong now, it cannot be Recalled throughout the Days of a long Eternity. I can but commit you into the Arms of a Merciful Redeemer, that he may keep you from a Miscarriage, which cannot be recalled and redressed throughout Eternal Ages. The Lord show unto you the Path of Life! Attend unto these, as the last words that I may speak before the Prayer, with which I am immediately to take a long Farewell of you. You are now just going to be Confirmed for ever. If the Great God presently find you under the power of Prejudice against any of His Trud•s and Ways, or of Enmity against what has His blessed Name upon it, you shall be fixed, and settled & confirmed in it, until the very Heavens be no more. But they •re very terrible Plagues and Pains, which you may be sure will accompany this everlasting Disposition of your Soul. On the other side, •f God now find your Soul, under the power of Inclinations to Love Him, Fear Him, Serve Him; & to esteem the Lord-Jesus Christ above • thousand Worlds; you shall then be Confirmed ⟨p. 93⟩in the perfection of such a Temper, and of all the Joy, that must Accompany it. Which of these is the Condition that I row leave you in.

Min▪ Well, we are now but a very few paces from the place, where you must breathe your last. You are just going to take a most awful Step, which has this most Remarkable in it▪ That it cannot be twice taken. If you go wrong now, it cannot be Recalled throughout the Dayes of a long Eternity. I can but commit you into the Arms of a Merciful Redeemer, that he may keep you from a Miscarriage, which cannot be recall'd and redress'd throughout Eternal Ages. The Lord show unto you the Path of Life! Attend unto these, as the last words that I may speak before the Prayer, with which I am immediately to take a long Farewell of you. You are now just going to be Confirmed for ever. If the Great God presently find you under the power of Prejudice against any of His Trud•s and Wayes, or of Enmity against what has His blessed Name upon it, you shall be fixed, and settled & confirmed in it, until the very Heavens be no more. But they •re very terrible Plagues and Pains, which you may be sure will accompany this everlasting Disposition of your Soul. On the other side, •f God now find your Soul, under the power of Inclinations to Love Him, Fear Him, Serve Him; & to esteem the Lord-Jesus Christ above • thousand Worlds; you shall then be Confirmed ⟨p. 93⟩in the perfection of such a Temper, and of all the Joy, that must Accompany it. Which of these is the Condition that I row leave you in.

H.S. Sir, I hope the latter of them.

After this Discourse; ascending the Ladder, h• made the following Speech ▪

Young Men and Maids; observe the Rule of Obedience to your Parents; an• Servants to your Masters, according to the wi• of God, and to do the will of your Masters: • you take up wicked ways, you set open a Ga• to your Sins, to lead in bigger afterwards; the• canst not do any thing but God will see thee, a• tho' thou thinkest thou shalt not be […] thou thinkest to hide thy self in […] when as God in Heaven can see thee, t•oug• thou hast hid it from man. And wh•n the goest to Thievery, thy wickedness is discovere• and thou art sound Guilty O Young Wom•• that is Married, and Young Man, look on […] here; be sure in that Solemn Engagement, y•• are obliged one to another; Marriage is an Ordinance ⟨p. 94⟩of God, have a care of breaking that Bond of Marriage-Union; if the Husband provoke his Wife, and cause a Difference, he sins against God; and so does she, in such Carriage; for she is bound to be an Obedient Wife. O you Parents that give your Children in Marriage, remember what I have to say, you must take notice when you give them in Marriage, you give them freely to the Lord, and free them from that Service and Command you ought to have, yet you ought to have a tender regard to them. O thou that takest no care to lead thy life civilly and honestly, and then Committest that Abominable Sin of Murder, here is this Murderer, look upon him▪ and see how many are come with their eyes to behold this man, that abhors himself before God; that is the Sin that I abhor my self for, and desire you, take Example by me; there are here a great many Young People, and O Lord, that they may be thy Servants! Have a care, do not sin; I will tell you, that I wish I never had had the opportunity to do such a Murder; if you say, when a person has provoked you, I will Kill him: 'Tis a thousand to one, but the next time you will do it. Now I Commit my self into the Hands of Almighty God.

YOung Men and Maids; observe the Rul• of Obedience to your Parents; an• Servants to your Masters, according to the wi• of God, and to do the will of your Masters: • you take up wicked ways, you set open a Ga• to your Sins, to lead in bigger afterwards; the• can'st not do any thing but God will see thee, a• tho' thou thinkest thou shalt not be 〈…〉 thou thinkest to hide thy self in 〈…〉 when as God in Heaven can see thee, t•oug• thou hast hid it from man. And wh•n the goest to Thievery, thy wickedness is discovere• and thou art sound Guilty O Young Wom•• that is Married, and Young Man, look on 〈…〉 here; be sure in that Solemn Engagement, y•• are obliged one to another; Marriage is an O••dinance ⟨p. 94⟩of God, have a care of breaking that Bond of Marriage-Union; if the Husband provoke his Wife, and cause a Difference, he sins against God; and so does she, in such Carriage; for she is bound to be an Obedient Wife. O you Parents that give your Children in Marriage, remember what I have to say, you must take notice when you give them in Marriage, you give them freely to the Lord, and free them from that Service and Command you ought to have, yet you ought to have a tender regard to them. O thou that takest no care to lead thy life civilly and honestly, and then Committest that Abominable Sin of Murder, here is this Murderer, look upon him▪ and see how many are come with their eyes to behold this man, that abhors himself before God; that is the Sin that I abhor my self for, and desire you, take Example by me; there are here a great many Young People, and O Lord, that they may be thy Servants! Have a care, do not sin; I will tell you, that I wish I never had had the opportunity to do such a Murder; if you say, when a person has provoked you, I will Kill him: 'Tis a thousand to one, but the next time you will do it. Now I Commit my self into the Hands of Almighty God.

His Prayer. O Lord our Good God; thou art a Merciful God, and a Gracious and Loving Father; ⟨p. 95⟩Alas, that thou shouldest Nourish up Children that have Rebelled against Thee! O Lord, I must confess, thou gavest me opportunity to read thy Written Word; Thou art also my Creator and Preserver; but, Lord, I have not done according to the Offers of thy Grace; thou hast not hid from me the opportunities of the Good Things & Liberties of thy House and Ordinances, but I have waxed wanton under the Enjoyment of them. I have given thee just cause to provoke thee to Anger, and thou hast left me to Shame, not only on my self, but on my Relations. O Lord God I do confess that I have sinned against thee, & done all these Iniquities against Thee, and before thine eyes. Lord, I have sinned especially against thee; pardon my Sins of Youth; Lord, pardon this bloody Sin I stand here Guilty of. O Lord, hide not thy face from me; I humbly beg it of thee: for there is no man can Redeem his Brothers Soul, but only the Blood of Jesus Christ must do it. Let it be sufficient to satisfy for my poor Soul. I have not done any thing that thou shouldest be pleased to show me thy Love, or that I should have any thing from thee, but only Everlasting Misery. I am unworthy to come to thee; yet Lord, for thy Mercies Sake▪ have pity on me. Now I am coming to Judgment, Lord, let the Arms of thy Mercy Receive my Soul, and let my sin be ⟨p. 96⟩Remitted; Good Lord, let not my sins which Condemn me here in this world, rise up to Condemn me in the World to come; though they have Condemned me in this world, show mercy, Lord, when I come before thy Judgment Seat. It my Soul be not humbled, Lord, humble it; let my Petition be acceptable in Heaven thy Holy Mountain. I am unworthy to come into thy Presence, yet O let me come into thy Kingdom; and deliver my Soul from Blood Guiltiness, in the Blood of Jesus Christ. O let my wounded Soul mourn for my Sin that hath brought me here, Sin brings Ruin to the poor Soul; woe is unto me for mine Iniquity. If I had gone to Prayer in the morning when I committed this Sin, Lord God, thou wouldest have kept back my hands from shedding innocent Blood ▪ O Gracious God, Remember thou me in Mercy; let me be an Object of thy pity and not of thy wrath; the Lord hear me and pardon my sins. Take care of my poor Children.

His Prayer. O Lord our Good God; thou art a Merciful God, and a Gracios and Loving Father; ⟨p. 95⟩Alas, that thou shouldest Nourish up Children that have Rebelled against Thee! O Lord, I must confess, thou gavest me opportunity to read thy Written Word; Thou art also my Creator and Preserver; but, Lord, I have not done according to the Offers of thy Grace; thou hast not hid from me the opportunities of the Good Things & Liberties of thy House and Ordinances, but I have waxed wanton under the Enjoyment of them. I have given thee just cause to provoke thee to Anger, and thou hast left me to Shame, not only on my self, but on my Relations. O Lord God I do confess that I have sinned against thee, & done all these Iniquities against Thee, and before thine eyes. Lord, I have sinned especially against thee; pardon my Sins of Youth; Lord, pardon this bloody Sin I stand here Guilty of. O Lord, hide not thy face from me; I humbly beg it of thee: for there is no man can Redeem his Brothers Soul, but only the Blood of Jesus Christ must do it. Let it be sufficient to satisfie for my poor Soul. I have not done any thing that thou shouldest be pleased to shew me thy Love, or that I should have any thing from thee, but only Everlasting Misery. I am unworthy to come to thee; yet Lord, for thy Mercies Sake▪ have pity on me. Now I am coming to Judgment, Lord, let the Arms of thy Mercy Receive my Soul, and let my sin be ⟨p. 96⟩Remitted; Good Lord, let not my sins which Condemn me here in this world, rise up to Condemn me in the World to come; though they have Condemned me in this world, shew mercy, Lord, when I come before thy Judgment Seat. It my Soul be not humbled, Lord, humble it; let my Petition be acceptable in Heaven thy Holy Mountain. I am unworthy to come into thy Presence, yet O let me come into thy Kingdom; and deliver my Soul from Blood Guiltiness, in the Blood of Jesus Christ. O let my wounded Soul mourn for my Sin that hath brought me here, Sin brings Ruine to the poor Soul; wo is unto me for mine Iniquity. If I had gone to Prayer in the morning when I committed this Sin, Lord God, thou wouldest have kept back my hands from sheading innocent Blood ▪ O Gracious God, Remember thou me in Mercy; let me be an Object of thy pitty and not of thy wrath; the Lord hear me and pardon my sins. Take care of my poor Children.

I have scattered them like straggling sheep flying before the Wolf; pity the poor Children that go like so many Lambs that have lost their Keeper; that they may not come to such a Death as I do! Lord, for the sake of Jesus Christ, and the Righteousness of thy Son, accept my Soul, and receive me into the Arms of thy mercy; that I may enjoy Everlasting Rest. Pardon all my sins; and let the Prayers of all ⟨p. 97⟩those that have put up their Petitions for me, be accepted for •he sake of Jesus Christ. Now I am coming, now I am coming, thou mayst say, I cal•ed to thee, and thou wouldest not come; I must say, my sin brought me here, O the World, and the corrupt nature of man, that has proved my ruin! O Lord, Good Lo•d, let me enjoy Rest for my Soul. The desire of my Soul is to be wi•h thee in thy Kingdom, le• me have a share in that Kingdom. Now is the time, Lord Jesus; the Grave is opening is mouth; I am now living, though dead in Sin, I• my prayers be h•a•d in •eaven thy holy place; thy hands hath made me, and I know thou canst Save m•; hide not t•y •a•e ••om me; and affect the hea•• o• thy people with this sad Object, […] they may labour to serve thee betimes, & m•y not give themselves up to Profaneness and Wickedness, ••pecially that Sin of Drunkenness, which is an inlet of all Abominations. When thou hast thy head full of Drink, the Remembrance of God is •ut of thy heart; and thou art unprepared to commit thy se•f and Family unto God; thou art unfit to c•me into Gods […] I have cause to cry out an• he ashamed of it, that I am guilty of it, because […] gave way to that Sin more than any other, then God aid it […] to practise Wickedness & to Murder […] man, whom I should have taken a great […] ⟨p. 98⟩in, which if I had done, I had not been here to suffer this Death. Thou art Holy, Just, and Good, & therefore O Lord have mercy on me, for the sake of thy Son pity me, now Lord, I am coming. O that I could do thee better Service. [Many of you that behold me, I know wish you never had seen me here.] Lord, receive my Soul into a better place, if is be thy blessed will; 'tis a day of great Trouble with me; my Soul is greatly troubled; give me one Glimpse of Comfort in thy Kingdom; by and by let me have one dram of thy Grace. Accept of me now at this time, 'tis the last time;

I have scattered them like stragling sheep flying before the Wolf; pitty the poor Children that go like so many Lambs that have lost their Keeper; that they may not come to such a Death as I do! Lord, for the sake of Jesus Christ, and the Righteousness of thy Son, accept my Soul, and receive me into the Arms of thy mercy; that I may enjoy Everlasting Rest. Pardon all my sins; and let the Prayers of all ⟨p. 97⟩those that have put up their Petitions for me, be accepted for •he sake of Jesus Christ. Now I am coming, now I am coming, thou mayst say, I cal•ed to thee, and thou wouldest not come; I must say, my sin brought me here, O the World, and the corrupt nature of man, that has proved my ruine! O Lord, Good Lo•d, let me enjoy Rest for my Soul. The desire of my Soul is to be wi•h thee in thy Kingdom, le• me have a share in that Kingdom. Now is the time, Lord J•sus; the Grave is opening is mouth; I am now living, though dead in Sin, I• my praye•s be h•a•d in •eaven thy holy place; thy hands hath made me, and I know thou canst Save m•; hide not t•y •a•e ••om me; and affect the hea•• o• thy people with this sad O•ject, 〈…〉 they may labour to serve thee be•imes, & m•y not give them•elves up to Profan•ness and Wickedness, ••pecially that Sin of Drunkenness, which is an in•let of all Abominations. When thou hast thy head full of Drink, the Remembrance of God is •ut of thy heart; and thou art unprepared to c•mmit thy se•f and Family unto God; thou art unfit to c•me int• Gods 〈…〉 I have cause to cry out an• he ashamed of it, that I am guilty of it, because 〈…〉 gave way to that Sin more than any other, then God aid it 〈…〉 to practise Wickedness & to Murder 〈…〉 man, whom I should have taken a great 〈…〉 ⟨p. 98⟩in, which if I had done, I had not been here to suffer this Death. Thou art Holy, Just, and Good, & therefore O Lord have mercy on me, for the sake of thy Son pitty me, now Lord, I am coming. O that I could do thee better Service. [Many of you that behold me, I know wish you never had seen me here.] Lord, receive my Soul into a better place, if is be thy blessed will; 'tis a day of great Trouble with me; my Soul is greatly troubled; give me one Glimpse of Comfort in thy Kingdom; by and by let me have one dram of thy Grace. Accept of me now at this time, 'tis the last time;

Good Lord, deny me not, give me, as the Woman of Samaria, a Taste of that Living Water, that my Soul may Thirst no more. I beg it for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

After this, he was by the Prayers of a Minister then present, Recommended unto the Divine Mercy. Which being done, the poor man poured out a few broken Ejaculations, in the midst of which he was turned over, into that Eternity which we must leave him in.

The Speech o• Hugh Stone, in the Prison, the morning before his Execution. When Young People are Married, they make use of […] in their Families, and when they Pray, ⟨p. 99⟩they do believe there is Sincerity and Affection in their Prayer; but when Difference between a Man and his Wife doth arise, then that doth occasion hindrance of Prayer in their Family; and when Prayer is wholly omitted, it let's in all confusion; and every evil work: He said, That he used to Pray in his Family, but when he did Pray, it was in a formal manner, but now from the Consideration of Eternity that he was going into, he was made the more Considerate in his Prayers that he made, and did hope that now he had the Spirit of Prayer in […] Praying.

The Speech o• Hugh Stone, in the Prison, the morning before his Execution. When Young People are Married, they make use of 〈…〉 in their Families, and when they Pray, ⟨p. 99⟩they do believe there is Sincerity and Affection in their Prayer; but when Difference between a Man and his Wife doth arise, then that doth occasion hindrance of Prayer in their Family; and when Prayer is wholly omitted, it let's in all confusion; and every evil work: He said, That he used to Pray in his Family, but when he did Pray, it was in a formal manner, but now from the Consideration of Eternity that he was going into, he was made the more Considerate in his Prayers that he made, and did hope that now he had the Spirit of Prayer in 〈…〉 Praying.

(IX)

ON June 8. 1693 Two Young Women, (the one English, the other Negro) were Executed at Boston, for murdering their Bastard Children.

ON June 8. 1693 Two Young Women, (the one English, t'other Negro) were Executed at Boston, for murdering their Bastard Children.

The English Young Woman, gave to the Minister, who Preached that Afternoon, the following Paper of Confessions; which he took occasion, in the Sermon, to publish unto the Congregation, where she also was then present before the Lord.

The English Young Woman, gave to the Minister, who Preach'd that Afternoon, the following Paper of Confessions; which he took occasion, in the Sermon, to publish unto the Congregation, where she also was then present before the Lord.

I Am a miserable Sinner; and I have justly provoked the Holy God to leave me unto that Folly of my own Heart, for which I am now Condemned to Dy. I cannot but see much of the Anger of God against me, in the ⟨p. 100⟩Circumstances of my woeful Death; He hath Fulfilled upon me, that Word of His. Evil pursueth Sinners. I therefore desire, Humbly to Confess my many Sins before God, and the World: but most particularly my Blood Cuiltiness Before the Birth of my Twin-Infants, I too much parleyed with the Temptations of the Devil, to smother my Wickedness by Murdering of them: At length, when they were Born I was not unsensible, that at least, One of them was alive; but such a Wretch was I, as to use a Murderous Carriage towards them, in the place where I lay, on purpose to dispatch them out of the World. I acknowledge that I have been more Hard hearted than the Sea Monsters; and yet for the Pardon of these my Sins, I would Fly to the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the only Fountain set open for Sin and Uncleanness. I know not how better to Glorify God, for giving me such an Opportunity as I have had to make sure of His Mercy, than by advising and entreating the Rising Generation here, to take Warning by my Example; and I will therefore tell the Sins, that have brought me to my shameful End. I do Warn all People, and especially, Young People, against the Sin of Uncleanness in particular; 'tis that Sin that hath been my Ruin; well had it been for me, if I had answered all Temptations to that Sin, as Joseph did, How shall I do this ⟨p. 101⟩Wickedness, and Sin against God? But, I see, Bad Company is that, which leads to that▪ and all other Sins; and I therefore beg all that Love their Souls to be familiar with none but such as fear God. I believe, the chief thing that hath brought me into my present Condition, is my Disobedience to my Parents: I despised all their Godly Counsels and Reproofs; and I was always of an Haughty and Stubborn Spirit. So that now I am become a dreadful Instance of the Curse of God belonging to Disobedient Children. I must Bewail thi• also, that although I was Baptised, yet when I grew up, I forgot the Bonds that were laid upon me to be the Lords. Had I given my self to God, as soon as I was capable to consider that I had been in Baptism, set apart for him, How happy had I been!

I Am a miserable Sinner; and I have justly provoked the Holy God to leave me unto that Folly of my own Heart, for which I am now Condemned to Dy. I cannot but see much of the Anger of God against me, in the ⟨p. 100⟩Circumstances of my wof•l Death; He hath Fulfilled upon me, that Word of His. Evil pursueth Sinners. I therefore desire, Humbly to Con•ess my many Sins before God, and the World: but most particularly my Blood Cuiltiness Before the Birth of my Twin-Infants, I too much parlyed with the Temptations of the Devil, to smother my Wickedness by Murthering of them: At length, when they were Born I was not unsensible, that at least, One of them was alive; but such a Wretch was I, as to use a Murderous Carriage towards them, in the place where I lay, on purpose to dispatch them out of the World. I acknowledge that I have been more Hard hearted than the Sea Monsters; and yet for the Pardon of these my Sins, I would Fly to the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the only Fountain set open for Sin and Uncleanness. I know not how better to Glorify God, for giving me such an Opportunity as I have had to make sure of His Mercy, than by advising and entreating the Rising Generation here, to take Warning by my Example; and I will therefore tell the Sins, that have brought me to my shameful End. I do Warn all People, and especially, Young People, against the Sin of Uncleanness in particular; 'tis that Sin that hath been my Ruine; well had it been for me, if I had answered all Temptations to that Sin, as Joseph did, How shall I do this ⟨p. 101⟩Wickedness, and Sin against God? But, I see, Bad Company is that, which leads to that▪ and all other Sins; and I therefore beg all that Love their Souls to be familiar with none but such as fear God. I believe, the chief thing that hath brought me into my present Condition, is my Disobedience to my Parents: I despised all their Godly Counsels and Repro•fs; and I was always of an Haughty and Stubborn Spirit. So that now I am become a dreadful Instance of the Curse of God belonging to Disobedient Children. I must Bewayl thi• also, that although I was Baptised, yet when I grew up, I forgot the Bonds that were laid upon me to be the Lords. Had I given my self to God, as soon as I was capable to consider that I had been in Baptism, set apart for him, How happy had I been!

It was my Delay to Repent of my former Sins, that provoked God to leave me unto the Crimes, for which I am now to Dy. Had I seriously Repented of my Uncleanness the First Time I fell into it, I do suppose, I had not been left unto what followed. Let all take it from me; they little think, what they do, when they put off turning from Sin to God, and Resist the Str•vings of the Holy Spirit. I fear, 'tis for this, that I have been given up to such Hardness of Heart, not only since my long Imprisonment, but also since my Just Condemnation. I now know not what ⟨p. 102⟩will become of my Distressed, perishing Soul. But I would humbly Commit i• unto the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ; Amen.