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The Bold Sea Rogue, John Quelch: Ministers

An Account of the Behaviour and Last Dying SPEECHES Of the Six Pirates that were Executed on Charles River, Boston side, On Fryday, June 30th. 1704. Viz. Captain John Quelch, John Lambert, Christopher Scud-amore, John Miller, Erasmus Peterson, and Peter Roach. The Ministers of the Town had used more than ordinary Endeavours to Instruct the Prisoners, and bring them to Repentance. There were Sermons Preached in their hearing Every Day ; And Prayers daily made with them. And they were Catechised ; and they had many occasional Exhortations. And nothing was left that could be done for their Good. On Fryday, the 30th of June, 1704, Pursuant to Orders in the Dead Warrant, the aforesaid Pirates were guarded from the Prison in Boston by Forty Musketeers, Constables of the Town, the Provost Marshal and his Officers, etc. with two Ministers who took great pains to prepare them for the last Article of their Lives. Being allowed ] to walk on foot through the Town, to Scarlet's Wharf : where the Silver Oar being carried before them, they went by Water to the Place of Execution being crowded and thronged on all sides by Multitudes of Spectators. The Ministers then spoke to the Malefactors to this Effect: "We have told you often, yea, we have told you weeping, that you have by Sin undone yourselves ; That you were born Sinners ; That you have lived Sinners ; That your Sins have been many and mighty ; and that the Sins for which you are now to Dy, are of no Common aggravation. We have told you that there is a Saviour for Sinners, and we have shewn you how to commit yourselves into his Saving and Healing Hands. We have told you 174 THE BOOK OF BURIED ;TREASURE that if He Save you He will give you as hearty Repentance for all your Sins, and we have shewn you how to Express that Repentance. We have told you what Marks of Life must be desired for your Souls, that you may Safely appear before the Judgment Seat of God. Oh! That the means used for your Good may by the Grace of God be made Effectual. We can do no more, but leave you in His Merciful Hands." When they were gone upon the Stage, and Silence was Commanded, One of the Ministers Prayed as followeth : "Oh! Thou most Great and Glorious LORD ! Thou art a Righteous and a Terrible God. It is a righteous and an Holy Law that thus hast given unto all, but what would soon have done the worst things in the World. Oh! The Free-Grace ! Oh! The Riches of that Grace, which has made all the Difference ! But now, we cry us. To break that Good Law, and Sin against thy Infinite Majesty can be no little Evil. Thy Word is always True, and very Particular, that Word of thine which has told us and warned us, EVIL PURSUETH SINNERS. We have seen it, we have seen it. We have before our Eyes a dreadful Demonstration of it. Oh! Sanctify unto us, a Sight that has in it so much of the Terror of the Lord ! "Here is a Number of men that have been very great Sinners, and that are to Dy before their Time, for their being wicked overmuch. . . But now we cry mightily to Heaven, we Lift up our Cries to the God of all Grace, for the Perishing Souls which are just now going to Expire under the Stroke of Justice, before our Eyes. We Mourn, we Mourn, that upon some of them at least, we do unto this minute see no better Symptoms. But, Oh! is there not yet a Room for Sovereign Grace to be display'd, in their Conversion and Salvation? They Perish if they do not now Sincerely turn from Sin to God, and give themselves up to the Lord JESUS CHRIST; They Righteously and Horribly Perish! And yet, without Influences from above, they can do none of those things which must be done if they do not perish.