d, _Acts 19.18, 19._ nothing can be more clear.
Suppose a Man to be suspected for Murder, or for committing a Rape, or
the like nefandous Wickedness, if he does freely confess the Accusation,
that's ground enough to Condemn him. The Scripture approveth of Judging
the wicked Servant out of his own Mouth, _Luke 19.22._ It is by some
objected, that Persons in Discontent may falsly accuse themselves. I
say, if they do so, and it cannot be proved that they are false Accusers
of themselves, they ought to dye for their Wickedness, and their Blood
will be upon their own Heads; the Jury, the Judges, and the Land is
Clear: I have read a very sad and amazing, and yet a true Story to this
purpose.

There was in the Year 1649, in a Town called _Lauder_ in _Scotland_, a
certain woman accused and imprisoned on suspicion of Witchcraft, when
others in the same Prison with her were Convicted, and their Execution
ordered to be on the Monday following, she desired to speak with a
Minister, to whom she declared freely that she was guilty of Witchcraft,
acknowledging also many other Crimes committed by her, desiring that she
might die with the rest: She said particularly that she had Covenanted
with the Devil, and was become his Servant about twenty years before,
and that he kissed her and gave her a Name, but that since he had never
owned her. Several Ministers who were jealous that she accused herself
untruly, charged it on her Conscience, telling her that they doubted she
was under a Temptation of the Devil to destroy her own Body and Soul,
and adjuring her in the Name of God to declare the Truth:
Notwithstanding all this, she stifly adhered to what she had said, and
was on Monday morning Condemned, and ordered to be Executed that day.
When she came to the place of Execution, she was silent until the
Prayers were ended, then going to the Stake where she was to be Burnt,
she thus expressed herself, _All you that see me this day! Know ye that
I am to die as a Witch, by my own Confession! and I free all Men,
especially the Ministers and Magistrates, from the guilt of my Blood, I
take it wholly on my self, and as I must make answer to the God of
Heaven, I declare I am as free from Witchcraft as any Child, but being
accused by a Malicious Woman, and Imprisoned under the Name of a Witch,
my Husband and Friends disowned me, and seeing no hope of ever being in
Credit again, through the Temptation of the Devil, I made that
Confession to destroy my