1. Vengeance – Once condemned to death the criminal role, according to ministers, is one in which they must come to terms with their sin and repent. This is accomplished by acquiring a mindset where you are bent on vengeance against the sin itself, you must attack the act and the piece of your soul that it has affected. The eternal justice of the merciful lord is another area where the concept of revenge manifests. Although merciful, no wrong doing in a past life goes without rectification through divine justice.
2. enmity – Throughout much of the conversation that Mather conducts with those soon to be “…before GOd the Judge of all,” he begins to pick apart the foundation of their criminality, trying to discern when or how their comportment became fraught with such ill will. Mather suggests that they have always carried the burden of wickedness and must open their souls and embrace Christ as their savior before eternal sentencing. He believes that these criminals have been cursed with this adamantine condition.
3. Help – “Your crime lay in Blood; and your Help also, That lies in Blood.” This statement made by Mather to Hugh Stone is the ministers final attempt to convince Hugh the only option is to accept Jesus Christ. Mather very plainly states that there is nothing else that can correct the ruinous nature of his earthly existence.