A True ACCOUNT of the BEHAVIOUR, CONFESSION, AND Last Dying SPEECHES Of the Criminals that were Executed at TYBURN, On Friday the 16th, of June, 1693 .

ON the Lords-Day in the Forenoon, the Ordinary preach'd on this Text, viz. the Third Verse of the Thirteenth Psalm. Consider, and hear me, O Lord my God; Lighten mine Eyes, that I sleep not in Death, or the sleep of Death. The Jewish Targum renders the Words, thus, Ne forte peccem, & dormiam cum Iiis, qui Rei sunt mortis.

In the words are two Parts. 1. The Preface to David's Prayer, in a fervent, humble, and fiducial Address to God, that he would relieve, support, and deliver him out of his deep Distresses. After he had in vain taken counsel in his Soul, how to prevent and divert them, and yet was unsetled in his Contrivances: At last he renonnced his Carnal Wisdom, and betakes himself for shelter from Saul's Fury, under the wings of God's Wisdom, Power, Goodness and Faithfulness, which only could support him, or deliver him.

Observ. It denotes much Prudence, to Contemperate and Adapt God's Attributal Perfections, to the Variety of our incumbent Fears and Sorrows.

Consider, and hear me, O Lord, my God.

Hence two Observations. 1. There cannot be any lively Hope of obtaining Relieving-Mercy under Perplexing-Troubles, ready to overwhelm us, but only by clearing up, and pleading a Covenant-Interest in Divine Mercy and Goodness. Hear me, O my God.

2 Observ. God's most Glorious and Gracious Titles signify little to relieve us in distress, if they make not a due and deep Impression of reverencial Obedience in our Hearts and Lives. This frame David pleaded, equally, as he desired, that God's Covenant-Mercy and Faithfulness, should be extended towards him; Hear me, O Lord, my God.

This reproves such Persons, who cry out, under their deadly Dangers, O Lord! O God! without any serious Consideration of the due Importance of these Titles, in obliging them to fulfil the Duties, which, such a Plea obliges them unto. These were instanced.

In the 2 Part of the Text, you have the subject Matter of David's Prayer: Lighten mine Eyes, that I sleep not in Dying. Observ. The best of Men are apt to be secure amidst Death-Threatning-Dangers, in omitting those proper Methods which they ought to use, whereby they may be supported with Courage and Comfort, in a Dying Hour. Here were produced divers peculiar Temptations, which Satan doth sharpen against the best of Men, to shake their Faith, Courage and Comfort in Dying, with Directions how to encounter and overcome them.

Second General Head. It is frequent with secure, impenitent Sinners, to put far off the serious Thoughts of Death: Yet, this hinders not its coming, nor rebate and blunt the sharpness of its Sting, nor the dismal Consequences of it. Such secure, impenitent Sinners, are exposed to God's Vengeance, sealing them up under their indulged Presumption. Thus, they cannot encounter Satan's last, most subtil, malicious Assaults of Temptation, in a Dying Hour. The Inference is this; No man can bear the Agonies of dying Nature, unless he be born anew of the Spirit of Holiness, and hath the sense of God's Love shining on his Soul. Yet, it is frequent with secure presumptuous Sinners, to entertain, and strengthen false Hopes of Heaven, in a Dying Hour. These were described, with Directions, How a drowsy carelessness may not betray the Soul to the Pangs of Eternal Death. Some Interpreters render David's Intention to be, that he might not be left to his own Carnal Wisdom, but might be enlightened by God's Holy Spirit, under Death-Threatning Dangers; so, as not to commit any Sin wilfully, which might expose him to God's just, severe Displeasure in Dying.

Here were added Directions, how we may not be mistaken in our Evidences for Heaven, when we die Hipocrites defeat their Hopes thereof, and sink themselves to Hell, without suspicion, because they please themselves in Dreaming only, that Saving-Graces are planted in their Hearts, while they refuse to work out their Salvation, by sincere, universal constant, and chearful Obedience to Christs sacred Laws.

The Conclusion of the Sermon was directed to the Condemned: Would you not die securely in your Sins, then beg of God, that the Eyes of your Minds may be savingly enlightened in the Mysteries of Eternal Life. Do not presume on your own Carnal Wisdom, how to order aright your Conversation in the World, or to make provision for an happy Death. The least careless Misdemeanour will betray you into a lamentable Unfitness to meet the King of Terrors? Would you exercise Courage in Dying, daily make it familiar to your selves, by a prudent Preparation for it. Get a Covenant intrest in God through Christ; then you may safely plead, Consider, Lord, the perplexities of my Soul, where I am encompassed, and deliver me in thy Righteousness.

Here the Ordinary set before the Condemned, the following Form of Supplication, that they might be fitted to resign themselves to God's Guidance and Protections, under the Fears of approaching Death.

O Blessed Fountain of Light and Life, let not not any worldly Objects so charm my Heart, as to weaken the stedfastness of my Love in chusing thee, the Perfection of Blessedness, for the only portion of my Soul's Delight and Satisfaction; Let not my Life be as a Dream, to please my self with any fleeting Mock-show of the Creature's Strength or Beauty. Let me not quench the heavenly Spark of my life in the sensual Pleasures of this bewitching World; so shall I take a gladsom Prospect of Blessednes, beyond the Grave; while I improve my life for the advancement of thy Honour. Let me not sleep away my life in Dreaming of worldly Prosperity, to hinder my profiting in the ways of Holiness. Let me not indulge so much Sleep, as to neglect the fulfilling of my dutiful Respects to the Author and Preserver of my Being. Then I may justly fear, lest by my Security, I should die in my sleep, and that the Sentence of thy Displeasure should pass upon me. Rther, let me be assured, when mine Eyes shall be darkened under flicting with the King of Terrors, that the light of thy reconciled Countenance, shall actuate and inflame my love to thee; So shall I, in the prospect of Eternal life, prefer my Dissolution before my Birth-Day; so shall I mortify the fond love of Natural life, and be a Conqueror over the slavish fear of Death. Grant me, blessed Lord, such an holy Contempt of this World, that I may be filled with a longing Desire to fly away from this Vale of Tears, that I may rest in the full Enjoyment of thy Self, at the Center of Eternal Blessedness. O let the lively Hope of seeing and enjoying God in Christ, animate my Courage against the unbecoming Fears of Dying. O sufer me not to fall into any Drousiness in the acting of my Obedience. Let me be fitted for an Heavenly Mansion, wherein I shall be made all Life and Spirit, in praising the Lord for my triumphant Victory over Sin, Death, and Hell. In the mean time, cause me to endeavour that I may order my Conversation in purity and Heavenly-mindedness. So let me be prepared to behold the God of Glory face to face, in Transports of Celestial Joys to all Eternity.