A True Account of the Behaviour, Confessions, and last Dying Speeches of the Condemned Criminals, that were Executed at Tyburn on Wednesday the 22d. of this Instant Decem. 1697 .

On the Lords-Day, after the Condemnation of the Condemned Criminals, a Sermon was Preached on this Text,

John 9. 4. I must work the works of him that sent me. while it is day: The night cometh that no man can work.

In these words you have three Parts.

1st. THE necessity which lay on Christ, in the deep and serious sense of his duty, to do whatsoever he could, to promote the Glory of his Father, in fulfilling the office of our Redemption, committed to his trust.

2dly. You have the nature of those works, which Christ was so careful to fulfil; they were not works of Curiosity, but of Indispensible worth; Christ considered the eminency of their Nature, and the Weightiness of their Consequence: He was the Agent of his Father, sent to make Reconciliation 'twixt him and Sinners, by his perfect fulfilling the whole Moral Law of God as our surety, and by dying as a Sacrifice of Atonement, to expiate the Guilt of our Sins.

3dly, Christ knew that when his set time was at an end, he must return to his Father, to state or clear his Accounts, how he had fulfilled his Office. In like manner, we must consider our relation to God, and the end or design he hath in sending us into this World, to quicken us in the Prosecution of our Christian Services.

2dly, Our appointed Works must not end till our Life be determined.

3dly, As we must continue at our work, so we must take the fittest Season for it: This makes it beautiful and successful. The Lord of Life hath placed us within the Limits of time, and commanded us to work out our Salvation, with fear and the utmost degree of diligence, otherwise, eternal Darkness shall surprize us, and overwhelm us with horror.

Here I shall instance in what respects Death is compared to the Night.

1st. This is usually the time of Enemies surprizing us, and of laying snares to take the Prey; for Satans chief spight against us is seen in the hour of Death, when we are least upon the watch, and our Spiritual Comforts Clouded, Psalm. 104. 20. Therefore, put on the Armour of Light and Righteousness, before you come to conflict with the King of terrors.

2dly. Men grope in the Night, and wander out of the way like drunken Men, Job 12. 35. Thus the wicked seldom think of God till dying; but then they know nothing distinctly of him, to support their troubled Consciences; their Spirits wander from one false Confidence to another, till they drop into Hell, to convince them of their Security and Self-flattery.

3dly, The Night Season varies our Apprehension of the Formes of things, so that we cannot distinctly and truly percieve them. So in the dismal darkness of Death, our Hearts have no fit leasure to instruct us in the solemn preparation for a blessed Eternity: Then they begin to upbraid us with Folly, because we would not be convinced of the worth of Christ, nor of the vanity of the Creature, which by the false multiplying Glass of Prosperity we so highly magnified.

4y The night binds up all the senses from working: So death puts an end to the improvement or all the means of Grace.

5ly, As Men lay down at Night, just such they rise in the Morning. So no Regenerate state of Sanctification can be wrought in the Heart after death; whatever depravity cleaves to the Soul, in the state of separation from the Body, with the same it rises and comes to Judgment. The doctrine from the scope of our Saviour, is this, That the only time which Men have to provide for the eternal Salvation of their Souls, is the time of this present Life. Many Arguments were given to demonstrate this

But I descend to the Practical Improvement of this Truth, That after the night of Death, there cannot be any working for Salvation: How miserable then is the state and condition of all such, who neglect the main business for which they were sent into this World? What Folly and Madness is this, that Sinners work out their Damnation with greediness, as if they were Covetous of treasuring up divine Wrath against the Day of Wrath? How will such Condemn themselves? I have had but a Dream of Delight, in sensual Pleasures which hath bereav'd me of real Blessedness.

What a Mad exchange have I made, to gain the sordid profits of this World? I have utterly ruined my precious Heaven-born Soul; But was not this the choice of mine own wilfulness? Was I in Love with Damnation, that I did so obstinately resist the Beseechings of God's holy Spirit, that I would reform my Life? Oh! the labour which it costs obstinate Sinners to ruin their own Souls to Eternity Oh! think of this, you that forget and forsake the Lord; Who knows the power of his Wrath, but only himself who lives for ever to inflict i on all such who abuse his long suffering, to hardon their Hearts in all Impiety? And yet, the very flames of Hell cannot melt down the Pride and Stoutness of the finally impenitent: Now the Spirit of wickedness more deeply possesses them. All the restraints of God's Spirit are now taken off; the damned are arrived to an obstinate Confirmation, in a consummate state of sinning; this is the very Curse intailed upon the Devils, yea, the very Hell of Hells. How dreadful will death be to all such who despise the offers of Life and Salvation by Christ, upon the equitable and advantageous Terms and Conditions thereof? Surely their damnation slumbers not, tho' themselves be overwhelm'd with deep Atheistical security: To such I may say, the night of Death draws on apace. Therefore redeem your lost mispent working seasons for eternal Life, out of the Hands of Sin and Satan. Thus shall you deceive the destroyer of Souls. Great things depend on every moment of our Lives, yet we bring them to an end, as a tale which is told. Do not persist in provoking God, to cut short your Lives by playing Truants in Wisdom's School of Discipline. At what expence of Mercy and Patience is God, in renewing the Seasons of Nature and Grace? yet you have perversly abused the gracious design of both. As soon as you were Baptized God hired you into his Vineyard, why then do you loiter and still fold your hands, in your Bosom, as if you studied to be be idle; and it were a vertue to neglect your Duty, yet, as the shadows of the Sun are longest, when he is nearest to his setting; so Sinners are Presumptuously confident, that the seasons of Grace will be renewed and continued, altho' they trifle with God in the great concernments of his honour, and their own everlasting Felicity. Consider, that you are not sure of the next Moment; therefore, incessantly watch, pray, and work, as for the eternity of Blessedness. Young and Old, agree quickly with God, that he may not continue your Adversary, by delaying of Repentance. The work of your Salvation is of great Importance; be you very cautious and curious about it, for when once it is taken out of your Hands, there is no amendment of any defect in the Contexture of your Obedience. Repel all Temptations to Sinning by this wise consideration, That the fulfiling a Course in wickedness is not the business for which God sent you into this World: You may dye in the present Moment of Contracting Guilt, and will you draw the wrath of God upon your Souls, while you make a sport of sinning? Seneca speaks of some who were always about to Live, yet they never lived in good earnest, so as to Reform their Conversation. Trust not therefore to slight Transient resolutions of turning to God; Hell is full of faint wishes, yea, of pretended purposes of Amendment: Therefore dread sinful Security, as the borders of Hell, for thereby the the severity of God's Wrath is poured out on impenitent Persons, as Sealing them up to eternal Torments. Strive to Redeem the lost seasons of Grace, by redoubling of your Industry. If you finish the great work given you in charge while it is an accepted time with God, he will not desert you. but will conduct you safely thorow the extremities of Death, if you turn to the Lord with your whole Heart, death shall not be any terror to you, but a time of refreshing when Christ shall come to judge the secure World to Ignominious Torments, without any intermission, or allay of Mercy. That this may not be your intolerable state, Redeem every Moment as precious. This will be a clear evidence that you shall be acquitted at Christs Tribunal, and not be delivered over to the pangs of eternal Death.