A True Account of the Behaviour, Confessions, and last Dying Speeches of the Condemned Criminals, that were Executed at Tyburn on Wednesday the 9th. of this Instant March 1698 .

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

Isa. 64. 7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: tho thou hast hide thy face from us, and hast consum'd us, because of our Iniquities.

THese Words are a confession of a Sin of Omission, upon Conviction of their formal Addresses to the Lord, in a time of deep distress.

The first Observation.

There are Sins of Omission, as well as of Commission to be repented of. Omissions are the most in number, and in some Cases, the worst of Sins: These arise from secret practical Atheism, that any will dare to present the holy living God, as if he were an Idol, with dead hearted Services. They draw on Sins of Commission, 2 Chron. 12. 14. Rehoboam did much Evil, because he prepared not his Heart to seek the Lord. Omissions of Duty, or remissness in it, dispirit or dead the Heart toward God, and so causes us to grow weary of duty, yea, to cast it off as despairing of success. But truly pious Souls mourn for secret remissness, in the manner of performing Duties.

2d Observation, Formal Addresses to God, are counted as no Addresses; so they are interpreted in the Text.

Quest. When are Persons formal in their Services of God?

1st, When they are partial in their duty. The Hypocrite will sometimes balk a lesser Duty, when he will not stick at a difficult: And if this consist with his self-interest or popular applause, and do not strick at any beloved Lust, or that he still thinks to expiate the guilt of his Sins, by multiplying acts of Devotion. But we must judge of Sins in their malignity, and of Duties in their necessity or expediency, not according to a corrupt Fancy, but according to the rule of God's word, the Judge of Equity and Expediency. God lays great stress on lesser Commands, to silence carnal Reason, by the wisdom of his authority; nay, the least circumstance of a Duty being slighted, may expose to the Commission of a great Sin; yet superstitious Persons stick not at self imposed severities.

2ly, Then Persons are formal in their Duties, when they act by the constraint only of the natural Conscience, least this should check and upbraid them, especially if they seek not God in distress; yet it is only a short visit, not any constant delight in God for his excellencies, as studying to be conformed to him in the beauties of Holiness, but meerly for the exhibitions of his bounty.

3ly, When the service of God flows not from a renewed Heart, nor is directed to a sincere end.

4ly, When Men rest in, and trust to duties, grounding the acceptance of their Persons on the work done, and look not after the improvement of their Graces by them. But slightness in holy Duties is joined with seriousness in sinning. When Israel was formal in praying, they made God to serve under their Iniquities, Isa, 43.22.&24. Formulists can never close with God with an entire fixt Heart, nor cleave to him with delight; nay, in distress themselves are convinced, that their services prove unprofitable: Thus in the Text, notwithstanding their formal Addresses, they confess, That the Wind had bound them up in its Wings, and carried them into Captivity. They meant it not of the natural Wind, but the threats of God's Prophets, which they counted as a puff of Wind, which vanished and should never be fulfilled upon their presumptous Security; yet had speedily and irresistably carried them into captivity. Yet this is a wicked inference, that Persons will quite omit their Duty, because being formally done it is not accepted.

It is flat Rebellion in any Servant, to say, I will not stir a Hand nor Foot, because I cannot please; tho' this be from the unfaithfulness of the Servant, who prepares not his Heart to do service with vigour and alacrity. We ought rather to be humbled for our formal Addresses to God, and to strive for a Spiritual frame. Consider, that otherwise we give Satan occasion to upbraid Christ, as if he should say, my Slaves Sweat, drudge and bleed, whom I never fed but only with Flattery, false Promises of profit and Pleasure, which yet proved the wages of Death; and yet thy Servants O Christ are at the end of a Duty, before it be well entred upon, O how do they flag!

Nay, God himself who searches the Heart, if you act not in his service, from Spiritual principles to Spiritual Ends, will to punish your Hypocrisy, cause all his promises to prove as so many insignificant Cyphers or Blanks; nay, your formal Services will betray you the more securely to Hell. To prevent such a sad Doom for your slightness in seeking to be reconciled to God thorough Christ, ir up your selves with all your might to stay his Hand, that he may not consume you in, and for your Iniquities.

I shall here lay before you some signs of true trouble of Mind, for sins of Omission or remisness of the affections in Religious Duties.

A Sincere Heart is troubled that God hath lost his just tribute of honour, in not exercising his utmost dexterity in holy services. He considers, that the Lord searches the Heart, that he counts not of Duties to accept them by their number, but the sincerity of the Heart, and its vigorous alacrity in them. Therefore he mourns that he prays so much and believes so little, that he comes so often where God gives out the pledges of his Love yet, that himself is so poor and low in the expressions of his Duty. He will be more curious in observing, and more careful in doing his Duty for the future: Yet he will be very cautious, least his future constancy should be grounded on Custom, rather than Conscience, and lest it should degenerate into meer Formality. Meer customariness in Religious services, is thus known.

Custom gives no strength for Duty, above the Sphere of natural or moral Ability. Custom can never keep the Heart Spiritually close to God, it cannot renounce Self-confidence in its own Resolutions; it relies not on the establishing Grace of God's free Spirit. Custom causes not any trouble of Mind, for the deficiency in serving God, neither inquires how the Spirit of God influences praying, to advance a closer Communion with the Lord, to raise the Heart into an higher conformity to him in the whole Conversation. Meer Formalists grow tiffical in praying, they soon tire and faint in any holy execrise. They are not Sollicitous about the success of their praying, whether they become more humble, holy, and heavenly Minded.

Means to prevent Sins of Omission.

Be conscienciously cautious of committing the least Sin, so shall you be more curious and exact in the discharge of the least Duty, and circumstance of thy obedience. 2ly, when thou hast been diverted from thy constant Hours of praying, by any unavoidable providence of God interferring, yet mourn for such diversion, as the Chastisement of thy former remissness in thy Duty, and return to thy set stationary Hours of praying, with greater reverence and vigor of zeal,

3. Clear up your interest in God, as your Father in Christ; if you dread him as an inexorable judge, this will breed servility of Spirit, which will determine in the Omisssion of the Duty, or deading the Heart in it.

4. Delight to draw nigh to God for his infinite excellencies, to be tranformed into the beauties of holiness, rather than to participate of the Lord's Bounty. A dutiful Son of God, will address to him to testify his Love, when he hath no wants to supply, which are oppressive. Do not delay to pray, pretending that the Spirit of God doth not excite you. Remember that it is an indispensable Duty of natural Religion: Pretend not present indisposition, and that you will wait for a more prepared frame. Rather pray, That you may be fit for praying. Thus when springs of Water lye low, and the Pump is dry, we pour down Water to make the Pump the better, to suck up Water from the Spring. Count every the most difficult Duty to be an ample reward unto it self then, tho' it be not enameled with Worldly advantages, nor produce present comfort, yet wait on God in his ways, and thou shalt verily be recompenced at last, with joy unspeakable, and full of glorying in God's Salvation.