THE Ordinary of NEWGATE HIS ACCOUNT OF

The Behaviours, Confessions, and Last Dying Words of the Malefactors that were Executed at Tyburn on Monday the 3d of April, 1721 .

BEFORE the Execution of the Six Men condemned to Die, I preached to them from these Words,

Cleanse thou me from secret Faults, Psal. 19, part of the 12 Verse.

In considering the Words, I endeavour'd to show,

FIRST, What may be meant by Secret Faults.

As 1st. They are secret Sins, which a Man acts, yet knows not that he acts them; as we find in Antient History, a Man who was throwing Stones, for his Diversion, over a Wall, and accidentally slew his Father, yet knew not, then nor afterwards, That himself was the occasion of his Father's Death; yet surely he was not altogether Faultless, so carelesly to act what might possibly take away the Life of a Man.

2dly. When a Person knows he commits a Fault, but is not acquainted with the greatness of it. Thus Abimelec fin'd in detaining and designing to defile Sarah, Gen. 20. 3. But it might be called his secret Sin, because he knew not she was Abraham's Wife: Yet God consider'd the Crime as the Sin of Adultery, and intended to have destroy'd Abimelec for it, had not his most severe Repentance averted the Vengeance of God. And we may humbly presume to judge, that God intended so to have Punish'd, because Abimelec too rashly and without enquiry laid hold of Sarah. Since in all these Sins, the Wickedness is more or less, as more or less Trouble was taken in discovering the Truth.

3dly. Sins of False-Zeal. As when Rebellions are rais'd, or Lyes are spread to advantage a restless Faction; and the Authors think, like them who were to slay the Apostles, that the Performers do God Service.

4thly. Sins which seem to be fasten'd to some particular Stations, and in which, unless a Man acts like others of his Employ, he cannot well subsist; these are secret Sins, For Men often continue their Life times in them, without considering their Faults as Faulty.