Sermon at Execution of a Man Found Guilty of Murder, To the reader 3
To the Reader.
IT was the Motion of many, and the Importunity of ſome that drew from me my conſent to make this (almoſt extemporary) diſcourſe thus public. The Priſoner ſent to me on the After-noon before the Sabbath, a writing under his hand, wherein he own'd the Juſtice of God in bringing him to this untimely End, and the Righteouſneſs of the Sentence of Man upon him▪ together with a Confeſſion of thoſe ſins that he had lived in all his dayes, of which there is ſomething ſpoken in the Sequel: adding 2 Requeſts, viz. that I would take ſome Notice of him in my Sermon, and that I would give warning to thoſe of his Follow-Siners that had been guilty of the like evils, leſt they alſo become like monuments of divine Juſtice. Such reaſonable requeſts eſpecially from a dying man I could not deny. My Subject that day was Iſa. 12. 1. and my Buſineſs at that time to diſcourſe of the neceſſity, means & marks of the turning away of God's Anger, which I judged not unſutable for a perſon in his condition; accordingly did, as there was occaſion, apply my ſelf particularly to him in my Sermon, which is not ſo proper to inſert here. What was directly ſpoken to himſelf, or to others at his deſire, ſo far at leaſt as my memory would ſerve me▪ is committed to the Preſs, and added as an Appendix to thoſe more ſtudied ſermons which the Lord put into the heart of other of His Servants to preach For his ſake that is gone, and publiſh for the good of others that ſurvive. The good Lord follow the whole with his bleſſing, and grant that all Iſrael may hear & fear, ſo that there may no more ſuch great wickedneſs be done in this our Land.
Joſhua Moody▪