descend from them must be corrupted, it be

ing impossible to bring a clean thing out of an unclean.

• Consider that our great business and concern in this world, which we are to look upon as a state of trial, is to recover out of this corrupt state, and to attain that resemblance to God after which man was created, and without which it is impossible to obtain happiness in the kingdom of heaven. What an important concern then have you to mind, who have been so far from doing any thing in it, that you have made it more difficult, by doing quite the contrary!

• Consider that it is absolutely necessary to bring our wills to a full and entire resignation and conformity to the will and laws of our Creator.

Read over seriously the Office of Public Baptism, which will instruct you on what terms and conditions you were admitted into Christ's church and to the hopes of mercy and eternal life, and consider how formed those conditions. Read likewise the exhortations in the Office of Commination, or denouncing of God's anger and judgments against Sinners, in the Book of Common Prayer.

you have per

'Shun idleness and all unprofitable visits. Look diligently into the state of your soul.

Humble yourself before God. Avoid loose and profane company, and be sure never to exceed the sober and temperate use of wine and strong liquors.

Consider the kindness and love of God in giving his Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, and in offering pardon and salvation to all true penitent sinners, that is, to all who forsake their sins, and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance; and how deservedly they will be condemned who refuse this gracious offer.

• Consider that one necessary part of true repentance consists in undoing, as much as in you lies, the evil and mischief you have done. Therefore admonish all those, as far as you can, with whom you have been concerned, to forsake their evil courses.

6

Make a full and ample discovery of all wicked confederacies for robbery, or other mischiefs, that you know of, in order to the breaking of them, and bringing obstinate and irreclaimable sinners to punishment, and preventing the spoiling and robbery of the innocent.

Do not call this dishonourable; neither ought you to account it a betraying your companions, or a breach of trust, or of your faith. For all such confederacies being evil in their own nature, their secrets cannot lawfully bol

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dishonourable; and to discover them, an act of justice to human society, and of charity to the innocent, who, by such discovery, may be preserved from being injured by the wicked engaged in these confederacies, which may hereby be broken. Nay, it may be the greatest charity that can be shown to the guilty themselves, who may be led to repentance, and prevailed with to follow an honest course of life.

'Another necessary part of true repentance, is restitution and satisfaction, as far as you are able, to the persons you have robbed; praying heartily to God to make up what is wanting, by his grace and blessing to them.

• More particular directions to persons under these unhappy circumstances they may receive from those who are so charitable as to visit them, and from good books which may be put into their hands; particularly Mr. Kettlewell's Office for Prisoners, also the directions for examination, the prayers, &c. in the Second Part of this book, may be of use to them in private.' Here follows

A Prayer that may be used with condemned
Prisoners by those who visit them.

O MOST holy and righteous God, we adore
the wisdom and justice of thy providence, in

s 2

bringing these persons now under sentence of death, to suffer such punishments as their sins have deserved. Blessed be thy name, that thou didst not cut them off in the midst of their sins, but hast afforded them time to consider their condition, and to repent and humble them-selves before thee.

If thou, Lord, shouldst mark our transgressions, and deal with us as in justice thou mightest, who could stand before thee? but there is mercy with thee, that thou mayst be feared.

Their sins have found them out, and brought them to shame and misery. They are more than they can number, and greater than they can express. Dispose their hearts to a full and free confession of their transgressions, and to make such satisfaction to their country, and the persons they have injured, as they are able.

All our hope is in thy mercy, and in the gracious promises thou hast made to mankind in thy Son Jesus Christ, who was pleased to suffer death upon the cross, to make satisfaction for all true penitent and returning sinners. Thou hast assured us, that the unrighteous shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven;

and that ercent we repent we shall all perish

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his sins, if he hate and forsake them, thou wilt have mercy upon him. Oh! fill their souls with horror and confusion for their transgressions. Open their eyes that they may see their guilt, and be sensible of their danger. And grant, that being turned from their sins, their souls may be washed and cleansed in that fountain which thou hast opened for sin and uncleanness.

O touch their hearts with a lively sense of thy love and of thy goodness; and dispose their minds, by the powerful assistances of thy grace, to close with the offer of salvation upon those just and reasonable conditions that is made to them.

Give them a lively and effectual faith in thy son Jesus Christ. And though the remembrance of their sins may fill their souls with dread and horror, yet do thou, O Lord, convince them, that their sins are not greater than thy mercy can pardon, nor greater than the blood of thy Son can make satisfaction for, if they repent and turn unto thee.

*

Woe is me! vile and wretched sinner that I am, (may each of them say) in that I have so foolishly and wickedly departed from thee; having broken thy covenant, the covenant of my baptism; having renounced the happiness and pleasure of serving thee, to serve my greatest enemy, who seeks my destruction.