" with the Lord there is mercy, and "with him is plenteous redemption. "And he fhall redeem us from all "our Iniquities." +

Happy is the man that with piety of heart, and fincerity of fpirit, joins in fuch petitions. He will feel an Exultation of Soul, which before he never knew, a compofure of mind he never could have expected. He finds, that even in a prifon, dark and difmal as it is, Mercy may be found, that Mercy which, under other circumftances, he would not perhaps fo much as fought after. This happy change of thought, founded on the true fpirit of devotion, infpires his Soul with confidence, and with new hopes and new affections he looks up to him that heareth the groaning of the prisoners.

It has been recommended, both by

by the practice and precept of holy men, in all ages, fometimes to retire from Scenes of public concourse, for the purpose of communing with our own hearts, and meditating on Heaven. By too much commerce with the world even good men feel their fteadiness affected. And indeed nothing can be more dangerous, more adverse to serious thought, than a fucceffion of light amufe-. ments, a repetition of trifling pleafures. These gradually occupy the mind; they feize all the avenues of reflection, and like a band of armed rebels, exclude that Mafter, who would rule them with moderation and promote their profperity. The most holy perfon the world ever faw, recommends this practice by his Example. He fent the Multitude away, and went up into a mountain apart to pray.

+

What

Mat. xiv. 23.

What can fooner bring us acquainted with our own hearts than the Exclufion of the World? We retire into a folitary place-we fit down to meditate-I beheld and lo! there was no man, and all the birds of the Heavens were fled. *-Here feated in Solitude, under the canopy of Heaven, in our clofet, or in our prison, we turn our Eyes inward on our own hearts. We endeavour to fix our scattered thoughts, to forget the gay and empty fcenes that occupied our attention. We begin to weigh, in their proper balance, the actions of our lives; we difcover, that we have flattered ourselves by a blameable Self-indulgence, that our very Virtues, as we efteemed them, have been only Vices in difguife, and that the Imaginations of our hearts have been only Evil continually. †

Jer. iv. 25. + Gen. v. 6.

I ap

I appeal to you, who experience this difmal Solitude, whether reflections of this Nature do not arise in your minds. The retirement which others feek by Choice, you are forced into from neceffity. The good Effects, however, may be as confpicuous in. you, as in other members of Society. Purified by these means from all thofe evil Habits, and wicked actions, which rendered you dangerous to your fellow Citizens, you may return into the world, and fuftain your part in it with credit and reputation. On this fide the Grave, repentance muft be found, if you ever hope for the bleffing of eternal happiness. To feek that repentance fhould be now your care. An opportunity now offers itself of making your peace with God-if you fuffer it to pafs by you unimproved, you may fink into the Grave with all the Horrors of Guilt, and awake to all the Agonies of Despair.

As

As you are now removed from the companions of your guilty hours, as you cannot but be convinced that. the ways you pursued led to the chambers of death, let me intreat you, by the mercies of God, and the plenteous redemption of your Saviour Chrift, to turn from all your wickedness, and your Sins fhall not be your deftruction. Caft away

from you all: your Ungodlinefs that ye have done, make you new hearts* and a new Spirit: wherefore will ye die, Oye houfe of Ifrael, feeing I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, faith the Lord? Turn ye then and ye fhall live. + Outward Objects, which have fo, long arrested all your Thoughts, and like deceitful lights upon a dangerous coaft, have brought you to this place of melancholy and forrow, are now removed from your Eyes. The noise and tumults of the world are

† Ez. xviii. 30, 31, 33.

at