at a distance. Scenes of riot and diffipation vanifh from your Sight. Temptations to Sin, Solicitations to repeat thofe Acts of Iniquity which have brought the arm of Juftice upon you, no longer disturb your repofe. You may now enter into the fecret recefles of your breaft, examine every motive and fcrutinize every transaction without difficulty and without interruption, Shrink not from the profpect, tho' it fhould abound with horrors. Heaviness may endure for a night, but Joy cometh in the morning. I The duties of your prefent Situation may be reduced to three; Contrition on account of your paft Offences Good refolutions of amendment of Life; and Prayer. . The firft of these denotes a thorough Senfe and Sorrow for having offended ‡ Pfalnı xxx. 5. offended God. At this point repentance begins; for never can a change of conduct, an alteration of heart take place, till we are fenfible of having offended a good and gracious Being, who purposes our happinefs, and is not willing that any Jhould perifh, but that all fhould repent and be faved. At the fame time too that we look back upon our crimes, and acknowledge our Guilt in the commiffion of them, we should reflect upon the punishment which ' the unerring arm of Juftice will certainly bring upon us, unless we avert the blow by a fincere repentTo fecure this repentance, ance. as far as human means are able to effect it, fhould be the Use of your prefent folitary Life. You fhould call reflection to your Aid, who, in this hour of your diftrefs, will not hide herself from your View. This reflection must be feconded by a diligent perufal of the word of God, or, to those who are unable thus to affift affift themselves, a particular attention to fuch good Inftructions as may be given them by others. If this method were purfued, the Inhabitants of prisons, instead of associating together in leagues of Vice, might improve each other in Virtue; and thefe walls, and heavy fetters, which confine the body, might, in many a happy Inftance, difengage and fet free the Soul. Convinced of the malignity of Sin, we become fenfible that we have forfeited all right and title to Happiness. The Goodnefs of God, however, leaves us not to a state of despair, if we apply ourfelves, as we are directed, to the Throne of Grace. We are informed by a bleffed revelation, how to regain the state of Salvation which our Sins had loft. The Son of God affumes our Nature, and by his blood, procures our pardon; a pardon, not unconditional, but according to our peni tence and forrow. Prefumie not, that because our Saviour died for Sinners, you may continue in fin that Grace may abound. God forbid that you fhould reft your Salvation on this delufive Idea, To be accepted through his Merits, we must bring forth fruits meet for repent ance. An active Life, a Life direct ed by the principles of Virtue and Chriftianity, must be our recommendation to the Father of Mercies. Then will Chrift become our Advocate, and open the Gates of Heaven for our reception. Having been made fenfible of your Sins by the power of divine Grace, the next flep I would recommend, in your prefent fituation, is to form good refolutions of amendment of Life. If you reflect, as you cannot but do now, on the check which Providence hath been pleased to give to your wicked lives, and the unexpected turn which occafions your But your confinement here, thofe minds, in which any ingenuous feelings remain, will adopt an hearty with, that they had never left the paths of Honor and Virtue. But as your past moments cannot be recalled, you must now atone for them in the best manner you are able, and refolve never to repeat those actions which have occafioned you so much forrow and remorse. Abstracted from the World, you have now leifure for this Employment. let it not be done by that flight Exertion of Thought, whofe Impreffion is like a morning dream. If you would really with your retirement to have a lafting influence upon your lives, you must think. deeply you must revolve the feveral temptations which have enfnared you, and thofe admonitions of your friends and checks of your confcience which, if attended to, would have prevented the Execution of your defigns. Having once been E 2 fhip |