Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Confider that our great Bufinefs and • Concern in this World, which we are to look upon as a State of Trial, is to re'cover out of this corrupt State, and to ' attain that Refemblance to God, after which Man was created, and without ⚫ which it is impoffible to obtain Happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven. What an important Concern then have you to mind, who have been fo far from doing any Thing in it, that you have made it more difficult by doing the quite con⚫trary.

• Confider that it is abfolutely neceffary to bring our Wills to a full and entire Refignation and Conformity to the Will and Laws of our Creator.

'Read over seriously the Office of Publick Baptifm, which will inftruct you on what Terms and Conditions you were ad'mitted into Chrift's Church, and to the

Hopes of Mercy and eternal Life, and 'confider how you have performed those • Conditions. Read likewife the Exhortation in the Office of Commination, or denouncing of God's Anger and Judg ments againft Sinners, in the Book of • Common Prayer.

[ocr errors]

Shun Idlenefs, and all unprofitable Vi"fits. Look diligently into the State of 5 ' your

your Soul. Humble yourself before God. Avoid profane and loofe Company, and ⚫ be fure never to exceed the fober and temperate Ufe of Wine and ftrong Liquors.

[ocr errors]

• Confider the Kindness and Love of God in giving his Son, our Saviour Jefus Chrift, to die for our Sins, and in offering Pardon and Salvation to all true pe• nitent Sinners; that is, to all who forfake their Sins, and turn to God, and do works meet for Repentance; and how • deservedly they will be condemned who refufe this gracious Offer.

• Confider that one neceffary Part of • true Repentance confifts in undoing, as much as in you lies, the Evil and Mif• chief you have done. Therefore admonifh all thofe, as far as you can, with • whom you have been concerned, to for• fake their evil Courses.

2

"Make a full and ample Discovery of all wicked Confederacies for Robbery, or • other Mischief that you know of, in order to the breaking of them, and bringing • obftinate 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 Truft, or of your • Faith.

Faith. For all fuch Confederacies being 6 evil in their own Nature, their Secrets ⚫ cannot lawfully be kept. To conceal them therefore, is both dishonest and dishonour⚫able; and to discover them, an A&t of Juf"tice to human Society, and of Charity to ⚫ the Innocent, who by fuch Difcovery may be preferved 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 'fhewn to the Guilty themfelves, who may 'be led to Repentance, and prevailed with 'to follow an honeft Courfe of Life.

"Another neceffary Part of true Repent'ance is Reftitution, and Satisfaction, as 'far as you are able, to the Perfons you • have robbed, praying heartily to God, tə make up what is wanting, by his Grace and Bleffing to them deli od

[ocr errors]

may

• More particular Directions to Perfons under thefe unhappy Circumstances they receive from those who are fo charitable as to visit them, and from good Books which may be put into their Hands; particularly Mr. Kettlewell's Of 'fice for Prifoners, alfo the Directions for Examination, the Prayers, &c. in the "Second Part of this Book may be of Ufe to them in private,' Here follows

A Prayer

A Prayer that may be used with condemned Prifoners by thofe who vifit them.

Moft holy and righteous God, we adore the Wisdom and Juftice of thy Providence, in bringing thefe Perfons now under Sentence of Death, to fuffer fuch Punifhments as their Sins have deferved. Bleffed be thy Name, that thou didst not cut them off in the Midft of their Sins, but haft afforded them Time to confider their Condition, and to repent and humble themselves before thee.

If thou, Lord, fhould'ft mark our Tranfgreffions, and deal with us as in Juftice thou mighteft, who could ftand before thee? But there is Mercy with thee, that thou mayeft be feared..

Their Sins have, found them out, and brought them to Shame and Mifery. They are more than they can number, and greater than they can exprefs. Difpofe their Hearts to a full and free Confeffion of their Tranfgreffions, and to make fuch Satisfaction to their Country, and the Perfons they have injured, as they are able.

All our Hope is in thy Mercy, and in the gracious Promises thou haft made to Mankind in thy Son Jefus Chrift, who was pleafed

pleased to fuffer Death upon the Cross, to make Satisfaction for all true penitent and returning Sinners. Thou haft assured us, that the Unrighteous fhall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and that except we repent we shall all perish; but thou haft promifed too, that if the Wicked forfake his Way, if he grieve and mourn for his Sins, if he hate and forfake them, thou wilt have Mercy upon him. Oh! fill their Souls with Horror and Confufion for their Tranfgreffions. Open their Eyes, that they may fee their Guilt, and be fenfible of their Danger. And grant, that being turned from their Sins, their Souls may be washed and cleanfed in that Fountain, which thou haft opened for Sin and Uncleanness.

O touch their Hearts with a lively Senfe of thy Love, and of thy Goodnefs; and difpofe their Minds, by the powerful Affiftances of thy Grace, to clofe with the Offer of Salvation upon thofe juft and reasonable Conditions made to them.

Give them a lively and effectual Faith in thy Son Jefus Chrift. 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

« AnteriorContinuar »