times 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 steadiness affected. And indeed nothing can be more dangerous, more adverse to serious thought, than a succession of light amusements, a repetition of trifling pleasures. These gradually occupy the mind; they seize all the avenues of reflection, and, like a band of armed rebels, exclude that Master, who would rule them with moderation, and promote their prosperity. The most holy person the world ever saw, recommends this practice by his example, "Hesent the multitude away, and went up into a mountain apart to pray. Matt. xiv. 23.

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What can sooner bring us acquainted with our own hearts than the exclusion of the world? We retire into a solitary place-we sit down to meditate-"I beheld, and lo! there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled." Jer. iv. 25. Here seated in solitude, under the canopy of heaven, in our closet, 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 scenes that occupied our attention. We begin to weigh, in their proper balance, the actions of our lives; we discover, that we have flattered ourselves by a blameable self-indulgence, that our very virtues, as we esteemed them, have been only vices in disguise, "and that the imaginations of our hearts have been only evil continually." Gen. vi. 5.

I appeal

I appeal to you, who experience this dismal solitude, whether reflections of this nature do not arise in your minds. The retirement which others seek by choice, you are forced into from necessity. The good effects, however, may be as conspicuous in you, as in other members of society. Purified by these means from all those evil habits, and wicked actions, which rendered you dangerous to your fellow citizens, you may return into the world, and sustain your part in it with credit and reputation. On this side the grave, repentance must be found, if you ever hope for the blessing of eternal happiness. To seek that repentance should be now your care. An opportunity now offers itself of making your peace with God-if you suffer it to pass by you unimproved, you may sink into the grave with all the horrors of guilt, and awake to all the agonies of despair.

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 Christ, to turn from all your wickedness, and your sins shall not be your destruction. "Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done, make you new hearts and a new spirit: wherefore will ye die, O ye house of Israel, seeing I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord? Turn ye then, and ye shall live." Ez. xviii. 30,

31, 32. Outward objects, which have so long arrested all your thoughts, and like deceitful lights upon a dangerous coast, have brought you to this place of melancholy and sorrow, are now removed from your eyes. The noise and tumults of the world are at a distance. Scenes of riot and dissipation vanish from your sight. Temptations to sin, solicitations to repeat those acts of iniquity which have brought the arm of justice upon you, no longer disturb your repose. You may now enter into the secret recesses of your breast, examine every motive, and scrutinize every transaction without difficulty, and without interruption. Shrink not from the prospect, though it should abound with horrors. "Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Psalm xxx, 5.

The duties of your present situation may be reduced to three; contrition on account of your past offences; good resolutions of amendment of life; and prayer.

The first of these denotes a thorough sense and sorrow for having offended God. At this point repentance begins: for never can a change of conduct, an alteration of heart take place, till we are sensible of having offended a good and gracious Being, who purposes our happiness, and is not "willing that any should perish, but that all should repent and be saved." At the same time too that we look back upon our crimes, and acknowledge our guilt in the commission of them, we should reflect upon the punish

punishment which the unerring arm of justice will certainly bring upon us, unless we avert the blow by a sincere repentance. To secure this repentance, as far as human means are able to effect it, should be the use of your present sólitary life. You should call Reflection to your aid, who, in this hour of your distress, will not hide herself from your view. This reflection must be seconded by a diligent perusal of the word of God, or to those who are unable thus to assist themselves, a particular attention to such good instructions as may be given them by others. If this method were pursued, the inhabitants of prisons, instead of associating together in leagues of vice, might improve each other in virtue; and these walls, and heavy fetters, which confine the body, night, in many a happy instance, disengage and set free the soul.

Convinced of the malignity of sin, we become sensible that we have forfeited all right and title to happiness. The goodness of God, however, leaves us not to a state of despair, if we apply ourselves, as we are directed, to the throne of grace. We are informed by a blessed revelation, how to regain the state of salvation which our sins had lost. The Son of God assumes our nature, and by his blood procures our pardon; a pardon, not unconditional, but according to our penitence and sorrow. sume not, that because our Saviour died for sin

Pre

ners, you may "continue in sin that grace may abound." God forbid that you should rest your

salvation on this delusive idea. To be accepted through his merit, we must " bring forth fruits meet for repentance." An active life, a life directed by the principles of virtue and Christianity, must be our recommendation to the Father of mercies. Then will Christ become our advocate, and open the gates of heaven for our reception.

Having been made sensible of your sins by the power of divine grace, the next step I would recommend, in your present situation, is to form good resolutions of amendment of life. If you reflect, as you cannot but now do, on the check which Providence hath been pleased to give to your wicked lives, and the unexpected turn which occasions your confinement here, those minds, in which any ingenuous feelings remain, will adopt an hearty wish, that they had never left the paths of honour and virtue. But as your past moments cannot be recalled, you must now atone for them in the best manner you are able, and resolve never to repeat those actions which have occasioned you so much sorrow and remorse. Abstracted from the world, you have now leisure for this employment. But let it not be done by that slight exertion of thought, whose impression is like a morning dream. If you would really wish your retirement to have a lasting influence upon your lives, you must think deeply: you must revolve the several temptations which have ensnared you, and those admonitions of your friends, and

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