melting. Suffice it to fay, in a word I believe the efpecial prefence of God was there; a kind of facred glory filled the place the thought of it melts me into tears while I am writing. When we had concluded, I went and fpoke fome encouraging words, by way of fupporting them under their forrow. They then defired I would fee them in the evening; which I did, and called upon Mr. Blindle in the way; and, what do you think? the old gentleman went along with me to the prifon, and was one who prayed with them with much fervour and enlargement of heart. We fpent nearly two hours with them; and a crowd of people was prefent.

I have not time to give the particulars of this vifit, any more than the reft. At parting, they earneftly intreated me to attend them to the place of execution the next day. I told them I could not bear it. Mr. Blindle likewife obferved, that it was an unprecedented thing; that a diffenting minister was never known to do it in this country. To which they calmly replied, "I hope, Sir, it will be no difgrace." I told them, as the minifter of the parifh was to give them the facrament next morning, it was his province to attend them to the place of execution, or fome clergy of the town and left them, after I had explained to them the nature of the Lord's Supper, pointing out the qualifications of a fincere communicant, &c.

About ten o'clock next morning, a meffenger came from the prifoners, faying, they defired I would meet them at the place of execution. I did not at firft feel willing to comply, but begged they would get fome clergyman to go. By and by, another meffenger came to tell me, that not one clergyman in the town would go; that the practice had for fome time been laid afide. After fome deliberation, thefe words came to my mind: "Ready to every good work." This, in fome meafure, bowed my mind, and led me the more freely to engage. Soon after, I heard they were gone. Mr. Horton, of Bentley, my eldeft fon, and I, followed in a poft-chaife to Ruth-Moor. We overtook them about half a mile out of town; the cart ftopped, and the prifoners looked back wifhfully. I got out of the chaife, and into the cart, and fat down by them. I found them, I would hope, in the very frame of the publican, efpecially Francis. Their language, like his, was, "God be merciful!" I converfed with them, and then prayed moft of the way but my place was fo uneafy, that, after I had gone about a mile, I ordered the cart to flop, and stepped into the chaife again. Soon after, we came to the fatal tree. I then got out, and, en

quiring for the therift, was told his deputy was there; to whom I applied, to know how long the prifoners had to live? He courteously replied, there was no time particu larly fixed. Sir, faid I, the prifoners are both of them young, and there are abundance of young people prefent; will you fuffer me to give them a word of exhortation on this melancholy occafion? He anfwered, "With all my heart." I asked what time he would allow me? to which he replied, "Take your own time; your time fhall be mine.” Once more I got up on the cart; but think, Sir, for a moment, what a lituation it was! I ftood with one foot on one coffin, the other upon the other coffin, two dying men, who were to die a fhameful death, by my fide, the fatal tree before me, and thoufands of men and women covering a great part of the heath, fome in carriages, numbers on horfeback, multitudes on foot. It put me in mind of the day of judg

ment.

After I had found a little compofure in weeping, gave out part of that hymn at the end of Sternhold and Hopkins, entitled, "the Lamentation of a Sinner," which was fung to Windfor tune, then prayed, and fixed upon those words as the fubject of difcourfe, "Flee youthful lufts;" took notice what thofe fins are to which young people are prone, why we fhould flee from them, and how? I preached juft an hour. My dear Doctor, would it found like enthusiasm to fay, that an angel from Heaven ftood by me? I will venture to fay more, the Spirit of the Lord helped me, or elfe I could not have fuftained it. I could fay more, but this is enough. I applied to the multitude, then to the prifoners, till the tears flowed from almost every eye. You, Sir, can better imagine than I defcribe what univerfal weeping spread itfelf over the face of the people. There was the utmost decency obferved in every part. There were no tumults or talking, but a folemnity in every countenance highly becoming the occafion. But, oh! could you have feen the prifoners proftrate, it would have been a fcene indeed! it cannot be well expreffed; groans and tears cannot be printed or wrote. I then kneeled down and prayed, then gave my last advice, told them to take time, and concluded with the benediction; then hafted to the carriage with my heart full enough. The prifoners then fpoke: Francis, in particular, fpoke of falvation by grace admirably well. He alfo intreated all to beware of the beginnings of fin, left they should come to a fimilar fate with him and his fellow-fufferer. Soon after, the executioner did his office. You know, Sir, it

is difficult to judge of fuch people's converfion to God; but thefe had fome promifing marks. They are gone. Pray

for me.

Your's most affectionately,

I am, Sir,

April 12, 1766.

D. EDWARDS.

No

ON CHRISTIAN PATIENCE.

[O evidence of the effects of a real principal of religion, appears to me lefs equivocal than the tranquility it produces. Under the fevereft preffure of diftrefs, the chriftian exhibits that calm and genuine fortitude which the world can neither counterfeit nor difturb. There is a reality in the patience which God beftows, a fuperiority, an innate and benign virtue, which allays the tumults of paffion, foftens the afperities of difappointment, and diffuses over the mind a divine and ineffable peace.

This patience of chriftianity is not to be confounded with the filence of one who is ignorant, or the acquiefcence which fprings from defpair. It is removed alike from a proud contempt of trouble, and a tame unmeaning infenfibility to diftrefs. It is fomething real and fubftantial. It is the fober and enlightened grace of the renewed heart. It correfponds with the Scriptures, and derives from that correfpondence the beft evidences of its truth.

Of this heavenly virtue the Holy Spirit is the only fource; and it is produced, under his influence, by the concurrence of fuitable and efficient motives. Amongst these motives, the principle is, a genuine love to the Redeemer. All arguments not immediately drawn from the power, and grace, and unfpeakable love of the Redeemer, are weak and impotent. But let the example and mercy of the Lord Jefus be difplayed; remind the afflicted chriftian of the apostle and High Prieft of his profeffion, and you warm, you animate, you roufe all the affections of his foul; afflictions lose their fting, difeafes their anguilh, and the fainting fufferer rejoices under every forrow, and glories in a conformity to his Lord.

An ardent attachment to a crucified Redeemer, has done more to alleviate distress than all the proud attempts of man, where this grand point has been overlooked. God has determined to glorify his Son Jefus. Take Chrift from the

afflicted believer, and you remove the foundation from the edifice :-it finks with its own weight. If true patience is to be found, it is in the man who has made the Saviour his hope, who has committed into his hands all his concerns, and learns from a fuffering and dying Mafter, to take up his crofs daily, and prefs onwards toward Heaven.

The Redeemer being thus kept in view, other confiderations derive from him an efficacy and importance. The chriftian has been taught the fallacy of all earthly hopes, and has been led to confider afflictions as the infeparable attendants on a fincere piety. When trouble therefore arrives, it is lefs oppreffive, because foreseen. The benefits which it is the means of producing, tend much to alleviate its weight. By afflictions his fanctification is advanced, the reality of his love and devotednefs manifefted, the power of the Saviour, in communicating fupport, is difplayed. In seasons of distress the heart is fubdued, the affections are weaned, the confolations of religion experienced, the vanity of the world difcovered, this ftate rendered burdenfome, the next infinitely to be defired. Here the fufferer learns to contemplate the fhortnefs of time even at its longeft period, and the nearness, the certainty, the matchlef's glories of eternity: nor does he forget that the fevereft trials are light, if eftimated by the punishments he has deferved; and the heaviest afflictions nothing, if compared with the bitter fufferings, the excruciating agony, the inconceiv ably ignominious death, of the Son of God.

Confiderations of this nature, connected with a fincere love to the Redeemer, and deriving from his grace all their virtue, have a direct tendency to promote a truly genuine patience. They tranquilize the mind, and leave upon the fpirits that holy and amiable refignation, that complacency with the Divine Will, that compofure under every trouble, which forms the duty and the ornament of the christian character. The world may promife, pleafure may allure, fin may flatter, and Satan be unwearied in his deceits; but neither the world, nor pleasure, nor fin, nor Satan, can produce that heavenly patience which Chrift can adminifter; and which, when bestowed, their combined and accumula, ted malice can never weaken or destroy,

CLERUS.

GOD'S READINESS TO FORGIVE.

THE fcripture character of God comprehends the perfection of every excellence. It looks every way, varying its afpect according to the character and condition of its object. Against the carelefs and impenitent finner, his inviolable juftice flames with terror, denouncing "indig"nation and wrath, tribulation and anguifh, against every "foul of man that doeth evil." But divine mercy fmiles upon the trembling criminal with language of encouragement, declaring that he is "ready to forgive." Though fin has hardened the hearts of men, and rendered them infenfible to their dangerous condition, as guilty creatures; yet there are fome whofe confciences, touched by the Spirit of God, are alarmed by a view of their innumerable tranfgreffions, and dread the threatened confequences. Such perfons too frequently nourish a fpirit of defpondency, refusing to be comforted. That Holy Spirit alone who wounds the heart, can impart confolation. He has made abundant provifion for this in the fcriptures, whofe divine infpiration is confirmed by the interpofition of miracles, by the accomplishment of prophecy, and especially by the refurrection of Chrift from the dead.

Looking up to the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, let the trembling finner contemplate the evidences which God has given of his readiness to forgive. In the Scriptures, he has not only revealed himself in the endearing character of a fin-pardoning God, but intimates, that fuch is his readiness to forgive, that before fin was committed, he formed the defign of pardoning it. So full was the heart of God with this gracious decree, that he made the earliest revelation of it. As foon as fin was committed; before he drove the first criminals out of paradife, he published his purpose of forgiveness, and has caufed it to be proclaimed through all fucceeding ages to the prefent day. Such is God's readinefs to forgive, that he even urges us to plead with him for the bleffing. "Come now, and let us reafon together, "faith the Lord; though your fins be as fcarlet, they fhall "be as white as fnow; though they be red like crimson, they "fhall be as wool."*" I, even I am he that blotteth out "thy tranfgreffions for mine own fake, and will not remember thy fins. Put me in remembrance; let us plead to

Ifaiah i. 18.