CONTENTS. Mr. Brewfter Serm. III. The Nature of Sin, and the Pu- nishment that certainly follows it. Wilfon Serm. IV. Salvation by Jefus Bishop Wilfon Page Bishop 25 Serm. V. On the due Obfervance of the Serm. VI. Fornication forbidden both in the Serm. IX. On the Influence of evil Com- The Convict's Addrefs to his unhappy Brethren 133 Extract from a Difcourfe on the eighth Com- An An Exhortation to Prisoners. From an Office published in the Year 1699 A ferious Exhortation to Criminals confined Advice to Perfons in Confinement how to bear Advice to habitual evil Livers. Bifhop Wilfon 153 160 166 173 Bifhop 178 Extracts from Bishop Wilson's Maxims of Some Confiderations fuited to the Condition The Baptifmal Vow Heads of Self-Examination Private Prayers for the penitent Sinner of 180 - 198 - 202 - 206. - 210 A COM A COMPANION. FOR THE PRISONER. SERMON I. THE SINNER ENCOURAGED TO REPENTANCE ST. MATTHEW, Chap. xxv. Ver. 36. THE office, which I have, at this time, taken upon me, I hope, prifoners, you will confider as the effect of fincere compaffion towards you, in your prefent unhappy fituation. I am now come in the name of your trueft and beft friends, to declare to you how fincerely we feel for your fufferings; how defirous we are to contribute Preached by the Rev. SAMUEL GLASSE, D.D. on Sunday, September 28, 1794, at the Opening of the Chapel of the New Houfe of Correction for the County of Mid. alefex. towards rendering them fupportable; and how earnestly we wifh you, during your feparation from the world, to "confider the things which "belong to your peace." It is not my business, on this occafion, to draw the line of diftinction between the different crimes and circumftances which have brought you hither. You are certainly here under very different defcriptions; fome having been convicted of very heinous offences; others in a ftate of punishment for flighter tranfgreffions; whilft a third clafs confifts of perfons only fufpected for the prefent, and waiting the event of a trial, which will either demonftrate their innocence, or confirm their guilt. Your own confciences do either accufe or excufe you, in proportion to the weight of guilt which lieth upon them. In the eye of Heaven we have all acknowledged this day, and are ready at all times to confefs, that we are miferable offenders: it is not, therefore, from any presumptuous conceit, that themselves are without fin, when the minifters of GoD ftand forth to difcharge that important duty, which they have received authority and commandment to perform, namely, to admonish, to reprove, and to exhort, as occafion fhall be given them; when they cry 66 aloud, and lift up their voice like a trumpet," to "fhew" the ungodly" their tranfgreffions," and the enemies to religion and virtue, as well as to the peace of fociety, their finful and dangerous ftate. With very few exceptions, then, I have a, right to affume, that you here prefent your felves before us, as thofe who have tranfgreffed both the laws of GoD and of your country: and my business is to fhew you the mischief and the mifery, and confequently the extreme folly, of wilful difobedience. Your own fad experience of the effects of irreligion upon your minds, has long fince convinced you of the truth of what an infpired writer has declared, that "the fear of the LORD, that is wifdom, "and" that "to abftain" or "depart from evil, " is understanding." You need not be told, on divine authority, that "the wicked are like the "troubled fea,,, when it cannot reft;" and you need only have recourfe to your own hearts to know, that THERE IS NO PEACE TO THE 66 WICKED." You will be thankful, therefore, to those who fhall endeavour to reftore to your minds that PEACE to which you have been ftrangers, fince you have engaged in the fervice of fin. The cup of intemperance may for a time have drowned reflection; a momentary gratification of the fenfes may have banished care; the encouragement of evil companions. may have given you a little confidence; and perhaps fome fuccefs in the article of plunder, may have enabled you for a while to rife above the fufferings of extreme neceffity; and you may have been tempted to fancy, that the life of a libertine is not without its pleasures and advantages, whilft it lafts, though it may B 2 be |