to heaven, partly through Christ, and partly through your own good works and pious deeds? Your condition is truly lamentable, for if our Lord Christ speaks the truth, and it is impossible for him to lie, you are at a farther distance from the kingdom of God than the most abandoned characters. "Verily I say unto y u, that publicans and harlots go into the kingdom o God before you." The pharisee that went into the temple to pray, thought that he had many good works to plead before God, which would undoubtedly entitle him to special favour, in which he trusted as his passport to heaven, and after all went down to his house condemned; and I fear at last with the whole of his imaginary virtues descended into hell: but the poor broken-hearted publican, who could not boast of good works, had nothing but sin to confess, and nothing to plead but covenant mercy, yet "he went down to his house justified freely from all things from which he could not have been justified by the law of Moses;" and I am persuaded when he died, his immortal soul ascended to reign with Christ in glory. 3. I cannot conclude, my young christian friends, without addressing a few words to you; and I only regret that my limits will not permit me to say all I intended. I will endeavour to give you much a narrow compass. I begin by saluting you as a class of persons pre-eminently distinguished, by preventing and saving grace-hail, ye highly favoured of the Lord! happy are you that are in such a case! You have mercifully escaped the crimes. and sorrows which have drowned many of your own age in the fearful vortex of destruction. Well might Solomon say, "The way of transgressors is hard." "The fear of the Lord prolongeth days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened." As you profess to be the followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, from you more will be expected than from your brothers and sisters, or fellow-servants, who make no profession of religion but that which appears natural and common to every man. In all your ways, circumstances, and relative situations, remember both by night and day the eye of God is upon you! To your parents, guardians, employers, and masters, never render eyeservice, which is nothing more than to be very diligent and busy when they are looking upon you; yet upon all your actions I hope this memorable motto will be indelibly written, "THOU GOD SEEST ME!" Should this be your happy state, your souls will be possessed with the all-seeing and penetrating presence of Jehovah, your minds with his word, and your hearts fortified with his fear; and when tempted to commit that which is evil, you will stand in awe and sin not, exclaiming, "How in I do this great wickedness, and sin against God! C Do not nect to read the holy scriptures morning and evening. Be much in prayer and praise. Pray that the Lord would grant to you a double portion of his Spirit, in all his illuminating grace and consolation; that he may dwell in your hearts as the Spirit of faith, love, power, adoption, and comfort, bearing witness with your spirits, that you are the children of God. That he would also enable you to examine yourselves in reference to your state and wants, giving you grace to watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation, especially against the sins which do easily beset you. Embrace every opportunity of hearing the gospel, and attending the ordinances of the house of God, particularly on a Lord's day; and BE SURE TO BE IN TIME FOR THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE SERVICE. And if it be in your power, sit under the ministry of those faithful servants of Christ, who are sound experimental achers, not shunning to declare the whole counsel & God, in doctrine, experience, and practice; whose lives and conversation, as well as their ministerial labours, "put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." Finally, never forget there are three exercises, which I hope you will make the study of your lives, and when united in the christian character, make him a blessing to mankind, and an ornament to the church-namely, diligence, fervour, and communion with God-"Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." "If these things be in you, and abound, ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful." And when you fall asleep in Jesus, a triumphant "entrance shall be administered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour." Amen! APPENDIX. "ON Thursday last, JOSIAH PAINE, convicted at the last Kent Assizes of stealing six sheep, the property of E. Relph, at Appledore, was executed at Penenden Heath. "After his conviction, the prisoner conducted himself with great propriety, and evinced much satisfaction at the benevolent and pious attention of the Chaplain, the Rev. Mr. Winter. On Wednesday he had an interview with his mother, three of his brothers, and a sister, and afterwards with his wife and two children. These painful scenes considerably agitated him, and we need not add that his unhappy relatives were also deeply affected. On the morning of Thursday, the Rev. Mr. Heap, a dissenting minister from London, visited the malefactor, at the earnest and particular request of the latter. Shortly after eleven o'clock, PAINE, accompanied by Mr. Heap, received the sacrament from the hands of the Rev. Mr. Winter, and was then conducted to a cell, where the executioner proceeded to perform the necessary awful preparations of pinioning his arms, and tying his wrists. When he first saw the executioner, the criminal seemed to shrink from him, but soon recovered his firmness, and walked to the waggon without any apparent trepidation, Mr. Heap ascended the vehicle with him; and, the procession be arranged, orders were given for its departure. 'Shortly after eleven o'clock, the melancholy procession issued from the portals of the prison. Two young men, brothers of the prisoner, immediately got up to the side of the waggon, and walked all the way to the Heath, conversing with their unhappy relative. They were greatly affected; but the prisoner did not appear particularly moved. On arriving at the fatal spot on Penenden Heath, the waggon drew up in the usual manner in front of the scaffold. The prisoner and his brothers joined the minister in prayer, and sang a hymn, after which the Rev. Mr. Winter ascended and prayed with the prisoner, who continued very collected. Mr. Winter having taken his last farewell of the prisoner, the latter begged of his brothers to enter the waggon, and sing another hymn with him. In this they were joined by the dissenting minister. The hymn consisted of several verses, and commenced with, If God is mine.' The minister then took his final leave of the prisoner, and bade him be of good cheer; 'Remember,' said he,' the publican, and the thief on the cross. To the thief Christ said, as he now says to you, "this day shalt thou be with me in paradise.' The prisoner then kissed his brothers, who were overwhelmed with distress; but he begged of them to bear up, and said, 'I shall meet you again in heaven.' The scene was deeply affecting, and we were much surprised that it had not more apparent effect on the prisoner; but during the whole of the proceeding he did not evince acute feeling. There was nothing of levity in his manner; but it seemed in some degree to border upon indiffer ence. He was not ironed, as has hitherto been customary in such cases, so that he ascended the scaffold without assistance. On the executioner preparing to perform his dreadful office, PAINE said to him, let me have a middling length of rope, and catch me as soon as I fall.' The rop having been adjusted, he addressed the spectators as follows. "Now, my see what sin soberly and in him, and than I am ends, I hope you will take warning by me; you brought me to. Keep out of bad company, live estly, attend the chapels, fear God, and put your trust en you come to die, I hope you will be better prepared this time."" -Extracted from the Maidstone Gazette and Kentish Courier, Tuesday, April 7, 1829. EXECUTION OF JOSIAH PAINE, FOR SHEEP-STEALING. "THIS unfortunate man underwent the awful sentence of the law on Thursday last, at Penenden Heath. From the time of his condemnation to the hour of execution his attention to the welfare of his soul was undivided, with the exception of writing several letters to his friends, which letters were elucidatory of his mis-spent life, the depravity of his heart, and the sinfulness of his conduct, in the sight of an offended God. The Rev. J. Winter, the chaplain at the prison, was unremitting in his endeavours to impress on the mind of the unfortunate man the necessity of a preparation for the great change he was about to undergo from time to eternity. He was very attentive to the Rev. Gentleman's instructions, and likewise to a letter of religious advice which he received from the Rev. Mr. Heap, a dissenting minister in London. The day previous to his execution, he was visited by his wife and two children, his mother, and three of his brothers. The scene wh took place may be better conceived than described. The Rev. Heap visited him the same evening about ten o'clock, accompanied by Mr. Agar, the governor of the prison, and again on the morning of the execution as early as half-past five o'clock. At ten o'clock the Rev. Gentleman and the prisoner partook of the sacrament administered by the chaplain. to "The Rev. Mr. Heap accompanied the criminal in the waggon the place of execution. On leaving the gaol, the unfortunate man's countenance underwent no change; he attentively listened to the observatious of Mr. Heap, occasionally leaning over the waggon to speak to his brothers, who were walking by the side of it; when nearly arrived at the Heath, he commenced singing a hymn, and continued to sing until he reached the scaffold." The remaining account is precisely the same as the foregoing.-See Kentish Gazette, Tuesday, April 7, 1829. Friendly reader! Do not despise seasonable and salutary advice; be assured that disobedience to parents, bad company, idle habits, gambling, theft, lying, swearing, and drunkenness, lead mankind directly to the high road of present and everlasting destruction, namely, to in prisonment, dismal captivity, self-murder, the gallows, and death eternal! London: J. Rider, Printer, 14, Bartholomew Close. |
