relief to the repenting finner; it yet adminifters not the leaft encouragement to fin itself; thundering out its threats to the prefumptuous offender; fweetly tendering its divineft comforts to the contrite and felf-abafed Chriftian. This was a point, which human wisdom, and the schools of antient fcience could never arrive at: they knew no means to fave the guilty, yet condemn the guilt they knew no method to preferve at once the honour of the Mercy and of the Justice of the fupreme Ruler of mankind*.

Dr. Young, in his Night-Thoughts, has finely enlarged on this topic :

O'er guilt, (how mountainous!) with out-ftretcht arms,
Stern Juftice, and soft smiling love embrace,
Supporting in full majefty thy throne,
When feem'd its majefty to need fupport,
Or that, or man, inevitably lost.

What but the fathomlefs of thought divine
Cou'd labour fuch expedient from despair,
And rescue both both refcue! both exalt!
O how are both exalted by the deed!
The wond'rous deed! or fhall I call it more?
A wonder in omnipotence itself!

A mystery, no lefs to gods than men!.

Not thus our infidels th’Eternal draw,

A God all o'er, confummate, abfolute,
Full-orb'd, in his whole round of rays complete :
They fet at odds heaven's jarring attributes,
And with one excellence another wound :
Maim heaven's perfection, break its equal beams;
Bid mercy triumph over-God himself;
Undeify'd by their opprobrious praise :

A God ALL mercy, is a God unjust.

• Night 4th, page 92. Thus

Thus we see the religion of Chrift is completely calculated to anfwer the wants of imperfect mortals; to relieve the foul from the preffure of conscious offence; to wipe the tears from the eye of drooping penitence; to awaken the best, and highest hopes in the foul; and to lead from diftrefs, anxiety, and defpair, to comfort and peace, to renewed virtue, gratitude, and God.

II. Can it fail then to fill your fouls, with the moft fenfible joy, when you reflect, that all the comforts of this bleffed religion may be yours: that all the felicities it propofeth are now within the reach of your future good endeavours: that led, by real penitence and faith, to your Saviour and your hope, prefent pardon undoubtedly is yours; future blifs will be yours, as undoubtedly, if you happily prefevere in the good part you have chofen! And we will not be backward to believe, but that the fame right inclinations which induced you to feek this peaceful haven, from the ftorm and tempeft of vice and the world, will, thro' Grace, continue to influence your conduct; and to preferve you stedfast in

*

* It is but difcharging a debt justly due to the good condu& of the women in general, to inform the public, that there appears amongst them every fign of real penitence, which could have been expected: of many, we cou'd fpeak with

the

thofe refolutions, which we doubt not, you will ufe all proper means to ftrengthen; and for which all proper means are in this place provided you.

For only reflect, had not the mercy of God brought you to this manfion, had not his gracious goodness provided a reception and an afylum for you here; whither muft you have fled ; and what refource could you have found from your preffing diftrefs? Loft to Virtue, of confequence, you were loft to reputation; the most humane and beneficent could only behold and commiferate; they had no power to relieve. Loft to Virtue, you were lost to your friends, even to your beft and nearest friends; even to the beloved parents, whofe delight you once were; who, with tender and fleepless anxiety, watch'd over your infant wants; who, perhaps, with daily toil, foften'd by the endearments of parental affection, labour'd to fupply your grow

the highest commendation; and when the circumstances of fome are confidered, who haye unhappily never had the advantages of education;, it will be rather marvellous, that they demean themselves fo well, and improve fo much, than that they should behave otherwife. The judicious and humane, reflecting upon themfelves, and upon human frailty, will never too fuddenly expect perfection in any and till we are fo ourselves, under fuperior advantages, let us not be too hafty in condemning others for the want of it, under advantages, greatly inferior. For proofs of propriety of fentiment, I refer, as upon a former occafion, to the manu fcript papers in the hands of Mr. Dingley.

ing neceffities; and who hung with pleasure, with anxious, bleeding pleasure, over the child of their comfort: little then, oh little fufpected the fad fource of their future mifery! Loft to Virtue, you were lost to yourselves: worst loss of all! loft to reflection, and the knowledge of your fearful danger: loft to your God, and treading, with carelefs terror, on the alarming precipice of utter ruin, and speedy death! And that death, introduction to one eternal, irremediable, that dreadful death must inevitably have been your lot! For where could you have fled to escape it? Who would have pour'd the balm of Chriftian mercy into your bleeding consciences, and raised you to the hope of pardon' and of life? Nay, how could those confciences, amidft the defilements of fin, have admitted it? Whither could you have fled from anguish, and' from woe unutterable; cut off in the very blof fom of your fins ? early facrifices, young unpitied offerings to the remorfelefs grave? And had your forrows ended here, your fate had been lefs to be deplored but alas! this had been but the beginning of forrows †.

and

'Tis too affecting the review: I urge no more: only let your converfation be as becometh this great redemption only labour to fhew yourselves fenfible of the exquifite bleffings:

*For this point, I refer to the Sermon before the Prefi dent, &c. Page 14. 8vo.

† For more on this head, I refer to what I have faid in the “Advice to the Magdalens," at the conclufion.

vouch

vouchfafed you of that unfpeakable goodness of God, which hath reached out the kind hand of prefervation, and received you from the impending destruction; the goodness of that God, who is full of compaffion and mercy, long-fuffering and very pitiful; who forgiveth fins, and faveth in time of affliction. Here, faved from the threatening ftorm, you may look back and contemplate your danger, the more to infpire you with gratitude and praife. And while in fincere contrition, you lament your past misconduct; remember, to elevate your hopes, that free mercy and forgiveness await you, through His divine merits, who came to feek and to fave that which was loft. Happy in the Senfe of which, you will think no time too long, no endeavours too fevere, to teftify the grateful fense you have of these bleffings, to fhew the fincerity of your repentance and faith: All you can do will feem mean and poor, in comparison of the good things you have received. But all you can do, muft be exerted and your best endeavours, however frail, will be graciously accepted by the Lord, whom you ferve the kindness of your noble and generous friends and benefactors will thus be fecured; nay, and perhaps you may thus ferve to keep alive the laft lingerings of fome aged parent's breath; to gain from their pale and trembling lips the bleffing you have forfeited, but must rejoice to obtain: filled with

the