To make them the more prepared for the solemn Observation of the Lord?s day: On which he preacht on the 17th of the Acts of the Apostles, Ver 30, 31. The times of this ignorance God winked at: But now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because be hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom be bath ordained; whereof be hath given assurance to all men, in that be bath raised him from the dead.

The Ordinary read Prayers, and preached twice on this Text, observing some of them to be very attentive, and seemingly much affected with both his discourses.

In the Morning Sermon he acquainted them, that the first Clause of that Verse had been much perverted, to an extenuation of Sins of Ignorance, from the mistaking of the Phrase, God winked at the times of Ignorance; but the World in the Original, doth not import any careless Indulgence of Sins of Ignorance, but is a comparative Speech, signifying, that he did not so strictly animadvert, and, for the present, punish the Idolatry of the Athenians, he did not take sudden present punishment to extremity. Sins of Ignorance, under the darker dispensation of the Law, were comparatively overlookt, and passed by of God; but under the clear Revelation of the Gospel, to remain ignorant of God, and of the right way of Salvation, is no excuse not extenuation of such a willful neglect of the means of Grace, and the knowledge of God in Chirst; but rather indulgeth Sloth and Ignorance, is an aggravation of such sins which properly flow from it: The Apostle St. Paul affirms, That if the Gospel be hid from Sinners by a neglect to know their duty, so that they embrace not the terms and conditions of Salvation, such Sinners remaining willfully ignorant, are lost as to any wellgrounded hope of future happiness, and cannot escape the last Judgment of God.

In the Afternoon of the Lords day the Ordinary Proceeded to the remaining parts of the Text, viz That God Now Commands all Men every where to Repent. Which Phrase doth not so properly signifie an Immediate Repentance without Delay, tho this may be Included: But is meant of the present clear, and more Urgent Tenders of Gospel Grace and Salvation by Christ: Whence he observed, that the first Covenant of Works being Broken, did not admit of any Repentance neither could the lapsed Sinner Effect any such frame in himself, so as to satisfie God?s offended Justice, Adams Apostacy, tho it did not blot out the knowledge of the Equity of Repentance, yet it had so disenabled him from working any such Disposition in himself, that he had neither any Capacity nor Encouragement therento, till the drawing of that Gracious Promise (included in the very Doom on the Serpent) That the Seed of the Woman, Christ Jesus Incarnate, by his Meritorious Death and Passion, which was the Bruising only of Heel of Christ?s Humane Nature, should Break the Serpents Head of Subtile malicious Power, against sinful Mankind. This Promise Melted down the Pride of his Heart, and softned the Hardness of it, inviting him to Repentance. Thus no Sorrow for Sin can be accepted without Respect to Christ?s infinite Satisfaction and the Believing Sinners sincere Application thereof.

The Ordinary Refuted all Objections against Repentance, as if that were unsuitable to a Gospel State: then he opened the true Nature of it, wherein it differs from defective legal Sorrow, in all the Evangelical properties of it: Also having Exhorted the Prisoners to obtain it: among many Motives, he made use of such especially as are mentioned in the Text, which would be Tedious to rehearse, and dismist the Condemned Criminals, till Monday in the Forenoon, when he Visited again, and having largely Exhorted and Prayed with them, he desired them to give him some account of their Preparations for a Blessed Eternity. Some refused it with greater Obstinacy, than ever any did for nine Years past, as desperate and hardned in Wickedness, presuming they should be Pardoned, or being bold to venture into Eternal States, without any desire to be Instructed or prepared for it.

These were observed to be greatest Criminals, and the most Obdurate, even rejecting all further counsel, or to give any account now they stood affected with what had before been given with much tenderness and Commiseration

I shall now proceed to give some account of such who Voluntarily offered them selves to be directed by the Ordinary as unto the better clearing up of their fitness for Death and a future Judgment.

First, Richard Maiden< no role > , Condemned for Felony and Burglary, upon the House of the Earl of Notingham, Stealing thence divers parcels of Cloths and other Things of a considerable Value, which were the proper Goods of one Mr. Carpenter, Servant to the said Earl of Notingham The Evidence was full and plain against the Prisoner, tho the endeavoured to evade it This Maiden was Born about 15 Miles from Derby Town: he wrought in Husbandry for a time, afterward entred himself a Servant to Squire Brooks in Oxfordshare , he lived with him of a Year, then falling Sick, when he Recovered, he went into the Service of the Lady Hambleton for halfa Year but leaving her service, he fell into Bad Company, and so came to Rob and commit the Burlary as aforesaid, for which he said he is very Penitent, and for all other Sins which Provoked God to leave him to himself, so as to incur this Infamous Sentence of Death

Second, James Burden< no role > , was Condemned for Stealing nine Yards and an half of Velver from the Lord John oselstone< no role > , the Prisoner confess'd