BUT this Malefactor, as he appear'd to Read the best of those under Condemnation, frequently affirm'd to me that he excited 'em constantly to rise and worship God; sometimes reading the Scriptures, at other times the Prayers of the Church, or those contained in other Religious Books; taking only so much sleep, as Nature required, and then rising again, to pursue their Devotions, that they might not be accounted slack in the sight of God, or negligent in a Matter of the greatest Moment to them.

A SHORT time before the Execution of this Prisoner, I endeavoured to instruct him from the following Words,

Ho! every One that thirsteth, Come ye to the Waters; and he that hath no Money, come ye, buy and eat, yea come, buy Wine and Milk, without Money and without Price. Isa. 55. Chap. Ver. 1st.

FROM the Words, we endeavoured in the first Place, to consider, the Invitation, That it was made by no less that the Soveraign Monarch of Heaven and Earth, by the Mouth of his Holy Prophet, the God of Heaven vouchsafing so much to regard frail Mankind, as to stoop down from his Mansions of Happiness, to request and call upon the Sons of Men, to accept of Crowns of Glory, and Immortality, eternal Life. So that whosoever slights God and Christ, now inviting them to be Happy, must call themselves Ungrateful now, nor can ask Pity for their Souls hereafter, when placed before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ; tho' our Saviour in the Parable, says, that some, being excluded from eternal Happiness, shall knock at the Door, and say Lord, Lord, open to us, adding farther, we have eaten and drank in thy Presence, and thou hast taught in our Streets. Luke 13. 29, &c.

SECONDLY, We consider'd the unlimitedness of the Invitation, every One that thinketh, come ye to the Waters, &c. So that he, and every Sinner, how long, or how greatly soever they had offended, were not excluded from the Mercies of God; as the Prophet saith, If their Sins were of Scarlet, they should become white as Snow; if red as Crimson, they should be as Wool. Wherefore, as Presumption must be displeasing to the Creator, whose Justice is infinite as well as his Mercy; so Dispair must be an Affront to God Almighty, who has sworn by himself, as Ilive saith the Lord, I desire not the Death of a Sinner, but that he shoul return from his Sins and be saved. For which it appear'd that we ae not to pretend to open the Door of Heaven to some, and so shut it ainst others, arresting the Almighty Arm of God, and saying (with th Predestinarians) thus far shall his Mercy reach, and here shall his racious Hand be stayed; his Mercy being over all his Works. Wrong therefore do some Persons pretend to blame Providence and the Creator for the badness of their Inclinations, as it is in their deprav'd lispositions, and to refuse the Evil and to chuse the Good. Wherefre, Prisoners especially, and those in Calamity, instead of finding out ain and frivolous Excuses for Ideleness and Sloath,