William Dodd

“ When, in the review of the times which we have past, any offence arises to our thoughts, let us humbly implore forgiveness; and for those faults (and many they are and must be) which we cannot recollect, let us solicit mercy in general petitions. But it must be a constant care, that we pray, not merely with our lips; but that when we lament our sins, we are really humbled in self-abhorance; and that, when we call for mercy, we raise out thoughts to hope and trust in the goodness of God, and the merits of our blessed saviour, Jesus Christ. ”

“ Nothing therefore remains, but that we apply with all our speed, and with all our strength, to rectify our desires, and purify our thoughts; that we set God before us, in all his goodness and terrors; that we consider him as the Father and the Judge of all the earth; as a Father, desireous to save; as a Judge who cannot pardon unrepented iniquity: that we fall down before him self-condemned, and excite in our hearts intense detestation of those crimes, which have provoked him ”

“ I repent that I have attempted to injure my fellow creatures, and I repent that I have brought disgrace upon my order, and discredit upon religion, but my offences against God are without mane or number, and can admit only general confession and a general repentance.———Grant, Almightly God, for the sake of Jesus Christ that my repentance, however late, however imperfect, may not be in vain.
The little good that now remains in my power, is to warn others against those temptations by which I have always sinned against conviction; my principles have never been shaken ”

“ Wean our thought and affections, good Lord, from all the vain and delusive enjoyments of this transitory world, that we may not only with patient resignation submit to the appointed stroke of death, but that our faith and hope may be so elevated that we may conceive a longing desire to be dissolved from these our earthly tabernacles, and to be with Christ, which is far better than all the happiness we can wish for besides! ”

“ Faith is a full and undoubting conscience in the declarations made by God in the holy scriptures; a sincere reception of the doctrines taught by our blessed Saviour, with a firm assurance that he died to take away the sins of the world, and that we have, each of us, a part in the boundless benefits of the universal sacrifice. To this faith we must have recoursed at all times, but particularly if we find ourselves tempted to despair. If thoughts arise in our minds which suggest that we have sinned beyond the hope of pardon, and that therefore it is vain to seek for reconciliation by repentence ”

“ TO the words of dying men regard has always been paid. I am brought hither to suffer death for an act of fraud, which I confess myself guilty with shame, such as my former state of life naturally produces, and I hope with such sorrow as he, to whom the heart is known, will not disregard. ”

“ Salvation is promised to us Christians on the terms of faith, obedience, and repentence. I shall therefore endeavour to shew how, in the short interval between this moment and death, we may exert faith, perform obedience, and excercise repentence, in a manner which our heavenly Father may, in his infinite mercy, vouch safe to accept.
1. Faith is the foundation of all Christian virtue. It is that without which it is impossible to please God. I shall therefore consider, first, how Faith is to be particularly exerted by us in our present state. ”

“ But of the repentance which our conditions requires and admits, no such evidence can appear; for to us many crimes and many virtues are made, impossible by confinement; and the shortness of the time which is before us, gives little power even to ourselves, of distinguishing the effects of (illegible text) from those of conviction; of deciding whether for present sorrow for sin, proceeds from abhorance of guilt, or dread of punishment; whether the violence of our inordinate passions be totally subdued by the fear of God, or only crushed and retrained by the temporary force of present calamity. ”

“ It is the duty of a penitent to repair, so far as he has the power, the injury which he has done. What we can do, is commonly nothing more than to leave the world an example of contrition. On the dreadful day, when the sentence of the law has full force, some will be found to have affected a shameless bravery, or negligent intrepidity. ”

“ We owe to God sincere repentance; we owe to man the appearance of repentance.———We ought not to prop (illegible text) an opinion, that he who lived in wickedness can die with courage. If the sincerity or gaiety with which some men have (illegible text) a life of guilt, were unfeigned, they can be impured only to ignorance or stupidity, or, what is more horrid, to voluntary intoxication: if they were artificial and hypocritical, they were acts of deception, the useless and unprofitable crimes of pride unmortified and obstinacy unsubdued. ”

“ But such promises of salvation are made only to the penitent. It is requisite then that we consider, Thirdly, “How Repentance is to be exercised." Repentance, in the general state of Christian life is such a sorrow for sin as produces a change of manners; and an amendment of life. It is that disposition of mind, which he who stole, steals no more; by which the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness, and doth that which is lawful and right. And to the man thus formed, it is expressly promised, that he shall save his soul alive: Of this repentance the proof ”

“ He therefore who unjustly exposes the courts of judicature to suspicion either of partiality or error, not only does an injury to those who dispence the laws, but diminishes the public confidence in the laws themselves, and shakes the foundation of public tranquility. ”

“ Those duties, which are called social and relative, are for the most part out of our power. We can contribute very little to the general happiness of mankind, while on those whom kindred and friendship have allied to us, we have brought disgrace and sorrow. ”

“ I have constantly believed, and now leave the world, solemmnly avowing my conviction, that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved, than only the name of the Lord Jesus, and I entreat all who are here to join with me in my last petition, that, for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ my sins may be forgiven, and my soul received into his everlasting kingdom. ”

“ Our repentance is like that of other sinners on their death-bed; but with this advantage that our (illegible text) is not greater, and our strength is more. Our abilities are not impaired by weakness of body. ”

“ Of the efficacy of a death-bed repentence many have (illegible text) , but we have no leisure for controversy (illegible text) in your minds this decision Repentence is a change of the heart, of an evil to a good disposition, (illegible text) change is made, repentence is complete. God will consider that life is amended if he had spared it. Repentance in the sight of men, even of the penitent, is not known but by its fruits: but our creator sees the fruit blossom, or the seed. ”

“ As few men suffer for their first offences, and (illegible text) convicts are conscious of more crimes than have been brought within judicial cognizance, it is necessary to enquire how far confession ought to be extended. Peace of mind, or desire of instruction may sometime demand that to the minister, whose counsel is required, a long course of evil life should be discovered but of this every man must determine for himself. To the public, every man, before he departs from life, is obliged to confess those acts which have brought, or may bring unjust suspicion upon others ”

“ Imprisonment is afflictive, and ignominious death is fearful! But let us compare our condition with that which our actions might reasonably have incurred. The robber might died in the act of violence, by lawful resistance. ”

“ It is easier to forgive than to reason right. He that has been injuriously or unnecessarly harassed, has one opportunity more of proving his sincerity, by forgiving the wrong and praying for his enemy. ”

“ And thus shall our legal doom upon earth be changed into a comfortable declaration of mercy in the highest heavens; and all through thy most precious and all-sufficient merits, O blessed Saviour of man ”

“ Whatever good remains in our power we must (illegible text) perform. We must prevent, to the (illegible text) our power, all the evil consequences of our crimes. We must forgive all who have injured us. We must, by fervency of prayer and constancy in meditation, endeavour to repress all worldy passions, and generate in onr minds that love of goodness, and hatred of sin, which may fit us for the society of heavenly minds. And, finally, we must commend and entrust our souls OHIM, who died for the sins of men ”

“ There is yet another crime possible, and, as there is reason to believe, sometimes committed in the last moment, on the margin of eternity.———Men have died with a steadfast denial of crimes, of which it is very difficult to suppose them innocent. ”

“ To rejoice in tortures is the privilege of a martyr; to meet death with intrepridity is the right only of innocence, if in any human being innocence could be found. Of him, whose life is shortened by his crimes, the (illegible text) duties are humility and self abasement. ”

“ The condition, without which forgiveness is (illegible text) to be obtained is that we forgive others. There is always a danger less man, fresh from a trial in which life has been lost:, should remember with resentment and malignity the prosecutor, the witnesses or the judges. ”

“ The man of fraud might have sunk into the grave, while he was enjoying the gain of artifice:———and where then had been our hope? We have now leisure for thought; we have opportunities of instruction; and whatever we sufFer from offended laws, may yet reconcile ourselves to God, who, if we sincerely seek him, will assuredly be found. ”

“ O Almighty Lord God, the righteous JUDGE of all the earth, who in thy providential justice dost frequently inflict severe vengeance upon sinners in this life, that thou mayest, by their sad examples, effectually deter others from committing the like heinous offences ”

“ What must I do to be saved? is the important question< which it becomes every human being to study from the first hour of reason to the last; but which we, many fellow prisoners, ought to consdier with particular diligence and intenseness of meditation. ”