Page:Last and great sermon, of the Rev Dr William Dodd.pdf/11

( 11 ) with unneccessary serverity. In this opinion he is perhaps singular, and, therefore, probably mistaken. But there is no time for disquisition: we must try to find the shortest way to peace. 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.

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. Such is not the proper behaviour for a convicted criminal. 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 duties are humility and self abasement. We owe to God sincere repentance; we owe to man the appearance of repentance.We ought not to prop an opinion, that he who lived in wickedness can die with courage. If the sincerity or gaiety with which some men have a life of guilt, were unfeigned, they can be  only to ignorance or stupidity, or, what is more horrid, to voluntary intoxication: if they were  and hypocritical, they were acts of deception, the useless and unprofitable crimes of pride unmortified and obstinacy unsubdued.

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. By what or reserve they may have reconciled their consciences to falsehood, if their consciences were at all unsuited, it is impossible to know. But if they