Page:Last and great sermon, of the Rev Dr William Dodd.pdf/13

( 13 ) 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, who died for the sins of men; with earnest wishes and humble hopes, that he will admit us with the labourers who entered the vineyard at the last , and associate us with the thief whom he pardoned on the cross!

To this great end, you will not refuse to unite with me, on bended knees, and with humbled hearts, in fervent prayer to the throne of grace! May the Father of Mercy hear our supplications, and have compassion upon us!

“O Almighty Lord God, the righteous 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; and that they themselves, truly repenting of their faults, may escape the condemnation of :look down in mercy upon us, thy sorrowful servants, whom thou hast suffered to become the unhappy objects of offended justice in this world!

“Give us a thorough sense of all those evil thoughts, words and works, which have so provoked thy patience, that thou hast been pleased to permit this public and shameful judgement to fall upon us; and grant such a portion of grace and godly sincerity, that we may heartily confess, and unfeignedly repent of every breach of those most holy laws and ordinances, which, if a man do, he shall live in them.

" no root of bitteness and malice, no habitual and deadly sin, either omission or , remain disturbed in our hearts! But enable us to make our repentance universal, without the least flattering or