But a gate and hardened. vigilant Attention in Sheriffs and Magiftrates would certainly diminish, if it cannot wholly remove, these Evils ; and furely they would be well rewarded, if they could but be inftrumental in forming a single penitent, and thus deriving upon themselves the bleffing of him that is ready to perish. That fuch Expectations are not wholly chimerical, may be inferred from Mr. Howard's Account of the prifons in Holland. "In moft of the prifons for Criminals, he fays, there are so many 66 rooms, "rooms, that each prisoner "is kept feparate. They ne"ver go out of their rooms: " each has a bed-ftead, ftraw " and coverlid.-Great care "is taken to give them moral "and religious Inftruction, "and reform their manners, for their own and the public good. The Chaplain does not only perform pub"lic worship, but privately "inftructs the prisoners, ca"techizes them every week, "&c. and I am well informed "many of them come out "fober and honeft." * From the fanction of this Example State of the prifons, Sect. 4. Example I may be permitted to obferve, that a reformation in our prisons must depend, in a great measure, on the affiduity and zeal of the Chaplains. It has never been my lot to execute this part of the Clergyman's duty: but it appears to me a very interesting and important Employment. My Brethren of that denomination will pardon me if I repeat what Mr. Howard has fo well expreffed; and as he has informed us, that in England there are few prifons without a Chaplain, so I fincerely hope that they may be all in fact fuch as he here defcribes." A Chaplain should "be "be in principle a chriftian; "one who will not content « himself with officiating in public; but will converfe "with the prifoners; admo"nifh the profligate; exhort "the thoughtlefs; comfort "the fick; and make known "to the condemned that merwhich is revealed in 66 cy, To afford fome useful reflections in folitary confinement, to give hope to the afflicted heart, and to confirm the penitent in his refolutions of amendment, is the Object of the following Sermons. That mode of Inftruction was b State of the prifons, Sect. 3. pre preferred, as giving a better opportunity of perfonally addreffing the criminal, and speaking more forcibly to his hopes and fears. The Subjects, here chofen, are more general than the Author could have wifhed, but if these should be found useful, he may, with the divine bleffing, pursue the plan here described, and treat more particularly of those offences which from their influence on the happiness of Society, are principally cognizable by human laws. If a wifh to promote the welfare of this unhappy portion of my fellow creatures, if adefire of turning many to righteousness, be any apology |