nature and inclination could have any part in their crime and it is greatly more than probable, that of thefe objects, fixty in an hundred, or more, would have been dead in less than two years; that many of them who are now healthy and happy in the houfe, would have been now fuffering in the miferies of future condemnation! To prevent this, as far as you may, and to provide fome relief for fufferers fo truly pitiable, is the benevolent and humane motive, which hath engaged you my worthy Friends and Brethren, the GOVERNORS and PROMOTERS of this defign, to unite your generous efforts, and to join hand and heart in the good cause. And what caufe can more deferve encouragement what charitable inftitution be calculated to do greater good? for this extends itself to the fouls as well as the bodies of our fellowcreatures and as much more noble and excellent as an immortal foul is, than a perishing body; fo much more noble every institution which extends to the welfare of the former, than those which extend only to the welfare of the latter. The great fuccefs this charity hath hitherto met with, abundantly confirms this opinion.. Permit me fincerely to congratulate you on the fuccefs, which hath thus far crown'd your commendable undertaking. If they, who turn one foul to light and to righteoufuefs, caufe joy in heaven, and fhall fhine as the stars for ever and ever ever; what may they reasonably expect, who, mov'd by the jufteft motives, actuated by a fincere love to Chrift, and a true compaffion to their fellow-creatures, are happily inftrumental in the falvation of many fouls, are happily instrumental in faving numbers from that death eternal, which without their kindly affiftance, they could never, humanly speaking, have avoided? And such, we have the utmost reason to hope, will be, already is, the confequence of your charitable provifion for thefe unnappy daughters of woe and distress. I doubt not, it delights your hearts for it muft delight every heart-to behold and obferve the ftriking contraft, when you visit the dwelling and the House of God, where these rejoicing Penitents fhare the bleffings of your mercy. To behold the decent and orderly behaviour of fo many fellow-creatures, late abandoned to every calamity, who of their own free will have fought this retreat, and thus fhew their disapprobation of Vice, by the only method in their power;-to see them cloath'd in health and neatnefs, who but now were languifhing under disease, and covered with foulnefs and filth; to hear the tongues fweetly tuning forth the praises of the Redeemer, which late were hoarfe with oaths, and empoifon'd with lafcivioufnefs; to hear from their mouths earnest prayers and joyful thanksgivings; to see from their eyes the flowing tears of penitence and remorse; remorfe; and to behold in their hands the inftruments of chearful industry and labour ; inftruments of industry in hands, which were wantoning in pernicious indolence, and impelled perhaps to the extremities of theft. To fee these things, muft convince you of the great utility of your defign, and chear you with this comfortable reflection, “that already you reap fome fruits of your beneficence." May those fruits be increafed ten-fold here and hereafter ! Nothing great and good can be carried on without fome oppofition: nothing great and good was ever attempted in any age, but malevolence would find fomething to object, and Envy, with her jaundic'd eyes, would spy out fomething to caluminate and cenfure. But this, fo far from cooling our ardour in honourable purfuits, fhould enkindle and enflame it. And I am perfuaded, that you, Gentlemen, have too much fortitude and true elevation of heart to be moved from any good purpose, by the weak founding of caluminous breath. In truth human works are fo imperfect, and the very beft inftitutions fo liable to fome defects and abuses, that nothing can be attempted or proposed, wherein fome evil may not probably mix itself with much good and whoever fhould refuse to enter upon any excellent work, till every poffible objection was removed, would hang in the hesitancy of doubt all the days of : his his life, and wafte useful time and talents in fruitless enquiries and empty speculations. We muft advance to action with all reasonable precaution; proceed with all imaginable activity and care; and obviate with all wifdom and fagacity every objection, which experience may find prejudicial to the progrefs of the purposed inftitution. The objections indeed raised against this undertaking have been, and are fo flight and infignificant, that they deserve not to be mentioned. Its utility and present great advancement, above all other arguments, anfwer every cavil. And whoever are yet but ill convinced of its advantage, will be far more ftrikingly, far more feelingly convinc'd of it by a fight of the comely order, and decent appearance found in the public worship, at the Chapel of the House (where many have lost their objections, and felt its utility) far more than from any thing I can urge on its behalf. Yet, furely, if any thing be useful; if any thing be excellent; if any thing be praiseworthy; if any thing becomes us as men; if any thing becomes us as members of civil fociety; if any thing becomes us as Chriftians; it is, to fave, from utter and inevitable mifery, the fouls of poor, abandoned, wretched Thefe, however trifling, it hath been thought proper not to pass over entirely; and therefore they are obviated in the Preface, to which the reader is referred. fellow fellow-Chriftians, who have no other refource, no other means of relief: It is to preserve from present and afflictive death, the bodies of many young and perishing fellow-creatures; it is to take from our ftreets, the fhame of our community, the inftruments of fouleft pollution, and most poisonous contagion: it is to restore to the ftate many useless members; and to introduce to health and to induftry, to happiness and to heaven, many, who could otherwise, neither ever have been employed, nor ever restored. Let me not doubt then, that all of you who hear me this day, will readily and chearfully join in the beneficent work, and contribute as much as you can towards the perfection and support of fo ufeful a defign. At leaft, if you mean not to promote, do not injure it, and endeavour to prevent its falutary effects by futile objections. and useless infinuations: For as, beyond all controverfy, the intention of the worthy perfons who have engaged in it, is excellent, and deferving the highest applaufe, as their characters are the most respectable, and, permit me to say, not only an ornament to this noble undertaking, but to this Metropolis alfo, which is itself an ornament, in its public charities efpecially, to human nature, and to Chriftianity; As thefe things are so, every good and generous heart should tenderly confider their motives, and wish well to their defign; and with a candour, which F is |