APPENDIX. An ADDRESs to the PRISONER POPULATION of NEW SOUTH WALES and VAN DIEMENS LAND. The Address of James Backhouse and George Washington Suffer, we entreat you, two individuals, who have spent nearly five years, in New South Wales and Van Diemens Land, in labouring to promote the temporal and eternal welfare of their fellowcreatures, without any other motive than that of endeavouring to discharge a Christian duty, to call your attention to the present Address. Seriously peruse it, and reflect upon it; and accept it as their parting expression of sincere concern for your well-being, now that they are about to leave these shores, for other fields of religious labour, into which they believe themselves called of the Most High. During our sojourn in these Colonies, we have felt much for you, who are in bondage; and have often, when opportunity presented, expressed our fervent desire, that you might act as rational men, and as Christians; and we continue to feel for you, under the humiliating circumstances in which you have been placed, through sin. We would therefore entreat you to keep in remembrance, that it was sin which brought you under the punishment you suffer; and that, as sin brings a measure of its own punishment in this world, sometimes in the form of bondage, and always in one form or other, so, if it be not forsaken, it will certainly bring everlasting punishment, in the next. "For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works."* "The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God."t We are far, however, from looking upon you, as being necessarily sinners above all others, because you have so suffered; but we know, that, all men shall perish, who do not repent. Do not by any means deceive yourselves, by imagining, that, because you receive a portion of the punishment of sin, in this world, you will escape the wrath of God in the next. For when the prophet Isaiah pronounced grievous judgments from God, upon the Israelites, because of their sins; he said, “For all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still."§ This was because the people turned not to him that smote them, neither sought the Lord of Hosts.|| None can escape the just judgments of God, without repentance; and none who truly repent can willingly continue in the practice of sin. Sin becomes a grievous burden to the penitent; and if, through unwatchfulness, they at any time fall into it, they are deeply humbled before God, under the sense of their transgression, and they cannot rest, till through renewed repentance and faith in Christ, they know the Lord, again, to lift them up,¶ and give them the evidence, within themselves, of the forgiveness of their sin. John the Baptist said to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, and thus made public profession of their belief in the doctrine of repentance :-"O generation of vipers! Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth, therefore, fruits worthy of repentance; and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our Father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also, the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree, therefore, which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire."** As none, therefore, in that day, might hope to be saved, because they were the children of Abraham, unless they brought forth fruits meet for repentance, and thus did the works of Abraham; so, in this day, none may hope to be saved, • Matthew xvi. 27. Isaiah v. 25-ix. 12, 17, 21-x. 4. + Psalm ix. 16. 17. + Luke xiii. 1, 3. James iv. 10. • Luke iii. 7-9. because they call themselves Christians, unless they bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, and follow Christ.* "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."t Let not any, therefore, who do not forsake their sins, deceive themselves, by supposing that their sins are forgiven, even though they may have confessed them, and had absolution pronounced upon them for God never gave to any man, authority to pronounce absolution upon unrepented-of sin, but he complained of such as assumed it, saying, "From the least of them, even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet, even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely: they have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace." "Therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them, they shall be cast down, saith the Lord :"+ such are but "blind leaders of the blind," who, Christ has said, "shall both fall into the ditch."§ We are aware, that some among you, profess to deny the being of a God, but the unbelief of such, does not make void the faith of those who do believe, or alter the fact of the existence of God: any more than the sun would be blotted from the heavens, by a man shuting his eyes, and saying there was no sun. This would indeed prove the man to be a fool: and it is "the fool who has said in his heart, there is no God."|| Others there are, who assume that they are lost by an eternal decree, being predestinated to destruction, and that it is in vain for them to strive against sin. Thus, in their folly, these charge their destruction upon God, and madly persevere in the service of the devil. But the language of the Most High, to a people who turned to iniquity, in former ages, was, "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in Me is thy help."¶ "Have I any pleasure at all, that the wicked should die? saith the Lord; and not that he should return from his ways and live?”** "The Lord is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."tt Others, again, remain in a sinful course, who yet acknowledge that sin makes them unhappy, and that it is their duty to forsake it; but they say, it is useless • Mark viii. 34. + Prov. xxviii. 13. Jer. vi. 13-15-viii. 10-12. Hosea xiii. 9. for them to try to do better, while they are surrounded by evil example, and by persons who scoff at every thing good. We entreat you to reflect upon these excuses for not turning to God, and for remaining the servants of Satan: they are merely the temptations of Satan, by which he strives to keep you in his service, in order that your portion may be with him, in that awful state of suffering, which shall be the reward of the wicked, in the world to come; and which is compared to a lake, burning with fire and brimstone, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.* These excuses will not avail in the day of judgment; for God is willing to give grace to all who seek to him for it, sufficient to enable them to resist temptation. He "resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble ;" and his "grace is sufficient" for those who trust in him; for his "strength is made perfect" in delivering those who are sensible of their own weakness, and confide in him as their helper. The language of Christ is: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life, freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." "God himself shall be with them, and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain;" for the former things shall have passed away, and God himself shall have made all things new. "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."§ We have no doubt, that on serious reflection, all of you desire peace to your immortal souls, both in this world and in the next. Be wise then, and seek it, where it is to be found. It is not to be found in sin; for "the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt; there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." It is the same Almighty Being, who ordained, that the sun should rise in the east, and set in the west, who has ordained, that there shall be no peace to the wicked; and it would be just as rational, to expect the course of nature to be changed, in accommodation to our wishes, as to expect that peace can be attained, while living in sin. Sin ever will bring trouble, and only trouble; for "there is no peace, saith the Lord, Rev. xxi. 8.-Mark ix. 48. + 1 Peter v. 5. Isaiah lvii. 20, 21, 2 Cor. xii. 9. to the wicked!" May you constantly bear this in remembrance, and that "all unrighteousness is sin."† "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments." "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil.” "The fear of the Lord tendeth to life; and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil."§ Those who fear the Lord, regard his law, both as it is recorded in Holy Scripture, and as it is revealed in their hearts; and they obtain an inheritance in the new covenant of God; the covenant of life and peace, in Jesus Christ: for, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah, [with all who turn unto the Lord.] I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people; and they shall teach no more, every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."|| This "Law of the Lord," is written in the hearts of mankind by the Holy Spirit, or "Holy Ghost, whom," said Christ, "the Father will send in my name; he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."¶ "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." "And when he is come, he will reprove [or convince] the world, of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."** The operation of this Spirit on the mind of man, is continually referred to in the Scriptures, as essential to religion; and it is described under a great variety of similitudes and terms, according to its diversified effects. The work of the Holy Spirit is ever, to enlighten the mind, and to lead man in the paths of righteousness and peace. It is therefore called "Light." things that are reproved," says the Apostle Paul," are made manifest by the Light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light. Wherefore, he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee Light."tt "All Now, have you not all, at times, known sin to be made manifest Isaiah xlviii. 22. Prov. xvi. 6-xix. 23. John xvi. 8, 13. + 1 John v. 17 John xiv. 26. |