If，seeingnobodyinthehouse，I
　　hadtakenanyofthemupinmyhanditcouldnotbeconcluded
　　thatIintendedtostealthem，forthatInevercarriedthem
　　fartherthanthedoortolookonthemwiththebetterlight。
　　TheCourtwouldnotallowthatbyanymeans，andmadea
　　kindofajestofmyintendingtobuythegoods，thatbeingno
　　shopforthesellingofanything，andastocarryingthemtothe
　　doortolookatthem，themaidsmadetheirimpudentmocks
　　uponthat，andspenttheirwituponitverymuch；toldthe
　　CourtIhadlookedatthemsufficiently，andapprovedthem
　　verywell，forIhadpackedthemupundermyclothes，and
　　wasa-goingwiththem。
　　Inshort，Iwasfoundguiltyoffelony，butacquittedofthe
　　burglary，whichwasbutsmallcomforttome，thefirstbringing
　　metoasentenceofdeath，andthelastwouldhavedoneno
　　more。
　　ThenextdayIwascarrieddowntoreceivethedreadful
　　sentence，andwhentheycametoaskmewhatIhadtosay
　　whysentenceshouldnotpass，Istoodmuteawhile，but
　　somebodythatstoodbehindmepromptedmealoudtospeak
　　tothejudges，forthattheycouldrepresentthingsfavourably
　　forme。
　　Thisencouragedmetospeak，andItoldthemIhad
　　nothingtosaytostopthesentence，butthatIhadmuchtosay
　　tobespeakthemercyoftheCourt；thatIhopedtheywould
　　allowsomethinginsuchacaseforthecircumstancesofit；
　　thatIhadbrokennodoors，hadcarriednothingoff；that
　　nobodyhadlostanything；thatthepersonwhosegoodsthey
　　werewaspleasedtosayhedesiredmercymightbeshown
　　whichindeedheveryhonestlydid；that，attheworst，itwas
　　thefirstoffence，andthatIhadneverbeenbeforeanycourt
　　ofjusticebefore；and，inaword，Ispokewithmorecourage
　　thatIthoughtIcouldhavedone，andinsuchamovingtone，
　　andthoughwithtears，yetnotsomanytearsastoobstructmy
　　speech，thatIcouldseeitmovedotherstotearsthatheardme。
　　Thejudgessatgraveandmute，gavemeaneasyhearing，and
　　timetosayallthatIwould，but，sayingneitherYesnorNoto
　　it，pronouncedthesentenceofdeathuponme，asentencethat
　　wastomelikedeathitself，which，afteritwasread，confounded
　　me。
　　Ihadnomorespiritleftinme，Ihadnotonguetospeak，
　　oreyestolookupeithertoGodorman。
　　Mypoorgovernesswasutterlydisconsolate，andshethatwas
　　mycomforterbefore，wantedcomfortnowherself；andsometimes
　　mourning，sometimesraging，wasasmuchoutofherself，asto
　　alloutwardappearance，asanymadwomaninBedlam。
　　Nor
　　wassheonlydisconsolateastome，butshewasstruckwith
　　horroratthesenseofherownwickedlife，andbegantolook
　　backuponitwithatastequitedifferentfrommine，forshe
　　waspenitenttothehighestdegreeforhersins，aswellas
　　sorrowfulforthemisfortune。
　　Shesentforaminister，too，a
　　serious，pious，goodman，andappliedherselfwithsuch
　　earnestness，byhisassistance，totheworkofasincererepentance，
　　thatIbelieve，andsodidtheministertoo，thatshewasatrue
　　penitent；and，whichisstillmore，shewasnotonlysoforthe
　　occasion，andatthatjuncture，butshecontinuedso，asIwas
　　informed，tothedayofherdeath。
　　Itisrathertobethoughtofthanexpressedwhatwasnowmy
　　condition。
　　Ihadnothingbeforemebutpresentdeath；andas
　　Ihadnofriendstoassistme，ortostirforme，Iexpected
　　nothingbuttofindmynameinthedeadwarrant，whichwas
　　tocomedownfortheexecution，theFridayafterwards，offive
　　moreandmyself。
　　Inthemeantimemypoordistressedgovernesssentmea
　　minister，whoatherrequestfirst，andatmyownafterwards，
　　cametovisitme。
　　Heexhortedmeseriouslytorepentofall
　　mysins，andtodallynolongerwithmysoul；notflattering
　　myselfwithhopesoflife，which，hesaid，hewasinformed
　　therewasnoroomtoexpect，butunfeignedlytolookupto
　　Godwithmywholesoul，andtocryforpardoninthename
　　ofJesusChrist。
　　Hebackedhisdiscourseswithproperquotations
　　ofScripture，encouragingthegreatestsinnertorepent，andturn
　　fromtheirevilway，andwhenhehaddone，hekneeleddown
　　andprayedwithme。
　　Itwasnowthat，forthefirsttime，Ifeltanyrealsignsof
　　repentance。
　　Inowbegantolookbackuponmypastlifewith
　　abhorrence，andhavingakindofviewintotheothersideof
　　time，andthingsoflife，asIbelievetheydowitheverybody
　　atsuchatime，begantolookwithadifferentaspect，andquite
　　anothershape，thantheydidbefore。
　　Thegreatestandbest
　　things，theviewsoffelicity，thejoy，thegriefsoflife，were
　　quiteotherthings；andIhadnothinginmythoughtsbutwhat
　　wassoinfinitelysuperiortowhatIhadknowninlife，thatit
　　appearedtometobethegreateststupidityinnaturetolay
　　anyweightuponanything，thoughthemostvaluableinthis
　　world。
　　Thewordeternityrepresenteditselfwithallitsincomprehensible
　　additions，andIhadsuchextendednotionsofit，thatIknow
　　nothowtoexpressthem。
　　Amongtherest，howvile，howgross，
　　howabsurddideverypleasantthinglook！——Imean，thatwe
　　hadcountedpleasantbefore——especiallywhenIreflectedthat
　　thesesordidtrifleswerethethingsforwhichweforfeited
　　eternalfelicity。
　　Withthesereflectionscame，ofmerecourse，severereproaches
　　ofmyownmindformywretchedbehaviourinmypastlife；
　　thatIhadforfeitedallhopeofanyhappinessintheeternity
　　thatIwasjustgoingtoenterinto，andonthecontrarywas
　　entitledtoallthatwasmiserable，orhadbeenconceivedof
　　misery；andallthiswiththefrightfuladditionofitsbeing
　　alsoeternal。
　　Iamnotcapableofreadinglecturesofinstructiontoanybody，
　　butIrelatethisintheverymannerinwhichthingsthen
　　appearedtome，asfarasIamable，butinfinitelyshortofthe
　　livelyimpressionswhichtheymadeonmysoulatthattime；
　　indeed，thoseimpressionsarenottobeexplainedbywords，
　　oriftheyare，Iamnotmistressofwordsenoughtoexpress
　　them。
　　Itmustbetheworkofeverysoberreadertomakejust
　　reflectionsonthem，astheirowncircumstancesmaydirect；
　　and，withoutquestion，thisiswhateveryoneatsometimeor
　　othermayfeelsomethingof；Imean，aclearersightintothings
　　tocomethantheyhadhere，andadarkviewoftheirown
　　concerninthem。
　　ButIgobacktomyowncase。
　　Theministerpressedmeto
　　tellhim，asfarasIthoughconvenient，inwhatstateIfound
　　myselfastothesightIhadofthingsbeyondlife。
　　Hetoldme
　　hedidnotcomeasordinaryoftheplace，whosebusinessit
　　istoextortconfessionsfromprisoners，forprivateends，or
　　forthefurtherdetectingofotheroffenders；thathisbusiness
　　wastomovemetosuchfreedomofdiscourseasmightserve
　　todisburthenmyownmind，andfurnishhimtoadminister
　　comforttomeasfaraswasinhispower；andassuredme，
　　thatwhateverIsaidtohimshouldremainwithhim，andbe
　　asmuchasecretasifitwasknownonlytoGodandmyself；
　　andthathedesiredtoknownothingofme，butasaboveto
　　qualifyhimtoapplyproperadviceandassistancetome，and
　　topraytoGodforme。
　　Thishonest，friendlywayoftreatingmeunlockedallthe
　　sluicesofmypassions。
　　Hebrokeintomyverysoulbyit；and
　　Iunravelledallthewickednessofmylifetohim。Inaword，I
　　gavehimanabridgmentofthiswholehistory；Igavehima
　　pictureofmyconductforfiftyyearsinminiature。
　　Ihidnothingfromhim，andheinreturnexhortedmetosincere
　　repentance，explainedtomewhathemeantbyrepentance，and
　　thendrewoutsuchaschemeofinfinitemercy，proclaimed
　　fromheaventosinnersofthegreatestmagnitude，thatheleft
　　menothingtosay，thatlookedlikedespair，ordoubtingof
　　beingaccepted；andinthisconditionheleftmethefirstnight。
　　Hevisitedmeagainthenextmorning，andwentonwithhis
　　methodofexplainingthetermsofdivinemercy，which
　　accordingtohimconsistedofnothingmore，ormoredifficult，
　　thanthatofbeingsincerelydesirousofit，andwillingtoaccept
　　it；onlyasincereregretfor，andhatredof，thosethingsIhad
　　done，whichrenderedmesojustanobjectofdivinevengeance。
　　Iamnotabletorepeattheexcellentdiscoursesofthis
　　extraordinaryman；’tisallthatIamabletodo，tosaythathe
　　revivedmyheart，andbroughtmeintosuchaconditionthat
　　Ineverknewanythingofinmylifebefore。
　　Iwascovered
　　withshameandtearsforthingspast，andyethadatthesame
　　timeasecretsurprisingjoyattheprospectofbeingatrue
　　penitent，andobtainingthecomfortofapenitent——Imean，the
　　hopeofbeingforgiven；andsoswiftdidthoughtscirculate，
　　andsohighdidtheimpressionstheyhadmadeuponmerun，
　　thatIthoughtIcouldfreelyhavegoneoutthatminuteto
　　execution，withoutanyuneasinessatall，castingmysoul
　　entirelyintothearmsofinfinitemercyasapenitent。
　　Thegoodgentlemanwassomovedalsoinmybehalfwitha
　　viewoftheinfluencewhichhesawthesethingshadonme，
　　thatheblessedGodhehadcometovisitme，andresolvednot
　　toleavemetillthelastmoment；thatis，nottoleavevisitingme。
　　Itwasnolessthantwelvedaysafterourreceivingsentence
　　beforeanywereorderedforexecution，andthenupona
　　Wednesdaythedeadwarrant，astheycallit，camedown，and
　　Ifoundmynamewasamongthem。
　　Aterribleblowthiswas
　　tomynewresolutions；indeedmyheartsankwithinme，and
　　Iswoonedawaytwice，oneafteranother，butspokenotaword。
　　Thegoodministerwassorelyafflictedforme，anddidwhathe
　　couldtocomfortmewiththesamearguments，andthesame
　　movingeloquencethathedidbefore，andleftmenotthat
　　eveningsolongastheprisonkeeperswouldsufferhimtostay
　　intheprison，unlesshewouldbelockedupwithmeallnight，
　　whichhewasnotwillingtobe。
　　IwonderedmuchthatIdidnotseehimallthenextday，it
　　beingthedaybeforethetimeappointedforexecution；andI
　　wasgreatlydiscouraged，anddejectedinmymind，andindeed
　　almostsankforwantofthecomfortwhichhehadsooften，
　　andwithsuchsuccess，yieldedmeonhisformervisits。