N00729:242
Pillars of salt. An history of some criminals executed in this land, for capital…
Pillars of salt. An history of some criminals executed in this land, for capital crimes. : With some of their dying speeches; collected and published, for the warning of such as live in destructive courses of ungodliness. : Whereto is added, for the better improvement of this history, a brief discourse about the dreadful justice of God, in punishing of sin, with sin. : [Two lines from Deuteronomy]
printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1699
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
His Prayer. O Lord our Good God; thou art a Merciful God, and a Gracious and Loving Father; ⟨p. 95⟩Alas, that thou shouldest Nourish up Children that have Rebelled against Thee! O Lord, I must confess, thou gavest me opportunity to read thy Written Word; Thou art also my Creator and Preserver; but, Lord, I have not done according to the Offers of thy Grace; thou hast not hid from me the opportunities of the Good Things & Liberties of thy House and Ordinances, but I have waxed wanton under the Enjoyment of them. I have given thee just cause to provoke thee to Anger, and thou hast left me to Shame, not only on my self, but on my Relations. O Lord God I do confess that I have sinned against thee, & done all these Iniquities against Thee, and before thine eyes. Lord, I have sinned especially against thee; pardon my Sins of Youth; Lord, pardon this bloody Sin I stand here Guilty of. O Lord, hide not thy face from me; I humbly beg it of thee: for there is no man can Redeem his Brothers Soul, but only the Blood of Jesus Christ must do it. Let it be sufficient to satisfy for my poor Soul. I have not done any thing that thou shouldest be pleased to show me thy Love, or that I should have any thing from thee, but only Everlasting Misery. I am unworthy to come to thee; yet Lord, for thy Mercies Sake▪ have pity on me. Now I am coming to Judgment, Lord, let the Arms of thy Mercy Receive my Soul, and let my sin be ⟨p. 96⟩Remitted; Good Lord, let not my sins which Condemn me here in this world, rise up to Condemn me in the World to come; though they have Condemned me in this world, show mercy, Lord, when I come before thy Judgment Seat. It my Soul be not humbled, Lord, humble it; let my Petition be acceptable in Heaven thy Holy Mountain. I am unworthy to come into thy Presence, yet O let me come into thy Kingdom; and deliver my Soul from Blood Guiltiness, in the Blood of Jesus Christ. O let my wounded Soul mourn for my Sin that hath brought me here, Sin brings Ruin to the poor Soul; woe is unto me for mine Iniquity. If I had gone to Prayer in the morning when I committed this Sin, Lord God, thou wouldest have kept back my hands from shedding innocent Blood ▪ O Gracious God, Remember thou me in Mercy; let me be an Object of thy pity and not of thy wrath; the Lord hear me and pardon my sins. Take care of my poor Children.