this manner Distress my Body when thou seest that is necessary to save my Soul My Flesh is very desirous of ease but my Heart O! My God thro the help of thy Grace is more desirous of Innocence And whatever else I am given up to feel let me not lie harden'd and past feeling in my Sins Spare not the Rod of Discipline towards me when thou seest there is need thereof to make me wise and let me pass tho it be thro present Misery if that alone can keep me in the way to thine eternal Mercy Which Grant O! Almighty and most Gracious Lord that I may here comfortably hope for and at last injoy for our Blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ's sake Amen Our Father c. AN OFFICE FOR PRISONERS FOR DEBT I. Scriptures for Prisoners for Debt Psal. 142. Lev. 19. v. 11. to v. 16. Luk. 12. v. 22. to v. 32. Psal. 130. Deut. 24. v. 10. to v. 16. Chap. 15. v. 7. to v. 12. I. THE Lord executeth judgment for the oppressed the Lord looseth the Prisoners Psal. 146. 7. I have sent forth thy Prisoners out of the Pit wherein is no Water Turn ye to the strong hold ye Prisoners of hope Zech. 9. 11 12. I give thee for a Covenant to the People that thou mayest say to the Prisoners go forth to them that are in darkness shew your selves Isa. 49. 8 9. The Lord heareth the Poor and despiseth not his Prisoners Psal. 69. 33. He satisfieth the longing Soul and filleth the hungry Soul with goodness Such as sit in darkness and the shadow of Death being bound in Affliction and Iron Because they rebelled against the Words of God and contemned the Councel of the most High Therefore he brought down their Heart with Labour they fell and there was none to help Then they cryed unto the Lord in their Trouble and he saved them out of their Distresses He brought them out of Darkness and the shadow of Death and brake their Bands in sunder Psal. 107. 9 10 11 12 13 14. II. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again Psal. 37. 21. Defraud not one another in any matter 1. Thes. 4. 6. For he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no Respect of Persons Col. 3. 25. Render to all their dues Owe no man any thing but to Love one another Rom. 13. 7 8. Have Patience with me and I will pay thee all Mat. 18. 26. III. Forgive us our Debts as we Forgive our debters Mat. 6. 12. A servant was brought unto his Lord who ought him ten Thousand Talents And for as much as he had not to pay he desired Forbearance And the Lord was moved with Compassion and loosed him and forgave him the Debt But the same Servant went out to his fellow servant which ought him an hundred Pence And he would Grant him no Forbearance but laid Hands on him and cast him into Prison till he should pay the Debt Then his Lord called him and said unto him Oh! thou wicked Servant I forgave thee all that Debt because thou desiredst me Shouldest not thou also have had Compassion on thy fellow-Servant even as I had Pity on thee And his Lord was wrath and delivered him to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him So likewise shall my Heavenly Father do also unto you if ye from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses Mat. 18. 24 to 36. To whom much is forgiven the same loveth much Luk. 7. 47. IV. Hath not God chosen the Poor of this World rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that Love him Jam. 2. 5. Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 3. I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Phil. 4. 12. As having nothing and yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. Glory be to the Father c. PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR DEBT I. The General Prayers for Prisoners which the Prisoner for Debt may find for his use in the foregoing OFFICE And For the more particular necessities of imprison'd Debters these Prayers following may be made use of II. Particular Prayers for Prisoners for Debt I. The indebted Prisoners Prayer for clearing the store of his Sins O! Almighty and most Righteous Lord my worst Debts are my Sins which are many and greivous and which are all to be accounted for to thy Justice And who may abide shouldest thou be extreme to mark what we do amiss Much less could I abide who have done amiss extremely and have brought not only the fear of thy future Wrath but my present restraint and sorrows upon mine own Head by my own evil Doings But O! Gracious Lord I am sensible of my wickedness and am truly Contrite and Sorry for my Sins And altho this sense of my Sin and Folly comes too late to prevent this my uncomfortable Restraint and worldly Misery Yet 't is not too late to move thy pardoning Mercy Oh! For Christ's sake strike off these Scores that they may neither sink my Soul nor terrify my Conscience Particularly O! Gracious Father strike off the Score of all those Sins and expensive Vices and of all my unlawful or unwise and self-will'd Projects and of all my impoverishing Neglects or Mismanagements which have drawn all these streights and hardships upon my self and have brought all this dammage and trouble to my Creditors Cleanse me of all the guilt of these Sins Good Lord that my Soul may not hereafter be made a Prisoner or arraigned again for the same at thy dreadful Bar. And when once thou hast blotted out thine account against me I shall the better bear to have mine earthly Creditors exact theirs and patiently endure their Rigors in hopes of thy free Mercy and Forgiveness thro the merits and satisfaction of my Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Our Father c. PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR DEBT II. A Prayer for Mercy from his Creditors O! Father of Mercies move the Hearts of all who have sent me hither and who have it in their Power to set me Free to have pity on me Touch their Humanity and good Nature with a compassionate feeling of what I suffer Let a sight of my necessity pierce their Souls and move their Compassion yea moreover make their consciences Sensible O! Lord how for their own Souls sake they are indispensably obliged to show Charity towards such Debters as are sincerely willing and desirous to pay them what they owe them but cannot do it Shew them that all sinners are Debters and that they are thy Debters as well as I am theirs and that for infinitely greater sums than mine is Yea and that they are no more able to pay thee O! God than I am able to pay them Oh! then that their own Necessity may make them wary and prompt them to
shew Mercy That they may have patience with me till I can raise as much as I am able towards the discharge of their Debt and mercifully forgive the rest when I can raise no more Oh! That they may not be rigorous in exacting the Hundred Pence which I am not able to pay them because then thou declarest that thou likewise wilt exact the many thousand of Talents which they are as unable to pay thee And that thus by mutually shewing Mercy we may all be prepared to receive it at thy hands for thy dear Son our most blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's sake Amen Our Father c. PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR DEBT III. Prayers for an Heart to be Honest to his Creditors I. O! Almighty Lord who lovest Righteousness but hatest Iniquity let me not take up with a Prison as an Art of Defrauding nor chuse to rest thus uncomfortably confined in mine own Person to leave the guilt and curse of ill gotten Goods and of unpaid Debts to my Family Make me willing O! God to do justice to all who are any way concerned with me to the utmost of that worldly estate which I have to dispose of And ready to give every man what I owe him tho' I keep nothing to my self but am left thereby to live upon thy good Providence If want must be my share Oh! Let me want the Conveniences or even the necessaries of Life rather than the innocence thereof And grant good Lord that the place of my wanting may be here in this world where my wants will soon have an end not hereafter in the next world where they will know no end for Jesus Christ's sake Amen II. Enable me O! Blessed Lord if thou pleasest by thy good Providence and put me again into a Condition fully to discharge and clear my Accounts with all my Creditors Let none of them O! My God be losers in the end by me But bless me in my ways that I may have enough wherewithal to satisfy all their just Demands and give me an Heart to pay it out accordingly and that with thankfulness for their Forbearance and without unnecessary delays And dispose them to have patience with me till this can be done And suffer not me in the least to abuse that Patience but make me apply my self diligently to raise it for them as fast as I can and honestly to pay it to them as fast as I can raise it for them But if I am not able to pay them all that I owe them grant them the Heart to forgive me what I cannot pay And since what is thus given to me is given to the Poor look upon it O! Lord as lent to thee and be thou their pay-Master As they very charitably consider my Necessities do thou carefully prevent theirs And whatsoever they abate to me of my Scores do thou make up abundantly to them and theirs by thy good Providence And after they have forgiven me tho I am no longer answerable to them in Law yet make me ever sensible O! God that I still owe the same to them in Equity And give me always the heart to repay whatsoever they Acquit if ever thou shalt put me in a Capacity either by proper Payments or by grateful Offices so to do And by living always in this inward readiness and preparation of Mind to do them all exact justice tho' I can never fully clear my Debts yet by thy Grace I shall clear my Conscience and be fit not only for their Charity but also for thine eternal Mercy thro the merits and mediation of my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR DEBT IV. A Thanksgiving for a Prisoner for Debt on his Release from Prison I. O! Father of Mercies and God of all Consolations the sighings of the Prisoners have come before thee and thou hast graciously heard my Prayer and set my feet at Liberty To thee O! Blessed Lord do I owe this comfortable Freedom which I have now obtained and to thy Boundless and undeserved Mercy will I ever thankfully ascribe it And Oh! That in all my Life and thro the whole course of my Conversation I may ever remember that I am thy Freeman O! That I may always adore and praise thy Goodness for my Deliverance and walk so humbly and thankfully and obediently towards thee as may shew that I am never unmindful that thou gracious God hast given me my Liberty and that I am ever to improve and spend it to thy Glory thro Jesus Christ my Lord Amen II. And Lord let me never lose those good Thoughts and Purposes nor forget those Vows which I made to thee when I was in Trouble Give me a mind suited in all things to my Circumstances and Grace to deny my self and to study to the utmost of my Ability to do justice to all my Creditors Never suffer me to forget their kindness in my Release nor to give them any just Cause to Repent of it Nor do thou ever forget it O! Merciful God but remember it always for their good Keep me thankfully Sensible of all the kindness of my Friends and Neighbours of all who did me any good Offices who shew'd me Countenance or supplyed my Necessity in the days of my Adversity Oh! Do thou make each of them that Requital which I ought to do and keep me always willing and ready to requite them after the best manner I can and when I am able to do no more to pray earnestly to thee that thou wouldest make up for me whatever returns of kindness I fall short in Remember also I humbly intreat thee O! Most merciful Father all those poor Prisoners who are still under their uncomfortable Restraints and in thy good Time do the same for them which in thy Mercy thou hast now done for me Oh! That having felt the same in my self I may ever have a most compassionate Sence and tender Feeling of their Afflictions and may joyfully embrace all opportunities of recommending them to the pity of others especially of those Persons from whose Charity they are to hope for their Release but above all O! Blessed God of Recommending them to thine everlasting Mercy which Grant that both they and I and all thy faithful People may ever earnestly Seek and succesfully Find for the sake of our only Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ AMEN FINIS THE CONTENTS OF THE Office for Prisoners for Crimes I. Directions for Prisoners for CRIMES Chap. I. HOW to Behave and Employ themselves after Commitment and before the Tryal page 1 Chap. II. How to Behave and Employ themselves in order to and at their Tryal p. 12 Chap. III. How to Behave and Employ themselves after Sentence of Gondemnation and at the Time of Execution p. 20 II. Special Directions for Prisoners for Debt p. 27 III. General Directions for Both. p. 33 Scriptures for Prisoners for Crimes p. 44 I. A general Prayer for all Prisoners taken out of the Companion for the Persecuted Particular Prayers for Prisoners for CRIMES I. For deliverance from their Sins and Sorrows p. 55 II. The Prisoners Confession of God's Justice in his sad Circumstances p. 57 III. His Profession of Repentance under the same p. 62 IV. Prayers for Learning Righteousness and Improvement of remaining Moments of Life p. 66 V. Prayers for Acceptance of Repentance tho late and for the sincerity and integrity thereof p. 70 VI. For Respite and longer Time in this world and against the day of Tryal p. 74 EJACULATIONS Ejaculations at his TRYAL p. 78 Ejaculations after his Tryal if Acquitted p. 79 If CONDEMNED p. 80 VII Prayers after Sentence of Condemnation or any time before Execution and at Execution only making the Changes as they are noted in the Margin p. 81 Ejaculations for him at the time of Execution p. 86 VIII A Thanksgiving for deliverance out of Prison whither they had been justly committed for capital Crimes p. 87 Scriptures for Prisoners for Debt p. 93 Particular Prayers for Prisoners for DEBT I. The indebted Prisoners Prayers for clearing the Score of his Sins p. 98 II. A Prayer for Mercy from his Creditors p. 101 III. Prayers for an Heart to be Honest to his Creditors p. 103 IV. A Thanksgiving for a Prisoner for Debt on his Release from Prison p. 107 The End †Isa. 33. 14. 1 Tim. 5. 4 8. Mat. 6. 26. †To indemnify and content my Crediter when foâ— Debt * Or Crimes Psal. 55. 5. Psal. 38. 8. 10. Psal. uâ— 1. †Prov. 11. 6. †Job 4. 8. †Job 15. 16. * Here you may name the sin †Mat. 20. 9. Luk. 23 42 43. †At Execution instead of Sentence say and shameful Death †add this at execution ‡ now for when at execution †Luk. 23. 43. †who am now to for when I at execution †at execution say aâ—â— now †Luk 23. 46 †1. Tim. 1. 15. †Add these at execut †Luke 19. 10. * Luk. 24. 47. †Luk. 23. 43. * Ps. 130. 3. †This when the Debts are Contracted by our own Faults in Luxury or Mispence But if thro innocent Misfortune and mere Hand of Providence instead of brought not only c. say Deserved not only to be made a Prisoner for the same in this uncomfortable Place but to be committed among the lost Angels to Chains of everlasting Darkness till the Terrible Judgment of the great Day * In Case of 〈◊〉 contracted by meer Hand of Providence omit this within the Hooks †Mat. 18. 28 c. †Ps. 45. 7. Ps. 11. 7. †Prov. 19. 17. †Psal. 79. 11. †Heb. 4. 15.
the sincerity and integrity thereof I. THESE good thoughts of Mine O! Most merciful God I know are late Purposes in one drawing towards the end of his Days And Purposes of one affrighted with the near approach of Death who whilst he was at ease and liberty was wont most wretchedly to slight thy Calls and to abuse thy Grace But O! Father accept me tho I return late into thy service and have tarryed till it is the last hour of the day Accept me tho it is the Rod that has given Repentance and Affliction that has made me Wise. Be graciously pleased O! Good Lord with any thing and at any time that shall bring me back to thy Self And despise not my Repentance altho it is the Repentance of a Malefactor in agonies more than thou didst despise that of the Penitent Theif upon the Cross. But make me find that true Repentance is wellcome to thee at all times and that in this world it is never too late to grow Wise nor will ever be in vain to return with our whole heart to thy Service thro Jesus Christ our Lord Amen II. And Oh! Merciful God by the Power of thy Grace make my Repentance True and my Return intire that it may be acceptable in thy sight thro' the Blood of my dearest Lord. What good Purposes I have begun through Fear of this World carry me on to perfect by the considerations of the next world Improve my Horror of Pain into an Hatred of Sin and my Sorrow for the Dangers which I have brought upon my Self into a Godly sense of the dishonor which I have done to thee Oh! Cut me not off from my Sins till thou hast cured me of them and finish'd the Work of Grace upon my poor Soul That I may have all my Punishment in this Life but Peace with thee and Rest after Death in the Joys of Paradice for my dear Saviours sake who died to save Sinners yea to save such capital offenders as I am and as suffer'd with him when he hung upon the Cross between two Theeves Amen Our Father c. PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR CRIMES VI. For Respite and longer Time in this world and against the day of Tryal I. LOrd If it be thy good pleasure spare me a little longer and let me escape that untimely end which my Crimes have deserved I would fain live on some time to make proof of my good purposes and having abused so much time to contract evil Habits I should be most glad and thankful to have a little more to wear them off again Tho I have many worldly Reasons for this Respite yet O! Great and Righteous Judge I desire it not so much upon any other account as of Redeeming my former years of Vice and of growing more Perfect in thy service and of being better fitted than alas I am at present to appear before thy Judgment Seat Hear me O! Lord for thy mercys and thy Dear Son and my only Saviour Jesus Christs sake Amen II. Oh! Thou God of Patience and long-sufferance shew thy accustomed Forbearance unto thy wretched Servant Save me from that Pit of Destructions which I have Digged for my self and from the sentence of Death which I am horribly affraid to hear from the mouth of my earthly Judge But let this deliverance be brought about O! My God only by the wise Ordering of thy good Providence not by any Falshood of mine or other unlawful Arts. I fear Death O! Righteous God But that which makes me most affraid of it is because I have sinned And I Desire to fear sining more than dying O! Therefore gracious Father suffer me not to yeild to any new wickedness tho it be to save my Life Make me diligent in all innocent ways and means for my Preservation and direct me to the wisest But let me resort to none that is ill nor say or do any thing for my own Defence at my Tryal here which will rise up against me and be Matter of Accusation when I come to be tryed again at thy dreadful Bar. And the less care I may seem capable hereby to take of my self the more do thou care for me O! My God And when my Cause comes to be heard so order things by thy Mercy that there may not be a full evidence produced against me and that neither the Judge nor Jury may be disposed to stretch things to my Prejudice that so thy Servant may escape But if in thy Justice thou hast determined to cut me off untimely for this offence Thy Blessed and most Righteous Will be done But then gracious Lord perfect my Repentance before I go hence and for the voice and merits of thy dear Sons most precious Blood pardon my Sins I am more concerned for thy Favor than how to come off here I am content to suffer what thou pleasest in this world so thou wilt let me go off in thy Peace and admit me among the meanest of thy Servants in the world to come for our Lord Jesus-Christs sake Amen Our Father c. EJACULATIONS FOR THE PRISONER FOR CRIMES At his TRYAL LORD Hear the Cry of the Prisoners and Deliver thou those who are appointed unto death Amen Here the cry of my wants for Mercy not of my sins for Justice Amen Help me O! Lord for I have none but thee to look unto My defence lies not in my own Innocence but only in thy meer Mercy and tender Providence Amen EJACULATIONS After his TRYAL if Acquitted LORD thou redeemest me from the Grave and this Acquittal of me is as Life from the Dead Blessed yea for ever blessed be thy most endearing Mercy Amen Lord the Life which here thou hast given me I do most humbly and intirely give back and devote to thee Oh! Accept me and let me have nothing more to do with Sin and Vanity Amen Oh! Let me never forget this inestimable Mercy nor fail to make the best use of this remainder of Life which out of thine abundant Goodness thou hast now lent me Amen If Condemned LORD I meekly receive this Sentence as my just Punishment I have the due reward of my Deeds But as my Sin brings this untimely and shameful Death Oh! Let my true Repentance thro my dear Lord and Saviours Merits secure the forgiveness of my Sins and bring me to everlasting Life Amen PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR CRIMES VII Prayers after Sentence of Condemnation or any time before Execution and at Execution only making the Changes as they are noted in the Margin O! Almighty and most righteous Judge to thee it belongeth to take vengeance and to me to suffer it I must clear thy justice and confess I have my deserts and have none but my Self to blame for this heavy Sentence But now O! Lord when the Sword of vengeance is unsheathed and is come to the stroke do thou stand by me and Comfort me Deal not with me as I have done with thee but tho I have
basely and wretchedly forsaken thee all my Life yet leave me not I humbly intreat thee in my last Hour When the justice of man lays my Blood upon my own Head let thy Mercy O! Blessed Jesu lay thy Blood upon it too to expiate the guilt of mine Let that purge me from all my sins that altho I Dye Stained therewith here I may appear without spot before the Tribunal of my Heavenly Father Amen II. Sweet Jesu Thou disdainedst not to Cast an eye upon the Penitent Thief on the Cross. Oh! Despise not me when I suffer in like case as he did and I hope truly repent me of my sins and fix all my Hopes in thee under my distress as he did in his Thou once hungest upon a Tree thy self for the sins of others Oh! By the Blood of thy Cross Save me who stand justly condemned to suffer the same for mine own sins Save me O! Lord a great wretched but a penitent contrite Sinner In thy merits Do I trust Into thy merciful Hands do I commend my Spirit I Believe that thou O! Lamb of God art the Saviour of sinners Oh! Save me who am Chief among Sinners and rescue my trembling and departing Soul from eternal Misery I Freely and from my Heart forgive all mine Enemies Oh! Do thou in the abundant Riches of thy Mercy forgive me Accept of such recompence as I am able to make to those who have sufferd by me and make up the wrongs which I have done to any and which now I am no longer able to repair Supply all that to them and their Families by thy mercy which they have lost by my wickedness that they may neither be tempted nor burden'd by the loss nor I tormented by the punishment accruing thereby Give me strength O! Almighty and most merciful Lord under my last Agonies Help me to bear all patiently and to resign my self holy to thy Mercy Let the example of my Fall be a warning to others that the prevention of their Crimes may make some reparation for the greivous Scandal which I have given by mine And tho I tast thy Justice in my ignominious Death yet O! Gracious Father let me find the sweetness of thy mercy after it for my dearest Lord and Saviour Jesus Christs sake Amen III. Lord save me for I flee unto thee for safety Save me or else I perish everlastingly Save me a wretched Sinner O! Jesu thou Saviour of Sinners I have been a lost Sinner but thou Camest to seek and save that which was lost And after all my woful and wretched course of Sins my own most deserved afflictions and thy most undeserved Grace I hope have brought me now at last to true Repentance and thou hast Order'd Repentance and remission of Sins to be Preach'd to all Sinners Oh! Save me a penitent Sinner and as thou didst with The Theif upon the Cross receive and comfort me in this may last Hour Amen Our Father c. EJACULATIONS For him at the time of Execution INTO thy Hands O! Lord I commend my Spirit Amen I return thee a Spirit alass loaded with Sins But wash'd I humbly hope with the tears and sorrows of true Repentance Lord graciously accept my Repentance and pardon my Sins for the Merits of that most Precious Blood which was shed to wash away the sins of all truly and penitent Sinners Amen PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR CRIMES VIII A Thanksgiving for deliverance out of Prison whither they had been justly committed for capital Crimes I. O! Almighty Lord who art the blessed Author of all Life Happiness with a most thankful Heart I humbly adore and praise thy Mercy which hath now lent me my life anew and rescued me out of the jaws of Death My Sins had set a snare for my own Life and I had digged a pit for mine own Soul Yea my ungodly ways had most heinously injured thee at the same time they threaten'd to destroy my self And yet neither my own madness in seeking misery nor the resentment of the greivous wrongs thereby done to thee could put by thy Love O! Father of Mercies and God of all Comforts from shewing mercy unto me I called out to thee and was holpen I put my Trust in thee and was not confounded I sought thee earnestly and thou wast found of me The snare is broken and I am delivered The Pit is cover'd and to the glory of thy free Mercy and tendeâ— Care of me I have happily escaped For which all praise anâ— thanks be ever ascribed to theâ— thro Jesus Christ my Lord. Ameâ— II. And Lord keep the memory of this surpassing Mercy always fresh upon my Spirit and let me ever be praising thee for the same with joyful Lips Never suffer me to forget the vows which I made in my distress but let my whole life be one acceptable Sacrifice to thee my Redeemer and make all my actions to shew forth thy Praise When I was in Trouble O! Blessed Lord it was not so much out of the love of Life as out of the love of innocence that I desire to be Respited Oh! Grant me Grace now to employ my Life as I then designed to do and to make good now what I did then pretend Fix me unalterable in all the ways of Godliness which I have begun Preserve me from Repeating any of my former wickednesses especially this Great one which was so like to bring down vengeance on my Head for all the Rest. Tho I am cleared thereof before men yet I know O! Righteous Lord that I shall ever stand Guilty of it before thee unless I shew true amendment of the same and make Restitution for all the wrongs done to any thereby in the best sort I can Oh! Keep me ever ready to do that fully whatever it cost me and carefully to slip no opportunities of doing the same And make me so watchful to spend all the remainder of my Days in all holy and Thankful obedience that I may not only have the Purposes and Promises of Repentance which alas was a great part of what I had to shew before but the Proofs thereof to produce and to comfort my heart withal on any new Alarm And then O! Gracious God when thou shalt bring me to fear Death a second Time thy blessed will be done and by thy Grace I shall be able and in condition to bid it welcome thro the merits of my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen III. Once more Blessed yea for ever Blessed be thy Great and Glorious Name O! Almighty Father for bringing me into this Distress as well as for bringing me out of it I reverence thy Justice for bringing it upon me But at the same time I most thankfully own thy Mercy which when all other ways sailed would order this to reduce me to thy Self and to make me break off my wicked Courses And ever deal with me O! blessed Lord and Saviour in
height of his sanctuary from Heaven did he behold the earth To hear the groaning of the Prisoner To loose those that are appointed to death Psalm 102. 19 20. III. If our heart condemn us not God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things 1 Jo. 3. 20. The Law is not made for a Righteous man but for the Lawless and Disobedient for the Ungodly and for Sinners for Unholy and Prophane for Murderers of Fathers and Murderers of Mothers for Man-Slayers For Whore-mongers for them that Defile themselves with Mankind for Men-Stealers for Lyars for Perjured Persons and if there be any other Thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine 1 Tim. 1. 9 10. Without are Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever Loveth and maketh a Lye Rev. 22. 15. Know ye not that the Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God Such were some of you But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. The Lord hath sent me to Proclaim Liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound Isa. 61. 2. They that be whole have no need of the Physitian but the sick I came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance Mar. 2. 17. If the wicked restore the Pledge give again that he had robbed walk in the Statutes of Life without committing iniquity he shall surely live he shall not die Ezek. 33. 15. Zacheus stood and said unto the Lord behold The half of my Goods I give to the Poor And if I have taken any thing from any Man by False Accusation I restore him fourfold Luk. 19. 8. Father I have Sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son Luke 15. 18 19. God be merciful unto me a Sinner Luke 18. 13. PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR CRIMES I. A general Prayer for all Prisoners taken out of the Companion for the Persecuted pag. 135. O! Almighty and Everlasting God thou seest the Streights and Sorrows which I endure in this Place and how unable I am to help my self or to bring about my own Deliverance But the less Hope and Support I have in my self the more I look up unto thee and place my Trust in thy Mercy And when my own Care can avail the least let thine O! Thou blessed Helper of the Helpless appear the most for me Give me a Body O! My God fit to bear the Inconveniences of this close Place and Grace to be content therewith whilst I lye up here let me not want necessary Provisions nor repine at the meaness thereof Suit the Lowness of my Desires to the hardship of my Circumstances let the greatness of my Study and Care be to do Justice and shew temperance and selfdenials not to please my self or to gratify my own Carnal Ease and Appetites Whilst I am here kept a part from my former acquaintance Grant O! Lord that I may carefully retire into my self and call my own ways to remembrance And Oh! That I may amend whatsoever is amiss there and set all so streight with thee that I may delight to look into my own Heart and to search out my own Spirit Lord Now thou hast left me nothing else to do make me apply my self to the one thing necessary To grow in Holy Reverence and Devotion of Spirit in the Study of dealing justly and fairly with all who are any way Concerned with me in Humility and Mortified Affections in Patience and Contentedness Oh! Plant and fill my Soul with all Heavenly Virtues and make bright all the cloudy and dark parts thereof with the Rays of thy Divine Image And then O! My God I shall see something of thee as oft as I look into my self and learn to be pleased with my own Company though others are kept from me And in whatsoever want I am of other Comforts Grant O! Father of Mercies that both here and ever hereafter I may have the Comfort of thy Presence When all else are taken from me do not thou forsake me Though I dwell in a disconsolate Room let thy Spirit dwell with me Let thy Law at all times direct me and let the Sense of thy Love Comfort me And after thou hast graciously improved this Melancholy Restraint to wean me from vain and carnal delights to set my Soul free in thy good time O! My refuge and strength deliver me out of this Prison and set my Body too at liberty for my dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's sake Amen And for the more Particular Necessities OF Imprison'd Criminals They may use these Prayers following A Particular Prayer FOR PRISONERS for CRIMES I. For deliverance from his Sins and Sorrows O! Blessed Lord who art the comforter of all sad and sin-sick Souls comfort me I humbly intreat thee in this height of my Fears and Sorrows But first convert me and then comfort me I am over-laden with Sins which overload me with Sorrows And do thou O God rid me of my Sins that I may get rid of my Sorrows Nay rid me of my Sins tho for my just Punishment in this World thou leavest me under my Sorrows Whatever befal my Body for just Punishment of my greivous Crime for which I am here in Custody let true Repentance set my Soul safe and secure it of thy everlasting Mercy for the Merits of thy dear Son and of my sweetest Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Our Father c. PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR CRIMES II. The Prisoners Confession of God's Justice in his sad Circumstances I am come into this Prison O! Most Holy and Righteous Lord laden with Sins and Sorrows and am here shut up for the Curse and Shame of an untimely end which my Heinous Wickednesses have most justly deserved I am terribly affraid of my earthly Judge and of that heavy Sentence which my Crimes make me justly lyable to receive from him But infinitely more affraid of that far more heavy and eternal Doom which I am lyable to receive for the same at thy Righteous Bar. Now Fear and Trembling have seized upon me and an horrible Dread hath overwhelmed me Without is the prospect of Death and Disgrace and within is Guilt and Anguish My Spirit is broken within me and I am even at my wits end and my Heart faileth me And tho my Burden is Intollerable yet O! Almighty Lord I cannot say but it is infinitely just 'T is a most reasonable and righteous Return for my daring Provocations of thy justice And much more for my vile Abuses of thy Mercy and Patience I must needs acquit and justify thee and have none to accuse but mine own Self for all my present Fears and Misery I am taken O! just Lord in mine
own Naughtiness and am only left to lye down in that Bed of Guilt and Sorrow which I have been long a making for my self All my life I have been Sowing wickedness and am now brought to Reap the Fruit thereof I have Drunk up iniquity like Water and tho to my mad and distempered Fancy it seemed to yield a slight and short Pleasure while it slid along the Palate yet now I find it leaves an immoveable Bitterness and is nothing but Gall and Wormwood when it is got into the Belly I have Drunk it up with Greediness and fill'd up the measure of my sins till I perceive now alas That there is like to be no measure of my Sufferings and I am in danger to be swallowed up and utterly to sink under the Number and Weight of them Thus Oh thou Righteous Avenger of all ungodly and incorrigible wretches has thy Justice at last overtaken me And altho thy vengeance is oft times slow yet to my Grief and thy Glory I find 't is sure and when it comes insupportable I can in no wise bear my Load tho I have not the least exception against the Reasonableness and Justice of it Only my Hope is in thy Mercy which thou art wont to remember even when thou takest upon thee to shew Judgment And as thou art the Avenger of Sinners so remember Gracious Lord that thou art also the Saviour of them Oh save me the Chiefest and most wretched of Sinners And shew Favor unto me not according to my Deserts but according to thine own boundless Mercyes for our dearest Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's sake Amen PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR CRIMES III. His Profession of Repentance under the same I have sinned O Almighty Lord and sinned Grievously and have continued irreclaimable in the same for many years But now by the Alarm of mine own Dangers and by the Help of thy Grace I am made sensible of mine iniquities and am made truly sorry for my sins I sadly lament all the wicked wast of my time and strength and all my long and heinous Course of Ungodliness and abuse of thy Patience which has provoked thee to give me up to this great sin for which I am now most deservedly made a Prisoner and may be called to answer shortly with my Blood I am touched to the quick and sorely afflicted O! Righteous God with the Trouble and Sorrow which this Crime has brought upon my Self But more with the Offence which it has given thee and the greatest Care I have upon me is to have thee forgive me Lord I do from the bottom of my Heart repent of all my Sins but especially of this great One. I am greivously Troubled for what is past and am fully bent against falling any more into it for the Time to come and am ready to take shame to my self for the same I am vile in mine own eyes and am content to be so in the eyes of other Persons I am truly willing to make any submissions where I have given just Offence and as far as I am able to repair the wrong which I have done thereby And Oh! That thou wouldest ever keep me most ready to do this fully and faithfully and then direct me to do it prudently and in such sort as may not be more prejudicial than needs to my worldly safety Tho' thou lookest upon me therefore O! Almighty Lord as a Sinner yea as one of the greatest of Sinners Yet for Christ's sake look upon me as a penitent Sinner And tho' my sins are Great my dearest Saviour shed his Blood for the greatest Sins and thro the Merits of that Blood true Repentance is accepted by thee O! Merciful God from the greatest Sinners Oh! For his sake spare thy sinful but repenting Creature and tho' Justice be exacted of me for my crimes here yet admit me to some comfortable and well-grounded hopes of thy Mercy for the same hereafter thro' the Merits of my dearest Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ. Amen Our Father c. PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR CRIMES IV. Prayers for Learning Righteousness and Improvement of remaining Moments of Life I. THY Rod O! Blesseâ— Father which is lifted uâ— in justice to punish our Iniquâ—ties is used also by thy Gracâ— to cure them Oh! Let this my most deserved Affliction teach mâ— Wisdom Make my Goal my school wherein I may learn Righteousness and let my chains be preachers of Repentance Now I feel the smart and punishment thereof give me grace to be fully sensible of the wretchedness and folly of an ungodly and mispent Life Let me loath the Sin as well as the Sorrow and be duly affected with the injurie and dishonor which I have thereby done to thee as well as with the danger and distress which I have thereby brought upon my self that my contrition being truly for my sins against thee I may be duly qualified for thy most gracious Pardon of the same thro the Merits of my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen II. And Help me O! Gracious God carefully to improve all my remaining moments and to employ all the time which I have now to Live in minding the true work and business of Life Habituate my heart to thy fear to humility and patience temperance and self-denials fasting and prayers Teach me to prize and set a great value upon all helps and opportunities of instruction and improvements in the way of Godliness To be desirous above all things of thy Grace and of the Company of good People whose discourse and carriage may affect my heart therewith and of their Prayers since I am most unworthy thro the multitude of my heinous offences to pray unto thee for my Self or to present unto thee any Petitions from my polluted Lips Let not my corrupt Lusts O! God run at Liberty whilst my body is under Guards and Custody And let me by no means resort to the company of desperate Sinners to keep off Remorse for my own Guilts nor seek to drown the agonies of my Mind in excess of Wine nor to divert them by vain Conversation But what space thou shalt graciously spare me Oh! That I may carefully employ and lay out with utmost diligence to make my peace with thee and to prepare for eternity Lord Help me to true Repentance that with all my Heart I may return unto thee Do thou help me now I call unto thee help me O! God of mercy for none else can help me Help thou me or I shall dye eternally Make my Repentance true and acceptable in thy sight that if I dye I may depart in thy Peace or if by thy Grace I be spared to live on still longer I may return from all my former Errors to a Life of Holiness and devote all the remainder of my Days to thy Glory thro our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen Our Father c. PRAYERS FOR PRISONERS FOR CRIMES V. Prayers for Acceptance of Repentance tho late and for