Transcription
PENITENCE ! An excellent Form of a PRAYER, said to have been aften used by the unfortunate JAMES Gow, Shoe- maker, who was Executed yesterday, Friday the 2d of December 1831, for the Murder of his, Wife, and whose Body was delivered to Dr. Munro for dissection, since his condemnation. James Gow, shoemaker, who was executed yester, with his fel- low sufferer, Thomas Beveridge, blacksmith, both for the same crime, namely, that of killing their wives, was very penitent, and acknowledged the justness of his sentence, not only at his trial, but on the scaffold, before the officiating magistrates. The following prayer being often repeated, and his last words on this earth were, " Lord have mercy on our souls ; Lord, receive our souls." O LORD, Almighty God of our Fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed, who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; who hast bound the sea by the word of the commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name; whom all men fear and tremble before thy power; for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening towards sinners is importa- ble ; but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and nnsearch. able; for thou art the most high Lord, of great compassion, long, suffering, very merciful, and repented of the evils of men. Thou O Lord, according to thy great goodness, has promised repentance, and for giveness to them that have sinned against thee; and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner ; for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgres- sions, O Lord, are multiplied; my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniqueties. I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot life up mine head, neither have any release ; for I have provoked thy wrath, and done evil before thee; I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments : I have set up abominations, and have multiplied offences. Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities : wherefore, I hum- bly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquties. Be not angry with me forever, by reserv- ing evil for me; neither condemn me into the lower parts of the earth. For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent: and in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness, for thou wilt save me that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my live: for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is the glory for ever and ever. AMEN. PRICE ONE PENNY.
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Date of publication:
1831 shelfmark: F.3.a.13(15)
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