An alarme for sinners containing the confession, prayers, letters, and last words of Robert Foulkes, late minister of Stanton-Lacy in the County of Salop, who was tryed, convicted and sentenced at the sessions in the Old Bayly, London, January 16th, 1678/9, and executed the 31st following : with an account of his life / published from the original written with his own hand, during his reprieve, and sent by him at his death to Doctor Lloyd ...

A PRAYER relating to the foregoing Confession.

O Lord, The Great and Dreadful God, the Impartial Judge of all Men, I blush to lift up my Face to thee my God, Righteousness belongeth to thee; for thou art Just and Holy in all thy Wayes: But I am a Vile and Miserable Sinner, the Reproach of men, and therefore no∣thing belongs to me but Shame and Confusion of face. Thou, O Lord, hast dealt Mercifully and exceeding Bountifully with me; I was Early taught to seek and serve thee; I felt the motions of thy Grace, and the Powers of the World to come, to awaken my Conscience. Thou didst call me to thy Service to stand and minister at thy Altar, and thou didst give me such a measure of the good things of this life as was not only beyond my Deserts, but Expectations; But I have forsaken thee and rebelled against thee: I waxed wanton in my plenty, and kicked against that light and Easie Yoke which I should have taught Others to bear. I drew near to thee with my lips, but my heart was far from thee, and with my polluted hands I have presumed to compass thine Altar, and to touch the holy things thereof; therefore it was just with thee to give me up to my own Hearts Lusts, and to deliver me over to Judicial hardness, that seeing I might see and not perceive, and hearing I might hear and not understand. I have served divers Lusts and Pleasures; My Eyes and Heart were full of Adultery, so that I could not cease from Sin. Nor have I sinned alone, O Lord; for I have drawn many with me into the snare of the Devil; so that my Sins are Innumerable, and Aggrava∣ted by many Circumstances; but most of all that I was called by thy Name, so that thy Enemies do blaspheme it upon my account. I have to all this added that Execrable Sin of shedding Innocent Blood, and done what I could to stifle the motions of thy Good Spirit: But now my Sins and thy Righteous Judgments have found me out, I acknowledge this is in great Mercy to my Soul, that I might not lye and perish in my Sins. I am Confounded and Ashamed, I Abhor my self in dust and ashes: I Confess I do not only deserve to die this Infamous death, but to be cast out of thy sight into Outer-darkness; for thou art of purer Eyes then to be∣hold Iniquity, and the Deceitful and Blood-Thirsty man thy Soul abhor∣reth; so that I may justly fear my Prayers are Abomination to thee; yet whither shall I flye from thy Presence? thy Hand hath overtaken me, and

I am now to appear at thy Judgment Seat: My Soul is full of Terrour, and I am afraid of thy Judgments. The Remembrance of my Sins is Grievous to me, the Burden of them is Intolerable: Yet my only Hope is, that thou art Gracious and Merciful, Slow to Anger, Ready to Forgive, and thy Son gave Himself to die, and bore our Sins on his own Body. He ever lives and maketh Intercession for Sinners, and is able to save to the uttermost all that come to thee, O God, by Him. I confess I come at the last Moment, when I have nothing else left me, and so thou mayst just∣ly reject me. Yet, O most Merciful God, take pity on the Work of thine own Hands: Beget in me, for Christ his sake, a deeper Sense of my Sin and Guilt, that I may Tremble for fear of thy Judgments, and Cry to thee Night and Day. Let none of this little time that is given me to Repent, be lost: For thy Name sake pardon mine Iniquity, for it is great; And deliver me from Blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my Salvation: Open my Heart and Lips, that my Mouth may shew forth thy praise: That Sinners seeing thy Judgments and my Repentance, may be Converted unto thee; That I, who by my vitious Life have so much Dishonoured Thee, may by my Death Glorifie Thee. O hear and have Mercy on me; Pity and Pardon, O most Merciful Redeemer, wash my defiled Soul with thy most Pretious Blood, and for the Glory of thy Mercy, send down upon me thy free Spirit to Convince me of Sin, and of Righ∣teousness, and of Judgment: And Grant me, a Wretched, and Forlorn Sinner, some of those Comforts, that may Support me under those Agonies that are so terrible. O Visit me with thy Salvation, Speak Comfortably to me; say to my Soul, Thy Sins are forgiven thee. Lord deliver me from the fears of Death, and be with me in my last passage; Give me some Glimpse of Hope, that I may die with Assurance of thy Favour and Pardon. I humbly submit to thy Justice in my Death; but I most Fa••nestly pray that I may be delivered from Eternal Death and Everlasting Burnings; and when my Soul is departed from this vile Body, Let it be brought into thy Presence, that I may Bless and Glorifie thy Name Eter∣nally; for the Riches of thy Grace and Mercy which has so Abounded to∣wards me. And for thy Names sake role away the Reproach from thine Heritage, and thine own Tribe, which I have brought upon it. Pre∣serve thy Church; Let her Priests be Clothed with Righteousness, and let her Saints sing with Joyfulness. Be Gracious to the Nursing Father of it; our Dread Soveraign Lord the King's Most Excellent Majesty, Pro∣tect his Person, Prosper his Affairs; As for his Enemies, Cloth them with

shame; but upon Himself let his Crown flourish: Grant that he knowing whose Minister he is, may above all things seek thy Honour and Glory; And that all his Subjects duly Considering whose Authority he hath, may faithfully serve, honour, and humbly obey him in Thee and for Thee, ac∣cording to thy Blessed Word and Ordinance. Be Merciful, O Lord, be Merciful, to my Afflicted Family, Comfort my Desolate Wife according to the Evil that I have caused her to see. Teach my Poor Children by my Example not to sin against thee. Give true Repentance to all whom I have tempted to Sin, in particular, to that miserable person who was my Partner in so much wickedness; thou hast given her time to repent, Lord give her grace to do it, lest a worse thing befall her. Provide a faithful Pastor for that Flock I have scandalized, that may build up what I have pulled down. And now into thy hands I commit my Soul, and Conclude in his words, who taught me, when I pray, to say, Our Father, &c.