Selected quad for the lemma: love_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A24598
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Christian charity to poor prisoners, especially those for debt communicated in a letter by a gentleman to a poor prisoner, his friend in prison in London, June 1694.
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P. A.
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1696
(1696)
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Wing A22; ESTC R4517
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6,962
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16
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I desire is that my Poverty may not be a burthen to my self or make me so to others This short Essay I have made towards your relief and help under your sufferings which I hope may find acceptance with you it being only to perswade you to make your Afflictions medicinable as to the improvement of your Mind and the Eternal welfare of your Souls which doubtless is your great Interest and Concern as also to direct you to a chearful comporting with your present Condition of suffering And if I may be any ways instrumental herein in any kind to the benefit or advantage if but of one poor Prisoner I shall not repent my pains herein but account it a sufficient recompence and give God the praise without whose Blessing our endeavours signifie little And to all I have said may I add my hearty Prayers for you all that God would make useful and beneficial to you your present state of suffering and affliction more especially for your Eternal Welfare And also that God would open the hearts of your Creditors to deal Mercifully with you and that the hearts of the Rich might be enlarged to communicate to your necessities And may I further recommend to your use the following excellent Prayer compos'd heretofore by the Reverend Dr. Patrick Dean of Peterborough in his Book call'd the devout Christian published to the World Anno 1684. Page 61. A Prayer of a poor Prisoner for Debt O God who art present to us in all places and hast regard to the sighs and groans of the miserable who humbly implore thy pity and compassion towards them vouchsafe to look graciously upon thy afflicted Servant in this place which is most desolate and comfortless unless the Light of thy Countenance shine upon me I confess I have too much abused the liberty which I formerly enjoy'd and did not so carefully improve as I ought to have done those happy opportunities which therewith were put into my hands Many ways I am sensible I have offended thy Divine Majesty here saith he acknowledge the particulars of your sins for which I am heartily sorry and acknowledge my self infinitely indebted to thy goodness that I am not plunged into the depth of misery to bewail my sins in the bottomless pit I thank thee O Lord with all my Soul that I am not shut up in the place of outer darkness and that I have any hope to obtain the benefit of the Redemption which is in Christ Jesus in whose Name I beseech thee to pardon me and likewise to sanctifie and bless these straights wherein I lye to the freeing of my Soul from the bond of all Iniquity and the restoring me to the glorious liberty of thy Children help me seriously to follow the direction of thy Providence in this restraint and now that I am so much alone by my self to descend into my own heart and to search to try my ways and unfeignedly to turn to thee my God Enlarge my Spirit more than ever now that my Body is confin'd and in fervent Prayer for thy divine Grace and in chearful Thanksgivings for the innumerable Blessings that I have received from thy bounty and in tender pity and commiseration of the sad condition of all distressed People And be pleased to touch the hearts of my Creditors also with a sense of my miseries incline them to accept of what I am able to pay and make me willing conscientiously to satisfie them to the utmost of my Power In the mean time bestow upon me the blessing of a contented Spirit help me patiently to endure the inconveniences of this Place and preserve me from the danger of all the Temptations which I meet with in it especially from seeking a remedy of my sorrows in the pleasures of Intemperance or evil Company or any profane Mirth whatsoever Be thou my comfort O God my exceeding Joy and the full satisfaction of my Soul in all Conditions And when thou art pleased to deliver me from this place and to restore me again to my desired freedom O Lord make me ever mindful of my Vows wherein I am now forward to bind my self Dispose my heart then to be so sensibly affected with the least of those mercies which formerly I have little regarded that I may never forget to praise thee even for the benefit of a sweeter Air then now I enjoy and to acknowledge thee in the night season upon my Bed and to thank thee for the coursest food and especially I may rejoyce to go again into the great Congregation to praise thee with the most ardent love for all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus Preserve in me also a grateful Remembrance of the kindness of my Friends and Neighbours especially of those Persons to whom I stand particularly indebted when by their Charity I shall be releas'd And whatsoever loss they sustain by my Poverty Good Lord make it up abundantly to them and theirs out of thy rich Grace and Mercy Requite their Love with Plenty and Prosperity in this World and give them the Reward of eternal Life and Glory in the World to come through Jesus Christ. Amen The Collect for the third Sunday after Trinity O Lord we beseech thee mercifully to hear us and grant that we to whom thou hast given a hearty desire to Pray may by thy mighty Aid be Defended and Comforted in all Dangers and Adversities through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Lord heareth the Poor and despiseth not his Prisoners Psal 69.33 Farewel I am your assured Friend P. A. ADDENDA But where any ones Suffering and Imprisonment is truly for Righteousness sake how comfortable must needs be a Prison to them And I need say no more for their Support and Comfort then to put them in mind of that great assurance given them from the mouth of Truth it self their Lord and Master the Blessed Jesus and their Judge at the great Day of Doom so long before determining their Case Matth. 5.10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven FINIS