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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	church_n	member_n	visible_a	3,063	5	9.7114	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48398	The life and death of Mr. Vavasor Powell, that faithful minister and confessor of Jesus Christ wherein his eminient conversion, laborious successful ministry, excellent conversation, confession of faith, worthy sayings, choice experiences, various sufferings, and other remarkable passages in his life and at his death are faithfully recorded for publick benefit : with some elogies and epitaphs by his friends.	Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671.; Powell, Vavasor, 1617-1670.	1671 (1671)	Wing L2003; Wing B418_CANCELLED	114,187	204

pressing after the things that are before endeavouring to be holy Merciful and Perfect as God is and to walk as Christ walked 2 Pet. 1.8 3.18 Phil. 3.11 14.2 Cor. 7.1 1 John 2.6 c. 2. Though there is to be a pressing after perfection as also an attaining unto it in some sense as Perfection of Justification and of the Truth of Sanctification and likewise comparatively some attain to more Grace than others who are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Perfect by the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.6 Phil. 3.15 Heb. 5.14 yet the best of Gods people whilest they are on earth have sin in them working in their Members and they offend in many things knowing also and doing but in part as the Apostles themselves acknowledged Paul Romans 7. James Jam. 3.2 Iohn 1 John 1. and they that say they have no sin but are perfect or without sin they will be found perverse as Iob saith c. 9. and they deceive themselves and the Truth is not in them 1 Iohn 1.8 10. 3. As there is a growing in Grace so there is a persevering and continuing and holding on and out in the Will Way and profession of Christ unto the end without turning to the right hand or to the left and without back-sliding or halting between Opinions or being formal and luke-warm in Religion But striving against sin and seeking to overcome through many sufferings and to run our spiritual Race till we finish our course for to such doth Christ promise the Crown of Life and in his grace and strength alone we must overcome and therefore must always depend upon and humbly implore his help who is the Finisher as well as the Author of our Faith that we may be able to withstand all evils and to stand compleat in the will of God being not high minded but fearing nor doubtful-minded but believing Matthew 24.13 Revel 2.10 3.11 15 16. Heb. 12.1 4. Phil. 4.13 Collos 4.12 Rom. 11.20 Luke 12.29 32. Concerning Good Works 1. They that do believe and are Gods workmanship created thereunto are to be careful to maintain good Works which tend to the praise and glory of God and the good and profit of men and are also as was intimated before evidences of a true and lively faith in God and of our love both to God and Men Mat. 5.16 Eph. 2.10 Tit. 3.8 14. Iam. 2.17 18 22. Iohn 14.21 1 Iohn 3. ●7 Gal. 5.6 2. Those works only are to be accounted good works which are commanded by God and agreeable to his Word and not such as are devised and esteemed by men only to be so and to offer unto God any thing in his service which he requires not is abominable to him and Unprofitable and Sinful to them that do it 1 Kin. 11.7 Ier. 32.35 Mic. 6.6 7 8. Mat. 15 9. Col. 2.20 24. Tit. 1.14 Concerning Baptisme 1. Outward Baptism or Water-Baptism is a solemn significant dipping into or washing with water the Body in or into the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost only Mat. 28.19 It signifies the Death Burial and Res●r ection of Christ also the spiritual cleansing and washing of Justification and Regeneration or Sanctification together with the Baptism or powri●g forth of the gifts of the Holy Spirit Rom. 6.3 4 5. Col. 2.12 Heb 10.22 2. Though Baptism be not absolutely necessary to salvation yet being commanded by Christ it is the duty of all professing and visible Believers and penitent persons Men and Women to be Baptized once and that upon the first Believing and Conversion and before they enter into a particular visible Church or partake of the Lords Supper Acts 2.41 42. Yet it is not Baptism but an Interest in Christ that gives any a Right to either Neither is it the proper work of Baptism to conferr or work grace but to seal confirm and encrease it 1 Pet. 3.21 much less are all those that are Baptized true believers and saved John 3 3 5. Acts 8.13 23 3. But in this of baptism as in many other cases difference in perswasion and practise may well consist with Brotherly love and Christian communion see Phil 3.15 Rom. 14 c. Concerning Churches and Church-Assemblies 1. It is a Gospel-Ordinance for Saints to gather themselves together into Christian societies or particular Churches that they may the better perform such duties as they owe unto the Lord and to one another and it is the duty of all believers if possibly and conveniently they can to joyn themselves unto some such Church and being joyned to continue members thereof unless some necessary and good reason occasion the contrary and then to depart with consent of the Church of which they are members Cant. 1.7.8 Acts 2.47 9.26 27 28 c. 2. The particular visible Churches under the Gospel did not consist of whole Nations Countries or Cities nor of the generality and Multitudes of either but of such Companies many or few in them that did receive and profess the Doctrine of the Gospel were converted and called to be Saints separated from the world both its sins and services and united and given up to the Lord and to one another to live according to the will of God in all things Acts 5.12 13 14. 17.4 19.8 9. 1 Cor. 1.2 c. 3. Such particular Churches had and still have distinct power each within it self of admitting and ejecting members of choosing their own Officers and of orde●ing all other matters relating to the Church and none of them nor their Officers were charged with the errors and evils of others unless they were among themselves guilty of the same neither have any of them or their Officers any power over any other Congregation or Members yet as those particular Churches are parts of the Universal Church or body of Christ which is his fulness so they are all to be helpful to one another and to walk by one and the same Rule Acts 6 5. 14 23. 1 Cor. 5.12 Rev. 2. 3. Phil. 3 15 16 c. Concerning Church-Officers As Christ hath given extraordinary and ordinary Officers as Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of his body or Church in general and this without any limitation of Time Eph. 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 12.28 29 so for the feeding teaching ruling and ministring to the poor and sick of the Church the Lord hath appointed Elders or Bishops which in Scripture language are all one Asts 20.17 28. Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.5 6 7. and Deacons and Deaconesses or Widows Rom. 16.1 1 Tim. 5.9 10. with other Helps who are to be chosen by the Churches themselves and ordained as formerly they were either by Apostles or some appointed by them as Evangelists or by some Teachers in those particular Churches 1 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim 2.2 Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 5.21 22 c. Concerning the Lords Supper The Lord Christ also instituted and

ordained for his Church and Disciples onely that especial Ordinance called his Supper or the Communion of his Body and Blood to put them in remembrance of his Death till he came again and to confirm that spiritual Union and Communion they have with him and as an ordinance to convey more Grace unto their souls And this together with Baptism are and may be accounted though not so called in Scripture Gospel-signs and seals of the Covenant of Grace as Circumcision and the Passeover were before unto the Jews Mat. 26.26 27 28 29. 1 Cor. 10.16 11.23 24 25 26. Rom. 4.11 Col 2.11 12. 2. The command and example of Christ and his Apostles are to be observed both in the giving and receiving of this ordinance After the Bread and Wine are Blessed or set apart and a Blessing sought on them The Minister is to take both of the Bread and Wine himself and to give of both kinds to the Disciples or Members of the Church sitting or leaning Mat. 26.20 26. But to give it privately to persons upon their sick beds or to keep back the Wine from the People or under pretence of humility to give it unto the Congregation kneeling are contrary to the Institution of Christ see Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 11.20 23. 3 As the true Churches and Disciples of Christ should often partake of this ordinance so those that are without Christ his Covenant and Church who are ignorant unbelieving and ungodly have no right thereto at all and Christ forbids to give holy things to such and they that eat and drink the same unworthily do both profane and pollute the Name and Ordinance of God and eat and drink damnation to themselves not discerning the Lords Body Acts 2.42 20.7 1 Cor. 11.25 27 29 Mat. 7.6 Concerning Preaching and Prophecying Preaching of the Gospel or Evangelizing which is to be to all Nations and to every creature is to be performed by such as are gifted called and sent either immediately by Christ as the Apostles and seventy Disciples were or by his Church Acts 13 1 2 3. or in case of Persecution by such as are scattered Members to whom God may open a door for the preaching of his word to such as want the same Acts 8.1 4. 11.19 20 21. 2. Prophecying is another Gospel-Ordinance which is either a fore-telling of some future things by divine Revelation which is an extraordinary and peculiar gift of God yet promised John 16.13 and given to several in Gospel-days Acts 11.27 21.9 10. 1 Cor. 14.26 Eph. 4.11 or else it is a speaking unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort or a teaching of believers to observe all things that Christ hath commanded which is a distinct thing from Preaching though of the same Nature and doth more properly and peculiarly belong to the Church and those that are within as the other doth to the world and those that are without 1 Cor. 14.22 Mat. 28.19 20. compared with Mark 16.15 Concerning Prayer Prayer is a special part of Gods worship being a pouring out of the soul in confessions supplications and thanksgivings to God through Christ by the help of his spirit Eph. 6.18 Jude v. 20. 1 Tim. 2.1 8. c. 2. Though that most excellent and comprehensive perfect Prayer that Christ taught his Apostles 〈◊〉 Directory and Rule to Teach Believers to pray accordingly and likewise that very Prayer may be used Verbatim Yet Christ did not impose it upon them nor tye them thereto neither did Christ or his Apostles ever ordain or impose any other form much less then should any other Persons usurp this authority over the Church and people of God and therefore all such as make enjoyn or observe such humane Forms follow the Traditions of Men and not the Word of God see 1 Cor. 11.1 23. 2 Cor 1.24 Mark 7.6 7 8. Though the Prayers of Unbelievers be abominable to the Lord because of their sins and their being out of Christ yet it 's their duty to pray and it is lawful for believers to pray where Unbelievers are present we find our Saviour himself and many of his Saints using divers gestures in prayer as kneeling lying on the face standing all very lawfull and acceptable if the heart be filled with true faith love sincerity humility and zeal to God Concerning singing of Psalms Imposition of Hands and other Gospel ordinances not yet repeated 1. Singing of Psalms particularly Scripture-Psalms Hymns and Spiritual songs is a continued Gospel-ordi●ance and duty and to be performed by all but espe●ially in the Churches Mat. 26.30 Eph. 5.18 19. Col. ● 16 c. 2. Laying on of Hands is one of the Principles of ●he Doctrine of Christ and a Gospel-ordinance pra●tised in the primitive times and not yet abrogated ●s appears by any Scripture being used upon those ●hat were sent out of the Churches to preach the Gospel● Acts 13.3 or upon believers after their Baptisme in order to their receiving the Holy Ghost or the gifts thereof Acts 8.17 9.17 19.6 or else for the healing of the sick Acts 28.8 c. 3. Visiting of the sick and for the elders to anoint them in the name of the Lord is a Gospel Ordinance and not repealed Jam. 5.14 15. Concerning Excommunication Another Ordinance continued in the Time and Churches of the New Testament is a power given by Christ to deal with such members as walk disorderly 2 Thes 3.6 that refuse to hear the Church Mat. 18.17 commit some scandalous sin 1 Cor. 5. or deny and destroy the Faith or Fundamentals of Religion as the Resurrection c. 2 Tim. 2.16.27 18. 1 Tim. 2.20 2. The Ordinance is to be solemnly performed in the name of Christ by the whole Congregation yet ministerially by the Officers thereof and according to the nature of the offence whether by Admonition without Ejection 1 Thes 5.14 or Ejection and casting out till repentance manifests it self in the excommunicated Person and then he is to be restored 1 Cor. 5. with 2 Cor. 2.6 7 8. or else a● utter and absolute excommunication and rejectin● of the Person till the coming of Christ 1 Corin● 16.22 Concerning Magistrates and Rulers 1. Magistracy is an Ordinance of God and Ruler or Magistrates whether supream or subordinate an● Gods Ministers Reigning by under and for him entrusted with the sword of Justice for the encouragement and praise of such as do well but a terror to evi● works or a revenger and executor of wrath upon those that do evil Rom. 13.2 14. 1 Pet. 2.14 1 Tim. 2.2 Prov. 8.16.17 2 Chron. 19.6 2. The most High God who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who ruleth in the Kingdom of Men and giveth it to whomsoever he will he exalteth and pulleth down altereth and removeth Kings and other Rulers at his pleasure Psal 75.6 7. Dan. 4.25 2 Chron. 11.4 2 King 9.3 6 7. sometimes giving bad Rulers and at other times taking away such as are good in a

professed he had rather be a Martyr then a Monarch so should every Christian It is a special favour and great promotion to suffer Satan accuseth God to Men and Men to God but Christ excuses and answers all his accusations against his People Christians should do as the Shechemites did when their City their own Souls in strength was beaten down fly to their Tower even Christ The true knowledge of Christ brings consolation and the right profession and practice of him persecution When a man is imprisoned and shut up from Men he is the more shut up with God Account it not restraint as long as thy Heart can go out towards God and his People and Wayes in affection and prayer Retiredness and close imprisonment drives a man to hold closer Communion with God and to a stricter search of himself Take heed that preparatory meditation to Prayer doth not prevent Prayer it self or put you besides Prayer One of the radical sins spoken of 1 Iohn 2.16 Is every mans master sin I often found my heart in dayes of Humiliation more affected and melted by the Prayer of weaker then stronger Christians I would be glad to be out of the World when I have no service to do for God in it He that would live for himself onely or cheifly in the World is not worthy to live a day in it If I may have liberty to serve Christ I would have the glory to suffer for Christ Secret Prayer is either a familiar speaking to God or with God or a pouring out of the Heart before God through his Son our Saviour by his spirit Sometimes Ejaculations or short and sudden Pantings and breathings out of desires to God may be more acceptable to him and prevailing with him then long Prayers There may be great difference between the temper of a Christian one time and another yea in the exercising of his Gifts in Praying Preaching c. True Godliness and Hipocrisie are best discerned in turnings and changes either when they change their conditions by Marriages or are exalted to Offices or when new opinions begin to grow Due sin may cause thee more sorrow then all thy sufferings It is happy to dye in the Lord and honourable to dye for the Lord. Sins do dye and fall off from Christians as the Leaves fall from Trees in Autumn by degrees Christians are now as Abraham was driven out of Egypt and come where they were before or into their first State therefore they should offer to the Lord as he did Gen. 13.3.4 God is now spoiling us of what would otherwise have spoiled us Churches gathered in prosperity will hardly stand or continue together in adversity A Child of God may know the weight of sin by Christs sufferings for if that strong Heart of Steel did bend under the weight of our sins what shall poor weak men do which is but a Reed or Rush As our good works and performances should have an operation upon our Souls and Hearts to strengthen Faith so should our weaknesses and sins to work repentance It is a great condescention in God to afflict or lay his hand upon man and in that sence the Apostle exhorts Beleivers not to dispise or think little of the chastning of the Lord. Heb. 12.3 A Beleiver is to shut the Eye of Reason if he will clearly see with the Eye of Faith The promise is a Christian perspective and his Faith the Eye with which he looks through it upon Christ and God the Father in him A Prison or persecution is to a Christian as some scaring thing that one sees in the Night at a distance but when he comes near it and to know it he is not at all afraid of it Seek to find out your own Errors before another find them out and to write your own Errata's VVhen the Lord is trying his People they should be trying themselves Christians should not desire deliverance before the time appointed for that is as if a VVoman should desire to have her Child born before the full and due time Christians are apt to feel and fear punishment more then sin which is the cause of it Gods People must expect in the VVorld the entertainment of Strangers Sins in Saints are like Weeds weeded out of a Garden or Field which lye in the Alleys or Veins but never grow there again A Hypocrite is like a white Stone in the Water amongst other Stones and of that same nature with other Stones there hard heavy cold and inflexable and differs only in colour A true Christian is like a Flint-stone which though it falls into Water yet it keeps and retains Fire in it still so doth he retain his Grace notwithstanding his corruption Labour to act those graces cheifly that are most contrary to your master sins and cheif corruptions The Lord hath Saints enough to devide into three bodies some to suffer for him some to destroy Babilon and some to be for Seed-Corn to sow again in the Earth Learn by lighter Crosses to look and prepare for heavier In two Cases t is hard to Act Faith 1. When there is nothing sensible or visible to second and support it or 2. when there is very much to fil the outward senses It is a very common and ordinary thing for most or all Professors to be in one or two extreams either to over value or under value Instruments Creatures and Ordinances The more Saints do beleive and suffer the more they may expect of the spirit Iohn 7.8 1 Pet. 4.14 Be more thoughtful and careful how to use what you have to Gods glory then to gain more The Lord freely gives and justly takes away The exercising of Graces do naturally destroy sin and the more you abound in Acts of Grace the more you increase the habit Heb. 6.26 The Law causeth sickness of Soul but the Gospel healeth the same When Saints perceive their sins growing weak they should then prosecute them most A Saint is to put forth his Faith in Prayer and afterwards follow his Prayer with Faith In the midest of earthly business the Soul should redeem some special time for secret and private duties It is the will of Christ that Saints should rejoyce more in what Christ hath done for them then in what they have done or can do for him Learn to observe what God gives without asking and what he gives in answer to Prayer for the one begets Thankfulness the other more Prayer Christ kept the Law legally Beleivers kept it Evangelically he perfectly they purposingly and endeavouringly A Beleivers assurance and cheifest joy doth not arise from his sanctification because that is imperfect here in degrees but from his justification Rom. 5.2 1 Pet. 1.8 Look upon Christ first without you then search for him within you God makes us feel him or his hand that he may hear us strokes makes Crys and Whipings mornful complaints to him God troubles us that we may turn to him and leaves us a while for to see

Oath to kill him and designed to attempt it at Guilsfeild where he preached where he was also at the same instant converted by the power of the Word Another time a woman came with a Knife to kill him as he was preaching in a Market place at Machinleth but was prevented At another time at Dollgelli in Marionshire as he was preaching he was assaulted by a rude rabble who with Stones Swords Staves and Pol-Axes attempted him and many of his company but he vvas strangly delivered though in their hands Not long after in the same Tovvn being indited and acquit at the publick Assizes for a Riot upon the the former business a vvicked Fidler vvas hired to kill him vvho vvith a Weapon under his Coat attempted it tvvice vvhilest he stood at the Bar but vvas prevented Another time going to preach in Mallwyd Kirk yard several rude People assaulted him and his Freinds vvhere he vvas sorely beaten and bruised on his head A Souldier shot a Brace of Bullets at him looking out of his Prison Windovv in Mountgumery but God preserved him Upon the taking of Anglesey he vvas in the midst of the Enemy and particularly assaulted by one that knevv him Wounded in the Head Hand and Grine but God brought him off as before Four times he vvas delivered out of the hands of Robbers and several strange preservations vvere vouchsafed him from perils by Water both in England and Wales and vvonderfully protected in seven dangerous falls from his Horse in his journyings upon the Lords service Of his several imprisonments 1. The first of that kind he met vvith vvas in Brecknock-shire about the year 40. vvhere he being Preaching in a House vvas about 10. a Clock at Night seated vvith 50. or 60. of his Hearers by fifteen or sixteen levvd Fellovvs pretending a Warrant from one Justice Williams vvho took them forthvvith avvay in the Night tovvards Belt the said Justices house but in the vvay meeting vvith a Kirk and an Alehouse too common yoke Fellovvs in Wales they vvould have haid them into the Ale-house vvhich they refused and chose the Kirk rather vvhere about Midnight he vvent to Prayer sung a Psalm and taught from Mat. 10.28 Fear not him that can kill the Body c. and it vvas observed that one of the cheifest and vildest of the troublers did weep sorely the next Morning he vvas brought to the Justices house vvho not being at home at their first coming in he betook himself to his Bible and preached there again vvhereat the Justice vvhen he came in vvas much inraged to find him at such vvork in his house but tvvo of his Daughters vvho seemed to relish the Word begd him not to do any thing against him and his Companions but such vvas his rage that he presently committed them to the Constables hands vvho vvas so favourable as to permit them freely to enjoy religious exercise and vvorship vvhich they did at the said Tovvn of Belt and the Neighbourhood generally attended both that Night and the next Morning the next day the Justice sent for them again to examine them further having got tvvo or three more Justices and six or seven Preists vvith him vvhere after much conference and many threatnings discusts them at that time 2. Another time Preaching at Launger in Radnorshire in the Feild the publick place not being able to contain the Company Mr. Hugh Lloyd the high Sheriff came with a Band of men and took him down out of the Chair wherein he Preached and after examination committed him and charged several Constables fifteen or sixteen being present to execute his Mitimus vvho all but one refused the same who took him into his custody and undertook to convey him to Prison and as he went with him his house being in the way the Constable permitted him to lodge at home that Night who was so convinced whilst he was at Family duty that he declared he could not go a step further with him though it should cost him his life being perswaded he was one of the Servants of Christ and so took leave and left him in his own house though because of the cruelty of the Justice durst not return home but went for sometime out of the Country yet to prevent damage to the man but especially scandal to the Gospel bound himself with two sufficient Sureties to appear the next Assizes in Radnorshire where appeared accordingly and their three Bills of Indictment preferred against him from which upon the Traverse the Judges and Jury befreinding him he was acquit and the Judges afterwards inviting him to Dinner and desiring him to give Thanks one of them said it was the best Grace he ever heard in his Life giving him great countenance which proved much to the furtherance of the Gospel in those parts to the great offence of the high Sheriff who afterwards upon the coming on of the War persecuted him out of the Country He being in London about the time that General Cromwell took upon him his supream Power so impartial was he and so great a Lover of Justice that what ever had been the endeated intimacy and freindship betwixt him and the General yet did he that day he was Proclaimed which was the 19. Decem. 1653. Witness against that Action to those persons that were appointed to Proclaim him And on the said day being the second day of the Week did he with others Preach at Black fryars where he also bore a publick Testimony against it Upon the fourth day of the same Week he and another were taken into custody by several Messengers from the Council and carried Prisoners to White-hall many freinds came thither to accompany them to observe the issue during the time they attended in the outward Rooms Mr Powel took occasion to Preach to the People from a portion of Scripture and in the midst of his discourse was sent for in●o the Council and committed Prisoner for words spoken in Black fryars he continued in the custody of the Messengers till the last day of the same Week being the 24. of December and then was discharged On the next day in the afternoon at the publick Meeting-house in Newgate-market called Christ Church he Preached from those words Acts 5.25 Then came one and told them saying behold the men whom yee put in Prison are standing in the Temple and teaching the People He joyned as you have heard with several Christians in Wales in that Letter and publick Testimony that was sent to Oliver Cromwel against his Usurpation which he he understanding before it came up caused a Party of Horse to be sent for him and to be b●ought to his Major General at Worcester they took him at Aberbecham in Mountgumery shire From a day of Fasting and Prayer and detained him sometime a Prisoner upon that account Upon the second Month called April 28 1660. Early in the Morning Mr. Powel dreamed that a company of Souldiers were coming to take him Prisoner which he no