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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	covenant_n	grace_n	justification_n	7,486	5	9.7652	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

that by Faith only without Works before God Rom. 3.23 25. Rom. 4.1 5. Yet that Faith which justifies cannot be alone but is accompanied with good Works which justifies Believers before Men and manifests their Faith to be a True and living Faith Iames 2.17 18. as the Fruits of Trees do shew the nature of them but are no causes of their Root Life or Growth Justification is wholly of Gods Grace through the Redemption Righteousness and Blood of Jesus Christ Rom. 3.24 25. whereby those who truly believe in him have all their sins forgiven which will never be imputed nor remembred against them any more Romans 3.22 26. Hebr. 10.14.17 True Faith also by which the soul looks on Christ takes hold on him receives him becomes one with him and whereby Christ dwells in the Hearts of Believers is the gift of God Iohn 6.44 65. Eph. 2.8 3.17 Concerning the Spirit of Adoption and Regeneration 1. All those that truly believe God gives unto them Power or rather as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Right or Priviledge to become his children Iohn 1.12 and they receive the Spirit of Adoption by which they are led and enabled to come with confidence and boldness unto God and to call him Father through Iesus Christ Rom. 8.14.15 Gal. 4.5 6. The spirit it self also dwells and abides in them as the chiefest evidence of their being the children of God Iohn 14.16 17. Rom. 8.16 1 John 4.13 2. Regeneration Sanctification and Repentance which are the same in effect is a renewing of the Heart and a subduing and cleansing of the Power and Filth of sin with a quickning of the soul to live like Christ these are absolutely necessary to salvation John 3.3 5. Rom. 6 c. Yet these also as well as Faith are the gifts and works of God which he giveth through and for the sake of his Son and works by his Spirit in those whom he intends to save Ezek. 36.26 27 28. Acts 11.18 c. 3. No man much less all men hath by nature or before his conversion either the Spiritual light or true Faith or Christ or his Spirit in them or a will or love to that which is spiritually good or power to come to Christ or to be subject to his Law and Will but by nature and before conversion the best are blind unbelieving without Christ and without the Spirit unwilling wilful weak and wicked John 3.5 6. Rom. 5.6 8.7 Eph. 2.1 2 c. Yet sinning against the Light and Law of Nature and not worshipping God according to what is revealed of him by the works of Creation they are left inexcusable Rom. 1.20 21. Concerning Redemption from the Curse of the Law All true Believers are really and actually redeemed from the Curse and power or Dominion of the Law and are under Grace or the Blessings Promises and Privileges of the Covenant of Grace both Temporal and Eternal Rom. 6.14 7 4 6. Gal 3.13 On the contrary all Unbelievers and wicked persons are and remain under the Law and Covenant of works Gal. 5.4 Concerning the two Covenants From the beginning of the world there have been two Covenants in being viz. The Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of works called the Law and the Gospel and all and every person in the world have been and are under one of them the first requiring the Obedience of works the other the Obedience of Faith and these are the conditions of the two Covenants Rom. 10.4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Heb. 8.7 8. c. 10.15 16 c. 22. Concerning Perseverance in Grace Those that do truly believe and are once in and under the New Covenant and in the true grace of God as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.2 cannot absolutely fall and utterly perish for they are passed from death to life John 5.24 they are in Christ and God the Fathers hand John 10.28 29. they have the Spirit abiding in them unto eternal life 1 John 3.24 they sit together in heav●●ly places in Christ Eph. 2.5 6. and he makes intercession for them John 17.20 and the Decree Oath and Promises of God are sure to all the seed Rom. 4.16 that they shall not depart from God Jer. 32.40 1 Iohn 3.9 and that he will never leave nor forsake them Heb. 13-5 6. and that he or every one that believeth shall be saved Mark 16.16 and shall not come into condemnation for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Concerning assurance of Salvation i. Believers are to be exhorted to make their calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 and this they may certainly attain unto for God hath promised it Christ hath prayed for it and many of the Saints have attained unto it 1 John 2.3 5. 3.14 c. 2. Though there are many signs and evidences of the truth of grace laid down in the Scripture and such as Believers may find in themselves as Love to God and to his people respect to all Gods Commands and hatred to sorrow for and power against all in-bred corruption c. Yet the chiefest and most undoubted evidence is the spirit it self 1 Iohn 3.24 4.13 and the Witness and Sealing of it Rom. 8.15 Eph. 1.13 which Believers have most commonly after they believe and not at their first believing Gal. 3.14 and there may be a true Faith mingled with much Doubting Mat. 14.31 and many of the children of light may walk in darkness and be ignorant of their state Isa 50.10 Yet such bruised Reeds God will not break nor quench such smoaking Flax i. e. such weak and Doubting Christians or their Faith till he bring forth Judgment into victory or help them to overcome Mat. 12.20 21. 3. It is possible also that such believers as have attained unto a full Assurance may afterwards either through the hiding of Gods countenance for Tryal of them or by falling into some great sin or by some sore and violent temptation or through their Remissness in Religious Duties or the like have their Assurance darkned shaken and weakned and thereby their Souls may be much troubled and discomforted Psal 30.7 Cant 2.1 2. 5.2 3 c. yet in their darkest and most doubting condition they cleave unto the Lord remember his former dealings acknowledge these doubts to be their Infirmities and they find and feel some workings of the Spirit and Grace within them and still continue in Prayer and other Ordinances waiting upon the Lord till he return unto them revive them restore the joy of his Salvation and settle them in their old Estates as he hath promised For this read Psal 22. 51. 77. throughout Lam. 3. Isa 8.17 50.10 c. Concerning Growth and Perseverance in Grace 1. Those that have true Grace whether little or much they should labour to grow therein and to add one Grace to another going from strength to strength perfecting holiness in the fear of God and still

are 1. To be hardened by the deceitfulness and guilt of sin 2. To have my goodness inconstant and uncontinuing as the morning Cloud or Dew 3. Because I cannot attain to that I urge and press upon others 4. To find such little effect of the sufferings of Christ and of his Spirit in me and of the Resolutions I make and Duties I perform Seek three things 1. To secure thy Soul 2. A sound Heart 3. A sin-sick Soul or a Soul sick of sin Take heed of presumptuous sin which is in Heb. 10. 1. A willing sinning 2. Knowingly 3. Despising of the I●w 4. Sleighting of Christ 5. Doing despight to the Spirit 6. Falling into the hands of the living God without Christ and Sanctification Some of the last Lessons I am endeavoring to learn 1. TO keep Faith and to keep down Flesh 2. To be bound as if I were free and married as if I were unmarried 3. To dye before I come to dye viz. Expect and long for it 4. To attend every Duty better and to depend on them less 5. To realize and experience Spiritual things more 6. To make eternal things nearer by Faith 7. To have all things I see hear and read to leave a deeper impression upon me especially the sufferings of the godly and the sins of the wicked 8. To get more Communion with God in my services and sufferings 9. To have my Heart to mind more what God intends and doth in the Nations then what men do 10. To account of Gods least things more and of my own greatest and best things less 11. To make improvement of all former sins and sufferings 12. To learn to feed upon Gods brown Bread which is affliction better then formerly upon his white Bread his Gospel Ordinances 13. Not to think doing or suffering work hard 14. To get my self quite raised and recovered by vertue from Christ conveyed by the Spirit through the Covenant of Grace 15. To cease from all childish things 16. To do the work and bear the Testimony of my day in the day 17. to have a fixed or constant spirit for the word in Heaven is the same Psal 51.1 10. in the mar in God and in beleiving and doing good 18. To see that condition I am in to be best for me Some of my last Experiences 1. To see one sin after another more clearly 2. To see that I am very weak and sho●t in that grace wherein I thought I most excelled 3. That the sin that had most strength in me through the assisting power of Christ is grown and growing much more weaker 4. That I am more and more encouraged and helped to beleive by the strength of Christ and that as sin hath formerly weakned Faith so now Faith weakens sin 5. The sin and danger of neglecting ones body in making it unserviceable to the Lord. 6. That when a Christian begins to grow carnal can less the Lord leaves him to him self for sometime and either to be assaulted troubled with some Temptation or to be overcome with some Corruption 7. That before God raiseth up a Christian to a more spiritual estate or causeth him to suffer God Many times lets him know himself by leaving him to some corruption or temptation 8. That when and from whom I feared temptations at that time and from such the Lord did ma y lo●fly deliver me ev●n from the thoughts of Evil. 9. That very day and a few hours before my g eat sickness in Sept 9. 1664. I was strongly assaulted with Temptation and God in very mercy and wonderful seasonably did then lay sickness upon me 11. That a true Christian that is troubled with his Corruption doth rejoyce greatly when God doth by any means prevent and preserve from them 12. Exceeding suitably did God one day apply the three following Scriptures Esa 54.14 Ezek. 34.21 1. Pet. 3.14.16.19 13. That to shun one kind of Evil I found my self very ready to fall into another 14. That affliction when it was new fresh and first laid upon me it made and left more impression then afterwards As a further discovery of Gods gracious actings in the Heart of this holy man you have this following taste of his Spirit in this Collection taken out of his Dyary or Iornal it being his custome to keep a dayly Observation and Record of every every remarkable Providence occurring to him and of the frame of his Heart in his spiritual getings and losings every day which for the most part were written in Characters yet some being at large you have a few of them hereafter inserted which by Gods blessing may rend to the Edification and comfort as well as Example of many His Book is entituled Some Memento's and Experiences of Gods gracious dealings with Vavasor Powel Deut. 8.2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God leads thee c. Psal 143.5 I remember the dayes of old c. Can. 1.4 We will remember thy love Psal 34.3 My Soul shall make her boast of the Lord c. Collections out of his Dyary THis day I observed as many dayes before that I have commonly Consolation and Affliction in the same day If I have comfort from the Lord that day by Communion or communication or otherwise in the morning I am sure to have some trouble that Night and if trouble in the Morning I am sure to have some refreshing that Night but there is scarce one day wherein I have not some breathings from God and to God and as sure buffetings from Satan This day was a very comfortable day to me in the morning I was refreshed by those words 31. Ps 15. My times are in thy hands c. by comparing that with Ier. 20.12 I had much comfort in the society of Gods People and several times in Prayer that day and power against evil thoughts yet that Evening I was assaulted strongly with sinful thoughts but in my flying to God in prayer against them they fled from me This day being the Lords day I had some communion with the Lord in private Prayer and a greater sence of the sufferings of his People upon my Heart and it came into my Heart to aske earnestly of God that I might love him better then my Life and better then my Lusts remembring that Scripture in the 2 Tim. 3.2.5 That Self-love and loving of pleasure more then God will be the two cheif Characters of Hyppocrites and Appostates in the latter dayes In the Evening I was again assaulted with Evil thoughts which necessitated me to fly to the Lord in Prayer and thence I learned this Lesson that sometimes the very sin of a Christian drives him to his Duty and Service sometimes by way of prevention either to the Scriptures for some word of promise or command against sin or to Prayer and sometimes after a Soul hath sinned it sees a necessity speedily and earnestly to confess it repent for it resolve and watch against it This

first conviction upon me by another they were so much the more observable and as a second wedge clave my heart somewhat more made deeper entrance and caused further resolutions in me to seek to perform those particulars and to that end I began to read the Bible to pray often in private and to hear the strictest Preachers and to leave off my old Companions and to chuse others who professed Religion with whom I went to private and publick fasts held Christian conferences c. Upon further hearing concerning the old heart and body of corruption and that every man had some master and beloved sin and that there was a necessity of having the heart changed and corruption mortified and subdued the Lord shewed me hereby the sad and lost Estate my soul was in for want thereof and now the work of compunction and contrition began in me with many deep sighs and bitter tears self-loathing and self-abasing confessing of former sins sorrowing and judgeing my self for them and striving against them and seeking to kill them by long abstinence from Meat by much watchfulness by drinking cold water onely many Months together by tying up myself to eat so many bits of Meat and that of the coursest sort too at every meal some times six some times eight and twelve was a great meal with me and by this means I thought to overcome the Flesh and flying sometimes to the holy command of God against sin by which I found no other relief than a School-boy doth who complains to his Master against the hardness of his Lesson Rom. 7.9 for the Commandement came stirred and revived sin and so I began to dye and despair the Law telling me I was a condemned sinner the justice and terrours of God did seize upon my Conscience and the spirit of fear and bondage as the fruit of the Law and an effect of Gods wrath did bind me like a Prisoner to answer every breach of the Law Rom. 11.32 Not leading me to Christ but restraining me from him and shutting me up in unbelief And when sometimes through energy and earnestness of spirit in Prayer I called God Father had checks upon my Conscience for my over-confidence and presumption and to pacifie and silence this charge I was forced to confess my sin of misbelief or false faith and watch my tongue from uttering any such boldness for the time to come Thus finding no relief from the Law or command of God but the threats and Judgements thereof scorching whipping and wounding my soul I looked out for some suitable promise not any promise of Justification but of Sanctification as Ezek. 36.26.18 Mich. 7.19 That God would give a new heart and would subdue Iniquities So I fell a praying over these and the like promises but finding no answer of prayer my heart no more sanctified nor my corruptions subdued The next work at the instigation of Satan was to conclude that I had no right to any promise being out of Christ and that all my prayers were an abomination to God and so I began to question whether it was best for me to continue in prayer or to forbear But I was not long under that temptation considering that prayer was a moral duty and to be performed by all and that the sin of or in a duty should not make a man neglect his duty for upon the same account a man must leave plowing because the Scripture saith the Plowing of the wicked is sin Prov. 21.4 Hereupon I purposed to be more diligent to get into Christ and to have a new heart that so I might perform my duty acceptably I also resolved to prepare my self more for prayer to search and keep my heart more carefully and closly in my duty to God and if vain thoughts hardness or streightness of my heart c. did prevaile then after the duty I had as the Apostle saith Heb. 10.2 conscience of sin or my conscience smiting condemning and disquieting me sending and driving me to prayer again immediately it may be twice thrice or oftner together yea making me often times to rise out of my bed several times in a night and forcing me on my bare knees on the cold floor as if that had been more pleasing to God But all this being done in my own strength under a covenant of works and to work a self righteousness both to please God and to pacifie my own conscience as it was unacceptable to God so unprofitable to me Then hearing that Christ was sent from and tendered by God his Father to sinners I thought of coming to Christ but durst not through a mistake in the meaning of some Scriptures as that invitation of Christ Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden and those words Luke 19 10. I came to seek and to save that which was lost from whence I concluded that none were invited by Christ but those that are weary and heavy laden and such as see and feel their lost condition whereas it is meant that they in an especial manner are invited I concluded I was not yet fit nor qualified for Christ but must have a precious work wrought in me to that end I supposed a greater and clearer sight of sin was needful therefore I often and earnestly prayed that God would perform that promise Ezek. 6.9 They shall loath themselves for the evil they have committed in all their Abominations Yea I desired though not understanding what I said that God would let Satan appear in some shape to terrifie me that by that means I might see my danger so much the more to induce me to fly to Christ Hereupon Satan took advantage and opportunity and as he did formerly to Saul so he appeared several times and in several wayes to me as once like a house stood directly in my way with which sight I fell upon my face as dead and after a while crying unto the Lord I had a little strength by which I was enabled to go home but was thereupon sick several dayes after Another time being alone in my Chamber late at night at Prayer and the door shut I continued in Prayer till the Candle went out and as I went on I sensibly perceived a strong cold wind to blow my hair was like to Eliphaz Job 4.14 15. and had the same effect for it made the hair of my flesh to stand up and caused all my bones to shake and on the suddain I heard one walk about me trampling upon the Chamber floor as if it had been some heavie big man upon which I grew so fearful and unbelieving that I ran down shutting and hasping the door after me and called up some of the family telling them there was a thief in the room but it proved in the end to be no other than that spiritual thief and murderer Satan who did both then and at several other times greatly affright and terrifie me not onely by his secret workings in the conscience but

Devils sinned and kept not their first Estate 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude verse 6. John 8.44 And Adam comprehending also Eve sinned and all mankind in him whereby all are become sinners and under the Judgement of God and by that one sin subject to Death Bodily Spiritual and Eternal and all as well the Elect as others are born in sin and are by Nature the Children of Wrath under the Law and Curse out of which condition no man can redeem himself or his Brother Gen. 3. Rom. 5. Psalm 51.5 Job 25.4 Ephes 2.2 Gal. 3.10 Psal 49.7 Concerning the promise of Salvation by Christ Immediately upon the Fall of Adam God made a Promise of his Son the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 And afterwards often before the Law made and renewed a Covenant with Abraham and the Fathers called the Gospel Gal 3.8 concerning him how all Nations that is all Believers as well Gentiles as Jews should be blessed that is justified and saved through and by him Gen. 12. 17. 22. Rom. 4. Gal. 3. And therefore the Law that was given after was neither intended nor able to disannull the Promise or that Covenant nor to give Life and Salvation to any Gal. 3. Rom. 3. 4. Concerning the Lord Christ and those that are Redeemed by him 1. The Son of God did often appear both in the likeness of an Angel and of a man before and under the Law Gen. 16. 22. Exod. 3. Iosh 5. Iude. 2.1 6.11 14. 13.6.22 He was also clearly represented by many Types and Figures by Men sc Adam Abel Noah Abraham Isaac Joseph David Solomon c. The First-born the First-fruits Sacrifices and by many other things Col. 2.17 Rom. 5.14 Heb. 8.1 9.11 12. 2. All the Prophets did clearly prophesie of him and some of them in particular that he should proceed from David out of the Tribe of Judah be born in Bethlehem of a Virgin yea the very time when he should be born was also foretold and that he should be a Prophet Priest and King a Judge and Saviour to his people that he should Die Rise up again Ascend up into Heaven sit upon Gods Right Hand make Intercession give Gifts unto men and come again to judge the world the fulfilling of which the History of the New Testament doth plainly and fully shew so that there is a sweet and exact Harmony and Consent between that and the Old Testament herein Luke 24.25 26 27. 45 46 47. Acts 3.18 21 10.43 13.39 c. 3. In the fulness of Time appointed and promised by the Father God out of his own free and great love sent this his only begotten Son into the world Gal. 4.4 Eph. 1.10 John 3.16 Rom. 8.32 And the Lord Jesus Christ out of the like love willingly came into the world took upon him the Nature of Man or the seed of Abraham and the Form of a Servant being made like unto his Brethren and in all points Tempted or Tryed as we are yet without sin yet being made sin and a curse for his people he dyed a shamefull and a cursed death bearing as well the wrath of God upon his soul as painful Punishment from men upon his body Eph. 5.2 Phil. 2.7 Hebrews 2.14 17. 2 Cor. 5.21 Col. 3.13 Matthew 26. 27 c. 4. The Lord Jesus Christ by dying and offering up himself as a Sacrifice to God the Father through the eternal Spirit hath perfectly satisfied for the sins of all that were saved before his coming in the flesh or that shall be saved hereafter having also reconciled them to God his Father and procured everlasting redemption for them Rom. 5.9 Col. 1.21 22. Heb. 9.12 14 c. 5. All those for whom Christ dyed for them he rose again appeared in Heaven and continually makes Intercession for which he doth not do for all but for those that God the Father chose in him and gave unto him to be his Body his Church his Children Friends and Flock John 10. 15. 17 Heb. 2. Eph. 1. 14. c. And when mention is made of his dying for the world 1 Tim. 2.5 John 6.51 1 John 2.2 c. It is to be understood as when Abraham is said to be Heir of the world Rom. 4.13 that is of all Believers in every nation throughout the world John 11.51 52. John 17.9 19. 6. There is no other Mediator between God and Man but only the Lord Christ nor no other Foundation can be laid besides him neither is there Salvation in or through any other but in and through him alone neither can any be accepted justified or saved either in whole or in part by the Law or by their own Righteousness and Works 1 Tim. 2.5 1 Cor. 3.10 11. Acts 4.11 12. Rom. 3.4 5. Phil 3.8 9. Gal. 2.16 3. c. Concerning Justification and Justifying Faith 1. All the Elect of God were gathered into Christ and their sins laid upon him and he by his own Perfect and Personal Obedience without them made full satisfaction unto God for them and their sins and they were accepted and virtually justified in him as their Head and Representer before they did actually believe as they were sinners in the first Adam before they actually committed sins themselves as upon the payment of the Debt by a Surety the Debtor is as really and truly discharged as if he had paid it with his own hand and Christ their Surety being justified at his Resurrection as the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 3.16 must be justified also from that Debt which was theirs for he had none of his own Dan. 9.26 1 Pet. 2.22 24. and so consequently they must be justified in him Thus the Apostle plainly affirms God was in Christ i. e. at the time of his Death for with reference to that doth the Apostle there speak reconciling the world i. e. that World as was mentioned before whereof Abraham was heir viz. the Elect both Jews and Gentiles Rom. 11.12.15 not imputing to them their Trespasses 2 Cor. 5.19 so the same Apostle in another place saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect meaning hereby all the Elect as well such as are to believe hereafter as those who do believe already it is God who justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.33 34. And Christ prayed on Earth as well for those that were to believe as for those that were already Actually Believers Iohn 17.20 And all Elect Children that dye in their Infancy must be so Justified from Original sin for they cannot actually believe 2. Notwithstanding that Virtual justification which the Elect have in their Head Christ as they are considered members of his Body and Part of the Universal Church yet the Scripture shews that there must be after they are called by the preaching of the Gospel a personal and as I may call it an actual Justification of every one that is to be saved Rom. 8.30 and