Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	believe_v	faith_n	heart_n	5,328	5	5.2153	4	true

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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

I had my Heart several times in a good frame of Prayer Fifthly I learned f om Psal 149.2.4 How it is mutually between God and his People they joy in him and he take pleasure in them I also was thinking of the grounds of Saints doubts about their salvation viz. Ignorance in the Covenant of grace want of observing their Hearts of keeping up Holiness Slothfulness and favouring some secret sin and not profiting by ordinances I was noting that the wicked are not ashamed to profess that they endeavour hurt to the righteous without a cause Prov. 1.11 and that the godly should g●ow more bold by how much the more their afflictions increase 1. Thess 2.2 I had my heart this day so tned in P●●yer I was this day convinced of the negligence in that duty of desiring to see the Faces of the Saints as Paul did 1. Thess 3.11 I received a special Letter this day from our dear Brother I. B. which suited much with my condition and judgement I learned a word from one that I could not expect such words viz. I did not heretofore prize neither great things that were temporal of spiritual but now I prize the least things of either sort from 2. Cor. 7. chap. 4 5 6. I observed 1. That in the greatest trouble Gods People may have the greatest comforts 2. That their comfort is originally from God 3. That God may send in these comforts at such times and in such a manner as they expect not this Evening my Soul was a little refreshed by divers promises and softned in Prayer Being the Lords day I observed from Prov. 3.16 In all thy wayes acknowledge him that godliness is an eying of God owning of God imitating of God and respecting of God in all our wayes and upon the consideration of these two following questions I had many thoughts some of which were refreshing and satisfying to me from the first question how we may know that we have received real good benefit by our afflictions Secondly How we may know when God doth afflict in Love and Faithfulness Psal 119.75.71 also divers other meditations from Rev. 12.10 They overcame by the word of their testimony and by the Blood of the Lamb c. and concerning the spiritual Race which a Christian is to run I had some enlargedness and tenderness of heart God according to his usual way and dealing with me foreseeing what I could not to wit more approaching affliction did this day administer an Antidote even comfort by Letters from the hands of several special Freinds also those words keep sound wisdome keep my saying in the midest of thine heart and keep thy heart with all diligence were I adjudged words worthy of observation hearing this Evening of a gratious Brother and Preacher sickness my heart was moved earnestly to pray for him I observed in the Morning a special exhortaion out of Prov. 5.1 My Son attend unto my wisdome and bow thine Ear unto my understanding also verse the 23. that sin is a great folly so chap. 18.13 Judg. 19.23 This day I received a sad Letter from a Brother T. E. that is turned Quaker which added much ●o my affliction the good Lord shew him the E ●or of his way and humble and reclaim him this day I was sensible of my aptness to be angry and was put seriously to enquire into the voice and will of God by these additional afflictions and I find a need of the continuance of them and my heart brought into a more submissive frame to bear and suffer his Rod. This day I bless the Lord was a good day to my Soul I had enlargedness and much freeness with some measure of softness and earnestness in Prayer especially for the Saints of God and perticularly for my own country Christians I had also a strong resolution to watch my self more carefully and do my duty more diligently then formerly out of Prov 7. I observed several helps or means to prevent and preserve the Soul from sin viz. 1. A laying up the Commandements in the Heart 2. A looking on them or eying of them 3. Getting endeared affection to Christ 4. By taking heed of the occasions thereof This day was but a flat drowsie day to my Soul nor great good gained but sin and grace not discernably active and affections unwarmed and unquickened yet convinced of lost time and comforted a little from 1 Thess 4. With thoughts of Christs coming I was this morning instructed from wisdomes words Prov. 8.8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness and there is nothing froward in them that I should take more heed for the time to come of a froward Month and Tongue this day also I hope I can humbly say it I injoyed the Lord both in Meditation and Prayer and being sensible of the want of skil in beleiving and more diligence in sanctification and thereupon I am resolved through grace and hope to be enabled to take more heed to my ways and as the Lord also presented that Scripture to me Thess 5.15 But ever follow that which is good This day I had a check in my Spirit for lightness of heart and besides an outward special Providence I observed I learned from the sin I saw and heard of in others to loath or at least desired to loath it in my self I also observed from Prov. 9.18 That one main Reason why People do not leave sin is because they do not know or consider the punishment of sin also what a commendable thing it is for Christians to be patient and beleiving in all Persecution and Tribulations Thess 2.1 chap. 4. This day being the Lords day through Gods grace I had my heart much softened and enlarged to call upon God especially one time I observed also that that want of the love to the truth and love to unrighteousness are the causes of men falling from the faith 2. Thess 2.10.12 also ano●her excellent Lesson from that word 2. Thess 3 1● where he speaks of busie Bodies which signifies properly to be too intent about the work we should not be This d●● I had my heart set somewhat upon the consideration h● t v● p ●●●s P●ov 11.2 12 13. The ●ust ●hall be del●ve●ed and the just shall be saved on of troub●e 〈◊〉 d● I was no●eing a great difference between having the light and the love of the truth this day I received an Answer from a Christian Freind of a B●others business of concernment which signified his love and care and increased my affection to him I was somewhat affected also with the sweet Counsel of Christ to the Church of Sardis I had my Soul in some good frame especially in Prayer and comfort from the consideration of the promises in Psal 1.3 That the good man shall bear Fruit and that his Fruit shall not wither and Isa 49.25 and Jer. 33.20 From the stability of the Covenant I likewise considered 1. That there is that in Christ which answers

she was nursed her whole time This day I observed from Lev. 26. Gods way of dealing outwardly with his People either in mercy or affliction according to their obedience or disobedience but though they have sined and brought punishment upon themselves yet upon their confession of sin humbling of their hearts and accepting of their punishment God remits their sins and removes the punishment this day God in his providence ordered that I should hurt and bruise my Leg which might have been much worse I humbly praise God for it and hope to profit by it This day my heart was very much enlarged softened and quickened in Prayer twice but especially once and raised through the power of God exceedingly to be willing to suffer I learnt 1. To beware of sleight and short repentance a thing I often consider off 2. To fear secret self conceitedness after the well performing of a duty 3. To take heed of the corrupting Flies of vain thoughts and idle words 4. From P●ov 24.1 Not to desire the company of evil men 5. To see consider look and receive instruction from the Evil of others 6. That such as do the will of God but not with a good end shall be punished Hos 1.4 This day I was troubled with vain and wandering thoughts in solemn duties yet was made sensible of them and in some measure resisted them effectually I Learned from Prov. 25.22 how to perform my duty towards my Enemies and from chap. 26. 26. the danger of keeping secret sins that God will discover them before the Congregation God favoured me this day with kindness from and affected me somewhat with the relation and reading of Gods wonderful and strange works at which I desire to stand in admiration and to fear and tremble also to be affected with the sufferings of other Saints that differ from me I observed also from Prov. 26.23 How a wicked Hea t may be covered and undisce●ned as a Potshe d covered with dross also from chap 27.12 the Character and care of a prudent man viz. to foresee the evil and hide himself and from 2. Tim. 1. to learn to partake of sufferings and not to be ashamed of sufferers This day though I rose earlyer then ordinary yet through the multiplicity and continuance of company I made not such good imp●ovement thereof I cannot say I profited much or gained or learned any thing unless it w re from P ov 27.12 That a prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself also from 2. Tim. 2.11.12 I ●●se ved great encouragement to suffer for Christ because we shall live and raign with him also to labour to be pure fit Vessels for the Lord to follow a●ter Righteousness Faith Peace Charity c. I was convinced this day of four things I was too negligent in viz. Studying the Scriptures sending to the Christians especially those to whom I relate finishing somewhat I intended and begun and improving my Talent in this place more to the benefit of other poor Souls I had my heart softened and in some measure enlarged this day in Prayer and truely affected with some Christians that came to see me I had some comfortable considerations from three promises Prov. 28.10 20 26. The upright shall have good things in possession who so walketh ●prightly shall be saved and who so walketh wisely shall be delivered I had also comfortable from Hos 3 4.5 Compared together and was put to conside● those in 2. Tim. 3.2 c. This morning though too slothful I had some b●eathings of the Spirit of the Lord and kindled affections in P●ayer those words in Prov. 29.25 were some comfort and support to me the fear of man bringeth a s●a●e but who so putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe among other considerations I had this day 1. I considered that it was the needful●st thing in a dangerous time to get assurance of Gods favour and salvation and to make hast to repent and return to the Lord. 2. To consider our spiritual warfare and to q●i● our selves like Christians in striving for victory over our ●piritual Enemies I had comfort from that blessed p●omise Ier. the 33.7 8. Th●s d●y I had no great benefit to my Soul only from Hos 4 8.10 12. I observed 1. That to have the heart set on iniquity 2. To leave off taking need to the Lord. 3. To lose the heart or have it indisposed to good 4. To go from under God 5. To be left ●o ●●n o● igno ant of the mind of the Lo●d are most sad things al●o from the 2. Tim. 4. 1. To Watch 〈◊〉 all ●hi●g 2. Endure 3. To be doing our p●es●n● duty 4. Looking for our cha ge and d●● n●●ng o● God to be kept ●●om evil were m●●●aso●●●e pre●●nt L●ssons I ●ound some softn●s● ●●n●e●ity of heart thi● da● and h d t●re spe●●●●●d 〈◊〉 in things in my hea t to de●i●e ●●om Co●● 1. 〈◊〉 A th ough repent●nce 〈◊〉 recove●y 〈◊〉 of fo●mer sins 2. To be per●●ctly p●●served ●o the ●●●e to come from evil 3. To be 〈◊〉 or my dissolution or sufferings I received much kindness from the Lord this day the words in Hos 5.15 Till they acknowledge their iniquity or be guilty I considered and thought I c●●e short thereof yet those words Prov. 28.13 He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy This day I injoyed some measure of the Spirit in softening and drawing out of my heart in Prayer and somewhat in beleiving and tenderness towards others and those words Eccles 3 18. Of Gods manifesting unto men that they are but Beasts I desired to apply and to take heed of being guilty of any of those sins mentioned Hos 4. 1. Of setting the heart upon any iniquity verse the 8. 2. Of leaving to take heed to the Lord. 3. Of losing the heart or growing heartless in good 4. Of going from under God also from Titus the 1.14 not to give heed to the Commandments of men This was a day wherein God abounded in kindness towards me yet I was convinced that I was not guilty enough or sensible enough of mine iniquities as God requires Hos 5.15 and from Titus 2. I learned that a true Christian especially a Minister of the Gospel should be 1. Sound in doctrine 2. Sound in Faith and sound in Speech And concernining beleiving I had three things 1. To study more the grounds of Faith and the reasons inducing thereto 2. Not to give way to any thing against beleiving 3. To maintain Faith by holiness This day God was pleased to enlarge my heart in good and to weaken corruption making me sensible also of the present evils both of sin and suffering I learned from Titus 3.8.9 That R●generation Justification and Adoption are of Gods Love Pitty Mercy and meer Grace also to be ready to diligent in and profited by every good work and to be angry with my self for sinful things and deny my self in lawful things oh my trouble

and tribulations inward and outward by Sin World Satan and the gracious supports under all Thirdly In his Narraritical dedication to the Ministry wherein his dexterous and eminent skill unwearied activity singular faithfulness and admirable success appeared beyond many Fourthly In the perils hazards jeopardies persecutions imprisonments that he underwent for the Gospel insomuch that it is conceived it may be as truly said of him as any since the primitive days what was said of the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 6.4 c. 11.26 c. You have some account of him not only in his heart-walk but in his House Church and Generation walk also First You have some discovery of his heart-walk out of some part of his Diary wherein you find his vigilant vigorous and steady watch not only to improve the motions of the spirit but to withstand the motions of sin and Satan his close and hard persuit after God by all ways means to keep the heart clean and the life holy to keep up grace in the act godliness in the power thereof observing daily his spiritual experiences both in his gettings losings Secondly You have some account also of him in his family-walk which so much be speaks the Christian wherein you find him as a man of knowledge filling up every Relation in the fear of God managing his affairs with discretion doing not only the things that were just and equal but singular also Designing with Joshua that he and his house might serve the Lord which he cared for in the first place witnessing therein a singular love and regard to all the souls under his roof A strict and zealous observer of the Sabbath a great lover of Hospitality administring with liberal heart and hand to all especially to the household of Faith insomuch that the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon him causing the widows heart to sing for joy eyes to the blind feet to the lame a father to the poor and the cause he knew not he searched out Job 29.30 31. and so divising liberal things by liberal things he stood Thirdly You have some thing of him also in his Church-walk wherein he approved himself a workman that needed not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word to every one a portion giving bread in due season taking heed to himself and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost had made him an Overseer to feed the Church of God which he purchased with his own blood taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind And having the word of God dwelling richly with him in all wisdom did teach and admonish in Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs A true lover and an affectionate promoter of peace and holiness a zealous and impartial withstander of sin errour and prophaness One that had dexterous skill to get into the hearts of sinners And one to whom the Lord had given the tongue of the Learned that knew how to speak a word in due season to him that was weary very compassionate and tender hearted full of true sympothy and fellow feeling under all weaknesses and temptations that attended any being experimentally able to administer consolation by the comfort wherewith he himself under many tryals had been supported and comforted by the Lord. Fourthly You have some account also how he behaved himself in his Generation-Walk wherein you will find he witnessed in a publick spirit much sincere love to his Country great faithfulness courage and activity to the Cause and Interest of Christ as it was stated for him against Antichrist and so covenanted for pleaded in his day And in the asserting and managing thereof it may be said of him that he bore in his Body the marks of our Lord Jesus and to which he was faithful from first to last even to death And not with so many that appeared so zealously cursing Merozat first for not helping the Lord against the mighty and soon after fell in with the mighty against the Lord Nor with so many Princes Elders and Father's contrary to former Covenants and Ingagements who made a Captain to go back again into Aegypt to the building again the things that they had pulled down and pulling down the things they had built But did in that day of tryal you 'll find as zealously and impartially withstand his Friends for Hypocrisy and Apostacy as others for Prophaness and Superstition foretelling and lamenting such steps as the certain foundation of ruine and confusion Neither did ●e see cause as an evil doer in reproach to Christ and his cause pleaded by him to beg and give thanks for pardon for serving of him Nor to deny forsake and forswear his Master and Crucified Cause but with courage and faithfulness you 'll find him ●earing of and rejoycing under the Cross owning and confessing him as well at Gibbet and in the Supulchre as when the Hosannahs were sung to him And so keeping the word of his patience serving his Generation according to the will of God he fell asleep dying in the assured Faith and Hope of the Resurrection of that Cause that he had so done and suffered for so lived and dyed in It is true under all the Worth and Excellency spoken of you 'll find him also a man of like passions with his Brethren and not without his infirmities having all this Heavenly Treasure in an Earthen Vessel and being a Son of Adam as well as a man of God that he might not be esteemed of more than was meet and that Christ alone might have the preheminency to be the great Example and to be imitated in all things the best of men being no otherwise to be followed than as they follow Christ because as saith the Apostle in many things we offend all The natural infirmity that he much groaned under and complained of was passion and rashness and which he would when overtaken with make haste out of and with due acknowledgements for his evil therein return speedily to a sweet frame and temper again It remains that since the pleasure of the Lord is thus manifested in the removing such a Father with many other such like eminent ones a late from us that the due improvement of such sad providences be endeavoured according to the ends before hinted whereby our holy Powels excellent Bridges worthy Blakes faithful Woods may yet though dead live and preach to us and may be a means to help forward the cry of doubling the spirit of the Elias's that are taken away upon the Elisha's remaining Mr. POWEL'S ACCOUNT OF HIS Conversion and Ministry Some Remarkable Passages in the Life of Mr. Vavasor Powel from his Conversion to his Death being the space of 30 years and upwards written with his own hand and found with the Confession of his Faith and other Memorable occurrences among his Papers TIll the twentieth Year of my age though I was trained up in learning from my Childhood

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

that you shall shortly reach Immortality but never Eternity Make Christ your all and you will be sure to lay down your self all Consider that when you are not assaulted with Temptaions Satan is damming and pounding and and he will suddenly draw up his Sluce and let loose upon you Satan doth not like God warn before he strike Christ work is Wages his Service perfect freedom The Love of the Master the sweetness of the Service and the greatness of the reward are sufficient incouragements to serve Christ A Christians security and safety is in doing his duty and he should study his duty more then his safety He that loves not Christ more then his Lust or his Life is like to lose Christ and his Life but he that loves Christ more then his Life shall be sure to save and keep both Strive greatly to have and to exercise a good Conscience towards God and Men and commit by Soul Life and Cause to the Lord and to ex●●ct the worst of Men and the best of Christ Christ is ●●●o the Soul as the Loadstone to the ●on drawing it to it self or the Cristial to the other ●tones putting Beauty and Lustre on them A Christian beholds Christ in the deepest Afflicti●n as well as in the most spiritual Ordinance Corruptions are like Worms in the Maw or Sto●ach which will eat through the Soul unless scat●red killed and purged out The only way some times for a Christian to avoid the force of Temptation is Souldier Like to fall down on his face when he sees the Cannon or Musket fired against him Make haste to do thy work Christian and God will make haste to give thee thy Wages Thou must dye once whether thou suffer or no and thou canst dye but once if thou suffer The sins of Saints are new sufferings to Jesus Christ and the sufferings of Saints are the Wounds of Christ Reading the Scriptures helps Meditation Meditation Prayer and Prayer every good work Men may come too late to God when the Door is shut but God never comes too late to Men. Let the Child be contented to take the Breast the Mother will give it and then it shall have both so be contented with what Christ gives you and you shall want nothing To see the want of Grace is much the worth of Grace more T is hard to get Grace hard to get assurance of Grace hard to use it and not abuse it T is very hard to behold our own Gift without Pride and the Gifts of others if they excel ours without Envy Do not commend thy Freind nor discommend thy Foe too much least thou be judged to be partial He commands most and best that commads in Love Humility and Self-denyingly He hath not learned to rule that hath not learning●ed to obey An even through Paced Self-fearing Heart melt-Christian is always best The world is a great nothing deluding the bad disturbing and distracting the good Satan works more upon men by sleight then by might avoid his cunning and thou wilt avoid his cruelty Hypocrites Hearts are like stinking Ponds wherein Frogs live and Fish dye Lusts feed and Grace if it were there starves The Devil is like the Turkycock or Crocodile if you turn upon him he will fly from you but you fly from him he will pursue you It is better sometimes to sleight the Devil then to fight him Thoughts of our own death will tend much to deaden sin God hath set the Tongue between the Brains and Heart that it may advice with both and within two Guards to keep it in and yet it is unruly Prayer is a good preparative to suffering when Christ had prayed he went out to meet Judas Ioh. 18.4 Ruffling opinion sowing and Church railing Persons and Professors have commonly more Self then Grace It is the duty of a Christian to suppress and search himself when he doth not know Evil by himself Christ and Sin are most magnified in the Eyes of Believers in their afflictions but in a different manner and to a different end and then Christ is most desired and Sin most dispised A Christian should earnestly desire that his sin might sit in a white Cloud and that he might go out of the World as a Perfume and not as a Snuff The holy Law of God teaches a Man to see his own Deformity and requires from him a Conformity Sin is like a sleepy Lion in the Soul which Temptation soon awakens Christ puts most of his Oyle in broken Vessels in broken Hearts there is most Grace and best kept The less a man strives for himself the more will Christ strive for him Oh my Soul look for death hourly long for it greatly prepare for it carefully meet and welcome it joyfully for it is Christs part to direct his Spouse the Soul to him and thy Freind that comes to set thee at liberty from thy sins discharge thee from thy P●ison dismiss thee from thy Debts and bring thee at once to enjoy all thy desires Oh Lord as a sign that I shall be able to dye for thee let me find my Corruption dying in me by power from thee He that will not take Example shall make an Example Afflictions are Christs Love Tokens Jer. 12.7 Heb. 12.6 Rev. 3.9 and Christians are never more tendred then when most afflicted as Ephraim Jer. 31.20 A Christians Soul should be like the Dial going according to the Sun or following Christ Small sins yeilded too make way for greater and one sin for another He that converts a Sinner covers a world or multitude of sins and gains more then a World to wit a Soul Saints should labour to Lord it over their Corruptions as their Corruptions did formerly Lord it over them God hath given a Man a little Mouth and a narrow Throat that Man may not exced in eating To take pains about unnecessary and unprofitable things is laboriously to mispend time Zeal without Knowledge to guide it is like mettle in a blind Horse which stumbles and overthrows the Rider Young Christians commonly want a Curb and old Christians a Spur. Be not ambitions of Love and thou shalt not be so soon an object of Envy It is good to curb natural and acquired Gifts but to give the Reins to Grace and let alwayes Grace lead rule and master Gifts A Heart unconverted is contended with nothing but what is helping it unto Hell and it hath never enough of that very sin and the Heart converted is never satisfied but with what helps it towards Heaven and yet thinks he hath never enough thereof viz. Christ and Grace Welcome thou thy Landlord Christ into thy Cottage now and he will welcome thee into thy Palace hereafter Get Christ and Christian to bind thy Conscience to the peace and thy Affections and Flesh to the good behaviour Spend all thy Grace against thy Lust but none for it Thy hardest duty in Christianity is to deny self and to destroy sin As the Martyr

him which so continued the next day as to cause him to keep his bed the next morning being the Lords day several friends came to see him and would needs send for a Doctor hough he was not very free thereto When the Dr. came he appoints him several things and read his bill to him which he approved on but told the Doctor that he had no medicine for Mortality saying his days were accomplished his Gripes and Bloody Flux encreased violently upon him notwithstanding all admi●ostrations to him and very little check for ten days usuld be given to it though variety of means were used and that such as had been blessed to help others in his Case Afterwards the Blood staid but his Flux remained and was for some time so moderate that there was great hopes of his recovery though himself said otherwise all along the Dr. ordered he should be kept from speaking much but so zealously was he affected for the glory of God and with the love of Christ that neither his pains bodily weakness tender advice of friends could possibly restrain him but would notwithstanding all brake forth into high and heavenly praises sometimes by prayer sometimes by singing His patience under all his pains was very great when there came one of his greatest gripes he would bless God and say he would not entertain one bad thought of God for all the World The sight of the pardon of sin and reconciliation with God was so clear and without interruption even to the last that it was as a fire in his bosom till he spake of it and very hardly would he be restrained at any time and when he had spent his strength in speaking then would he compose himself to get a little more strength that he might go on to speak further of the Grace of God towards him and to give seasonable advice to all about him and so continued till God took away his strength and speech from him The Thrush growing so sore in his mouth that he could speak no more to be understood and yet then by signs would signifie that all was well within He enjoyed his understanding to the last which he said he had begged of God His remembrance of Gods people and prayers for them was very frequent and particularly his Christian friends in Wales earnestly desired the Saints to be of one mind Some that were frequent with him in his sickness say that such an earnest of glory their eyes and ears never heard nor saw before He kept his bed a moneth within one day and so finished his course service and suffering at four of the clock in the afternoon upon the 27 of the 8 moneth called October 1670. at Karoone house the then Fleet Prison in Lambeth Some few of his Death-bed expressions collected by some friends that were about him IF the Devil should tell me I am proud or unfruitful or unthankful I have cause to believe him for I can charge my self with a great deal but if he should tell me I have no grace and am not Christs I should not believe him He did bless God that he had not withdrawn the light of his Countenance nor left him to be buffeted by Satan nor to the Love of any thing in the world to make him desire to live here any longer Speaking of the Martyrdome of the Saints said I had rather have dyed for Christ then for sin He said three things I did design in the whole course of my life viz. To be clear in the Righteousness of Christ for justification that I might exalt the grace of God to poor sinners and admire it to my own soul Secondly To be sincerely to God what I did seem to be to man that I might be upright in what I did and really that which I did profess Thirdly That I might walk answerably to the Love and Grace of God which he hath bestowed upon me and added The two first I have much endeavoured but the last I have been very short in My principle was to promote holiness love and union among the Saints and have sometimes denyed my self in my own judgement that so I might have an opportunity to promote other truths among different Brethren These 30 years since God wrought upon me I do not remember that ever I had one hard thought of God nor repent me that I did make a Profession nor progress in the ways of God notwithstanding all my reproaches and sufferings But have had much cause to wonder at Jesus Christ that hath called me an undone sinner me an undone sinner and counted me me a vile wretch worthy to suffer any thing for his names sake and this he did speak with so much brokenness and spend his strength so much that those Christian friends that were near unto him did entreat him to compose himself if it might please God to give him a little rest and at another time to this purpose I have been much considering since I was upon my sick bed how the Lord Jesus whilst upon the Earth carried it to poor sinners and am much satisfied that it is a great fault among Churches and Christians that they have no more pitty and bowels to poor sinners and use no more means to gain them unto Jesus Christ further adding that Jesus Christ had such compassion to sinners when he was upon the Earth that therefore he was called a friend of Publicans and Sinners After some time of silence he breaks out in these words Oh now I find more in that word then ever I did they overcame by the blood of the Lamb. Though God hath given me a very tender good and affectionate Wife yet I do not grudge to part with her to go to Jesus Christ When a Christian friend speaking to him said that now he had a great deal to take comfort in both in what he had suffered for Christ so and in that he had been an instrument to convert so many souls to Christ He answered that his Religion now was in the Righteousness of Christ Sincerity and Uprightness He did bless God that it was not now with him as it was in South-Sea-Castle because there he had no friends about him to do any service of love for him as now he had When there was some hopes of recovery his wife asking him whether he would be willing to stay with us if God should restore him answered I am willing to do what God will have me but yet unwilling to come back again into the storm When his friends endeavoured to keep him from speaking he said you restrain me and will not let me speak for Jesus Christ and then would weep and grieve that he was not permitted to speak as much as he would When he spoke of sufferings to come he gave two words of advice to the Saints and those that were round about him as 1. To keep all things clear betwixt Christ and the Soul and Christ and Conscience that there might be no