Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	death_n	lord_n	sinner_n	2,648	5	7.4070	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

and mildly desired Mr. Powel to withdraw and they would consider of it P. Sir sayth he I will but first I crave leave to speak a few words which I humbly leave to your consideration I am though your Countreyman yet a stranger haveing been not above twice before in your County and at this time but one day only and that in tran●i●n I have been taken in my lodging and committed Prisoner without any just ground that hath been yet objected There is neither Sedition Treason nor any other crime laid to my charge the ground specified in my commitment I have already shewed to be a mistake which I have rectifyed All that is pretended against me is that I preached a Sermon in Merthur in this County to a poor willing people against which Sermon there is no exception made and seeing it is so I desire you to consider and seriously to weigh whether you do well to imprison me upon such account especially since there is such a general tolleration at least connivance of such things now throughout the Nation and I my self have found it in divers other places and having heard of the moderation of you Gentlemen of this County I was emboldned so much the more to preach the word of the Lord hoping to have furtherance and no hindrance from you therein I bless God I am not ashamed of what I have done nor afraid of men having looked so many men and Death in the Face so oft and therefore the will of the Lord be done concerning me though I would desire you to consider the words of Christ with the same Judgement ye judge ye shall be judged and be sure as the Apostle saith That he that sheweth judgement without mercy shall find judgement without mercy B. If you think we wrong you you may remove your self by a Habeas Corpus P. Doctor when you have done your worst as you do I must do my best but I wish the Lord may forgive you the inury you do me and others Gentlemen if I have said any thing amiss or provoking being to speak to things suddenly I would desire that that may be no cause of any other proceedings then you intended but look into the true Cause of my sufferings and so he went out The Deputy Lieutenants had some hot discourse before Dinner about it and it was supposed the most part of them were inclining to release the Prisoner but as it seems some false Report was sent out of Monmouth-shire against him concerning some words that the Prisoner should speak a Sermon in that County which being afterwards enquired into was found false and Dr. B. himself said if that Apostate that raised the Report were in his County he would bind him to his good behaviour Yet thot with the earnest instigation of Dr. B. prevailed so far as that when the Prisoner was called again before Sun-set or a little before most of the Gentlemen were moved against the Prisoner some judged because the Dr. misrepresented a Pass●age of the Prisoner mentioned before spoken only to the Dr. viz That when he had done his worst he told them the Prisoner bid them all do their worst which he neither said nor intended it But others supposed that Wine had prevailed so far over some of them as too o● t it doth as to make them now speak for the first and fastest yea at once who had not a word in the Morning to say And thus in a great confusion the Prisoner with threatening words and strict charge given to the Taylor by some he was again remanded and recommited and in his going forth he told them Gentlemen what you have done I submit willingly to being no more troubled at it then at this Hair and so drew one of his Hairs and my Prayer shall be for you that you may find more mercy from ●od then I have found from you But that God that I serve is able to save me This meeting being ended they put the Prisoner under a new Commitment which was drawn before by the Doctor or his Clerk as some saw it in the next Room in a Statute Book Hereupon the Deputie Lieutenants it seems writ a Letter to the Lord Lieutenant Ca●bury to signify what they had done and they received an Answer from him to render them thanks to detain the Prisoner till further order Thereupon in one day viz. 30 th of Octob there were two new Commitments again upon the Prisoner One subscribed by two of the Deputie Lieutenants commanding the Prisoner to be kept in safe custody till furorders from the Deputy Lieutenants of this County who subscribed the Warrant of his ●ommitment at ●owbridge The other Commitment by five to keep him in safe custody till they did receive further orders from their Lord Lieutenant to both these Commitments Dr. B. hand is set both bearing the same date as was said before viz. October 30. 1668. Vpon the 8th day of November 1668. Sir John A. Kt. and Dr. W.B. Esq came to the Angel in C. and sent for Mr. Vavasor Powel to come to them which he did accordingly Dr. B. VVE have received an Order from the Council to tender you the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy Mr. P. Gentlemen if that be your business I pray you let me return to my Prison again for I am committed already and I think it is neither regular nor usual to tender them to a Prisoner you should either before my commitment especially before presentment or indictment against me have done it or upon examination or have convicted and indicted me first and then tendred them and so the Prisoner went towards the door intending to return to the Prison B. Thereupon Dr. B. went between him and the door and said nay stay Sir you shall not be gone and so called for some of the under Officers or Deputies P. Sir though I might have continued in my Prison and not have come hither and may yet choose whetheir I stay or no yet as I was willing to shew that respect to you in coming so to express my readiness to answer any thing that may be objected against me I do not mean to depart without leave B. Come Mr. Powel Will you take the Oaths for we have an Order from some of the Council and my Lord Keeper to tender them to you P. Sir I desire to see your Order Sir J. A. Let him see it B. No he shall not see it P. Sir you may chuse but if you have such an Order it would be civility in you and some satisfaction to me to let me see it B. We might have tendred the Oaths to you at the last meeting P. For it had been more proper for you to have done it before you had committed me then either which was after my first commitment several days then or now But Dr. you have at first dealt very illegally by committing me without cause or colour of cause and so run your self into a Praemunire

whether we will follow after him It s strange and very bad sign to see Saints look more upon the sins of the wicked to ripen them for misery then after self humiliation and holiness to ripen and fit themselves for mercy He that cannot pitty the sinner and hate sin doth not reprove out of love to Christ nor from a gratious spirit He that loves not a Reprover and prizes not his reproof neither profits thereby is more his sins then his Souls friend If God hath kept thee from falling still fear watch pray and live by Faith on Christ No power can keep him in Bonds whom truth and innocency acquits Due end in being in the world is not to be to our selves Though the People of God may be killed yet they can neither be hurt nor overcome Christians though disagreeing in Opinion should agree in Affection and differing in Controversie should agree in Charity It is a very sad thing neither to be careful to do well nor repent of doing ill The Portion that Christ gives us is not near so bitter as his Cordial is sweet The fear of death is ingrafted in the common nature of all men but Faith works it out by Christians Nothing will be terrible where the love of God is apprehended and nothing greivous where love to Christ is exercised Learn to prefer Christ before self and suffering above sinning Look for suffering as for Exaltation for it is an honour to be accounted worthy and a double honour to be enabled and carried through safety A Beleiver should learn 1. To know God in Christ 2. Himself in Christ 3. Christ in him 4. Himself he was without Christ 1. wicked and wretched 2. unwilling and weak in good The Life of a true Beleiver is 1. In the Lord. 1. Thes 1.2 1. Iohn 2.27 2. On the Lord. Rom. 1.17 Gal. 2.20 3. By and from the Lord. Iohn 6.57 4. To the Lord. Rom. 14.8 Luke 20.38 Gal. 2.19 5. With the Lord. 2. Cor. 13.4 1. Thes 5.10 Rom. 6.8 The Care of a true Christian 1. To wait on God Isa 8.17 25.9 2. To walk with God Gen. 5.22.24 6.9.24.40 3. To work all his works in and for God Io. 3.21 Rom. 6.10 1. Cor. 10.31 4. To bring his will to submit to the will of God in everything Mark 26.42 Heb. 10.7 A Christian should take heed least he be giving way to his Heart to steal out now and then to sin and get some sweet Bits thereof between duties There will be a reviveing of old sins if there be not effectual repentance for them and a care by Faith through all Duties and Ordinances to get new strength against them and constant watch kept over them When God makes the World to hot for his People to hold they will let it go A Christian comes not to know the weakness of his Grace till the Spirit ceases to work in and by it nor the power of his Corruption till Satan works therein by his temptation A Christians Flesh should keep from the Shew and his Conscience from the guilt of sin Where sin is not killed it will kill Sin hath no Mother but a mans Heart nor Father but Satan Sin draws the Soul into it either by power or policy by force or by fraud Christians should not give offence carelesly nor take offence causelesly Fear thy Freinds more then thy Foes thy sins more then thy sufferings and liberty more then bondage Some Christians have four Thorns that greive them a Thorn of affliction from God a Thorn of persecution from men and 〈◊〉 Thorn of Temptation from Satan and of corruption in themselves Self loathing destroys self Love much and the more we loath our selves the better we love others When a Christian comes to be as weary of his sins as of his sufferings God will certainly put them to an end One of the cheifest works of the Soul is self exmination and yet a Christian will find himself most backward thereto and soonest weary therein The more a Soul is exercised in spiritual meditation the less with carnal Temptation The more frequent and powerful in private Prayer the more free from and the more potent against corruptions Seasonable and unexpected mercies are very sweet and acceptable It is a common principle in nature that no man can or should judge his Enemy or be judged in his own Cause Slothfulness is the Cradle of sin which the Devil Rocks Christ will be soon sencible of those Saints sufferings that are sencible of their own sins There is no power in the Creatures to do either good or hurt but as God disposeth them for it is God that puts their Sword into their hand Ezek 30.24 Take heed of reproving or upbraiding another in self passion or to provoke his Passion The Lord now shakes his visible Church as a Tree is shaken that the rotten Fruit may fall off Careless hearing makes carnal Hearts and carnal Hearts makes cursed lives He that will be much in self denial must be much in self tryal If we could be contented to be altogether without Christ or with part of Christ we need not suffer persecution When and where wickedness is most then and there the godly should strive to be most godly If Gods People could be diligent at their own work and leave God at his work they need not fear success As the Stars the higher they are the swifter their motion so Christians the more spiritual the more active in the service of God Nothing comes amiss to a godly man but sin What a Preacer does as well as what he speaks is doctrine to the People The cheif end of all Scriptures is to know God and to worship him rightly being known Christians should take heed least God should sue them upon an Action of Waste for wasting time and mispending mercies c. Sence of misery must pr●ceed sence of mercy At the day of death but especially at the day of Judgement a Saint will wish he had sinned less served God better and suffered for him more He is a strong Christian that seeks Gods glory more then his own salvation but no Christian that seeks neither Sin undiscovered or unconsidered becomes sin unrepented There are many that serve themselves of Christ but few that serves Christ for his own sake Gods People have the love of God shewed to and set before them shed in them and sealed to them Let not a Christian leave off his running till he comes to the end of his Race but like the Moon though she be eclipsed yet forsakes not her Orb not discontinues her course at all Be sure to praise God when thou receivest power against Sin and Temptation and you shall be sure to find God ready to give you power another time when you want it Be still imployed in doing good and you shall not be much tempted or troubled with Evil. Some Christians have more trouble from and for Temptation and sin in one day then they have

day I injoyed much consolation both from the Scripture specially Psal 37.24.35.39 Though he fall meaning the good man he shall not utterly be cast down nor condemn him when he is judged but the salvation of the Righteous is from the Lord he is their strength in the time of trouble and the Lord shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him also by conference that day with several persons yet in the Evening I had strong assaults from Satan from which the Lord did in part deliver me but yet much trouble from my own Evil heart the four following lessons I was desirous to learn this Evening 1. To get my Soul more setled in the assurance and apprehension of salvation 2. More sensible of my own and other mens sins and my own and other mens sufferings 3. More humbled for my unprofitableness in my imprisonment 4. More willing to dye and more mindful of death This day I received and unexpected mercy and was prevented from a temptation which made my heart rejoyce and preventing grace especially that which prevented from sin have been frequently cause of rejoycing to me This day I had little change in the frame of my Spirit either to good or Evil but some sence I had of my own weakness yet I had some comfort from those words Psal 40.17 but I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh on me and Psal 42.8 Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness and his Song shall be with me and my Prayer unto the God of my life This day I had a good and comfortable day to my Soul especially in Prayer Four things I saw cause to be humbled for First that I had not more sence of the sins and sufferings of Gods People or of my own Secondly That the Works Glory Wayes Ordinances People of the Lord are in such Contempt Thirdly that there is no more Stability Zeal and Courage in the Saints for good and against Evil. Fourthly That there continues still such darkness upon and divisions amongst Christians I had it much in my Heart to desire two things from the Lord viz. First Power against my sin Secondly Preparation for sufferings This day I was much troubled for hearing one sweare several Oaths and not reproving him for the same and convinced also from Psal 50.7 Hear O Israel and I will testifie against thee I am God even thy God that God had many things against me in particular and I was convinced providencially of one cause of my sufferings Being a day to seek the Lord in private Prayer I had my Heart somewhat softned and yet I was troubled it continued so hard and I learned from the 2. Cro. 6.37 That I should in this my suffering bethink my self both what I was and what I had done that I should pray more earnestly and turn more throughly and perfectly unto the Lord and that Evening I could and did pray most heartily for my Enemies and Persecutors This day being the Lords day I had several times refreshings from the Lord in Prayer and in speaking his word and that word in Iob. 10.14 Was set with weight upon my Heart If I sin thou markest me and wilt not acquit me from my iniquity I learned thence what a dangerous thing it is to sin under affliction and the dangers did appear much by that place in Lev. 26.36 And upon them that are left alive of you meaning those that were unaffliction verse the 26. I will send a faintness in their Hearts c. The same day I had a consideration of the great evil of sinning against the Lord after assurance This day I observed these words Psal 59.3 For loe they lye in wait Davids Enemies for my Soul the mighty are gathered against me not for my transgression nor for my sin O Lord I could truely and with comfort say that mine Enemies did persecute me but not for my sin or transgression which is a comfort to me this day also by a special providence God brought a dear Friend who praying wit me my Heart was much affected and melted This day in the morning my Heart was very free to pray for my Persecutors and Enemies as freely and really is I was to seek and receive pardon for my own sins I had power also to apply those words to my self Psal 62.2 He is onely my Rock and my Salvation he is my defence I shall not greatly by moved and in verse 6. I shall not be moved God did bring this Scripture as an Antidote for that Evening there came several persons one after another to tell me that I and several others were to be tryed at the Sessions and I observed that my Heart was very little moved thereat but could willingly refer my self to the Lord and be quiet in and contented with his will though never so contrary to my own carnal and natural will This Evening in discourseing with a poor Christian antient woman I found by the tenderness of Heart the had for sin and her zeal for God that she was in a far better temper of Spirit then I was in which helped on my Humility somewhat this Evening also I had some power to resist Temptation and to check Corruption I had my Heart enlargned and softned in Prayer and through Gods goodness was much freed from Temptations yet had some bodily distemper but I judged it very little and light in comparison of what it might be I experienced the Lords coming in and especially in Prayer I observed that Scripture Psal 68.28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength strengthen O God that which thou hast wrought for us yet this Evening I was moved to passion This day spent so most part in writing Letters for Christian Freinds at some of which my Heart was moved having a great desire that they might continue in the Faith and stand fast in the Lord. This day I was affected with some ill news I heard and my heart was moved with pitty towards some in affliction I had some comfort from Psal 69. verse 36.29 Those whom thou hast wounded he persecuted and afflicted are those whom God hath wounded and though poor and sorrowful yet his salvation will set them up on high but especially from verse the 32. Their Hearts shall live that seek God and this day in observing the Characters which a godly Preacher gives in his Book of those that have their sins pardoned that they are those that seek pardon wait in the use of means till they obtain it they do freely pardon others and they do love God for his pardoning goodness all which in a measure through free grace I found in me also Psal 71.20 Thou wilt bring me up again c. was very refreshing to me This day being the Lords day I had several considerations of the Sabboth as it was a sign between God and his People Exod. 31.13.17 Ezek. 20.12.17 A sign of his favour