The Life and Death of Vavasor Powell, Account 1

The Life and Death of Vavasor Powell · Account 1

p. 1Mr. 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, yet I was as moſt Youths are, not only ignorant of the knowledge of God, and of his ſon Jeſus Chriſt, and of Regeneration, and other Myſteries of the Goſpel, and of my own miſerable eſtate by Nature; but I was alſo very active and forward in the perſuit of the pleaſures and vanities of this wicked p. 2world, and juſtly tearmed as I was by my Companions and School-fellows, Dux omnium malorum, Captain or Leader of or in all evil, only drunkenneſs I much hated, looking upon it as ſuch an unnatural thing that the moſt greedy ſilly Beaſts abſtain from it, and I wondred that perſons could delight in that which had neither true pleaſure profit nor honour in it; I had no eſteem for the holy Scriptures, nor cared at all to look into them, but either Hyſtorical or Poetical Books, Romances and the like were all my delight, the Sabbath I much profaned by all ſports, though God was pleaſed to magnifie his grace ſo much as to make that the occaſion of my Converſion: For being one Lords day a ſtander by and beholder of thoſe that broke the Sabbath by divers Games, being then my ſelf a Reader of Common-Prayers, and in the habit of a fooliſh Shepheard, I was aſhamed to play with them, yet took as much pleaſure therein as if I had; whereupon a Godly grave Profeſſour of Religion (one of thoſe then called Puritans) ſeeing me there, came to me, and very ſoberly and mildly asked me, doth it become you Sir that are a Scholar and one that teacheth others, to break the Lords Sabbath thus? to whom I anſwered as thoſe ſcoffers in Malachy, Wherein do I break it; you ſee me onelyonly ſtand by but I do not play at all; to which he replyed, but you find your own pleaſure herein by looking on, and this God forbids in his holy Word, ſo he opened his Bible and read theſe words in Eſa. 58.13. and perticularly that expreſſion. Not finding thy own pleaſure upon the ſabbath day; ſuch was the partinency of the place and the power that came with the word, I was for the preſent ſilent, and took it ſo far into conſideration, as to reſolve never to tranſgreſs in the like kind again, which reſolution God enabled me to perform, though as yet I was not at all convinced of my loſt eſtate by nature, nor of the want of Chriſt.

p. 3But about a year after I had a call to hear a godly excellent Preacher, who in his Uſes ſhew d that they who would go to heaven muſt do four ſorts of ſervices: Namely hard ſervice, coſtly ſervice, derided ſervice, and forlorn ſervice; upon the laſt he did (as I thought) begin to put me to queſtion whether I was ſuch a one as was ſingular, or did walk in that way wherein feweſt walked, or had performed any of thoſe ſervices, and the more I examined my ſelf, the more I was convinced I had not, which began to diſquiet me much, and made me go into private, where in darkneſs I ſtruggled not knowing what to do and was aſhamed to inquire, having never yet read ſeriouſly any part of the holy Scripture nor any other Godly book, nor never prayed privately except by book, and forms, and that formally without underſtanding ſenſe, faith or the ſpirit of ſupplication, for which things I began to be troubled, but yet knew not what courſe to take, but reſolved to caſt my ſelf down before God on my knees, and acknowledge I was in ſuch eſtate I knew not what to do, unleſs he would direct and help me, being much diſcouraged by my own weakneſs and ignorance; then by a choice providence I came to find a book written by Doctor Sibbes, called the bruiſed Reed, and by reading that I found there was incouragement for weak ones, and ſuch who had but a ſmoak of true deſire though the fire of grace did not appear in them, yet ſtill I was like one groping in the dark, till God ſent a moſt holy ſober mortified Chriſtian to me, who ſeeing me like a Char-coal that had been in the fire, yet without light and life, he pittied my condition, and began to tell me, what a hard work the work of converſion was, it being no leſs then to make a ſtone fleſh, and darkneſs light; theſe with many ſuch words began to ſink and to enter deep into my heart, and from that time I took up the profeſſion of Godlineſs although p. 4the foundation work was not laid deep enough, ſo as to have the heart mortified for, or from ſin, but I was diſquieted within me, and like a Boat toſſed upon the waves, that could make to no ſhore for ſafety.

At this time the Lord viſited me with a very ſore and great pain of the Tooth-ach, which continued divers days and nights together, in great extremity, ſo that with the violence thereof, I thought I ſhould have been deprived of my ſenſes, or life; and by another good providence, I met with a little book of Mr. Perkins, and in that, with this expreſſion, if the pains of one little bone, or tooth, be ſo grievous for a few days, what then will the pains of the whole body and ſoul be in hell for evermore? Upon this my terrour began in Conſcience to that degree, that it made the other pain to ſeem ſomewhat more eaſie, and both together, put me upon crying out to God with greater ſenſe then before, and between fear and pain, a troubled muddy ſpirit of prayer began to ſpring up, and perceiving I had ſome help, I pumped harder, and ſo found at laſt my heart began to be inlarged with confeſſions, and my ſins were brought into remembrance, for which I arraigned my ſelf, and lay in my own thoughts as a convicted and guilty perſon; but all the while I knew not how, or by whom to become guiltleſs, or to attain pardon, all this while I never looked on the Scripture, nay, I laid aſide that book called the bruiſed Reed, as too good for me to read, and wherein I could expect no comfort.

But very ſhortly after, hearing of another very famous godly Preacher, I reſolved to go hear him, he Preached that day upon Mark 16.15. Go and Preach the Goſpel to every creature, He that believes and is baptized ſhall be ſaved. Out of which words he ſhewed, that as the Goſpel was to be Preached to every creature, ſo none could be ſaved but ſuch as did believe in Chriſt, which afterwards, by comparing it with John 1:12. He p. 5ſhewed that it was to receive Chriſt, and thereupon he encouraged all to receive Chriſt, becauſe he would ſupply all their wants, ſtrengthen them under all their weakneſſes, ſuccour them againſt all their temptations and the like; upon the urging of which motives, I was much encouraged and perſwaded to be willing to receive and take Chriſt upon his own termes; but then he ſhewed that they who would have Chriſt and ſalvation by him, muſt do the hardeſt, learn the harſheſt part with the ſweeteſt, and ſuffer the ſoreſt things; which words being ſutable to thoſe that wrought the 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 onelyonly, 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 p. 6ſix, 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: p. 7conſidering 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 p. 8have 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 onelyonly by his ſecret workings in the conſcience, but by viſible repreſentations, and outwardly real apparitions: At this time and long after, he alſo ſhewed me my ſins, p. 9in their number, and nature, to be ſuch, and ſo many as that there was no pardon for them, and therefore tempted me oft, and divers wayes to deſtroy myſelf: Sometimes by caſting my ſelf into a River to drown my ſelf, whither he brought me, and whilſt I reaſoned the caſe with him, this was frequently his motive to me, the fewer ſins I committed in this world, and the ſhorter time I lived in it, the leſs would be my torment: He often tempted me alſo, to deſtroy my ſelf with a knife, ſo that I was often neceſſitated to fling it out of my hand when I was at meat alone in my Chamber, & to riſe from my meat for fear, ſo that I durſt not for ſome time carry a Knife with me: But when the Lord did relieve ſometimes by one means, and ſometimes by another, I was ſtrengthned with this reſolution, that God ſhould do what he would with me, for I would never do as Judas did, deſtroy myſelf. When Satan ſaw that he was diſappointed in that temptation, then he told me that I was a Reprobate, and let me profeſs what I would, my Damnation was ſure, and my hypocriſie, and ſinnes under profeſſion, would be worſe than any other ſinnes, and therefore it were better of the two, to lay down my profeſſion and the duties thereof, to that temptation the Lord helped me to anſwer him thus: That whilſt I lived in ſcandalous ſins he never thus tempted me, and I was reſolved, if I knew God would Damn me, yet to have as few ſins as I could to anſwer for hereafter.

When theſe temptations failed, then he began to raiſe up Perſecution againſt me; as one day going through the Town where I was born, from Kingſton to Lanvaire-waterdine I met with two Gentlemen Kinſmen of mine (in their drunkenneſs) who called' upon me to come to them, and without any the leaſt provoking word, or carriage, they fell both upon me, and one of them with a Crab-tree Cudgel wounded p. 10me ſore, and their pretence was, I had reproved them for ſinne, but God raiſed me up, and gave me a heart freely to forgive them.

Another time, four men laid wait in a ſecret place, as I went upon a Lords day in a morning to the Ordinance, with ſeveral weapons, being all of them, as was confeſſeed by one of them afterwards, under a vow to kill me: but God by his providence prevented them, in ſending two Strangers unexpected to help, who, riding before diſcovered them, wherupon they fled; yet vented their malice upon ſome other Chriſtians, whom they wounded: But one of them that day came to a Meeting, and in hearing of me was ſo convinced of his ſinne, that he was ſeen, and heard publickly to repent for what he had done, and never after was known to perſecute any. Another time a very wicked man entered into an Oath, that when ever he met with me, he would kill me; he waited his opportunity, dwelling near me, ſeveral times to do it, and one Lords day he went to the place where I preached, with a full intention, either at my going, or returning home, to execute his purpoſe; but being at the Sermon, and hearing Chriſt ſo freely offered to ſinners, the word did ſo affect him, that he wept, ſaying, within himſelf, what a villain am I to intend evil againſt ſuch a man? And the next day in the morning very early, he came to the houſe where I lodged, deſiring to ſpeak with me in private, and with tears confeſſed this to me, and deſired me to pardon him, and pray for him, and ever after was very friendly to me.

Another time being in Brecknock-ſhire at an honeſt mans houſe, I preached to ſeveral that were then together; my Text was in Ezek. 34.16. from which I obſerved, That though the little Flock of Chriſt be deſpiſed, and diſperſed; yet they ſhall be gathered, priſed, and p. 11preſerved. As I was handling this Doctrine, about twelve or ſixteen luſty rude Royſters broke into the houſe, and did ſeveral times attempt to offer violence to my ſelf, and to the reſt of the Brethren with me, but it pleaſed God to reſtrain them; at length, by the procurement of Mr. Hugh Floyd (the High Sheriff for the year) I was bound over to the Seſſions, and an indictment preferr'd againſt me; wherein I was accuſed firſt for drawing away the Kings Subjects: Secondly, for ſpeaking againſt the Book of Common-Prayer: Thirdly, for Sacrilege: Which laſt accuſation was grounded upon the drawing down of a Meeting-houſe door, by me and the Church-Wardens, that the people which came in a great croud, might hear with the better convenience; but the Lord did ſo own his own Cauſe, and me the unworthieſt of his Servants, that I was then delivered alſo. Yet finding the perſecution ſo hot againſt me, that I could not be permitted to ſerve the Lord there, I did by the advice of my Brethren, leave my Native Countrey of Wales, and by the guidance and providence of God, was carried and conducted ſafely to London, where I arrived in Auguſt, Anno 1642.

Another time, as I was preaching upon the ſide of a Hill (being denyed leave in a publick place) a company of Royſters came with ſwords, ſlaves, and fowling-pieces; and after ſome oppoſition, one of them cryed down with him, down with him; but the Lord ſtirred up ſome of the people to preſerve me, and prevent them.

Another time a wicked Butcher, who had long threatned me, laying wait as it ſeems for me, he one night ſtood in a narrow paſſage, through which I was to come, with a great Clubb, but his blow falling ſhort of me by the protection of God I eſcaped his hands.

p. 12During my abode in London, where I continued Preaching for above two years, I had great experience of Gods goodneſs in providing for me, and in ſucceeding my Miniſtry to the ſpiritual good, and converſion of many, but the greateſt of all my mercies, ſince my converſion, are as follows, concerning the time and manner of my obtaining aſſurance.

After I had been about four years in conſtant doubts and great fears, as to my eternal condition, being often times tempted by Satan to deſtroy my ſelf; and Preaching alſo to others ſhaking and terrifying Doctrines, particularly out of Luke 11.21. Take heed leſ… the Light that be in thee be Darkneſs. At that time for a Months ſpace or above, I was verey ſad, melancholy▪ and much troubled; neglecting to eat, drink, or ſleep, and this was occaſioned principly through the apprehenſion I had of that diſtance which I ſaw to be between Chriſt and my ſoul, which was ſet home upon my heart with much power, from theſe words, Cant. 2.9. Behold, he ſtands behind our Wall, he looked through the window upon me. For I looked upon a Wall to be between Chriſt and my ſoul, then me thought he came nearer, and looked through the window upon me; whilſt I was in this eſtate refuſing to be comforted, the all-wiſe God laid his, hand of ſickneſs upon me, by which I was brought even to the gates of death, and in the ſight both of Phyſicians and Friends, and in my own expectation I was a dying man; yet much more ſenſible of the danger I apprehended my ſoul to be in, than of my bodily weakneſs, ſweating with the horror of it, and diligently examining my ſelf by the beſt ſigns I could either find at that time, o… had found before; which I had writ down with the grounds of my fear in a little Diary, which Book I then deſired to ſee, but having lent it to a Chriſtian Friend that was far diſtant, could not; ſo that being ſatisfied p. 13… lay even at the next door to deſpair, waiting for no…hing leſs than to be ſuddainly caſt into Hell. Whilſt I was in this Agony, the Lord God of all grace, who brought back from the depth of the Sea, did about noon preſent to me that Scripture Jo. 3.36. He that believeth … the Son hath everlaſting Life. Which words were then revealed to me, and opened thus: Firſt, that there was nothing neceſſary to Salvation but onelyonly, believing in Chriſt. Secondly, that to ſuch as did believe in Chriſt, there was a certaintie of Salvation. My underſtanding being cleared in theſe two particulars; I was then to ſeek and to learn whether I did believe or not, and to know that I examined my ſelf, what ſigns of true Faith I had, and how I could prove that I did believe; and finding no certain evidence, being alſo convinced that I had before, many years, gone in that way to no purpoſe, I continued ſtill in an hopeleſs ſtate: but upon a ſuddain, and unexpectedly, a mighty power, no leſs than that ſpirit which raiſed up Chriſt Jeſus from the dead, and which declared him to be the Sonne of God, did enable me to believe, and witneſſed effectually in me that I did believe: Which divine impreſſion, I look upon to be all one with that ſealing ſpoken of in Eph. 1.13. And the witneſſing of the Spirit of God with our Spirits. Rom. 8.16. and thereupon I had perfect peace, my heart not at all condemning me: But according to 1 John 3.21. I had a confidence towards God, and not only ſo, but my heart likewiſe was filled wtih admiration, and great joy, according to that ſaying, Whom having not ſeen ye love; in whom though now you ſee him not, yet believing, ye rejoyce with joy unſpeakable, and full of glory. 1 Pet. 1.8.

After this manifeſtation, and wonderful operation of God, which I could never expreſs, either by word or writing, ſo clearly, and diſtinctly as then I apprehended and felt it in my ſoul: The Lord added the p. 14merciemercy of natural life and health, and ſo I experience the fulneſs of thoſe two Scriptures, Heavineſs in th… heart of man maketh it ſtoop; but a good word maketh it glad. Prov. 12.25. And a ſound heart, is life t… the fleſh. Prov. 14.32. And being reſtored both to my health, and the exerciſe of my Miniſtry; I wa… taught by the Lord to preach in another manner than before. Namely, to lay Chriſt as the foundation, and to Preach chiefly and mainly, and qualification, and duties in a ſecondary and ſubſervant way: Yet from hence alſo did Satan take occaſion to thruſt at me; and throw me into the other extream, even unto that, which is truly, and properly called Antinomianiſme, to deſtroy, and utterly deny the uſe of the Law: but the Lord did timely, and gracioſly prevent my fall in this alſo, and to fulfil unto me that Scripture, He that fears the Lord ſhall come out of all. viz. out of all extreams, as the foregoing words do ſhew. Eccleſ. 7.18.

To omit many other remarkable providences of God towards me for the ſpace of two years that I was in London, as alſo his goodneſs to me for ſome ſpace that I was in the Army, I was at length called to Dartford in Kent: where, indeed Gods favours of ſeveral kinds for the ſpace of two years and an half, were very many, as to own ſuch a nothing Creature, and enable me to bring home in that Town, and thereabouts (I hope to Gods glory I may ſpeak it) many ſouls to Chriſt: where alſo I gathered a Congregation among whom, I had very ſweet and comfortable Society.

After ſome time of my abode there, it pleaſed the Lord to viſit that Town with the Plague, where, about thirty Houſes were ſhut up at once, and the dead bodies were carried by my Chamber wall, and window; yet it pleaſed God to preſerve me and my Family wonderfully from the Diſeaſe, although I continued in p. 15the Town, and preached conſtantly three times a week, and ſome that had the Sickneſs upon them, came publickly to hear; After which, the Lord ſtayed the Plague, and delivered me from that affliction alſo.

Yet not long after this, it pleaſed the Lord to viſit me with a very dangerous Feaver and Ague, inſomuch as I was in the eyes of all my Friends, and in the judgement of Phyſicians alſo hopeleſs as to Life; yet God gave me Faith to be healed by that means preſcribed, James 5. And I ſent unto ſome Godly Preachers in London, deſiring them to come unto me, and perform that duty of anointing me with Oyl: And whilſt I was waiting for, and expecting their anſwer, and queſtioning whether they would have Faith, and freedome to practice the ſame; the Lord brought that Scripture to my remembrance, and fixed it upon me, Rom. 3.3. Shall unbelief make the Faith of God of none effect? or ſhall they as it was then applyed to me, make void the Faith that God hath given me, or hinder me of being healed? wherupon I was confirmed that it ſhould not, but I did believe that God would recover me, and accordingly, after a ſuddain and ſtrange trance which I fell into, and continued in for about ſix hours, wherin I did ſweat abundantly, yet diſcerned not at all, during that time, how it was with me, or what was done for me, my ſickneſs preſently abated, and I recovered.

Having ſpent above two years at Dartford, and being now upon my return home into Wales, I was willing to take along with me a Certificate, or Teſtimonial from the Synod which ſate then, and had the tryal of all Publick Preachers. To this purpoſe I applyed my ſelf to ſome of them, to whom Mr. Stephen Marſhal was one, they queſtioned me about Ordination, and told me, that unleſs I would be Ordained p. 16they could not approve; to which I anſwered, I was willing to be tryed, as a Chriſtian, and as a Scholar; but had ſome doubts about Ordination, as that particularly, whether the Elderſhip mentioned 1 Tim. 4.12. were to be underſtood of one or more Congregations, in which I was not yet ſatisfied; and then addreſſing my ſelf particularly to Mr. Marſhal, and reaſoning the caſe with him, they at laſt gave me this following Certificate.

THeſe are to Certify thoſe whom it may concern, that the bearer hereof, Mr. Vavaſor Powell, is a man of a Religious, and blameleſs Converſation, and of able gifts for the work of the Miniſtry, and hath approved himſelf faithful therein; which we, whoſe Names are under-written, do Teſtify: ſome of our own knowledge, others from Credible and Sufficient information: And therefore he being now called, and deſired to exerciſe his Gifts, in his own Countrey of Wales, he alſo having the Language thereof, we conceive him fit for that Work, and worthy of encouragement therein.

In Witneſs whereof, we here ſubſcribed our Names. Sep. 11. 1646.

Charles Herte, Prolocutor:

Henry Scudder,

VVilliam Greenhill,

Franc. VVoodcock,

VVilliam Strong,

Joſeph Caryl,

VVilliam Carter,

Thomas VVilſon,

Jer. Burroughs,

Philip Nye,

Stephen Marſhall,

Jer. VVhitaker,

Arther Salwey,

Peter Sterry,

Henry Prince,

Chriſtopher Love,

Tho. Froyſell,

Robert Bettes.

p. 17I may ſay through Gods grace (and that experime… tally) that God was pleaſed to own me, a poor, n… thing creature in the work of his Goſpel in Wales, bo… to call, gather, and edifie I hope, many ſouls there, yet not I, but the grace of God in me, and with me: and among many other experiences of Gods goodneſs, theſe following are ſome.

About the year 1647. the Iſland of Angleſey in North Wales, being then un-reduced, the Parliament Forces went to reduce it, and their chief Officers ſent for me to Preach unto that brigade of Souldiers, and as I marched with them unto the place, either the night immediately before, or the night before that, it was revealed unto me in my ſleep, that I ſhould be wounded, and two of my friends cut (and the very fingers were pointed out) which accordingly came to paſs, yet when I was in extream danger between ſeveral enemies who fell upon me, receiving that and ſome other wounds: there being no likelyhood to eſcape, I heard a voyce as I apprehended ſpeaking audibly to me, I have choſen thee to preach rhe Goſpel, to which I anſwered, O Lord then bring me off; and immediately God guided my Horſe (though he was very wild, and not well commanded) to go backward out of the Barricado that I had entred at, and ſo I was indeed miraculouſly preſerved, although a good man a Captain who came to relieve me was killed cloſe to me, and as far as I could perceive the ſame Bullet that was ſhot at me took him in the neck and killed him.

Many other remarkable circumſtances there are in this deliverance which I here omit.

Several other times alſo I have been delivered from perils by water, by Thieves, by Enemies purpoſely lying in wait for me, who yet had no power to hurt me, the Lord converted ſome, and graciouſly p. 18prevented and terrified others from their purpoſe.

But I muſt not forget the favour of the Lord in anſwering prayer, of which the moſt remarkable inſtances are theſe.

One time coming from Preaching I loſt my way, and being out till it was far in the night in a Wood or Forreſt, among Lakes, Bryars and Thorns, I went up and down while I was quite weary, but by looking up to the Lord, I was preſently directed into my way. The like experience I had another time, when another Preacher and my ſelf had loſt our way in a very dark night, and had tired our ſelves in ſearching to and fro… to no purpoſe, at laſt calling to mind how God had formerly heard in that caſe when I ſought unto him, we called upon the Lord, who immediately pointed out our way, and it ſeemed as clear to us as if it had been day light.

One Miſtreſs Watkins of the Pariſh of Lanniggn in the County of Brecknock, a gracious Gentlewoman, having kept her chamber and bed as was reported for two years, and not gone from home for the ſpace of four years, hearing that I was come into thoſe parts ſent for me to come and viſit her, ſhe having it ſeems ſome faith, that if I prayed for her ſhe ſhould be healed, that the next morning ſhe went between two and three miles on foot to hear me preach.

Another time one Elizabeth Morris of new Radnor, (a Religious Maid) having the Falling ſickneſs or Convulſion Fits, which took her many times in one day, one night being at Family-Duty in a Brothers houſe in Town, whilſt I was ſpeaking ſhe fell into one of her Fits, but Prayer being made for her ſhe recovered before the prayer was ended, and for many years had no more fits, and I think hath not been troubled at all ſince.

p. 19Another time, viz. (Oliver Protect. days) there was mighty wet Harveſt, which continued ſeveral weeks, inſomuch that much Hay and Corn was ſpoiled, but divers Chriſtians that were diſſatisfied with that Government, having met ſeveral days to ſeek advice about it, came at laſt to draw up a Paper or Teſtimony againſt it: And the day being come when we intended to ſubſcribe it. After ſpending ſome time further to ſeek the Lord, it being a great rain, ſo that it did beat in through the glaſs windows into the room where we met, one that was cloſe to the window, being to conclude the duty, earneſtly begged of God that if he did approve of the work we were about, and would have us to proceed therein, he would be pleaſed to grant us a ſign of fair weather preſently, and before Prayer was ended, the Lord ſhut up the windows of Heaven, and the Sun did ſhine gloriouſly, and ſome if not all of us did obſerve that for divers weeks together afterwards we had exceeding fair weather, and ſo had two mercies given us at once.

(The Paper thus ſubſcribed, was called a Word for God, or a Teſtimony on truths behalf from ſeveral Churches, and divers hundreds of Chriſtians in Wales, (and ſome few adjacent) againſt wickedneſs in high places, with a brief Letter to the Lord Gen. Cromwell, and both preſented to his hands, and afterward publiſhed in Print.

Theſe few things of many which I have obſerved in my ſelf, concerning the Lords gracious and wonderful dealing with me, I have ſet down, not as boaſting or ſeeking praiſe to my ſelf, but to keep a memorial of the Lords benefits, and to ſtir up others, into whoſe hands theſe few notes may come, to have confidence in the power and goodneſs of God who is the Saviour of all men, but eſpecially of them that believe in him.