Ebenezer, Dedication 2 – Errata
To the Worthy and Honoured Sir William Maſham, Sir William Rowe with the reſt of the Gentlemen of the Committee lately under impriſonment by the Enemie in Colcheſter, As alſo To the Honoured Sir Henry Mildmay of Wanſted, Col. Sr. Thomas Honywood with the reſt of the Gentlemen and Officers lately acting and engaged againſt the ſame Enemy.
SIRS:
THe righteous judgements of God, having brought a diſturbance, and noyſe of War, for our ſecurity, unthankfulneſſe, murmuring, and devouring one another, upon our Country, thoſe who were intruſted with the power thereof, turned their ſtreames into ſeverall Channells. Troublous Times, are Times of triall.
Many ſhall be purifyed and made white, and tried, but the wicked ſhall do wickedly, and none of the wicked ſhall underſtand, but the wiſe ſhall underſtand, Dan. 11. 10. Some God called out to ſuffer, ſome to doe, leaving Treacherous dealers, to deale treacherouſly.
Of the two firſt ſorts are you. This honour have you received from God either with patience and conſtancy to undergoe unvoluntarily a dangerous reſtraint, or with Reſolution and courage, voluntarily to undertake, a Hazardous ingagement, to give an example, that Faith and Truth ſo ſhamefully deſpiſed in theſe evill days, have not altogether forſaken the ſonnes of men.
It is not in my Thoughts, to relate unto your ſelves, what ſome of you ſuffered, and what ſome of you did: what difficulties and perplexities you wreſtled withall, within, and without, the walls of your enemies, (The Birds in the cage, and the feild, having ſmall cauſe of mutuall emulation) for that which remaines of theſe things, is only a Returnall of praiſe to him, by whom, all your works are wrought.
It cannot de denyed, but that Providence was eminently exalted, in the work of your protection and delivery: yet truly for my part, I cannot but conceive that it vayles to the Efficacy of Grace, in preventing you, from putting forth your hands unto iniquity, in any ſinfull compliance with the enemies of our peace. The times wherein we live, have found the latter more rare then the former. What God wrought in you, hath the preheminence of what he wrought for you: as much, as to be given up to the Sword, is a leſſer evill, then to be given up to a Treacherous Spirit.
What God hath done for you all, all men know; what I deſire you ſhould do for God, I know no reaſon, why I ſhould make alike publick. The generall and particular civilities I have received, from all and every one of you, Advantaging me to make it out in another way. I ſhall adde nothing then to what you will meet withall, in the following Diſcourſe, but only my Deſire that you would ſeriouſly ponder the 11th Obſervation with the deductions from thence. For the reſt, I no way feare, but that that God, who hath ſo appeared with you, and for you, will ſo indulge to your ſpirits, the preſence and Guidance of his Grace, in theſe ſhaking times, that if any ſpeak evill of you as of evill doers, they may be aſhamed that falſely accuſe your good Converſation in Chriſt, and glorify God in the day of Viſitation.
For theſe following Sermons, one of them was Preached at your deſire, and is now publiſhed upon your Requeſt. The firſt part of the labour, I willingly and cheerfully under went, The Latter merely in obedience to your commands: being acted in it, more by your judgements, then mine own; you were perſwaded, (meane as it was) it might be for the Glory of God, to have it made publick, where upon my Anſwer was, and is, that, for That, not only it, but my ſelfe alſo, ſhould by his Aſſiſtance be ready for the Preſſe. The faillings and infirmities, attending the Preaching and Publiſhing of it, (which the Lord knowes to be very many) are mine: The inconveniences of Publiſhing ſuch a Tractate from ſo weak a hand, whereof the World is full, muſt be yours; The fruit and benefit, both of the one, and other, is his, for whoſe Pardon of infirmities and removeall of inconveniences, ſhall be, as for you, and all the Church of God, the Prayer of
Sirs, Your moſt humble and obliged Servant in the work of the Lord JOHN OWEN. Coggeſh: Octob. 5. 1648.
SOme few literall faults have eſcaped, viz. wrath for wroth, revelled for levelled; which the ingenuous Reader will amend as well as diſcerne.