The Steadfastness of Promises and the Sinfulness of Staggering, Title page – Dedication
THE Stedfaſtneſs of PROMISES, And the Sinfulneſs of STAGGERING: Opened in a SERMON Preached at Margarets in Weſtminſter before the PARLIAMENT Febr. 28. 1649. Being a day ſet apart for ſolemn Humiliation throughout the NATION. By John Owen Miniſter of the Goſpel.
LONDON: Printed by Peter Cole, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the ſign of the Printing-Preſs in Cornhil, neer the Royal Exchange. 1650.
TO THE COMMONS OF ENGLAND IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.
SIRS,
THAT God in whoſe hand your breath is, and whoſe are all your wayes, having cauſed various Seaſons to paſs over you, and in them all manifeſted, That his VVorks are Truth, and his VVayes Judgment, calls earneſtly by them for that walking before him, which is required from them, who with other diſtinguiſhing mercies, are intereſted in the ſpecialty of his protecting Providence. As in a view of preſent Enjoyments, to Sacrifice to your Net, and burn Incenſe to your Drag; as though by them, your Portion were Fat and Plenteous, is an exceeding provocation to the Eyes of his Glory, ſo to preſs to the reſidue of your Deſires and Expectations, by an Arm of Fleſh, the Deſignings and Contrivances of Carnal Reaſon, with outwardly appearing Medium's of their Accompliſhment, is no leſs an Abomination to him. Though there may be a preſent ſweetneſs to them that finde the life of the hand, yet their latter End will be, to lie down in ſorrow. That you might be prevailed on to give Glory to God by ſtedfaſtneſs in believing, committing all your wayes to him with Patience in wel-doing; to the Contempt of the moſt varniſhed Appearance of Carnal Policy, was my peculiar aim, in this enſuing Sermon.
That which added ready willingneſs to my Obedience unto your Commands for the Preaching and Publiſhing hereof, being a ſerious Propoſal for the Advancement and Propagation of the Goſpel in another Nation, is here again recommended to your Thoughts, by
Your moſt humble Servant, in our Common Maſter, J. O. March 8th 1649.