The war being divided, and it being impossible your excellency should be in every place of danger, according to your desire, the Lord was pleased to call you out personally unto two of the most hazardous, dangerous, and difficult under- takings ;' where, besides the travel, labour, watching, heat and cold, by day and night, whereunto you were exposed, even the life of the meanest soldier in your army was not in more imminent danger than oftentimes was your own. And indeed, during your abode at the leaguer amongst us, in this only were our thoughts burdened with you, — that self-preservation was of no more weight in your counsels and undertakings. And I beseech you pardon my boldness, in laying before you this expostulation of many thousands (if we may say to him who hath saved a kingdom Avhat was sometime said unto a king), " Know you not that you are woi-th ten thousands of us ? why should you quench such a light in Israel ':"
Sir, I account it among those blessings of Providence wherewith the days of my pilgrimage have been seasoned, that I had the hajjpiness for a short season to at- tend your excellency, in the service of my master, Jesus Christ ; as also, that I have this opportunity, in the name of many, to cast in my x«'>= into the kingdom's con- gratulations of your late successes. What thoughts concerning your person my breast is possessed withal, as in their storehouse they yield me delightful refresh- ment, so they shall not be drawn out, to the distiirbance of your self-denial. The goings forth of my heart, in reference to your excellency, shall be chiefly to the Most High, that, being more than conqueror in your spiritual and temporal war- fare, you may be long continued for a blessing to this nation, and all the pei)ple of God.
Sir, Your Excellency's
Most humble and devoted Servant,
John Owen.
coqgeshall, essex, Oct. 5, 1648.
1 Kent, Essex.
THE WORTHY AND HONOUKED
SIR WILLIAM MASHAM, SIR WILLIAM ROWE,
WITH THE llEST OF THE GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE LATELY UKDEU IMPRISONMENT BY THE ENEMY' IN COLCHESTER;
AS ALSO,
TO THE HONOURED
SIR HENRY MILDMAY OF WANSTED, COL. SIR THOMAS HOiNEYWOOD,
WITH THE REST OF THE GENTLEMEN AND OFFICERS, LATELY ACTING AND ENGAGED AGAINST THE SAME ENEMY.
Sirs, The righteous judgments of God having brought a disturbance and noise of war, for our security, unthankfuhiess, murmuring, and devouring one another, upon our country, those who were intrusted with the power thereof turned their sti'eams into several channels. Troublous times are times of trial.
" Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried ; but the wicked shall do wickedly ; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand," Dan. xii. 10. Some God called out to suffer, some to do, — leaving " treacherous dealers to deal treacherously."
Of the two first sorts are you. This honour have you received from God, either with patience and constancy to undei'go, involuntarily a dangerous restraint; or with resolution and courage voluntarily to undertake a hazardous engagement, to give an example that faith and truth, so shamefully despised in these evil days, have not altogether forsaken the sons of men.
It is not in my thoughts to relate unto yourselves what some of you suffered, and what some of you did, — what difficulties and perplexities you wrestled withal, within and \\ ithout the walls of your enemies (the birds in the cage and the field having small cause of mutual emulation) ; for that which remains of these things is only a returnal of praise to Him by whom all your works are wrought.
It cannot be denied 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 vails to the efficacy of grace, in preventing you from putting forth your hands unto iniquity, in any sinful comphance with tlie enemies of our peace. The times wherein we live have found the latter more rare than the former. What God wrought in you hath the pre-eminence of v/hat he wrought for you; — as much as to be given up to the sword is a lesser evil than to be given up to a treacherous spirit.
What God hath done for you all, all men know; — what I desire y<3u should do fur God, I know no reason why I should make alilvc public, — the general and par- ticular civilities I have received from all and every one of you advantaging me to
76 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
make it out in another way. I shall add nothing, then, to what you will meet withal in the following discourse, but only my desire, that you would seriously ponder the second observation, with the deductions from thence. For the rest, I no way fear 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, tliat if any speak evil of you as of evil-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 wilhngly and cheer- fully underwent ; — the latter, merely in obedience to your commands, being acted in it more by your judgments than mine own. You were persuaded (mean as it was) it might be for the glory of God to have it made public; whereupon my an- swer was, and is. That for that, not only it, but myself also, should, by his assist- ance, be ready for the press. The failings and infirmities attending the preaching and publishing of it (which the Lord knows to be very many) are mine ; — the incon- veniences of publishing such a tractate from so weak a hand, whereof the \\orld is full, must be yours ; — the fruit and benefit both of the one and other is His, for whose pardon of infirmities, and removal of inconveniences, shall be, as for you, and all the church of God, the prayer of,