Dedication to the Committee

SIRS:

The righteous judgements of God, having brought a disturbance, and noise of war, for our security, unthankfulness, murmuring, and devouring one another, upon our country, those who were intrusted with the power thereof, turned their streams 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 (Daniel 11:10). Some God called out to suffer, some to do, leaving treacherous dealers, to deal treacherously.

Of the two first sorts are you. This honor have you received from God either with patience and constancy to undergo 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 to your selves, what some of you suffered, and what some of you did: what difficulties and perplexities you wrestled withal, within, and without, 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 return 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 yields to the efficacy of grace, in preventing you, from putting forth your hands to iniquity, in any sinful compliance with the enemies of our peace. The times wherein we live, have found the latter more rare than the former. What God wrought in you, has the preeminence of what 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 has done for you all, all men know; what I desire you should do for God, I know no reason, why I should make alike public. The general and particular civilities I have received, from all and every one of you, advantaging me to 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 11th observation with the deductions from there. For the rest, I no way fear, but that that God, who has 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 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 labor, I willingly and cheerfully underwent, the latter merely in obedience to your commands: being acted in it, more by your judgements, 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 answer was, and is, that, for that, not only it, but my self also, should by his assistance 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 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 removal 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.