Eben-ezer a memoriall of the deliverance of Essex, county, and committee, being an exposition on the first ten verses of the third chapter of the prophesie of Habakkuk in two sermons. The first preached at Colchester before his Excellency on a day of thanksgiving for the surrender thereof. The other at Rumford unto the committee who were imprisoned by the enemy Sep. 28. a day set apart unto thanksgiving for their deliverance. / By John Ovven pastor of the church of God which is at Coggeshall.

TO His Excellency Thomas Lord Fairfax, &c.

SIR,

ALmighty God having made you the instrument, of that deliverance and peace, which in the County of Essex, we do injoy, next to his own Goodnesse, the Remembrance thereof is due unto your name. Those who Honour him, he will honour, and those who despise him shall be lighty esteemed. 1 Sam. 2. 30. Part of these ensuing Sermons, being preached before your Excel∣lency, and now by providence called forth to publick view, I am imboldned to dedicate them unto your Name, as a small mite of that Abundant thankfulnesse, wherein all peace-loving men of this County stand obliged unto you.

It was the custome of former days, in the provinces of the * 1.1 Roman Empire, to erect Statuas and Monuments of grate∣full Remembrance, to those presidents and Governours, who in the Administration of their Authority, behaved themselves, with wisdome courage and fidelity. Yea instru∣ments of great Deliverances and blessings, through corrup∣ted natures folly, became the Pagans Deities.

There is scarce a County in this Kingdome wherein and not one from which, your Excellency hath not deserved a more lasting Monument, then ever was erected of Corinthi∣an Brasse: But if the Lord be pleased, that your worth shall dwell only in the prayses of his people, it will be your grea∣ter glory, that being the place, which himselfe hath chosen to inhabit. Now for a Testification of this, is This only in∣tended; beyond This, towards men, God pleading for you, you need nothing but our silence. The issue of the last in∣gagements, whereunto you were called, and enforced, An∣swering, yea outgoing your former undertakings, giving Ample Testimony of the continuance of Gods Presence, with you, in your Army, having stopped the mouths of many Gain-sayers, and called to the residue in the language of the dumbe speaking Aegyptian Hieroglyphick, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, men of all sorts know, that God hateth impudence. * 1.2

It was said of the Romans in the raysing of their Empire, that they were, saepe praelio victi, bello nunquam; So naked hath the Bow of God bin made for your Assistance, that you have failed neither in Battell nor War.

Truly had not our eyes beheld the rise, and fall, of this latter storm, we could not have bin perswaded that the for∣mer Atcheivements of the Army under your conduct, could have bin parallell'd. But he who always enabled them to out doe not only others, but themselves, hath in this carried them out, to out-doe, what ever before himselfe had done by them, that they might shew more kindnesse and faith∣fulnesse, in the latter end, then in the beginning. The weary Oxe, treadeth hard. Dying bites, are often desperate. Halfe ruined Carthage, did more perplex Rome, then when it was entire. Hydras heads (in the Fable) were increased by their losse; and every new stroke begot a new opposition. Such

seemed the late tumultuating of the exasperated party in this Nation.

In the many undertakings of the enemy, allwhich them∣selves thought secure, and others esteemed probable, if they had prevailed in any one, too many Reasons present themselves, to perswade, they would have done so in all. But to none of those Worthies, which went out under your command, to severall places in the Kingdome, can you say with Augustus to Varus, upon the slaughter of his Legions by Harminius in Germany, Quintile Vare redde Legiones, God having carried them all on with successe and victory.

One especially in his Northern Expedition, I cannot passe over with silence, who although he will not, dare not say of his undertakings, as Caesar of his Asian War, veni, vidi, vici, knowing who workes all his workes for him, nor shall we say of the enemies multitude, what Captaine Gam, did of the French, being sent to spy out their numbers, before the Battell of Agin-Court, that there were of them, enough to kill, and enough to take, and enough to runne away, yet of him, and them, both he, and we, may freely say, It is nothing with the Lord to help, either with many, or with them that have no power.

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 person∣ally * 1.3 unto two, of the most Hazardous, Dangerous, and diffi∣cult undertakings: Where besides the travaile, labour, watching, heat and cold, by day and night, whereunto you were exposed, even the life of the meanest Souldier in your Army was not in more imminent danger, then often∣times was your Own. And indeed during your abode at the Leagure amongst us, in this only were our Thoughts burdened with you, That selfe-preservation was of no more

weight in your counsells and undertakings. And I bescech you pardon my boldnesse, in laying before you this Ex∣postulation of many thousands, (if wee may say to him, who hath saved a Kingdome, what was sometimes said un∣to a King) know you not that you are worth ten thou∣sands of us, why should you quench such a light in Izrael?

Sir,

I account it among those blessings of Providence, where∣with the days of my pilgrimage have bin seasoned, that I had the happinesse for a short season, to attend your Excellency, in the service of my Master Iesus Christ. As also that I have this opportunity, in the name of many, to cast in my 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in∣to the Kingdomes congratulations of your late successes. What thoughts concerning your person, my brestis pos∣sessed with all, as in their storehouse they yeeld me delight∣full Refreshment, So they shall not be drawne out, to the disturbance of your selfe-deniall. The goings forth of my heart, in Reference to your Excellency, shall be chiefly to the Most-high, that being more then conquerour, in your Spirituall and Temporall warfare, you may be long con∣tinued for a blessing, to this Nation, and all the people of God.

Sir,

Your Excellencies
Most humble and devoted
Servant,
JOHN OWEN.

Coggeshall, Essex Octo. 5. 1648.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lubens meri toque.
• * 1.2

  ••ut. de Iside Osir.
• * 1.3

  Kent. Essex.