A92852:143
England's preservation or, a sermon discovering the only way to prevent destroying judgementsEngland's preservation or, a sermon discovering the onely way to prevent destroying judgements
England's preservation or, a sermon discovering the only way to prevent destroying judgements: preached to the Honourable House of Commons at their last solemn fast, being on May, 25. 1642. By Obadiah Sedgwick Bachelor in Divinity and minister of Coggeshall in Essex. Published by order of that house.England's preservation or, a sermon discovering the onely way to prevent destroying judgements: preached to the Honourable House of Commons at their last solemne fast, being on May, 25. 1642. By Obadiah Sedgwicke Batchelour in Divinity and minister of Coggeshall in Essex. Published by order of that house.
London: printed by R. B. for Samuel Gellibrand, 1642
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
5. When they are hypocritical and vain-glorious; done by our selves, and for our selves; It is a strange thing to observe how the spirits of men are balanced and mounted and keep parallel with the ends which they propound unto themselves! The Art and strength and length of our workings are ever moulded in our own aims and respects: One man acts for God, another acts for himself; the works of the one are blest and prosper, the attempts of the other quickly languish and are blasted; As vicious acts are under GODS curse, so vain-glorious acts are out of his blessing: Sincerity, humble sincerity is that which gives life, finds acceptance, and is crowned with success.
5. When they are hypocriticall and vaine-glorious; done by our selves, and for our selves; It is a strange thing to observe how the spirits of men are ballanced and mounted and keepe paralell with the ends which they propound unto themselves! The Art and strength and length of our workings are ever moulded in our owne aimes and respects: One man acts for God, another acts for himselfe; the workes of the one are blest and prosper, the attempts of the other quickly languish and are blasted; As vitious acts are under GODS curse, so vaine-glorious acts are out of his blessing: Sinceritie, humble sinceritie is that which gives life, findes acceptance, and is crowned with successe.
If a man in his religious performances of praying ⟨p. 39⟩and fasting, and humbling of himself, should seek not God but himself, as the Pharisees did, his vain glory would purchase only the applause of men and rejection with God; all his works will be lost and come to nothing: Verily you have your reward said Christ: a poor reward to have breath for breath! And so in public attempts if you should not entirely seek God, His Glory, His Truth, His Worship, but your selves, your work will never prosper, It will rest only on your own parts to act it, and on your own strength to consummate and perfect it, and what blessed issue can be expected where weak man is left alone to be the Author and finisher of great actions?