A92852:144
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.
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?
If a man in his religious performances of praying ⟨p. 39⟩and fasting, and humbling of himselfe, should seeke not God but himselfe, as the Pharisees did, his vaine glory would purchase onely the applause of men and rejection with God; all his workes will bee lost and come to nothing: Verily you have your reward said Christ: a poore reward to have breath for breath! And so in publike attempts if you should not entirely seeke God, His Glory, His Truth, His Worship, but your selves, your worke will never prosper, It will rest onely on your owne parts to act it, and on your own strength to consummate and perfect it, and what blessed issue can bee expected where weak man is left alone to bee the Author and finisher of great actions?
6. Lastly, when they are fickle and inconstant; begun (perhaps) with some fervency, but then laid aside by as much tepidity: An aguish zeal, hot in attempting, but cold in effecting; One day to act like penitents, and the next day to live like sinners, one while humbling and praying, and after a while cursing and swearing: Sometimes offering all our service and strength for CHRIST and Religion, and 1