A92852:153
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.
A Sermon Preached at the late Fast, to the Commons House OF PARLIAM… › 1. To every one of us.
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.
It was a sad greeting which they found from Christ; Lord, say they, we have heard thee preaching in our Synagogues, we have eat and drunk in thy presence; yet saith Christ unto them, depart from me ye workers of iniquity, verily I know you not: So when we come to die, and then come to judgement, and say, Lord, we have heard thy Word, we have fasted, we have prayed, we have afflicted our bodies and souls; and yet Christ shall say, depart, I know you not, ye heard my Word indeed, but ye did not obey my Word; ye confessed your sins, but ye never forsook your ⟨p. 42⟩sins, ye gave on towards a little good, but ye never became good, you professed obedience, but you never did care to walk in my ways, and therefore all that you have done shall never do you any good; would not this be a sad and heavy answer to our self-deluded souls?
It was a sad greeting which they found from Christ; Lord, say they, we have heard thee preaching in our Synagogues, we have eat and drunk in thy presence; yet saith Christ unto them, depart from me ye workers of iniquity, verily I know you not: So when we come to die, and then come to judgement, and say, Lord, we have heard thy Word, we have fasted, we have prayed, we have afflicted our bodies and soules; and yet Christ shall say, depart, I know you not, yee heard my Word indeed, but ye did not obey my Word; ye confessed your sins, but yee never forsook your ⟨p. 42⟩sins, ye gave on towards a little good, but ye never became good, you professed obedience, but you never did care to walk in my wayes, and therefore all that you have done shall never doe you any good; would not this be a sad and heavy answer to our selfe-deluded soules?
Nay, put the case, that now after all our fastings, the same judgement (or a worse) should befall us which befalls our poor Brethren in Ireland, that the sword should break forth among us, and all the unmerciful and sudden calamities of war should beleaguer us, that in a moment the Gospel should be banished, our liberties should be imbondaged, our estates should be exhausted, our lands should be dispossessed, our houses should be burnt, our coffers should be ransacked, our bodies should be tortured, and our lives should be threatened; Good Lord! would we say, is all our fasting and humbling come to this? we looked for good, and not for evil, we looked for peace, and not for destruction; why? and the Lord might answer us, when did you fast to me, and when did you pray to me? Indeed you prayed against judgements, but you would never leave your sins, which (I told you often) would pull down judgements: you would have had mercies, but I could never persuade you to repent in good earnest; you would trust to vain thoughts of your own, you would never be humbled to purpose, you would sow among thorns, and see now what ye get by it.