An Ark Against a Deluge, Title page – Dedication
An Arke againſt a Deluge: OR Safety in Dangerous Times. Diſcovered in A SERMON Before the Honourable Houſe of Commons, At their late Extraordinary Faſt, October 22. 1644.
By Obadiah Sedgwicke, Batchelour in Divinity, and Paſtour of Coggeſhall in Eſſex.
Publiſhed by Order of the ſaid Houſe.
PROV. 28. 14.
Happy is the man that feareth alwayes, but he that hardneth his Heart, ſhall fall into miſchiefe.
LONDON, Printed by J. Raworth, for Samuel Gellibrand, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the Signe of the Braſen Serpent, in Pauls Church-yard. 1644.
TO The Honourable Houſe of Commons, Aſſembled in Parliament at Weſtminster.
YOu were pleaſed to appoint a Solemn and Extraordinary Fast, for your united Armies: and ſince that you have twice deſired the Aſſembly of Divines to Importune God for them: How acceptable all this hath been unto Him, you have experimentally found by the news of our Brethren ſurprizing of Newcaſtle (the last week) and the Caſtle it ſelf (ſince that) and alſo by the news of happy ſucceſſe upon your Armies (neer to Newbery) this week: It is not in vain, Nay it is very good to draw neer to God: No one prayer that gets to heaven is loſt: Sometimes divine Wiſdome doth take reſpite, but at this time divine goodneſſe made haſt: you had ſcarce begun your prayers, but God prevented you with Anſwers: Our work on earth is done beſt, when our work in heaven is done firſt; you plainly ſee that God can (and which way he can) provide for his own glory, his peoples ſafety, and his enemies ſhame; It is a ſuperlative wiſdome to intereſt our perſons in God, and God in our actions: when we have once gained and engaged him, we are then above all the world.
All that I would humbly preſſe upon you is this: Follow God, what you ſee him doing, do you the like: his ſpeciall care is for his Church, let yours be ſo: For my part, my great deſign ſhall be, my own Salvation, and the Church and Kingdomes ſafety: For theſe we Preach, for theſe we Pray, for theſe we Lend, for theſe we Live, for theſe we Dye: the God of all mercies Heal theſe, and Settle theſe, and ever guide and bleſſe you for the good of theſe. This ſhall be the conſtant prayer of him, who deſires to live no longer then he is a ſervant to Truth, and both theſe,
OBADIAH SEDGWICKE.