Englands Preservation, Title page – Dedication
England's PRESERVATION OR, A SERMON diſcovering the onelyonly 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.
JEREMIAH 13. 27.
O Hieruſalem wilt thou not be made cleane? When ſhall it once be?
LONDON, Printed by R. B. for Samuel Gellibrand, at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls CHURCH-Yard. 1642.
To the Honourable Houſe of Commons aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
THis Sermon which I preached by your command, and you harkned unto with much acceptance, and is now printed by our Order, I moſt humbly preſent unto your Gracious Patronage, and Religious practice; It hath this only in it; that it is ſeaſonable; what one once writ to Aegidius the Abbot of Norinberg concerning Davids words in Pſalme 118. They are verba vivenda, non legenda: That may be affirm'd of the Text I preached on, the pith and matter of it ſhould be lived, and not heard only: Repentance is a living word: Alexander (as Plutarch Orat. 1. de Alex. …reports) demanded of Porus (whom he had ſurpriſed) what his thoughts were of him, he anſwered, I thinke of Alexander, Regaliter, and thats enough ſaid hee, for in that word all other things are contained: the ſame I may ſay, if any man demands what our ſinfull and diſtracted Kingdome ſhould doe? I anſwer, Repent, and in that word (if lived and done) all our ſafeties and hopes are contained.
There were 3. things (moſt Honourable Sirs!) which Luther did feare would prove Melchior Adam: in vita Luther: p. 157. 158.to bee the Ruine of Religion. 1. Oblivion. 2 Security. 3. Carnall policy: The good God overthrow theſe in our Land, leaſt our land be overthrowne by theſe: Though Miniſters diſcover all ſorts of ſins, and though a Parliament diſcovers all ſorts of plots and dangers, yet people are ſetled on their Lee's, they will not ſee, nor feare, nor humble themſelves, nor turne to the Lord at all; O pray, (ſaid a dying man in the beginning of the German reformation) that God would preſerve the Goſpell (pontifex enim Romanus, & Concilium Trident. mira moliuntur) For the Pope and Councell of Trent are hatching of ſtrange things: Miniſters ſay as much and more to people, pray, be humbled, reform; For you ſee what the bloudie Papiſts have done in Ireland, and you heare what they are plotting againſt England, we do thus ſpeak and weepe, but man will not hearken and obey; They who will not eaſily ſee their ſins, will as hardly beleeve their dangers: Fuge, fuge Brenti! cito, citius, citiſsime, ſo friendly did a Senatour of Hala adviſe Brentius, haſt, haſten, make all the haſt you can, your life is loſt elſe: He embraced the adviſe, & preſerved his life by it; O that Gods adviſes (ſo frequent, ſo earneſt, ſo and more ſafe) to humbling and reforming might once bee regarded and followed: we ſhall never be ſafe, if wee ever remaine impenitent.
As for your ſelves, Honourable Sirs! wee have all cauſe to bleſſe God for the worthy Acts already done by you, and for your further intentions of moſt excellent good to our Church and Kingdom; Ripen theſe intentions (wee pray you) into Actions▪ That our Church may be glorious, and our State ſafe; and both flouriſhing and ſtable: good actions are excellent, though evill men oppoſe them, nor ſhal they be therfore, the leſſe ſucceſſeful: remember that Chriſt hath conquerd all the world, and a world conquerd by Chriſt ſhall never be able to conquer truth.
I have one requeſt which I earneſtly preſent to your ſelves and the Houſe of Lords, It is onelyonly this, Haſten (what you can) Englands Reformation, and Irelands preſervation: In theſe the good and Almighty God unite, ſtrengthen, protect, and proſper you All, To whoſe everlaſting armes, you and all your pious endeavours are commended by your daily Oratour.
Obadiah Sedwicke. Die Mercurij 25. May 1642.