Obadiah Sedgwick,B.D

Obadiah Sedgwick was born in the parish of St Peter in Marlborough, in Wiltshire, in England, in the year 1600. He received his grammatical education at or near the place of his birth. In the year 1616, he was sent to Queen's College, Oxford; but not continuing long
there, he retired to Magdalen Hall, in the same university, where he took the degrees in arts. Having finished his academical studies, he entered into the ministerial office, and became chaplain to the Lord Horatio Vere, whom he accompanied to the low countries. After his return to his native country, he went again to Oxford, and, upon performing certain exercises, he was admitted to the reading of the sentences, in the latter end of the year 1629. He was tutor to Matthew Hale, who was afterward the much celebrated Lord Chief Justice. Leaving the university a second time, he became preacher at Mildred's, bread Street, London; but was driven from his living and the people of his charge, by the merciless oppression and iron rod of the haughty prelate's. In the year 1639, he became Minister of Cogges-Hall in Essex, where he continued two or three years. Upon the commencement of the Civil War wars, he returned to London, and to his ministry at Mildred's, and was often called to preach before Parliament. In the year 1642, he became chaplain to Colonel Hollis's Regiment in the parliaments Army. In the following year, he was appointed one of the licensers of the press for books of Divinity, and chosen one of the assembly of divines at Westminster, and he constantly attended. He was a very zealous covenanter. Wood says, "that the members of Parliament constituted him one of the assembly of divines, as being a covenanter to the purpose." The same writer observes, evidently with a very hostile design, "that while Mr Sedgwick preached at Mildred's, which was only to exasperate the people to rebel and confound episcopacy, it was usual with him, especially in hot weather, to unbutton his doublet in the pulpit, that his breath might be longer, and his voice more audible, to rail against the king's party, and those who were near him, whom he called Popish councillors." The same author adds, "he was a great leader and abettor of the Reformation pretended to be carried on by the Presbyterians; whose peaceable Maxims, like razors set with oil, cut the throat of majesty with a keen smoothness. This he did in an especial manner, in September 1644, when he, with great concernment, told the people, several times, that God was angry with the army for not cutting off delinquents."

It has also been said, that Mr Sedgwick was "a creature of treason, rebellion, and nonsense," even in his sermons before the parliament. But his sermons are extant, and how far he was guilty, every pious and judicious reader will easily judge. It has been, the common lot of the faithful friends and servants of Christ to be loaded with calumnies and reproaches, since the commencement of Christianity. The malicious Jews laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove; while he answered for himself, neither against the laws of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended anything at all. Acts 25: 7-8.

In the early 1646, Mr Sedgwick became preacher at Pauls Covent Garden; where he was much followed, and is said to have been instrumental in the conversion of many souls. Wood says, "that there, as also sometimes in the country, he kept up the vigour of a Presbyterian ministry, which for divers years prospered according to his mind." In the year 1653, or 1654, he was by the parliament appointed one of the Tryers, or examiners of ministers; and in the year following, he was constituted one of the assistant commissioners of London for ejecting ignorant and scandalous ministers and schoolmasters. He was a very zealous Labourer in the Lords vineyard, and exceedingly active in promoting the work reformation. Mr Sedgwick finding at length, that his health began to decline, he resigned his charge, and retired to Marlborough, his native place, where he died about the beginning of January 1658, aged 57 years, and his remains were interred in the chancel of Oglarn, St Andrew, near Marlborough. He was esteemed a learned divine, and an orthodox and admired preacher.