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

Second Part. And sow not among Thorns:

Second Part. And sow not among Thornes:

That a breaking up of the ground must go before a sowing, and then that a sowing must follow the breaking up, is no question with any judicious man; For as it were a vain thing to sow when the ground is not broken up (the seed would but be a prey) so it were as foolish when the ground is broken up, not to sow (the labour would never prove an harvest) breaking up of the ground being in it self only (opus imperfectum & respectivum) a work for another ¹work; And indeed as the Historian spake of the Emperor that he rather wanted vice then was virtuous, so it may be said of a person and Nation if their Fallow grounds be broken up, and yet be not sown, they are rather not wicked, then good, For Negatives (alone) make no estate to be gracious; It must be some positive quality which gives perfection and denomination; They say well in Philosophy, that whiles the motion is passing from the Terminus a quo It is but in Fieri, and till the terminus ad quem bee attained, it is not in facto esse, the work is but on the way, it is not at the end, nor done: The same is a truth in Divinity, for cessation from evil is not sufficient ²without an operation of good; to pull down wickedness is not enough unless we also set up godliness; Josiah did pull down Idols, but then he did likewise restore and set up the true worship of God: ⟨p. 31⟩And our Saviour did not only correct the false glosses wherewith the Pharisees had corrupted the law, ³but also erected and established the true sense and genuine Interpretation of it: Jehu to this day lies under the tongue and censure of Hypocrisy, notwithstanding all his zeal against Baal and the Priests, because after all this, He took no care or heed to walk in the Law