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

4. The wise man, who in his sowing looks to the seed that it be good and clean; and to the soil that it be prepared and right; and to the season that it be fit, upon which (through Gods blessing) the seed sown takes root, prospers, and proves an harvest.

4. The wise man, who in his sowing lookes to the seed that it bee good and cleane; and to the soyle that it bee prepared and right; and to the season that it bee fit, upon which (through Gods blessing) the seed sowen takes roote, prospers, and proves an harvest.

Of this I now speak in the proposition, which whither you limit it to a Repentance, that is personal, or extend it to a Reformation that is National holds true in both, and the Text will bear both: The one and the other must be so dispersed, that it may not prove vain and lost, but effectual and successful.

Of this I now speake in the proposition, which whither you limit it to a Repentance, that is personall, or extend it to a Reformation that is Nationall holds true in both, and the Text will beare both: The one and the other must bee so dispersed, that it may not prove vaine and lost, but effectuall and successefull.

Sirs! Though penitential works rightly done are never without success and blessing, yet pretendingly penitential agents may so carry on these works (materially good) that they may never prove formally and eventually good or beneficial: and therefore you read in Scripture, that many prayings, and fastings, and solemn meetings, and tears, and other doings have found no acceptation with God, nor wrought any subjective alterations in persons, nor ⟨p. 35⟩