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

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⟩change from misery to mercy in a Nation; read the Prophets concerning the Jews, and that will be testimony sufficient.

Sirs! Though penitentiall workes rightly done are never without successe and blessing, yet pretendingly penitentiall agents may so carry on these works (materially good) that they may never prove formally and eventually good or beneficiall: and therefore you read in Scripture, that many prayings, and fastings, and solemne meetings, and teares, and other doings have found no acceptation with God, nor wrought any subjective alterations in persons, nor ⟨p. 35⟩change from misery to mercy in a Nation; read the Prophets concerning the Jewes, and that will be testimony sufficient.

In six cases they prove (in the event) to be nothing, but only a sowing amongst thorns.

In sixe cases they prove (in the event) to bee nothing, but onely a sowing amongst thornes.

1. When they are but external, not acted by any inward principles, the effects rather of art and parts then of the heart and grace: Shells, not kernels, tears of the eyes, but not tears of the heart, prayers of the lips, but not of the soul: Shadows and pageants of Repentance, seeming to be so to the eye of man, but not heart-workings which only are interpreted to be true and solid to the eye of God: