TWO SERMONS DELIVERED AT St. Peter's in Exeter.  
BY Richard Perk, Master of Arts, and Minister of God's word, at Columpton in Devon.  
LONDON: Printed by Thomas Harper for Ambrose Ritherdon, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's Churchyard at the sign of the Bullhead. 1632.   

THE GREAT DAY DAWNING. OR, CHRIST'S NEARNESS to judgement.  
Delivered in a Sermon before the judges, at the Lent Assizes in Exeter. Anno 1632.  
BY Richard Perk Master of Arts and Minister 〈…〉  
Mica. 2. 7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Chrysost. Hom. in 2. Advent Dom. Sis semper pavidus mi homo pro Tribunali sedentem communem Dominum cernens.  
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Harper for Ambrose Ritherdon, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's Churchyard at the Sign of the Bull head. 1632.   

Errata.  
Page 7 line 7. 〈…〉 p. 24. l. 29. r. 〈◊〉. p. 26. l. 6. r. that rack. p. 33. l. 30 〈…〉 p. 35. l. 2 & 3. r. 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 p. 35. l. 26. r. do not fit. p. 37. l. 29 IN for 〈◊〉.   

TO THE RIGHT Worshipful Edmund Arscot, Esquire, High Sheriff of the County of Devon, Grace, Mercy and Peace be multiplied.  
Right Worshipful,  
IT befell this Sermon in its delivery, what some pregnant animals doth sometime in theirs Times orifice was so straight, affairs of public judicature, like impatient Midwives, so violent to have all soon out, that limbs not a few were left behind. This after birth (extorted by friends importunity) hath brought out all, and presents you the whole Foetus with its intended integrals, though weak I confess, and very feeble. My humblest entreaty now is but the hire of a room or two under the roof of your Affections for shelter a little, or if I may presume it) education. Perhaps (so the Lord give life and power to it) it may become, if no instrument of much good abroad, yet (like King Philip's Servitor with his deadman's skull) as a domestic Monitor to serve in daily to your thoughts some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or timely watchword for preparation against the great judge his coming. We are all too apt by Satan's guiles, the deceits of sin, and bewitching cares and profits of this life, as by some Mercuries pipe, Argos-like to be sung asleep, and so like foolish Virgins out-sleeping seasons of getting oil in our lamps, to be cast behind hand: How seasonable then some thorn at security's breast to keep it waking, that when the judge appears, our lamps be trimmed, our loins girt up, our lights burning. Worthy Sir, if this Infant-attempt may prove avayl-some to such an end, either on your own or any others soul, take it, 'tis yours, use it. Here will be enough for me. My Master shall have glory, you boldness in the day of the Lord jesus.  
Your Worships very observant chaplain, Richard Perk. Columpton April 30. 1632.   

james 5. 9 Behold, the judge standeth before the door.  
GOds Ministers are like David's watchmen up over the City gate, (2 Sam. 18. 24) set on high, as from some Watchtower for the people's safety, to ken abroad who be going and coming. Our Apostle here seems such a Watchman; his tidings (among other) these: Behold, the judge standeth before the door.  
The words (if you mind their reference to what goes before) are an enforcement of a reason brought by the Apostle for deterring Christians from uncharitable grudging and impatient stomaking one against another upon mutual illations of wrongs and injuries. The frame they are set in stands up thus jointed;  

1 a Dissuasion: Grudge not one against another.  
2 a Reason of that dissuasion. 

1 Intimated in specifying or rather cautioning the judgement or danger thereby incurred: Lest ye be condemned.  
2 Enforced from the near appropinquation of the judge that may inflict that judgement: Behold, the judge standeth before the door.     
Or (if you will rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and in gross) thus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Grudge not one against another; there's the sin dissuaded: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that ye be not condemned (of the Lord namely, say Interpreters) there's 
Paraeus. Others  the ground or reason of that dissuasion. Where on, to strike deeper impression, for more advised notice of what he said, he forewarness them of the judge (that both can and will condemn them) now not so far off, but that (ere they think on) may light on their skirts, and take them tardy. Behold, the judge standeth before the door.  
You have had the connexion of the words with former. Now do ye but unjoint this frame a little, and cull the words from the rest apart by themselves, and they are a preadmonition of the instant nearness of the great judge to judgement; Behold, the judge standeth before the door: Where the parts are two,  

1 An acclamation (as I may so say) in that demonstrative, Behold.  
2 A Proclamation. The judge standeth before the door.   
For the first, the Acclamation, I'll touch that but lightly, and lay it aside: Ecce, Behold, a word that stands at the head of my Text, not for a cipher to fill up the number of words only, but like a Comet portending some ensuing matter of much consequence: or like some Trumpet blown up before a Proclamation to call and lure off men's thoughts from other objects for the more intent attention, and hath that use here in the entrance that David's Selah (say some) 
Alsted. Encycl.  hath in the end of a sentence: as if thus the Apostle, Sensibus hoc imis (res non est parva) repone, 'tis a matter not a little worthy your deepest notice, think on't, take notice of it. Behold.  
Lo the benumbed deadness of our stupid hearts; 
Use  the earthly mindedness of our dunghill affections; how suffer we them to be swallowed up into the insatiably-devouring gulfs of the pleasures of sin and profits of the world! whereby so unapt become we to look about us in things conducing to our everlasting welfare, that no less than some rattling alarm must be first struck up, ere we'll open our ears to hear, or our eyes to Behold the judge standing before the door. But  
I intent not to detain your patience in the porch: Let me unlock the door, and lead your thoughts in under the main roof and masterpiece of my Text, the Proclamation. Th' judge standeth before the door.  
The parts here are two, Quis, or 1 a Subject, The judge Quid, 2 a Predicate or Attribute, standeth before the door.  
About which parts ere I launch forth into the stream of my intendment, give me leave to use this double method, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Resolution, Composition. By the first I'll open them in giving the sense & meaning of the words: by the other reunite and sum them up again together into some Doctrinal Thesis. This done, I'll get a board and set forth.  
For the first, Resolution of parts, I'll finish that in the Solution of two queries. First, on the Subject, 
1  who and what this judge is. Secondly, on the Attribute, what means his standing before the door.  
First, who and what this judge is? 
Quest. 1.   
Answ. No ordinary and common judge (be sure) whose skill and acts of judicature comparatively are at best but imperfect, limited, and reach no further than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a few matters of fact amongst men; no but a judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or transcendent excellency infinitely every way surpassing all others. No temporal or earthly judge liable to like frailties that are other men, and meriting ofttimes God's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his revenging eye as well as 
Homer Batrach.  others: But one of whom we may say most truly what Papists falsely of their holy father the Pope, Omnis judicans, à nemine judicandus; one who iudgeeth 
Dist. 14. Can. Si Papa.  all men, but to be judged of none; yea, the very judge of judges. No mere or simple man neither, no nor Saint or Angel, but one to whom both Saints and Angels do acknowledge homage, and very devils crouch; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one both God and man, 
Phil. 2. 7. Psal. 22. 6. Isa. 53. 3.  Christ; blessed for ever. Who though while on earth a servant, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worm and no man, most vile, contemptible, yea himself like a malefactor accused, arraigned, condemned; yet now invested with 
Mat 28 18. Phil. 2. 9  all Regal power both in heaven and earth; now exalted above every name that's named, is by the authority of God his father ministerially (in respect of manhood namely) deputed the visible and general judge at last of the whole world, And would ye know what a judge this is? 'tis one for power almighty, none shall withstand him; for wisdom wonderful, 
Act. 17. 38.  none shall deceive him; for majesty dreadful, none shall outface him; for judgement most just, none shall trip him; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one that will search 
1 Chro. 28. 9 Acts 1. 24  the very reines of men, and dig open the hidden caverns of every heart; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one irrespectlesse 
Rom. 2. 11.  of persons, that will judge impartially according to each our works: whom no bribes shall corrupt, nor greatness brow▪ beat; whom entreaties shall not move, nor tears deflect: that will take a most strict account of all men's ways, and will not put up the wilful transgressions of his laws; that blessed and only Potentate, that King of Kings, and Lord of 
1 Tim. 6. 15. Deut. 32. 39  Lords; in whose power it is to kill and to keep alive, to save or to damn eternally: who descending at last 
1 Thes 4. 16. Mat. 25. 31.  day from heaven with a shout, enroabed with shining glory, attended with a train of Angels, and riding upon the wings of flaming fire, shall by the voice of an Archangel and with the trump of God rouse up the dead from their beds of dust, and by a general summons both of quick and dead gathering all before him, shall from his Throne of judgement erect 
Mat. 25. 32. Mat. ibid.  in the air, plead with all flesh. Where sheep and goats, good and bad one severed from t'other, and all the books both of nature, Scripture, conscience, and of God's omniscience shall be opened, and every one judged out of those things which shall be written in 
Reu. 20. 12  those books according to their works. This done, an eternal doom and sentence shall he pass of glorification upon his elect and faithful, Venite benedicti, Come ye blessed, etc. of condemnation upon impenitent reprobates, Ite maledicti, Go ye cursed, etc. 
Mat. 25. 34. 41.   
You have seen the judge. But what of him? He standeth before the door.  
What's that? that's the second question. 
Quest 2.   
Answ. There are two doors in Scripture mentioned, before which Christ standeth: the one within us, the other without. Christ stands at the one to tender grace; at the other to bring in judgement. Man's heart's the one, whereat Christ daily presents himself, and by the preaching of his word knocks for entrance. Behold, I stand before the door and knock, Reu. 3. 20. The other that of Christ's great judgement▪ hall, and meant in my Text; before which (in a borrowed form of speech) Christ may be said to stand, when as his exceeding nearness unto judgement is to be noted, intimated. For as in usual speech, that stranger we say, is come very nigh our house, that's now standing before our door: So here; so nigh proclaims our Apostle this great judge his approach to judgement, as of one already before the door: Nay, and that not sitting neither, much less retiring back again, as foreslowing entrance, but standing as one awaiting, and ready instantly to step in as soon as but the door is opened. Thus briefly for resolution of parts.  
In their Synthesis or composition, secondly, I'll do but this, set and join them again together, and that 
2  into this doctrinal frame;  
That the coming of Christ the great judge of the 
Doctr.  world is not fare off, but very near at hand.  
Beloved, take not the proposition as intimating any intendment of enquiry after the definite and exact point of this great judge his nearness: our Saviour checks such curious scrutiny, when Acts 1. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 'tis not for you (saith he) to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his own hand; 
Mar. 13. 32.  and avers the knowledge of the very day and hour a depth beyond the fathom either of men or Angels. My aim is, minding no deeper wading then along the shore of Scripture, to stay my discourse only upon the indefinite and indeterminate nearness of this judge his coming, and thus sense it. 'tis not fare off, but very nigh at hand; though how near for hour, day, month, or year I dare not with some to attempt to calculate.  
And here let me demand your thoughts. Can we think that he (whose approach speeds daily onwards) can after sixteen hundred years standing before the door, be by this time fare off from stepping in? or that he (who promised concerning this his second coming, B hold I come quickly; and again, 
Reu. 22. 12 joh. 16. 16  a little while, and ye shall see me;) that he can now be any great way off, since so many hundred years of that little while or quickly is already spent? No, if Saint john in his time said truth, 'twas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
1 joh, 2 18. 1 Pet. 4. 7. Phillip 4. 4. Heb. 11. 37.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the last time; Saint Peter in his time, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the end of all things is at hand; Saint Paul in his time, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Lord is nigh, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yet but a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry; then surely after so long flux of time since that, must it now be much more true, that the coming of Christ the great judge of the world is not fare off, but very near at hand.  
Would you have me attempt any farther eviction of this verity; I'll not borrow any helping hand from Rabbi Eliahs' dream in the jewish Talmud, of 
Vid. Galatinum de arcanis catholice veritatis, lib. 4 cap 20.  the world's lasting but six thousand years, whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. 2000 empty without Law written, 2000 under the Law, 2000 under the Messiah, (of which last 2000 are 1630 already gone) and for the many iniquities of men (saith he) some of that time shall not be expired. Neither will I press you with Lactantius or Saint jeromes' conjectures, who 
Hier. in Ps. 98. Lactan. Inst. Divin. l. 7. c. 14. 2 Pet. 3 8.  because, saith Peter, a thousand years with the Lord are as one day, have therefore thought, that as the world was six days creating, and then followed the Sabbath; so answerably that the world should continue for six thousand years, (as guest the Rabbi before) and then should succeed the eternal Sabbath, but adding thus; that as the legal Sabbath began (say they) not at the full end, but in the evening of the sixth day; so that this eternal Sabbath shall probably begin not just at or after the full end of 6000 years, but a little before. Neither will I make use of Cusanus fancy, who dreaming that the distance of 
Vid. Espenc. in 2 ad Tim pag. 80.  time between Christ's incarnation and the world's dissolution should answer the interstice between the Creation and the Deluge, hath conceited, that as the world from its creation lasted 1656 years, and then was wholly drowned; so from its re-creation by Christ incarnate, that it shalllikewise last the like 1656 years, and then be dissolved by fire at Christ's second coming. Nor will I add what Mathematicians, 
Vid. Aret. Prob. de interitu mundi pag. 1016.  some will seem to elicit for Christ's nearness, either from some late conjunction of Planets, or specially from the daily decay of the world, who observing not only in general most things sublunary to decline from their former virtue, strength, and power; but the very Sun itself (say they) to want much of its influential vigour, that once it had, whose distance from the centre of the earth is 9976 leagues shorter now (say they) then in Ptolomees days) would hence have more then probably portended the imminent end of all things. These and the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or empty speculations, for farther evidencing my propounded Doctrine, I dare not meddle with, contenting myself with S. Augustine's modesty, that professed ingeniously; for our Saviour's return to judgement, Tempora 
Aug. Epist 78.  dinumerare non audeo; I dare not number or set down the precise times. You know the sense you must take me in, a nearness, to wit, not definite, determinate, but indeterminate, indefinite; for proof whereof, leaving the byways of men's fancies, the safest road for me to travel in will be such Topique mediums as plain Scripture lends me. Where that might be 
Reas. 1. Reu. 12. 12.  prefixed first, that Saint john suggests from the Devil's wrath, because his time's but short; whose rage and fury since every where daily it grows greater and greater, more furiously now bestirs itself then formerly wont; what argues it, but the date of his time even almost out, and consequently Christ the judge even now at hand: like some ill-minded Tenant (it seems) whom if you should see to make havoc and spoil of every thing upon his Tenement, fell the trees, rack out the ground, hue the hedges, tear down the gates, rifle the house, would you not be ready to think, sure this man's lease is almost expired, that he plays such reaks: So here, that the Devil now so ruffles abroad as if he were mad, so stirs up contentions, conspiracies, tumults, wars, so labours to bring all kind of sin in fashion, to convert the world all into pride, drunkenness, whoredom, Epicurism, Atheism, and attempts above former wont to do all the villainy and mischief that ever he can; what implies it but that he sees (as indeed it is) 
Reas 2.  the date of his lease even quite expired, and Christ now at hand to judgement?  
I might add secondly that which most modern Scholiasts 
* Pareus, with others.  that I have met with but one 
* Napier, that casts these times under the seventh Trumpet.  on the Revelation do jointly jump in, that five of the seven Trumpets namely, mentioned Reu. 8. and 9 have already sounded, and that we of these times are fallen into the days of the voice of the sixth Trumpet, the seventh and last being thought will be the Archangels Trumpet that shall sound to judgement: which if so, our inference then how easy, that Christ cannot be fare off now.  
But what think you rather thirdly of the accomplishment 
Reas. 3.  of most those signs foretold in Scripture, as forerunners of Christ's second coming, betokening not the certainty only, but the undoubted propinquity thereof, though indeterminate: will not the real and true impletion of these conclude his nearness? Survey particulars, General Apostasy, Revelation of Antichrist, Reviuing of the Gospel, Depth of Security, Ripeness of sin, and some others.  
1 General Apostasy, that which Saint Paul mentions, 
Sign 1.  as in the (1 Tim. 4. 1. 2.) so especially (2 Thes. 2. 3.) where treating somewhat of the day of judgement (whereof the Thessalonians had been by false teachers half possessed that it should falin their very life time) that day (saith he) shall not come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, except there come a falling away first. Which defection if with Ambrose, Haymo and others 
Ambr. in 2. Thes Haymo in locum. Beda.  you conceive a political only, in the revolt of Kingdoms many from the Roman Empire; why? such a defection, hath it not been long since made; when as (the Empire having been miserably battered by the Western invasions of Goths and Vandals, and by the Eastern of Turks and Tartars) those Kingdoms that had erewhile been brought under its yoke of tribute and subjection (as France, England, Spain, Lombary, Denmark, Sweden, and others) falling therefrom, and upon this advantage resuming their ancient Polity and State, became as now they be, undepending, or absolute Monarchies in themselves? But if an Ecclesiastical defection or an 
Doctissimi qui●, Apostasiam hanc interpretantur de defectione plurimorum à vera catholica Christiana fide & religione. Zanch. 1 Tim. 4 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Apostasy spiritual (that which Writers most both modern and ancient do jointly pitch on as the Apostles meaning) standing in a general defection from faith and religion catholic, taught in Scriptures; hath not such a defection behapned likewise? I appeal to the Oriental Churches planted first by the Aposties' hands themselves; how over▪ run now with the blasphemous dreams of their Prophet Mahomet! I appeal to the Occidental: what a notorious revolt hath there been made from their primitive faith and purity? Is't not evidence sufficient, the universal leprosy of Heresy and impurity that hath so overgrown the whole body of the Church of Rome, that for these many years not one print almost of pristine soundness can be espied? Is't not evidence sufficient, those infinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, superstitious will worships, and traditional inventions of men, that since the first 600 years have by the usurped authority of the Bishop of Rome prevailed and gotten head in the Western Church? Is't not evidence sufficient, those innumerable errors not circumstantial only, but fundamental, and these expressly or consequentially, so at least, confirmed now by their Trent Anathemaes, as their resolved doctrines, and the peremptory Tenants of their Church: (their justification by works, Pope's supremacy and infallibility, merit, freewill, satisfaction, supererogation, worship and invocation of Saints, purgatory, prayers to and for the dead, adoration of the Eucharist, Transubstantiation, private Masses, pardons, indulgences, & caetera pecora campi) in all which have they not left their first estate? palpably deviated from plain rule of Scripture, and fallen from that first Roman faith and worship taught them once by Paul in his Epistle to Romans? whereby that Bethel once, how is it become a Bethaven now, and that City that was once Faithful, now a Strumpet? I spare prolixity in a fact so plain: But do ye see what issue? The Apostasy by Paul foretold then hath already been, and so one forerunner of Christ's second coming passed; must we not henceforth then look for Christ? But  
2 With this Paul connexeth our second prognostique, 
Sign 2.  the revelation of Antichrist, the head indeed of that forenamed Apostasy, when as (2 Thes. 2. 3.) that day (saith he) shall not come, except first that man of sin be revealed, that son of perdition. Now can we have him brought plainer upon the world's Stage, plainer discovered than he is already? I mean not in 
2 Thes. 2. Reu. 13. & 17.  the Turk (to whom the great Antichrists description made by Paul and john are not truly compatible) I mean not in some individual jew of the tribe of Dan, of a virgin borne by the Devil's help, to sit at jerusalem, whom Enoch and Eliah forsooth returning from the terrestrial Paradise, must buckle with three years and half before Christ's Coming, Bellarmine's Chimaera; But that Beast that Saint john 
Bellar. De Rom. Pont. lib. 3. Reu. 13. 11▪ Reu. 17.  saw horned like a lamb, buttongued like a Dragon; that purple strumpet and whore of Babylon, that monster of Luciferian pride, mounted upon the seaven-headed Beast, or seauen-hilled City, the Pope or 
Reu. 17. 7. 9 18.  Papacy of Rome. For I demand who's the Antichrist if not he that sitting in the Temple of God, and seated in his chair of Pestilence (covertly at least) opposeth Christ in all his offices, and exalteth himself above all Kings and Emperors, that are called gods? Who's the Antichrist, if not he that being but a silly man, yet claims all power both in heaven and 
2 Thes. 2. 4:  earth, makes laws of his own to bind men's consciences, and dispenseth when he lists with the breach of Gods? that usurps authority to forgive sins, to put down Kings, and dispose of Kingdoms, claims supremacy Monarchical over the whole earth, both in spirituals and temporals, as Christ's Vicar general on earth? Who's the Antichrist, if not he that sets up a new sacrifice propitiatory for sin, prefers his Decrees and traditions before Gods written word, makes himself the infallible Interpreter of holy Scripture, and supreme judge of controversies? Who's the Antichrist, if not he that mangles Christ's Sacraments as he pleaseth, adds new of his own, and maintains flat idolatry both in the breaden host, in the invocation of the dead, and worship of Saints relics, images: forbids marriage, commands conscientiall abstinence from meats, seduceth men by lying miracles, and hath 
1 Tim. 4. 3.  drank himself drunk with the blood of the Saints? If john Bishop of Constantinople, that for a season 
Ego fidenter dico, quisquis se u niversalem Sacerdotem vocat, vel vocari desiderat, in elatione suâ Antichristum praecurrit. Creg. Papa l. 6. Ep. 30. de johan. Constantinop.  only claimed the title of Sacerdos universalis, universal Bishop, was by Pope Gregory's confident assertion Praecursor Antichristi, the Forerunner of Antichrist; then the Bishops of Rome that since Boniface the third have ever used this title, are that Antichrist indeed: So that we doubt not with him in Aventinus to aver, Papam esse Antichristum, that the 
Petrus johan. apud Aver●inum  Pope is Antichrist: which Antichrist as he was conceived even in the Apostles days, at what time the mystery of iniquity was working, striven unto birth 
2 Thes 27.  for 300 years after by aspired superiority between the patriarchal Sees: borne about Constantius reign, when that sounded from heaven, Seminatum est venenum in Ecclesia, poison is sown in the Church: 
Platina in ult. silvest Irenaeus lib. 5. cap. 25. Reu. 13. 18.  Christened (as I may say it) by Irenaeus with the Beasts numeral name, Lateinos, whose Church hath been called the Latin Church, and whose Liturgy yet is Latin all: So in Boniface the third was he set up in his throne, when stilled by that parricide Phocas Emperor, Episcopus Oecumenicus, Occumenicall or universal Bishop: but then especially more openly revealed, then in his flourishing prime, when afterwards out of the Empire's ruins or at least translation increased, with secular dominion, possessed with both the swords, decreed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the infallible 
In Council Lateran. An. 1516.  and unerring judge of all controversies, from whom no appeal, and superior to all general Counsels. So then Antichrist is revealed, our second prognostique of our Saviour's second coming. Who as he hath been mortally wounded since Luther's time, by the sincere preaching of the Gospel: so the Lord (we trust) will go on daily more and more to consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy utterly with the brightness of his coming, which 
2 Thes. 2. 8.  whether the Lord be now about to do, conjectures are not improbable: only I refer unto your secret thoughts what God is acting by the hand of Sweden.  
3 The wonderful revining of the Gospel in most 
Sign 3.  parts of the Christian world. I mean not here that preaching of the Gospel whereof our Saviour speaks (Mat. 24. 14.) that the Gospel should be preached in all the world, and then should the end come; (conceived by some both Protestants and Papists an undoubted praeludium of Christ's coming to judgement:) that (saith chrysostom) was fulfilled in the 
Chrysost. in Mat. 24.  Apostles days, through whose Ministry the Gospel was come into all the then inhabited world, and 
Col. 1. 6.  then came the end that our Saviour meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith Theophilact) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not of the world, 
Theoph. in Mat.  but of jerusalem. That reviving rather mean I, even that glorious proruption of the Gospel's light from amidst the foggy mists of Popish darkness, which S. john foresaw should break out upon the Church towards the end of the world, intimated by that Angel (Rev. 14. 6. 7.) that in the midst of the beasts or Antichrists persecution, was sent with the everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwelled on the earth to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people; saying, fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgement is come: Where (in the unanimous judgement of best Scholiasts) the Gospel's new 
Pareus Omnes in hoc concordant Angelum hunc representare predicatores Evangelij temporibus Antichristi. in Apoc.  breaking out by the Ministers of reformation is foretold to befall the Church a little before Christ's hour of judgement. If so, consider thus; Have not the bright shining beams and Sun light of the Gospel broken wonderfully out for this last hundred and odd years after its long eclipse and obscuration under the interposed veils of Popish errors? Have not the Scriptures of late by God's mercy vindicated their primitive liberty after so long imprisonment under a strange or unknown tongue, false glosses, Munkish postils and interpretations? Three hundred and threescore years since or upward it dawned in the Waldenses. Two hundred and threescore years since the Sun arose in Wicklif, and after successively by Hus, Luther, Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, calvin, others, how it hath 〈◊〉 shined more and more unto this perfect day? So that now (blessed be God) 'tis got up into the very Zenith and vertical point of our Meridian, where it diffuseth and darts abroad its enlightening and refreshing beams into the whole Hemisphere of the Christian world, increasing onward daily even unto savage climates, as if God meant now speedily to finish his work, to cut it short, and to dispatch with a trice what he meant to do in gathering by his word those that are to be gathered unto his kingdom. And is this no warrant for conjecture that Christ's hour of judgement hasteneth? 'tis a sign (we say) the day light draws on ward nearer and nearer by how much thicker and thicker the Cocks of the Village crow: why not this too a probable sign that Christ's great day is well on toward dawning, when God's Ministers every where do preach so frequently?  
4 That general sleep of deep security, like that 
Sign 4. & 5.  of the old world before the Flood, and that fearful Deluge of all-overflowing sin, foretold both of them towards Christ's second coming: the first (Mat. 24. 38.) the other (2 Tim. 3. 2. 3.) Now what prediction in all God's Book was ever fulfilled, if not this? Do ye but let lose your thoughts a little and survey abroad; Did ever any times since the creation of the world sleep so securely under the hatches of outward peace without fear of imminent storms, or bathed so fearelesly against the warm Sun of fleshly ease, prosperity, Epicurism? Were ever times so generally given up to an insensible fearlessness of the Almighty's wrath, so engulft over head and ears in the dead sea of security, as now they be? Tell, did ever any age attempt such Babel's, such montanous and prodigious projects of bedlam outrages, let lose such reines to all heaven-affronting desperate deboistness. was so unrecoverably swallowed up into the insatiable gulf of damned profaneness as ours now? Let but Drunkenness speak if ever it sunk into that loathsome fog of brutish baseness as now it doth; Let Pride speak if ever it hoist up such topsails, hung out such flaunting flags of profeiled vanity; Let Whoredom speak if ever so shamelessly it jetted the streets, or blushed so little at discovered filthiness; Let Covetousness, let Usury speak (though 'tis like they be loath) if ever their sharp set appetites were so greedily mad upon a nunquam satis, or triflingly slighted either conscience or Religion, when standing with profit in competition. Beloved (horresco referens) never was the Gospel or the sincere and powerful preaching thereof exposed to that scorn that now it is: Never holiness so disdainfully trampled on both by scums and great ones as now it is. The Lord's day never so irreligiously dashed out of countenance by profane libertinism, or groaning under such cartload of countenanced dishonours as now it doth. Surely if ever the world were up to its full measure of all impiety, the harvest of sin ever full ripe, 'tis now; and can we think Christ's sickle than not ready even now to be put in to cut and hue down this luxuriant crop of the world's profaneness by his instant approach to judgement?  
I let pass Christ's predictions of earthquakes, wars, and rumours of wars, as either pertaining to 
Mat. 24. 7. Acts 2. 19 20.  times preceding jerusalems' destructions, or if to the end of the world, not more plainly then woefully fulfilled daily. I let pass concomitant signs, contiguous with our Saviour's coming (fearful alterations in the air, darkening of the Sun, the Moons turning into blood, Stars falling from heaven) for these 
Mat 24. 29.  look we when the door is opened, and Christ steps over threshold: A general calling and conversion of 
Sign 6.  the jews, that's thought the last memorable forerunner of Christ's second coming, that mystery (as 'tis thought) that Paul would have the Romans not be ignorant of, for prevention of insultments over the jews, (Rom. 11. 25) But of this alij atque alij, aliud atque aliud, divers men divetsly; Some thus think; That this mystery is none other but a particular calling 
D. Williams of the true Church, l. 5. c. 19 20. Marlorat. ex Hyperio & Musculo.  intimated of an elect remnant that God reserved to himself among them after their national rejection; which calling is successively to be continued until the full number of those, that of the Gentiles are to be saved, shall come in, that is, full to the world's end, before which time the fullness of the Gentiles cannot come in. Others otherwise. Not a continued calling 
junius. D. Willet. Aretius.  at all times, but a general calling into a flourishing Christian Church of their own in the last times. I'll not set these two opinions together by the ears. Thus resolve we; If such a calling or conversion of jews the Apostle intimates, which hath at all times been successively continued since their general rejection, of some elect individuals namely among them to the faith (which is not only the judgement of many learned, but very consonant to the whole Chapters drift) then favours this place no prediction of any thing to behappen jews more at the last times then hath at any time; and so their conversion no more a sign of Christ's second coming then is a continued conversion of some individual Papists to the true faith since the general revolt. But if on contrary not the continued conversion of some scattered individuals, but a general recollection of the whole nation into one visible flourishing Christian Church before Christ's coming be conceived (though perhaps not necessarily) the Apostles meaning; though we grant it a sign, yet as for the manner of it no man knows how it may be done, so neither for the time how soon or suddenly. So that the issue will be, that notwithstanding this imagined return general of jews not yet fulfilled, nothing hinders but that Christ may be very near at hand, even before the door.  
Reflect now back.▪ Unite all together in your thoughts. And now that you see all but one at most of Christ's forerunners passed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know that he is near, even at the door. Mat. 24. 33.  
But what mean I ranging in such spacious fields of evidence for this truth, since that (as Paul said to Agrippa) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I know you believe it. Give 
Acts 26. 27.  leave to draw homeward then, and from these premises to lodge some practic inferences in your souls and consciences.  
And here (Beloved) shall I begin with that use of our Saviour's nearness, that Saint Peter presseth (2 Pet. 3. 11.) What manner of persons namely ought we then to be in all manner of conversation and godliness? or with that which Paul and james suggest, (Heb. 10. 30. 37. jam. 5. 7. 8.) Patience therefore, courage, cheerfulness, resolution, constancy under cross, for that the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry: or with that which Saint john intimates (Rev. 22. 20.) doubling of our desires therefore, and of our spiritual faintings and long after Christ's glorious appearing in act? I confess these uses as for deduction genuine natural, so for contemplation sweetly comfortable, for Christian practice needfully considerable; But thus,  
First, what floods of terror should this Doctrine 
Use 1.  of the great judge his nearness sluice into the flintiest heart of any impenitent Belialist that lies yet wallowing in the stinking puddle of his resolved profaneness under the insensible guilt and spreading gangrene of his sins unpurged, unreformed? A guilty malefactor do but tell him of the judge in circuit, and how trembles he at the tiding? and can such hear of Christ's near approach, the dreadful judge of all the world, and not quake and tremble? What City's that, that when some irresistible and all conquering 
Gen. 18. 25.  enemy is got nigh the gates, and ready to enter will not begin to startle and bestir themselves? and can such stretched out on the bed of security, take such deep naps in their sins when Christ their victorious enemy, the Almighty conqueror of the whole world stands now before the door, and with his rod of iron (unless repentance prevent) is ready 
Psal. 2. 9  to crush their bones in pieces, & as a judge implacable turn them headlong into the horrid and easlesse dungeon of everlasting darkness? O that I were some strong-lunged Trumpeter amidst the armies of Israel, some able Bellman that could ring this peal but loud enough in the deaf ears of all such graceless and  securelings, that thus put fare from them this evil day, that letting all thought of future 
Amos 6. 3.  summons to Christ's great Assize, run at six and seven, mind nought for the present but their bathing and drenching in the full streams of pleasure, bravery, profits, and other fleshly contentments, never dream of judgement, or of Christ's nearness to it? Howsoever, stands here any such that looks me now 
Sic loquuntur Rabbini cum auditorem ad diligentem rei considerationem invitare solent Schiudl. Isa. 28. 1. Isa. 5. 22.  in face, or hears me speaking, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come and hear. Stand forth a while, and let me bespeak your thoughts a little.  
You drunkards of Ephraim first, and tosspots Ale-knights, that are so mighty to yet down drink, and to tun up Ale by gollons into your fleshy barrels; that relish no felicity beyond an Alebench, and empty out all both your gifts and means and credit into the pot and pipe; O that your thoughts when af-after your drunken naps returned to themselves again, could but look forth a little and ken this nearness of Christ the general judge of men, that ere long will dash all your pots in pieces, will strat your merriments, dissolve your drunken crews, and send you packing where not a drop either of small drink or water to cool your bladdering tongues. The like thought made Belshazzar tremble, and wilt not you?  
You proud Fantastics next, you generation of 
Dan. 5. 6.  light▪ skirt Fashionists that by your mostrous disguised trappings have clean dashed modesty out of countenance, & for want of virtue, the ancient juy of true Nobility, have nought else to show for Gentilities challenge but slashes, cuts, lovelocks, strips and gorgets, etc. O could you but believe Christ's instant nearness! but believe the hastening of his day of vengeance, when all your changeable bravery and flaunting vanity must be taken down, your bushy plumes be made  in dust, your hairy fleeces be torn from your heads as fit tow for fire, and your new▪ fangled immodest fashions (whose weekly variety hath well nigh nonplussed the devil's quickest invention) shall be plucked off your backs, and yourselves stripped naked of all your ornaments, be made stand puling, howling at his bar of judgement. Paul's bare discourse of this same judgement, though fare off then, made proud Foelix tremble. Cannot the real nearness of it now, make your hearts to quiver? 
Acts 24. 25.   
You unclean Aldulterers and impure Libidinists whose eyes are full of lusts, and hearts mind nothing 
2 Pets 2. 14.  but the bed of strange love; you that wait for the twilight when none may see, skulk into corners to 
job. 24. 15.  conceal your dalliance, and assemble yourselves by troops into harlots houses. What a cooling card 
jer. 5. 7.  should this doctrine be to your lustful heats, your day of account that's just at hand, Christ the dreadful judge that stands now at door! at whose fearful appearing the filthy books of your polluted consciences must be all unclaspt, your hidden works of darkness to your eternal shame be laid all open to the world, and yourselves, that now so burn with the fire of lust, be burnt ere long in the fire of hell.  
You irreligious Sabbath-libertines, you that so nauciate Gods sacred ordinances, & as if the Sabbath were but a ceremony, or rather some feast of Bacchus, do by your uncurbed disorders make the Lords day the devils, the market day of your souls a play day for your lusts; come hear and tremble. Behold that judge at hand, even at your heels, who himself will vindicate the dishonours of his day, convert your pastimes into the sad dumps of horror, and for the holy rests that you have denied him, adjudge you to eternal restlessness in the lake of hell.  
You black wide-mouthed swearers, that from the open sepulchers of your impure throats belch out unmeasurably the Sulphurous damps of blasphemies, oaths and curses, that have more of God and Christ the judge in your tongues then in your hearts, and think that discourse wants grace that wanteth oaths; come, dare ye any longer spit such dishonours in the face of him that's now at hand, as a swift witness against you, and will exact a most 
Mal. 3. 5. Mat. 12. 36.  strict account even of every idle word: Or can you hear of him (whom you so often by your oaths and curses rampant have attempted as 'twere to pluck down from heaven) now ready in flaming fire to break through the clouds, to erect his Throne for 
2 Thes. 2. 8.  judgement, to summon you all to his great Assize, and your silent thoughts within you not gush or tremble?  
You flinty hardhearted Usurers, you that have enlarged your desires as hell, that are as death and are never satisfied, that lend your money to men, but 
Hab▪ 2. 5.  your souls to the Devil, the Devil's chief stewards, or rather Thiefs, that have skilled yourselves for thievery, from Magic Principles ('tis like) and have learned to rob by the black Art: when sitting warmclad in your counting house, or at the fire, not wagging a foot, to any man's seeming, can yet play the thiefs twenty, forty, an hundred miles off. You that with your iron teeth and brazen nails, do grind the faces of the poor, & raven like Vultures upon the 
Isa. 3. 15.  guts of the needy; that can gallop post to hell, though as heavy laden with poor men's curses, as your coffers with bags. Oh that your hearts were but capable of my Texts impression! or could believe the exceeding nearness of the great judge his coming, who (if you run on) is sure to meet you (fare worse than did the Angel, Balaam) with a vengeance: at 
Numb. 22.  which time, what, O what a terrible thing will it be eternally to be adjudged to that fiery furnace, where your souls must burn, your bodies fry, your coin melt, your bills, and bonds, and pawns, and mortgages, 
Mat. 13. 42.  be cast in to add fuel for a greater blaze: and where a guilty stinging conscience, as a greedy worm must be ever gnawing upon your fresh bleeding hearts, as here your remorseless consciences did like vultures gnaw upon poor men's bones.  
You graceless scoffers, and persecutors of the Saints, you sons of Ishmael, and brood of Herod, that with the malice of your railing tongues flat up the dirt of reproach into the face of purity, and flout at that in others without which yourselves shall never see God, that brand the sincere and discreetest endeavours 
Heb. 12. 14.  of a mortified life with the opprobrious stigme of needless preciseness, and (to make it more odious) Puritanisme, though ne'er so Canonical. Come hear and know you first borne and elder sons of Belial, your judgement sleeps not. For he cometh, 
Psal. 96. 13:  for he cometh that will judge the earth, before whom mockers shall be made to know that holiness, not Atheism, is the way to heaven; when those whom now you run such descants on, and with bitterest sarcasmes laugh out of countenance, accounting their lives (with the fools in Wisdom) 
Wisd. 5.  madness, your own eyes shall with envy and wonder see numbered among the children of God, and their lot to be among the Saints.  
You covetous pinching muckwormes that pant 
Amos 2. 7.  so after the dust of the earth, and bury your hearts in dunghills, that make the world your God, and your slave your master, that make gold your hope, and say of fine gold, thou art our confidence; that thirst after profit as your sweetest happiness, and sell a good 
job. 31, 24.  conscience for a thing of nought; that are indebted to none more than yourselves, and do run in arrearages to their backs and bellies that depend upon you; that close up your ears as fast as your purses from the cries of the poor, and bethink each ex▪ penny by your life time to a pious use as the nex way to bring both you and yours to the parish. Lo the judge at hand that will require an account how you employed his talents, and can your hearts endure or can your hands be strong in the day that the Lord will deal with you, when from his dreadful Throne he 
Ezek 22. 14.  shall thunder, saying, Come, where's the honour you have done your maker with any your substance? 
Pro. 3. 9  where's any my members that you have said when 
Mat. 25.  hungry, that you have clothed when naked, that you have visited when sick? when you for anguish hanging your heads, shall curse your covetousness to the pit of hell. Your own experience shall tell you then, how little good 'twill do you to have had the whole world when (alas) you must lose your souls? 
Mar. 8. 36.   
You griping Nimrods' and kine of Bashan, that oppress the poor and crush the needy, that build houses 
Amos 4. 1.  by unrighteousness, and chambers by wrong, that raise your estates out of others ruins, that use your neighbour's service without wages, and give him not for his work, rack your rents on tenter-hookes, 
jer. 22. 13. Ibid.  and extract fuel out of your tenants brows and bones for your excessive pride and bravery; that covetmens' fields with Ahab, and will take them by deceit or violence; that even eat the flesh of the people, and flay their skin from off them, that break the backs of your neighbours, and chop them in pieces as for the pot. With what face dare you longer 
Mic. 3. 3.  lift up your horns, and like cloud brushing Cedars so insolently overlook your near bordering shrubs, and thickets of the forest? Well, know that he's at hand whose coming is terrible as an army with banners, before whom the very mountains quake, and heavens tremble: he's at hand that will 
Cant. 6. 10.  put bridles between your teeth, and bo●e your jaws with hooks, that will chase you for fear, and for 
Ezek. 38. 4.  the glory of his majesty into the holes of rocks, and into the caves of the earth, when he shall but once arise to shake terribly the earth. 
Isa. 2. 19   
But whither swim I in particulars? would God (in a word) both you and all such others as never yet laid their ways to heart to put away the evil from before their eyes, could no more but this, call off your thoughts a little from all other objects, and in some silent night enforce upon your hearts some lively apprehension, but either of that general summons ere long before Christ the judge, whence none exempted, or but that strict examination of each your ways, where not a thought shall scape, or but your unanswerable conviction, when not the least excuse shall be found; or but Christ's thundering prolation of that most just and deserved Sentence, Go ye cursed, etc. or rather the merciless and horrid execution of that sentence upon all wicked and impenitent reprobates; when from the place of judgement, roaring, blaspheming, cursing, they shall be haled and dragged by their tormented tormentors, the grisly hags and devils of hell, into that burning Tophes, that lake of fire and brimstone, where the worm never dieth, and the fire never goeth out. Would not these thoughts 
Mar. 9 44:  go nigh to undo the covenant between you and hell, call home your wand'ring affections from the pleasures of sin, and galley back your galloping resolutions from out of the broad way to hell? Or but thus, suppose (a supposition too, that for any thing we know, some of us that stand here living, may in esse see ere long) suppose (I say) that at this instant, while I am speaking and yourselves hearing, you should look suddenly up, and lo both heaven and earth beginning to blaze, the Sun darkening, the Moon becoming blood, & Christ the judge in flaming fire, with his train of Angels appearing in the clouds, the white Throne now setting, the Archangel sent out, the Trumpet sounding, the summons given, and the dead over whom ye now sit or stand peering up from out their graves by little and little, (their heads first, than their shoulders, their whole bodies next) ready to go forth the Church to meet Christ in the air; would not your blood gush, the reds of your guilty consciences rise hereat? would not the lockings of your joints be ready unloose, and your knees smite one against another? would you not stand as men struck in head, or as people at your wits end for fear what would become of you, be ready to run every one (who could) to seek holes to hide in? How, O how would now your sins allowed, vnpurged, unrepented, rise up in arms suddenly, and making with full speed towards each your minds and memories, raise uproars there and hurliburlies unexpressible! How would you now cry out, what, O what have we done, woe, wo, unto us, for the day 
jer. 8. 6. Reu 6. 17.  of the Lord is come, even the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand? Would these things (were they really in act) thus startle your thoughts, and shall their undoubted imminency or neernes deter you nothing from your sins! Well, thus I dismiss you. Resolutions to sin without speedy repentance shall find that day of Christ's appearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as chrysostom terms it a 
Chrysost. Hom. in Secund. Advent. Dom.  heavy day, yea the heaviest day that ever was not of feasting, be sure, but mourning; not of laughter, but howling: a day not of mercy, butiustice, wrath, distress, trouble, desolation, darkness, gloomynes, even to all such foolish virgins as neglecting tendered 
Zeph. 1 15. Mat. 25. 3.  opportunities, shall without the oil of repentance and faith in their lamps, be found unready, unprovided. But  
Secondly, however this doctrine of our Saviour's nearness sounds little comfort to any impenitent 
Use 2.  wretches that lie secure in the indulged practice of continual sinning, yet am I not a messenger of sweetest tidings to every penitent and humbled soul among you reconciled to God in Christ? What, O what refreshing torrents of transporting gladness may the meditation hereof (me thinks) stream into the channel of his heart? Why come then, rouse up your thoughts a little, and contemplate a while upon that heavenly and sweetest happiness of yours ready now to be revealed. What? is Christ so near? even at the door? Think then with me but on your tedious warfare that shall now be accomplished, your 
Isa. 40. 2. Reu. 7. 17.  painful sufferings that now shall end, your invincible though heart-sadding corruptions that now shall vanish, your tears of sorrow that shall be now wiped off, your unpitied grievances that now shall be all remedied. Think with me, but upon your crown of righteousness that shall be now put on, that never-setting day of happy eternity that shall now arise, your heavenly triumph that shall now begin, your happy exchange of the rags of sinful frailty for the welcome robes of refining glory. O that glorious procession of yours ere long amid the singing Saints, going forth to meet him coming to be your judge, who came at first to be your Saviour! O those extaticall leaps of your rejoicing hearts at the first aspect of the face of Christ, those silent holy wonders at that dazzling majesty that was once so clouded with deep obscurity? Or think if you will but upon those ravishing embracements that then shall be be 'tween Christ and you, those Angelical welcomes, those Hierarchique greetings between Christ's train and you, those melodious raptures and songs of deliverance wherewith the whole army of Angels and crowned Saints shall with you congratulate the approach of Christ. Are these no motives to fire your hearts with holy gladness at our Saviour's nearness? I let pass the sights that shall then be seen, the splendour of Christ's Throne that shall be then erected, the admirable order of his judiciary proceed that shall then be used, Christ's gracing your persons in the very face of your foes by your high advamcement, when taken up to be Assessors with him in judgement upon the wicked, privileges of bliss transcendent beyond expression. Tell me then, can a betrothed virgin that longs for union with her beloved, grieve at the near approach of her marriage day, a captive be heavy when his day of deliverance is come, a weatherbeaten mariner be pensive at the sight of his haven, an exile be sad when his coronation day draws near? and should any penitent renewed humble soul that hath made peace with God be less then triumphantly joyous at Christ's near approach, that is his haven after so many tempests, his crown after his disconsolate banishment, his mystical, yet sweetly familiar husband that unto all eternity will communicate the delights of that heavenly love that passeth knowledge. What Hosannaes' were sung at Christ's riding to jerusalem but upon an Ass, 
Mat. 21. 9  and meanly, and no Hallelujahs now at his hastened coming in the clouds mounted on the wings of the wind, and crowned with the refulgent beams of sparkling glory? when but the Ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp of Israel, what echoes rang the earth at their rejoicing shouts! But now a greater than the Ark is coming, Christ the 
1 Sam. 4. 5.  son of God himself, and not as at first, poor, mean, contemptible, but clothed and decked with majesty and excellency, arrayed with glory and beauty, and this to pronounce that gladsome sentence 
job. 40. 10.  that shall put you into the eternal abode of bliss unchangeable, Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the 
Mar. 25. 34.  kingdom etc. and should we not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
Luk. 21. 28.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, look up, lift up our heads for joy, as knowing the day of our consummate redemption hereby draws nigh? Go let Haman alone with his Court-preferments, Belshazzar make merry with his magnificent 
Hest. 3. 1. Dan. 5. 1. 1 Sam. 25. 2.  feasts, let Nabal alone gladding himself with his wealthy in comes: Christ, when but once appearing in his glory, brings thee other advancements then in the Courts of Princes, other dainties then at great men's tables, other riches then in the chests of worldlings, that soule-sweetning peace that passeth all understanding, that enravishing joy that is unspeakable, and full of glory. Come, what is't that 
Phil. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 8.  should hinder then from swallowing down this doctrine of our Saviour's nearness to judgement, as the sweetest cordial that was ever taken. But let me add to your thoughts; Is not the day approaching, when no sooner shall Christ, that stands now at the door, step in to judgement, but that your mortality shall be quite swallowed up of life, and your souls and bodies 
2 Cor. 5. 4.  set fully free from all sin and suffering, from all fear of hell, of Satan, and loss of God's love, shall with jubiles and songs of triumph from the Throne of judgement be ushered along through the clouds into the great Kings orient Presence chamber of sweet eternity: where once set, O the golden pave▪ ments that your feet shall walk on! the beauteous objects that your eyes shall feed on! the sweetest harmonies that your ears shall hear, and be enamoured on! the fullness of content that your souls shall joy in! the heavenly companies with whom (locking arm in arm) you shall follow the Lamb where ere he goes! O those palms of victory that shall be put in your hands, those rich massy Diadems that shall be set on your heads, those long white robes of purity that shall be put on your bodies, O those Crystal streams of undefiled pleasure that your souls shall swim in; running sweetly-fresh along the banks of eternity from out that inexhaust fountain of life and beauty, the never-too-much-admired Trinity! Come, can you hear of this, and your hearts not be enlarged with joy, or your mouths with songs at the undoubted tidings of Christ's instant nearness, when the happy fruition of all these privileges, with thousands more, shall be fully exhibited? Peter enravished, said, 'tis good to be here, when he saw but 
Mat. 17. 4.  a glimpse; what will you say when at Christ's appearing you shall have the full view, nay and fruition too of all his glory?  
But now for general instruction, thirdly. Since Christ's so near, even at the door, let me advice with 
Use 3.  Amos, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prepare to meet thy God O Israel. High time to look about when the enemy 
Amos 4. 12.  stands at gate, and for malefactors to study or prepare their answer when the judge is ready to sit. You have been praemoniti, forewarned; be now praemuniti, forearmed too, like wise virgins, with your lamps trimmed, your loins girt, your lights burning, to watch and await his coming. Once thus. That day cannot be fare, and like a thief in the night, it will comesuddenly; which if it prevent our preparation, actum est, we are undone for ever. Come then in all humble boldness in my master's name, I 
Reu. 16. 15.  challenge all your resolutions to the speedy practice of these specialties.  
1 Preaduertency. Make Christ's coming the continual subject of your watching thoughts; be ever musing on't in time ●●orehand. 〈…〉 minus visa eminùs, dangers forethought are better escaped; and Cities are safest when still imagining the enemy at hand. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said a Father of the meditation 
Chrysost.  of judgement, it prevents its danger as foresight of a pit the falling into it. Set ye then Saint jeromes' Bell to each your ears, let that be always pealing in your sleepy thoughts, a Surgite mortui, venite ad judicium, arise ye dead, and come to judgement. It kept him waking; so it may do you.  
2 Selfe-inspection. Officers if but coming to search, many hie home to see if any thing be there like to be found upon them that is not fitting: Should we not do so here? The judge of all the world is even now at hand to search and take view of all our ways. Go, speed you home then into yourselves, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lay each your hearts upon your ways. Take the candle of God's word go instantly, 
Hag. 1. 7.  look into the closerts of each your consciences, search every corner of your hearts, turn and toss up all the out rooms of your lives; see if any sin lic lurking there indulged, allowed, cherished; pride hypocrisy, lust, drunkenness, bribery, oppression, covetousness. No looking the judge in face with comfort, where none of Gods but the devil's goods shall be found upon you.  
3 Humiliation. He that would not then suffer for sin, must now sorrow for sin. Go turn your heads into waters, and your eyes into fountains of tears, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith chrysostom. Before the Thrones be set up, set up Threnes, or lamentations for your sins, both of hearts and lives. Go humble yourselves for the pride of your hearts, away with the spoils of the poor out of your houses, mourn in secret for your oppressions: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, be revenged of your lusts in sackcloth and ashes: let your eyes run down with tears, and your eyelids gush down with water that have erred through wine, and through strong drink have been out of the way. With the Israelites lament after 
Isa. 28. 7. 1 Sam. 7. 2.  the Lord, sue out for peace ere the decree come forth; seek reconcilement while he's yet in the way: enter resolutions, covenants of final farewells even to the very darlings of your bosoms; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, thus prevent the judge his coming. Nay slack no time. Too late to sue for peace when the battle's begun: to stand wiping out blots and blurs when the bills must be taken, or think upon weeding, when Christ's sickle shall be in a reaping.  
4 Adherence to Christ crucified: Chicken, how hasten they when the Kite is coming, under the wings of the Hen; and Doves to the clefts of the rocks when the Eagles' in sight. So run you by faith unto Christ your Saviour that desire to speed well before Christ the judge. Do thus in a word. Let your humbled souls groaning under the heartpinching burdens of all your sins, devolue and throw themselves into the meritorious arms of your indulgent Saviour, bleeding for you on his cross: with wrestling jacob enclasp this Angel of the New 
Gen. 32.  covenant, let not go till you have got his blessing. Send out your faith like some Noah's Dove to return you 
Gen. 8. 11.  tidings by the Olive leaf of inward peace, whether the waters of God's wrath be all exhaled and dried up by him the Sun of righteousness: with good jehosaphat what ere troops be coming, say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet our eyes are upon thee. Christ in the Gospel is Gods present to penitent sinners: make faith your hand to reach out and take him. Christ is that brazen Serpent lift up for healing; let faith be the eye of your sin-bitten souls to look up unto him. Christ is a rock, your faith must hide you in its clefts. Christ is the branch, your faith must lodge you under its shadow. He's a Vine, your faith must insert you into its stock. No condemnation to them that are thus by faith in Christ, (come when he will) but passage rather from death to life.  
5 Moderation. 'twas Christ's own caveat; Take heed to yourselves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged 
Luk. 21. 34.  with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Go then, lure off the eager and greedy Vultures of your immoderate appetites from the carrions of fleshly contents, pluck off your horseleech affections from the breasts of the world; pin up, diet your insatiable desires from glutting on these things below; thrust through the loins of your earthly-distracting cares; crucify, strangle your delights in the bewitching pleasures and profits of this life. Full stomaches dispose to sleep, do not fit for watching; and woe be to you if Christ step in and take you napping.  
6 Sanctity. You must now walk with God, that would then sit with Christ; now sow in the spirit, 
Gal 6. 8.  that would then reap life; now writ up the fair characters of good works in the books of your consciences that would have them fairly legible at the day of account, to your everlasting comfort. Go on then like wise Merchants, emprove your stocks of grace, adorn your high calling with all saving fruitfulness in well doing. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith an Ancient) outrun your sins (as john did Peter to 
Chrysost. joh. 20. 4.  our Saviour's Sepulchre) by an unwearied coursing on in the paths of piety to God, mercy and love to your brethren. Calls not the Apostle eternal life the crown of righteousness? righteousness must then 
2 Tim 4 8.  precede where the crown must follow; and if according to our works judgement shall at last be executed, 
Rom. 2. 6. Mat. 3 10.  that Axe, be sure, will spare no tree that bears bad fruit.  
7 Time makes me let go a seventh; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
Colos. 4. 2.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, continued assiduity in prayer, that which keeps in the fire of habitual graces, and enlivens desires of Christ's second coming.  
8 Faithful attendance on each your places, that's the eighth and last. School boys when but hearing their Master's coming, how hie they to their places, and ply their books, lest taken tardy: and stands it not us in hand now that Christ stands at the door, with the strained nerves of our best industry and faithfulness to be doing in our places, those especially wherein God hath set us for special advancement of his glory? Account must be given up of 
Luc. 16. 2. Mat. 25. 19 Mat. 24 46.  each our Stewardships, the employment of each our talents must be most strictly looked into. Blessed, O blessed then shall that servant be whom when his Master cometh, he shall find so doing.  
¶ Go on than first ye sons of Levi, who have submitted your shoulders to the great work of preparing souls for the judgement of the great day, go on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as good workmen that shall not need at that day to be ashamed; approve both yourselves and 
2 Tim 2. 15. 1 Cor 4. 2. Heb. 13. 17. Zach. 11. 7.  doctrine to God and your people's consciences; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as they that must give account. Take to you Zacharies two staffs Beauty, Bands, Mercy and judgement, and feed your slocks. Preach the word. Be instant in it, in season, and out of season, that is, as the Syriaque (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bezabno wadlo zabno) seem 
2 Tim. 4. 2.  to sound it, as well when the people will not abide to hear it, as when they will. Let your Bells be heard in your sound of doctrine, your Pomegranates seen in your patterns of godliness. Beloved, our Lord and Master is now returning after his long absence, and stands at the door. His reward is with him, either a crown incorruptible 
Reu 22. 12.  for our faithful labours in his Vineyard, or fullvials of wrath to bring upon our heads, the blood of all those souls that through our insufficiency, 
Ezek. 33. 6.  laziness, scandalousness have miscarried, perished.  
Go on you Heroes, you Ancients of the people, our worthy Magistrates, that have taken the sword into your hands, and the government upon your shoulders; unhood your eyes to the sight of sin; unsheathe your swords and hue it in pieces; do valiantly, as God's Vicegerents, in your Master's cause, not fearing the face of sin or men. Know this, Your places all with your exact accounts of them must be given up before Christ the judge that's now at the door, and ere long will enter. And here give leave a little to be speak you Reverend and our Learned Worthies, whom clad in Scarlet Majesty the supreme judge of men hath placed as judges on his political bench of judicature. What jehosaphat to his, let me to you our judges, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take heed what ye do. 'tis not for man but 
2 Chron. 19 6.  for the Lord ye judge, whom be sure you have presentem inspectorem, futurum judicem, your present be holder, and future judge Set, continue then his fear before your eyes. Take to you Heroiquespirits and rise up stoutly against the monsters of this age, drunkenness, whoredom, murders, blasphemies, Sabbath libertinism, filching, swearing; Stand you in the stream a little, stop you the current of the time. Be like this great judge your Master, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whom intuition neither of persons may sway, nor of gifts corrupt Let judge meant run down as water (that's free for any) and righteousness as 
Amos 5. 24. Eph. 6. 9  a mighty river (that fears no colours.) I'll add but this, what Paul to Masters in behalf of servants, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so here, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Even you have a judge in heaven too, before whose judgement ere long yourselves must stand as do others here before yours.  
And you our worthy justices let me bespeak you too; Go on I beseech you to make good your noble Titles by your practice, Doing justice; We yield you your honourable style, Custodes utriusque Tabuae. But 
Isa. 56. 1.  seek the promovall of God's honour then; advance his worship in whose room you be, and before whose dreadful Throne yourselves must appear ere long. Encourage virtue, look big on vice, set the point of your swords at the breasts of those capcaine sins, dunken nesse, and profanation of the Lords day. Let the attracting Lodestones of your good examples draw or rather win conformity from the people; and practise not in yourselves what you should punish in others.  
You learned Lawyers, Counselors, Attorneys, jurymen, and who ever else whose concurrence needs for furthering an Assize, suffer you too (I beseech you) a word in season. You are now preparing, to solicit causes some, some to plead, some to search and inquire out matters of fact and misdemeanours: Take this memento to the Castle with you. Christ's near at hand, even at the door, and these for ought you know may be the very last acts, matters, causes, that ever you are like to deal on. Do then uprightly; Fingite adstantem Judicem, imagine Christ before you always, and as a judge opening the door, and stepping in to judgement. In a word, Consult with conscience, con science with the word of God, lest when you have done pleading or dealing for others, none at Christ's coming bee found to plead for you. Take all in sum. Christ the judge stands before the door, will enter suddenly; in his hands the keys of life and death, of salvation or damnation to every man woman and child in the world. Be wise 
Amos 6. 31 Mar. 13. 37:  in time then, put not this evil day too fare off. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, watch. O Lord make, O make us fit and ready for this thy coming, and then come when thou wilt, Even so come Lord 
Reu. 22. 20.  jesus, come quickly.  
FINIS.   

THE SPIRITVALL PLOUGHMAN. OR, THE ART OF Spiritual Fallowing.  
Delivered in a Sermon at St Peter in Exon, june 24. 1631 BY Richard Perk, Master of Arts, and Minister of God's word at Columpton, in Devon.  
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Harper for Ambrose Ritherdon, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's Churchyard at the Sign of the Bullhead. 1632.   

TO THE BEST AFFECTIoned, Mrs Mary Arscot, wife to the Right Worshipful Edmund Arscot Esquire, High Sheriff of the County of Devon, true grace and glory.  
Worthy Mistress,  
IT may seem unsuitable with your Sex and Rank to commend a Treatise of Fallowing to a Woman, such a Woman. But no matter. Women somewhere pretend this way as much skill as men, and shame not sometimes to go forth into the field to hacking. This poor messenger therefore admit I beseech you as from my Master sent to hire you to work as well as others; if not to ploughing, at lest to hacking; but thus interpreting. The field you must work in must be your heart; the furrows to be beaten up, your sins, corruptions, lusts; the sword of the spirit (Gods word) your mattock; your task mortification. If wages you look for, no doubt at Evening, when your work is ended, the Pennyroyal of eternal life. Come, shame not such honest pains for your spiritual living; We stick not ofttimes other ways to bestow much more on temporal.  
Your Worships in the best bond, Richard Perk. Columpton April 30. 1632.   

Hosea 10. 12. Break up your fallow ground.  
Man's heart in its first integrity was of so rich a mould, that as a field which the Lord had blessed, without enforcement by any supernatural dressing, it freely yielded the most goodly crops of all, even the fairest graces; created (it seems) and and put into so divine a temper, that grace became as natural then, and propagable as corruption now. Soon after when as that old thief the Devil had by his serpentine subtlety beguiled man of this his field, as Ahab Naboth of his Vineyard, and had but got it in possession, 'twas marred instantly; of a fruitful field it became a wilderness, and ruinous heaps of a well-watred garden. Since when, instead of the good wholesome fruit of grace and righteousness, the natural burden thereof in all mankind hath been none else but the filthy stinking weeds of all sin and wickedness. So that now, if ever we expect the harvest of any future happiness, we must bid final farewell to all hopes of any inherent strength and natural power thereunto, and must cast about for extrinsecall and adventitiall helps, in fallowing and ploughing of this field up, whereby prepared and fitted for the seed of saving grace, it may bring forth at last the happy harvest of eternal peace, and joy, and glory. Break up your fallow ground.  
For coherence of which words with former, I mind not to draw your thoughts farther than this present verse, which is spent in two main generals,  

1 An Exhortation.  
2 a Motive.   
1 In the Exhortation the Prophetinuites the jews to repentance and newness of life under a threefold continued Metaphor of ploughing, sowing, reaping. (Sow to yourselves righteousness, reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground,)  
2 The Motive is an importuning opportunity; (for it is time,) amplified by its  

1 Quid, what to do, (to seek the Lord)  
2 Quousque, how long, (till he come and rain righteousness upon you.)   
You see now in what rank stands my Text: a branch namely of the Prophet's exhortation, and indeed the first for order of nature, but for order of words the last: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Whose Logical sense and order conceive thus. Sew in righteousness, reap in mercy: and to the end you may so, both sow and reap, do this; break up your fallow ground.  
The parts of the words are two,  

1 A painful act, (break up)  
2 A tough object, (your fallow ground.)   
In handling whereof here's all Isle do,  

1 Explain the words by resolving the Allegory.  
2 Next give their sum in some doctrine all proposition, and so launch forth.   
For the first, that shall be dispatched in the answer 
1  of three questions.  
1 What's this ground we are to break up? 
Quest. 1. Answ.   
'tis answered. Our hearts: called ground perhaps for these or the like causes.  
1 For site and position of place. The ground or earth is the centre of the great world: the heart is the middle centre of man the little world.  
2 For natural temper and constitution. The ground naturally is cold and dry; so naturally our hearts: icy-cold in good things, without fervency, heat or warmth of affection in holy duties: and dry for want of the sap and moisture of original righteousness, whereby like dry earth, they are unapt wholly (in regard of any inherent active power) to take any impression of grace.  
3 For natural tendency and motion. The earth naturally tends always downward. So naturally, our hearts downwards, only to the world and earthly things.  
4 For its indeterminate and general aptitude of bearing and bringing forth. The ground (you know) is always in travail to bring forth one thing or other, if not good, yet bad, and that of diverse kinds: thorns, briers, nettles, thistles, dockes etc. So naturally, our hearts, prone to produce one thing or other, though not good, yet certainly bad, and that of diverse sorts too. Pride, hypocrisy, lust, envy, covetousness, revengefulnesse, etc.  
5 Lastly, for its need of culture or manuring unto fructification. The ground with us naturally sends forth nothing but weeds. No fruit nor corn without pains in dunging, liming, dressing, ploughing, planting, sowing: So neither our hearts without pains in mortification, any saving fruits of good life. There's the first question, what's the ground.  
2 If this ground be our hearts, in what sense then fallow, fallow ground?  
Let me premise somewhat for settling the literal sense, and then the answer. Fallow ground to be broken up, in the natural sense of the word, is not (here) that ground that's already fallowed, and now a second time to be broken, as the English translation would at first sight imply it: but such ground as being not before ploughed, must be now new broken up, and lie fallow till seedtime, as the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do seem to sound it, which signify the fallowing or breaking up of such a piece of ground as was not before either at all or lately, at least, ploughed up: and so the words to be taken as if set into this frame, Novellate fallow or break up a new your fallow ground: that is, that ground of yours that is to lie for fallow.  
This premised, now take the answer. Our hearts may be called fallow for the resemblance perhaps between what things must be done to our hearts, and what is done to ground in fallowing. Ground that hath lain leigh (as Plowmen call it) and is intended for corn the next year after, Husbandmen at the Spring before do break and blow it up, where lying till seedtime turned up against the Summer Sun, the weeds do die, the spin rots, the sour earth that was under sweetens, and the soil becomes more breath and open to receive seed. Here's fallowing, and ground thus dealt with, fallow ground. Now so must our hearts be served. Up must they be ploughed and broken, that after some exposal to the influential operation of the spirit of bondage, the crusty spin of their natural hardness may hereby be mollified, the weeds of their lusts withered, their sour leaven of malice sweetened, themselves with Lydiaes' 
Acts 16. 14.  opened; and in a word, fitted, prepared, seasoned, to receive with efficacy the seed of the Gospel, that engrafted word, that is able to save our souls, 
I am, 1. 21. Rom. 6. 22.  and so may have our fruit unto holiness, and our end everlasting life. There's the second question, why our hearts are called fallow.  
3 What's distinctly meant by this fallowing or 
Quest. 3.  breaking up of the ground of our hearts, or how is't done?  
This will be known, in spiritualibus, if we first 
Spirituale:  consider what is needfully required to the act of fallowing or ploughing in agrestibus. Them I conceive 
Field-businesse  these four; 1 The plough to break with. 2 The Ploughman to hold the plow. 3 The teem to draw. 4 The goad-inch to drive. The like must here concur to our spiritual ploughing.  
1 The plow. This may be and is sometimes the outward cross: more ordinarily the doctrine of the Law, whose ploughshare is its commanding divine authority that enters and pierceth into the soul and spirit: its coulter the threatenings, that as a sharp two-edged 
Heb 4. 12.  sword divides and cuts the heart in pieces.  
2 The Ploughman, we may conceive two of these,  

1 Primary.  
2 Coadiuvant.   
Primary (I mean in ordine mediorum Primary) is 
Phil. 2. 16.  the Minister, that holds forth the word of life, and in a faithful and constant ministry presseth the word on the hearer's hearts, turning and directing the same variously on this hand and that hand, as he sees need, either of exhortation or reproof of Doctrine, correction or instruction.  
Coadiwant (and whom my text means specially) is every hearer himself, who from the Ministers 
Mal. 2. 7.  lips must by faith, general and particular, take this plough in hand, apply and put it into the ground of his heart, and there let it work after the manner of a plough, ripping, rending, breaking up.  
3 The Teem that draws. They these?  
1 The Understanding. That goes foremost, without whose foregoing intellection or apprehension, nothing can be done at all for conveying or drawing of the word into the heart.  
2 The Will. That follows the Understanding by its elicit acts, willing and embracing what the Understanding hath apprehended, and by its imperate commanding and moving the feet to come, the cares to hear, the whole body to wait and stay it out.  
3 The Memory. By whose trusty help the plough of the Word is kept and held fast when once 'tis in the heart.  
4 The Affections, (as reverence, fear, love, hatred, anger, sorrow, etc. These being stirred enforce deeper impression upon the heart. All which Teem united together with the yoke of the spirit of bondage, fastened to Historical faith, concur jointly to the pulling or drawing in of the Law into the heart.  
4 The Goad-inch that drives. That's the conscience, by whose checking, pricking, and smiting power as by a Goad, the Understanding, Will, Memory, and Affections are stirred up to do their duty.  
On all this now the breaking up of the ground of our hearts will be this, even as that properly is ploughing, when the ground or soil (by some Sool or Blow set thereunto, guided by the Ploughman's hand, drawn by Oxen fitted and stirred thereto) is broken and turned up. So here when by the terrors of the Law in the ministry of the word discreetly and powerfully pressed, we by the active powers of our minds and consciences applying and enforcing the same upon our natural and stony hearts, do cut and break them up, and with a kind of violence do pluck in sunder our hearts, and lusts one from tother, making rents, ruptures, and divisions in the very thoughts and motions of the same; you may take this in brief the spiritual fallowing and breaking up of the fallow ground of our hearts. Break up your fallow ground. Thus of the questions for explanation of the words. The next thing that we are to fall upon, is 
2  the sum of the words in some doctrinal conclusion. Be that this. That  
Every Christian must become a Ploughman.  
Beloved, take me none otherwise than you must 
Doctr.  take the Prophet, spiritually, and the meaning thus. That we must deal with our hearts in humbling them, as Plowmen with their ground in fallowing. We must rend them, (saith joël) must mortify them, 
joel 2. 13. Rom. 8. 136 1 Pet. 5. 6. Gal. 5. 24.  (saith Paul) must humble them, (saith Peter) must crucify their affections and lusts, (saith the Apostle) must circumcise and take away the foreskin of them, (saith jeremy) In a word, must break them up, (saith 
Ier 4. 4.  our Prophet here.) But demand you how in plain propriety of speech without Allegory? Thus.  
If first we can enforce upon our hearts the through sense and feeling of our damnable and forlorn plight by nature.  
If secondly by a free and full acknowledgement of our wretched condition, we can impartially accuse, arraign, and condemn ourselves for the very lest of our sins, as guilty of being damned for ever.  
If thirdly upon this sense and full acknowledgement our hearts within being pricked, can sigh with bitterness, can melt with sorrow, can cry for grief of heart, and mourn greatly.  
If fourthly upon all this our hearts becoming sensible both of the need and sweetness of God's mercy, 
1 Sam. 7. 2.  with the Israelites can lament after the Lord, and with David's hair can bray and pant after the water-brookes 
Psal. 42. 1.  of his refreshing mercy in the blood of Christ.  
If fistly as in the old creation the Firmament divided the waters from the waters. So if in this beginning 
Gen. 1. 6.  of new creation, this sorrow for our sins and thirst of pardon can make such divisions in our resolutions within, and carriages without, that we can truly say of ourselves, as the young man in the story of himself to an enticing harlot, Ego non sum ego; Both hearts and lives are changed and altered. Here's the Art and method of rending, mortifying, crucisying, humbling, circumcising, and fallowing of our hearts, or of dealing with them as Plowmen with their ground in fallowing. So that as in regard of Evangelicall grace to be now sown, we had need be Seeds-men, in regard of the crop of future glory, we desire to be Harvest men: so in regard of our barren hearts to be here broken up, we must turn Plowmen: You look for reason.  
1 Why? are we not servants at our Lord and Master's 
Reas. 1.  beck? subjects' and vassals at our King's command? 'tis he commands us to put our hands to Blow. Thus saith the Lord of boasts to the men of juda 
Ier 4. 3.  and jerusalem: Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns: and shall we not resolve obedience. The Centurion (you know) says to his servant, 
Mat. 8. 9  but go, and he goeth; to another but come, and he cometh; to another doc this, and he doth it: and should we like untamed Heifers draw back from the yoke; nay, when he that made us bids us, when he that bought us with the invaluable price of his own blood, commands us? But if the Lords command be no sufficient tie  
2 Let our own necessity be a second reason to 
Reas. 2.  cuince the duty. And here doc ye but think with me on these three specialties, 1 The natural indisposition of our hearts unto any fruitfulness in welldoing, without this ploughing. 2 Our loss of labour in sowing upon neglect of ploughing. 3 Our hopelessness of harvest in case we blow not, and thence judge our necessity of becoming Plowmen.  
1 The natural indisposition of our hearts unto 
Branch 1  any fruitfulness in welldoing. I appeal to the cleanest heart of the dearest of all God's Saints, if out of its abundant selfe-experience it will not say with the Leper, 
Leu. 13. 45.  unclean, unclean: if out of its truest sense of its own secret inherent filth and rottenness it will not proclaim itself unapt utterly for the least crop or handful of saving goodness. You know what the Prophet says of it; The heart is deceitful above all 
jer. 17. 9  things, yea and desperately wicked. You know what the Lord observed it to be; Only evil, and that continually. 
Gen. 6. 5.  Which however in its primitive purity, fair as the Moon, fruitful as Lebanon, as a valley spread forth, as a garden by the river's side, as a tree which the Lord hath planted, like Nebuchadnezars tree, whole leaves were fair, and the 
Num. 24 6. Dan 4. 12.  fruit thereof much: Yet now since Adam's fall, both Scripture and woeful experience can too truly tell us, that nought but the nettles of revenge, impatience, wrath; nought but the docks of pride, lust, hypocrisy; nought but the thorns of covetousness, worldlimindednesse, and the like are the natural burdens this ground now beareth: nay, suppose that restraining enforcement, that civil culture or education yields, yet what can all this? perhaps nip the tops of these weeds a little: but that their stalks or at least their roots, that they without this initial work of God's spirit, should be plucked up or quelled and killed (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say) it cannot be. Had we not need become Plowment then and blow, and breakup our hearts? But here's not all:  
2 The loss of labour in sowing the seed of the 
Branch 2.  Gospel upon our hearts while they lie unfallowed, and not broken up, see that next. And here consider, will not the weeds and briers of vumortified lusts in our unbroken hearts so choke the seed, that it will not comeup? so suck and draw away the moisture of holy thoughts, motions, ejaculations, prayer, that it will not nourish the roots? so keep off the Sunbeams and showers of all sensible influence of spiritual comforts, that they will not cherish the blades? so clip and cling about the stems of outward performances, that they will not savingly either spring or spread? At least, will not the unsavoury and stinking weeds of our corruptions by this means suffered, multiply, grow bigger and stronger, till the whole field of our hearts overrun here with, become nought but a receptacle for snakes, a possession for the Cormorant and Bitterne, an habitation for Dragons, and a covert for Owls. Undoubtedly, that field that's 
Isa. 34. 13.  cloyed with these inconveniences, whatever seed the Husbandman bestows thereon, will bring in but poor profit at the years end. Is there no need of ploughing then and breaking this field up?  
3 Add lastly our hopelessness of any harvest else. 
Branch 3.  Beloved, did ever any reap where no ground was tilled? doth God exalt where none are humbled? raise where none dejected? or crown where none hath suffered? So neither is the harvest of true joy and peace either inchoate here, or consummate hereafter to be expected in our natural and carnal hearts not first tilled and broken up. The harvest of spiritual joy grows not but out of the seed of tears; and this seed takes root kindly no where but in the 
Psal. 126. 5.  ground of sorrow for sin. Therefore he that would 
Ver. 6.  bring his sheaves in his bosom with him, must first go on this way weeping. He that would have his heart bound up in the bundle of life, must have it first thus broken. He that would earn a rich and everlasting living indeed, must ply this calling: and he that would shout as with the joy of harvest, must set about this ploughing. Was it not thus in the convert jailor? 
Acts 16. 34.  he joys you know as in the day of harvest, but the plough had first been in his heart. Sirs what shall I 
Ver. 30.  do to be saved? So the convert jews (Act. 2. 47.) A plentiful crop ('tis like) they reaped of spiritual gladness. But Saint Peter's plough had first been in 
Ver. 37.  and pricked their hearts. They had ploughed and sown in tears before they reaped in joy; and truly to say what both Scripture and true experience yields, 'tis a granted maxim with me, that that peace and joy whereby is hatched in us the beginning of heaven here, even that peace of conscience which passeth all understanding, and that joy that is unspeakable, and full of glory, are in all Gods elect (Adult) the 
Phil. 4. 7. 1 Pet 18.  undoubted consequents (propinque at least) of this initial sorrow for sin: and without this antecedent, all seeming joy and peace in true esteem but bastards. Now tell then, is there no need of ploughing, where such a crop is looked for?  
O yes; but 'tis God must do it; (may some object) 
Object.  the arm of our own strength is not sufficient for this kind of ploughing.  
True; but will he that made thee without thee, save thee without thee, or are we as stocks without 
Solut.  all obediential capability, that God's beginning and working by us as instruments should exclude all voluntary (though actiued) agency in us? or what? must God's sole efficiency be a plea for our sluggishness? No; Nos operamur (says Austin) 'tis we that work; so here, 'tis we that must blow: quanquam Deus in nobis operetur operari; though God doth work all this our work both in and by us. And 
Isa. 26 12.  since we be simply passive only in the first, not in the ulteriour instants and acts of this spiritual ploughing, shall we with Solomon's sluggard hide our hands of endeavour in our bosoms, and look when this harvest 
Pro. 19 24.  will drop into our mouths sleeping? Well then, unite all together that hath been said, and return word on what equity the doctrine standeth, That every Christian had need turn Ploughman. But we hasten now to some use of all. And  
1 For Information. Must every Christian become 
Use 1.  a Ploughman? deal with his heart by humbling it, as Plowmen with their ground in fallowing? the truth then of two principles will be from hence apparent, the one whereof Speculative, the other Practic.  
1 The Speculative, this doctrinal Aphorism. That the ordinary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preparative to true and sound Evangelicall conversion, is by having our hearts first humbled and broken up by the Law. We must first have this Blow to break the clods of our hard hearts before the seed of the Gospel will take kindly. As the needle makes way for the thread; so here must the Law for the Gospel: and the Gospel comforts not sound where the Law hath not first humbled throughly. So that 'tis a wonder with me what our Antinomists mean by their rejecting of the moral Law as needless now. For judge with me; doth not he give most glory to Christ's fullness by believing, that hath felt most emptiness in himself? But this the Law occasions, while pressing exact obedience it discovers our inability, showing what we should do, but cannot perform. Is any privileged with the remission of sins, but he that is truly touched with sorrow for sin? And can any be truly sorry for what he knows not of? But this knowledge of sin is by the Law. Who can so feelingly 
Rom. 3. 20.  hunger after Christ, as he that most sees what need he hath of him? Who will bid sweeter welcome to the promises of pardon and eternal life, than he that hath felt himself a condemned man, or in a most damnable estate by nature? Who will so sweetly joy in the appeased countenance of God his reconciled father in Christ, as he that hath first apprehended him as angry judge in Adam: But to all this serves the Law, when from this effect 'tis called sometimes a kill letter, sometimes the ministration of death 
2 Cor. 3. 6 7 9  and condemnation. In a word, what makes us more capable of grace, then that which most humbles? what more humbles, then that which strips us of all matter of pride? now what doth this (initially I mean) more than the Law, while it lays open all our spiritual nakedness, and as a Schoolmaster whips us out of ourselves, thus leading us to Christ. 
Gal. 3. 24.  The Gospel, that brings us the alone exhilerating cordials and sovereign physic of our souls; but the Law prepares our stomaches.  
2 The Practic; viz. this moral verity. That God will have none of his be idlers; turn Plowmen rather than do nothing. Adam in Paradise life's 
Gen. 2. 15. Gen. 9 20. 1 Reg. 19 19  not idle, he delves his Eden; Noah becomes an Husbandman, and plants a Vineyard; Elisha, he goes to blow; and we that have such barren fields within us have good cause (I think) to be doing too. 'tis not for nothing (it seems) that we are so often called on to be sometimes labourers in the Lord's Vineyard, 
Mat. 20. 1. jud. 20. Eph. 6. Mar. 13. 37. Mat 20. 6.  sometimes builders, sometimes soldiers, watchmen sometimes, and here plowmen, because no place in the market of this world for standing all day idle. Beloved, we carry that about us in our breasts that would easily silence all idlers complaints on want of work; when as the poorest beggar that hath not one foot of ground beside, if he hath but an heart, hath enough (if he be willing to work) to keep him out of idleness all his lifelong. But what mean I by lighting this dim candle of Information in such intelligent rooms where tapers burn. I'll blow it out, and light one rather up in the closerts of your consciences by a second use, and that of  
2 Examination. And here let me make bold to entreat 
Use 2.  you every one that hears me speaking, but to turn aside a little with me into the same closerts, your souls and consciences, and there make search how it stands with you about the point propounded. Two questions would be here demanded: 1 For thy profession, whether a spiritual Ploughman yea or no? 2 For thy practice in this profession, what thou dost herein, whether thy heart be actually thus broken up or no?  
For the first. Whether such a Ploughman as the 
1  holy Ghost meaneth in my Text. This will be thus evidenced,  
1 By the Tooleses. Artificers in Lacedemonia (if the 
Marks of a spiritual Ploughman.  story fail me not) were distinguished when they went the streets by tools severally peculiar to each Handicraft: the Smith by his Hammer, the Tailor by his Shears, the Carpenter by his Rule, the Ploughman by his Goad or Paddles-staff. So here thy profession will be discerned by thy tools; if a Ploughman, by thy Goad or Paddles-staff; that is, by thy conscience, thy practic acquaintance with the word, fasting, selfe-examination, prayer, resolutions against sin, exercises of humiliation, mortification, and the like instruments of spiritual ploughing. Now thus. Wouldst thou go for a good Ploughman, a good and true honest Christian? where be thy tools, and what be they? what? carriest a good tender conscience about thee? makest conscience in all thy courses? art stored with real knowledge in the word of God? makest use of prayer both in Church and family? meditation, fasting, selfe-searching, often renewed resolutions against thy sins, and such like badges of this thy Christian occupation? I yield thee for thy profession one of the Lords Plowmen. But if on contrary, a stranger to these, or which is more, an enemy: thou may'st be any thing else beside, but what thou shouldst be.  
2 By the subject, matter of thy employments. If we see a fellow, come when a man will, with boots or shoes in his hand either cutting, sowing, or mending them, we'll say, sure this man's a Shoemaker; or one always either making, righting, handling, or holding Ploughs, or Plow-stuffe, we'll say, such a man's a Ploughman. So here. Wouldst thou have me say, thou art a spiritual Ploughman? Let me see the thing and matter whereabout thou art busied most? what? is't this? the consideration of thy ways? the crossing of thy lusts? the conquering of thy passions? the weakening of thy corruptions? the mortifying of thy bosom and beloved sins? Is't tender of mercy and compassion to the poor Saints? Is't acts of spiritual improvement, as hearing, reading, pondering, conference, prayer? Is't private thoughtfulness how in such and such things thou may'st keep a good conscience, and not sin against God? Truly I cannot deem thee but such a Ploughman as my Text meaneth, and the Lord would have thee. But if on contrary, instead of these, the things thou art most taken up in be company-keeping, drinking, whoring, gaming, cozening, scoffing, Sabbath breaking, roaring, swaggering, ruffianising: go thou mayst for an impure carnalist, or Swineherd as thou art; but for a spiritual Ploughman, or true-professed Christian, certainly yet thou art none.  
3 By thy continued customariness in exercises pertaining to thy profession. We deign not him the name of a Ploughman that hath held the Sool but once or twice, or never turned up but a furrow or two, but him that makes ploughing his usual practice. So thee here a spiritual Ploughman, not if thou dost but seldom lay God's word to heart, but seldom visit God's house, but seldom take thy heart to task, break'st off but some lusts, kill'st but some sins, and those less beloved ones perhaps, and there gin'st over. But if this task of spiritual ploughing be even every day's work, customary at least, renewed often as the trade thy spiritual life's maintained by.  
4 By thine appetite. If thou hast a Ploughman's stomach. You know the proverb on one that eats hearty, that he feeds like a Ploughman; implying in them a greater appetite then in others ordinarily, which well may be, because of their speedier digestion through cold and labour. So here; observe thine appetite. Hast an hungry appetite after the Manna from heaven, the Word and Sacraments? Canst, when this food is set before thee, feed hungrily, even on the courser morsels, threatenings and judgements, as well as the finer bits, the promises, and comforts? Canst swallow them down greedily? hide them in thy heart, and be ready to look for more when that is down? Certainly as thou hast the stomach, so take the name too of a spiritual Ploughman. But if thine appetite be so cloyed and glutted with other dainties, the profits and pleasures of this life, that thou hast no relish this way? If thy corrupt and queasy stomach be so nice and dainty, that 'tis ready to rise at every cross word, unable to digest strong meat, or the tarter dishes of God's threatenings and judgements against thy sins: truly there is none can think thee a Ploughman by thy stomach.  
5 Lastly, by thy skill and knowledge in the Art. He that would be a Ploughman must have knowledge in three things incident to that profession. 1 In driving the Oxen. 2 In ordering the tackling. 3 In holding the Sool. So here. Try. For thy driving first. knowst how by thy Goad of conscience to prick up all the powers of thy soul (as Mind, Memory, Will, Affections) to do their joint and several parts for the drawing of the word into the ground of thy heart, not putting thy Understanding on running too fast by quickness of apprehension; in mean while suffering thy Affections to leg but slowly and coldly after? For ordering thy tackling; knowst how to order thy prayers, resolutions, vows, selfe-examinations, fastings, exercises of humiliation? or canst with discreetness right them when ere defective for matter, manner, circumstances? For thy holding the Sool; canst hold the doctrine of the Law in thy heart so steadily and strongly, that it come not up or rise out of thy heart, till got to lands end, gone through its work? knowst when to blow deep, when more shallow in thy heart, as deeper in thine inveterate, grounded and habitual lusts, more shallow perhaps in new-come sins? knowst how to overturn the furrows and clods of thy earthly and fleshly desires, that they fall not back in again? Try, hast skill in these things? hast competent knowledge this way? In my poor judgement a sufficient Ploughman. But if on contrary this Practic skill be wanting, what ere thy notional be, whether in Divinity, Law, Physic, Philosophy, or Tongues, thou art yet no complete, but half a Ploughman. Thus fare for thy profession; whether a spiritual Ploughman, yea or no.  
Now for thy practice secondly, trial must be 
2  made what thou hast done as a spiritual Ploughman unto the ground of thy heart. In a word, whether that heart of thine be fallowed and broken up or no. Find that out by these Landmarks following.  
1 The real feeling of the Law stirring in thy heart. The earth, had it but sensitive life, it would certainly feel the piercing, cutting, and stirring of the Blow, when it so rips and rends its entrails. However, yet this truth's undoubted in conscientiall Divinity, that if the Law be stirring in the heart, or hath by its wounding, terrifying & humbling power made any rips or breaches in it, it will surely feel. For albeit a child of God in some swound of spiritual desertion may be much on the mending hand, and under the healing plasters of the Gospel, and not sensibly feel the same: yet real humblednesse under the Law or this broken-heartenesse, that cannot be without some reflective feeling: because things distasteful to sense are by nature more easily impressive than things pleasing: as of sickness we are more sensible then of health. Thus then. Try. Hast ever really felt the terrors of the Law stirring and working to sound purpose upon thy corruptions? hast ever felt the pills of its threatenings, like Physic in thy stomach, make thy heart to wamble? hast ever felt how thy secret vilenesses discovered to thine eyes have made the reds of thy conscience rise? hast ever felt how the enforcement thereof, both in the public ministry, and in thy secret muse hath cast thy retired thoughts upon serious selfe-enquiry and debatement, how, and upon what ground thou standest, in what case thou art, which way thou art trudging, what is to be done to be saved? hast had such feelings? then certainly hath the Law been stirring in thee, and thine heart been broken somewhat; though here's not all required. But if instead of these, thou hast no more feeling of God's wrath for thy sins threatened in the Law, then hath an anvil of the hammer's blows; canst hear noises of judgements thundered in the word against thy resolved profaneness, and like some Smith's dog sleeping under the anvil, dost not so much as budge at it? as a block without any sense or feeling? thy heart certainly is an unfallowed, an unbroken heart as yet.  
2 Intestine divisions made in thy heart. As when the earth is fallowed and broken up, one part is divided, ripped, and plucked from t'other. So here; if thy heart be a broken heart, there will be divisions, rents, and ruptures made within: thy corruptions will be pulled in sunder, bills of divorce will be sued out against them; eternal separations plodded: two contrary factions (as 'ttwere) will be set up in thee, Flesh and Spirit the Captains: the underling thoughts, motions variously siding, some with the Flesh, some with the Spirit; and thy heart falling at odds with those domestic enemies, thy lusts, will disclaim all farther league, hate, dislike, threaten, plod and conspire against them. But if on contrary, the strong man hath all things in peace, all be quiet within, no 
Luk. 11. 21.  mutiny, no wrangling between thy heart and lusts, no noise so much within of civil discords and spiritual combats, thine heart yet is no broken heart.  
3 The mastery and upper hand of thine inordinate passions. As in ploughing of ground the spin and weeds that were upward first are so turned over; that they fall down under, whereby they rot, die, and whither. So here: Hast thou brought under thy unruly passions, wrath, revenge, envy, frowardness, impatience, discontentedness, saying of them as Deborah 
judg. 5. 21:  of her enemies, O my soul thou hast trodden down strength; hast conquered and trod upon the neck of thy rebellious appetite? hast laid thy adulterous lustfulness under thy feet a bleeding? hast killed and quelled the life and power of thy corrupt affections, thy immoderate love of the world, thy delight in fleshly pleasures, thy self-admiration and affectation of disguised attire and light-skirt immodest fashions? Thou mayst with comfort conclude to thyself, thy heart's a broken heart. But if on contrary, thou be one that art carried after the unbridled swinge of unruly lusts, whirled about which way the impetuous blasts of thy passions drive thee, without resistance? drinkest in vanity as a fish doth water; a shrewd argument of an heart as yet unmortified, an heart not broken up.  
4 Softness of heart and tenderness. Ground (you know) that before the ploughing could be hardly pierced with a stick or iron, when broken up, 'tis soft and crummy, that you may easily thrust your finger into it. So here. If thy heart be a broken heart, it will be soft, relentive, tender. Try then. Is thy heart mollified? is't ready melt at the experimental sense of the spiritual sweetness of God's love to thee in Christ? Doth it tremble at his word? doth it dread his judgements? Is't easily penetrable with God's finger of correction, that before as Adamant resisted the blows of his rod of iron? is't tenderly compassionate, relentingly pitiful towards the miseries and necessities of the poor? a gracious mark of a broken heart. But if on contrary that heart of thine be yet brawnd over with insensible hardness, uncapable yet of any distinct impression either of mercy or judgement, promises or threatenings, heaven or hell, God or the devil; thick listed as yet at the cries of the poor? If in a word, insensibly hardened against all reproof, thou run'st headlong on in drunkenness, whoring, Sabbath breaking, blafpheming, swearing, thieving, lying, scoffing, fashion flaunting, swaggering, and this with greediness? a poor evidence (God knows) of any broken heartedness.  
5 Changednesse of heart. A field you know when 'tis newly broken up, 'tis quite of another hue and colour from what it was before, all green before, now all red, or somewhat like. So here. If thy heart be a broken heart, 'twill be also another heart, a changed heart (for quality I mean, not substance.) Let me demand thee then, Canst find an alteration in thy heart, a change in thy life, the old man off, the new man on? Stands the bent of thy disposions quite contrary to the point that before they did, loving now what before thou hatedst, God, his word, his children? hating now what before thou likedest, the pleasures of sin, and deeds of darkness? A drunkard before, an whoremaster; now continent, sober, chaste: an Usurer before, a gamester, a Sabbath breaker, a railer, a persecutor; now are claimed man, as forward now and zealous in acts of holiness as before violent in sin and wickedness? A fair character of a broken heart. But if on contrary, no such change be to be found; art the same man that thou wert long since; a tosspot then, and so art yet; a wencher then, and so art yet; an old hell-scraping usurer then, and so abidest; a scoffer, a persecuter then, and so continuest; a pinching greedy earth worm then, and so remaynest. Certainly thou art yet as fare from a broken heart as thou art from heaven, and that's far enough.  
6 Lastly. Discovery of new corruptions before unspyed. A field, you know, when 'tis broken up how many stones, and moors, and worms shall you see appear that you neither saw before, nor thought perhaps to have had been there. So here. If thy heart be truly broken, many secret lusts and corruptions that lurked before unspied, will now begin to show themselves. Consider thus then; How stands it with thee? dost in thy daily exercises of spiritual pursuit start new corruptions as strange wild beasts that thou never saw'st before? dost spy armies in ambush peep out that thou never so much as dreamest of before? Upon thy retired selfe-inspections comes that to thy view thou never feltst, at lest took'st no 'tice of in thyself before; farther touches of spiritual pride, of privy hypocrisy; more sense of secret un willingness to good duties, of wandringnesse of thoughts in prayer, hearing, meditation? more sense than before of hanging incliningnesse to the love of the world after regeneration, with the like original spawns of thy defiled nature? In a word, dost in thy sequestered task of privy searching discover daily more and more the rotten filthiness of thy polluted heart, and this with grief? what, O what a sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this or mark of a circumcised and broken heart. But if on contrary, thou seest no more stones nor roots, nor worms, no more secret hardness, guilt, rottenness in thee then before, no farther sense nor acquaintance in the towardness of thy corrupt nature, no new lurking corruption presented to thy view, but all under the lukewarm hide of general hopes, good intents and meanings unspied, undiscovered, it may well be questioned whether that heart of thine as yet, be as a field broken up or no.  
I beseech you search yourselves in these alleged specialties, and consider what I have said, take advice and speak your minds. But  
3 For reprehension. Must Christians be such 
Use 3.  Plowmen as my Text meaneth? deal with their hearts as Plowmen with their ground in fallowing, rip, rend, and break them up? What just rebuke then do you bad husband's merit, that never minding any such spiritual tillage, suffer the barren ground of your stony hearts to lie from year to year like the sluggards field in the Proverbs, all overgrown with 
Pro. 14. 31.  nettles, docks, thistles, rams-clawes, thorns, briers; ignorance, pride, revenge, worldliness, usury, oppression, lust, hypocrisy, superstition, drunkenness, whoredom, fraud, dissoluteness. What mean you I wonder? can you look for an happy harvest that intent no pains at all in ploughing? for any joyous crop of glory, that never go about to fit your hearts for grace? Would you have new wine to be put into old vessels, Physic be applied without preparatives? a thread be forced to enter where the needle hath made no way? a field to bear corn, that was never tilled? or your hearts become savingly gracious, that were never humbled? Harvests perhaps of peace and joy you look for equal with God's painefullest labour-men; but where will you have them grow I wonder? what? in the unmanured ground of those your heats, overrun as yet with the rancksmelling weeds of lust, covetousness, pride, prophanesle? Certainly if mariners may gain their haven without sailing; soldiers their conquest without fight; coursers their prize without running; then may you that harvest without this ploughing: But if no entrance at the straight gate, but first by striving; 
Luk. 13. 24. Mat. 23. 12. Isa. 61. 1.  no exaltation, but first by humbling; no healing nor binding up, but first by breaking and wounding; no Evangelicall joy, but first by legal sorrow predisposing; then no harvest of heavenly happiness, but first by this spiritual ploughing of our hearts in the course of mortification. Come, why neglect you then so main a duty? tell me, what is't you stand on? is't a fair season that you would have to blow in? alas, how many have you already slighted, and do you yet look for fairer? D'ye know how easily upon such delays, either the frosts of God's farther judgements may so encrust and harden your hearts that the plough of his word preached will not be able to enter; or the too much rain, at least, of his punitive indulgence deliver them up into the mire and puddle of all uncleanness, to the commitment of sin with greediness, that no Blow neither Law nor Gospel with make any work in you? why defer you to set your limbs to work then? The want of Ploughs (with you) can be no excuse where every Parish hath a Blow in common. The want of skill no plea, when as habits being gotten by previous acts reiterated, and skill being the daughter of use and exercise; if you did but set your limbs to blow, skill would follow. Want of leisure can be no pretence, when so many vacancies are often offered you in your shops, and when for time you can for yourselves cut out so many idle hours for cards, dice, tables, dancing, bibling, smoking, bowling, tricking, trimming, curling. But let me demand you; Is't not your pride rather and contempt of purity that hinders, who having all your life long lived people of good fashion in the world, do now think scorn to turn Plowmen? or is't not shame and fear of disgrace that lets you, who liking the trade perhaps could be content to profess it, but because so lashed at by the scoffs of the world, have resolved rather to die beggars, then live by ploughing? or is't some hopes of doing it well enough hereafter? Yes, you'll resolve with the foolish Virgins then to be buying 
Mat. 25. 10.  oil when the wise are entering, then to be ploughing when others are reaping; or what? is't none of these, but only your love of ease, and conceit of difficulty in the work that hinders, hard you think it to deny yourselves, to abridge your liberty, to forgo your pleasures, to forsake your carnal merriments, your drunken crues, your beloved profits, your right eyes, hands, and feet, to enforce yourselves on tasks of humiliation, hearing, self examination, prayer, with such like Lions in the way. Well, suppose this ploughing 
Pro. 26. 13.  painful (as indeed it is) but is not the wages great, and the harvest gainful, joy at last unspeakable, and full of glory? Suppose it painful, but will not grace facilitate what's harsh to nature? nay, much of the pain were passed, were you but willing once: Well, I'll suppose you willing, and so will leave Reproving and Use.  
4 Instruction. And here Beloved, if ye be willing to become spiritual Plowmen, and your hearts 
Use 4.  Gods good corne-fields to furnish that great barn, whose builder and maker is God; give me leave to lecture you some few principles for your best furtherance and improvement in it? The whole Art may be abridged into these three short Lectures.  
First. In the entrance of this Art two things (as 
Lect. 1.  precognitaes) must be preconsidered. 1 The nature of the ground to be fallowed or ploughed up. 2 The best season when to fallow.  
1 For the nature of the ground, whether stony, clayey, or sandy: whether the stony ground of an open profane heart, so called for its hardness; or the clayey ground of a civil heart, so called for its smoothness and toughness; or the sandy ground of an hypocritical heart, so called for its discontinued nesse of parts, being a double heart, an heart, and an heart. They all need a good strong Blow; a sound powerful ministry to pierce, and rend, and make divisions within: but of three the hypocritical being deepest, needs deepest ploughing, as eluding easily a shallow and unsearching ministry. Next to that the civil heart, whose smooth, yet tough and thick spin of external uprightness in broken duties of the second Table, easily scaping the shallow skirring of a weak and cold ministry, needs well nigh, if notequally, as full and powerful a searching as the hypocritical doth. The hardened and open-prophane heart lastly, that (as the first fallowing at least) needs more might and vehemency than depth.  
2 For the best season for fallowing. That's the Spring. 'tis so in proper fallowing, that so by the benefit of all the Summer's heat till seed time, the sourness of the soil may sweeten, the spin rot, and weeds whither. It must be so here in the spiritual fallowing of thy heart, the Springtide of thy youth is the fittest season, that through some time and continuance had under the Sun beams or means of grace, through some proficiency in a godly life, thy corruptions may the more throughly be mortified, die, rot, and whither before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. 
Eccl. 1●. 1● Lect. 1.   
Secondly: Let thy acquainrance with these praecognita be seconded with this sevenfold practice.  
1 As a Blow must not be drawn along upon the surface or top of the earth, but be immitted or put into the very bowels of it; so here; see that the word do not tickle thine ears only a little, or in at one ear and out at tother: but with David hide, and cause it to enter into thy very heart.  
2 As a Blow when put into the earth, must not there stand still, but be put on working. So here. The word or Law in thy heart must not lie idle, but be active, like good Physic for thy soul, must be made to stir and work upon thy conscience, will, affections.  
3 As a Blow though in the earth and stirring, yet must be guided and applied to and fro by the Ploughman's hand. So here. The word in thy heart held by thy Memory, must be guided by thy Understanding, and by thy conscience applied this way and that way; this judgement against this sin, that against that; this promise to this act of obedience, that to that; this rule of direction to this practice, that to that, etc.  
4 As a Ploughman is not wont to stop and turn at half way his furrows, but goes through to lands end, ere he turns again. So here in fallowing of thy heart, thou must not break up the furrows of thy lusts at halves, mortifying one half, but cherishing t'other. But when thou takest a furrow, a sin in hand, go through stitch with it; see the yonder end of that sin before thou turn back from pursuing it.  
5 As a Ploughman turns up his furrows in order, not confusedly, by heaps, or all together; but orderly one after another. So here, thy sins must be thrown up not by confused heaps, in gross only (as saying we are all sinners) as if that were enough, but by distinct and particular acknowledgement of them, that their distinct filthiness espied may better further humiliation.  
6 As the Blow goes unhappily to work then when the Oxen either are unequally matched, or draw not jointly together. So here in this spiritual ploughing, the Word in thy heart works ineffectually when the understanding and prejudicate opinion, when the will and sensual appetite be yoked like an Ox and an Ass together; or when the understanding draws one way, and the will another, the affections a third. Heed must be had then that in their proper places they follow each the other. The understanding foremost, having apprehended the word of truth, let the will desire, the affections embrace, the memory keep, and the outward man conforming execute.  
7 As the Ploughman in ploughing makes use of his Paddles-staff, wherewith he rids and digs off stroyl that chokes the Coulter. So here; take thy Paddles-staff in hand, daily examination, and often renewed selfe-inspection, and be ever and anon digging off herewith the stroyl of insinuating hypocrisy, and greediness upon worldly profit, that will be ever hanging and sticking on, and choke, and dull the edge of the word, that it shall neither pierce nor cut. Thus for thy practice.  
Now thirdly let me but suggest a fourfold Resolution 
Lect. 3.  that must attend this practice, and this Use is ended.  
1 Be painful. Beloved, ploughing is no easy task. It requires the strained nerves of your best industry. Rebellious lusts are not so easily mastered, nor unruly passions tamed. Corruptions are not plucked out of their warm beds with a wet finger; multa tulit, fecitg, there must be much tugging and toiling in the often reiterated acts of humiliation used about these stony, rotten and deceitful hearts of ours before they'll be throughly fitted for sound fruitfulness in saving grace. Resolve then to be painful, or never take plough in hand.  
2 Be early at it. 'tis not the least of a Ploughman's praises to be an early riser. His Oxen, you know, must be fed early, and prepared for labour; his work must be begun early, lest late setting out in the morning cast him behind hand all day after. So here, resolve to arise and to be doing early. Let mind and memory timely, while yet in the morning of thy younger days, be plied with the food of knowledge and other spiritual provision. Set out a ploughing while others are yet sleeping in their security and sins. No small comfort 'twill be to have thy work aforehand. Delays till the day of thine age be declining will bring forth scarce half the work, perhaps hazard the whole wages.  
3 Be intentive. Do what thou hast to do herein with all thy might. As a Ploughman if he mind not 
Eccl. 9 10.  earnestly what he hath in hand, but goes on gaping and gazing about, the Blow miscarries, either it leaps up out of the earth, or runs awry; either goes too deep, or else too shallow. So here; having once put thy hand to this plough, thou must, hoc agere, mind thy work, not look back. No glancing (with Lot's 
Luk. 9 42. Gen. 19 26.  wise) of the eyes of thy affections back upon the world, thy profits, preferments, sinful pleasures, delights, pastimes. 'tis a work that will need the intention of the whole man; a work wherein heedless and needless excursions of the mind about the superfluities of this life, breed usually such distractions as will make the word either ho up again, and vanish out of thy heart, or but work impertinenly, confusedly, coldly.  
4 Be constant. Hold out this practice to thy end. Never give over the trade. Man (saith the Psalmist) or a Ploughman (if you will) goeth forth to his work 
Ps. 104. 23:  and to his labour until the evening. So here, until the very evening of thy old age, nay the dark night of death must thou be busy ploughing thy heart. No half holidays to be kept at this task, to leave work at noon. For upon what terms is the promise of reaping made? not if we blow but for a spurt or so, and grow weary of well-doing; but in due season we shall reap if we faint not. And here's the difference 
Gal. 6. 9  between temporal and us spiritual plowmen. They can blow but till seed time; but we must keep ploughing until harvest.  
¶ Brethren, I know not how fare I have entrenched upon your patience in regard of time. I beseech you vouchsafe me but a Ploughman's liberty, who of a whole close, if he hath but one or two short ridges more to blow, though it be time to leave work, and he be looked for home, yet is easily dispensed with for so small a piece rather than to come away and leave so little undone. So here; I have but one little short ridge, one short use more, and my whole day's work is ended. Wherefore suffer now  
5 And lastly, the words of Exhortation. Beloved, 
Use 5.  I beseech you then a wake and rouse up yourselves out of the sleepy bed of sluggish security, come cry no longer, a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a 
Pro. 6. 10.  little more folding of the hands, but arise, gird up your loins, and away to ploughing. Break up your fallow hearts, nay make deep and long your furrows. Have you any mind to the motion? d'ye like it? or tell, could you find in your hearts to be bound Apprentices at this trade and calling to the Lord, the best Master in the world to his servants? Well, I know not what your minds are; how ere I truly wish it: Nay (as Paul sometimes to Agrippa) 
Acts 26. 29.  I would to God that you all that hear me this day, were not only almost, but altogether such as my Text meaneth, and God would have you be, spiritual Plowmen. Would God all you Merchants were in this sense Plowmen: all you Clothier's, Shoemakers, Tailors, Grocers, Chandler's, Hatters, Sadlers, Plowmen. All you Ministers, Magistrates, Officers, Plowmen: nay your whole City Plowmen, ('twould hinder none your traffic) nay, no shame for the King himself to be such a Ploughman. But above all, how could I wish our idle roaring Ruffians, fantastic Gallants, and Gentlemen without a calling, that they would be pleased to turn Plowmen, at least, but some of that time they so waste in smoking, they would spend in ploughing. And here, O had I but a motive that might overcomeal your thoughts for intendment this way. Would you have me discover you  
1 The benefits first that attend this practice? I am 
Motives.  not able; yet O the sweenesse of that soule-enlarging joy and peace wherewith (through this heart-fallowing Art) the valleys of your consciences shall be so filled as with corn, that they shall laugh and sing! O the sweetness of those mutual welcomes, & gladdest greetings that shall be between the Gospel's glad tidings and your hearts thus broken! those enravishing embracements and holy burning conferences that shall be between Christ and your souls when he shall come down to dine, and sup, and lodge, and dwell in your hearts thus broken! O the sweetness of those dazzling glimpses of heavens very beauty, light, and glory that will break out ofttimes through the opened clouds of your hearts thus broken! those various, dropping influences of truest comforts, that as rain into a fleece of wool will distil ofttimes into the thirsty ground of your hearts thus broken! privileges transcendent, beyond expression, yet the prosperous issues of this spiritual ploughing. Come, let it be enough, that the Lord accepts and will not despise your broken hearts. Let it be enough, that 
Ps. 51 17. Isa. 66. 2.  God casts his gracious looks upon you and upon your spirits thus broken. Let it be enough, that this spiritual heart-breaking is the only preparative to sound conversion and an holy mortified life. Let it 
Icr. 31. 19  be enough, that this spiritual ploughing is the very next step to the preferment of grace, the best of all 
jam 14. 6.  preferments in the world. Elisha ploughing was made a Prophet; but you thus ploughing, Priests, Kings, 
1 King. 19 Reu. 1. 6.  and Prophets. What will you that I add more? undoubtedly, you that thus break up and till the land of your hearts, when others as runagates do beg their bread, you shall have plenty; and when others 
Pro. 28. 19 Isa. 65. 13.  be hungry, ye shall eat. O fortunatos nimiam bona si sua norint Agricolas! If this prevail not, I have done, if  
2 The danger secondly on the neglect will not overcome. And here Beloved look with me but on two things:  
1 The rank weed of your indulged corruptions, and know, that the longer they grow, and are let alone unmortifyed, the stronger, longer, and bigger will the cart-ropes and cables be, that the Devil will twist of them, to pull you into hell with; such threefold cords as will not be easily broken by your weak 
Eccl. 4. 12.  arms when either old or dying.  
2 Look next on your unfallowed ground, your unbroken hearts themselves, and think on this. That as naturally or temporally there is no reaping, but where hath been sowing first: no sowing but where hath been ploughing first: So neither spiritually any crop of bliss in heaven, but the rakeing of shame in hell must be looked for of that sluggard that will not set to blow and break up his heart by the word on earth. The sluggard that will not blow by reason of the cold, shall beg in harvest, and have nothing. Consider 
Pro. 20. 4:  what I have said; and the Lord give you understanding in all things.   

Errata.  
Page 4 line 13 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibib. l. 18. r. Novellate p 5. l. 16. r. them. p. 8. l. 13. r. Hart. p. 10. l. 3. deal those of. p 23. l 15. r moares p. 24. l. 8. r. untowardness. p. 26. l. 10. r. bibbing. p. 27. l. 26. r. of the three.