England's PRESERVATION OR, A SERMON discovering the only way to prevent destroying JUDGEMENTS: Preached to the Honourable HOUSE of COMMONS at their last solemn Fast, being on May, 25. 1642.  
BY OBADIAH SEDGWICKE Bachelor in Divinity and Minister of COGGESHALL in Essex.  
Published by Order of that House.  JEREMIAH 13. 27. 
O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be?  
LONDON, Printed by R. B. for Samuel Gellibrand, at the Brazen Serpent in Paul's Churchyard. 1642.   

To the Honourable House of Commons assembled in PARLIAMENT.  
THis Sermon which I preached by your command, and you hearkened unto with much acceptance, and is now printed by our Order, I most humbly present unto your Gracious Patronage, and Religious practice; It hath this only in it; that it is seasonable; what one once writ to Aegidius the Abbot of Norinberg concerning David's words in Psalm 118. They are verba vivenda, non legenda: That may be affirmed of the Text I preached on, the pith and matter of it should be lived, and not heard only: Repentance is a living word: Alexander (as Plutarch 
Orat. 1. de Alex. 〈◊〉  reports) demanded of Porus (whom he had surprised) what his thoughts were of him, he answered, I think of Alexander, Regaliter, and that's enough said he, for in that word all other things are contained: the same I may say, if any man demands what our sinful and distracted Kingdom should do? I answer, Repent, and in that word (if lived and done) all our safeties and hopes are contained.  
There were 3. things (most Honourable Sirs!) which Luther did fear would prove 
Melchior Adam: in vita Luther: p. 157. 158.  to be the Ruin of Religion. 1. Oblivion. 2 Security. 3. Carnal policy: The good God overthrow these in our Land, lest our land be overthrown by these: Though Ministers discover all sorts of sins, and though a Parliament discovers all sorts of plots and dangers, yet people are settled on their Lees, they will not see, nor fear, nor humble themselves, nor turn to the Lord at all; O pray, (said a dying man in the beginning of the Germane reformation) that God would preserve the Gospel (pontifex enim Romanus, & Concilium Trident. mira moliuntur) For the Pope and Council of Trent are hatching of strange things: Ministers say as much and more to people, pray, be humbled, reform; For you see what the bloody Papists have done in Ireland, and you hear what they are plotting against England, we do thus speak and weep, but man will not hearken and obey; They who will not easily see their sins, will as hardly believe their dangers: Fuge, fuge Brenti! cito, citius, citissime, so friendly did a Senator of Hala advise Brentius, haste, hasten, make all the haste you can, your life is lost else: He embraced the advice, & preserved his life by it; O that God's advices (so frequent, so earnest, so and more safe) to humbling and reforming might once be regarded and followed: we shall never be safe, if we ever remain impenitent.  
As for yourselves, Honourable Sirs! we have all cause to bless God for the worthy Acts already done by you, and for your further intentions of most excellent good to our Church and Kingdom; Ripen these intentions (we pray you) into Actions▪ That our Church may be glorious, and our State safe; and both flourishing and stable: good actions are excellent, though evil men oppose them, nor shall they be therefore, the less successful: remember that Christ hath conquered all the world, and a world conquered by Christ shall never be able to conquer truth.  
I have one request which I earnestly present to yourselves and the House of Lords, It is only this, Hasten (what you can) England's Reformation, and Ireland's preservation: In these the good and Almighty God unite, strengthen, protect, and prosper you All, To whose everlasting arms, you and all your pious endeavours are commended by your daily Orator.  
Obadiah Sedwicke. Die Mercurij 25. May 1642.   

IT is this day Ordered by the Commons now Assembled in Parliament that Master Harris, and Mr. Obadiah Sedgwicke, who this day, being the day of the public Fast, at the entreaty of the said Commons; preached at Saint Margaret Westminster, shall have thanks returned them, for the great and worthy pains they have taken, and that they be desired to print their Sermons, and that no man presume to print them, but such as they shall appoint, till the House shall take further Order.  
H. Elsing Cler. Parl. D. Com.  
I appoint Samuel Gellibrand to print my Sermon.  
Obadiah Sedgwick.   

A Sermon Preached at the late Fast, to the Commons House OF PARLIAMENT.  JEREM. 4. 3. Thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, break up your fallow ground, and sow not among Thorns. 
THere is a learned writer who speaks of four days for a sinner. 
Bernard.   
The first is Dies Faetoris, A day of loathsomeness, 
4. Day's incident to man.  and this is the time when the sinner lies rotting in the grave of sin. 2. The second Dies Timoris, a day of anguish, and this is the time when Conscience gins to be awakened with the sight and sense of sin; 3. The third is Dies Doloris, a day of mourning, and this is the time when the heart gins to melt into Tears for sinning; The fourth is Dies Laboris, a day of Combat, and this is the time when the penitent and converted soul sets itself against the temptations of sin.  
The first of these is the worst of our days, and yet too common (the dead in this sense are more than the living.) The second of these is a bitter and turbulent day, and yet it may prove happy and cheerful (there being more hope of a sore Conscience then of a seared Conscience) The two last are (like precious Jewels) very good, but very Rare: It is an easy thing to find sinners, but it is not an easy thing to find mourning sinners, and penitent sinners.  
So blind is the mind of man, so perverse is the will of a sinner, so prevalent is the love of sin, so desperate is the resolution of an hardened heart, that neither the Golden Sceptre, nor the Iron Rod, neither the sweetest mercies, nor the sharpest miseries will easily prevail with sinning man, to become a penitent man; But though God be leaving, though mercies be setting, though wrath be approaching, though life be short, though hell be fearful, yet it is a thousand to one, but the sinner remains (under all these) constantly wicked, or only deceitfully good.  
A clear instance whereof, you have in the jews in this Chapter, who notwithstanding they had almost sinned away their God, their Country, their lives, their helps, their hopes; And notwithstanding all their warnings by variety of Prophets, and all their sufferings by variety of punishments, and all their threaten in variety of Judgements, though there was but a step twixt them and death, only one mercy twixt them & utter destruction by the enemy, yet either they totally neglected the work, or would not be persuaded throughly to act the duty of Repentance.  
The Lord saw this dangerous obstinacy and pities it, and strives with them to save their souls, that they might (by this means) save their Country. The way he spreads before them is expressed,  
Partly in verse 1. [If thou wilt Return, O Israel! saith the Lord, Return unto me, and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, than thou shalt not Remove:] q. d. leave thy sins and save all. Thou hast made many overtures and semblances thereof by Fast, by confessings, by prayings. Add now one thing more, Repent in good earnest. This will be life to your solemnities and safety to your Nation.  
Partly in ver. 3. [Break up your fallow ground and sow not among thorns.] q. d. If you do not Repent, you are undone, if you do repent, but not throughly, you will be undone too: hypocrisy in good duties, as well as profaneness in bad ways may ruin a person and Nation; A man may as surely be drowned in a ship that hath a leak, as when he hath no ship at all.  
Therefore pretend Repentance no longer, but act it, and when you do act it, act it not slightly but exactly; become good, and do good to purpose: If you regard and follow this Counsel, Then (as in ver. 1.) you shall not remove; but if you will not hearken unto it, than (as in ver. 4.) My fury shall come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your do.  
The words of my Text contain in them the principal works of this day, which are two,  

1. A serious humiliation, unto which the jews are exhorted in these words [Break up your Fallow ground]  
2. A dextrous Reformation, delivered unto them by way of caution [And sow not among thorns:]   
There must be not a little rasing, but a breaking, nor a mere breaking, but a breaking up, and when that is done, there must be a sowing too, but every sowing must not serve the turn, It must be such a sowing, as may come to something, It must not be a sowing among thorns.  
The field which I am at this time to work upon and go over (you see) is very large, there is much more ground in it then I can conveniently break up and sow, I shall though (by that God's assistance who only is the Maker and breaker of hearts) set upon the whole work, and He (in tender mercy) so accompany, and water and prosper His truths this day, that all our Fallow grounds may be broken up, and then so graciously sown in righteousness, that we and all the land may shortly Reap in mercy!  
I begin with the first part [Break up your Fallow ground.]  
That these words are to be understood, not literally but metaphorically, I make no question, that any who hears me, doth question: Interpreters (though) do vary something in their conjectures. Tertullian by fallow ground understands the old Law, which he 
Adversus judaeos. c. 3.  saith is to be broken up by the new Law (he means the Gospel,) an exposition much impertinent, and too wide.  
Cassianus understands by it, the Heathens and Pagans, and other secular persons, nor is this conjecture apt to the Text.  
Cyprian draws nearer to the sense, who by fallow ground, understands (Mores popusi) the conversations of the jews; and Cyril of Alexandria who by it understands, (Animum sylvescentem) an heart like the wilderness, wild and destitute of all pious culture, and chrysostom yet more exactly by fallow ground understands (cordis profundum) the very Core and depths of a sinful heart.  
So then (to stop all quotations) the fallow ground 
The Fallow ground is the sinful heart.  is nothing else but the sinful estate of a person or Nation; And it is very aptly so described by reason of that consimilitude which the one hath with the other, For;  
First, Fallow ground is a barren piece of earth: a Tohu and Bohu as at the first, void of all excellency and beauty: There is not one grain of good seed 
So resembled in three re  in it, nor any one delightful flower; such a desert is man's sinful heart: It is a very (Inane & Nihilum) vanity and vanity, no divine excellency is to be found there; Not any one effect, nor any one seed of spiritual inclination: For this, It may answer as the depth did for wisdom, It is not in me. 
job 28. 14.   
Secondly, Fallow ground is (usually) an indigested Thicket, lumbred all over with weeds, and Briars, and Thorns, and Thistles, (that original curse which befell the Earth for man's transgression:) And such a piece also is man's sinful heart Though it be but a barren Wilderness for any good, yet it is an ample Ocean for all that is evil, and hurtful. The upper part of his field hath in it an abundance of thorns (unprofitable thoughts, hurtful cares, wounding errors;) and the lower part of his field is as full of stinking weeds (vile affections as the Apostle calls them:) the best fruits of him are but as a briar to scratch himself, and to catch and entangle others with sin.  
Lastly, Fallow ground is an hardened part of earth, extremely compacted by the influences of the sun and winds, and by its own native inclination; so that it is not an easy thing to sever it, and dispose it for a better use: just so is a natural, or sinful heart; It is so trodden, and seared & obdurated, partly by the frequent repetition of sinful acts, and partly by the intention of sinful delights, that it is not only defective of good, but also very active against it, unyielding, resisting, and fight against all heavenly counsels and motions. The man is evil, and will be so, he is not good, nor will he be so, unless God by an insuperable virtue of his own spirit makes him to be so.  
We have found what the fallow ground is, let us in the next place inquire, what the breaking of it up 
The breaking up: what?  is? Then the Fallow ground is broken up, when the Husbandman comes with his Blow, and enters that plough into it, deeply enters it, even into the Bowels of the ground, and then rents and tears it, and turns it upside down: Not in one Furrow, but in every Furrow, once, twice, perhaps thrice if need so requires.  
Even so the sinful heart is broken up when the Almighty and gracious God (whom Christ calls the Husbandman) comes with his Word and Spirit, and (Alta voce as St. Austin speaks, or virtute magnifica 
john 15. 1.  as Ber. speaks) enters into the heart or soul of a sinner by  convincing, and by efficacious humblings (which are as renting and tearings to the ground) and by rooting up the dominion and love of all sins.  
The Scriptures sometimes call this work, a touching, sometimes a pricking, sometimes a troubling, 
Acts 2. 37. 1 Sam. 1. 5. Psal. 34. 18. Prov. 18. 14. Isa. 42. 3. joel 2. 13. 2 King. 22. 19  sometimes a wounding, sometimes a bruising, sometimes a breaking, sometimes a renting, sometimes a kill, and sometimes an humbling and melting of the heart.  
And this is it which God calls for in the Text from the jews as a means to prevent their utter destruction by the sword of the Chaldeans; whence the proposition (which I shall in the first place insist on) is this,  
Doctr. 1 That the breaking up of sinful hearts, Is a singular means to prevent the breaking down of a sinful Nation.  
THere are three things unto which I shall speak for the explication of this assertion, Namely  

1. What the right breaking of a sinful heart is, which is so available to prevent the breaking down of a sinful Nation?  
2. Some demonstrations that it is a preventing means.  
3. The Reasons why it is so?   
For the first quaere, what the right breaking up of 
a Quest. 1.  a sinful heart is? Be pleased to know that there is a twofold Breaking of a sinner's heart. 
Sol.   
1. One is specious only and formal (supersicie tenus 
The heart broken for sin 2 Ways 1. Formally.  as Saint Bernard speaks) as Artificial Juglars seem to wound themselves, but do not; or as Players seem to thrust themselves through their bodies, but the sword passeth only through their clothes: There is something done about sins, but nothing is done against sins; peccata raduntur sed non eradicantur, as the same Auhor speaketh, which he truly calls a Fiction and vanity; As when men only lop the Trees, which thereupon in time grow the faster and thicker. Against this breaking the Prophet of old much complained; They in Isaiah hung down their heads and afflicted their souls for a day, but for all that they 
Esa. 58. 5, & 3  still afflicted their poor brethren; And they in Hosea, did howl, but yet they did still rebel against the 
Hosea 7. 14.  Lord; And they in Malachy did cry out, and cover 
Malach. 2. 13. & 11.  the Altar with Tears, and yet for all their pretended contrition, they did profane the holiness of their God: And though the Pharisees did assume unto themselves a most mortified garb of humbling (especially in their days of Fasting disfiguring their faces as Christ reports of them) yet their hearts were as lose, as full of pride, and covetousness, and envy, 
Matth. 6. 16.  and opposition of Christ, as ever.  
2. Another is serious and Real; which is acted most in the hidden man, and pierceth like the word, (Hebr. 4. 12.) even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of which likewise there are two kinds, one is styled Attrition, and the other is styled Contrition by the Schoolmen; the former (by our Casuists) is called a legal breaking, and the latter an Evangelicall breaking. 
They difference them thus, partly,   
1. By their objects. Penal evil is the object on which Attrition doth work, and sinful evil is the object on which Contrition worketh; the one is conversant about passive evil (that is) the evil which we suffer, but the other is conversant about Active evil (that is) the evil which we have done; For sin hath in it two qualities, one, to make us unhappy, and this Attrition looks at; another to make us unholy, and at this doth contrition look.  
2. By their causes, legal Attrition is only the pinching of servile fear and despair, for it seethe nothing but Sea, all that will tear and distract the Conscience; but Evangelicall contrition is the melting and lamenting of filial Love, and Hope: The frowns of a Revenging Judge causeth that; but the smiles of a gracious Father raiseth this; In the one the heart is shivered by the flashes of Hell, In the other the heart is melted by the beams of Heaven; A stroke from guilt broke Judas' heart into despair, but a look from CHRIST broke Peter's heart into tears.  
3. By their effects, an Attrite heart may (for that space of time whiles the Conscience burns and flames with wrath) become negatively penitent, Non proponit peccare, It doth not purpose to sin; the sensible anguish for former sinnings may suspend delightful intentions for future sins; but the contrite heart (out of a contrariety of nature) becomes positively holy, proponit non peccare, It doth Cordially purpose not to sin any more; All which (if I mistake not) is the same that Cajetan aims at, when he saith, that Attrition produceth (velleitatem) an imperfect motion of the will, but contrition produceth (voluntatem) a complete and direct will against sin:  
But this discourse (I fear) is too speculative for this day's work, give me leave therefore to open the nature of this penitential heart breaking in a more practical and profitable way: There are several workings which ordinarily concur to the full constituting of this heart-breaking work, whereof some are Antecedent, some are formally ingredient, and some are inseparably consequent.  
1. The Antecedent workings are such as previously lead the way to the Evangelicall breaking as 
Antecedents to heart breaking three.  the Needle doth to the thread, and the breaking by the hammer doth to the melting by the fire, by way of order only and not by causality: These are (principally) three.  
1. A notional Irradiation: The Lord never breaks a sinner's heart before he hath opened a sinner's 
1. Irradiation  eyes: the day breaks before the heart breaks: light breaks to elevate the soul, thus far to discern and distinguish of evil; till then, sin is no burden to the Conscience, nor trouble to the affections: As no good wrapped up in darkness excites desire, so no evil swathed up in Ignorance strikes any trouble or sorrow: unknown things, have not motive faculty because they are as (non entia) no things at all: And therefore God ever keeps this method, to make sin appear to be sin, and afterwards to humble and break our hearts for it.  
2. A practical conviction, which is nothing else but a personal application of guilt & wrath, without 
2. Conviction  which the notion of sin would be no trouble: let me open my mind thus unto you: That drunkenness, or swearing, or whoredom, or murder, or Sabbath breaking, etc. are sins; And that such persons who are guilty of them, (without Repentance) shall not inherit the kingdom of God, All this the sinner knows already▪ and yet is not troubled, for as long as light rests in a bare Notion, it is only an addition to his understanding, It is no burden at all to his heart: But when this light slips down, and chargeth this sin and this wrath upon this very person, and shines so clearly in this charge, that the person cannot for his life deny it, thou art a drunkard, thou art this swearer, etc. And hereupon in the name of God arrests him with that wrath which God hath threatened unto that sin and sinner, now the sinner gins to consider, and tremble, and break.  
When Peter closed with the Jews, and convinced 
Acts 2. 36, 37.  them that they (in particular▪ crucified jesus Christ, Now their h●●ts were pricked: and when Nathan draws his parable out of the cloud, and unclothes his Message to David, saying, Thou art the man, Now 
2 Sam. 12. 7. Psalm 51.  Davids' heart gins to break and take on; O see! the subtle heart of man will endure and bear all the Historical Notions of sin (as we can the names and natures of diseases and medicines) without any aching and sickness; But when the Lord brings down sin from being a notion, to be an obligation, and enters an action against the soul within the soul, now (and not before) the heart-workings, and heart-breakings do begin.  
3. A Conscience affliction: which in respect of 
3. Affliction.  degrees and quantity, is, in some more, and in others less: for God's Spirit is an Arbitrary agent in the Gradual effects of bondage as well as in those gracious effects of Adoption; Nevertheless though the degrees of working be different, yet the work itself is certain; The heart will never be rightly broken for sin, till Conscience (which Saint Bernard calls Accuser, Witness, Judge, and Tormentor) gins to be awakened and quickened: And believe it if 
The terrible workings of conscience.  Conscience which hath been so much stirred gins to stir, if Conscience which hath been so often wounded gins to wound, the spirit of man will eftsoon fail and break within him; O saith Conscience! What hast thou done, thus and thus to provoke the Holy and Righteous and Great God. I know the several acts of thy sinnings, and times, and places, and persons, and circumstances; and I have sad news to tell thee, that great God (against whom thou hast so much and so often sinned) hath commanded and deputed me not only to speak no peace, but also to speak His wrath and displeasure unto thee, and in His Name I charge upon thee all thy sins and all his just wrath revealed against them.  
And now the proud and stout heart of a sinner gins to throb and fear and tremble: He thinks that every threatening which he reads, is a Cloud of Tempests against him, he thinks that every judgement he hears of another, is a Sword drawn to cut him off also; He thinks that all the hell and torments thereof mentioned in the Scriptures, will ere long be his portion; whereupon his distracted soul cries out, o that I had never been! o that I had never sinned! o that I might never be! If I should now die, good Lord! what will become of me? If I should yet live, will the Lord ever be merciful to me? The sins which I see are many, the wrath which I feel is great, and that which I fear is infinite: If I live, I see I am an accursed creature, and if I die (o let me not yet die!) I fear I shall be for ever (o my soul breaks at that endless word of misery, for ever!) a damned sinner: But yet cries out this sinner, Lord! Lord! Is there no mercy, nor hope of any mercy for me, a most vile sinner?  
With these mind racking-breaking thoughts away hastens this burdened, broken sinner unto his Closet, and shuts the door, and down he falls on his knees, and with much confusion of thoughts and fears he spreads all his sinnings before God, confessing one, and then another, and then with fervent agonies begs of the Lord (more than for his life) Mercy Lord! mercy, mercy for a lost, for an heinous, for an undone sinner! Canst thou pardon me? Wilt thou pardon me? O Lord pardon me! O Lord be reconciled unto me! O that I might have any hopes, the least hopes, that thou wouldst be merciful unto me!  
And now up riseth this sinner with these or the like thoughts, well! I will read the Bible, I will hear such a Minister, I will open my condition unto him, and confer, and inquire whither there be no balm in Gilead: whither there be a mercy Seat, a City of refuge to entertain such a sinner as I am; and after a while upon careful search, he finds that yet there is hope, that there is an immeasurable sufficiency in the blood of Christ, & an Ocean of full and free grace in God, and that God (notwithstanding all his former sinnings against him) is most willing and ready to accept of him into mercy, if so be, he be willing to forsake his sins and embrace a Mediator.  

2. The formal Ingredients.  
HEreupon follows the second principal working 
Ingredients of heart breaking two jer. 31, 19  which formally makes up Evangelicall Contrition, and it is (1. Pudor. 2. Dolour,) shame and grief: Such kindness from the mercy-seat makes him now as Ephraim, confounded and ashamed, and his heart to break into most melting floods of tears, that ever he should be so monstrously vile to offend such tender and gracious bowels of mercy, which he now apprehends yerning towards him in and through Christ. As before, the apprehensions of divine wrath did distract and shiver him, so now the apprehensions of divine love do totally dissolve and melt him; though there were not Heaven hereafter to Crown him, yet he must grieve, and though there were not Hell hereafter to burn him, yet he must exceedingly mourn for sinning against such a God.  
This is that right Evangelicall Contrition which I press for at this time! called in Scripture, a softness of heart, and a contrite Heart, and a mourning, and a bitter mourning, and a great mourning, like that of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddon: which 
Zac. 12. 10, 11.  Saint Ambrose calls (Cor liquescens) an heart melting, and dissolving, and Saint Hierome (magnum planctum) an exceeding lamenting; and St. Austin (grave lamentum) a very heavy grief.  
The Casuists and Schoolmen affirm it to be the 
Sorrow for sin the greatest sorrow in 4. respects. Adrianus. Scotus. Soto.  greatest of all sorrows. 1. In conatu, the whole soul seems to send springs into it out of every faculty. 2. In extensione, It is a spring which in this life (more or less) is continually dropping. 3. In appreciatione, the changed soul doth ever judge that a good God offended, should be the prime cause of greatest sorrow, and Lastly, In intensione, For Intention of displicence in the will, there being no o●her things, with which, or for which the will is more displeased with itself then for sinning against God. And therefore some of the Schoolmen propounding this question 
Sot in 4. Sent. d. 17. q. 2. art. 4.  whether there should be more grief for sin, then for the passion of Christ? Resolve it Affirmatively, that there is more cause of grief for sinning, then for the death of Christ: and their reason is this, because in the death of Christ there was (Aliquid placens) Something that did please God, so fare as it was a Redemption, but sin is (simpliciter displicens) there is nothing in it which is not altogether displeasing unto God, consider it formally as sin.   

3. The consequent working.  
WHich rather shows and declares, then makes a broken heart, and it is hatred of sin; the 
Hatred of sin the consequent of heart breaking for sin. A double hatred of sin.  heart which is rightly broken, is not only broken for sin, but also from sin by an hatred. 1. Of abomination, loathing it as the greatest evil: Get thee hence say they in, Esa. 30. 22. And 2. Of enmity and irreconciliation, what have I to do any more with Idols, saith Ephraim in Hosea 14. 8.  
Thus have you heard what the breaking up of the fallow ground, or sinful heart is, now I proceed (in few words) to demonstrate, That it is the means to prevent the breaking down of a sinful Nation; this 
Quest. 2.  may evidently appear.  
1. By the fingers of God in Scripture pointing a 
Sol. 4. Demonstrations of the proposition in its truth.  people to this work, that so they might not sink into ruin, but be preserved: Read Ezekiel 18. 30, 31. joel 2. 13, 14.  
2. By the pledges which God maketh in several promises, that if a sinful Nation will take this course, he will then spare them, and continue them: Read, jer. 18. 7, 8. 2 Chron. 7. 14.  
3. By the Records or Instances of Gods sparing a people, and a revoking of his wrath and judgements when they have set upon this Heart-breaking course, Read jonah 3. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. 2 Chronicles 34. 27.  
4. By the executions of destruction because they would not hearken to this course, See 2 Chro. 36. 15, 16, 17.  
But why should the breaking up of sinful hearts be a means to prevent the breaking down of a sinful 
Quest. 3.  Nation? The Reasons are these, because  
First, where hearts are rightly broken for sins, there sins are pardoned: and where sins are pardoned, 
Sol. 4. Confirmations of the proposition. 2 Chro. 7. 14. Esay. 1. 16.  all breaking down is unquestionably prevented. In Esaiah, you read of washing and cleansing (they are the same with this heart-breaking and mourning) and presently you read of pardon, Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, 
18.  etc. and presently after that, you read, of eating the 
19  good of the Land: a comfortable fruition of themselves, and of their Country, and of all means and blessings.  
Beloved! when sins are pardoned then, 
2. Effects of sins pardoned.   
1. All their guilty clamour is silenced: pardoned sins are disabled sins, they can bring no action against us, debts forgiven shall never prejudice nor hurt us: Sins unpardoned can raise posse comitatus, all the Armies 
Remissa culpa remittitur paena.  of God in Heaven and Earth against sinners, but once pardoned, they are of no force or strength at all.  
And secondly, when sins are pardoned, all good hath a free passage; God is reconciled, and mercies have their Commission to attend us: Now saith the Lord, I will hear the Heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the Corn, and the Wine 
Hos. 2. 21, 22  and the Oil, and they shall hear jezreel.  
2. Again, If sinful hearts be broken, God hath his end, and then all quarrels cease twixt him and a 
2.  Nation: the Lord doth not threaten destruction to a people for destruction's sake, but for Humiliations sake: Not that they may be destroyed, but that they should repent, and not be destroyed.  
3. Thirdly, Broken hearts are a wonderful delight unto the Lord: There are somethings in which 
3.  God hath no delight, He hath no delight in sinnings, 
Psalm. 5. 4. Ezek. 18. 32.  nor in punishments: and there are two hearts in which God takes much delight, namely, in an upright heart and in a Contrite heart, The broken heart he will not despise, nay he will look upon that heart to revive it: If broken hearts be God's delight, and the objects of 
Psal. 51. 17. Esa. 57 15.  his reviving, then without question they are a means to prevent destruction.  
4. Lastly, when hearts are broken for sins, than God's heart (if I may so phrase it) is broken with compassions unto sinners: Though sinners remain obstinate yet divine compassions work strongly towards them, (How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, O Israel? etc. Hosea 11. 8.) what bowels then (think you) are working in God when sinners are broken and humbled and turning? If God can so hardly find the way to punish impenitent Ephraim, will he not find the way to spare an humbling Ephraim, See jer. 31. 18. I have surely heard Ephraim lamenting himself, etc. 20. My bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord.  
I have done with the explication of the point, I now address myself to the Application of it.  
1. To all of us. 2. To you of public employment.  
Is the breaking up of sinful hearts, the means to prevent the breaking down of a sinning Nation? 
Use.  Then let every one of us here, (o that the whole Land also would) search and try the temper and frame of our hearts, whither they be broken or unbroken? Beloved! I beseech you sadly to consider of a few things.  
1. That brokenness of heart is the work of this 
6. Things considerable, about brokenness of heart.  day: This is a day of Humiliation; but what is an humbling day without an humbled heart? to present yourselves before the great God, at such a time, with all your sins, and yet without hearts broken for those sins, is not only an irreligious incongruity, but also an high provocation of our God; like Zimries act when all the Congregation were weeping before the door of the Tabernacle, Numb. 25. 6.  
Come we not this day with all sorts of guilt upon our souls, and with ropes about our necks, expecting (if the Lord should render unto us our deserts) the sentence of death, and confess as much, and yet dare we to play the Hypocrites, having hearts under all this utterly unbroken?  
Secondly, brokenness of heart, is the hope of this day: I profess seriously unto you, that were you as much in fasting as john's Disciples, and in praying as Christ's Disciples, could you by Fasting make your knees to faint, and your flesh to fail, and resolve your bodies into a very Sceleton, if yet your hearts were not broken for your sins, Neither yourselves, nor your endaevours, nor our own Nation, nor the distressed Church of Ireland, nor any other would be the better for it: As one of the Fathers said of Learning, All learning is suspected, nay disrespected by me, wherein is not the mention of Christ, that I affirm of all solemn fastings whatsoever, the Lord regards them not, if the broken heart be not found in them.  
What joseph said to his brethren, unless you bring your brother Benjamin with you, you shall not see my face, or as Isaac said to his Father, Behold the Fire and the Wood, but where is the Lamb for a  offering? That the Lord saith unto us, Fast as often as you please, and pray too, unless your hearts be broken for your sins, nothing that you do shall find favour with me; all the rest is but as wood and fire, the Lamb, the Sacrifice of a Contrite heart (which is that I look at, and for,) is wanting.  
Get thee behind me said Jehu to the several messengers, what have you to do with peace? Confessions, and prayers are the messengers of our souls to God, but unless the sinful heart be broken, they will never be messengers of peace.  
If any of you would angle in a River, would you throw in a naked line only? would this be to any purpose? Sirs! I know well, that if a Fast be rightly performed, it hath as many promises of blessings and mercies (See Esay 58.) As any religious duty whatsoever: Nay, and I think that you never read in all the Bible, nor yet in experience, of its right performance without some sudden and remarkable Testimony of God's gracious acceptance and answer: But then breaking of hearts ever accompanied those prevailing and victorious Fasts, as you may Read in judges, and Samuel, and the Kings, and Ezra, and Nehemiah, etc. And for my part, I should not scruple the assecution of any convenient mercy, nor the diversion of any impendent evil, if once with all our Fast, there were also a breaking up of our Fallow grounds: If GOD could in this command our hearts, we might then (in some sense) command our God:  
3. Thirdly, Have we not all of us sufficient cause to break our sinful hearts? Should sins, should calamities abroad, should dangers at home break hearts? all these may then work upon us: our sins have broken the heart of CHRIST, and are such as have broken off God from a people, and have broken many Churches down: Can you be ignorant of the professed Idolatry in this Land? of the horrid blasphemies? of the overflowing drunkenness? of the Sabbaths profanation? etc. And if we look at calamities abroad, why, as jacob said, joseph is not, and Simeon is not, so may we say, Bohemia is broken up, and the Palatinate is broken up, and IRELAND is breaking up, and yet the hearts of sinful England will not be broken up: Nay if we look at the dangers hover like a Cloud over this Land, and dropping already in manifold and sundry divisions, in manifold plots, in manifold and several contradictions, and even ready to break forth (O LORD let it not break forth) in a bitter intestine War amongst ourselves, where every man's sword shall be against his brother, and the Child may kill the Parent, or the Parent kill his Child (bowels sheathed in bowels,) No man scarce secure in his own Family, our sins are bringing this upon us, and yet our hearts will not break for these sins! The God of all Wisdom and mercies break our hearts, that so this judgement may not do that which all our foreign enemies hitherto could not do, Break down our Church and Nation.  
4. And if judgements should break in upon sinners, before hearts are broken for sins, good Lord! what, where are they? Dudilius relates a sad story of Bochna a woman who had but two sons, and whiles she was walking with the one towards the River, she heard the other crying out, and hastening back, she found a knife sticking in him, which killed him quickly, than she returns to her other child thinking to solace herself in an only child, but he in her absence was fallen into the river and drowned, both lost at once: Ah Sirs! we have but two children, a Soul and a body! what an heavy loss will it be to lose both these at once? To be cut off by an angry enemy and to be cast off by a mighty God To lose a life, and at the same time to loaf an eternal life! To lose safety and salvation at once? 'tis true that if a sinner's heart be broken by grace, there is no question of mercy, but when an impenitent sinner's life is broken by judgement, his hopes are gone, and his breaking of it for ever.  
5. Fifthly, We shall assuredly be broken off, if we be not broken up; Beloved! There are two vile malignities in an unbroken heart.  
First, It is one of the greatest of spiritual judgements, o said a Reverend man once, if I must be put to my option, I had rather be in Hell with a sensible heart, then live on earth with a reprobate mind; so I say, an hardened and unbroken heart (is in some respect) a judgement worse than Hell, for as much as one of the greatest sins, is fare greater in evil, than any of the greatest punishments.  
Secondly, It is the immediate and unavoidable forerunner of the greatest of temporal judgements, He that hardens his heart shall be destroyed suddenly and that without remedy, Prov. 29. 1. Observe that place: There is no less than destruction, which is not a particular and imperfect damage, but it is a complete ruin, and this destruction is certain (shall, not may perhaps, be destroyed) but when? Suddenly! I! but the sinner will shift it off, & withstand it! No, but he shall be destroyed without remedy: His destruction shall not be prevented; you may read all this in the old World, and in Pharaoh, and in the jews before the Babylonian Captivity, and afterwards in the Roman divastation which hath lasted these 1600 years.  
6. But now where are our broken hearts? I know not what to say, my heartakes within me, o that it could be broken because hearts are generally unbroken: Sinners are secure, Consciences are seared, wickedness is bold, sins are a delight and pastime, God is not seen nor feared in his judgements, in His warnings, in His deal; Reformation is abhorred, Humiliation (most know not what it means, and if they do) it is distasted: Serious thoughts of our sinful ways who takes them up? sufficient time for selfe-examination who makes it for himself? every man runs on in his course, loves as he did, lives as he did; And never knew a trouble in his soul, nor a tear in his eye either for his own, or for the sins of others, all his days: And what will the end of all this be?  
O that God would pity us this day, and break our hearts for us! though it be so irksome and contrary to our flesh and blood: It is better (said a Father) to die one death, then to live and fear all deaths: better it is to suffer the heart to be broken, then to expose ourselves to all sorts of Judicial & eternal break: o Lord said dying Fulgen. (Dapaenitentiam & postea indulgentiam) make me a penitent sinner, and then let me find thee an indulgent Father: Never look for great mercies, for long mercies, for any mercies with unbroken hearts; we are not good, we can do no good, we can expect no good, till our sinful hearts be broken: O Christians be persuaded this day to get broken hearts! God can do it for you, and will do it for you, if you will but use the means and seek unto him: spare time, and take it to study the Law, to study Conscience, to study the Gospel, to study mercies, to study judgements, to study Christ, to study all, that after all, our hearts may be broken for our sins, that so God may not break away from us, but continue to be our God, and that judgements (which look so black upon us may be broken off, and plots (contrived against us) may break asunder, and all spiritual and earthly mercies may break down in mercy upon us.  
And thus much be spoken with a respect unto every one that heareth me this day, I have besides all this a particular errand from God to you, who are public persons, and have summoned me this day unto 
Use 2.  this public work, me thinks that the Lord speaks to you in some respect what once he spoke to the Prophet jeremiah, Chap. 1. Verse 10. See, I have this day set you over the Nations, and over the Kingdoms to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down.  
And blessed be the Lord, and blessed be your souls, and blessed be your endeavours, that notwithstanding the infinite difficulty of the work, and the Malignant contrariety you meet with, yet your hearts are undaunted and resolved to finish the work, as Honourable, as ever Parliament undertook, and as profitable to Church and State, as ever Christians enterprised, your arms shall be made strong by the blessing of the everlasting God of jacob, let popish and malevolent and ignorant persons say or do what they can: Give me leave. 1. To represent unto you 
The work of the Parliament.  some public plots of fallow-ground, which you (blessed be God) have begun to break, nevertheless they need yet a more full breaking up.  
Secondly, to present in all humble fidelity unto you some few intimations and directions. 
1. The public plots of Fallow ground which need a further breaking up, are (especially) four. 
4. Grounds to be broken up.    
1. The first lies directly in the valley of Hinnom: and it is Idolatry; a piece of ground which lies too much in every Shire of this Land, what County is there where much Popery is not? Sirs! you must break this ground up, or it will break our Land up: There is not such a God-povoking sin, a God-removing sin, a Church-dissolving sin, a kingdomebreaking sin as Idolatry, the soul of God abhors it: down with it, down with it even to the ground.  
2. The second lies near to Beth-Aven, and it is superstition: which is but a bawd to gross Idolatry: As rife in practice (even now) notwithstanding all that you have said and done, as if a Parliament had never opened a mouth against it: If a due and careful inquiry be made, I question not but you shall find in too many Churches and public places, as many Altars, and as many Crucifixes hanging over them, and as many Tapers on the Altars, and as much bowing towards the East, and Altar, almost as many, and as much, as when you began this Parliament.  
3. The third lies just upon the coasts of Egypt, that Land of darkness; And it is ignorance, a very large circuit of ground this is; many, many places of this land there are which lie Fallow to this day, never any husbandman, nor Blow have entered in to break up those grounds: A most lamentable thing, that since jesus Christ came into the world and since the Gospel is come into this Land, after several scores of years, yet how many Parishes in Wales, and in the North, and in other Counties which scarcely have enjoyed this much mercy as to hear one solid soul working Sermon concerning Christ and salvation by him; O Sirs! let your hearts bleed in pity to these poor souls; liberties (I confess) are precious and so are our estates, and so are bodies and lives, o than what are souls? what are precious souls which did cost the most precious blood of the Lord jesus Christ?  
The fourth ill plot of ground lies on Mizpah, or if you please on Mount Taber, for there the Priests 
4.  were a Net, and a Snare, Hosea 5. 1. And this is an idle and an evil ministry: Sirs! mistake me not, I speak not of our Ministers indefinitely, I know that we have as godly, as learned, as painful, as profitable Ministers as any in all the Christian world, but I speak only of such whose special gifts consist in one of these two things, either quietly to read out of a book and discreetly to gather up their Tithes; or malevolently to discountenance all godliness, and rail against the Parliament.  
Ah worthy Sirs! It would amaze any ingenuous man to travail such a Country as England and passing through many Parishes, this (after all) is his Diurnal, the Patron is Popish, the Minister is an Idle Dunce, or else a drunkard, or else a swearer, or else a scoffer, preaching all holiness out of his pulpit out of his Church, out of his family, out of his Parish, and his people are like unto him, and love to have it so: And thus what between the Idle Minister and the evil Minister, the poor people never come to knowledge, or (without which knowledge never comes to any thing) they never come to the love and practise of any saving good: These are the principal fallow grounds in this Land, which need your care and pains.   

2. Now follow the Intimations and directions which I humbly present unto you.  
1. B Break them up: If ever you will quit your own souls, and the trust reposed in you, and 
4. Directions about the breaking up of ill grounds  the whole land of Judgements spiritual and corporal, If ever you desire to gain ground in your public intentions for good, for the Lords sake break up these Fallow grounds.  
2. But then in the next place, go very deep with your Blow, or else you will never break up these grounds: the deeper the better; As all good is most strengthened, so all evil is most crushed in its causes: Take heed of shadow-worke, and surface-plowing: Gods eyes are upon you, and so are the eyes of judicious men, which can distinguish twixt scraping and breaking, our misery will be but finely laid asleep a while if your plough goes not deep.  
Doth a little cringing move you? o then, let gross Idolatry heat and burn your souls! Doth boldness in a questioned Minister displease you? o then let his gross wickedness stir you utterly to disburden poor people's souls of him: o let sad complaints have quick and full redresses!  
3. And go over the Fallow grounds which you have broken, go them over again; Yea, and again: Fallow grounds must be often broken up with the Blow. Even the actions of the most judicious receive more ripeness by review: by often doing we grow into a better acquaintance with what is to be done: our first do are rather trials and enterprises, the second do ever prove the best work: besides that, our affections also are oftimes too quick for our eyes, the desires of doing some good may outrun the due search of much evil: Add yet further, That ingrained diseases are not easily stirred, much less destroyed by one potion; evils long in gathering, and much baked into and settled in a State or Church, are not so suddenly cured as vulgar people in their haste imagine: shall I speak one thing more; There is as much Art almost as sin, as much guilt, as Guiltiness: The Laws are ingenuous, but offenders are fraudulent and subtle: Sirs! you deal with bold offenders, and with cunning offenders too, which (if you look not the better to it) will quite delude and frustrate all your Religious and pious intentions.  
Shall I tell you what I know, and what the Country sighs and sheds Tears at, that notwithstanding your Religious pity to their souls, yet their souls are as much abused as ever: They have complained of some ill Ministers, you harken unto them; but in the mean time, the Minister exchangeth his living with another (perhaps) a far of, unknown to the people, against whom there can be (for the present) No legal exception, and thus they perish still for want of bread:  
Therefore Worthy Sirs! Out with your plough again, you are by all these after-workes much more directed how to manage and carry on your work.  
4. Lastly, Be as earnest and active as possibly you can to send Labourers into the Field, I mean, 
4.  to plant all the Land with an heart-breaking ministry: All will come to nothing unless this be done: Pluralities are Voted down, but what good will that be, when all comes but to this, before that Order, one bad man had two good live, and now two bad men have each of them one too good for them both: I will say no more unto you; but be serious and courageous in this work in settling of a good Ministry, with which join also an answerable Magistracy: This to do, is your duty, this is your honour, this will be our safety and happiness, This will be Your great reward in Heaven.  
Go on thus in this breaking-worke, and prosper: There is no man ever did any thing for God and lost by it, or to his Church, but gained by it: If you will go on with an humble and unwearied zeal, it shall shortly be said of this Parliament, These were Scotland's Umpire, Ireland's guard and revenge, England's preservation, The Church's safety, and religions glory:  
And so I pass from the Blow to the seed, from the ploughing up of Fallow-grounds, to the sowing of them being broken up, expressed with its caution in the Text.  
And sow not among thorns, etc.   

Second Part. And sow not among Thorns:  
THat a breaking up of the ground must go before a sowing, and then that a sowing must follow the breaking up, is no question with any judicious man; For as it were a vain thing to sow when the ground is not broken up (the seed would but be a prey) so it were as foolish when the ground is broken up, not to sow (the labour would never prove an harvest) breaking up of the ground being in itself only (opus imperfectum & respectivum) a work for another 
Sowing must follow breaking up.  work; And indeed as the Historian spoke of the Emperor that he rather wanted vice than was virtuous, so it may be said of a person and Nation if their Fallow grounds be broken up, and yet be not sown, they are rather not wicked, then good, For Negatives (alone) make no estate to be gracious; It must be some positive quality which gives perfection and denomination; They say well in Philosophy, that whiles the motion is passing from the Terminus a quo It is but in Fieri, and till the terminus ad quem be attained, it is not in facto esse, the work is but on the way, it is not at the end, nor done: The same is a truth in Divinity, for cessation from evil is not sufficient 
Esay 1. 16, 17.  without an operation of good; to pull down wickedness is not enough unless we also set up godliness; josiah did pull down Idols, but then he did likewise restore and set up the true worship of God: And our Saviour did not only correct the false glosses wherewith the Pharisees had corrupted the law, 
Matth. 5. 21, 22, 28, 32, etc.  but also erected and established the true sense and genuine Interpretation of it: jehu to this day lies under the tongue and censure of Hypocrisy, notwithstanding all his zeal against Baal and the Priests, because after all this, He took no care or heed to walk in the Law 
2 Kings 10. 27, 28, 31.  of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart, It is (I think) a true maxim, that all true quarrel with evil, ariseth from the love of good: and therefore the defacings and displacing of the former aught to end in the advancings and settle of the latter; and verily it were a weak design to undo the one, and yet not to do the other: because,  
1. Moral evils will not be cured, but by contrary qualities: A state (like water though for a time heated, yet will slip bacl to coldness) will warp about (after a while) to its corruptions, if care be not taken for its perfecting and preservation too:  
2. Again, though a Nation be somewhat less miserable, because evil is removed, yet it will not be happy till good be planted; you shall find, besides this, that the soul of the public state will answer that of the person: To whom as the presence of (Nocivum) what oppresseth him is a burden, so the absence of (Honestum as they speak) what is convenient will certainly prove a complaint: Both Religion and nature instruct us in this, Religion puts men on for holiness, as well as pulls men off from sinfulness; and nature hath engrafted in it not only (Abyssus) depths of distastes against apprehended evils, but also (Hiatus) vast desires, for all throughly apprehended good: Neither will it receive satisfaction in the one without the other: Yea ordinary policy can discern (in a Commonwealth) as great an aptness to tumult where conveniency is with held as there is to impatience, where misery is felt: shall I add one thing more? That in all public changes and alterations, these ever go in the thoughts of the vulgar (yea of all) Confident expectations that some other thing must succeed in the place of any thing that is removed, (especially in matter of Religion where corruption is discerned on all sides) the ordination and plantation of which, if public authority doth not take in hand, you shall find that ordinary heads will presume to do, the which what confusion it will make amongst people, and future difficulties to yourselves, I leave to your Religious wisdoms to consider of.  
So than it is evident (de jure) that a sowing aught to follow the breaking up; But yet any kind of sowing is not a sufficient consequent, the direction is given in the Text with a Caution, sow, but sow not among thorns.  
Interpreters abound in their opinions concerning 
For the sense of the words.  these thorns: By them chrysostom understands Idols (as entangling and piercing as the sharpest of Briars and thorns) Origen and Hierom, by the thorns understand covetousness and the cares of the world (which likewise are scratching and wounding) others understand all our sinful corruptions ', there are spinae in cord, saith Bernard, thorns in our hearts, as well as in our Fields: and some understand by the thorns, mixtures of worship crept into the worship of God amongst the jews (as Sanctius and others.) But with the favour of all these (and yet with submission) I conjecture that these words (Sow not among Thorns) are a proverbial speech, and suggest only this unto us, That as the jews were to break down what was evil in themselves and the Church and State, so they were to set upon the doing of all good in private and public, In such a manner and order, as that their pains and endeavours might not come to nothing, but might prove effectual and successful, be to some good purpose indeed, etc. As an Husbandman who sows, will so sow that he may reap, and not lose his seed and labour, and therefore will not sow among Thorns; For this were an improper work, and would prove (in the event) utterly unprofitable: It is a thousand to one if ever his seed comes up (for Thorns have a stealing, withdrawing, and frustrating quality) or if it doth come up, yet it will be lost, it cannot be gathered, there is no coming at it with  or sickle; Thorns have an hindering malignity, as well as a stifling power: From this exposition, I observe only this proposition, Namely.  
Doct. 2 That all penitential and reforming work must be so managed and acted that it may not prove a vain and fruitless work, but may come to be a successful and profitable work: It must not be a sowing among Thorns, but such a sowing which may in the issue produce an harvest: for as good never a whit, as never the better.  
You read (in Scripture) of many Sowers.  
1. The evil man did sow Tares; we have had (of 
Four sorts of sowers.  late) many such Sowers, not only professed Priests and Jesuits, but some also amongst ourselves who have sown Popish, Arminian, Socinian, and superstitious Tares.  
2. The cunning man, and he sows divisions and dissensions; There have been (and still are) too many who sow division twixt the King and the Parliament, twixt Ministers and Ministers, twixt Ministers and people, twixt people and people.  
3. The foolish man, and he sows he cares not what (in respect of the seed) nor where (in respect of the soil) nor when (in respect of the time,) and so all is lost and comes to nothing.  
4. The wise man, who in his sowing looks to the seed that it be good and clean; and to the soil that it be prepared and right; and to the season that it be fit, upon which (through God's blessing) the seed sown takes root, prospers, and proves an harvest.  
Of this I now speak in the proposition, which whither you limit it to a Repentance, that is personal, or extend it to a Reformation that is Nationall holds true in both, and the Text will bear both: The one and the other must be so dispersed, that it may not prove vain and lost, but effectual and successful.  
Sirs! Though penitential works rightly done are never without success and blessing, yet pretendingly penitential agents may so carry on these works (materially good) that they may never prove formally and eventually good or beneficial: and therefore you read in Scripture, that many prayings, and fastings, and solemn meetings, and tears, and other do have found no acceptation with God, nor wrought any subjective alterations in persons, nor change from misery to mercy in a Nation; read the Prophets concerning the Jews, and that will be testimony sufficient.  
In six cases they prove (in the event) to be nothing, but only a sowing amongst thorns.  
1. When they are but external, not acted by any inward principles, the effects rather of art and parts then of the heart and grace: Shells, not kernels, tears of the eyes, but not tears of the heart, prayers of the lips, but not of the soul: Shadows and pageants of Repentance, seeming to be so to the eye of man, but not heart-workings which only are interpreted to be true and solid to the eye of God:  
The Swan in the Law was white in feathers yet reputed unclean and unmeet for sacrifice because the skin (under them) was black: Religious workings (you know) stand in God's account according to the quality of the workman; the heart of whom is all in all for acceptance or rejection; God reputes nothing done, which the heart doth not: Art may take man more than nature; but with God, the more art, the less acceptance: A painted Repentance (which is only external) will do ourselves and the Nation as much good as a painted sword, as a painted staff, and as painted Fire; That will not cut, this will not help, the other will not heat, no more will a merely external Repentance prevent any judgements or obtain any mercies.  
2. When they are but partial: A putting down of some sins, and a keeping up of other sins, will be as vain, as to cure the Palsy and yet to neglect the plague, or as to mend the pump and yet to neglect the leak; Iehu's Golden Calves made an end of him, though he made an end of Baal's Images and Priests; And so in the doing of good, it will come to nothing, though some good be done and yet the best good is neglected; The Pharisees did many acts of Righteousness, but lost them, and themselves, because they opposed and rejected Christ who was the chiefest and only Righteousness.  
There is (beloved) such a natural concatenation twixt all vices (and so there is amongst virtues) That they (in a formal working) ever include an universal hatred, or an universal love: No man can be interpreted good, who is at defiance with any known particular good, nor doth he cease to be wicked, who doth not hate and oppose every known evil: particular and exclusive actings in the one and in the other serve only to the disacceptance of the works, and to the greater condemnation of the persons.  
Though Imbecility shall never be any prejudice to our works, yet subtlety and partiality shall.  
3. When they are but circumstantial: though a multitude of lesser evils be crushed, if yet the greater are spared to survive, This Reformation will prove like saul's discretion with the Amalekites, 
Read, jer. 48. 10.  who spared the fattest and destroyed the poorest, but he lost the kingdom by it.  
Circumstantial reformations (I grant) are more easy and quick, but those which are most deep, are ever most safe: a Cloth will stop up the wound as soon (and perhaps sooner) then the plaster, but the plaster (which searcheth to the quick) heals much better: If the Tree be stark naught (and good for no service,) It is better to cut it down to the Root, then to hire men many days to out off the limbs.  
There are three great mischiefs in all circumstantial and slight acts. One is, The greatest causes of wrath are not met with.  
Note. A second is, in a short time all the plashed evils will (by a new influence from their roots) sprout up again.  
And the third is, That when these evils once feel their strength and regain their opportunity, they will become more evil and mischievous then ever: Histories and experiences witness enough of this Popery was hot in former King's times, but when it got out the bit by the death of Edward the sixth, it burst out with more burn and flaming cruelty in Queen Mary's days.  
4. When they are only Coactive: I mean such actings unto which there is little or no concurrence of a judicious and active will, but are rather the sparkles which are forced out by the collision of flints, elicited rather by the impressions of appearing and urging evils: like Pharahos Obedience which was forced out of judgements, and nothing else.  
Mariners in a storm are very pious, but then in a Calm turn as wicked as before: the jews in their straits were as pliable as could be desired, they would part with any thing, and do any thing for God, but when the Sun arose, this vain Cloud and dew were gone and scattered; If a Cloud of wrath be it which puts us on to be and to do good, a few beams 
Hosea 6. 4.  of temporal safety will find us flat, and strangers again; The Acts of men do spring sometimes from fear, and sometimes from love, those of fear may be more strong and stirring for the present, (like a flood which runs more violently than a River) but those of love are most acceptable and constant: voluntary acts though sometimes more slow, yet are at all times more successful: john (in the Gospel) ran faster than Peter, yet being at the Sepulchre, Peter went farther than john, john looks down, but Peter goes down, an Arrow flies swifter, and a man walks slower, yet a man may sooner walk to the mark then the Arrow can hit it; Sirs! No private or public work of Reformation will come to good, which is derived only from a fear of evil, and not from a love of good, when the circumstances of evil are of, the evil heart will show itself evil again.  
5. When they are hypocritical and vainglorious; done by ourselves, and for ourselves; It is a strange thing to observe how the spirits of men are balanced and mounted and keep parallel with the ends which they propound unto themselves! The Art and strength and length of our workings are ever moulded in our own aims and respects: One man acts for God, another acts for himself; the works of the one are blest and prosper, the attempts of the other quickly languish and are blasted; As vicious acts are under GOD'S curse, so vainglorious acts are out of his blessing: Sincerity, humble sincerity is that which gives life, finds acceptance, and is crowned with success.  
If a man in his religious performances of praying and fasting, and humbling of himself, should seek not God but himself, as the Pharisees did, his vain glory would purchase only the applause of men and rejection with God; all his works will be lost and come to nothing: Verily you have your reward said Christ: a poor reward to have breath for breath! And so in public attempts if you should not entirely seek God, His Glory, His Truth, His Worship, but yourselves, your work will never prosper, It will rest only on your own parts to act it, and on your own strength to consummate and perfect it, and what blessed issue can be expected where weak man is left alone to be the Author and finisher of great actions?  
6. Lastly, when they are fickle and inconstant; begun (perhaps) with some fervency, but then laid aside by as much tepidity: An aguish zeal, hot in attempting, but cold in effecting; One day to act like penitents, and the next day to live like sinners, one while humbling and praying, and after a while cursing and swearing: Sometimes offering all our service and strength for CHRIST and Religion, and 
See Hosea 6. 1, 4.  suddenly intent only to our own delights and ways, forgetting (like them who are much in compliments) all our zeal and professions: What a vanity will this prove? What harvest will ensue when the Husbandman will one hour sow an handful of seed, and a week after go home and do nothing?  
It is observed in Nature, that many remiss acts (which have no proportion to effects) and some strong acts soon remitted, will equally come to nothing: If there be to weak a strength in the root, or if all the strength shoots out at once, little or no fruit will follow: yet this deceit cleaves much to man's heart that it will either be constantly bad, or else inconstantly good: It hath some degrees of heat to begin, but wants that prudence of patiented endeavour and coming to finish and perfect: like him in the Gospel who began to build, but did not make an end: Whereupon results a vanity and successelesnesse to our works; the ripeness of which is betrayed many times more by our own remissness, then by others oppositions: they stick and die in the birth, because we continue not in our strength, to help and bring them forth.  
I see that the time and your wearied patience call upon me to hasten and finish: Give me leave to make some useful application of all this, and then I have done; the application shall be in this as in the former part a word.  
First, To all of us, and then,  
Secondly, To you of great employment and public service.   

1. To every one of us.  
Use 1 WE stand here (this day) before the Lord, and seem to do the work of a solemn Fastday: We confess Our sins, We pray, We humble ourselves, and profess that we will Repent, and reform, and obey the Lord! Here hath been much seed sown (prayers are seed, Tears are seed, Sermons are seed.)  
But if all this sowing should be but a sowing amongst thorns; if all this should be so managed by us, that our prayers, that our confessions, that our hear, that our resolvings should come to nothing, and prove nothing: If after once, twice, thrice, many humblings, we yet should not be humbled; if after all the changes which befall our times, our hearts yet should not be changed, but sins remain as strong, and judgements remain as near. If after all this, God should not be reconciled unto us, our transgressions should not be pardoned, judgements should not be withdrawn, mercies should not be sent down; what a bitter and sad thing would this be for a man to perish, though he prays, and to be destroyed though he fasts, and a Nation to be made a curse and an hissing, and a desolation, after it hath seemed to meet the Lord by solemn confessions and humiliations? To perish in the shows of repentance is a bitter perishing.  
It was a sad greeting which they found from Christ; Lord, say they, we have heard thee preaching in our Synagogues, we have eat and drunk in thy presence; yet saith Christ unto them, depart from me ye workers of iniquity, verily I know you not: So when we come to die, and then come to judgement, and say, Lord, we have heard thy Word, we have fasted, we have prayed, we have afflicted our bodies and souls; and yet Christ shall say, depart, I know you not, ye heard my Word indeed, but ye did not obey my Word; ye confessed your sins, but ye never forsook your sins, ye gave on towards a little good, but ye never became good, you professed obedience, but you never did care to walk in my ways, and therefore all that you have done shall never do you any good; would not this be a sad and heavy answer to our self-deluded souls?  
Nay, put the case, that now after all our fastings, the same judgement (or a worse) should befall us which befalls our poor Brethren in Ireland, that the sword should break forth among us, and all the unmerciful and sudden calamities of war should beleaguer us, that in a moment the Gospel should be banished, our liberties should be embondaged, our estates should be exhausted, our lands should be dispossessed, our houses should be burnt, our coffers should be ransacked, our bodies should be tortured, and our lives should be threatened; Good Lord! would we say, is all our fasting and humbling come to this? we looked for good, and not for evil, we looked for peace, and not for destruction; why? and the Lord might answer us, when did you fast to me, and when did you pray to me? Indeed you prayed against judgements, but you would never leave your sins, which (I told you often) would pull down judgements: you would have had mercies, but I could never persuade you to repent in good earnest; you would trust to vain thoughts of your own, you would never be humbled to purpose, you would sow among thorns, and see now what ye get by it.  
O Christian think seriously of these things! God hath called to England, once, again, often, a longer time, repent indeed, turn from your evil ways indeed, be upright and holy indeed, walk with me once at length in truth; judgements have called, warnings have called, consciences still call, dangers still call, fears still call, the Ministers of God (as the Prophets of old) still call, and cry, and beseech, and weep; turn yet unto the Lord, turn not feignedly, but with all your hearts, sow not among thorns; yet Lord! who believes our reports and calls? the Prophet is reputed a fool, and the Spiritual man mad, men will be sinful still, they will (perhaps one of ten thousand) be seemingly penitent; and the issue (I fear) will be this, the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, Isai. 1. 28. And while they be folden together as thorns, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry, Nahum 1. 10  
But Sirs let us yet be persuaded to repent, and to reform ourselves to purpose; if ever we purpose to repent, or would repent to purpose, this is the time; all within us, all without us, all abroad, all at home beg it at our hearts: O that God would work all his works in us, that our self-reforming work may begin, go on, hold out, and abound, that God may be reconciled to ourselves, and this sinful land.   

2. To you of public employment.  
MAny excellent works are fallen into your hands, some of them you have gone through with already, and more (we are persuaded) had received their seal, had not the excellency of your attempts raised against you, the enmity of manifold oppositions and contradictions; my humble and earnest entreaty of you, is only this, let not those remaining excellent works (if it be possible, so much as in you lies) for ever stick in the birth; let them not die in mere intentions or propositions, but strive to bring them unto their due and much desired perfection; you have begun some things,  

1. About erroneous Doctrines.  
2. Against superstitious practices.  
3. Against Idolatry, and seducing Priests and Jesuits.  
4. With notorious delinquents and offenders.  
5. Against scandalous Ministers and Innovations.  
6. For the settling of a faithful and laborious Ministry.  
7. For an honourable maintenance and encouragement of it; (O never let us stand to the courtesy of the vulgar!)  
8. For the easing of tender consciences.  
9 For the vindicating of the Lords day.  
10. For the settling of all distractions, and hopes of a Church-Reformation according to the Word of God, against which malice itself cannot justly open its mouth.  
11. For the succouring and relieving of poor and distressed Ireland: Hasten all that you can, lest it prove too late.   
Now God forbidden, that such works as these should ever fall to the ground, after so many years misery, after so many thousand prayers, after so many gracious overtures which you have made: let it not be said of you in these works, as he said of his own, Faciebam, non feci: he was doing of them, but they were never done. Take up your first thoughts, and engage your hearts and resolutions, and all your endeavours speedily and successfully to carry on (at least) this one work of all works, a solid Reformation: Believe me, it is the work which will bring a blessing upon all your other works: peruse that place well in Haggai 2. 18. Consider now (saith the Lord) from this day, even from the day that the foundation of the Lords Temple was laid, consider it. (vers. 19) from this day will I bless you. Now whereas Zerubbabel might reply, we would set to this work, but that we are afraid of warlike opposition; To this the Lord answers, in Verse 22. and 23. I will overthrow the Throne of Kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the Kingdoms of the Heathen; and I will overthrow the Charrets, and the Horses, and the Riders: And I will take thee Zerubbabel my servant, and I will make thee as a Signet, q. d. Look you to that work, and I will assuredly look to your persons and safeties.  
Now that you may effectually carry on all these great works (and especially that of Church-Reformation) so that all may be prosperous, and in the event come to something; make use of two 
Two Directions.  directions, which I humbly propound unto you.  
First strip yourselves of all the things which will weaken your hearts, and make your endeavours still slow and fruitless; therefore  
First put off your sins, or else they will put off your work: evil men are seldom apt for, or prove successful in good attempts: There is nothing which intricates our actions more than our sins, which do likewise ensnarle our souls; Enterprises set upon, either without God, or against God, are like arrows shot up aloft, which never do good, but many times do much hurt. It is affirmed only of the godly man, That whatsoever he doth, shall prosper, Psal. 1. 3.  
Secondly, you must put off irregular fears: 
Ecquid hoc infort●●i age, corpus quidem occidere po●unt, animam non possunt they were Z●inglius his last words.  you will never be exactly serviceable to God nor Religion, if you have any thing to lose: should such a man as I flee? said Nehemiah, Chap. 6. 11. guilty persons who are contriving against the foundations of a Church and State, they may well fear; their consciences may read terrors, and dangers, and losses to them. But persons royally 
Tibi adest nimia humilitas, said Luther to Stanpitius.  summoned, and piously employed for the right settling of a Church and Kingdom, as their attempts are above all contumely, so their hearts 
1 Pet 3. 13.  should be above all fancies and fears: If ye 
Poene securus spectator sum & 〈◊〉 minaces & scroces Papistas non hujus facio: si nos ruemus, ruet Christus unâ scilicet ille regnator mundi, said Luth. in lib. edit. 1549.  be followers of that which is good, who is he that will harm you. There can never be any true danger nor loss by being good, or by doing good in our callings. The King of Poland, when his servant Zelislaus lost his hand in his wars, sent him instead thereof a golden hand: you shall never expend your strength for God in vain, his service is good, and reward sure.  
Thirdly, you must put off favours: a public man as he should have nothing to lose, so he should have nothing to get: he should be above 
Olim didici quid sint munera, said a worthy man.  all price or sale: Truth and public good should only sway and command him; he hath too impotent a spirit, whose services (like the dial) must be set only by the Sun, who saith to advancement and respect, as Tiberius once answered justinus (though upon a better ground and end) Si tu volueris, Ego sum; Si tu non vis, ego non sum; I am only thy clay and wax. It was a brave commendation of Luther (though not intended by that Cardinal who spoke it) That Germane Beast cares not for gold. And Henry, afterwards Duke 
Anno. 1539.  of Saxony rather adventured the hopes of the Dukedom, than that he would be bound not to change and reform a corrupt Religion.  
Fourthly, you must put off prejudices: If the great work of Church-Reformation seems to any of you either fordid and contemptible, or hopeless and impossible, or needless and idle, or unseasonable and inconvenient; you will either be formal in attempts, or subtle to entangle, or professedly opposite to crush the work, and bring it to nothing; But yet Worthies of our Israel, know, that Reformation is  
An Honourable work: It is a work fit for a 
Honourable to you, and honourable to the Church, which the more pure it is, the more excellent it is.  God, fit for the greatest Monarches on earth; and the greatest Reformers in Religion have attained thereby to the greatest splendour and glory, as Hezekiah, jehosophat, josiah, King Edward, etc.  
A possible work: Though there be many knots, and blocks, and rubs, and alarms; yet do you unanimously and strenuously act, act and the work is done; possunt (said he) quia posse videntur: the Historians ascribe most of King Alexander's success to his courage, there was nothing he attempted, but he conceived it might be done. All works for God are both honourable and feasible: As Tertullian, in comparing the Resurrection with the Creation, said it was more easy reficere quam facere, to make up the body again, than simply to make it to be; that same holds true in this case, it is more easy to reform than to form a Church; as the work is easier to cure a diseased body, than to enliven a dead body.  
A needful work: A Reformation is needful when a Church is like to be poisoned with errors, or to be rend with contrariety of opinions, or is sick with manifold corruptions. This is our condition, and besides all this, we see great judgements hanging over us, which have befallen other Churches: were it not better to reform before judgements, than under them? who can tell but it may be an effectual means to prevent them?  
Lastly, it is a seasonable work: If you judge it a fit season for our Church to be humbled, assuredly than it is a fit season for it to be reform: that which puts us upon the one, directs us also to the other; but I pass on.  
Secondly, If you would carry on this work for good, than you must get into your hearts, and cherish in your thoughts all those things which will quicken you to the perfecting of such a work.  
First, you must labour to possess your hearts with those active, industrious, and unwearied graces of selfe-deniall, of ardent love of God, of inflamed zeal for his glory, and of sublime faith, which will raise your spirits above all difficulties and oppositions, above all clouds and seas: were men thus qualified, they would then count nothing too dear, or too much for God, but would most cheerfully spend and be spent for him, they would lend all their honours, places, gifts, abilities, all to the service of Christ.  
And secondly, you must cherish quickening thoughts: I will make bold to propound some unto you, only to add, at least, to what you have, and do know already.  
First, mind much the dignity of the work, and mind little the malignity of the opposers: when the Temple was to be rebuilt, you know what opposition Sanballat, and Tobiah, and others made, what accusations, what letters, what attempts, and devices against Zerubbabel and the rest; but they minded the work of the Temple the more, their eyes were upon God and his service: So when Luther began the Reformation in Germany, you read that the Pope and his Cardinals, and their curs presently opened their foul mouths, crying out, that he was (mendax, perfidus, apostata, tuba 
Vide Mel. Adam jam vita Lutheri pag. 144 145.  rebellionis, quod omnia quae de moliminibus Papae scripsisset, ficta erant & ementita etc.) a liar, perfidious, an Apostate, a trumpet of rebellion and sedition; and that all which he charged on the Pope, were but his own vain surmises and devices: yet Luther went on with the work, and maugre all contradiction, prevailed and prospered: The like we read in our own Chronicles, when King Edward set upon Reformation, what scorns, derisions, oppositions, sides, tumults encountered it by the Friars, and the Popish party; yet he kept on the work, and greatly prospered in it: the excellency of the work, and a consciousness of his duty, and confidence in God, made his Ark to swim upon all those raging waters.  
Secondly, mind your encouragements more, and all discouragements less: Tolle Coelum, & 
Christ did once die for sinners, but he ever reigns  truth: so Luth. in an Epistle to Melanchion.  nullus ero, said Empedocles once: Take away heaven, and I am no body; all serenity comes from above us, the damps rise from that which should be under our feet. Worthy Sirs, as the Prophet's chariots with him were more than the chariots of the adversaries against him, so I may say, there are more with you (being in God's work) than can be against you: In a good work you have a God commanding (as once to joshua, chap. 1. 9 
See judges 6. 12, 14.  Have not I commanded thee? be strong and of a good courage;) and a God protecting you (as in the same place, the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest,) and a God promising to bless 
Read Esay 41. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, etc.  and reward you: me thinks all this should lift up your hearts, and strengthen them much. I have read a story of one julius Pflugius, who had been employed by the Emperor, but was much wronged and injured by the Duke of Saxony, of which complaining, Caesar returned him this answer, have a little patience, Tua causa erit mea causa, thy cause and condition shall be mine own, and 
Causa ut sit magna, magnus est actor & author ejus, neque enim nostra est: Luth. Melan.  this was heartening enough; God saith the same to you, make you the same in livening use of it; weakness (said he in Sophocles) is strong enough if God will fight.  
Thirdly, mind the strength which you have by prayers, more than the words that are against you and evil minded men; the language of wicked men is but an empty breath, it may declare malice, but doth not assure us of power, but the language of prayer is a mighty & doing breath, it can shake Heaven and Earth; the prayer of one good man hath wrought wonders, it hath conquered God, and Men, and Devils: wicked adversaries may set men to work, but prayer sets a God to work. And you (Right Honourable) you have millions of prayers almost every day sent up to Heaven for you: It cannot be, said Saint Ambrose to Monica, that a child of so many tears and prayers should perish; so say I, it cannot be, that such Worthies, who are every day compassed about with so many prayers, should miscarry; you have the prayers of three Kingdoms for you, and I am persuaded also, the prayers of all the people of God throughout the whole world.  
Fourthly, mind the excellency of the issue, and not the difficulty of the progress: We say in Philosophy that Finis dat amabilitatem & virtutem; the end maketh the work amiable, and gives strength to the workman. This I observe, that great and choice services are more difficult when they are in agitation, than when they are in action, more when we are contriving of them, than when we are doing them; but though they be difficult to be wrought, yet when they are finished they are glorious and excellent: The Temple was long in building, but when it was finished, there was not the like in all the world, for it was filled with the glory of the Lord from the Mercy-Seat. O what a glory unto our good God, what a beauty to our Church, what an honour to our Nation, what a satisfaction to all pious hearts, what a safety to this Land, what an influence to all the Churches of Christ will this Reformation prove if it could be once effectually wrought by God's blessing and your successful endeavours.  
FINIS.