An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

So then this ploughing noteth two things chiefly; First, the pains and labour which wicked men take in sinful courses, every one that sins doth not plough sin, or is not a worker (which is an equivalent phrase) of iniquity. Secondly, it implies the black Art and hellish skill of wicked men in sinning. To plough is a skill, & so is some kind of sinning (though to sin in general, be as natural as to see, and needs as little teaching as the ear to hear (some men (•s we may say) are bunglers in sinning, others are their crafts-masters at this plough, and can lay a furrow of iniquity so strait, do an act of filthiness so cleanly, that you can hardly see any thing amiss in it; Those words in the New Testament, To commit sin, to work iniquity, an abomination, or a lye, Rev. 21. 27. &c. are answerable to this in the Old Testament, a plougher of iniquity.

So then this ploughing noteth two things chiefly; First, the pains and labour which wicked men take in sinfull courses, every one that sinnes doth not plough sinne, or is not a worker (which is an equivalent phrase) of iniquity. Secondly, it implyes the black Art and hellish skill of wicked men in sinning. To plough is a skill, & so is some kinde of sinning (though to sin in generall, be as naturall as to see, and needs as little teaching as the eare to heare (some men (•s we may say) are bunglers in sinning, others are their crafts-masters at this plough, and can lay a furrow of iniquity so strait, do an act of filthinesse so cleanly, that you can hardly see any thing amisse in it; Those words in the New Testament, To commit sinne, to worke iniquity, an abomination, or a lye, Rev. 21. 27. &c. are answerable to this in the Old Testament, a plougher of iniquity.

And some translate this Text so; the vulgar reads it thus, They ¹who work iniquity; all which expressions set forth and elegantly describe such, who sin resolvedly, industriously, cunningly, curiously, such as have the art (and will spare no pains) to do wickedly. These have served an apprenticeship to their lusts, and are now as Freemen of Hell, yet still Satan's Drudges, and active Engineers to plot and execute what God abhors.