what hath made England so rich What but this The Lord hath given England rest and the inhabitants have been as fixed nayls in a sure place To apply this shortly Is a fixed and setled condition such a sweet blessing And is it so grievous to be driven from our habitations Then Let us sympathize with our brethren the poor servants of God that in Germany Ireland and in the North and West of England are plucked out of their pleasant places and now are tossed as a ball from place to place and with Noahs Dove cannot find rest for the sole of their foot Alas Alas for our poore brethren the deare servants of God! What miseries do they endure They wander up and down in the desert out of the way and they find no dwelling place hungry and thirsty and their soul faints within them Or as Job They flee into the wildernesse desolate and waste they cut up mallows by the bushes and juniper roots for their meat the springs and fountains if at least they can meet with any are to quench their thirst Oh let our bowels be troubled for them Let 's relieve them to our power and let us pray for them earnestly and incessantly that the Lord would bring home his banished again and restore them to their country and to their habitation and settle them as a naile in a sure place And for our selves learn we to esteem and prize our own happinesse in these associated Counties We sit every man under his Vine and under his Fig-tree and none makes us afraid We enjoy peace and plentie and libertie and proprietie and friends and all in our own Land where we were born And above all we have the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the Gospell and the Service of God and the promises and the Communion of the faithfull Oh let us praise the Lord for his goodnesse Let us walk answerable to so great mercies let us make use of our standing and improve all our advantages to the glory of our bountifull God and let us pray unto the Lord incessantly to fasten us still as a nayl in a sure place The fourth and last particular now presents it self to your view viz. The end and use of this nayl Erit in solium gloriae He shal be for a glorious throne to his Fathers house And concerning this many things might be spoken but because I have held you too long already I shall only commend unto you in a word this Observation To what end we are fastened in our places Let Magistrates Ministers and every one here present duly consider wherefore they serve namely to bear burdens for the honour of God and for the glory of their Countrie and Citie and fathers house Joseph made his fathers house glorious he enriched it with the wealth with the treasures of Aegypt and made it famous and renowned through all the world as it is to this day Our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ who is the Nayl spoken of Zach. 10. 4. He is the glory of his fathers house even of the people Israel I speak first to the chief Magistrate and then to every one in his place Know that you ought not to be for your base private ends for your own honour and wealth but you must be men of publique spirits you must be for the good and for the glory of your Citie and your Countrie of the Church and Common-wealth You must endevour the publique good before your own You must be content to bear any load of pains or charge to procure the wealth and prosperity of the Kingdom that the reformation may be perfected true Religion established Popery superstition and the proud tyrannicall Hierarchy may be utterly extirpated the rights and priviledges of Parliement and the liberties of the Kingdom preserved That the Kings person and authority in the preservation of true Religion may be defended that the peace of the Kingdoms may be continued that delinquents may be brought to condigne punishment that England may be made a sure place a happie Nation a famous Kingdom Know that you are set for a throne of glory Be all of you for the honour of your Citie for the glory of Norwich Make it famous and happie this year Mind not your own things but the publique benefit The devise of Alphonsus King of Arragon was this A Pellican pecking her brest and drawing out blood wherewith to feed her young the word Pro lege pro grege So should every good Magistrate not count his blood dear for the welfare of the people The Motto of Aelius Adrianus the Emperour was Non mihi sed populo A man set in authority should not be for himself for his own profit or ease but all for advancing the common good Abate of your excesse make lesse and fewer feasts and do more good for the publique Lay lesse upon your backs and do more for the publique I know what people are ready to say for themselves That if Mayors and Sheriffes shall not make as great feasts at Sessions and other times as others before them they should be disgraceed and talked on all the Town over they should be counted covetous and miserable and people would say they knew not what doth belong to their office and it would be a dishonour to the Citie Alas alas my beloved Is it for the honour of your Citie to have Sodoms Character That pride fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse is in her Gentlemen if any shall jeer you for not feasting as your predecessours as if you knew not what belongs to your places Answer them as once Themistocles did who being at a sumptuons feast and not singing with the rest of the jovial company and meeting with some checks for his silence he said unto them I confess I have not learned to sing to the pipe at feasts but I have learned rempublicam ex parva magnam facere to raise a Common-wealth from a poor estate to a flourishing condition So do you answer all the world You have not learned to squander away vast sums of money in rich clothing sumptuous and excessive feasts but you have learned to lay out your money better and to part with your estate freely even to the utmost farthing for the publick safety and good I beseech you be for a throne of glory be all for the honor of your City and Country Usually you shal hear men boast much of their Country City Progenitors and they brag that they were born in such a famous place or that they are descended of such illustrious ancestors as if that were such egregious and singular nobility which consists in the vertues and noble acts of their forefathers Such cracks as these the Poet rightly reprehendeth and jerks Stemmata quid faciunt c. What is it to thee if thy progenitors were Noble Heroicall Vertuous If thou in the mean time be un-deserving unworthy and base Let me therefore tel you
He hath the best nobility and deserves the greatest praise that first makes his fathers house glorious that first begins a noble family Be it your care to make your City your Country your familys and your fathers houses noble and glorious I have observed it to be an ancient custom in this City upon the day of your solemnity to present the new elect with some speeches and withall with escouchions or shields and in them some divises which hang all the year in his parlour to hint and remember him of his duty I have prepared you one out of my Text against to morrow and with my speech I present it to you out of the pulpit It 's a very plain one as you see and not much charged You see here the pillar in the middle hath many nails fastned in it and every nail beareth somewhat upon some hanggarments upon others the ensigns of your Authority upon others vessels of gold and silver and iron and brass and earth and wood and all instruments of musick This is your monitor You must bear up all honest persons and all just causes You must bear even til you break again and lay out all your power and strength for the glory of God the honor and safety of the City and Kingdom the good of the Church the advancement of Religion and the pure worship of God And thus going on the Lord wil establish you as a nail in a sure place And hereafter you shal be set higher Ere long every nail shal be plucked out and laid before the great Master of the assemblies at the great and dreadful day of judgment Then wil the Judg of all the world take a strict view of all the nails that ever he fastned in any place And the great question at that severe day of examination shal be what service have you done What burdens have you born in the Church and Common-wealth Then shal the empty rusty and unprofitable nails be put into the bag and thrown down int◠the pit of hell But such as have been useful and have born the burden and heat of the day and done good and acceptable service in their places they shal be advanced and set up higher they shal be fastned in the wall of the new-Jerusalem the holy City be overlaid with pure gold and set with precious pearls and shine in glory for evermore Now the Lord God the great Master of the assemblies make every one of us more profitable and serviceable in our places and stations Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PSAL. 84. 4. Blessed are they that dwel in thy house they wil be stil praising thee Selah REVEL 2. 10. Be thou faithful unto the death and I wil give thee a Crown of life The VVheel turned by a voice from the throne of GLORY Described in a SERMON At the Green-yard in NORWICH upon the Guild-day Iune 22. 1647. By JOHN CARTER Pastor of St. Peters of MANCROFT LONDON Printed by J. Macock for M. Spark and are to be sold at the sign of the blue Bible in Green-Arbour 1647 TO THE Right VVorshipfull Mr. John Vtting Maior of the City of Norwich IOHN CARTER Humbly Dedicates this poore and unworthy piece and as he preached the Sermon at his request so now he presents it to him for his use with apprecation of all Grace honour happinesse and good successe in his Government 1 SAM 2. 30. Them that honour mee I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed To those Magistrates in the City of Norwich who were so highly offended and exasperated at this Sermon Galath 4. 16. Am J therefore become your enemy because J tell you the truth THE WHEEL EZEK 10. 13. As for the wheels it was cryed unto them in my hearing O Wheel THis is a voice your ears can tel you so much yea and that a mighty voice a great cry Concerning it here are three things remarkable the parts of the text 1. They word which was cryed O Wheel 2. To whom the word was cryed to the wheels as for the wheels it was cryed to them 3. The witness in whose presence the word was cryed in my hearing These are the parts and particulars of the text I wil not fall upon them presently I shal lay them aside a while and according to my plain and usual way I wil dispatch 3. things 1. I wil speak something of the sence and meaning of the text 2. I wil give you the sum and substance of all in one general proposition of Doctrine to which I shal make some general application 3. And then in the third place I wil return to the parts of the text and handle them I wil search the particulars more narrowly for such observations and instructions as may be of further use and then I wil conclude all with special application to the time place persons and present occasion I am to speak you see of Wheels and of a wheel my discourse is like to run all the way upon wheels Now the good spirit of God be upon us all that we may drive prosperously and all our motions may turn to the glory of God the edification and comfort of all our poor souls Amen 1. And first I am to expound and open the text As for the Wheels When Ezekiel was among the Captives in the Land of the Caldeans by the River Chebar walking up and down by the waters of Babylon he saw broad-waking a glorious vision wherein the Lord shewed to him the things which were shortly after to come to pass And as Pharaohs dreams when he was asleep so Ezekiels Visions when he was awake were doubled because the thing was established and God hasted to perform it He first sees the Vision by the River Chebar Chap. 1. He sees it again with some considerable alterations additions and amplifications in this 10. Chapter To represent and set before your eyes the whole Vision and exactly to describe every part every apparition every wonderful and dreadful sight which our Prophet beheld would take up more time and require more skil then falls to my share I shal therefore only point to a few of the most general and most remarkable things which may serve to give some light to the text and to let in the Doctrine To our purpose He saw in the firmament which was clear as the terrible chrystal viz. above the starry heavens he saw a glorious throne as it were a Saphire-stone and upon the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man the son of God sate above it Chap. 1. v. 26. Under his feet there were four living creatures so they were called in his first vision Chap. 1. 5. here in this 10. is an interpretation they are called Cherubins they had faces wings hands and feet Below by the feet of these Cherubins were wheels four wheels in all according to the number of the living creatures These wheels were dreadful to behold by reason of their
not one stone left upon another There 's one dayes difference saith Sencca upon occasion of the burning of a stately City betwixt the greatest City and none What should I speak of Families A few descents makes them ancient and a century or two of years wears them quite out they are like Jona's Gourd flourish for an evening and in the morning smitten withered forgotten their names and stems worn out One generation passeth another cometh none stayeth Upon this Theater of the earth how doth man act his part how neer is his exit to his entrance Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he â—leeth also as a shaddow and never continueth in one stay now he is rich presently poore now in health presently sick now he is alive and in a moment he is gone down to the grave This mutability of all Mundane things the ancient Heathens were sensible of and did signifie by the name and posture of their Goddesse Fortune She was called Vortuna à Vorto from turning and she was pictured sitting upon a wheel to shew what her chief work was viz. Ima summis summa imis commiscere to bring in vicissitudes of all things to raise a man to the top of honour riches happinesse and then to turn him down again to the bottom of infamy poverty misery The whole world what is it but a Sphere It consists ex stante moto centro scilicet circumferentia of fixed and moved viz. of center and circumference The earth is fixed and standeth fast and all other things move and turn round about it as a circle or the ring of a wheel which whirles about continually that which is first is last and that which is last is first and nothing abides at a stay all things are unstable and voluble To make some application of this to our selves And first Are all things in the world but as so many wheeles so many rolling things Let the consideration of this serve to take down the pride of the great men of the world Let not the rich man glory in his riches nor the mighty man in his strength nor the honourable man in his dignity and preferment Why because of the instability of all things Rota erigendo cadit The wheel whilest it lifts up it self it falls And he that 's highest of all now may in a little space be low euough Proud Nebuchadnezzar walks upon the battlements of the stately Palace of his Kingdom and said Is not this great Babel that I have built for the honour of my Majesty But while the word was in the Kings mouth there fell a voice from heaven which cryed O Wheel Oh King Nebuchadnezzar to thee it is spoken Thy Kingdom is departed from thee And he was presently brought low enough to dwell with the beasts of the field to eat grasse with the oxen and to be wet with the dew of heaven Fortunate Belisarius the great Lord Generall under Justinian He was honored and feared of all nations Victorious in all his expeditions such a favorite of the Emperor that in his Coin was stamped on the one side Justinian on the other side Belisarius and over Belisarius the Emperor put this inscriptione Romanorum decus The Romans glory So great a man so triumphing upon the top of the wheel through envy which ever follows vertue and eminency was quickly brought to the lowest his eys put out and he compelled to beg his bread in the temple of Sophia day by day and this was his form of prayer Panem Belisario date quem virtus extulit in vidia oppressit Give a piece of bread to Belisarius whom vertue advanced envy oppressed Thou therefore that with Capernaum art even lift up to heaven be not insolent thou knowest not how soon thou mayst be brought down to hel Exalt not thy self over proudly above thy brethren I meet with an ancient story it commonly goeth along with Ezekiels wheels I wil give it you shortly and leave it to your selves to apply Sesostris King of Aegypt a potent and victorious Prince when he rid in triumph he compelled four conquered Kings to draw his golden Chariot which they did patiently because they could not avoid it One of the four kings that drew cast his eye continually upon the Chariot wheel and being demanded the reason by Sesostris he made answer I see in this wheel the mutability of all worldly things That part of the wheel which is neerest heaven is presently upon the earth This made such an impression in Sesostris that he would never afterwards suffer his Chariot to be drawn by Kings nor yet by men but carryed himself more humbly and gently The application is easy as I said at first and therefore I leave it to you I think within these few years we have seen amazing changes in the Crown in the Mitre in the Army in the Church in the State and in the City Let me speak on a little further and make a second Use Are all things in this world but turning wheels Instable and rouling Then set not your heart on any thing here below This I say brethren It remaineth that they that have wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it because the fashion of this world passeth away Where the world is compared to a ghost or apparation that appears and soon vanisheth or to a shew upon a stage there 's a great pomp every one acts their part and on the suddain the play is done ther 's and end of all Set not your heart on that which is transitory not on the turning wheel but upon him that moves the wheel namely upon God God made all things changeable saith Augustine that we might rest on him only and in him who is unchangeable immutable He is the father of lights with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning Therefore is it rightly said that God is mans proper place wherein he ought to rest as in his center and end All things which are made have their certain place and term God created the heaven and filled it with Angels he created the earth and filled it with beasts and plants and creeping things he created the sea and filled it with fishes he created the aire and filled it with flying fouls What proper place is now left for man Or what wil God now give unto man wherein he may rest All other places are taken up and ful already Therefore when there was nothing else left to give to man God gave himself to man God himself would be mans inheritance and resting place All other places are restless and ful of change only God is immutable and changeth not I said says
ye do for ye judg not for man but for the Lord. I pray cast your eyes upon the Lords Throne Dan. 7. 9. The ancient of days did sit his throne was like a fiery flame and his wheels as burning fire Gods Throne moves upon Wheels What 's the meaning of that It signifieth to us that God is the great King and Judg of all the world he sits above and by his powerful providence governeth and judgeth all things But how not immediately he carryeth on his judgment by wheels those wheels below the Throne are Kings and Judges of the earth by them God acts and executeth his judgments O Magistrates remember you are the wheels of Gods Throne Oh that these wheels were as burning fire that they would consume the wicked like dross that their light might shine before men that they would be hot zealous for God that they would move swiftly turn with facility count it a joy to do judgment O si O utinam would to God our Magistrates were all such Finally I come yet more close to the work of the day and in the last place I shal crave leave to speak the word to a particular wheel the greatest of the wheels the chief Magistrate new elected I have observed of late years the Preacher commonly hath directed his speech personally to the New-Elect and given him a charge or rather a word of Exhortation I shal follow former Presidents and so much the rather because the chief Magistrate to whom I am to speak lives under my charge and also because my Text calls me to call particularly O Wheel I will endeavor to dispatch all in a few particulars O Wheel drive prosperously Be not offended that I set the Wheel a going to day I hope it will turn the better all the year after And first O Wheel it is with you this day as it was with the Wheel under my hand Chap. 1. 19. it was listed up from the earth and so are you lifted up above your brethren Remember who it is that hath advanced you even the Son of God that sits upon the Throne of Glory For promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South but GOD is the Judg he putteth down one and setteth up another Psa 75. 6 7. Be not impatient then under the great burden of Government that is fallen upon your shoulders at your election it was the Lord that turned all the wheels and he serued you up into this place of honor do you submit to this dispensation be thankful and move swiftly and zealously for that God who hath lift you up be a wheel of burning fire O Wheel be round be round Totus teres atque rotundus a round is the embleme of perfection as being every where equal and like it self it is the fittest figure for motion and the most capacious The Sphaeres are round the lights of heaven are round the heads of beasts indeed are long and square and corner'd but the heads of men are round and the wheels of Gods Chariot and Throne ought to be round away away with all unevenness with all corners every sin is as a corner or a knob that will hinder the pleasant turning of the Wheel be round O Wheel be round be perfect as your heavenly Faaher is perfect O Wheel move and turn as my wheel doth here that is in the Temple The care of Religion lieth upon the Magistrate therefore honor God with your authority O Wheel with all your weight turn over Idolaters Hereticks Blasphemers Schismaticks Sabbath-breakers suppress them and make much of them that fear the Lord. Promote to your utmost power the service and worship of God see that Gods poor be provided for and that Gods faithful Ministers may have countenance and maintenance O Wheel O Wheel never leave turning and turn all wheels to bring more faithful and able Ministers into the City Oh it 's a sad thing that there should be 36. Parishes within the Walls and I think above half of them have no Ministers at all and many of the rest have such Ministers as they had as good have none perhaps better Oh Wheel put on to settle Church-government to settle the Union of Parishes to procure Pastors for every stock to see the Sabbaths of the Lord sanctified Honor God for those that honor him he will honor O Wheel lift up God lift up Christ into his Throne and the Lord will lift you up higher O Wheel Be well shod be couragious how can the Wheel move long without shattring except it have a good strake Fortitude it is the strake of Gods Wheel You are now Gods special instrument by which he doth his work of Justice and Government go on boldly fear not the frown of any regard not the favor of any In the name of God move with your own proper motion I do not mean according to the dictate of carnal reason neither that you should consult with flesh and blood but that motion which the Law of God commands and the Spirit of God suggests that 's your proper motion O Wheel let not any hand turn you the wrong way V. 10. it 's said there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rota in medio rotae a wheel in a wheel a lesser wheel within that turns the greater wheel as it pleaseth and hath it not been so amongst our wheels Hath not this been a common word whosoever be New-elect we know who will be Maior O Wheel move with your proper motion and fear not the Lord wil be with you as he was with Joshua He will not fail you nor forsake you only be thou strong and very couragious that thou mayst observe to do according to all the Law which God hath commanded thee turn not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayst prosper whithersoever thou goest O Wheel move constantly this is the description of the wheels Chap. 1. 17. When they went they went upon their four sides and they returned not when they went O Wheel run on in a good way and return not commonly the motion of a Wheel is slow at first and by degrees swifter and swifter be you so more and more active and zealous for the advancement of Gods glory and the publick good grow better and better in your office let your works be like the works of that Angel in the Revelation more at the last then at the first Oh what hopes have we had of many Magistrates at their first coming on in the beginning of their office how have the wheels ratled how nimbly have they turned how forward and active have they been in reforming abuses and doing for the good of the City but before their year hath come out yea in a little time all our hopes have come to nothing the wheels have flagged in their motion or turned the wrong way Amphora coepit Institui currente rota cur uâ—ceuâ— exit
answers of young Mrs. Philip Hobarte and the rest I could not but think thus with my self This day is that Prophesy fulfilled in mine eares I wil powre out of my spirit uppon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shal Prophesy and your young men shal see Visions and on my servants and on my hand-maids wil I pour out of my spirit and they shal Prophesy Madam Wil not your honor be offended if I show my folly and boast a little to the world You are my glory my Crown and my rejoycing the comfortable Harvest and precious Seal of my Ministry And this is discerned by others as wel as by my self Your paralel is not to be found or at the least scarcely was ever any Christian seen who did thrive and grow so fast in Grace as your Honor hath done especially of late years Now if either your Honor or any others that shal cast their eye on these my free expressions and think me indiscreet in writing thus to your Honor I Apologize for my self in the words of Christ when he prayed vocally and loud at Lazarus his grave Not for your sake Madam but because of the people which stand by I said it I propound a pattern to other Christians and other families and my sole aim is the glory of God and the provoking of many to a holy emulation The God of heaven and earth the God of my father bless your Honor and your noble and hopeful daughter I beg for you the upper and the nether springs The God of all Grace perfect all Grace in you be filled with the Spirit with inward peace and joy of the Holy Ghost Be the Lords darling Beleeve me Gracious Lady The tongue shal cleave to the roof of my mouth and my right hand shal forgets its skil before I shal cease to bear your Honors name at my heart and to present it unto the Lord as often as I appear at the throne of Grace Be sure Madam I am Your Honors most humbly Devoted servant for ever Thankful for your Superlative favour bounty and care And As under God your Honor raised me from the grave So if I can beleeve mine own heart I am your Honors faithful Pastor who if God should call him to it would willingly lay down his life to establish your Ladiship in the truth and grace of Jesus Christ and to further your eternal Salvation IOHN CARTER To The whole World O WORLD THou seest what Contradiction these poor weak Sermons have met withall how they have been and are accused of falshood envy malice peevishness that the Magistrates are slandered in them and very lies uttered in the face of City and Country I am necessitated to appeal to God and the World O World I hold forth unto thy view faithfully all that was spoken nothing omitted I call unto thee to be my true and impartial witness and let the God of Truth be Judg THE Nail hit on the head AND Driven into the City and Cathedral Wall of NORWICH By JOHN CARTER Pastor of Great St. PETERS in that City At the Greenyard June 17. 1644. Being a preparative to the Guyle-Solemnity the day following EZRA 9. 8. Grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God to leave us a remnant to escape and to give us a nail in his holy place THE NAIL ESA. 22. 23. And I wil fasten him a nail in a sure place and he shal be for a glorious throne to his fathers house THe business of this Text is nothing else but the driving and fastning of a nail Wherein 1. The Master-worker who it is that fastens the nail I. 2. The nail that 's fasten'd what or who is that Him 3. Vbi Where is this nail fasten'd in loco fideli in a sure place 4. The end use and benefit of this nail so fastned He shal be for a glorious throne to his fathers house These are the parts and particulars of the Text. But I wil not tye my self strictly and punctually to these or at least I wil not fall upon them presently but according to my plain and usual way I shal concerning this Text dispatch these things 1. I wil speak something of the sense and meaning of the words 2. I wil give you the sum and substance of the whole verse in one general proposition of doctrine to which also I shal make some general applycation 3. And then in the third place I wil look over the particulars I wil search and examine them for such observations and instructions as may be for our profit and use besides the main and general doctrine Of these in their order And the Lord be with us Amen 1. The Exposition And I and who is that it is as Solomon calls him the Master of the Assemblies that fastens the nail in the 15. verse of this Chapter he is called the Lord of Hosts Wil fasten HIM Him this is the nail to be fastned a living nayl You have his name and also his Character shortly v. 20. Eliakim so was his name the servant of the Lord that 's his Character He was a Courtier a great man a holy man a good Patriot faithful to his King to his Country to Religion and Reformation all which appears plainly by the current of this place and also by other passages of sacred Scripture And I wil fasten him as a Nail a nail is a pin or peg For the matter some are made of brass some of iron some of wood A nail is fastned when it 's knocked beaten and driven into a wall beam post or pillar The use of such a nail orpeg or spirkit is to hang thingsout of hand and such things especially as we would have ready for our use as garments vessels pots instruments of musick and the like Such things as otherwise would ly scattered about the house and be subject to miscarry Metaphorically to fasten a man as a nail is to confirm and establish him in some place or office in the Church or Common-wealth and to make him useful and profitable for the Publique good Here the Kingdom of Juda is compared to a wall or post Eliakim to a nail and the Lord fastens him in the Kingdom that is puts him in place and office and confirms him in it Q. But what place what office was he settled in that must be known A. I answer There was another nail pul'd out and he was put in in the room The other nail viz. his predecessor was Shebna he was deprived and Eliakim substituted in his room therefore let 's enquire what place Shebna was in and then all wil be clear Some of the Hebrew Doctors and learned Hierom with them conceive that Shebna was the high-priest Lyra Sanchez Lapide Pintus Tirinus and most of the Popish-writers are of the same opinion Their arguments are principally †First the authority of the old-Vulgar-latine translation of the 15. verse which with them is authentick Vade ad Sobnam praepositum
dis-regarded Ad populum phaleras Magistracy is expensive and if you offer to hang these heavy costs and charges on weak nails they wil quickly break and then you must take them down and keep them in the City purse Yet further to their strength and ability it 's requisite that they be fixed wel driven and fastned Magistrates must be resolved immoveable and couragious not sickle and inconstant turned about with every wind they must be wel setled in Religion inflexible resolute in a good cause I have seen some nails and pegs screwed into the wall and so long as they are not stirred you may hang what you wil on them but if any man come with a strong hand he may easily wind and unscrue them and then they soon grow loose and off slips all the burden they were entrusted withall and so I have seen many in authority carry things very fair in Church and Common-wealth very right they are as long as they are suffer'd to stand quietly but alas if the hand of greatness do but touch them with the violence of a threatning or the strength of fair promises of reward honor and preferment it wil easily turn and serue them any way and make them to betray Church and Common-wealth Religion and Liberty and whatever is precious Be sure therefore to chuse nails steeled with Christian resolution such as wil stand against all assaults fixed steady and immoveable like to that Rom. in Fabritius of whom it was said that one might as wel stay the motion of the sun in the firmament as to put him out of his way Have your thoughts ever upon such make choice of strong nails stout and able for understanding wisdom wit strength estate courage and resolution Able men 2. You must provide bright and shining nails not of base iron or wood but of pure gold wel burnished Such and only such would Solomon make use of in the Sanctuary Ever chuse such as shine and glister with piety and holiness men fearing God Be wise ye Kings saith David be learned ye Judges of the earth there 's strength and abilities required but that 's not all you must also serve the Lord with fear There is nothing more destructive and dangerous to Church Commonwealth then eminent abilitys unsanctified You shal oft observe great stout rusty rugged-iron nails to rent and tear and fret and change the colour of whatsoever is hanged upon them just so wicked men of eminent parts and great power do bear up a deal of mischief and by their countenance and example do taint and stain and corrupt all the inferior people As therefore David chose smooth stones to encounter the Philistin withall So do you chuse smooth nails to strike through the temples of Sisera nails of pure gold filed from their rust and ruggedness shining bright with piety and holiness provide such for the punishment of evil doers and faithfully to bear the affairs of the Church City and Common-wealth 3. You must provide right straight and sound nails Men of truth that is just men so the Septuagint Truth and justice are so neer allyed that ordinarily one is put for the other seek out for such as follow after justice such as hate all violence and wrong and flee from all kind of injustice Such as cover themselves with justice and put on judgment as a robe and diadem Job 29. 14. Provide men of truth Clear from all hypocrisy There are a company of guilded nails fairly guilded over but within rusty and rotten they are too-too many who are glorious in outward profession in outward appearance lovers of justice truth and godliness but within they are ful of guile and deceipt very hypocrites Look wel about you or else you may be couzen'd by the outward appearance Pick out right straight and sound nails true Nathaniels Israelites indeed such as in whom is no guile 4. You must look at nails elevated The nails which ly scattered on the ground are not in a fit posture to bear burdens No No but only such as are fastned aloft in the top of the wal or pillar Neither are such men fit for Magistracy whose thoughts lye groveling on the base earth who mind the world and therefore must you chuse men hating Covetousness The covetous man for a gift wil wrest judgment respect persons sel justice bear up all vice and punish innocence it self The nail that 's sit to bear burdens must be elevated the head and body slanting upwards a man fit to bear office must have a mind above earth a heart not greedy of filthy lucre if the head of the nail bend downward the scales of justice wil never hang sure upon it but slip off immediatly Now therefore my beloved brethren You that vote in elections be nice curious circumspect in the choice of nails let them be strong and able let them have heads and points let them be bright and shining let them be right and straight and let them be such as have their heads and hearts to heavenward Amongst the Romans there was superstitious observation of the Nail When the Common-wealth was in danger or opprest with great evils and calamities then did the Dictator fasten a great nail of iron or brass in the wall of the Capitol with marvailous solemnity And the fastning of such a nail was esteemed a present remedy against all mischiefs and a charm against the plague And so conceited they were of this way that oftentime a Dictator was created Solius figendi clavi causa only to knock in a nail thereby to save the City What reasons the ancient Romans had for this their custom or what experience of the success thereof I cannot give an account but I cannot miss of application You see how many evils are upon us how great our dangers would you remove all these Would you have the Church and Kingdom and City flourish again Then fasten good nails within your walls chuse and establish able and godly Magistrates that 's a good and ready way to free us of all our plagues I have done with Electors 2 I am next to speak a word of exhortation to Subjects such as live under Authority And here I am to admonish them of some duties which they owe to good Magistrates These 1. They must honor them Fear God saith St. Peter and Honor the King They are nails and God hath placed them aloft in the highest place of the wall he hath embossed them with honor and Authority he hath put his own name upon them I have said you are Gods and all of you are Children of the most high Psal 82. 6. They bear a great burden for your sakes on Eliakim hangs the weight and welfare of Israel Give therefore to all their due Honor to whom honor belongs Look upwards to those nails with admiration and reverence 2. They must preserve and cherish them Hath God fastened in the Church and Common-wealth good profitable and serviceable
doom upon all such rotten nails and upon all that hang upon them Even the sentence upon Shebna ver 25. In that day saith the Lord of hosts shal the nail that is fastned in the sure place be removed and be cut down and fall and the burden that was upon it shal be cut off for the Lord hath spoken it Therefore my beloved I say again if you love your own safety hang upon the right nail Here 's a pattern for all such as he in Authority The Lord displaceth rotten and unprofitable nails and sets up good and useful ones in their room let them do so I have already discovered unto you abundance of base nails both in the City and Church-wall Corrupt Magistrates Masters of misrule blind dumbe useless scandalous covetous drunken debauched Ministers such as do no good but a world of mischief in their places Now give me leave to speak freely to you that are Magistrates I cannot but say to you as the son of God once to the Angel of Thyatira I have a few things against thee that thou sufferest the Woman Jezabel which calleth her self a Prophetess to teach and to deceive my servants to make them commit fornication The same to our Rulers you have suffered Malignants and loose Magistrates scandalous and superstitious and factious and error-teaching Ministers verily this is a great fault amongst you At last awake and be followers of God Use your power to pluck out depose and remove these rotten and useless nails and set more comely and serviceable ones in their room Be unto those pests and plagues of our City and Country like Jael's nail Smite through their temples and fasten them to the ground mistake me not I call not upon you to take away their lives but to bring them lower and restrain their power and dispose of thier places better Let your word be of every place in Church and Common-wealth and concerning every preferment Detur digniori Follow the Counsel and decree of the wise men of King Ahasuerus Ester 1. 19. Let their royal estate be taken away from them and give it unto others that are better then they There are none but good Nails of Gods fastning The 3. Particular follows viz the Vbi where this nail is fastned in loco sideli in a sure place that is I wil establish him he shal stand sure he shal not be plucked out nor removed He shal keep his station and never be removed and this is promised as a blessing to Eliakim And affords us this observation that to dwel safely and sure in a fixed habitation and setled condition is a very great and a very sweet blessing It was Shebnas curse and punishment that he should be violently turned and tossed like a ball into a large Country as it is v. 18. His condition shal be like a tennis ball struck with the hands of them that play from side to side and from end to end and at every bandy a hazard or like about which is thrown in the alley or in a plain or steep place down-hill and then it runs and runs and rests not til another hand takes it and throws it back again Or like the stone of Silyphus rolling up-hill and down-hill continually such was the condition of Shebna This the Lord threatned as a curse against Israel that he would smite them as a reed shaken in the water that he would root them out of the good land which he gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the river because they made their groves and provoked the Lord to anger 1 Kings cap. 14. v. 15. It was the curse of Cain for his fratricide his bloody murther A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth Gen. 4. 12. But on the other side a fixed habitation and a settled condition is ever promised as a blessing Moreover saith the Lord when he wil do good to his people I wil appoint a place for my people Israel and wil plant them that they may dwel in a place of their own and move no more To enjoy a fixed station in a land of peace procureth blessing to the body soul estate †The body hath rest The painful labourer though he goeth forth unto his work and to his labour yet it is but til the evening then the poor swain rests his weary limbs refresheth himself with his plain company and sings in his thatched cottage and lays him down and his sleep is sweet and in the morning he awakes and ariseth as a man new created and goeth lively about his business again †Further such a fixed estate is very advantagious to the soul In exile when people are wandring up and down in forraign Countrys they cannot enjoy the precious ordinances they cannot perform the duties of publique worship The Babylonians did but abuse and jeer the Israelites when they required of them a song and mirth saying Sing us one of the songs of Sion and the poor Captives could return no other answer but this How shal we sing the Lords song in a strange land They were now banished from the Sanctuary of the Lord and so were deprived of their soul-comforts But when the Lord gives a people rest round about there they may build Synagogues enjoy Church-assemblies and holy meetings and publique soul fatning ordinances the pure worship of God and true religion and all the means of Grace Therefore sayes David Pray for the peace of Jerusalem Say Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces And why Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good The peace of Jerusalem and the setled condition thereof is the means to advance religion and the Publique worship Blessed are they that dwell in thy house Psal 84. 4. They that have a setled habitation in a land where Gods worship is established And why Because they will be still praising thee they will ever be doing good to their own soules Finally A setled condition is a marvailous advantage to wealth and to the estates of men The rolling stone never gathers mosse An unsetled person will never be rich Exile and banishment strips off all The ancient beleevers wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins in deserts and in mountains in dens and caves of the earth And what estate had they They were altogether destitute afflicted and tormented Hebr. 11. 37 38. But in a setled course wealth and riches are to be gotten Upon a fixed nayl there hangs a load of wealth England hath been a quiet and setled Land for many years and hath it not grown a Magazine of wealth Doth it not abound with flourishing Cities and fruitfull fields Silver and gold have been as the stones of the streets It hath been a Land of coor and all manner of fruits of shâ—ep and oxen and all manner of cattell a Land like Canaan flowing with milk and honey In a word the glory of all Lands And
wonderful greatness the height of their rings the swiftness of their motion the brightness of their colour and the multitude of their eyes This was the vision but what was the signification That 's the material question In general this was to set forth the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. But more particularly The man sitting above upon the throne is the Lord Jesus Christ The living creatures or Cherubins they are Angels good Angels which are immediatly under the Command of Christ But the wheels at the feet of the Cherubins what are they A wheel is instrumentum volubile a round turning instrument there are divers sorts of wheels chariot-wheels clock-wheels bel-wheels mil-wheels and many others which perhaps we shal meet withal by and by The wheels that appeared to Ezekiel are thought to be chariot-wheels The general conceipt is that he saw a compleat chariot and that the living creatures were the drawers and movers and the man on the throne the guider of it and the word Synechdochical rota proâ—â—â—â—u the wheel for the whole Chariot The wheel is an instrument of very great and frequent use Many works are done by the turning of the wheel The Chariot Coach and Cart are carried on their way by wheels The husbandman plows and thresheth and grindeth beats out his corn with wheels The huswife spins her thrid upon the wheel and the work of justice as we shal hear more afterward is done by the wheel A wise King scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheel over them Prov. 20. 26. And by this time it is not hard to find out what is meant by the wheels namely all instruments and second causes by which God useth to work in the dispensation of his providence The glorious Angels first even they themselves are Gods great wheels Then the round celestial orbs and lights which are continually wheeling about next the lower world the elements and all creatures in the aire earth and wide sea But especially we are to understand by the wheels reasonable creatures as Kingdoms Common-wealths Citys Churches which are societies of men Kings Princes Magistrates chief Captains Armies Ministers preachers of the Gospel and all people in their several places who ever hath any employment under God is a wheel in the chariot of his providence These are the wheels Now it was cryed unto them From the throne above The Lord Jehovah that sate aloft upon the glorious throne he Cryed that is aloud earnestly with a mighty voice he called to them O Wheel not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wheel but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh Wheel This is demonstrative and points to some special wheel Though the voice be generally cryed to all the wheels to every creature in heaven and earth as if the son of God should say O World Yet here we must conceive that it is directed in an especial manner to Jerusalem and her wheels to the princes priests and Commons which were left there and were not carried into Babylon with the rest of the Captives For this vision was shew'd to the Prophet for Jerusalems sake to signify to him what was shortly to come to pass in the City and it is as if the man upon the throne had said O Jerusalem O This O! is an adverb or interjection of calling God calls to all the wheels and crys O Wheel This is a word of Authority and Command by which the Lord either drives the wheels on excites them to do something impâ—ratum fuit ipsis ut volverentur converterentur he spake to them to roul and turn about he gave them some commands which here are not expressed Or else it 's a word of countermand and he checks them for some irregular motions and it is as if the son of God should say O Wheell stop turn your course the right way obey In a word this is the word of Gods power whereby the world and all the creatures in it all second causes and all persons are over-awed and their motions determined You have the sence of the text next I l'e give you the general doctrin It is concerning the general and particular providence of God The voice of him that sits on the throne commands and over-aws all the wheels So universal and so particular is the providence of God that it governs and rules all things in heaven and earth The powerful providence of God doth dispose all second causes as he pleaseth and orders all creatures in the world and all motions in the world according to the counsell of his own will if the Lord do but cry O wheel all the wheels are at his beck and turn as he bids them There 's not the least motion of a Chariot wheel but the Lord appoints it This appears by Pharaohs Chariot wheels The Lord took off their Chariot wheels that they drave them heavily He had said before O wheel carry Pharaoh into the midst of the Sea now he gives them a check and cry's to them O wheel fly off from your axletrees and as the word comes from God so do the wheels move and turn Behold the power of God's word and how his voyce commands all things Psalm 29. vers 3. The voice of the Lord commands it to thunder or not to thunder the voice of the Lord commandeth the waters to ebbe or flow to be rugged or calme Vers 5. The voice of the Lord commands the Cedars he bids them grow and they come up again he speaks but to them and they are broken down also when he pleaseth he makes them skip like a Calfe or like a young Unicorn Vers 7. The voice of the Lord commands the fire he sayes to the watry cloud divide and it breaks in sunder and the lightning darts forth and scattereth it self through-out our Haemisphere in the twinkling of an eye Vers 6. and 8. The voice of the Lord commands Lebanon and Cadesh at his word the mountains daunce and the wildernesse tremble Vers 9. The voice of the Lord commands the wild beasts of the forrests he speaks to the Hinds and they Calve again he sayes the word and they are barren In the Forrest a leaf falls not from a tree the woods are not made bare without his word Vers 10. The Lord sits upon the floud yea the Lord sitteth King for ever his voice commands the sea he saith to it hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shalt thou stop thy proud waves Yea the voice of the Lord commands the sons of men and they move according to his word For in him we live and move Act. 17. 28. He orders all our steps and goings Prov. 20. 24. But what may be the reason or ground of this That the voice of the Lord should thus command and over-aw all the wheel's Yes good reason What hand should turn the wheel but the same that made it By the voice of the Lord all creatures were made
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them Psal 33. 6. He did but say Let there be light and there was light He did but say Let there be a firmament let there be sea and dry land let there be grasse and trees in the earth and lights in the heaven and fishes in the sea and immediatly it was done it was so Yet further his voice did not only command these wheels to be made the same word also preserves them maintains them in being He upholds all things by the word of his power Hebr. 1. 3. God made all creatures therefore of right he may dispose of them and order all their motions as he pleaseth He is the great Atlas bears up heaven and earth and all things upon the strong shoulders of his providence and therefore he hath power to move all things as he listeth He that bears a burden upon his back may carry it whither he will The cunning Artificer who makes a clock or curious pocket-watch he also disposeth and ordereth every wheel in what place it shall be what motion it shall have how long it shall go So the Almighty and infinitely wise God he made the wheel's and turns the wheels he made the greatest and the least creatures and he causeth and over-ruleth the greatest and the least motions To give you the whole doctrine in one Embleme Ezekiel was an Aenigmaticall Prophet and me thinks he gives us that which was first shewed to him in a vision the most elegant and significant Hieroglyphick of Divine providence that can be found out in the whole world it is a Chariot A Chariot commonly is drawn by four horses by them at their feet are four wheels above a seat wherein the man sits who guides the engin he with his reins and whip and voice commands the beasts the wheels the whole Chariot and all things in it and they are moved and turned as he pleaseth Such is the Chariot of Providence God sits in the seat even above in heaven upon his glorious Throne and by his word and power commands guides and moves all inferiour things Next under God are the living creatures the Angels they are ministring spirits immediatly moved by him that sits upon the Throne The Angels they move the wheels God governs inferiour things by the ministry of Angels There are four living creatures and four faces and foure wheels to represent the foure corners of the earth The summe of all is this in one word The providence of God doth rule and commaud in all the four quarters of the world God hath wheels every where and he turns them all by his word of command O wheel You have the generall doctrine To make some use of it And here I might be large and apply it variously I might first for our instruction gather this Corollary That there is no Contingency in the world nothing fals out by chance Not a wheel stirs but it 's moved by Gods hand Not a Sparrow fals to the ground nor a haire from our heads without your Father Not an ax-head flies off from the helve but it 's thrown and directed by God's hand Indeed in regard of us and in relation to second causes things may seem chanceable and contingent because something fals out that was not like to happen at all or else the thing was like to fall out quite otherwise then it doth we being ignorant of the causes of such casualties But in regard of God nothing is contingent he is the first and supream cause the universall provisor and moderator sitting on his Throne as a Judge and a King taking notice and taking care of the least things of the smallest wheels in the Chariot in respect of him all things are necessary He worketh all things according to the counsell of his will Yet again I might apply it by way of reprehension and give a check to the heathenish language of many Christians that speak Luck and Chance as familiarly as Heathens use to do and attribute all things to Fortune This was my fortune this was my luck What are these but Atheists and such as deny Providence The iniquity of the house of Israel is exceeding great and the City full of perversenesse saith the Lord because they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not The eye of his providence is not abroad the wheels move by chance Oh that such would be humbled for their sin Augustin writ Retractations and the very first thing he corrects in himself and bewail's is that ever he did use the word Chance or the name of Fortune But I let pass these And I wil apply the doctrine only as St. Paul teacheth me Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoever things were written were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope So whatsoever hath been spoken it hath therefore been spoken That you might have Patience Comfort And so hope The first use is of Exhortation and here I am to perswade you to patience Is every wheel turned by the voice of the son of God No motion but by his appointment Learn then willing submission and cheerful contentation in all conditions What do not the wheels move to thy liking Art thou displeased at the motion of the King Or at the motion of the Parliament or at the motion of the Army those are the three great wheels of the Kingdom Bestil they move as God bids them it was said unto them in my hearing O Wheel The Kings heart the Parliaments heart the Armies heart are all in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water and he turns them whethersoever he wil. Prov. 21. 1. Whatever hath been or whatever shal be hereafter peace or war order or confusion safety or ruin what shal we say It is the Lord hath spoken and he himself hath done it Esa 38. 15. To descend to lesser wheels do not things go with thee according to thy desire I wil make thee the living creature and thou hast thy wheels about thee how do they move Thy yoke-fellow thy children thy dearest friends thou wouldest have these sweetly to move with thee in a perpetual communion but God turns them another way they roul out of thy house and society into the grave and for this thou dost mourn and art discontented As for the world thou would'st have it run in upon thee upon wheels but God turns it another way and it runs away from thee upon wheels yea faster it flies away Riches certainly make themselves wings they flee away as an Eagle towards heaven Pro. 23. 5. thou growest into decay and poor and hereupon thou art troubled and discontented The tongues of people thou wouldest have them move rightly and speak the truth yea speak wel of thee but the Malignant tongues of the world run upon wheels of fire and clamour against thee prate to thy disgrace invent
slanders report vile things of thee and hereupon thou art vexed and discontented And what 's the reason of all this impatience Thou lookest only at second causes and dost not consider that the voice of the Lord over-rules and sets all the wheels on work It was said in my hearing O Wheel There is not the least motion of the least wheel without his special providence Shemei curseth because God bids him curse Be therefore patient in all changes in all conditions under all afflictions murmure not repine not object not against the dispensations of Gods wise providence but ever resolve with David to be dumbe not to open thy mouth because the Lord it is that doth it Psal 39. 9. Again secondly this may be applyed for the comfort of Jerusalem for the consolation of the Church and people of God and that many ways 1. In the times of confusion as it is with us this day The Chariot-wheels of our Kingdom move strangely and dreadfully how are they hurried up and down backward and forward hither and thither and we are all in a maze we know not what to think of things nor what to do nor whether to turn us all is like to be overthrown and broken and turned topsy-turvy Truly we can see nothing by the wheeling of things but ruin of all of Religion and Laws and utter desolation of the whole Land But here 's our comfort it 's not a young rash Phaeton that sits in the coach-box who wants both skil and power to guide his fathers fiery steeds No No it 's the Ancient of days that sits in the seat of glory he commands the living creatures to draw the wheels which way he pleaseth and that by his only word and after all the wheelings and crooked turnings of his providence he knows the way to bring about a happy peace and settlement in this Church and Kingdom which the Lord of his mercy grant O thou son of God that sittest between the Cherubins drive on drive on by thy wisdom and power to thine own glory and the comfort of thy poor dejected people 2. Again doth the voice of the Lord command all wheels This then may comfort the Church and people of God against all potent enemys Indeed the enemys of Jerusalem are commonly many and mighty such as were the Babylonians and Assyrians these were the great high and terrible wheels which God was now bringing over Jerusalem to break it in pieces they were now coming upon the City the ratling of the wheels was heard and they could not but come for it was cryed unto them from the Lord O Wheel come and execute the fury of my wrath upon Jerusalem Now the same powerful voice can give the wheels a check and call them back again this is the Churches comfort Saul pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon he and his numerous Army turned upon him as a dreadful wheel and wheeled about the mountain to have crushed him in pieces but when he was in his swiftest motion it was cryed unto him from the Lord O Wheel O Saul come back There came a messenger unto Saul saying haste thee and come for the Philistins have invaded the Land So Saul returned from pursuing after David here the wheel was drawn off Let the wheels run on never so furiously if God do but cry to them they must come back if he cry to the wind peace it ceaseth and if he say to the raging sea be stil there 's presently a great calm Marc. 4. 39. It is not hard for him to curb and call in his creatures Saul was a bloody persecutor a restless wheel running over the faithful servants of God Act. 9. but v. 4. he had a check it was cryed unto him from the son of God Saul Saul why persecutest thou me You have seen Princes Prelates Potentates moving fiercely against the Church but the Lord in our hearing and sight hath given them a check and cryed unto them O Wheel go no further and they have stood stil or gone back The wheels come not towards us by blind chance but upon Gods call they move not a hairs breadth further then God bids them and when hepleaseth he calls them back by the word of his mouth this is the Churches comfort 3. And yet here 's a further comfort to Jerusalem Doth the voice of the Lord command all wheels Then let not the Church and people of God be troubled when they are at a low ebb when their dangers are great their enemies many and mighty and all succour fails and there 's none to help them when they are without all strength let them not dispair God sits upon the throne and commands the wheels he can call in help from unexpected places In the 2. book of the Kings chap. the 6. God calls for a great wheel even Benhadad King of Syria with his mighty host to break Samaria and Samaria was brought into great straits a potent enemy without and a grievous famine within and no help appeared all seemed desperate but Chap. 7. upon the prophets intercession as I conceive the Lord called in wheels to their help on earth all help failed therefore the Lord relieves them from above for he made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise in the aire of Chariot wheels and a noise of horses even the noise of a great host and these imaginary wheels in the heaven which the voice of God called in to the rescue of Samaria discomfited the Syrians put them all to flight they ran away as fast as they could and now there is plenty peace and joy in the City Thus the mighty Jehovah that sits above upon the throne can bring order into the Church out of confusion he can make the most formidable enemies of the Church to go back yea to fall backwards he can call in help to his Church when they are at their wits end and all by the word of his mouth Here is Jerusalems comfort I have done with the general Doctrine Now in the 3. place I return to the parts of my text to handle them I purpose to search and examine every particular and I doubt not but we shal find something as we go that may be useful You may remember the parts were three 1. The word cryed 2. To whom the word was cryed 3. The witness in whose presence the word was cryed Of these strictly and in their order The Lord be with us 1. The word cryed O Wheel in the singular number mark that The prophet speaks in the plural as of many As for the wheels says he but the man upon the throne crys out in the singular as if there were but one wheel in all What 's the reason of this It is because the wheels though they be many and their motions different yea contrary yet all move to one and the same end they all joyn as one in bringing about Gods work In mans eye there are many an
the Psalmist O my God! of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of thy hands They shal perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shal wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shal be changed But thou art the same and thy years shal have no end The earth is round like a tennis-ball and the creatures in and upon the earth are voluble as wheels and all things under the Zodiaque Variable and transitory the refore aspire higher Pant after God make him the portion of your inheritance and dwel in him Say unto the Lord Fecisti nos Domine ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec quiescat in te Thou Oh Lord hast created us to thy self and our heart is restless til it rests in thy self Fix not here but mount your thoughts upwards towards the new-Jerusalem the City that hath foundations where there is no volubility nor vanity Though you be on earth yet dwel in heaven above the spheres above the way of the year and the sun and all these lower turning wheels Rest your souls upon the unchangeable God! I have done with the 2. part and particular The third and last part of the text follows viz. the witness in whose presence the word was cryed In my hearing The question is why should the son of God cry this word O Wheel in the Prophets hearing For the more ful answer to this demand I wil first give you the Original Hebrew that wil make the business something more clear It was cryed unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in auribus meis in mine eare To speak in ones eare is more then to speak in ones hearing A word may be spoken in a mans hearing that concerns him not at all but no man directs his speech into the eare of another but we conclude presently it was a speech of some special concernment to him that was rounded in the eare You know it 's our common expression I wil speak a thing in your eare by and by that is some word that more neerly concerns you then others So then this word was not only spoken in Ezekiels hearing but the Prophet was neerly concerned in it And now in a word I wil shew you the reason why God spake this word in the prophets eare You have the reason chapt 3. v. 17. Son of man I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel therefore hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me The Observation is clear What God speaks in the eare of his prophets the prophets must speak in the eares of the people Most likely God did not speak immediatly to the wheels but God spake to the Prophet that he might speak to the wheels in Gods name and every word which Gods messengers receive from the Lord they must shew it unto the people clearly and faithfully Whether it be a word of command the Prophet must shew the whole wil of God unto the people So Exod. 19. 9. when God gave the Commandments on mount Sinai the Lord said unto Moses Lo I come to thee in a thick cloud that the people may hear when I speak with thee and beleeve thee for ever Or if it be a word of promise of grace and mercy the Prophet of the Lord must prononnce the favour and good wil of God Ezek. 9. 4. The Lord said to the man clothed with linnen go through the midst of the City even of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof and in the first verse this was cryed in mine eares with a loud voice saith the Prophet why That he might comfort the mourners with these words Or if it be a word of reproof and threatning of cursing from mount Ebal the Prophet of the Lord must denounce it unto the people in the 9. of Ezek. v. 5. The Lord said to the executioners of his justice and wrath who had the slaughter-weapons in their hands go through the City and smite let not your eye spare neither pity and says the Prophet this was said in my hearing why that so he might warn the people And this chiefly is intended in this text and Chapter a word of reproof and threatning to Jerusalem The vision concerns Jerusalem Jerusalem had sinned grievously and the Lord was now about to depart from Jerusalem but before he goeth quite away he cryeth aloud in the Prophets hearing O Wheel thou movest disorderly destruction is coming upon thee and now the Prophet hearing this must reprove the City and admonish them of their danger Cry aloud says the Lord spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins Esa 58. 1. The Lord cryed in the eare of Elijah the Tishbite 1. King 21. 17. it was a word of threatning and the Prophet went immediatly and thundred it in the eares of King Ahab Thus saith the Lord hast thou killed and also gotten possession Thus saith the Lord in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth shal dogs lick even thy blood also The Lord speaks in the eare of Nathan and he thunders in the eares of David 2 Sam. 12. The Prophets of the Lord must cry boldly to the greatest and most dreadful wheels they must reprove and threaten and not spare if the Lord speak in our hearing we must cry it in their ears To make some application of this And first of all to you that are Gods Prophets and Ministers be faithful and bold Doth God cry any word in your hearing Keep it not back from the wheels shew it unto the people That which the Lord hath set down in the holy Scriptures he hath spoken in our hearing He takes us as witnesses to what he speaks and we must depose and testify for God before all men before all the world When God gives a word of command in our hearing we must exhort when God holds forth a promise in our hearing we must comfort and when God hath a controversy with a people in our hearing we must rebuke sharply and shew the people their danger Opposition we must look for Behold I send thee saith the Lord to Ezekiel and to us also as wel as to him I send thee to a rebellious nation they wil not hear I send thee among briers and thornes and scorpions But whether they wil hear or whether they wil forbear Son of man be not afraid of them neither he afraid of their words neither be dismayed at their looks Thou shalt speak my words to them whether they wil hear or whether they wil forbear Behold I have made thy face strong against their faces and thy forehead strong against their foreheads Chap. 3. 8. 9. As an Adamant harder then flint have I made
As in David 2. Sam. 23. 15. he longed and said O that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem Thus is this adverb used in the Scriptures and thus doubtless it must be applyed unto the Wheels For brevity I wil put two together and pair them O! with Indignation Reprehension O! with Anger Threatning Grief O! Calling Desiring O! hearken unto me whilst I apply all these to the Wheels And first this O! reprehends with indignation Surely there was somewhat amiss about the Wheels they were faulty Why what might the matter be Surely either they 1. Moved not at all 2. Or they moved to no purpose 3. Or they moved irregularly 4. Or they stopped Let 's look about a little and see if there be not the same faults in our City Wheels And first Sure they did not move or they did not move as they ought to do The Wheel should turn over the wicked But doth it so The Sabbaths of the Lord are prophaned old men and old women walk in the streets and our streets are full of boys and girles playing in the streets on the Lords day Fish hath been openly cryed and sold in our streets on the Lords day Ale-hous S the shops of the devil and the nurseries of sin do abound Beggars run up and down the streets clamoring after every passenger and many distressed creatures overwhelmed with miseries sit in their forlorn towers and dismal holes and want bread The oppressed cry out for want of Justice O Wheel O Wheels where are the Wheels all this while the great Wheels the Magistrates why do they not stir why do they not turn and run more frequently and diligently into their several Wards what not one Wheel appear to scatter the open prophaners of the Lords day What I not one one Wheel to draw away the Fish on the Lords day What not one Wheel to break the brood of drunkards and Ale-house-haunters What not one Wheel to draw off the beggars from our heels or to draw in necessary provision to he almost starved members of Jesus Christ O Wheels Where are you why move you not why do you not turn in your Sphear It may be worth inquiring what is the matter the Wheels move no better I doubt they are not round it s the round sphaericall figure that is fittest for motion if there be Angles and corners in a Wheel t will never turn wel corners are mischivous things corners are dark all the durt of the house is swept into the corner I fear here 's some cause our Wheels move no better there 's too many corners amongst them dark corners of ignorance O let me speak plainly there 's too many sluttish corners I meon of Vice as pride covetousnes luxury and other sins these hinder the motion O Wheel what art thou not round Or perhaps the Wheels may be too little The Romans were wont to use very great wheels for little chariots they found that the horses had less labor in drawing and yet they drew greater burdens Majores rotae magisaptae ad rotationem the bigger the Wheels the more apt to roul and turn what are our Wheels too little trow we have they too little substance two little height Have they too little understanding to govern Too little ability Oh yee little wheeles look better to the choise of your great wheels Do they not want eyes These wheels in my text were full of eyes as you may see verse 12. of this Chapter round about the rings they were set with eyes as the heaven with starres What are about the rings of our wheels Nothing but great iron hobnayles No marvaile they move no better They are not Oculati they cannot see to move as they should do they want that wisdom and other gifts and graces should make them sit for government Or it may bee the wheeles are not well shod they want a good Strake they have no courage they are afraid of a checke if they should be too active they should lose the favour of their friends if they should be too strict in the execution of justice They have an estate to lose and they feare that Truly it is with the ballances of justice often-times as with the ballance of the watch or clocke it never stirres but when the Crown-wheele or spurre-wheele makes it go So you shall never see some men active any way but as power and necessity compell them O Wheele thy circumference should bee iron round about thou shouldst be a man of courage else thou wilt never move freely Or may not this bee the cause of their not moving the want of GODS Spirit dwelling in them the want of zeale for God The reason why these wheeles moved so nimbly and majestically Chapter 1. 20. was because the spirit of the living creature was in the Wheeles They were not moved by any externall cause no hand turned them But they were moved by an inward principle And it is the want of inward principles that make our wheels stand still Well As for these standing wheels it is cryed unto them in my hearing O Wheel the Lord rebukes thee 2. Let us looke about to spy out the second fault of the wheeles They moved perhaps but to very little or no purpuse So I doubt too many of our wheels both greater and lesser Wheels Magistrates Ministers and other they are enough in motion but what do they either aliud or male either that that 's ill or that that 's as ill as nothing or worse Their motion is just like that of the jack-wheels they turn and turn but what do they turn nothing but a fly at the top and a spit at the bottom So too too many and even of our great Wheels the fly plays and the spit goeth they eat they drink they feast they play they are merry and laugh But for God for the service of the publick for the furthering Religion and Reformation for the good of the City and particular Parishes and Congregations they move not an inch Perhaps sometimes they will roul to the Court of Justice and what do they there truly that which the count-wheel doth in the Clock tell the hours they sit turning their heads and looking about but move not their tongues much less put forth their power for God and the publick good As for these unserviceable wheels it is cryed unto them in my hearing O Wheel the Lord looks on thee with indignation cast out the unprofitable servant 3. A third faul that seems to be in the wheels for which they lye under Gods indignation is their irregular motion As for Ezikiels wheels chap. 1. 12. 17. their motion was even constant uniform as the living creatures which drew the chariot went strait forward and they turned not when they went so the wheels they followed them when they went they went upon their four sides and they returned not when they went their motion was very regular But here
Petition or Remonstance if it had taken effect might in all probability have done much good and the Kingdom not have been in those straits it is at this time At the first proposal many were very forward for the Petition the Wheels ratled and turned very nimbly all on the suddain there came a stop and all the business was crossed with much vehemency A while what zeal was there against the Devils free-schools and nurseries I mean licentious unlicenced alehouses Oh how loud did some wheels crake how bitterly did they speak against them how did they threaten them if ever they came in place they would do I that they would great matters at last power comes into their hands and what is done then no new alehouses licenced at all but all the old ones suffered and connived at and they encrease as fish in multitude and no noise against them what 's the matter trow would not one think there had been some greasing of the Wheel it is so quiet and still on the suddain Rota arida stridet About three or four years since as I am informed when the Kingdom was in great straites and the City in dayly fears the Magistrates then gave out many Warrants against Prophaners of GODS Day which by the faithfulness of the Magistrates punishing such as were presented there was as it were a new face upon the City and nothing so much Prophaness as formerly here was a sweet ratling of the Wheels But since that time it is observed that there hath been a remisness in the MAGISTRATES Warrants have not been granted so frequently nor Officers encouraged in the Execution of such Warrants as have been granted whereby the Prophanation of GODS Day encreaseth more and more They stop the wheels stop The Ministers of the City those few that desire to be faithful have with all humility petitioned the Court of Aldermen that they would purge the City of scandalous Ministers and cast out that unsavory salt which hath been thrown out of the Country upon us that they would perfect the Vnion of our Parishes that they would raise competent maintenance and bring some more godly and able Ministers into the City At the first motion we find many with us we have promises of assistance oh the wheels come ratling bravely on the suddain all are stop'd there 's not one moves except it be the wrong way no good motion goes on About six moneths since or not much otherwise there came a Letter from the worthy Speaker of the Honorable House of Commons directed to the Maior and some other faithful ones of the Corporation requiring them to divide the City into Classes to return the names of such as were fit to be Elders By the way take notice all ye people That Letter was no forged Letter I speak it in the presence of God and I wil make it out to all the world it was the Speakers own letter and the superscription and direction was according to his COMMISSION I say this Letter did not lie a year and three quarters in a box and nothing done but presently the Major called all that were concerned in it together in one day we laid out the Classis we nominated the fittest men in the City I am confident of that for the Eldership that very night we returned what we had done to the Honorable Speaker and we verily and justly expected the next return to have received thanks and a ratification of our work and the settling of Church-government in our City O here the Wheels rattled gallantly and moved freely but on the suddain all stopped the whole work was at a stand and so hath been ever since In the name of God what makes this stopping Sure there 's some rusty wheel amongst the rest that will not stir nor suffer the other wheels to stir or there is some ill-condition'd wheel It 's a strange thing to see how one naughty wheel will carry another The phusy-wheel of the watch with its greatness carryeth all the lesser wheels as it pleaseth The mil-wheel with its coggs turns about the upper milstone the clack and makes the hoppet serve them as they please other wheels they have their teeth by which they stop or turn the rest And that I doubt is the reason of our stoppings and contrary turnings you shal see many good wheels and in a fair motion freely running on in a good way and on the suddain they are stopped and turned Why how comes that about Oh there are some Malignant Wheels amongst the rest that are contrived in the engine unseen These by their greatness and power or by their coggs and flattery or by their teeth and threatnings they make them afraid to go on in any thing that tends to the publick good and the advancement of Gods glory and the Churches settlement Oh that these rusty and ill-shaped wheels were filed or oyled or removed and better put in their room In the 10. Verse of this Chapter you shal see the appearance of the wheels was as if one wheel had been in another wheel which most think was not comprehensively as if a little wheel had been contained in a great wheel no the wheels were all of a bigness This therefore they conceive was transversly one wheel turned right forth upon the ground and then there was another wheel did cut that wheel in the very midst with right angles in the similitude of a Sphaere and moved with a cross and contrary motion Ah! so it is with our Wheels there is ever a wheel in a wheel one cross wheel in the midst that spoils the motion of all the rest As for these Wheels it is cryed unto them from the Throne of Glory in my hearing O Wheel the Lord gives thee a check mend thy motion turn better or else thou wilt break and destroy the Chariot of the Church Commonwealth and City I have done with the O! of Indignation and Reprehension Now follows the second pair namely the O! of Anger and Commination Lamentation Jerusalem was reproved sharply in the former O! but she reformed not therefore now follows another O! more grievous and dreadful viz. a threatning and a lamenting O! O Wheel thou shalt be broken Oh Jerusalem thou shalt suddainly be destroyed for thy wickedness and obstinacy O! and alas for Jerusalem The very like sad expression you have from the mouth of Christ in the 19. of Luke ver 41. When he was come neer he beheld the City and wept over it saying O! if thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes For the days shal come upon thee thas thine enemies shal cast a trench about thee and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side and shal lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee and they shal not leave in thee one stone upon another because thou knewest not the time of thy Visitation
unavoydable when the Lord cries to us by his Ministers and calls us to repentance as long as we hearken to his voice we have Christ to plead for us but when our advocate becomes our enemy how deplorable is our condition I fear I fear it is the man in white linnen that is now scattering coals of fire about our City and Country and the Lord is departing from us But yet before he departs from Jerusalem he calls to it O Wheel The Lords departure from Jerusalem is by degrees he doth not fly away in an instant no no the Lord leaves them as if he were loth to depart Observe a little his motions In the former Chapter Verse 3. The glory of the God of Israel went up from the Cherub to the threshold of the house that is from the Mercy-seat in the holy place to the door of the Sanctuary ready to go out and there the Lord tatries a while before he depart In this tenth Chapter verse 18. he removes a little further The glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house and stood over the Cherubims That is he went forward to the East gate of the great Court on the top of that gate aloft were placed Cherubims and there the Lord rested a while before he went quite away In the next Chapter verse 23. he removes yet further The glory of the Lord went up from the middest of the City and stood upon the mountain which is on the East-side of the City that is Mount Olivet and there he rests a while But why doth he abide upon mount Olivet Truly some are of opinion that the Lord stayed upon the mount to see the burning of the City and to triumph over it As did Nero when Rome was fired he gate him up to the top of a hill and there did sing and rejoyce at the spectacle The Lord had often called to Jerusalem and they had refused he had stretched out his hand and none would regard therefore now he sits upon the Mount and laughs at their destruction and mocks at the comming of their fear But I rather think and hope he staid a while upon the Mountain to be called back again Before he went out of the City he cryed to them O Wheel Oh Jenusalem yet yet seek me and I will be found of you call to me and I will return and dwell with you Neither here can you avoid the Application Doth not the Lord seem to be departing from England But he hath not taken his slight all at once he hath with-drawn himself by degrees In the time of the late prelaticall tyranny and persecution when the worship of God was corrupted the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell silenced all manner of popish superstitious innovations obtruded then God seemed to be gone to the threshold ready to go out of England but departed not When the Commotions and concussions began between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland threatning the breaking of both Then God seemed to be going still further from us from the threshold out of the door onward on his way from England but yet he departed not When the bloody intestine warre began between the King and his Parliament then the Lord seemed to be departing quite away then was thè noise of a whip and the noise of the ratling of the wheels and of the praunsing horses and of the jumping chariots The horse-man lifted up both the bright sword and the glittering spear and there was a multitude of slain and great number of carcasses and the Lord seemed to sit aloft upon his holy Mountain laughing at our destruction But blessed be his holy Name we find he is not quite gone there 's a little stay of his judgements I hope beloved Christians the Lord stayes yet upon Mount Olivet the Mountain of peace and he expects when we should call him back again Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing The Voice of God from the Throne hath called to us a long time Oh Wheel Now let us call to Mount Olivet O Lord our God Depart not from us let us call him back with our true and hearty repentance with our thorough reformation with our team and prayers who can tell but God may yet repent and return and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not Return Oh Lord to thy thousands in our Israel and dwell amongst us again Amen 3. At the last I come to the third and last Pair of O-s to wit the O of Calling Desiring And here I am to speak in the Vocative case and to call every one to their duty to set every wheel on turning and that for prevention of the dreadfull ruine threatned and as I go along I cannot but make it the desire of my heart that the word of God may take good effect O si ô ut inam And first in generall I call to all the wheels what was spoken from the Throne of glory in my hearing that I cry in the eares of every wheel O Wheel Turn turn for this is a word of command yea turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with fasting and weeping and with mourning and rent your hearts be humbled for all your irregular and preposterous motions and turn to the Lord by unfamed repentance a thorough reformation a holy conversation and newnesse of live Let thy Spirit Oh God come upon all these Wheels And O wheels roll run Sion-ward let your eyes your spokes your rings all turn heaven-ward Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear the Lord and keep all his Commandments always that it might be well with them and with their children for ever Deut. 5. 29. In the next place more especially I call to the great wheels to the heads of the people to the Magistrates As for those wheels it is cryed unto them from the Throne of Glory O Wheels Turn regularly in your proper Sphaeres Judg you the people with just judgment Scatter the wicked O let the great wheels turn over them Let not swearers and drunkards and houses of drunkeness and prophaners of Gods Sabbaths Malignant Priests that begin to rake up their old Superstitions again O Wheels have you not eyes Do you not see what abundance there are of these Why do you let them lie so quietly O Wheels turn over them either mend them or remove them or break them In the 77. Psa ver 18. says Asaph the voyce of thy thunder was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in rota in the wheel so it is in the Hebrew O wheels let 's hear the voyce of thunder from you thunder against this wicked crue And oh Wheels accept not persons do justice to the smal as well as to the great Defend the poor and fatherless do justice to the afflicted and needy deliver the poor and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked Take heed what
apt to move from place to place to go yea readily to run circuite for the administration of justice But I will hang this aside you may look upon it when you please in Gods book I shall go no further then my text out of that I present you with this Shield or escouchion the whole devise a piece of Ezekiels Vision The field is a Marble colour because the appearance was by the Temple-wall the matter whereof was marble the charge a great wheel with twenty four spokes joyning together in one Nave and bound about with one ring and in the strake eyes in stead of nails the colour of the wheel a sea-green Verse 9. the appearance of the wheel was as the colour of a beril 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was the colour of the sea The crest the head of a Cherub with the Wings and four faces the face of a Man the face of a Lion the face of an Ox and the face of an Eagle and over the crest above I dare not be so bold as to represent the Son of God sitting upon a throne but the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surrounded with glorious rayes and from that glory a beame of light darting down to the wheel and in it the word O Wheel By that which you have heard he that runs may reade the meaning For the Crest that also speaks to Magistrates the Cherub or Angell with wings minds them of a heavenly conversation that they should be winged and cheerfull in ministring justice and doing the whole will of God The four faces commends unto them four vertues requisite in Governours The face of a man wisdome the face of a Lion fortitude the face of an Ox patience and unwearied labour the face of an Eagle swiftnesse of motion and heavenly-mindednesse by these creatures God doth his great and wonderfull works And for the word O Wheel I hope you can reade that But I beseech you you I say whom God hath lifted up this day into the highest seat in this City I beseech you mark whence the voice doth come look upwards it comes from Jehova it is the God above that gives the word of command to the Magistrate Ever ever in all your proceedings look upward eye God hearken to his word of command what ever you do have a word from God stir not move not O Wheel except you have a word from the Throne of glory and when God cryeth to you stand not still but turn and be doing and if you walk according to this rule peace shal be upon you and mercy and upon the Israel of God The Lord hath honored you lay out your self to honour God be faithfull and then I promise you another O! an O of gratulation and exultation At the great day of retribution when the Son of God shall sit upon his Throne to judg the world and to give to every one according to his work Then shall the Lord say unto you O wheel thou hast turned very well thou hast done worthily in thy place Well done O thou good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull in a little I wil make thee ruler over much enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Oh Wheel thou didst turn painfully in my service Now rest and shine like the Berill stone for ever I was even about to stop here but let me remember my self one word more I beseech you and then I cease By wheels are chiefly meant reasonable creatures that 's apparent Then welbeloved Christians we are all wheels and then we must also al conceive that the Word is cryed to every one of us in particular from the Throne of glory O Wheel To thee and to me the Sonne of God cryes O Wheel turn turn God hath appointed to every one of us that are here in his presence a severall motion to one he hath appointed one work to another another work one wheel he placeth in the Church another in the Common-Wealth O let us all move in our severall Spheres according to the word of God Not only Magistrates those great wheels in their places but let us Ministers in the orb of the Church move diligently and faithfully Let us preach the Word be instant in season and out of season let us reprove rebuke and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine let us watch in all things endure asslictions do the work of true Evangelists and fulfill our Ministry The Lord cryes to us O Wheels Let all the people move in their severall orbs with all diligence it's cryed to the least wheel O Wheel turn turn turn do the work of God in thy place What-ever thy hand finâ—s to do do it with all thy might Let the Master do his duty in his sphere let the servant do his duty in his orb let the tradesman do his duty in his calling Let every one be ever turning rolling and acting in the duties of his generall and particular calling And let us not only do Gods work in our severall stations but let us do it with readinesse alacrity and cheerfulnesse Let 's be all round the sphericall bodies are most apt to turn lay a perfect round ball upon a plain and the least touch will make it roll O that with the Prophet I could hear the ratling of the wheels and the noise of the clapping of the wings of the living creatures which expresse their activity and zeale in the service of God And let us be constant in our motion like the wheels let us run on and not turn back till we have quite finished our course The living creatures move the Angels move the wheels move swiftly and shall we stand still To move us to this diligence and alacrity in the service of God it is enough that we remember we are wheels The Wheel as it must have a motion so it must of necessity have an end of motion God hath decreed just how long every wheel shall move that is from the day of our birth to the day of our death but how long that shall be or how short none knows but he that sits on the Throne of Glory and with the hand of his providence turns every wheel This is certain our motion still is neerer and neerer to the end what a deal of our motion is spent since we came together into this place James the Apostle calls the progress of our life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wheel of nature our life runs upon wheels and none can stop them till our bodies roll into the grave It is but a very little while we have to move therefore let us hearken to the voyce of the Apostle Gal. 6. 10. While we have time and opportunity let us do good Hieroms translation reads my Text rotas istas vocavit volubiles the Lord called them swift-turning wheels let us turn swiftly for we have but a very little time to move This is it which Solomon presseth Eccles 12. in the first Verse