of this Kingdom at this time devided amongst themselves How are they scattered and scattered One here another there one of this mind another of another Oh ye Rulers of the people Use your pains and skil to bring them together again into one mind and one judgment that they may hang upon you as grapes upon the stalk in one cluster Endeavor with all your might the peace of the Church and Common-wealth 2. Be ready at hand to do justice at all times We knock up nails and pegs in our houses that we may hang things upon them of common use things that we would have always at hand as for things of lesser use we lock them up in chests and cabbinets and it matters not though they see the Sun but seldom Magistrates must be ready at hand at all times to hear the grievances of the oppressed to punish vice to encourage vertue to relieve the wronged and oppressed to help the fatherlesse and the widow to their right shortly to do justice readily and freely upon all occasions The nayl easily receives at all times what ever is put upon it Some Magistrates I doubt we have that in this are like unto nayls they will not in without greasing and knocking you shal not get them to do their duty except they be greased with a bribe or beaten to it by fear Otherwise with Foelix they are not at leasure to do justice I pray remember a womans answer She petitioned the King for justice it was I take it Philip King of Macedon he told her he was not now at leasure Not at leasure saith shee to do justice Why then art thou at leasure to be a King If a nayl be not at leasure to bear vessels knock it out why doth it trouble the wall Judgement saith the Prophet must run down like waters and righteousnesse as a mighty stream The Magistrate therefore must not be as a fountain sealed up but like a river which runs continually and the people may resort to it at all times Absalom I confesse had base ends but yet his practise singular and his example to be followed by all good and faithful Magistrates they should be ready to hear Israel at all times 3. As you must be ready always to minister justice so to all persons at all times and to all commers The nayl bears not only the rich vessels and ornaments the golden candlesticks the pictures and musâ—cal instruments in the galleries and banqueting houses but it also sustains bottels and knives and gâ—idirons plain instruments and vessels of wood and iron in the Kitchin yea the homeliest utensils in the scullery So the good Magistrate he must equally do justice to all to the poor and to the rich â—oth alike They shall hang upon Eliakim the 24. verse tels you not only the glory of his fathers house the off-spring and the issue that is those of the blood-royal but they shal hang upon him also all the smal vessels the little cups and siddles that is the poorest and most contemptible persons shal depend upon the Magistrate for justice and protection You shall do no unrighteousnesse in judgement saith the Lord Thou shalt not respect the person of the poâ—r nor honour the person of the mighty But in righteousnesse shalt thou judge thy neighbour that is every one for every one is thy neighbour Do right to the poor and fatherlesse do justice to the poore and needy deliver the oppressed from him that is too strong for him favour not one above another The use of a nail peg or pin is to hang such things upon quae infirmiora which are most weak and cannot stand by their own strength Tables and Trunks and Chairs and Stools such great and strong houshold-stuff can stand on their own feet they need not any nail to hang upon the rich and mighty can stand alone They are the little smal vessels and instruments of musick that must be supported with a nail The poor are ready at every turn to be trampled upon and to be made a prey and therefore you must have a special care of them Uphold them that they may not fall 4. Let every Magistrate be a nail not only in the Capitol or Senat but also in the Sanctuary The care of the Church and Religion lyeth on the Magistrate Use therefore all your power to purge the Church of Idolatry Popery Superstition and all false worship and gross errors to advance the pure and sincere worship of God and the power of godliness Bear up able faithful and Orthodox Ministers by giving them your countenance and affording them comfortable maintenance You have going before you in this care of Religion many godly Kings and Emperors David Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah Constantine Theodosius c. Follow their good example be faithful nails to bear up pure Religion always remembring what the Lord hath said Those that honor me I wil honor and they that despise me shal be lightly esteemed The 2. Exhortation is to the people And we have to deal with divers sorts and accordingly I am to press sundry kinds of duties in the prosecution Whereof I shal direct Electors Subjects All. And 1. You that are Electors To whom at any time shal belong the choice of Magistrates or any kind of officers in Church or Common-wealth Be careful and circumspect in your choice You are to look about for nails on which to hang the weighty affairs of the Church Common-wealth and City see that you chuse such as may be serviceable in their places wel-qualified nails Take your charge and directions from Jethro he wil advice you what kind of men to chuse into publique offices Thou shalt provide saith he to Moses 1. Able men 2. Such as fear God 3. Men of truth 4. Hating Covetousness Suffer me a little to illustrate Jethro's Counsel 1. You must chuse able and strong nails They must have abilities of mind You must pick out such nails as have good heads and sharp points such as have good understanding wisdom and solidity and also some acuteness of wit and pleasantness amiableness of conversation Be wise ye Kings be learned you Judges saith David if they ought to be so then it 's your duty to chuse none but such as appear so There are a sort of nails spikins I think they call them they want heads and so whatsoever is hang'd upon them slips of Take heed of chusing Spikin Magistrates for if you hang the great affairs of the Common-wealth upon them they wil certainly let them fall and miscarry because they want heads to hold them They must also have abilities of body and of estate without competent bodily strength they wil never be able to endure watching and travailing and long sitting on the bench and beleeve me wealth is needful Magistrates had need be able rich men They must carry out things with some pomp and state else they wil be contemn'd and their authority
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
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
templi Go to Shebna the overseer of the temple that is say they the high-priest †Again from the 21. verse where it is said and I wil cloth him with thy robe and strengthen him with thy girdle they conclude those garments to be the Vestments of the high priest according to that in the 20. of Num. v 28. And Moses stripped Aron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son But certainly if we go to the fountain this can never be made out that Shebna was high-Priest or any Priest of the second order For †In the 15. verse it 's only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super domum not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super domum dei Over the house there 's not so much as a hint that it should be over the house of God †Again v. 21. The robe and girdle were ensigns of authority and Magistracy Job mentions the girdle of Kings Baltheum regum dissolvit Job 12. 18. He looseth the bond or girdle of Kings and thus did Pharaoh to Joseph he arrayed him in royal robes and put a golden chain or girdle about him Gen. 41. 42. So here I wil cloth him with thy robe that is that robe which thou didst wear when thou wert the great manat Court †Yet further he was not capable of the office of Priest-hood They which received the office of Priest-hood were all of the Children of Levi but Shebna was of another stock not so much as a Jew but an Alian a stranger That is obliquely signifyed and intimated verse the 16. What hast thou here and whom hast thou here that thou hast hewed thee out a Sepulchre here c. which is as if he should have said what business hast thou in this Land what kindred Why shouldest thou take up thy rest to live and dye in the Lords land and to be buried in Jerusalem whereas thou art an Assyrian or of some other strange Country †To put all out of question There was another high priest at the very same time Azariah by name you shal read of him 2. Chron. 31. 13. He was ruler of the house of God that is by the consent of all interpreters the high priest and therefore Shebna what ever he were could not be the high priest What was he then Let 's gather up his titles of honor together and by that time we have done we shal understand his place certainlâ—y In the 15. verse he is called first the treasurer and then Shebna Who is over the house that is over the Kings house In the 37. Chapter of this Prophesy verse the 2. and often other-where in scripture he is stiled the Scribe not an ordinary or Common Scribe or notary but such an one as we call a Chancellor or Secretary This is then the sum of all Shebna was at that time the great favorite of the King he had all the chief offices the highest honors and dignitys of the Kingdom conferred upon him He was Lord treasurer he was ruler Governor Controller of the Kings house he was the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of state In a word he was the chief in Court and Kingdom and under the King Lord President of the whole Country just as Joseph was under Pharaoh Thou shalt says the King be over my house and according to thy word shal all my people be ruled only in the throne wil I be greater then thou Thus was Shebna Him God deposed and put Eliakim into his place into the very same favour dignity honor Authority and Magistracy The LXX renders it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constituam cum principem I wil make him a great Prince in Juda Eliakim is fastned as a nail namely in the highest place of the Kingdom And that In a sure place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in loco fideli The word is derived from truth q. d. in a true and faithful place that is in a firm stable permanent condition for where truth is there is certainty and stability And here is an Antithesis or opposition 'twixt Shebna and Eliakim Shebna was as a nail but in a hollow unsound or rotten wall and therefore shal fall out he shal come down from his eminency But as for this Eliakim saith the Lord I wil six him in a solid wall a sound post or strong pillar out of which he cannot fall nor be pluck'd out that is plainly I wil so confirm and establish him in his place that he shal never be deposed as Shebna was but he shal stand sure and immovable And he shal be for a glorious throne to his fathers house A throne is a Kings seat full of Majesty and glory He shal be for a throne that is for a glorious ornament to the King to the Kingdom and to his own stock and family He shal do worthily in Juda and so carry himself in his place authority and Magistracy he shal so administer as shal be for the honor of the King the glory and prosperity of the whole Kingdom and for the preferment of his fathers house he shal advance his kindred and make his whole family famous and renowned For the meaning this may suffice Now in the 2. place I am to give you the sum and substance of all in one general proposition Good and faithful Magistrates are nails fasten'd in the walls of Gods house in the Church and Common-wealth So are they called Ezra 9. 8. And now for a little space 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 What nail the Princes and the Priests that were left a remnant of Godly Magistrates and Ministers The very same expression you have in the Prophet Zechariah Chap. the 10. the 3. and 4. verses Where God promiseth to visit his flock the house of Judah and to give them all things that may make them safe and happy The words run thus Out of him came forth the corner out of him the nail out of him the battel-bow and out of him every appointer of tribute also The corner i. the supream the King the chief Governor who is like a foundation and corner-stone to bear and couple the building The nail i. Princes Magistrates Governors faithful Counselors such as are in authority under the King The battel-bow i. e. Commanders Captains Souldiers Ammunition and all things fit and necessary for a warlike and potent people The appointer of tribute i. e. Officers to impose exact and collect tribute of all those forraign nations which they shal conquer Shortly they shal have all things to make them a blessed and flourishing people and as a principall thing they shal have the nail viz. a good Magistrate Reason But why are Magistrates called nails Not properly but by way of similitude they are tanquam as nails very like nails and that in regard of their end and use A nail peg or pin is fastned in the wall
to hang loose pieces of houshold-stuff upon as garments vessels instruments of musick and other utensils which otherwise would lye scattered on the ground or be to seek or else be utterly lost So Magistrates they are appointed of God and established for the sustentation and bearing up of things All the affairs of Church and Common-wealth all publique businesses the safety and happiness of the people depend and hang upon them and without them all would fall and miscarry They are made to bear Vnto us a child is born saith our Prophet and the burden of government shal lye upon his shoulder Also of Eliakim it is said in the verse immediatly before my text and the key of the house of David that is the highest authority in Court and Kingdom wil I lay upon his shoulder Hence it is that Kings are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The props and foundations of the people The burden of the Church hangs upon this nail the care of defending and cherishing the Church and people of God of advancing true Religion and the pure worship of God lyeth upon the Magistrate They saith the Lord shal bring thy sons in their arms and thy daughters shal be carried upon their shoulders 23. And Kings shal be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers Thus shal Princes bear the Church in their arms The Magistrate is Custos utriusque tabulae both tables of the Law or if you please the Law and Gospel both hang upon this nail Upon him hangs the care of the Scriptures He must see it published in a known tongue that the Vulgar may be able to read and reach it He must appoint learning and fit Ministers to open interpret and apply it He is to compel those Ministers to do their duty to protect and encourage them doing wel to correct and depose them being unfaithful and scandalous He is to looke after Ecclesiastical Government to settle Church discipline by good decrees to provide for the peace order and decency of the Church and worship of God He is to call Counsails when necessity requires to compel people to attend the publique Ordinances and to remove whatsoever may be an obstacle to sound doctrine pure Religion and the power of godliness Also the burden of the Common-wealth depends on the Magistrate the peace welfare and prosperity of all the people hangs upon this nail Saul seeing the people lament bitterly said unto them What ayleth this people that they weep That 's the office of a good Magistrate Videre ne quid sit populo quod sleat to wipe away tears from the subjects eyes And therefore it is his duty to make good laws and then to see them put in execution To preserve the Kingdom and people in peace by defending them against the violent assaults and invasions of forraign enemies and suppressing domestick rebellions and insurrections He is to preserve the persons rights goods libertys propertys of the subject to see that none dowrong to another He is to discountenance vice and promote vertue he is for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do wel Thus was Eliakim a nail upon which did hang as the next verse wil tel you all the glory of his fathers house the ofspring and the issue all vessels of smal quantity great flagons and little cups with all instruments of musique That is all persons of what rank and quality soever Summi medij infimi high and low great and smal the whole Church and Common-wealth The fouls bodys estates religion liberty peace welfare of all depends on the good Magistrate He is fixed as a nail to note out this his end use and office Thus you have the general proposition made out but before I leave it you must give me liberty to make some general application of the point And it may serve for 1. Instruction 2. Reprehension 3. Exhortation And here for Instruction Observe the weight of Magistracy Government is a great burden It 's a honour indeed so sayes the Text He shal be for a throne of glory but note the word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies glory or honour it is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies weight Moses sate to judge the people and the people stood about Moses from morning unto even a heavy task so sayes Jethro unto him Thou weariest out thy selfe greatly and the people that is with thee too for the thing is too heavy for thee Jotham intimates this in his Parable says the Olive If I be advanced above the trees I shal lose my fatnesse I shall wast my estate consume my treasure Magistracy is expensive Says the Fig-tree If I be preferred above the trees I shall forsake my sweetnesse and my good fruit I must bid adieu to ease and pleasures Magistracy is laborious Says the Vine If I be exalted above the trees I shal leave my wine I must be debarred the free use of the creatures I must be cut short in my meat drink and other creature-comforts Magistrates as wel as Ministers are like the lamps of the Sanctuary that burn continually and wast themselves for the common good Their heads are full of cares their hearts of grief their eys sleeplesse and their bodies restlesse Hear and consider this all you that ambitiously aspire to high places of dignity and authority you that underhand give bribes make friends engage the whole Stock and Kinred to compasse an Office or some great place of Magistracy Know you what you pursue Alas alas you look at nothing but the honour You see the Nayl is fastned aloft but you consider not the burden that hangs on it if you did you would not purchase so much care and losse at so dear a rate Some have thought the imperiall Robes scarce worth the taking up because of the eares that are wrapped up in them Trajan repented him of taking the Empire and in that mind writing to the Senate he used these words The Sea and the Empire are two pleasant things to look upon but perilous to taste Think then I beseech you before-hand not only of the height of the place but poise also the weight of the burden Of reprehension And here our work must be to look round about our wals the wals of the Church City and Commonwealth and to take notice of the Nails There are Nayls of three ranks Highest Nayl's Middlh Nayl's Lowest Nayl's Let 's look them all over and take notice how they are fixed and what hangs on them 1. The highest Nayls they are the Magistrates and Rulers Ther 's a goodly row of them but let 's see what service they do in their places What hangs on then what burden do they bear Ther 's some of the greater sort of Nayls look what hangs on them Truly scarce any thing unlesse it be a scarlet gown or the ensignes of authority or a rich
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
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
furnished table bottles and flagons delicious dishes and a deale of Kitchin-stuff But what service do they as Magistrates Truly nothing at all that I can discern either for Church or Common-wealth These are only a kind of embossed nayls such as are driven into garments collars coaches trappings of horses chaires and other things only for state and ornament they have great and glorious bossed and gilded heads but a little ridiculous stalk hardly enough to hold their own or to keep them from falling out of their places they are so close driven that nothing can hang on them There are other of the high Nayls hang very full of things But of what Are they vessels of the Sanctuary Oh no such matter they bear up a deal of the Devils houshold-stuff Upon one there hangs a company of drunken ale-houses swearers prophane persons Sabbath-breakers cheaters and sharks these are upheld and born up bythem when honest men are thrown down to the ground Upon another hangs a knot of Anabaptists Antinomians Brownists Independents and others of the same bran disturbers of Sions peace these are countenanced and born up on high whilest the Orthodox party are sleighted cast off and suffered to fall flat on the ground Upon another depends a cluster of persons Popishly affected Malignants lignants Incendiaries such as these are born up and born out too upon all occasions Oh there 's too too many such rotten rusty misimployed nails 2. The middle nails they are the Ministers of the word the Clergy as they call them wel what hangs upon the most of them What but a plurality of livings A black gown or Canonical coat A service-book or book of homilys There did hang a while agone abundance of Copes Surplisses Alters Crucifixes Images and such trash til they were taken down by a strong hand But for powerful and frequent preaching prayer and the weighty works of the Ministry as strengthening the weak healing the sick binding up the broken bringing again that which was driven away and seeking that which was lost there 's nothing of all these to be seen amongst them Are these indeed for the glory of their fathers house 3. The lowest sort of nails they are the ordinary people Gentry and Commons Oh! What abundance of empty nails do we see round about Nothing at all hangs upon them only they take up a place in the wall There is a generation of Gentlemen and others and wel parted men too able to undergo good service and yet live without any calling any office any imployment at all as if they were born to no other end but only to spend and scatter what their progenitors had scraped together and left them but they wil not put under their shoulder to bear any burden of profitable employment in Church or Commonwealth See see what commonly hangs upon them bundles of hair Sampsons locks bushy periwigs dogs dice drabs cards and tables bottels of generous wine and flagons of strong drink red eyes swollen bellys and black souls nothing else at all Gentlemen are these things for the glory of your fathers house There are a company of idle Vagrants and sturdy Rogues that wander up and down the streets and lanes and high-ways ragged nails that stick out almost every where whethersoever we go and are ready to catch our garments and tear us almost in pieces and there 's nothing hangs on them but the sweat of other mens brows purses and garments and such things as they have torn from honest passengers Others there are of all sorts that indeed are cruelly loaden there hangs upon them huge bundles of oaths rapine Blasphemies Adulteries Treasons railings filthy speeches and all kind of sins but they wil bear no burden of service in the Church or Common-wealth Whereto shal I liken this accursed generation They are like unto Ezekiels vine-tree of which he speaks thus Son of man What cometh of the Vinetree above all other trees And of the Vine-branch which is amongst the trees of the Forrest Shal wood be taken thereof to do any work Or wil men make a pin thereof to hang a vessel thereon No No the Vine-stalk if once cut up wil not make a peg to hang a bottel on it wil not be profitable for any thing But what 's the end Behold it 's cast into the fire for fewel the fire devoureth both the ends of it and the midst of it is burnt is it meet for any work So shal it be with this unprofitable generation Therefore thus saith the Lord God As the Vine-tree among the trees of the forrest which I have given to the fire for fewel so wil I give them and I wil set my face against them they shal go out from one fire and another fire shal devour them Surely such nails as these shal not be suffered to stand long in the wall if a man see a nail stick up in his house of no use wil he not presently knock it out There were abundance of such nails as these in Juda and God knocked them out and threw them into Babylon Christ himself passeth sentence upon all such Cast that unprofitable servant into utter darkness there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 25. 30. Hear and tremble all you useless nails You unprofitable burdens of the earth Be you men or women that take up places in the world and do no service in the world in the name of the Lord I pass upon you Shebnas doome 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 Of Exhortation and that is manifold and various to divers sorts of persons and to several dutys I am to direct my word of exhortation to 1. Magistrates 2. People The 1. Exhortation to the Magistrates You are all nails some higher some lower Remember that you are not for ornament only but chiefly and principally for use In the name of God let every one in his place do the office of a nail Truly all things in the Church and Common-wealth lye disorderly at this time or hang very dangerously and ready to fall and miscarry I beseech you let it be your care to uphold things let every nail bear something yea though you weaken your selves for the common good Take your charge in some particulars and that very shortly I speak to wise men a word wil suffice 1. Keep the peace Magistrates know your office you are all Commissioners for the peace and this is that which we are enjoyned to pray for you in authority That under you we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty The nail holds things together when they are hanged upon it which lay scattered and sundred one from another before Yes upon one good pin they keep close How are the people
thy forehead Fear them not neither be dismayed at their looks though they be a rebellious house The 2. Use and that which is more proper to the time and occasion is to all sorts of people especially the great men of the earth Princes and Governors the rich and honorable Must Gods Prophets and Ministers speak what they hear from God Then let all men whoever they be hear patiently what the messengers of the Lord speak For it may truly be said it is the voice of God and not of man Mica 6. 9. The voice of the Lord cryeth unto the City But methinks I hear what some are ready to object We are willing to hear the word from the Minister if he would preach Christ more if he would set down the dignitys of Christians and leave urging their duties if he would cease reproving and not be so bitter in his invectives his salt is too quick and we are not able to bear his reproachful words he so reviles us that he makes our cheeks to blush and our very eares to tingle I there it pincheth the word of reproof cannot be born especially by the Magistrates and great ones if these mountains be touched they wil smoke and fume They hate him that rebukes in the gate and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly Amos 5. 10. It 's admirable to see how many ways people especially the great ones have to take off the faithful Ministers from rebuking plainly One project is by fawning collogueing and hypocritical slattery They call the Ministers in a respective way thy tel them they are learned men Reverend men holy men of God what good their Ministry doth and how they are respected in their places so as never any had the like love before And what of all this O here 's a baite They proceed But you are too bitter against the Magistrates always reproving the Magistrates to bring them into contempt if you destroy Magistracy it wil be the worse for you Magistrates and Ministers must stand or fall together Therefore let us go hand in hand together Forbear to reprove us or if you see any faults in us come and tel us of them privately and let not the world hear of them and then we shal love you and do any thing in the world for you Here 's the voice of the inchanter But what Must the Prophets tongue be charmed with fair words No No flattering speeches must not put us by our duty when God crys in our hearing when we are called to it we must reprove and rattle the greatest wheels Belshazzar the King came after this manner flamming to Daniel The spirit of the holy Gods is in thee wisdom and knowledg and understanding is in thee thou canst make interpretations and dissolve doubts Now do but interpret the writing for me and make it speak good to me and thou shalt be clothed with scarlet and have a chain of gold about thy neck and thou shalt be the third ruler in the Kingdom But what answers Daniel He said before the King Let thy gifts he to thy self and give thy rewards to another yet I wil read the writing unto the King I wil make known the interpretation be it what it wil be if it be MENE MENE TEKEL VPHARSIN then I wil tel the King plainly God hath numbred thy Kingdom and finished it thou art weighed in the ballances and art found wanting thy Kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians And truly thus the Divel would have baffled Christ Luk. 8. 27 28 29. There were Devils in a man and when they saw Christ approaching they feared he would rebuk them and what did they to prevent it Oh they fell down and carried themselves very mannerly to him they cry out in his praise We know oh Jesus who thou art thou art the Son of God most high thou art the holy one of God! I beseech thee torment us not And would Christ be put off so No no Out Devill out Devill sayes he he spared him never the more for his flattery And so must all faithfull Ministers deale with all those that go about to button up their mouths with sordid slattery Out Devill out Devill Another engine that great men have to stop the mouths of Ministers that they may not reprove them for their sins is persecution and violence Doth Michaiah prophesie evill to wicked Ahab yea though it be nothing but what God spake in his hearing what 's next Thus saith the King put this man in the prison-house and feed him with the bread of affliction and with the water of affliction Let Ministers with us cry out against the sins of the Citie the prophanation of God day the contempt of the Word the luxury and excesse the unmercifulnesse to the poore and the negligence of Magistrates in not endevouring reformation And what 's the next They must look to be called to their Courts to be censured and threatned their means and livelyhood to be taken away Just a year ago upon this very day and occasion the faithfull Minister of Christ who by the providence of God then preached he was but a little in reprehension and presently summoned to the Court and questioned though none evill could be found in him and he had spoken nothing but what was just and right The very last week on Thursday a godly-brother-Minister at a Fast held in my Church did but reprove and that with all humility and modesty the neglect of Magistrates in suffering sish to be sold in the streets on the Sabbath day and presently he was sent for to the Court and called in question as a delinquent And whereforâ— is all this Surely to button up our mouths to make us afraid to quest or open against sin And what Must we Ministers cowardly for fear forbear to tell the people of their transgressions and the house of Juda of their sins I am sure Michaiah did not so when he was doomed to the prison till Ahab returned in peace Thou in peace sayes Michaiah if thou return in peace the Lord hath not spoken by me And he said more-over Hearken all you people It was a publique reproof and threatning in the eares of the whole multitude But the common objection is by thus doing you cry down Magistracy and bring it into contempt and so make a way to all confusion I Answer Cursed I that 's the word comes first to hand I cannot think of a more proper on the sudden let it go for me Cursed be the filthy dreamers that despise dominion and speak evill of dignities Those brethren in iniquity that under the pretext of Christian liberty kick against the higher powers which are ordaind of God strike at the root of all civill government cry down Kings Parliaments all Magistrates and Magistracy who cast off Lawes disturb Order would lay all levell and bring in an Anabaptisticall parity O my soul come not thou into their secret But
And here it wil be seasonable to give you the sum and parts of the Chapter and to shew you more clearly the coherence of the text The Vision doth most neerly concern Jerusalem in the 3. Vers you shal see the Cherubins standing on the right side of the house that is of the Temple of Jerusalem The proper end of the Vision was to shew the certainty and the neer approach of the destruction of the Jews the living creatures Gods Angels were armed with power from God to take vengeance on them they were winged swift for execution and Jerusalems wo came running upon wheels There 's a tow-fold judgment threatned to Jerusalem which cuts the Chapter into two parts 1. The Lord first shews to the Prophet that he wlll burn the City with fire in the 7 first Verses The Lord spake to the man clothed with linnen and said go in between the wheels and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the Cherubims and scatter them over the City and he went in in my sight Ezekiel and took the fire accordingly ver 7. and went out to do execution 2. Then secondly the Lord sheweth to the Prophet and testifieth by his appearing in the Temple that he is about to depart from the Temple City and Nation from the 8. Ver. to the end most plainly in the 18. Ver. Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house Now before the Lord goeth quite away his voyce eries to the City O Wheel O Jerusalem repent or else O Jerusalem I will have no more to do with thee I will depart and suddain and fearful destruction shal come upon thee The sum of all is An O! of Commination ever follows an O! of Reprehension if the Lord call to a people and they be not humbled and reformed then the Lord will cry against them in his wrath even with the cry of a travailing woman and quite forsake them and utterly destroy them Hear what the Lord saith concerning the Jews Jer. 44. 4. I sent unto you all my servants the Prophets rising early and sending saying Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate There 's an O! of Admonition and Reprehension 5. But they hearkened not nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness to burn no incense unto other gods 6. Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth and was kindled in the Cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem and they are wasted and desolate as at this day The Application will come close to Norwich to England to our selves hear and tremble As for the sins of Jerusalem and Judah I am sure we are as deep as they Had I time to gather a catalogue of sins out of Ezekiel you would verily think that he had received his visions in our City the very same sins are as rife with us as with the Jews You shall find them accused if you read the Prophesie of abominable Idolatry gross Superstition Corruption in the worship and service of God horrible contempt of the Word despising mocking persecuting Gods Messengers scorning at all goodness perfidiousness breaking their Covenants with God and man Fearful prophanation of Gods holy Sabbaths barbarous oppression pride luxury fulness of bread abundance of idleness hardness of heart and unmercyfulness to the poor there was then a strong Malignant party that with all their wit and strength opposed the Reformation endeavored by Jeremiah Ezekiel and others and now what think you mutato nomine change but the name for Ierusalem read Norwich for Iuda and Israel read England and doth it not hold right are not those sins and many more ours When the Lord saw that their iniquity was great and their sin very grievous he cryed unto them with a mighty voyce for it was in the Prophets hearing the voyce came from the Throne over the Temple in Ierusalem and Ezekiel was by the river Chebar in Babylon a voyce indeed that could reach so far So loud the Lord cryed O Wheel an O of Reprehension and admonition O do not these abominations which my soul hateth but they refnsed to hearken I know you cannot miss applying of it hath not the Lord cryed in our ears by his sons of thunder have not the faithful messengers of the Lord shewed the people their transgressions and rebuked them sharply Have they not discovered their dangers and called them to repentance saying O do not these abominable things which the Lord hateth Mark how God proceeds with them when he sees they continue thorns and briers and scorpions and rebellious and an obstinate people then with a stretched out hand from heaven he reacheth forth to Ezekiel a roll of a book and when it was spread before the Prophet he saw that it was written within and without and there was written therin lamentations and mourning and wo he threatens dreadful destruction he cries out Chapter the 7. An end the end is come upon the four corners of the Land an evil an only evil shal suddainly come and in this 10. Chap. The Execution is begun the Angel scatters coals of fire about the City I would to God the Application were not so manifest as that none can miss it We have continued a stiff-necked people we have walked stubbornly kicked at reprehension and we have hated to be reformed and now the Lord hath scattered coals of fire about our Cities and Country even the hot fire of war and contention the coals of juniper blown up by the spirit of division O the fire burns the fire burns poor England is consuming apace and is like to be turned into ashes shortly And here I cannot but set a hand to point at two remarkable Circumstances by the way One is the Circumstance of the place whence the coals were taken namely from between the Cherubims in the Temple to admonish that they were Temple-sins that kindled the fire of Gods wrath contempt of the Word and Ministers false Doctrine Corruption in Gods Worship Prophanation of the Sabbath Sacriledg and Idolatry nothing doth so much incense the Lord and provoke him to fury as Temple-sins Corruption in Religion and Doctrine The other Circumstance remarkable is the person that takes and scatters the coals about Jerusalem it 's the man clothed with linnen who is described in the 9. Cap. ver 2. 4. to have a writers inkhorn by his side whose office there was to set a mark upon the foreheads of them that mourn which sure is none other but the Lord Jesus Christ in the former Chapter you see him a protector a Saviour here in this Chapter he is a consumer a destroyer Christ first comes to seek and to save to call sinners to repentance but if they hearken not then he changeth his work and he comes armed with flaming fire to execute vengeance upon all impenitent persons O sad condition when Christs comes in anger against a people then is ruine dreadful and
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
The potter says the Poet went about his work as if he had intended to make a great and stately vessel his wheel runs on and on at last out comes a paltry pitcher why what 's the reason of this Many promise great matters before they come into the highest seat of Magistracy and after they come into the place they perform nothing at all what 's the reason of this Surely ambition they aspire to the Honor and dignity they consider not the work and burden I observe in the wheel the spokes that are behind rise up heaven-wards apace and as soon as ever they are at the top then down again as fast towards the earth and truly just so hath it been in the wheels of our City our younger Aldermen that are behind and but coming on oh they carry themselves plausibly and seem to grow up heaven-wards they make a great profession and promise much at last they get up to the top to the seat of the chief Magistrate and then down again as fast they are as ill as who is worst Oh Wheel go streight forth and return not be constant in a round ther 's neither beginning nor ending it 's every where and ever the same be you so Let it not I beseech you be said of you as Paul sometimes said of his Galatians Ye did run well who did hinder you What made you stand still or go back Begin well go on better and be careful to end best of all Oh Wheel be constant in your motion Above all O Wheel labour for the Spirit of God else there will never be any right or good motion Chapter 1. vers 20. The wheels were lifted up stately and moved gloriously whence was that the spirit of the living creature that is the Spirit of the living God was in the wheels The Spirit of the Lord comes upon Saul and presently he 's turned into another man he whose businesse was to look after Asses before is now fit to be a King The Spirit of the Lord is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding it is the Spirit of counsaile and might it is the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. Let this Spirit rest upon you and do not you suffer the temples of your head to take any rest till you have obtained the Spirit be diligent in hearing the Word that 's the way to get the Spirit when God speaks he breaths out his Spirit to his people Pray oh pray for the Spirit for your heavenly Father will give the â—oly Spirâ—â— to them that ask him Oh Wheel this is my desire and 〈…〉 you that God would fill you with his Spirit O si o utinam To conclude give me leave to speak to you all O yee Magistrates in the singular O wheel you are many wheels yet be you all but as one great wheel Endevour to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Amongst Christians especially amongst Christian Magistrates there ought to be so great concord such a conjunction of minds that they should be all as one soul as one will as one'man The multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart and of one soul Act. 4. 32. At least-wise let the whole Court of Alt ermen be but as one engine and let one wheel continually set another a going quicken encourage one another in love Let all the lesser wheels joyn to the great wheel All you inferiour Magistrates joyn together as one to assist and help the chief Magistrate in the great work of government I have heard former Mayors complain of the want of assistance this spoiles all A wheel you know if it be extreamly overpressed it will squeak and break if you lay too much weight upon the chief Magistrate it will wear him out When Jethro saw that Moses did sit alone to judge the people he sayes to him Thou wilt surely wear away both thou and this people that is with thee for this thing is too heavy for thee thou art not able to performe it thy selfe alone Exod. 18. 18. I beseech you therefore joyn all as one O that I could truly say to you all be you never so many O Wheel Preserve Unity which that you may do remember it is the Unity of the Spirit I tell you without the Spirit of grace you will never agree together Behold Ezekiels Wheels they have no axletree nor pin and yet they joyn and keep orderly together to bear and carry Gods Chariot How comes that about the Spirit of God was in the Wheels that held them together If you will preserve Unity and love labor to abound with the Spirit and with goodness Alas if you have nothing but axletrees I mean outward respects and relations to hold you together you 'l quickly split the respect of kindred is an axletree it may hold some of you together a while feasting one another is an axletree it may maintain good fellowship among you for a while perhaps you gain one by another you are helpful one to another you are of a disposition and merry together many times these are axletrees and may keep you together 〈…〉 there 's no enduring unity no lasting love but that which 〈…〉 the Spirit of Grace In the second of the Acts the holy Ghost fell upon them Ver. 3 4. and after that they continued together with one accord and they were all of one heart and of one soul Oh Wheels the Chariot of this City all the great affairs of this Commonwealth are to be carryed on by you there fore joyn together in love keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace be all as one Wheel for God and for Government It is cryed unto you from the Throne of Glory in my hearing O Wheel That you may be thus is my hearty desire for this I shall pray O si O utinam I was about to break off but let me not forget it 's a custom at this Solemnity for those that make speeches to present the newelect with an escouchion or shield and in it some device or other some Embleme which may hang in the Magistrates house all the year as a memento to hint him of some good thing as oft as he looks upon it Now what shall I present Truly I had some thoughts to have taken my hieroglyphick out of the first book of the Kings Chap. 7. Ver. 29 30 38. It is a Laver or a great vessell of brasse holding much water set upon a substantiall base of brasse four-square and upon the borders of the base graven Lions Oxen and Cherubims and four wheels under the base to remove the vessell from place to place upon every occasion Such a thing is a good Magistrate a Laver to cleanse and purge both Church and Common-wealth he must have a firm base of brasse that signifieth the stability courage and fortitude requisite in a Magistrate and he must have his four wheels he must be
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