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
The Nail the VVheel THE NAIL FASTNED by a Hand from Heaven THE WHEEL TVRNED by a Voyce from the Throne of Glory Both Described in two severall SERMONS In the Green-yard at NORWICH By JOHN CARTER Pastor of Great St. PETERS LONDON Printed by J. Macock for M. Spark and are to be sold by WILLIAM FRANKLIN at his shop in the Market-place in Norwich 1647. TO the glory of her Sex The Right Honorable both by the first and second Birth the worthy and most religious Lady the Lady FRANCES HOBARTE MADAM YOur Honor knows I have ever been afraid of the Press hitherto I have stood out against all importunity and I was peremptorily resolved never to have published any thing in Print but now I am inforced whether I wil or no to send abroad these two smal pieces And since they must out I humbly present them to your Ladyship Not for any worth that is in them Not for your Honors protection of them let them go forth at their own peril nor yet for the subjects sake the matter of them in the general not so directly and properly complying with your Ladyships condition they are rather for the instruction of Magistrates But I dedicate them to your Honor because they are your due Whatever I can perform in the service of God and more by far then ever I am able to do low to the gracious Lady Frances To say truth your Honor called for them and here they are take them with favorable acceptation Something your Ladyship wil meet withal in both Sermons appliable and useful in regard of your self The NAIL I mean the good Nail wil give your Honor a fresh sight of that Noble Gentleman worthy Sir JOHN HOBARTE your Honors lately deceased husband He was a gallant Nail by the grace of God wel filed from all rust and ruggedness He was a bright Nail as burnished gold shining more and more every day he lived that I can testifie to the comfort of my soul by a godly conversation He was a great and a strong Nail His abilities were beyond the common pitch He had a good head for wisdom and understanding He had a good heart Faithful and zealous he was for God for Religion for his Country for our Solemn Covenant He was a fixed Nail not only in the Capitol but also in the Sanctuary his care and painful endeavors were layd out not only for the Common-wealth but for the Church also yea he himself was a little suncturary to the faithful Manisters of Jesus Christ He was a stout Nail steeled with Christian resolution and courage not counting his life dear if he might have sacrificed it as partly he did for the Kingdoms peace his Countries safety and the Churches settlement He was a Nail on which the Welfare and prosperity of our Sion did much depend And for our sins God hath plucked out this useful Nail We see this great Nail turned into a little Wheel and he is now rolled into the House appointed for all the living I wil not tel the world of your Ladiships immoderate sorrow and how you sit disconsolate sighing sobbing and mourning like a faithful Turtle bereaved of her mate I wil rather guide my speech to your Honor and direct your eye to the Wheel Worthy Sir John Hobarte he was a stately Wheel he moved bravely in his time and did much of Gods work with all alacrity yea he counted that life worse then death when his motion was any whit stopped by infirmity of body so as he could not be active in the Publick service as he desired This Voluble and swift Wheel is now broken at the Cistern and your heart Madam was almost broken too Oh! I beseech your Honor look up to the throne of glory it is the voice of the Lord hath turned the Wheel He hath spokâ—n and hath done it Submit Submit with humility patience cheerfulness Rejoyce rather what a world of comforts may your Ladiship have in your loss He did worthily in his life he dyed religiously I saw him draw his last breath but so much Majesty and peace in a dying countenance I never saw A stranger would have thought he had been only in some sweet-contenting sleep or tasting the heavenly joys What an Honorable name hath he left behind him Is it not as an oyntment powred forth even as the fragrant spikenard The Nail is pulled out of this lower wall but it is not lost it 's only advanced and set up higher He is fastned in the wall of the New Jerusalem he shines and ever shal shine bright in glory And we all ere long shal roul after him and then shal your Ladyship enjoy a better Communion with your husband then ever Be content to waite is it not a little while I intended a very short Epistle but my pen begins to be free and eager of its way I can hardly hold it in it would fain be dropping out something of your honors goodness I wel know how little your Honor affects the praise of men your praise is in the Gospel and your Ladiship wel knows how much I abhorr base flattery And God he knows my design is not to make you proud by speaking your vertues to your face but only this I would most gladly take occasion to publish something to the world of those eminent Graces which the Lord hath wrought in your Honor by his holy spirit that your Ladiships example may be propounded as a pattern to all Chrâ—stian women which they may ever look upon and follow Elect Lady I could tel them how I have ever found you walking in the truth even in the most perilous and seducing times with what obedience you have always heard the word resigning up your wil to Gods Command How your deportment was to your Noble yoke-fellow the heart of your husband did safely trust in you All that were but lookers on did see tâ—e entireness of your heart the intention of your love your loyalty and faithfulness joyned with all diligence and care You made in your study and work to do him good in regard of his body in regard of his estate but especially and above all in regard of his soul I could take occasion by this my dedication to tel the world That even whilest you are on earth your conversation is in heaven I can truly testify that your Ladiship is a widow indeed continuing in fasting and prayer and reading and meditation and that this is your work night and day in the temple in your closet in your family That 's remarkable in your family you observe Davids houres Every morning every noon and every night you have prayer Scripture read and expounded and that by an able and a called Minister of the Gospel besides repetitions of Sermons singing of Psalms and constant Catechising a most necessary work the Noble Olive-plant your precious daughter answering with the first with all readyness and cheerfulness to her immortal honor I confess hearing the
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