innumerable company of wheels but God accounts of them all but as of one great engine to bring to pass his Counsel and decrees Look up to the glorious heavens rouling over your heads The primum mobile the first moveable or first mover turns continually from East to West in 24. hours upon the poles of the world the other inferior orbs as so many cross wheels turn quite contrary from West to East upon the poles of the Zodiak and finish their circle in different spaces of time yet all these in respect of God put the aire and the bottles of rain and the earth and all to them are but as one great wheel to do his work See it plain in the 2. of Hosea v. 21. I wil hear saith the Lord. I wil hear the heavens and they shal hear the earth and the earth shal hear the corn and the wine and the oyle and they shal hear Jezreel Here you see are many wheels many second causes or means subordinate one to another as it were a wheel in a wheel but all joyn as one wheel to do Gods work viz. to feed and sustein his Israel The Lord of hosts hath abundunce of Souldiers under him yet all but one great Army whereby he gets the victory In a clock you see many wheels some greater some lesser some move one way some the quite contrary way some flower some quicker yet they are all one engine serving for one and the same end viz. to count the time and point at the hours There 's nothing more plain Let us make some Use of this and learn how to judg rightly of Gods admirable providence You must not take the work in pieces nor six your eye too much upon some one special wheel but you must take all together if you sever the wheels and look upon some particular dispensations you wil think the wheels move strangely Consider Joseph he was made as a wheel and if you mind only some particular turnings you wil think he was turned strangely he was turned into the ditch into a harlots house into the prison and yet the best of all the brethren other wheels also moved disorderly about him The Ismaelites were moved by covetousness his brethren moved by envy his Mris. turned by lust strange spectacles to look upon them severally but now mark the whole work of Gods providence and you shal see it good and comely by the turning of these wheels he brings about Josephs advancement and Israels preservation How many wheels and contrary motions were there about the passion of Jesus Christ The Jews were moved with envy if you look no further that 's a strange sight Judas was moved with covetousness if you look no further that 's a strange sight Pilate was moved with popular air and that 's a strange sight Christ was pierced and by wicked hands crucified and slain and if you look upon that alone oh it's a prodigious and dismall sight but take all the work of God's providence together and you will behold it beautifull and glorious by all these wheel's the Lord works the redemption of man the salvation of his Church the destruction of death and hell the conquest of the Devill and the exaltation of his Son and the glorification of his Saints When you see Tyrants prevaile and domineer and exercise savage cruelty When you see bloody Massacres of God's dear people holy Martyrs go to prisons slakes and flames when you see the Prophets and Ambassadors of the Lord slighted contemn'd silenced If you look no further these things will seem very sad and amazing but take all the whole work of God's providence together and you shall see it 's wise and good The Church is sowen with the Martyrs blood and made fruitfull The destruction of the Churches enemies is ripened the glory of the Saints hastned and in all God is glorified Consider therefore the motions of the wheels not by piece-meale but wholly and entirely part not one wheel from another I say as S. Augustine Atten â—e totum lauda totum Mark all and praise all In all the confusions that our eyes behold let this stay our minds though this wheel and that wheel and another wheel seem to us to move dangerously preposterously and disorderly threatning to crack and overthrow all yet in Gods hand they are all but one wheel and he will turn them so about that in the long runne they shall work out his own glory and his Churches good You have heard the word cryed Now let us hearken to The second part of the text TO whom was this word cryed to the Wheels And you have heard already what is signified by the wheels viz. The round world and all the creatures that are therein more especially the lower world and all sublunary things and here you may observe The mutability of all things in the world They are compared to wheels subject to continuall turning and change The condition of this world is quasi versatio continua as if it did run continually upon wheels here 's nothing firme stable or permanent The celestiall Spheres they run their rounds every day and the glorious lights of heaven are in continuall wheeling The Sun comes forth out of his tabernacle in the morning like a bridegroome and as a Gyant runs his race till he be mounted up to his meridian and then declines towards evening and sets commonly in a cloud The Moon sometimes it 's in the new sometimes encreasing sometimes in the full sometimes waning and ever in the change The Elements the fire the aire the water are in continuall motion and transmutation the earth which only is immoveable what is it but a stage of nothing but changings and turnings Upon this Theater kingdoms and common-wealths are turned up and down How were the four great Monurchies those high and dreadfull wheels rolled up and down from one to another from the Babylonians to the Persians from the Persians to the Grecians from the Grecians to the Romans And so are all the Nations before the Lord as the chaffe of the mountains before the wind and like a rolling thing before the whirlewind Esa 17. 13. Upon this Theater of the earth how is the Church of Christ wheeled and hurried up and down Now shee is in Aegypt by and by in Canaan not long after in Babylon and often driven into the Wildernesse sometimes in prosperity sometimes in persecution and never long in one condition You have her lively picture in the twelfth of the Revelation the first verse She is clothed with the Sun indeed but under her feet is the Moon to shew that her way is in continuall change and turning never long permanent in one condition Upon this Theater of the earth how do cities and Families wheel about Volvuntur revolvuntur Ziklag to day flourishing to morrow in the ashes Jerusalem a while the beauty of the whole earth her towers buildings and bulwarks the worlds wonder and within a while
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them Psal 33. 6. He did but say Let there be light and there was light He did but say Let there be a firmament let there be sea and dry land let there be grasse and trees in the earth and lights in the heaven and fishes in the sea and immediatly it was done it was so Yet further his voice did not only command these wheels to be made the same word also preserves them maintains them in being He upholds all things by the word of his power Hebr. 1. 3. God made all creatures therefore of right he may dispose of them and order all their motions as he pleaseth He is the great Atlas bears up heaven and earth and all things upon the strong shoulders of his providence and therefore he hath power to move all things as he listeth He that bears a burden upon his back may carry it whither he will The cunning Artificer who makes a clock or curious pocket-watch he also disposeth and ordereth every wheel in what place it shall be what motion it shall have how long it shall go So the Almighty and infinitely wise God he made the wheel's and turns the wheels he made the greatest and the least creatures and he causeth and over-ruleth the greatest and the least motions To give you the whole doctrine in one Embleme Ezekiel was an Aenigmaticall Prophet and me thinks he gives us that which was first shewed to him in a vision the most elegant and significant Hieroglyphick of Divine providence that can be found out in the whole world it is a Chariot A Chariot commonly is drawn by four horses by them at their feet are four wheels above a seat wherein the man sits who guides the engin he with his reins and whip and voice commands the beasts the wheels the whole Chariot and all things in it and they are moved and turned as he pleaseth Such is the Chariot of Providence God sits in the seat even above in heaven upon his glorious Throne and by his word and power commands guides and moves all inferiour things Next under God are the living creatures the Angels they are ministring spirits immediatly moved by him that sits upon the Throne The Angels they move the wheels God governs inferiour things by the ministry of Angels There are four living creatures and four faces and foure wheels to represent the foure corners of the earth The summe of all is this in one word The providence of God doth rule and commaud in all the four quarters of the world God hath wheels every where and he turns them all by his word of command O wheel You have the generall doctrine To make some use of it And here I might be large and apply it variously I might first for our instruction gather this Corollary That there is no Contingency in the world nothing fals out by chance Not a wheel stirs but it 's moved by Gods hand Not a Sparrow fals to the ground nor a haire from our heads without your Father Not an ax-head flies off from the helve but it 's thrown and directed by God's hand Indeed in regard of us and in relation to second causes things may seem chanceable and contingent because something fals out that was not like to happen at all or else the thing was like to fall out quite otherwise then it doth we being ignorant of the causes of such casualties But in regard of God nothing is contingent he is the first and supream cause the universall provisor and moderator sitting on his Throne as a Judge and a King taking notice and taking care of the least things of the smallest wheels in the Chariot in respect of him all things are necessary He worketh all things according to the counsell of his will Yet again I might apply it by way of reprehension and give a check to the heathenish language of many Christians that speak Luck and Chance as familiarly as Heathens use to do and attribute all things to Fortune This was my fortune this was my luck What are these but Atheists and such as deny Providence The iniquity of the house of Israel is exceeding great and the City full of perversenesse saith the Lord because they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not The eye of his providence is not abroad the wheels move by chance Oh that such would be humbled for their sin Augustin writ Retractations and the very first thing he corrects in himself and bewail's is that ever he did use the word Chance or the name of Fortune But I let pass these And I wil apply the doctrine only as St. Paul teacheth me Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoever things were written were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope So whatsoever hath been spoken it hath therefore been spoken That you might have Patience Comfort And so hope The first use is of Exhortation and here I am to perswade you to patience Is every wheel turned by the voice of the son of God No motion but by his appointment Learn then willing submission and cheerful contentation in all conditions What do not the wheels move to thy liking Art thou displeased at the motion of the King Or at the motion of the Parliament or at the motion of the Army those are the three great wheels of the Kingdom Bestil they move as God bids them it was said unto them in my hearing O Wheel The Kings heart the Parliaments heart the Armies heart are all in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water and he turns them whethersoever he wil. Prov. 21. 1. Whatever hath been or whatever shal be hereafter peace or war order or confusion safety or ruin what shal we say It is the Lord hath spoken and he himself hath done it Esa 38. 15. To descend to lesser wheels do not things go with thee according to thy desire I wil make thee the living creature and thou hast thy wheels about thee how do they move Thy yoke-fellow thy children thy dearest friends thou wouldest have these sweetly to move with thee in a perpetual communion but God turns them another way they roul out of thy house and society into the grave and for this thou dost mourn and art discontented As for the world thou would'st have it run in upon thee upon wheels but God turns it another way and it runs away from thee upon wheels yea faster it flies away Riches certainly make themselves wings they flee away as an Eagle towards heaven Pro. 23. 5. thou growest into decay and poor and hereupon thou art troubled and discontented The tongues of people thou wouldest have them move rightly and speak the truth yea speak wel of thee but the Malignant tongues of the world run upon wheels of fire and clamour against thee prate to thy disgrace invent
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
wonderful greatness the height of their rings the swiftness of their motion the brightness of their colour and the multitude of their eyes This was the vision but what was the signification That 's the material question In general this was to set forth the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. But more particularly The man sitting above upon the throne is the Lord Jesus Christ The living creatures or Cherubins they are Angels good Angels which are immediatly under the Command of Christ But the wheels at the feet of the Cherubins what are they A wheel is instrumentum volubile a round turning instrument there are divers sorts of wheels chariot-wheels clock-wheels bel-wheels mil-wheels and many others which perhaps we shal meet withal by and by The wheels that appeared to Ezekiel are thought to be chariot-wheels The general conceipt is that he saw a compleat chariot and that the living creatures were the drawers and movers and the man on the throne the guider of it and the word Synechdochical rota proâ—â—â—â—u the wheel for the whole Chariot The wheel is an instrument of very great and frequent use Many works are done by the turning of the wheel The Chariot Coach and Cart are carried on their way by wheels The husbandman plows and thresheth and grindeth beats out his corn with wheels The huswife spins her thrid upon the wheel and the work of justice as we shal hear more afterward is done by the wheel A wise King scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheel over them Prov. 20. 26. And by this time it is not hard to find out what is meant by the wheels namely all instruments and second causes by which God useth to work in the dispensation of his providence The glorious Angels first even they themselves are Gods great wheels Then the round celestial orbs and lights which are continually wheeling about next the lower world the elements and all creatures in the aire earth and wide sea But especially we are to understand by the wheels reasonable creatures as Kingdoms Common-wealths Citys Churches which are societies of men Kings Princes Magistrates chief Captains Armies Ministers preachers of the Gospel and all people in their several places who ever hath any employment under God is a wheel in the chariot of his providence These are the wheels Now it was cryed unto them From the throne above The Lord Jehovah that sate aloft upon the glorious throne he Cryed that is aloud earnestly with a mighty voice he called to them O Wheel not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wheel but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh Wheel This is demonstrative and points to some special wheel Though the voice be generally cryed to all the wheels to every creature in heaven and earth as if the son of God should say O World Yet here we must conceive that it is directed in an especial manner to Jerusalem and her wheels to the princes priests and Commons which were left there and were not carried into Babylon with the rest of the Captives For this vision was shew'd to the Prophet for Jerusalems sake to signify to him what was shortly to come to pass in the City and it is as if the man upon the throne had said O Jerusalem O This O! is an adverb or interjection of calling God calls to all the wheels and crys O Wheel This is a word of Authority and Command by which the Lord either drives the wheels on excites them to do something impâ—ratum fuit ipsis ut volverentur converterentur he spake to them to roul and turn about he gave them some commands which here are not expressed Or else it 's a word of countermand and he checks them for some irregular motions and it is as if the son of God should say O Wheell stop turn your course the right way obey In a word this is the word of Gods power whereby the world and all the creatures in it all second causes and all persons are over-awed and their motions determined You have the sence of the text next I l'e give you the general doctrin It is concerning the general and particular providence of God The voice of him that sits on the throne commands and over-aws all the wheels So universal and so particular is the providence of God that it governs and rules all things in heaven and earth The powerful providence of God doth dispose all second causes as he pleaseth and orders all creatures in the world and all motions in the world according to the counsell of his own will if the Lord do but cry O wheel all the wheels are at his beck and turn as he bids them There 's not the least motion of a Chariot wheel but the Lord appoints it This appears by Pharaohs Chariot wheels The Lord took off their Chariot wheels that they drave them heavily He had said before O wheel carry Pharaoh into the midst of the Sea now he gives them a check and cry's to them O wheel fly off from your axletrees and as the word comes from God so do the wheels move and turn Behold the power of God's word and how his voyce commands all things Psalm 29. vers 3. The voice of the Lord commands it to thunder or not to thunder the voice of the Lord commandeth the waters to ebbe or flow to be rugged or calme Vers 5. The voice of the Lord commands the Cedars he bids them grow and they come up again he speaks but to them and they are broken down also when he pleaseth he makes them skip like a Calfe or like a young Unicorn Vers 7. The voice of the Lord commands the fire he sayes to the watry cloud divide and it breaks in sunder and the lightning darts forth and scattereth it self through-out our Haemisphere in the twinkling of an eye Vers 6. and 8. The voice of the Lord commands Lebanon and Cadesh at his word the mountains daunce and the wildernesse tremble Vers 9. The voice of the Lord commands the wild beasts of the forrests he speaks to the Hinds and they Calve again he sayes the word and they are barren In the Forrest a leaf falls not from a tree the woods are not made bare without his word Vers 10. The Lord sits upon the floud yea the Lord sitteth King for ever his voice commands the sea he saith to it hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shalt thou stop thy proud waves Yea the voice of the Lord commands the sons of men and they move according to his word For in him we live and move Act. 17. 28. He orders all our steps and goings Prov. 20. 24. But what may be the reason or ground of this That the voice of the Lord should thus command and over-aw all the wheel's Yes good reason What hand should turn the wheel but the same that made it By the voice of the Lord all creatures were made
slanders report vile things of thee and hereupon thou art vexed and discontented And what 's the reason of all this impatience Thou lookest only at second causes and dost not consider that the voice of the Lord over-rules and sets all the wheels on work It was said in my hearing O Wheel There is not the least motion of the least wheel without his special providence Shemei curseth because God bids him curse Be therefore patient in all changes in all conditions under all afflictions murmure not repine not object not against the dispensations of Gods wise providence but ever resolve with David to be dumbe not to open thy mouth because the Lord it is that doth it Psal 39. 9. Again secondly this may be applyed for the comfort of Jerusalem for the consolation of the Church and people of God and that many ways 1. In the times of confusion as it is with us this day The Chariot-wheels of our Kingdom move strangely and dreadfully how are they hurried up and down backward and forward hither and thither and we are all in a maze we know not what to think of things nor what to do nor whether to turn us all is like to be overthrown and broken and turned topsy-turvy Truly we can see nothing by the wheeling of things but ruin of all of Religion and Laws and utter desolation of the whole Land But here 's our comfort it 's not a young rash Phaeton that sits in the coach-box who wants both skil and power to guide his fathers fiery steeds No No it 's the Ancient of days that sits in the seat of glory he commands the living creatures to draw the wheels which way he pleaseth and that by his only word and after all the wheelings and crooked turnings of his providence he knows the way to bring about a happy peace and settlement in this Church and Kingdom which the Lord of his mercy grant O thou son of God that sittest between the Cherubins drive on drive on by thy wisdom and power to thine own glory and the comfort of thy poor dejected people 2. Again doth the voice of the Lord command all wheels This then may comfort the Church and people of God against all potent enemys Indeed the enemys of Jerusalem are commonly many and mighty such as were the Babylonians and Assyrians these were the great high and terrible wheels which God was now bringing over Jerusalem to break it in pieces they were now coming upon the City the ratling of the wheels was heard and they could not but come for it was cryed unto them from the Lord O Wheel come and execute the fury of my wrath upon Jerusalem Now the same powerful voice can give the wheels a check and call them back again this is the Churches comfort Saul pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon he and his numerous Army turned upon him as a dreadful wheel and wheeled about the mountain to have crushed him in pieces but when he was in his swiftest motion it was cryed unto him from the Lord O Wheel O Saul come back There came a messenger unto Saul saying haste thee and come for the Philistins have invaded the Land So Saul returned from pursuing after David here the wheel was drawn off Let the wheels run on never so furiously if God do but cry to them they must come back if he cry to the wind peace it ceaseth and if he say to the raging sea be stil there 's presently a great calm Marc. 4. 39. It is not hard for him to curb and call in his creatures Saul was a bloody persecutor a restless wheel running over the faithful servants of God Act. 9. but v. 4. he had a check it was cryed unto him from the son of God Saul Saul why persecutest thou me You have seen Princes Prelates Potentates moving fiercely against the Church but the Lord in our hearing and sight hath given them a check and cryed unto them O Wheel go no further and they have stood stil or gone back The wheels come not towards us by blind chance but upon Gods call they move not a hairs breadth further then God bids them and when hepleaseth he calls them back by the word of his mouth this is the Churches comfort 3. And yet here 's a further comfort to Jerusalem Doth the voice of the Lord command all wheels Then let not the Church and people of God be troubled when they are at a low ebb when their dangers are great their enemies many and mighty and all succour fails and there 's none to help them when they are without all strength let them not dispair God sits upon the throne and commands the wheels he can call in help from unexpected places In the 2. book of the Kings chap. the 6. God calls for a great wheel even Benhadad King of Syria with his mighty host to break Samaria and Samaria was brought into great straits a potent enemy without and a grievous famine within and no help appeared all seemed desperate but Chap. 7. upon the prophets intercession as I conceive the Lord called in wheels to their help on earth all help failed therefore the Lord relieves them from above for he made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise in the aire of Chariot wheels and a noise of horses even the noise of a great host and these imaginary wheels in the heaven which the voice of God called in to the rescue of Samaria discomfited the Syrians put them all to flight they ran away as fast as they could and now there is plenty peace and joy in the City Thus the mighty Jehovah that sits above upon the throne can bring order into the Church out of confusion he can make the most formidable enemies of the Church to go back yea to fall backwards he can call in help to his Church when they are at their wits end and all by the word of his mouth Here is Jerusalems comfort I have done with the general Doctrine Now in the 3. place I return to the parts of my text to handle them I purpose to search and examine every particular and I doubt not but we shal find something as we go that may be useful You may remember the parts were three 1. The word cryed 2. To whom the word was cryed 3. The witness in whose presence the word was cryed Of these strictly and in their order The Lord be with us 1. The word cryed O Wheel in the singular number mark that The prophet speaks in the plural as of many As for the wheels says he but the man upon the throne crys out in the singular as if there were but one wheel in all What 's the reason of this It is because the wheels though they be many and their motions different yea contrary yet all move to one and the same end they all joyn as one in bringing about Gods work In mans eye there are many an
the Psalmist O my God! of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of thy hands They shal perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shal wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shal be changed But thou art the same and thy years shal have no end The earth is round like a tennis-ball and the creatures in and upon the earth are voluble as wheels and all things under the Zodiaque Variable and transitory the refore aspire higher Pant after God make him the portion of your inheritance and dwel in him Say unto the Lord Fecisti nos Domine ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec quiescat in te Thou Oh Lord hast created us to thy self and our heart is restless til it rests in thy self Fix not here but mount your thoughts upwards towards the new-Jerusalem the City that hath foundations where there is no volubility nor vanity Though you be on earth yet dwel in heaven above the spheres above the way of the year and the sun and all these lower turning wheels Rest your souls upon the unchangeable God! I have done with the 2. part and particular The third and last part of the text follows viz. the witness in whose presence the word was cryed In my hearing The question is why should the son of God cry this word O Wheel in the Prophets hearing For the more ful answer to this demand I wil first give you the Original Hebrew that wil make the business something more clear It was cryed unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in auribus meis in mine eare To speak in ones eare is more then to speak in ones hearing A word may be spoken in a mans hearing that concerns him not at all but no man directs his speech into the eare of another but we conclude presently it was a speech of some special concernment to him that was rounded in the eare You know it 's our common expression I wil speak a thing in your eare by and by that is some word that more neerly concerns you then others So then this word was not only spoken in Ezekiels hearing but the Prophet was neerly concerned in it And now in a word I wil shew you the reason why God spake this word in the prophets eare You have the reason chapt 3. v. 17. Son of man I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel therefore hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me The Observation is clear What God speaks in the eare of his prophets the prophets must speak in the eares of the people Most likely God did not speak immediatly to the wheels but God spake to the Prophet that he might speak to the wheels in Gods name and every word which Gods messengers receive from the Lord they must shew it unto the people clearly and faithfully Whether it be a word of command the Prophet must shew the whole wil of God unto the people So Exod. 19. 9. when God gave the Commandments on mount Sinai the Lord said unto Moses Lo I come to thee in a thick cloud that the people may hear when I speak with thee and beleeve thee for ever Or if it be a word of promise of grace and mercy the Prophet of the Lord must prononnce the favour and good wil of God Ezek. 9. 4. The Lord said to the man clothed with linnen go through the midst of the City even of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof and in the first verse this was cryed in mine eares with a loud voice saith the Prophet why That he might comfort the mourners with these words Or if it be a word of reproof and threatning of cursing from mount Ebal the Prophet of the Lord must denounce it unto the people in the 9. of Ezek. v. 5. The Lord said to the executioners of his justice and wrath who had the slaughter-weapons in their hands go through the City and smite let not your eye spare neither pity and says the Prophet this was said in my hearing why that so he might warn the people And this chiefly is intended in this text and Chapter a word of reproof and threatning to Jerusalem The vision concerns Jerusalem Jerusalem had sinned grievously and the Lord was now about to depart from Jerusalem but before he goeth quite away he cryeth aloud in the Prophets hearing O Wheel thou movest disorderly destruction is coming upon thee and now the Prophet hearing this must reprove the City and admonish them of their danger Cry aloud says the Lord spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins Esa 58. 1. The Lord cryed in the eare of Elijah the Tishbite 1. King 21. 17. it was a word of threatning and the Prophet went immediatly and thundred it in the eares of King Ahab Thus saith the Lord hast thou killed and also gotten possession Thus saith the Lord in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth shal dogs lick even thy blood also The Lord speaks in the eare of Nathan and he thunders in the eares of David 2 Sam. 12. The Prophets of the Lord must cry boldly to the greatest and most dreadful wheels they must reprove and threaten and not spare if the Lord speak in our hearing we must cry it in their ears To make some application of this And first of all to you that are Gods Prophets and Ministers be faithful and bold Doth God cry any word in your hearing Keep it not back from the wheels shew it unto the people That which the Lord hath set down in the holy Scriptures he hath spoken in our hearing He takes us as witnesses to what he speaks and we must depose and testify for God before all men before all the world When God gives a word of command in our hearing we must exhort when God holds forth a promise in our hearing we must comfort and when God hath a controversy with a people in our hearing we must rebuke sharply and shew the people their danger Opposition we must look for Behold I send thee saith the Lord to Ezekiel and to us also as wel as to him I send thee to a rebellious nation they wil not hear I send thee among briers and thornes and scorpions But whether they wil hear or whether they wil forbear Son of man be not afraid of them neither he afraid of their words neither be dismayed at their looks Thou shalt speak my words to them whether they wil hear or whether they wil forbear Behold I have made thy face strong against their faces and thy forehead strong against their foreheads Chap. 3. 8. 9. As an Adamant harder then flint have I made
tell me I pray doth the reproving the faults and negligences of Magistrates strike at the root of Magistracy Is that the way to bring it into contempt No no this is the way to establish Magistracy and make it glorious As for the wheels of our curious clocks and watches is it a prejudice to them to be filed when they are rusty to be scoured when they are foule to be oyled when they turn too sluggishly You are convinced I dare say that all this is for the good of the wheels to make them shine more bright move more nimbly and do their office more faithfully The application is easie I leave it to your selves I shall draw to a conclusion of this point As for the wheels be they little wheels or be they great wheels be they high or be they low be they rich or be they poore whatsoever is spoken from God in our hearing concerning them we must cry it again in their eares if we that are set as watch-men see their sin and danger and for feare or flattery shall forbear to warn them how dreadfull is our doom Thus saith the Lord Ezek. 3. 17. Son of man I have made thee a watch-man unto the house of Israel therefore hear the Word at my mouth and give them warning from me vers 18. When I say to the wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou givest him not warning nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life the same wicked man shal dye in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand vers 19. Yet if thou warn the wicked and he turn not from his wickednesse nor from his wicked way he shal dye in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thine own soul This for us Ministers that shrink from our duty Now hear O you wheels great and smal you that kick at reproof and hate him that shal search and dress your sores and count those the only brave preachers that speak roses and their lips like the whorish womans drop as an hony-comb A word for you Read Esa 30. 8. Now go write it before them in a table and note it in a book that it may be fore the time to come and for ever 9. That this is a rebellious people lying Children Children that wil not hear the Law of the Lord. Why what 's their special wickedness Mark v. 10. They say to the Seer's see not and to the Prophets prophesy not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophesy deceipts 11. Get you out of the way oh you reproving preachers cause the holy one of Israel to cease molesting us with such bold reprehenders But now take in what follows the punishment 12. Wherefore thus saith the holy one of Israel because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perversness and stay thereon 13. Therefore this iniquity shal be to you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high wall whose breaking cometh suddainly and in an instant 14. And he shal break it as the breaking of a potters vessel that is broken in pieces he shal not spare so that there shal not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth or to take water withall out of the pit Behold ye despisers and wonder and vanish away the contempt of the word spoken of by the Prophet is the contempt of him that sits on the throne He that despiseth you says our Lord Jesus Christ despiseth me Luke 10. 16. It is the See'rs duty to cry and to cry earnestly to cry with an O O O! unto all the wheels and wo be to us if we cry not That which we cry is nothing else but what was spoken in our hearing from the throne of glory It is the Lords voice that cryeth unto the City and the man of wisdom wil hear the rod and who hath appointed it that is he will humbly and patiently hear the Prophets of the Lord when they cry as wel as when they sing when they reprove as wel as when they comfort when they preach the Law as wel as when they publish the Gospel he wil hearken to the doctrine that shews him his sins and threatens the rod but he that despiseth instruction and reproof is a fool THE APPLICATION Hitherto Wel-beloved Christians you have had the Exposition of the text the general doctrine and particular observations which grow out of the text and all the way I have shewed you the Uses what to do with those doctrines and observations that they may be rendred profitable Now one thing yet remains and that is to make Application to bring it home to the present time and occasion to the place and persons It 's true this word O Wheel is cryed to the whole world and all things in it as if he that sits upon the Throne should have said O world O heavens O earth oh Kingdoms of the world But yet it is most clear and certain to any one that minds the scope of the Chapter that this word O Wheel was in a more especial and peculiar manner cryed unto Jerusalem The whole Vision concerned Jerusalem it was to admonish Jerusalem and to foreshew things that should shortly be accomplished in Jerusalem Then thus Jerusalem was the chariot the Princes Priests and people were the Wheels And these things are recorded for our instruction what was then cryed to Jerusalem is now cryed to Norwich This City is the Chariot the Magistrates the Ministers and the Commons are the Wheels to these it is cryed in my hearing Oh Wheel O! This adverb or interjection O! makes the application plain and brings it close and home This O! is a servant to the passions and is useful to express various affections It is ever Signum allocutionis a sign of the Vocative case it speaks by calling loud unto another and it principally signifieth and expresseth these following passions with their effects 1. Indignation So Act. 13. 9. Paul set his eyes on Elymas the Sorcerer with indignation and said O! full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the devil 2. Reprehension the effect of indignation So Math. 3. 7. John the Baptist when he saw the Pharisees and Sadduces come to his Baptism he said O generation of Vipers 3. It expresseth anger which is declared by threatning So Math. 23. 37 38. Jesus brake forth Oh! Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee behold your house is left unto you desolate 4. It discovers grief So 2. Sam. 18. 33. David upon the news of his sons death burst out in passion O my Son Absalom my Son my Son Absalom would God I had dyed for thee O Absalom my son my Son 5. It 's ever a sign of calling As Ruth 4. 1. Boaz called to the Kinsman and said Ho! such an one turn aside sit down here 6. It shews vehement desire