The Vision of the Wheels Opened and Applied, Title page – Errata
THE VISION OF THE WHEELS Seen by the Prophet Ezekiel; OPENED and APPLIED: Partly at the Merchants Lecture in Broad-street; and partly at Stepney, on January 31. 1688/9. being the Day of Solemn Thanksgiving to God for the great Deliverance of this Kingdom from POPERY and SLAVERY, By His then Highness the Most Illustrious Prince of Orange.
Whom God raised up to be the glorious Instrument thereof.
By MATTHEW MEAD Pastor of a Church of Christ at Stepney.
Psalm 77. 18.
The voice of thy Thunder was (foreign) in the Wheel.
Psalm 107. 43.
Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, they shall understand the Loving Kindness of the Lord.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns, at the lower End of Cheapside. 1689.
To the Right Worshipful Sir Humphrey Edwin Knight, Sheriff of the City of London, Sir John Hartop, Erasmus Smith, Lucy Knightly, Samuel Crisp, Daniel Mercer, Esquires, Mr. Isaac Jurin, Mr. John Cook, Mr. Thomas Cook, Mr. Daniel Morse, Mr. Thomas Hartly, Mr. Francis Miller, and to the rest of the Honourable Merchants and Citizens, who are the Promoters of the Merchants-Lecture in Broad-street, London.
SIRS,
WHat you could discern in these Sermons, to call them forth into so publick an appearance, I know not, unless it be the suitableness of them to the Season. It was the sense I had of the Stupendious Providences of God among us which led me to this Subject, as being so suitable, and my course among you, falling out on that very day and hour when the Great Convention of the Messengers of the Nation were to come together, I thought nothing could be more seasonable. The Subject it self is excellent and sit for a Quill plucked from the Wing of one of the living Creatures in this Vision, and therefore …zek. 1. 6.the meanness of the management made me very unwilling it should come abroad, till I considered that it would be a less crime to shew my weakness, than to be stubborn and in flexible to so many importunities. Besides, I thought every one would be willing to know how to open the door to a Golden Treasure, though it be but with an Iron Key.
He is in too much haste, who cannot find leisure to turn aside to see so great a sight as this, a Bush not consumed, in which the Flames have been so long Exod. 3. 3.kindled. The signal Characters of divine Wisdom, Power and Goodness are so visibly impressed upon this late great Providence, that he that runs may read them. When waters too swift to be tided, and too deep to be foorded, shall divide themselves, and stand on Exod. 14. 21.heaps, for whom can we think the great God would be at the expence of such a wonder, but his own Israel, though the mixt multitude may share in it? When walls that were too high to be scaled, and too strong Josh 6. 20.to be battered, shall unwall themselves from their foundation, and fall flat, and that before the Trumpets v. 6.sound, or the people shout, sure the Ark of the Lord must be among that people. When Mountains, which no hand could remove, shall remove themselves, Zech. 4. 7.to plain a way to our Mercies, who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of the Lord hath wrought Job 12. 9.this?
These are preventing Mercies, as little expected as deserved; things which we looked not for. And, Isa. 64. 3.as no judgments are greater than such as are surprizing; 1 Thes. 5. 3…so no Mercies sweeter than such as prevent us, and come unawares. When our Enemies promised themselves sure success, how sudden was the judgment which defeated their hope? and when we looked for nothing but to be inslaved and destroyed, how surprizing was the Mercy that cured our fears? No Wheels could have brought such a Salvation, had not the Chariot come from between the Mountains of Brass; Zech. 6.nor could they have moved so swiftly, had not the Spirit Ezek. 1. 2…of the living Creature been in them, and he that sits above upon the Throne conducted them.Ezek. 1. 2…
I may not omit to let you know that you will find some things added here to what you heard; especially in the Applicatory part, for after I had insisted once upon this Subject among you, there was a day for publick Thanksgiving appointed for the next Week after, and I knew no fitter Theme to insist upon for that day among my own people; and therefore what I then delivered, I have here inserted, that I might gratifie their desires in that, as well as yours in the rest.
The whole was intended from the first for a Thank-Offering to God, such as it is, not of the Herd, but of …ev. 3. 1, 6.the Flock; for of him that can't bring a Bullock God accepts a Lamb. And I was willing to observe the Law of that Offering to the utmost; in which I find that the Flesh was to be eaten the same day it was Offered, …ev. 7. 15, 8.or it should not be accepted; the Gospel of which is to quicken and hasten us to Communion with God, in our thankful returns for received Mercies; especially when so signally great as this is. The sense of which was so particularly impressed upon my mind, that I knew not how to wait for the day (though I believed and expected it) of the publick Solemnizing this Salvation. For that I deemed my share in it to be so much greater than other mens, by how much my Sufferings have been so. A Deliverance, to him who is redeemed thereby from nine years incessant vexations, by Suits, by Fines, by illegal House-breakings, by Plundering and Spoil, by Imprisonments, by Prosecution for Life, by Wandering in a strange Land, must be far sweeter, than it can be to him who is delivered only from his fears, and sad expectations of what is to come. And if, in the wise Providence of God, the waters of a fuller Cup have been wrung out to Psal. 73. 10one than to another, it is no wonder though he catcheth more hastily at the Cup of Consolation which is given to wash them down; as he that is forced to take some bitter Potion, readily accepts any thing of a pleasant relish to put the former taste out of his Mouth.
I am glad that by this Occasion I have so fair an opportunity to make my publick acknowledgment of the Obligations you have laid me under; which have been such, and so great, (especially from some of you) as leave no way of requital within my reach, but by making the debt to be Gods; and he is most free to it, having promised to be Surety for his Servant, to all such as receive a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, Mat. 10. 41as some of you have done in the worst times.
Such as this is, it is yours; and if you receive it with the same Affections from the Press, as you did appear to do from the Pulpit, I have hope that it may be blessed of God to good purposes, by promoting in you the constant practice of all those important Duties which so great a Salvation calls for; and O that the same Spirit of Life which is in the Wheels, may move effectually in all your Souls, to this end.
So prays Your Most Faithful Servant in the Bonds of the Gospel, M. Mead. Feb. 28. 1688/9.
ERRATA.
PAge 13. line 20. read Hammaschith. p. 31. l. 12. r. jeshibennah. p. 33. l. 24. for seven r. eleven. p. 50. l. ult. for had r. did.