Prayers and Meditations before receiving the Lords Supper p. 36 A Prayer for the Grace of Repentance with a Confession of sins p. 47 A particular Meditation before receiving the holy Communion p. 51 A Prayer when thou art upon going to the Lords Table p. 59 An Ejaculation immediately before the receiving p. 60 Admonitions after receiving the holy Communion p. 61 A Prayer after you have received p. 63 In time of Persecution and Heresie p. 66 In Troubles occasioned by our Enemies p. 68 MAN in DARKNESSE or a Discourse of Death p. 71 A Prayer in time of sicknesse p. 127 A Prayer in the hour of Death p. 130 MAN in GLORY or a Discourse of the blessed estate of the Saints in Heaven p. 133 FINIS ADMONITIONS FOR Morning-Prayer THe night saith Chrysostome was not therefore made that either we should sleep it out or passe it away idly and Chiefly because we see many worldly persons to watch out whole nights for the Commodities of this life In the Primitive Church also the Saints of God used to rise at midnight to praise the Rock of their salvation with Hymns and Spiritual Songs In the same manner shouldst thou do now and Contemplate the Order of the Stars and how they all in their several stations praise their Creator When all the world is asleep thou shouldst watch weep and pray and propose unto thy self that Practise of the Psalmist I am weary of my groaning every night wash I my bed and water my Couch with my tears for as the Dew which falls by night is most fructifying and tempers the heat of the Sun so the tears we shed in the night make the soul fruitful quench all Concupiscence and supple the hardnesse we got in the day Christ himself in the day-time taught and preach'd but continued all night in prayer sometimes in a Mountain apart sometimes amongst the wild beasts and sometimes in solitary places They whose Age or Infirmity will not give them way to do thus should use all Convenient means to be up before the Sun-rising for we must prevent the Sunne to give God thanks and at the day-spring pray unto him Wisd. 16. It was in the morning that the Children of Israel gathered the Manna and of the Just man it is said That He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him and will pray before the most high Eccl. 39. So soon therefore as thou dost awake shut thy door against all prophane and worldly thoughts and before all things let thy God be first admitted offer unto him thy first fruits for that day and commune with him after this manner When thou dost awake O God the Father who saidst in the beginning Let there be light and it was so Inlighten my Eyes that I never sleepe in death lest at any time my Enemy should say I have prevailed against him O God the Sonne light of light the most true and perfect light from whom this light of the Sun and the day had their beginning thou that art the light shining in darknesse Inlightning every one that cometh into this world expell from me all Clouds of Ignorance and give me true understanding that in thee and by thee I may know the Father whom to know is to live and to serve is to reigne O God the Holy Ghost the fire that inlightens and warms our hearts shed into me thy most sacred light that I may know the true Joyes of Heaven and see to escape the illusions of this world Ray thy selfe into my soul that I may see what an Exceeding weight of glory my Enemy would bereave me of for the meer shadowes and painting of this world Grant that I may know those things which belong unto thee and nothing else Inflame me with thy divine love that with a true Christian Contempt I may tread upon all transitory Pleasures and seek only those things which are eternal Most blessed Trinity and one eternal God! as thou hast this day awaked me from this bodily sleep so awake my soule from the sleep of sin and as thou hast given me strength after sleep now again to watch so after death give me life for what is death to me is but sleep with thee to whom be ascribed all glory wisdome majesty dominion and praise now and for Ever Amen When thou dost arise ARise O my soul that sleepest arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Arise O daughter of Sion O my soul redeemed with the blood of Christ sit no more in the dust of thy sins but arise and rest in that peace which is purchas'd by thy Saviours merits Christ Iesus my most merciful and dear Redeemer as it is thy meer goodness that lifts up this mortal and burthensome body so let thy grace lift up my soul to the true knowledge and love of thee grant also that my body may this day be a helper and servant to my soul in all good works that both body and soul may be partakers of those Endlesse Joyes where thou livest and reignest with the Faher and the Holy Ghost one true God world without End Amen As soone as thou art drest before thou comest forth from thy Chamber kneel down in some convenient place and in this or the like Prayer commend thy self for that day unto thy Creator's Protection ALmighty eternal God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ I blesse and praise thy holy name and with my whole heart give thee all possible thanks that out of thine infinite goodness thou wert pleased to watch over me this night to resist my adversary and to keep me from all perils of body and soul O thou that never slumbrest nor sleepest how careful hast thou been of me how hast thou protected me and with thy holy angels thy ministring spirits sent forth to minister for the heirs of salvation incompast me about yea with what unmeasurable love hast thou restored unto me the light of the day and rais'd me from sleep and the shadow of death to look up to thy holy hill Justly mighst thou O God have shut the gates of death upon me and laid me for ever under the barres of the Earth but thou hast redeemed me from Corruption and with thy Everlasting armes enlarged my time of Repentance And now O Father of mercies and God of all Consolation hear the voyce of thy Supplicant and let my cry be heard in thy highest heavens As I do sincerely love thee and beg for thy Protection so receive thou me under the shadow of thy wings watch over me with the Eyes of thy mercy direct me in the wayes of thy Law and enrich me with the gifts of thy Spirit that I may passe through this day to the glory of thy great name the good of others and the comfort of my own soul. Keep me O my God from the great offence quench in me all vain Imaginations and sensual desires sanctifie and supple my heart with the dew of thy
divine Spirit refresh it with the streams of thy grace that I may bring forth fruit in due season and not cumber the ground nor be cut off in thy anger And to this end I do here resigne my body and my soul with all the faculties thou hast bestowed upon both into thy Almighty hands Guide thou them in the works of thy Law turne my eyes from all transitory objects to the things which are eternal and from the Cares and Pride of this world to the fowles of the aire and the Lillies of the field And now O my God seeing I am but Dust and Ashes and my Righteousnesse a filthy Rag having no deserts in my self but what should draw Everlasting vengeance and the Vials of thy bitter wrath upon my body and soul behold I have brought with me thy first-born and onely begotten the propitiation for my sins the Incense I offer up with my prayers Rev. 8.3 my Redeemer and Mediatour in whom thou art well-pleased hear thou him O look not upon my Leprosie but on his beauty and perfection and for the righteousnesse of thy Son forgive the sins of thy Servant Grant this for his sake to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all glory and majesty Dominion and power now and for ever Amen Admonitions when we prepare for any farre Iourney WHen thou art to go from home remember that thou art to come forth into the World and to Converse with an Enemy And what else is the World but a Wildernesse A darksome intricate wood full of Ambushes and dangers A Forrest where spiritual hunters principalities and powers spread their nets and compasse it about wouldst thou then escape these ghostly snares this wickednes in high places and return home if not better and holier yet not worse then at thy setting out Wouldst thou with Iacob passe over these Waters with thy staffe onely and in thy return become two bands Gen. 32.10 Why then do as he did begin thy Journey with prayer and say If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eate and raiment to put on so that I come again to my fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God Gen. 28.20 21. This was his practise and the practise of his fathers The Lord God of heaven saith Abraham who took me from my fathers house and from the land of my kindred c. he shall send his Angel before thee Nor must thou pray only at thy setting forth but all the way and at all times Thus Eliezer prayed at the Well Isaac in the field and Elias in his journey to Mount Horeb under a Iuniper tree in the Wildernesse This also if thou wilt imitate these holy men thou may'st do and for that pious purpose thou hast here these following Prayers When we go from home ALmighty and everlasting God who art the Way the Life and the Truth look down from heaven and behold me now betwixt the Assaults of the Devil the allurements of the World and my own inclinations I cannot look abroad but these flock about me But O thou that leadest Ioseph like a sheep thou most faithful and Almighty guide lend me thy hand open mine Eyes direct my steps and cause me to walk in thy fear Thou that didst go out with Iacob from Beershe-ba unto Padan-aran guiding him in the waste plaines and watching over him on his Pillow of stones be not now farre from me Leade me O Lord in thy righteousnesse make my paths straight and strengthen my goings that having finished my Course here I may sit down in thy Kingdome an Inheritance undefiled purchased for me with the blood of my Saviour and thy beloved Son Iesus Christ Amen II. O Thou that art every where Thou that sittest upon the Circle of the Earth and all the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers before thee Whose Eyes discover the deep things of the night before whom Hell is naked and all the Devices of my spirituall Enemies Thou that didst leade Abraham thy chosen from Vr of the Chaldees into a land flowing with milk and honey favour I beseech thee the present harmlesse Enterprise and innocent purpose of thy servant be unto me in my Journey a Comfort in the heate a shadow in stormes a shelter and in adversity my protection That having finished my intended course I may return in peace full of thy praises who art near to all those that call upon thee Grant this for Christ Iesus his sake Amen Meditate in the way upon the sojournings and travels of the Patriarchs and Prophets the many weary journeys of Iesus Christ in the flesh the travels of his Apostles by sea and land with the pilgrimage and peregrinations of many other precious Saints that wandred in Deserts and Mountains of whom the world was not worthy Admonitions how to carry thy self in the Church HOlinesse saith the Royall Prophet becometh thy house for ever When thou art going thither then carry not the world with thee Let vain or busie thoughts have there no part Bring not thy Plough thy Plots thy Pleasures thither Christ purg'd his Temple so must thou thy heart All worldly thoughts are but Theeves met together To Cousin thee Look to thy actions well For Churches are either our Heav'n or Hell These reverend and sacred buildings however now vilified and shut up have ever been and amongst true Christians still are the solemne and publike places of meeting for Divine Worship There the flocks feed at noon-day there the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls is in the midst of them and where he is that Ground is holy Put off thy shoes then thy worldly and carnall affections and when thou beginnest to enter in say with Iacob How dreadful is this place sure this is none other then the house of God and this is the gate of heaven Such reverence and religious affection hath in all ages been shew'd towards these places that the holy men of God detain'd either by Captivity or other necessary occasions when they could not remedy the distance yet to testifie their desire and longing for the Courts of the Lord Psal. 84. they would always worship towards them Thus Daniel upon the Idolatrous Decree signed by Darius goes into his house and his windows being open in his Chamber towards Ierusalem he kneeled upon his knees and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore-time Dan. 6.10 which fully proves it to have been his Constant manner of Devotion And of Iudith we read that about the time that the Incense of that Evening was offered up in Hierusalem she cried unto the Lord Iud. 9.1 But above all most pathetical and earnest is that crie of King David in the 85. Psalm How amiable are thy Tabernables O Lord of Hosts My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Yea the Sparrow hath found an house and
heaven and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and to â—he blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel See then that thou refuse not to come to this great marriage of the Kings Son with thy soul and see withall that thou comest not without a wedding garment that is to say unprepared For whosoever shall eate this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthâ—ly shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord But let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bâ—ead and drink of that cup of the Lord for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe not discerning the Lords body 1 Cor 11.27 28 29. These are the words of a faithful witnesse and thou maiest beleeve them When therefore thou doest intend to be a partaker of this merciful and mysterious Sacrament be sure for three daies at least not to intermeddle with any worldly businesse but all that time redeeme those many daies which were vainly spent by thee enter into thine owne bosome examine what thou hast there and if thou findest any sons of darknesse lurking under those fig-leaves conceal them not but turne them out of doors and wash their Couch with thy teares have a care that in the Bridegroomes bed instead of myrrhe and flowers thou strowest not thornes and thistles The Evening before thou art to communicate feed but moderately and after supper use no corrupt communication but converse inwardly with thine own heart and meditate what an Almighty guest thou art to entertaine there next day Consider seriously thine own unworthinesse and desire of him that he would sanctifie and furnish the roome where he is to eate the Passeover with thee Intreat him to defend thee that night from all sinful Illusions and temptations and to keep the house cleane and garnished for himself When thou hast thus commended thy self into his hands let thy sleep that night be shorter then usual be up with the day or rather with thy Saviour who rose up early while it was yet dark Meditate with thy self what miracles of mercy he hath done for thee Consider how he left his Fathers bosome to be lodged in a manger and laid by his robes of glory to take upon him the seed of Abraham that he might cloath thee with Immortality Call to minde his wearisome journeys continual afflictions the malice and scorne he underwent the persecutions and reproaches laid upon him his strong cries and teares in the days of his flesh his spiritual agony and sweating of blood with the Implacable fury of his Enemies and his own unspeakable humility humbling himself to the death of the Crosse a death accursed by Gods own mouth Consider againe if thou canst of what unmeasurable love was he possessed who having designed and spent his time of life here for thy salvation did not onely leave thee those divine Oracles and Instructions to be guided by but to seale up the summe and make heaven sure unto thee did by his last Testament give himself with all the merits of his life and death to be wholly thine and instead of them took upon him all thy transgressions bore all thine iniquities and to appease the anger and satisfie the Justice of his Father became the holy harmlesse and undefiled sacrifice and perfect satisfaction for the sins of the world reconciling all things unto his Father whether they be things in earth or things in heaven When thou hast thus considered him in his acts of love and humility consider him again in his glory take thine Eyes off from Bethlehem and Golgotha and look up to the mount of Olives yea to heaven where he sits now upon the right hand of his Father Angels principalities and powers being made subject unto him Call to minde his Joyful resurrection his most accomplished conquest and triumph over the world death and hell his most gracious and familiar conversation with his Apostles before his Ascension with his most loving and comfortable carriage towards them at his departure leading them out as farre as Bethanie and lifting up his hands and blessing them Lastly close up these thoughts with a serious and awful meditation of that great and joyful though dreadful day of his second coming to judgâ—ment promised by himself and affirmed at the time of his Ascension by the two men in white apparel Yemen of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Iesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall waile because of him Amen! even so come quickly Lord Iesus ¶ These are the duties reqâ—ired of thee and which thou must faithfully and punctually performe if thou wouldst be a worthy Communicant and receive those sacred and mystical Elements to that blessed end for which they were ordained But when I speak of three dayes preparation I do not impose that proportion of time nor conclude it sufficient as if it were enough for thee to recede from thy corrupt inclinations and the myre of thy sins for such a terme with an intention to returne and wallow in it again when that holy season is over for our whole life had we the purity of Angels and the innocence of infants bears no proportion at all nor can it without an immediate sanctification from God himself any way qualifie or make us fit for the reception of this unmeasurable mercy But when I spoke of such a proportion of time I did onely propose it to my Readers for the performing of those holy and necessary duties which have particular relation to this solemne Feast and which indeed are required then from every Christian. And as for a regular sober and holy life we should in all places and at all times labour for it for without holinesse no man shall see the face of God much lesse be partaker of his merits and by this spiritual eating and drinking become a member of that body whose life and head he is A Prayer for the grace of repentance together with a Confession of sins O Holy blessed and glorious Trinity three persons and one eternal God have mercy upon me a miserable sinner O who will give mine head waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I may weep night and day for my infinite transgressions ingratitude and rebellion against my most milde and merciful Creatour O God my God be not farre from me hide not thy face from the work of thine hands reject not my sighing and mournful spirit nor the earnest endeavours and desires of mine undone and miserable soul O thou that breakest not the bruised Reede nor quenchest the smoking Flax quench not in me these weak sparks this dawne and beginnings of the promised earnest Take away O my God! this heart of stone and give
shall I attempt thy passion thy bloody sweat thy deep and bitter agony thy lingring peece-mealed death with all the lively anguishments and afflictions of thy martyr'd Spirit O my most loving and merciful Saviour It is onely thy own Spirit that can fully character thy own sufferings These miracles of love and most comfortable circumstances encourage me O my God to draw neer unto thee for it is not probable that thou wouldst have subjected thy self to such bitter reproaches blasphemies and torments had not thy love to man for whose redemption thou didst suffer them been as infinite as thy self And greater love then this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends And lay it down thou didst for no man could take it from thee Thou couldst have commanded twelve legions of Angels from thy Father and when thou wentest forth to meet thy murtherers they went backwards and fell to the ground and without thy permission in whose hand their breath was they could have done nothing These merciful passages together with thy own voice and frequent invitation much encourage me to draw neer unto thee Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Matth. 11.28 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink John 7.37 These with many more are thy loving Invitations This is the voyce of the great Shepherd and thy sheep hear thy voyce Thus thou didst cry and these were the words thou didst speak while thou wert here upon earth and shall I then turn away from thee that speakest now from heaven Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech and thy preaching and Intercession shall last untill the heavens be no more and woe unto them that refuse to hear thee Wherefore most holy Iesus seeing thou dost invite sinners to thee and didst die to redeem them and art able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by thee and dost live for ever to make intercession for them Heb. 7.25 26. I the most wretched and the worst of sinners in full assurance of thy mercies and that thou art touched with the feeling of mine infirmities Heb. 4.15 and wilt have compassion upon my penitent soul draw neer to thy throne of grace that I may obtaine mercy and finde grace to help in time of need O Lord be merciful unto me forgive all my sins and heal all mine infirmities Cleanse my heart sanctifie my affections renew my spirit and strengthen my faith that I may at this great Feast discerne thy blessed body and eate and drink salvation to my self to the glory of thy great name and the comfort of my poor and sorrowful soul Amen Now unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen A Prayer when thou art upon going to the Lords Table IN the name of the Father and of the Son and the holy Ghost Amen! Iesus Christ the Lamb the Branch the bright and morning-Starre the bread of life that came down from heaven have mercy upon me It is thy promise that whosoever eateth thy flesh and drinketh thy blood he shall have eternal life in him and thou wilt raise him up at the last day Behold O God I am now coming to thee O thou fountain of purgation thou Well of living waters wash me cleane be unto me the bread of life to strengthen me in my pilgrimage towards heaven grant that I may suck salvation from thy heart that spring of the blood of God which flowes into all believers Thy flesh is meat indeed and thy blood is drink Indeed O give me grace to receive both worthily that I may never incurre thy anger and eternal condemnation Lord Iesus Christ I beleeve all that thou hast said and all that thou hast promised helpe thou mine unbelief thou art the Author be thou the finisher of my faith And for thy glories sake for thine own names sake leade me in the right way to this great mercy and mystery Amen! Immediately before the receiving say O Lord I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant all my life long unto this very day much lesse am I worthy thou shouldst come now under my roof but seeing it is thy institution and free mercy that will have it so be jealous O God of the place of thine honour cause me to remember whose Temple I am and suffer not my last state to be worse then the first Even so Lord Iesus come quickly Amen! ¶ Admonitions after receiving the holy Communion WHen you have received the Sacred Elements you should not presently after spit nor eate and drink but refraine untill they are perfectly digested and resolved You must lay aside all worldly communication and humane discourses though never so serious for judge of your self what an uncivil part it will be in you when you have received so great a guest as Iesus Christ with all his merits to turne your back upon him presently and neither to meditate of him nor to discourse with him and keep him company Wherefore you should all that day be instant in prayer meditations thanksgiving and good works you should consider and think upon the love of God who so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son to redeeme it You should meditate upon his birth life doctrine and passion his death and buriall resurrection and ascension and his second coming to judgement You should pray that you may be found blamelesse and without spot of him and so much the more because you see the day approaching Tread not under foot the Son of God and his precious blood wherewith you are sanctified and saved by returning again to your former sins like the dog to his vomit but be sure that you walk warily and fall not willfully into the myre Be not regular and holy for a day or two but all the dayes of thy life and number thy dayes that thou mayst apply thy heart unto wisdome Cast thy bread upon the waters be merciful to the poor and remember thy Creator for the dayes of darknesse are many but the outward darknesse is eternal and from it there is no redemption Instead of printed Meditations which are usually prescribed after communicating I would advise the pious receiver to read over all these following parcels of Scripture Iohn 6.22 to the end Iohn 17. Rom. 8.2 Cor. 5. Ephes. 1. 4. Heb. 10.1 Pet. 1. Rev. 5. A Prayer after you have received LOrd Jesus Christ very God and very man made in all things like unto us sin onely excepted I blesse and praise thy holy name and with all my heart with all my strength and with all my soul give thee all possible thanks for thy infinite love and pity towards
rate Our glory greatnesse wisdome all we have If misimploy'd but adde hell to the grave Onely a faire redemption of evill Times Finds life in death and buryes all our Crimes IT is an observation of some spirits that the night is the mother of thoughts And I shall adde that those thoughts are Stars the Scintillations and lightnings of the soul strugling with darknesse This Antipathy in her is radical for being descended from the house of light she hates a contrary principle and being at that time a prisoner in some measure to an enemy she becomes pensive and full of thoughts Two great extremes there are which she equally abhors Darkness and Death And 't is observable that in the second death when she shall be wholly mancipated to her enemies those two are united For those furious and unquenchable burnings of hell which the Scripture calls the lake of fire c. though they be of such an insuperable intense heat as to work upon spirits and the most subtile Essences yet do they give no light at all but burn blacker then pitch Cremationem habet lumen verò non habet Greg. Mor. c. 46. The Contemplatiō of death is an obscure melancholy walk an Expatiation in shadows solitude but it leads unto life he that sets forth at midnight will sooner meet the Sunne then he that sleeps it out betwixt his curtains Truly when I consider how I came first into this world and in what condition I must once again go out of it and compare my appointed time here with the portion preceding it and the eternity to follow I can conclude my present being or state in respect of the time to be nothing else but an apparition The first man that appeared thus came from the East and the breath of life was received there Though then we travel Westward though we embrace thornes and swet for thistles yet the businesse of a Pilgrim is to seek his Countrey But the land of darknesse lies in our way and how few are they that study this region that like holy Macarius walk into the wildernesse and discourse with the skull of a dead man We run all after the present world and the Primitive Angelical life is quite lost It is a sad perversnesse of man to preferre warre to peace cares to rest grief to joy and the vanities of this narrow Stage to the true and solid comforts in heaven The friends of this world saith a holy father are so fearful to be separated from it that nothing can be so grievous to them as to think of death They put farre away the evill day and cause the seate of violence to come neer They lie upon beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their Couches they eat the lambs out of the flock and the calves out of the midst of the stall They chant to the sound of the viol they drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the chief ointments they account the life of the righteous to be madnesse and his end to be without honour Amos 6. In this desperate and senselesse state they cast away their precious souls and make their brightest dayes but dayes of darknesse and gloominesse dayes of clouds and of thick mists They consider not the day that shall burne like an Oven when the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with a fervent heat when the wicked shall be stubble and all the workers of iniquity shall be burnt up Miserable men that knowing their masters pleasure will not do it that refuse Oyle and balsame to make way for poyson and corrasives And why will they call him Master Master whose precepts they trample on and whose members they crucifie It is a sad observation for true Christians to see these men who would seem to be Pillars to prove but reeds and specious dissemblers For what manner of livers should such professors be seeing they expect and beleeve the dissolution of all things With what constant holinesse humility and devotion should they watch for it How should they passe the time of their sojourning here in fear and be diligent that they may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse What preparation should they make against the evill day What comforts and treasures should they lay up for that long voyage For what a day of terrors and indignation is the day of death to the unprepared How will they lie on their last beds like wilde Buls in a net full of the fury of the Lord When their desolation shall come like a flood and their destruction like a whirle-wind How will they say in the morning would God it were Even and at night would God it were Morning for the fear of their heart wherwith they shal fear and for the sight of their Eyes wherewith they shall see This is a truth they will not believe untill death tells it them and then it will be too late It is therefore much to be wished that they would yet while it is life-time with them remember their last ends and seriously question with themselves what is there under the Sun that can so justly challenge their thoughts as the contemplation of their own mortality We could not have lived in an age of more instruction had we been left to our own choice We have seen such vicissitudes and examples of humane frailty as the former world had they happened in those ages would have judged prodigies We have seen Princes brought to their graves by a new way and the highest order of humane honours trampled upon by the lowest We have seene Judgement beginning at Gods Church and what hath beene never heard of since it was redeem'd and established by his blessed Son we have seen his Ministers cast out of the Sanctuary barbarous persons without light or perfection usurping holy offices A day an hour a minute saith Causabone is sufficient to over-turn and extirpate the most settled Governments which seemed to have been founded and rooted in Adamant Suddenly do the high things of this world come to an end and their delectable things passe away for when they seem to be in their flowers and full strength they perish to astonishment And sure the ruine of the most goodly peeces seems to tell that the dissolution of the whole is not far off It is the observation of a known Statesman Sir Water Rawleigh That to all dominions God hath set their periods who though he hath given to man the knowlededge of those wayes by which Kingdoms rise and fall yet he hath left him subject unto the affections which draw on these fatal mutations in their appointed time Vain therefore and deceitful is all the pomp of this world which though it flatters us with a seeming permanency will be sure to leave us even then when we are most in chase of it And what comfort then or what security can poor man promise to himself whose breath