By moth and rust those two greedy and great devourers of gay clothes, and glistering treasures, two capital vanities upon which worldlings dote, and two greatest enchanters of mortal men, are insinuated, ⟨p. 10⟩and signified unto us all those iron teeth, and devouring instruments of mortality, by which corruption eats into the heart of all earthly glory, wastes insensibly the bowels of the greatest bravery, and ever at length consumes into dust the strongest sinews of the most Imperial Sovereignty under the Sun. Sometimes, A day, an hour, 1a moment, is enough to overturn the things, that seemed to have been founded and rooted in Adamant. The LORD of Heaven hath put a frail and mortal nature, a weak and dying disposition into all worldly things. They spring and flourish, and die. Even the greatest and goodliest Politic Bodies that ever the earth bore, though animated with the searching spirit of profoundest Policy; strengthened with the resolution and valour of the most conquering commanders, sighted with eagle eyes of largest depths, fore-sights and comprehensions of state, crowned with never so many warlike prosperities, triumphs and victorious achievements, yet like the natural Body of a man, they had, as it were, their Infancy, youthful strength, mans state, old age, and at last, their grave. We may see Dan. 2. 35. The glory and power of the mightiest Monarchies that ever the Sun saw, shadowed by Nebuchadnezzars great Image, sink into the dust, and become like the chaff of the Summers threshing floors; upon a windy day.2 ⟨p. 11⟩Hear a wise and noble writer speaking to this purpose, though for another purpose: Who hath not observed, what labour, what practice, peril, blood-shed, and cruelty, the Kings and Princes of the world have undergone, exercised, taken on them, and committed; to make themselves and their issues Masters of the world? And yet hath Babylon, Persia, Egypt, Syria, Macedon,3 Carthage, Rome, and the rest, no fruit, flower, grass or leaf, springing upon the face of the earth, of those seeds: No, their very roots and ruins do hardly remain. All that the hand of man can make, is either over-turned by the hand of man; or at length by standing and continuing consumed. What trust then or true comfort in the arm of flesh, humane greatness, or earthly treasures? What strength or stay in such broken staves of reed?
By moth and rust those two greedy and great devourers of gay clothes, and glistering treasures, two capitall vanities upon which worldlings dote, and two greatest inchanters of mortall men, are insinuated, ⟨p. 10⟩and signified unto us all those iron teeth, and devouring instruments of mortality, by which corruption eats into the heart of all earthly glory, wasts insensibly the bowels of the greatest bravery, and ever at length consumes into dust the strongest sinewes of the most Imperiall Soveraignty under the Sun. Somtimes, A day, an houre, 1a moment, is enough to overturne the things, that seemed to have been founded and rooted in Adamant. The LORD of Heaven hath put a fraile and mortall nature, a weake and dying disposition into all worldly things. They spring and flourish, and die. Even the greatest and goodliest Politique Bodies that ever the earth bore, though animated with the searching spirit of profoundest Policy; strengthened with the resolution and valour of the most conquering commanders, sighted with eagle eyes of largest depths, fore-sights and comprehensions of state, crowned with never so many warlike prosperities, triumphs and victorious atchievements, yet like the naturall Body of a man, they had, as it were, their Infancy, youthfull strength, mans state, old age, and at last, their grave. We may see Dan. 2. 35. The glory and power of the mightiest Monarchies that ever the Sun saw, shadowed by Nebuchadnezzars great Image, sink into the dust, and become like the chaffe of the Summers threshing floores; upon a windy day.2 ⟨p. 11⟩Heare a wise and noble writer speaking to this purpose, though for another purpose: Who hath not observed, what labour, what practice, perill, bloud-shed, and cruelty, the Kings and Princes of the world have undergone, exercised, taken on them, and committed; to make themselves and their issues Masters of the world? And yet hath Babylon, Persia, Egypt, Syria, Macedon,3 Carthage, Rome, and the rest, no fruit, flower, grasse or leafe, springing upon the face of the earth, of those seeds: No, their very roots and ruines do hardly remaine. All that the hand of man can make, is either over-turned by the hand of man; or at length by standing and continuing consumed. What trust then or true comfort in the arme of flesh, humane greatnesse, or earthly treasures? What strength or stay in such broken staves of reed?
- 1Dies, hora, momentum, evertendisdominationibus su•icit, quae adamantinis credebantur radicibus esse fundatae. Casaub. Repentè quidem alta seculi count, pulchra transe•nt. Nam cum stare in his floribus suis mundus cernitur, repentinâ fortunâ turbat•: aut festinâ, & omnia deturbante morte concluditur. Vana ergò sunt gaudia seculi, quae quasi manentia blandiuntur: sed amatores suos, citò transeundo decipiunt. Greg. in 1 Reg. Cap. 11.Dies, hora, momentum, evertendisdominationibus su•icit, quae adamantinis credebantur radicibus esse fundatae. Casaub. Repentè quidem alta seculi co•unt, pulchra transe•nt. Nam cum stare in his floribus suis mundus cernitur, repentinâ fortunâ turbat•: aut festinâ, & omnia deturbante morte cōcluditur. Vana ergò sunt gaudia seculi, quae quasi manentia blandiuntur: sed amatores suos, citò transeundo decipiunt. Greg. in 1 Reg. Cap. 11.
- 2Unto all Dominions GOD hath set their periods: who, though he hath given to man the knowledge of those ways, by which kingdoms rise and fall; yet hath le•t him subject unto the affections which draw on these fatal changes in their times appointed. Sr Walter Rawleigh P. 1. Lib. 5. Cap. 3. Sect. 13▪Vnto all Dominions GOD hath set their periods: who, though he hath giuen to man the knowledge of those waies, by which kingdomes rise and fall; yet hath le•t him subiect vnto the affections which draw on these fatall changes in their times appointed. Sr Walter Rawleigh P. 1. Lib. 5. Cap. 3. Sect. 13▪
- 3The ruin of the goodliest Pieces of the world, f•re▪ shows the dissolution os the whole.The ruine of the goodliest Peeces of the world, f•re▪ shewes the dissolution os the whole.
