The child's portion, or, The unseen glory of the children of God asserted and…

3. Since the time wherein God by his servants began to treat us with these warnings, his hand hath bin awfully out upon us in taking away eminent, useful, public & pious men: God hath since that time seemed to be upon quick dispa• ches in that business, our eyes have scarcely bin dry for one (though alas! they are too soon dry) but another's death hath alarum'd us: the ancient pillars on which our foundations once stood strong are almost all gone, •ea & also many young ones, and very likely to have bin eminently useful, to have bin placed in their rooms, and hopeful to have made up the breach have bin plucked out again, as it were by force.

3. Since the time wherein God by his servants began to treat us with these warnings, his hand hath bin awfully out upon us in taking away eminent, useful, publique & pious men: God hath since that time seemed to be upon quick dispa• ches in that busines, our eys have scarcely bin dry for one (though alas! they are too soon dry) but anothers death hath alarum'd us: the ancient pilars on which our foundations once stood strong are almost all gon, •ea & also many young ones, and very likely to have bin eminently usefull, to have bin placed in their roomes, and hopefull to have made up the breach have bin pluckt out agen, as it were by force.

4. It is sadly observable, that the spirit of zeal for God, and Holiness, hath died apace with them. We may in a deplorable degree say of our times, not only that the godly men die, but that they cease: we are not now put to it to know whom to employ in our public concerns in the Magistracy and Ministry, yea, and other places of weight, by reason of multiplicity of choice, as it hath sometimes been, but rather for want of choice: how many Congregations do now want to have the bread of Life to be broken to them, and are at a loss how to obtain it▪ and in all sorts of men, there seems to be a