The Soul being so precious, and Salvation so glorious, it is the highest point of Prudence, to make preparations for another world: That there is an Inheritance in Light, […] beyond all dispute, and that there must be an Idoneity and meetness for it, […] in Sacred Writ most strenuously* as••rted. If any shall ask, who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? The answer is, He that hath clean hands, […] a pure *heart. To describe such […] person, is the work of this ensuing treatise: Here you have the godly •ans Effigies, and see him portrayed […] his full Lineaments: What a rare ••ing is godliness! 'tis not airy and ⟨image 3⟩flatulent, but solid, and such as will take up the heart and spirits: Godliness consists in an exact harmony, between holy Principles and Practises: […] that all into whose hands this Book shall providentially come, may be […] enamoured with Piety, as to fall […] the hearty embracing of it: So sublime is Godliness, that it cannot be del•• neated in its perfect radiancy and lustre, though an Angel should take […] Pencil: Godliness is our* wisdom• Job 28. 28. The fear of the Lord, th•• is wisdom. Policy without Piety, profound madness: Godliness is a Sp• ritual Queen, which whosoever Ma• ries, is sure of a large Dowry with […] 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness hath the pr• mice of the life that now is, and that which is to come. Godliness give *assurance, yea holy triumph in Go• and how sweet is† that? It was […] ⟨image 3⟩Latimers Speech, when sometimes I sit alone, and have a settled assurance of the state of my Soul, and know that God is my God, I can laugh at all troubles, and nothing can daunt me: Godliness puts a man in heaven before his time. Christian, aspire after Piety, it is a lawful Ambition: Look upon the Saints Characters here, and never leave till thou hast gotten them instamped upon thy own Soul. This is the grand business that should swallow up your time and thoughts: Other Speculations, and Quaint Notions, are nothing to the Soul: They are like Wafers which have fine works printed upon them, and are curiously damasked to the eye, but are thin, and yield little nourishment. But I will not stay you longer in the Porch; should I have enlarged upon any one Character of the Godly Man, it would have required a ⟨image 4⟩Volume, but designing to go over many, I have contracted my Sails, and given you only a brief Summary of things:
THe Soul being so precious, and Salvation so glorious, it is the highest point of Prudence, to make preparations for another world: That there is an Inheritance in Light, 〈…〉 beyond all dispute, and that there must be an Idoneity and meetness for it, 〈…〉 in Sacred Writ most strenuously* as••rted. If any shall ask, who shall •scend into the hill of the Lord? The •nswer is, He that hath clean hands, 〈…〉 a pure *heart. To describe such 〈…〉 person, is the work of this ensuing ••reatise: Here you have the godly •ans Effigies, and see him pourtrayed 〈…〉 his full Lineaments: What a rare ••ing is godliness! 'tis not airy and ⟨image 3⟩flatulent, but solid, and such as will take up the heart and spirits: Godliness consists in an exact harmony, between holy Principles and Practises: 〈…〉 that all into whose hands this Book shall providentially come, may be 〈…〉 enamoured with Piety, as to fall 〈…〉 the hearty imbracing of it: So sublim• is Godliness, that it cannot be del•• neated in its perfect radiancy and lustre, though an Angel should take 〈…〉 Pensil: Godliness is our* wisdom• Job 28. 28. The fear of the Lord, th•• is wisdome. Policy without Piety, profound madness: Godliness is a Sp• ritual Queen, which whosoever Ma• ries, is sure of a large Dowry with
- *Colos• 1. 12.
- *Psal. 2. 4.
- *Vera est […] cam Hebrai ele•anter appellant [Greek or Hebrew] (i. e.) esse•tiam. […] 3. •1Vera est 〈…〉 cam Hebrai ele•anter appellant 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 (i. e.) esse•tiam. 〈…〉 3. •1
- *Isai. 32. 17.
- †Omni melle dulcior, omni luce clarior. Aug.
