The Preface. Miy or harve/ , becaufe it is now enterwith us : You think the hole andbeautiousflowers which are promifed us in that Spring, are but ddufons , becaufeyou know not the vertue of that life Chats ix the root , nor the Powerful influence of that Sun of the Believers. Youfee the deadbody, butyou fee not the foul alive with Chrifl, retired into its Root. You fee the Candleput out, and know not whether theflame is gone , and think not how fmall a touch of the yet living foul will light it again. Andfo on the other fide,you look on thefwaggeringGallant, but you look not on the ulcerous foul 5 you hear them laughing andjefi ng in their jovialty ; butyou hear themnot yetgroan- ing in their pains : you fee them clambering into the feat of honour, but fee them not call into thegrave : you fee them run and ride inpompe and pleafure, following the delights ofthefelh, attendedby theirfollowers that honour and ap- plaud them ; but you fee them not yet gafping under the pangs ofdeath, nor laid in the dull as 'fill as flanes. You fee their beauty and glittering attire, but you fee not the pale andgbafllyface that death will give them, nor the skulls that arefiript ofall thofe ornaments ; you finell their perfumes, butyou finellnot theirputrefatllion ; youfee their lands andfpacious houles and,í mptuous furniture ; bat you fee not how narrow a room willferve them in thegrave ; nor how little there they differ from the mo/l contemptible of men. Nay more you fee them with Ahabgoing forth ta battle, and leaving the Prophets w.th the bread andwater of dill .elion ; but you fee them not yet returning with the mortal blow ; youfee them in their honours andabundance, but fee themnot on Chrills lefthand in judgement: you fee them cloatbedrichly andfaring deltc'oufly every day ; but youfee them not inhelltorments, wtThing in vain fora drop of water to abate their flames; : you hear themhonoured, arsdbear their words ofprideandiflcntatien but you hear them
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