To the Reader.

matters and states geftalteniffen: internal conditions, dispositions, or spiritual appearances of the soul, which belong only to those whom God has inwardly enlightened through His Spirit, so that they may understand those things which are granted to them by God. You shall find therein the complete mysteries of the heart, and that which the Lord Jesus works within it, when He has given the Soul a vision beyond that which the world neither knows nor sees.

Before this, two [books] of similar Emblems Zinnebeelden: symbolic images accompanied by text, used to convey moral or spiritual truths have already been published, namely the Divine Meditations original: "Goddelyke Aandachten", or Flaming Desires of a Penitent Soul original: "vlammende Begeerten eens Boetvaerdige Ziele". These were found to be not without fruit meaning they were spiritually beneficial or successful, and this has encouraged us all the more to bring this present work to light, especially as the first edition saw the light more than twenty years ago, and for several years now has no longer been available.

The other is a little Treatise Tractaatje: a small book or pamphlet, typically on a religious or moral subject named Jesus and the Soul original: "Jefus en de Ziel", compiled by our good friend Jan Luyken Jan Luyken (1649–1712) was a famous Dutch poet, illustrator, and engraver whose work defined the religious emblem genre in the Netherlands, from whose spiritual and sweet-flowing rhymes we shall include several in this little book, fitting even these illustrations, which