The sickness of this World is grown so lethargical, that his recovery is almost despaired: and therefore his Physicians, finding by infallible symptoms that his consumption is not curable, leave him to the malignancy of his disease. For the eye of his faith is blind, the ear of his attention deaf, the foot of his obedience lame, the hand of his charity numbed, and shut up with a griping covetousness. All his vital parts, whereby he should live to goodness, are in a swoon: he lies bed-rid in his security, and hath little less then given up the (Holy) Ghost. It cannot be denied, but that he lies at the mercy of God. It is therefore too late to tolle his Passing-bell, that hath no breath of obedience left in him: I might rather ring out his knell. Yet because there are many in this world, that are not of this world: many sick of the general disease of Sin, whose recovery is not hopeless, though their present state be hapless; and some, that if they knew but themselves sick, would resort to the Poole of Bethesda, ⟨image 110⟩the waters of life, to be cured. I have therefore presumed to take them apart, and tell them impartially their own illness. Oh that to perform the cure were no more difficult then to describe the Malady, or prescribe the remedy. I have endeavoured the latter: the other to God; who can both kill and give life: who is yet pleased, by his word, to work our recovery; and to make me one (unworthy) instrument, to administer his Physic. Now as the most accurate Physicians, ancient or modern, though they delivered precepts in their faculty, worthy of the worlds acceptance and use; yet they set them forth under some Noble Patronage: so I have presumed, under the countenance of your protection, to publish this (physical or rather) metaphysical Treatise: for as the Sickness is spiritual, so the cure must be supernatural. Assuring my self, that if you shall use any observation here, and give it your good word of Probatum est, many others will be induced the more readily to embrace it. My intent is to do good: and if I had any better Receipt, I would not (like some Physicians, I know not whither more envious or covetous, with an excellent Medicine) let it live and die with my self. God conserve your (either) health; and give you, with a sound body, a sounder faith;
THe sicknesse of this World is growne so lethargicall, that his recouery is almost despaired: and therefore his Phisitians, finding by infallible symptoms that his consumption is not curable, leaue him to the malignancie of his disease. For the eye of his faith is blinde, the eare of his attention deafe, the foote of his obedience lame, the hand of his charitie numm'd, and shut vp with a griping couetousnesse. All his vitall parts, whereby he should liue to goodnesse, are in a swoune: he lies bed-rid in his securitie, and hath little lesse then giuen vp the (Holy) Ghost. It cannot be denied, but that he lies at the mercie of God. It is therefore too late to tolle his Passing-bell, that hath no breath of obedience left in him: I might rather ring out his knell. Yet because there are many in this world, that are not of this world: many sicke of the generall disease of Sin, whose recouerie is not hopelesse, though their present state be happelesse; and some, that if they knew but themselues sicke, would resort to the Poole of Bethesda, ⟨image 110⟩the waters of life, to be cured. I haue therefore presumed to take them apart, and tell them impartially their owne illnesse. Oh that to performe the cure were no more difficult then to describe the Maladie, or prescribe the remedie. I haue endeuoured the latter: the other to God; who can both kill and giue life: who is yet pleased, by his word, to worke our recouery; and to make me one (vnworthy) instrument, to administer his Phisicke. Now as the most accurate Phisitians, ancient or moderne, though they deliuered precepts in their facultie, worthy of the worlds acceptance and vse; yet they set them forth vnder some Noble Patronage: so I haue presumed, vnder the countenance of your protection, to publish this (phisicall or rather) metaphysicall Treatise: for as the Sicknesse is spirituall, so the cure must be supernaturall. Assuring my selfe, that if you shall vse any obseruation here, and giue it your good word of Probatum est, many others wil be induced the more redily to embrace it. My intent is to doe good: and if I had any better Receite, I would not (like some Phisitians, I know not whither more enuious or couetous, with an excellent Medicine) let it liue and die with my selfe. God conserue your (either) health; and giue you, with a sound body, a sounder faith;
