They are your Sub-Physicians, and know
What sickness you are incident unto;
Let them but feel your Pulse, and they will tell
You quickly whether you are Sick or Well.
⟨p. 21⟩Have you the Staggers? They can help you there
Or if the Falling-Sickness, or do fear
A Lethargy, a Fever, or the Gout,
God blessing of their skill, you need not doubt
A cure, for long Experience has made
These Officers the Masters of their Trade.
Their Physic works by Purge and Vomit too,
Fear not, nor full nor fasting but 'twill do,
Have but a care and see you catch no Cold,
And with their Physic then you may be bold.1
You may them Prophets call, for they can tel•
Of things to come, yea, here they do excel.
They Prophesy of Mans future event,
Whether to Weal or Woe his mind is bent,
Yea, so expert are they in their Predictions,
Their Arguments so full are of Convictions,
That none who hear them, but are forced […] say▪
Woe unto them who wander from the way
Art bound for Hell against all wind and weather
Or art thou one a going backward thither?
Or dost thou wink because thou wouldst not see
Or dost thou sideling go, and wouldst not be
Suspected? Yet these Prophets can the tell,
Which way thou art a going down to Hell.
For him that would Eternal Life attain,
Yet will not part with all, that Life to gain,
⟨p. 22⟩But keepeth some thing close, he should forsake,
Or slips the time, in which he should awake;
Or saith he lets go all, yet keepeth some
Of what will make him lose the world to come.
These Prophets can tell such a man his state,
And what at last will surely be his fate.
They are your Sub-Physicians, and know
What sickness you are incident unto;
Let them but feel your Pulse, and they will tell
You quickly whether you are Sick or Well.
⟨p. 21⟩Have you the Staggers? They can help you there
Or if the Falling-Sickness, or do fear
A Lethergy, a Fever, or the Gout,
God blessing of their skill, you need not doub•
A cure, for long Experience has made
These Officers the Masters of their Trade.
Their Physick works by Purge and Vomit too,
Fear not, nor full nor fasting but t'will do,
Have but a care and see you catch no Cold,
And with their Physick then you may be bold.1
You may them Prophets call, for they can tel•
Of things to come, yea, here they do excell.
They Prophesie of Mans future event,
Whether to Weal or Wo his mind is bent,
Yea, so expert are they in their Predictions,
Their Arguments so full are of Convictions,
That none who hear them, but are forc'd 〈…〉 say▪
Wo unto them who wander from the way
Art bound for Hell against all wind and weather
Or art thou one a going backward thither?
Or dost thou wink because thou wouldst not see
Or dost thou sideling go, and wouldst not be
Suspected? Yet these Prophetes can the tell,
Which way thou art a going down to Hell.
For him that would Eternal Life attain,
Yet will not part with all, that Life to gain,
⟨p. 22⟩But keepeth some thing close, he should forsake,
Or slips the time, in which he should awake;
Or saith he lets go all, yet keepeth some
Of what will make him lose the world to come.
These Prophets can tell such a man his state,
And what at last will surely be his fate.
- 1Mat. 10.8. Heb. 9.14. 2 Pet. 2.22.
