another manner, much more confonant to those plaufible and probable doctrines which are the products of the industry and ingenuity of this inquifitive age. It is far more easy to be fceptical, and to overthrow the pofitive affertions of others, than to produce anew those which will prove mere firm and lafting, or to inftaurate better in their room. But I queftion not but the good intention hereof will, among all honeft and candid perfons, in some measure compenfate for all thofe mifcarriages; especially fince by this leading attempt, in a way so obscure and difficult, and withal fo untrodden, men of the greatest parts and abilities will be induced for the future to step into, and to become painful labourers in the vineyard of God.

Which will be a moft acceptable work to the whole chriftian world, and most honourable to themselves; for as Hiram was eminent in Tyre, for his wifdom, understanding, and cunning in all manner of workmanship, 1 Kings. vii. 14. yet that which crowned all his excellencies, and renowned him to this very day, was, that he came to the adorning of the temple of God at Jerufalem. Those learned men who exercise themselves in natural philofophy alone, produce only news-books for the prefent generation, and fo a little time doth confume all together: Whereas the labour that is taken in the word of God, is of a far more durable nature, and is like to run parallel with everlasting truth.

But

But yet more particularly, I cannot but call for help upon this individual subject: It is my earnest desire that physicians would study the gerocomical part of phyfick more than they do: And indeed no part wants our help fo much as this; for among all the verbofious Gracians there is not one compleat tract upon this fubject only: And there are but very few to be found among all other writers, and thofe fo miferable and barren, that the readers are left exceedingly in the dark, and can scarcely be resolved in the first question belonging thereunto, namely to what part of physick it most properly appertains. That one aphorifm of Hippocrates* which a man might easily prove (would it not give occafion to fome foul-mouthed libellers farther to detract from the reverence due to antiquity) is not totum teres atque rotundum, perfect and compleat in all things; hath scarce been out-done for thefe 2000 fucceeding years.

Now, as this part of phyfick needs it most, fo I am as bold to say, it is as capable of improvement as any other part whatsoever; and the improvement that may be made thereof would be as useful to mankind as any one difcovery of nature, that hath at any time hitherto been made. Let none give over their patients when they come to be burdened with the infirmities of age, as though they

Lib. 3. Apho. Ult.

were

were altogether uncapable of having any good done unto them; for, as this will argue great weakness and ignorance in the physician, so it is exceeding cruelty to the patient; for, as the flothful in his work is brother to a great wafter; fo those that are negligent toward their ancient friends, are very near of kin to those inhuman barbarians and Americans, who with great pomp and alacrity, both kill and devour them; thinking thereby they perform a moft charitable office, in delivering them from those incurable maladies, which will for ever render them miferable: But fure an industrious artist may find out ways to be charitable at a more merciful rate. The methods which are already known to fome more quickfighted herein than their fellows, do abundantly teach us, that altho' a perfect cure is not to be propofed or hoped for; yet a confervative cure in respect of age, and a complete cure in refpect of fome of the diseases before mentioned, and a palliative in respect of most of them, may easily be effected. A convenient diet, and meet application of proper medicines (fuppofed always, the bleffing of God thereupon) cannot but preserve old men, and hinder and keep off those miseries which otherwife would fooner creep upon them, and give much ease, and very confiderable rebukes, to the violent affaults of all thofe that have already taken poffeffion: but those things which are already known by the most know

ing

ing men in the world, are little or nothing, in comparison of those that remain yet to be known upon this subject. The high and fupreme matters thereof being yet unattempted by any, cannot but stir up more fedulous and active physicians to be aiming at least at the attaining them; wherein if they shall not poffibly accomplish to their full fatisfaction their intended purpofe, yet furely they will much out-do all those who content themselves with projects of a lower sphere.

Who aimeth at the fkies,

Shoots higher much than he that means a tree *.

The reasons why perfons in this age fall fo foon into this decrepit ftate, and why the miferies thereof are fo multiplied and magnified upon them, is, becaufe either they call not in foon enough for help, or because those that are called in either understand not, or mind not, what they ought to do. An honeft and an able phyfician may furely approve himself to his ancient patient (as Ruth's fon was to his grandmother) a restorer of life, and nourisher of old age, Ruth iv. 15. Much, without all queftion, may be done by human knowledge, for the retarding and keeping off old age for a competent season; and for the quitting and clearing of it, from that multitude of grievances that do so easily befet it: Though the

*Herbert Perirkanterium.

com

completion of this work be referved in God's own hand, until he shall bring that happy ftate upon his people, which was typified by Mofes, who, when he was one hundred and twenty years old, had not his eye dim, nor his natural force abated, Deut. xxxiv. 7. And was plainly prophefied by Isaiah, faying, There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days, for the child fhall die an hundred years old, Ifa. lxv. 20.

And yet farther, it seems not to me in the leaft incongruous to chriftian religion to affirm, that life itself may be prolonged. There are certain ways and methods that have a natural tendency in them either to life or death: As righteousness tendeth unto life, so he that purfueth evil, parfueth it to his own death, Prov. xi, 19. Abbreviation and prolongation of life ftand upon the fame foundation, and the self-fame arguments either confirm them, or overthrow them both together. Now most certain it is, that evil men shall not live out their days, Pfal. Iv. 23; and as certain it seems to me, that good men fhall out-live their days; else what means that promife of additional life, My fon, forget not my law, but let thine heart keep my commandments, for length of days, and long life, and peace fhall they add unto thee, Prov. iii. 2. Yet the words of Job are everlastingly true, The days of man are determined, the number of his months are with God, he hath appointed his bounds that he can

not