not pass, Job xiv. 5; his prescience and predetermination do not at all hinder the influences of natural caufes, but he knows and difpofeth of them alfo, equally with their effects. And thus those things, that are with us reputed the moft contingent, are alfo fore-feen and fore-ordered, as well as others. The drawing of a bow of a certain man at a venture, was as well known and determined, as the death of that king that fell thereby, 1 Kings xxii. 34. The whole ftory of Hezekiah's life and death was alike predeftinated, Ifa. xxxviii; yet he was fick unto death, and had then certainly died, had not God lengthned out his life yet fifteen years, and had he not followed his appointment in making use of the plafter of figs. Paul's most comfortable words in his dangerous voyage to Rome, There fhall be no loss of any man's life among you, Acts xxvii. 22. was a true report of the fure unchangeable and eternal counsel of God: Yet had not the shipmen abode in the ship, they could not have been faved, Acts xxvii. 31. The death and continuation of life of every man, and of every individual living creature is certainly determined; yet they fhall both of them as neceffarily follow their conftituted means, as day and night, do the presence or absence of the fun. But yet, once more, it is more than probable, that fuch noble medicines may be found out and prescribed, that may innovate the ftrength ftrength of all the parts of old men, and bring their temperament back again to equality; that may fo fortify nature, and consume or expel whatsoever is contrary thereunto; as life and vigour may be restored to fuch a measure, which may fafely be called, the renewing of youth. It is faid of captain Naaman the leper, after he had made use of the ordinance of God for his recovery, that his flesh came again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean, 2 Kings V. 17. And thus through the bleffing of God upon our weak endeavours, we daily fee brought again from the grave's mouth, and restored to perfect health and ftrength, many that were confecti morbo, spent and confumed with a difease; and why some that are confetti fenio, wasted with age, may not in like manner be renewed, feems not at all impoffible. Nay, this Elihu, one of Job's friends, doth abundantly prove, from the power and providence of God, when he faith; His flesh shall be fresher than a child's, he shall return to the days of his youth, Job. xxxiii. 25. And those critical returns of nature, (which are vulgarly called lightnings before death) that do ufually continue but for two or three hours, or days at the most, are notwithstanding sometimes, by the strength of nature only, lengthned out to so many weeks or months; and there can no reason be given, why a skilful and fuccessful artist may not be made inftrumental for the farther prolonging them, with greater comfort, comfort, to fo many years or luftras. The whole creation now grown old expecteth and waiteth for a certain rejuvenescency, with which ere long it fhall furely be bleffed, Rom. viii. 19, 20: In the mean time, this is prefented unto us in a figure, in those several transformations and renovations of the ant, and filk-worm, and many fuch infectiles, which are foon brought to extream old age by their inceffant labour; in recompence whereof, by a wonderful metamorphofis, they are renewed into brisk and lively flies. And there are abundance of more perfect creatures also, which depofiting their old fkins, or fhells, or fome fuch emblem of their age, are at certain feasons brought back again to a youthful state, and fuch are snakes, lizards, crabs, crevifes, eagles, king-fishers, and fuch like; and why fome fuch thing as this, or at least something analogous hereunto, may not be wrought upon man, the most perfect creature of all the earth, I am fure no one can give an account. David in his doxology intimates, that there may, faying, concerning God in his providences, He fatisfieth thy mouth with good things, fo that thy youth is renewed like the eagles, Pfal. ciii. 5. Yet were not these things thus vifibly demonftrated to us, God might in his woλUToiniλ copía, Eph. iii. 1. alter the course wherein hitherto he hath manifefted himself, and in fome things he hath given us affurance that he he will; the way that hitherto he hath been pleased to take to bring our bodies to glory and immortality, hath been through mifery, duft, and darkness, but in the laft day he will take a nearer course to do the fame thing; Behold, I shew you a mystery, we shall not all fleep, but fhall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, for the trumpet fhall found, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed, 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. Thefe magnalia nature, (viz. the preventing, alleviating, and curing (as far as is attainable) the diseases before mentioned, the retarding of age, the prolonging of life, the renewing of youth) that have fcarce entred the thoughts of vulgar pretenders to phyfick; have been as unto the practic part under our confideration, with like care and industry, as what you here fee in the theory; and that from principles gathered up, not only from reason, reading, and experience; but from fome eminent inftructive expreffions of holy writ, which are not obvious to every curfory and fuperficial reader: all which may also be communicated to you in a convenient season. THE THE INDE X. HE introduction, from Page 1, to 11. THE The ufe of the Scripture, p. 12. The feveral inter pretations of this place, p. 3. The true, p. 4. The names of age, p. 4, 5. The analyfis, p. 8. The bounds, p. 5,6,7. The VERSE I. from Page 11, to Page 20. The exhortation, p. 11. The general difeafes and inlets to all the reft, p. 12. The certainty of this ftate, ibid. The continuation, p. 13. How EVIL DAYS are to be underfood, p. 14, 15. What old age is called good, p. 15, 16, 17, 18. How PLEASURE is to be understood, p. 18, 19, 20. Incredible in age, ibid. VERSE II. from Page 20, to Page 48. The feveral interpretations of this verfe, p. 20, 21, 22. |