comfort, to so many years or luftras. The whole creation now grown old expecteth and waiteth for a certain rejuvenescency, with which ere long it shall surely be blessed, Rom. viii. 19, 20: In the mean time, this is presented unto us in a figure, in those several transformations and renovations of the ant, and filk-worm, and many such insectiles, which are foon brought to extream old age by their inceffant labour; in recompence whereof, by a wonderful metamorphosis, they are renewed into brisk and lively flies. And there are abundance of more perfect creatures also, which depofiting their old skins, or shells, or some such emblem of their age, are at certain seasons brought back again to a youthful state, and fuch are snakes, lizards, crabs, crevises, eagles, king-fithers, and fuch like; and why some 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, saying, 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 visibly demonftrated to us, God might in his πολυποίκιλο σοφία, Eph. iii. 1. alter the course wherein hitherto he hath manifested himself, and in some 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, dust, and darkness, but in the last day he will take a nearer course to do the same thing; Behold, I shew you a mystery, we shall not all fleep, but shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, for the trumpet shall found, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed, 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. These magnalia naturæ, (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 scarce entred the thoughts of vulgar pretenders to physick; have been as unto the practic part under our confideration, with like care and industry, as what you here see in the theory; and that from principles gathered up, not only from reason, reading, and experience; but from some eminent instructive expressions of holy writ, which are not obvious to every cursory and superficial reader: all which may also be communicated to you in a convenient season. THE THE INDEX. T HE introduction, from Page 1, to 1. The use of the Scripture, p. 12. The Several inter VERSE I. from Page 11, to Page 20. The exhortation, p. 11. The general diseases and in VERSE II. from Page 20, to Page 48. The feveral interpretations of this verse, p. 20, 21, 22. |