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life_n	believe_v	eternal_a	see_v	6,178	5	3.7252	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45776	Levamen infirmi: or, cordial counsel to the sick and diseased Containing I. Advice concerning physick, and what a physician ought to be; with an account of the author's remedies, and how to take them. II. Concerning melancholy, frensie, and madness; in which, amongst other things, is shew'd, how far they differ from a conscience opprest with the sense of sin, and likewise how they differ among themselves. III. A miscellany of pious discourses, concerning the attributes of God; with ejaculations and prayers, according to scripture rule. Likewise an account of many things which have happen'd since the creation. To which are added several predictions of what may happen to the end of the world. The whole being enrich'd with physical, pious, moral & historical observations, delightful to read, & necessary to know. By D. Irish, practitioner in physick and surgery, now dwelling at Stoke, near Guilford in Surry, where he is ready to serve any person, to the utmost of his skill.	Irish, David.	1700 (1700)	Wing I1036; ESTC R221621	80,143	149

Diseases and heal th●m if they keep his Commandments it should go well with them and they should be free from Diseases In other places God hath stiled Himself Iehovah Rophe the Lord the Physician and worthily for from Him comes the Gift of Healing therefore as I said before Physicians and Chirurgeons also are but God's Inst●uments who act under Him 'T is He only that can command Health all the Medicinal means Physicians use are but the order in which he is pleased ●o work such effects on our Bodies as he sees ●ittest for us And no doubt but the Science of Physick ●●de a part of the great Wisdom wherewith God ●●spired Adam for questionless thi● enabled him to perform the Office of a Midwife and to assist Eve in her Extremity for as may be gathered from Scripture her Travail-Pains were as great as those of her Posterity and Sex are at this day Here it may not be imp●rtinent to observe That Children as soon as th●y are born a good Argument of their Original call out upon the two first Letters of our first Par●nts Names the Males crying A E A E and the Females E A E A as a Token of the miserable Condition Adam and Eve by their Disobedience ent●il'd upon their Pos●●rity for indeed by their breaking God's first Commandment we had all for ever perished were not God's Mercy great and wonderful towards his People in working a means for their Redemption as well as for their Recovery of Health which is very ea●ie to be understood by the Angels Salutation in his using the aforesaid Letters E V A the Name of the Woman who at first ma●● us Bondsmen to make us free when the Angel Gabriel inverted their Order an● pronounced them A V E to the Virgin Mary Since as is said God is the great Physician whensoever we are Sick or any ways Infirm let us call upon Him for Help and He will hear us being alway●●eadier to give than we to ask 2 King 20.5 c. consider then what God said to Hezekiah Behold said he I will heal thee And Isaiah said Take ● Lump of Figs and they took them and laid them on the Boile and Hezekiah recovered and lived 15 years after Isa. 38. and Iohn 9.6 which Examples teach us that without God the Prescriptions of Doctors signifie nothing but where God pleases even ordinary means have great power to procure Health which once obtain'd Men ought to give Praise to God in perpetual Gratitude for their Recovery but Men are in this as well as in other Duties too remiss as appears by the Ten Lepers which Christ cured of whom there was but one that return'd Him Thanks tho' He expects the same return from all Rom. 12 Tit. 2. especially those He heal'd and cured of troublesome and dangerous Diseases We have his Word to ground our hopes and boldness upon in asking where He tells us That He that heareth his Word and believeth on Him shall obtain Eternal Life Now if upon such Conditions He will give us Eternal Life we need not doubt but that He will give us a temporary Health if He sees that it be good for us or condusive to that Life which i● Everlasting Therefore let us as those that are not without Hope be stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Works of the Lord forasmuch as we know our Labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 Ex libris nemo evasit artifex No Man becomes an Artist by Books only this as in most Arts so in Physick is undoubtedly true Believe me a greater insight is required to the making of a Physician than what the best Books in the World can furnish a Man with one must have Time and Experience to gain an acquaintance with the K●owledge of Man's Body and the Use of Instruments belonging to the Art 't is Practice that best teaches us the Virtues of Simples and which alone can make Medicines call'd Experienced truly so He that is only Book-learn'd his Skill at best is but Skin deep Galen discreetly compares such to those Pilots who by Books only will undertake to steer a Ship into any part of the World tho' they were never at Sea before but the End of such a Man 's Undertaking would doubtless be as dangerous to himself as the Attempts of a Book-learn'd unexperienced Physician are to those he first practises on Yet we have store of young Doctors some of which not over-learned who as soon as ever they come out of the University will undertake to write Prescriptions to the Apothecaries for Medicines to cure the Sick even of the most obstinate and intricate Diseases when they are void of all manner of Experience and full of nothing at best but Noise and speculative Notions But since these two contribute little to the Recovery of the Sick they are not by wise Men to be relied on except when no others c●n be had of this I will say no more but tell you what an Emperor did on the like Occasion when a young Doctor was brought to him Doctor said the Emperor How many hast thou kill'd in the time of thy Practice The young Graduate answer'd May it please your Highness Not one To him the Emperor gave his Fee and bid him be gone for said he I 'll take nothing from such a Doctor that has not kill'd any one in his Practice he may try Experience upon me and so kill ●e first Fetch me an old experienced Physician for I 've no mind to give beginning to any Man's Art by my End or D●ath Then they brought to the Emperor an ancient grey old Doctor of whom the Emperor as of the former demanded How many he had killed in his time of Practice The Doctor answered stroaking his Beard with his Hand If your H●ghness can number these grey Hairs on my Chin then I can tell you the Number of those to whom my Practice prov'd fatal but by my then Killing I have now well in●orm'd my self of the way of Curing God have Mercy old Doctor reply'd the Emperor I find by your Confession that you are an experienc'd Man I 'll venture to take something from you or by your Directions for I know continued the Emperor that by the Divine Decree of God Almighty all Metals Minerals Herbs and Plants enrich'd with various Scents Tasts Colours and Forms grow and spring forth of the Earth possest with many and great Virtues insomuch that I hold it a great Offence to attribute to any other than to the Deity the Benefit of a Blessing adapted for so many Uses besides the Knowledge of the Virtues of these things is no less than Divine in its Original for certainly no Man's Capacity could ever attain to the Knowledge of these things at first without the Assistance of a Supernatural Power and Inspiration this being so 't will be easily granted that when in the beginning God breathed into Adam the Breath of Life he then also taught

Blind or both but let such Rich men remember that if they would be partakers with the Poor in Heaven they must let the Poor partake with them of their good things on Earth for to feed the Poor cloath the Naked relieve Prisoners is the same as if such works of Mercy were done to Christ. The safest way of laying up Treasure is thus to make a Store-house of Heaven which at last day will afford no less than a Crown of Glory Make O Lord the way pleasant to me that leads to such an End 't is no matter what Raggs or Colours I wear with Men so I may walk with my Saviour in White and Reign with him in Glory Luk. 13.3 We must Love o●e another which is the very distinguishing mark of a Disciple of Christ as Malice Hatred and Revenge are the badges of an Antichristian Mind We must in all things be reform'd from the Evil of our ways especially from our neglecting God's Service and the Duties we owe to him nor must we be remiss in our Duties to our King to our Co●ntry and to our Neighbours if we be we may fall short of our glorious Expectations Indeed all Ordinances of God are as it were the very face of God and they who worship him therein do solemnly ●ppear before him therefore at such Seasons all Men are Bound to be holy and recollected especially Ministers when they Read or Preach God's Word God requires an exactness of Deportment of them in his Courts and 't is no wonder for do but observ● under the Law how choice he was about all thing● relating to his Worship The Tabernacle was mad● of th● best Wood purest Gold and finest Linnen In short every part of it was done according to God'● Prescription and Order Such as offer Sacrifice mus● be without Blemish God expects to be serv'd b● holy Men in the purest and holyest Manner pur● must be the Person and pure the Performance fo● Men carry the Temple of God about them and therefore ought to keep their Hearts and Spirits clean fo● the Reception of God ought they not then to b● very watchful over themselves when they are abou● Religious Duties esp●cially those whose duty it is to lead and enlighten others to obtain the Peace of God and Everlasting Rest But I 'le pursue this Subject no farther least I should too much r●semble a Sheep that leaps out of the Fold to lead the Shedheard I know well every one has his Infirmity the Green-sickness is the Maids and Covetousness the Disease of some Teachers who Preach up hospitality and other virtues to the People but will not go to the cost of putting their own Doctrine in Practice On the other hand every thing has its Virtue the Bee gathers Honey out of every stinking Weed and every Weed is of more value and use than to be thrown on a Dunghill 'T is the Apostles advise That we do all things for the Edification of others hence those that can ought to Read the Script●res and other good Books while those that cannot ought attentively to give ear and lead their lives according as the Word directs see D●ut 6.11 And to incite the Minds of People to a more strict degree of Piety it would not be amiss for Ministers to Write or if there be enough already Written to buy some Books of Instructions according to Scripture Rules and give away once a year to their Parishoners By this means the Sheep will know the voice of their Shepherd from the howling of devouring Wolves and also to keep them from wandring from Christs Fold and runing astray after Novelties thro' the Wilderness of this World of Errors I know there are many well-meaning People who make a Co●science of their doings and are free from the folly of those that run to several places that are not tost with every wind of Doctrine as those commonly are that like any Preacher better than their own whom God by his Providence hath set over them These would willingly Read what was thus given ●hem by their own Shepherd or Pasture nay some of the other fickle headed Men would also Read their Pastors gift purely out of Curiosity this I say would be a ready way to lead them to the house of the true Shepherd I mean not where Christ was Born at Bethlehem to Sing Gloria in excelsis but where Christ now is at God's Right Hand interceeding for all his Servants 'T is chiefly the Ministers Office to take care of Christs Flock who have the Power of the Keys the Power to remit Sins by teaching the Truth of Christs Word and daily Administring the Sacraments left as Conduit-pipes to convey his Grace to our hearts the doing of which being omitted by Preachers is the retaining of Men in their Sins for if Men be so wicked that they will not ●elieve in Christ Crucified after he hath been Preach'd unto them then their Sins are retained and the Truth is not in them Good Ministers have the Keys to open and shut Heaven by Preaching and Administring the Sacraments to their Flock all that truly Believe in Gods Word which is the only Rule we ought to follow shall undoubtedly be Saved It is not every one that can Pray or Preach hath Power to remit Sins no it is the Undefiled Faithful Godly Ministers who lead their lives answerable to the true Doctrine deliver'd in God's Word that can do it they open and shut Heaven as many good Prophets did by pouring out their fervent Prayers to God Almighty do perform great things One by Prayer staid the course of the Sun another by Prayer put it back and when the Clouds withheld from Raining three Years a third offer'd up his Prayers to Heaven for Rain and God was pleased to send dow● Rain to refresh the Earth that all things grew and great Plenty of all things made glad the he●rt of Man These instances make it appear what I before asserted and that Man has power with God to Theologize Astrology that is to put by or prevent by Prayers offer'd up to God what the Stars foreshew to Ensue by the Phaenomena's whereof Astrologers were wont to deter and frighten People from doing ill Let us fear God obey his Commands and Love one another and believe in his Word who promised that whatsoever his true and faithful Ministers should ask in his Name should if necessary be granted according to that gracious saying in the Holy Writ That ● what time soever a Sinner doth Repent of his Sins he shall have Pardon with this Proviso he become a New Creature by the amendment of his Life such may come in favour with Christ the head Shepherd of Souls who makes intercession with his Father for all those that Believe in him and observe his Commandments And now to comprise all in a little remember our Saviours great Commandment which was Tha● you Love one another and whatsoever you would that Men should do unto you that do you

believe the same We should also truly call upon God successively to send Christian good and godly Governours that they earnestly may stand for the Christian Ch●●ch and true Religion which God hath caused to be taught among us that the same may continue manfully to resist erroneous and false Doctrine and now in our time God hath raised up certain high and mighty Heads and Princes which have been Nurses and Protectors of the Church God preserve them mercifully for the same and send continually Men able and willing so to do who shine with the Beauty of acquired and natural Parts and ar● free to impart the●r Knowledge by explaining the true Sence and Meaning of God's Word to all Rational People so as thereby they may come to the true Knowledge of God and his only Son our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ so as all Nations may be led by the Word of t●at one Shepherd who gave his Life for a Ransom ●or all those that believe his Word which is the true ●ight that enlightens every Man in the way to Eter●al Life So God grant that his Gospel may for ●ver flourish amongst all Nations to the End of the World Let me in the next place exhort all Men to remember to crave a Blessing of God and be thankful to him for whatsoever they eat or drink since it all ●omes from his Bounty which affords us what his Wisdom thinks fit and necessary For such gratis and gracious Gifts as ●e daily confers upon us let us if we would avoid the just Imputation of the greatest Ingratitude give his Divine Majesty thanks How thankful was our Blessed Saviour for two Loaves and a few Fis●es when he blessed God his Heavenly Father for them the Issue was a miracu●o●s Encrease to show us that if we were thankful to God for a little he would give us much yet we daily see how wonderfully forgetful Thousands are when they sit down to plentiful Tables and mind not before nor after they eat to return the Giver Thanks for their nourishing Varieties I fear it will go bad with such one Day through their neglecting ●he Du●y of Thankfulness for what they daily receive from Heaven's Liberality 'T is God that gives or at least ●ends us all we have can we then do less than thank him for the same which undoubtedly he expects even from our Hearts as well as in formal verbal 〈◊〉 which are but signs of our inward Gratitude What are such I pray better than Heathens wh● knowing their Duties herein rise from Meat u●san●tified We ought not only to be than●ful but also ●o bestow some part of what we have on the Poo● according to the Directions found ●n Sacred Writ Such as fail herein must expect God's I●dignation and Rebuke when he ●alls them to an account for their Stewardship Repentance then will be too late for our now Forgetfulness Now is the acceptable Time to seek the Lord whilst he may be found for in this Life whenever we call upon him he will hear and grant our request Let the Words of my Mouth and the Meditations of all Mens Hearts be now and ever acceptable in thy Sight O Lord God our Redeemer Most Great and Glorious Lord our God thou art and there is no other God besides Thee in Heaven nor in Earth for the Heavens are thy Throne and the Earth is thy Footstool and the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain Thee the whole Earth is full of the Glory of thy Majesty O what miserable Creatures are we Dust and Ashes not worthy of the least of thy Mercies How dare we then present our selves before Thee who art so pure and holy a God yet still through thy Mercy we have here our Being whereas thou mightest have placed us in the Abyss of Hell for ever where there is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth where the Fire burns and never goes out and where the Worm namely the lost Soul never dies Let us all then with Humility jointly say We have sinned against Heaven and against Thee Let us honou● our Callings with the Practice of good Works and f●llow P●ac● with all Men. Help us O Lord now to press forward to make our Election sure and ●h●t we may live every Day as piously as if it were o●r last since we know not how soon thou may'st summon us to appear before the Tribunal Seat of Jesus Christ to give an account of all our Works d●ne here in the Flesh. Purge us with Hyssop and w● shall be clean Wash us in the Blood of the L●mb and then we shall be whiter than Snow Take all our Sins and cast them in a Cloud behin● thy Back where they may be remembred no more Cr●ate in us new Hearts and new Spirits so as we may walk in Newness of Life according to thy Holy Will and Commandments And if it be thy Blessed Will pity all those that sit in Darkness and under the Shadow of Death that they may come at thy appointed time to the miraculous Light of thy Gospel dispenced to all true Christians by thy true and only Son our Blessed Saviour who sitteth at thy right hand making Intercession for all those that put their trust in thee Grant if it be thy Blessed Will that we may all be taught by that Head Shepherd of thy Church who said When you pray say Our Father c. Such as would know more concerning their Duties in Prayer Publick or Private by the way of Form or would attain to pray by the Spirit according to their present Necessities or Wants let such read the incomparable little piece set out by Robert Russell 1700. 't is the Third Edition in it are Seven Sermons Price Bound 1 s. 6 d. In a word I earnestly exhort all my Readers to be piously mindful of their Duties to God and Man if you fail not in this Christian Reader God will remember you and after this Life in Eternal Bliss you will live with him at Rest. Take but a serious prospect by a powerful Imagination of all the several conditions observabl● amongst worldly Men and you will find that not one of them sits easie upon its Possessor for the natural Man is ever a Repining and a perpetual succession of Doubts and Fears compleat the measure of his Inquietudes sometimes he c●mplains of the Ac●●ons of his Superiors and Governors and if they i● the end should prove ●greeable to his Fancy he will yet keep up th● height of his Misfortunes by grieving at the unob●●ging deportment of his Inferiors nor will it ever be otherwise with those that se●k Cont●nt below hence those that are circled with the greate●t Splendo● find not their Perturbations at all lessened by it but think they might be muc● more happy and therefore strain themselves afresh in the eag●r pu●suit of other Worldly advantages which if obtain'd bring ●ot the desired Content and the reason is because they look for it in the things of

Levamen Infirmi Or Cordial Counsel to the Sick and Diseased CONTAINING I. Advice concerning Physick and what a ●hysician ought to be with an Account of the Author's Remedies and how to take them II. Concerning Melancholy Frensie and Madness in which among●t other things is shew'd how far they differ from a Conscience opprest with the Sense of Sin and likewise how ●hey differ among themselves III. A Miscellany of Pious Discourses concerning the Attributes of God with Ejaculations and Prayers according to Scripture Rule Likewise an Account of many things which have happen'd since the Creation To which are added Several Predictions of what may happen to the End of the World The whole b●ing enrich'd with Phys●●al Pious Moral Historical Observation● delightful ●o read necessary ●o know By D. IRISH Practitioner in Physick and Surgery now Dwelling at Stoke near Guilford in Surry where he is ready to Serve any Person to the utmost of his Skill LONDON Printed for the Author And are to be Sold by Isaac Walker Bookseller in Guilford 1700. To the Worshipful and much Esteemed Mr. Robert Berry Mayor of the Ancient Corporation of Guilford in Surry And to all my Loving Neighbours and Friends Worthy Friends THat I might pay a more than Momentary acknowledgment for the many Tes●●●●●ies of Love and Honour I have daily receiv'd at your hands ever since Providence brought me amongst You I humbly lay at your feet this little Book And since Friendship is best preserv'd and cultivated by mutual Obligations I will which indeed is all I can do on my part in Return of Your many good Offices when ever any of You or your Friends are pleased to call for my Assistance make it my sole care and design to Administer proper Medicines as the Patients necessity shall require Another Reason of my Dedication arises from the knowledge I have of Your Zeal ●or Godliness and the Propagation of the true Religion to which I hope this my little Book will in some measure Contribute I need no● stimulate You to the encouraging of Virtue and curbing of Vice since I know that You according to the Power God has invested You with will take care to punish Iniquity and maintain the Purity of the Christian Religion which has suffer'd so long by the Remisness of many of its Professors insomuch that Atheistical Principles and Practices have strangely gotten ground of Gospel Truths to the Spiritual Grief of all the Godly And now since I consider'd that Spiritual and Corporeal Maladies are the two grand Misfortunes of Mankind I have in these sheets endeavour'd to Remedy both Physick is chiefly what I Profess nor am I asham'd since it is of such Intrinsick worth that it even adds honour to the most honourable Practitioner That it is profitable to the Natural Body and consequently to the Body Politick since the latter consists of the former as a Whole do's of its Parts must be acknowledg'd by every one that is Sanae Mentis and needs not Helebore Hence the Wise Gre●ians did not without Reason highly commend Hypocrates and the Latines their Corne●ius Celsus for their Courage in first Ven●uring and Wisdom in wading into the Depth ●f this Mystery and for their transmitting in ●heir Works this Noble Art to Posterity This Art was anciently Valu'd at so high 〈◊〉 Rate that Apollo and Aesculapius steemed by some the first Founders of Physick ●ere adored as Gods for the Excellence of their ●●vention Besides the Word of God which ●ndeniably Warrants our Esteem for whatso●ver it Extolls mentioneth Phisitians by way ●f Honour before the giving of the Law ●e which doth not only implicitly allow but ●xpresly Commands if the Old English Tran●ation be credited the use of Physick see ●en 50.2 Psal. 147.3 Exod. 15.26 ●od giveth Medicines to heal Health is the ●rince the first Born as Life is the King of ●utward Blessings The Widow in the Gos●●l disesteemed all her substance in comparison 〈◊〉 this Iewel And Job said Skin for Skin and all that a Man hath to save his Life The Phisitian who is Manus Dei brings ●his precious Pearl Health to the oppressed Sick where God sees it n●cessary for their futur● good God and Nature qui nihil frustra agunt have appointed Herbs not only for Meat but also for Medicines the virtue and value of which would never be found out no● made serviceable to their right Ends if some did not employ their time and tallants in search thereof tho' 't is a task full of difficulties for the natures or effects of Simples alter according to the difference of places in which they grow and according to the Constitution of the Persons to whom they are given How miserable then are those places where nothing but ignorant Pretenders abound whose Medicines are usually worse than Ineffectual an● such as take them are deliver'd up to th● Mercy I should rather say Cruelty and Execution of Ignorant Pretenders On the othe● hand what a great felicity and happiness is i● when the Sick and Diseased meet with Persons both of much Science and Conscience wh● ●nderstand and consider the Cause of Diseases 〈◊〉 Nature of Ingredients the Constitution of ●atients the difference of Climates and the ●roper Seasons of Administring Physick and ●aithfully according to these Circumstances Prescribe and Apply it Yet dear Countrymen all this without God●iness is not enough which as the Diamond to ●he Ring addeth real Value to all natural and ●cquir'd Accomplishments and which is the ●nly Ark for the Soul to be shelter'd in when a Deluge overfloweth O! how glad would ●●sanctified Schollars be who are now cry'd up for sublime Wits for the Quintessence of Learning for living Libraries and Divine Eagles for Magistri Sententiarum Doctores Angelici Seraphici Subtiles and what not if they could pass at the great Day for the greatest Ignorants and most illiterate Innocents that ever were in the World ' Tho' my Practice is Physick yet have I presum'd to Write of Holy and Spiritual things because Religion is absolutely necessary in all and also to beget in all Men diligent endeavours after true Piety as the onl● means to arrive at a right management o● their Parts The Lord grant that what I have written may be apply'd as Medicinal to the health o● my own and the Souls and Bodies of others which is the hearty Prayer of Honoured Sir And dear Countrymen Your true Friend and Humble Servant D. Irish. David Irish Practitioner in Physick His Advice concerning Physick PHysicians are called by Herophilus Man●● Dei the Hands of God and not very improperly since they are the Instruments he often uses in restoring Health and repairing decayed Nature they ought with no less Cheerfulness and Diligence help the Poor in their Extremity for nothing or at most for a very small Reward as the Rich for great Sums since it is not the Physician but GOD that cures for in Exod. 15.26 God saith He will put away their

him the Knowledge of Nature in all her intricate Operations Faculties and Virtues that is discovered to him the secret Energy of all things contained in the Circuit of this Universe and at this day we see the same God preserves by means all those Beings he at first made without means In fine said the Emperor I will not adventure to be preserv'd by unexperienced Men lest I should Shipwrack my self upon the Rocks of horrid Ignorance but will look for the Continuance of my Life from those whose Experience under God has furnish'd them with the Me●ns and Methods of preserving Nature You see Reader ●n Example of a wise Emperor to teach thee a Les●on of necessary Caution Since the Lord has endow'd the Earth and its ●umerous Product with many Medicinal Virtues 't is 〈◊〉 well irreligious as 't is foolish in any to di●own their Being or to abhor their Use. From the Lord as we have elsewhere said cometh the Gift of Healing which also appears from Scripture seeing God is therein stiled the Only Physician God was the first Operator as you will confess upon calling to mind his taking out one of our Grand-Father Adam's Ribs whereof to make a Woman which thing was so wonderful that it may well be counted the greatest as well as the first Operation Our Blessed Saviour ●ook his Name from his healing Nature and to countenance our Practice made use of ordinary means as Clay and Spittle in Restoring Sight to the Blind not but that he was able to have alone perfected the Cure by his powerful Word without such means were it not that he meant to show us by his Example that with Means and God's Blessing thereon much may be done in Restoring Health to the Sick and Ease to those in Pain 'T is above 5700 Years since God first taught our great Grand-Father Adam the Virtues of all things and consequently furnish'd him with the main Materials fit for a Physician and Surgeon but as to the practick part by what I have already said the latter is more ancient Let us be moderate in our desire after Knowledge lest by a too hot pursuit we with Adam not only lose what we seek for but our primitive Science and Happiness into the Bargain therefore let us take our Saviour's Advice along with us First to seek after the Kingdom of Heaven and then all other things shall be added unto us Let us then take heed that we set not our Affections too much upon the things of this World but rather let us seek after the true Knowledge of God but we have no means to know God to purpose but by his Word therefore let us study his Word that we may have Eternal Life which Word will in the next World bring us to it and then we shall know the great Creator of the World and us and since even now all our little Knowledge Arts and Sciences come from God let us then wholly rely upon Him for except we abide in Him we can do no good thing John 15.16 Next I will give you to understand what manner of Men Physicians and Surgeons ought to be Omnibus aliis Medicus praestantior unus They ought to excel others in fearing God and eschewing Evil as much as Divines themselves for truly the Divine and Physician conveniunt in uno tertio they are both for Curing the Divine heals Corpus per Animam the Physician Animam per Corpus Every Divine is a Spiritual Physician and every Physician ought to be a Spiritual Divine tho' not by Profession yet by Practice for into their Hands God has put the Lives of those he lov'd so well that he Redeem'd them by the Blood of his only begotten Son St. Luke the beloved Physician was a Divine Evangelist and commends the Study of those great Books of God the Book of his Scripture and that of his Creatures since the glory of God and the good of his Creatures ought to be the Mark to which all the Endeavours of Physicians ought to be directed Physicians should by no means give the least Entertainment to such a Monster as Covetousness within their Breasts nor ought they to have any respect to Persons but go as freely to the Poor for a little Money or for nothing when Need requires as to the Rich for ample Rewards for those that give to the Poor lend to the Lord and may be sure God will reward them double-fold On the other hand a Physician is not bound to behave himself in this manner to the Rich but may take his Fee lawfully and cheerfully when it is offer'd but there are too many who are willing to have the Physicians Help but slow in Paying him Hence 't is observ'd that a Doctor appears to his Patient in three different Forms First when he tells the Patient there is hopes O then he appears as an Angel Next when the Cure is perform'd the Patient looks upon his Physician as a God But lastly when the Physician demands his Reward then his Patient takes him for a Devil Thus different Circumstances beget different Opinions in those hateful Minds that are corrupted by Avarice and Ignorance Therefore it is the Physicians and Surgeons Rule Accipere dum dolet to take the Sound Fee whilst the Sick Hand gives it Life is short Art long Occasion sudden Experience dangerous Judgment difficult Hence we may conclude there are but few good Physicians and yet it is not sufficient tho' the Physician or Surgeon do their Parts or Office unless the Patient and his Attendance do their Duty also whereby outward things may be as well order'd as those that are given inwardly this is the main Hinge upon which all the rest turn and therefore ought earnestly to be prest and all too little to make Servants diligent The Physician ought to be faithful and cautious in Practice for Life hangs as it were but by a slender Thread and is at best but short yet is apt to be made much shorter by many Accidents and those very small ones too Art is long if Theory and Practice are consider'd Diseases are sudden and if not suddenly removed may quickly ruine Past Experiments if not well understood may lead the Physician into Errour besides Judgment is very difficult through the Variety of Diseases and their Causes which by the Fault of the Sick and his Attendance are many times not perceived even by Physicians of greatest Abilities Astrology tho' in many of its parts is accounted ●idiculous yet is greatly if not only useful for ●hose that study Physick for without it the pre●ended Physician can never have the true Knowledge of the Crisis or Critical and Judicial Days It is most certain that Hippocrates and Galen the two Pillars of the Art of Physick found out the Use of Vegetables and their Natures as also many other Physical things by the Influence of the Stars But God is the Governour and Disposer of all their seve●al Virtues and when they are transplanted out

not so to all for Medicines are like a Tool or Instrument of the sharpes● Edge which if not wisely guided or handled wi●h the knowledge dexterity and judgment thereto belonging they may bring Death instead of Health but i● wisely Administred they will either restore or preserve Health therefore Men are not to be admitted to administer Physick who have no lawful Call thereunto no the Phisicians hands should be washed pure ●nd clean in the waters of Understanding and Wisdom before they meddle with the hidden Mysteries of Physick There are too many leud cozening Va●lets which feed upon the simplicity of the ignorant and make the pretence of Physick the cloak of their Idleness these knowing nothing themselves ven●ure t●eir Patients Lives and their own Credit upon unknown and unexperienced Receits which y●t they boldly Administer and with them undertake to cure any Disease tho' ignorant of the Nature of the Physick and of the disposition of the Body or Part whereto they apply it yet alass many apply themselves to such before they will take the Advice of able and experienc'd Practitioners which indiscretion often turns to their great Peril many loosing their Limbs Health and Life by such Mens ignorant proceedings when as on the other hand we see by the goodness of God with the discreet applications of knowing and honest Phisicians many reap great benefit being by them wonderfully restor'd to their former health and strength The right Phisician is indeed made of God for the health of Mankind therefore take courage for many have been restored to their former State which lay long languishing under the press●re of such most deplorable Distempers as might be counted incurable therefore you that are any ways by Sickness ●ore afflicted ought no● to dispair nor distrust God's ability with means used to r●store you to Health and Peace of Conscience and when by God's Blessing on Man's endeavours you are Recovered let it be your Care to keep your self void of Offence towards God and Man 'till you put on a glorious Immortality In f●ne as for my self I humbly desire of the Lord to help me while I am here in these lower Regio●s amidst such boisterous Winds and Weather to endure all with a Patience becoming a Christian Phisician and in all things to obey his Divine Precepts that when my Soul shall be freed from the Prison of my Body she may also be freed from all Sufferings and translated to the happy Mansions of my God to which those Vapours that cause these Storms and T●mpests can never ascend there all Tears shall bè wiped away from my Eyes and my present Sorrows turned into Joy There O Lord thou wilt give me Beauty for Ashes and the Garment of Gladness for the Spirit of Heaviness and put after all my many and grievous conflicts with the World the Flesh and the Wicked One a Crown of Glory on my Head a Song of Triumph in my Mouth a Palm of Victory in ●y Hand and so to Reign with Thee for ever and ever Amen To which happy State that all Men may Arrive to is the daily and fervent Prayer of kind Reader and loving Countrymen Your Faithful Friend and Well-wisher David Irish. David Irish Practitioner in Physick Chirurgery HIS Missellany of Pious Discourses Gloria in ●xcelsis Deo Glory be to God on High I Here purpose to give a short Explanation of the Great Infinite and first Being who Named himself Iehovah and whom we call God he ●old Moses who he was and what he should call him and agreeable to the Stile of Moses we have an account of him Rev. 1. vers 8. He is the only true Ete●●●l God who was before all things and gave Being to all things he is Everlasting and hath his Being of himself from him all things receive their Bei●g and in him they End saith t●e Lord Which is and which was ●●d which is to come the Almighty Had he not ●amed himself Man could not have told what Name to have given so incomprehensible a Being Who made all things by the Power of his Word See Gen. 1. Man as well as all other Beings had his beginni●● from God who is the Divine Author of Heat Ligh● and Life in all C●eatures whatsoever whom he 〈◊〉 preserves and governs in their wonderful Frame an● Order he being only Infinite Eternal and all Potent far above all things that Exist or have Being i● follows since nothing finite can make it self tha● all Finite things are the effect of his Omnipote●● Power For without him saith the Sacred Pages 〈◊〉 not any thing made that was made Joh. 1. Gen. 1. whe●● we are told That in the beginning of Time 〈◊〉 Holy and undivided Trinity God the Father Son and Holy Ghost made the intire and Beautif●● Machin of the World by which word World is mean● both the Heavens Earth and Elements togethe● with all their Furniture if I may so speak and Inh●bitants He made all Animals by Pares that fro● them others might derive their Being The Heave●● as many believe were made incorruptible and are ordain'd for the Throne of the most High for who● the Earth is ordain'd a Foot-stool and all that Go● made he approved of as good Gen. 1. yet some pa●● of his excellent Handy-works soon degenerated fro● the perfection of their Original state and became ba● therefore he prepared Hell for Lucifer the Prince 〈◊〉 rather Ring-leader of the Defection of the wicke● Angels and their Successors False Prophets an● Evil Doers After this we read our Saviour prepared a place of Honour for his Saints where 〈◊〉 Spirits of the Righteous are made Perfect and Reig● with him God created the Angels to wait upo● and attend him their Maker but Lucifer's pride mad● him uneasie even in the happiest of Created conditions to humble whom God commission'd Micha●● the Arch-Angel to expel him from the Sacre● Mansions of God's Holy City for his ambitious Rebellion This was quickly done for the Loyal Champion hurry'd the Rebel into the lowest Hell and in a word clear'd the Palace of God from all the un●ra●eful Confederates some of whom it's thought remai● in the Airy Region for which reason perhaps Lucifer is called the Prince thereof Others of the aspiring Legions are debased and Rove to and fro up and down the Earth seeking whom they may Destroy Others were doom'd into the heart of the Earth which in an especial manner is called Hell where they remain Tortur'd and Tormenting all Evil doers that are Eternally lost for their Iniquities Finally as for Lucifer himself he is res●rv'd in Chains in the River Vphra●es till the day of Judgment and then 〈◊〉 all his wicked Agents will be hurried into the most dreadful Burning Lake God created two great Lights to give light to the Earth and made Stars without Number to adorn as it were the out-works of Heaven all which in pursuance to God's command run the course he at first appointed them In short all

known to all Men in all Nations But here I desire and earnestly admonish every good Christian that he slight not the plain and simpl● manner of Stile in many places found in the Bible ●ince they are Evidences of Truth and not Patterns of Rhetorick There is no doubt but what we find ●n the holy Scripture is true though sometimes it ap●ears in a mean dress which indeed is one of the Pri●iledges of Truth when Falsities covet the flowers ●f Eloquence to hide their Shame The Bible con●ains the Words Works Acts and Judgments of the ●ost High 't is a Book that makes Fools of the crafty ●nd wise of the World when yet it is understood by ●he plain and simple as our Saviour saith The ●criptures are most high and precious Relicks a ●ountain which can never be Exhausted in them ●hou findest the Swadling-Cloaths wherein Christ lyeth to which the Angels directed the poor and simple Shepheards Indeed they seem to be mean silly Clouts but dear and precious is the Treasure in them for we have in them many Promises and God is faithful in fulfilling them in Christ from whom we have forgiveness of Sins and are delivered from everlasting Death God's Word is a Light that Shines in Dark places so that those that are shadowed by the greatest Cloud of Sin and Ignorance cannot miss being found out by its penetrating Beams and by them directed to the paths of Glory We see in the Example of Adams eating the forbidden Fruit how easie it is to be drawn into Sin and to forget God's Word and how hard a work it is to get hearts of Repentance by the long and hard task our Saviour had to make a Reconciliation with God for our Offences and if we were to be sav'd by our own Deeds and not by the Works of Christ we ●hould never attain Salvation Therefore Christ makes our task more easie saying Whosoever relies on me and believes in my Word shall have everlasting Life Some may ask what is here meant by his Word I Answer It 's Christus est Spiritualiter in Sacramen●●● The same that he spake at his Administring his last Supper when he said The words which I spake are Spirit and Life the flesh profiteth nothing whosoever eats thereof shall live for ever He Seal'd it with his Blood therefore it must be Truth Some may say How can we Eat this his Word Answer By laying it up with Faith in our hearts and leading our Lives answerable thereto which done after this life is ended we shall neve● Hunger no● Thirst more but shall Live and Reign with him fo● Ever The same is to be understood in Baptism but the Administring of the Sacrament of the las● Supper doth shew forth his Death till he comes again at which time he will Judge the World then happy will those be who hear his Welcome With a well done true and faithful Servant enter into thy Masters Ioy And now let us cry out Come Lord Iesus come quickly The Holy Scripture makes mention of sundry things done at certain hours of the day not agreeing with the hours of our Account as in Iohn 't is said The Rulers Son being healed of his Sickness at the Seventh hour his Ague le●t him And the Labourers that came into the Vineyard came at the Eleventh hour And in the Passion of Christ 't is Recorded That at the Sixth hour there was darkness over all the whole Earth And about the Ninth hour he cried with a loud Voice and so gave up the Ghost In which is couch'd some think a Mystery for Adam was Created as 't is supposed on a Friday about the same hour of the day as our Saviour Suffer'd Now to understand what hours these were know that the Iews divided their Artifici●l days into four quarters allowing to every quarter 3 hours and so began the first hour of the first quarter at the rising of the Sun and as they followed in order they call each hour of each quarter the first second or third hour so that the third hour of the first quarter they ca●led the third hour and the third hour of the second quarter they called the sixth hour whi●h was Mid-day called by us Twelve a Clock and the third hour of the third quarter they called the Ninth hour and the second hour of the fourth quarter they called the Eleventh hour and they called the Twelfth and last hour Eventide So that the Rulers Son healed at the Seventh hour with us called One of the Clock in the Afternoon and the Sixth hou● when Darkness was over the whole Earth was Mid-day called by us Twelve a Clock and their Ninth hour when Christ yielded up the Ghost is called with us Three a Clock in the Afternoon The Labourers that came into the Vineyard came at the Elenth hour about five a Clock in the Afternoon or an hour before Sun-set Likewise they divided each Night into four quarters called by them the four Watches of the Night the first three hours was the ●irst Watch during which time all the Soldiers both Young and Old of any fortified Town or Garrison were us'd to Watch. The Second three hours t●ey call'd the second Watch which was about Mid●ight at which time the young Soldiers only Watched And the third quarter of the Night containing also three hours was called the third Watch in it the middle aged Soldiers kept Watch. And the last three hours called the fourth Watch was about break of day in which the old Soldiers only Watched The day is accounted with us for payment of Money between Sun and Sun but for Indictments of Murder the day is accounted from Midnight to Midnight and so are Fasting days and Festival days as Sundays c. I will now give you after this Digression some Examples which fully prove the Omnipotence the Wisdom and Mercy and some other Attributes of God The first shall be an Instance of three most famous Conjunctions which the Scripture relate and which are all worthily wonderfully wondred at the like shall never happen again all being occasioned by the second Person of the Blessed Trinity his assuming Humanity which is a mystery wonderfully singular and singularly wonderful even to that degree that the very Angels saw it with Amazement The first Conjunction is of God and Man in Christ The second of a Mother and a Virgin in the Blessed Virgin Mary The third of Faith and the heart of Ma● in every Christian who truly Believe that a Virgin brought forth and became a Mother and though ● Mother yet that she notwithstanding remain'd a Virgin Another instance is God's fourfold bringing forth of Man as Learned Anselmus a holy Bishop of Canterb●ry Notes First he brought forth Man without the help either of Man or Woman in Creating Adam Secondly a Woman out of Man without the help of a Woman in making Eve Thirdly By the help of Man and Woman seen in the natural Production of Man Fourthly and lastly

by an holy Covenant ingrossed in the Word of God sign'd with the Blood of his Son and Seal'd with his Divine Spirit and Holy Sacraments O how immense will our happiness be when our Life shall be an inseparable Communion with the Blessed Trinity our Joy the Eternal Presence of our Lord our Exercises Singing harmonious Halalujahs our Consorts Saints and Angels where Youth flourisheth and never waxeth Old where Beauty lasteth and never fadeth Love aboundeth and never cooleth Health continueth and n●ver slacketh life remaineth which never endeth O Man how happy and blessed thy Estate is being truly reconciled to God in Christ who will res●ore in thee God's Image and give thee power to reassume thy Soveraignty over other Creatures Thou art in this Life inferior to the Angels but in the next thou wilt be equal with them for in spiritual Graces and everlasting Glory thou wilt become their Brother yea thou in respect of thy Nature exalted by a personal Union to the Son of God and through him joyned to the Trinity shall become Superior even to Angels themselves Since thou O Man hast seen and heard how glorious and perfect an Entity God is and since the Zenith of Bliss and Happiness consists in having an Eternal Communion with his Majesty now therefore I intreat thee in the Bowels of Christ Jesus as thou tenderest thy Salvation seriously with me to consider the vanity of these things which screen from us the favour of God and the hope of Eternal Life Therefore all the insignificant Gaities of the World without true and undefiled Religion are but as Flowers about a dead Corps But the knowledge of Christ is the excellence of a Christian I mean knowledge reduced to Practice for Knowledge without Practice is like gaudy Feathers al● for shew and nothing for use 't is by this Practi●al Knowledge we may attain a Crown of Glory Therefore let us rouse up our Spirits to a diligent ●ndeavour after true Piety the noble effect of true knowledge which will direct us rightly to manage those parts God has endow'd us with for though the depravedness of our Nature makes these gifts of our mind Rebel yet Piety will reduce them to Obedience and make them pay their homage to the King of Saints I will next speak a word or two about Doctors Now the word Doctor as some say is deriv'd fr●m Do●or and Do●or signi●i●s a Giver But God is the Giver of every good and perfect Gift Hence perh●ps it was that our Saviour said to ●is Dis●iples Be y● not called Doctors And again he said The Whole need no Ph●sician intimating hereby that his Apostles were as well Physicians as Divines and in both respects they were forbid to bear the Name of Doctors Likewise they were order'd as Divines and Physicians to take no Money ei●her for Curing the Diseases of the Poor or for Preaching the Gospel to them These things and his miraculous Feasting of the Multitude made Thousands follow him and his Apostles who preach'd and did all good Works gratis when as before that time the Poor paid the tenth of all they had only for hearing the Law repeated nay Decimation th●n run so high that even Speer-Mint Ann●●●ed c. were diligently tyth'd 'T is an Abus● in some places for the Pries● to impose upon the ignorant a B●lief that except they give Heaven's Porter a Peny the greatest Righteousness will not be able to gain ●hem admittance into those Heavenly Mansions but they must for defa●lt b● f●●xed in Purg●tory till that P●ny and much mor● be paid by their surviving Friends in getting Interc●ssio● and Pray●rs offered up for their Souls but Iob said Naked came I into the World and naked I shall go out by which it appears that as we have no Money when we come into the World so we shall have no Occasion for any when we go out Besides the Scripture informs us that the Twelve Gates belonging to that Holy City are never shut Day nor Night b●t are always open to all true Believers of God's Word and Observers of the Precepts thereof so t●at be that so believes and so doth as God's Word dir●cts shall undoubtedly be fed with the Tree of Life even Christ Jesus who would have all Men that get Wealth in this World to do good and distrib●te part of what they have to cloth and feed the Poor relieve Prisoners c. with such Sacrifices God is well pleased and be assured that whatever Deeds of Charity you do to such as stand in need of your Help it is the same as if they were done to Christ himself Hence I thi●k my self obliged to do my best to recov●r all who are pleas'd to make use of me as ●n ●●strument under God and if any ask such as have been recover'd by my Means who restor'd them to Health let them answer that it was God by D. Irish his Instrument and so in this as in all other things give the Honour and Thanks to Almighty God especially for making his Word known to the meanest Capacity through all Nations I have elsewhere in part given my Opinion touching ●he Vnderstanding of Variety of Languages and will here only add that tho Multiplicity of Tongues have been generally held as a gentile Accomplis●ment yet were they never absolutely necessary till the World was to be Gospelliz'd Matth. 28.19 wh●ch we gather from several following Circumstanc●s For the Apostles were commanded on●e and again to stay at ●●rusalem till Christ should send the Promise of his Father upon them And they waiting for Abilities to their Work till Whitsunday or P●●tecost was come they were all with one accord in one place and s●ddenly there cam● a sound from Heaven as of a r●shing mighty Wind and it filled all the House wherein they Sate and there appeared Cloven Tongues like unto Fire and sate upon each of them Acts 2.1 2 3. Tongues appea●ed the chief Instrument of their work which was to disciple all Nations and to Pr●ach Repentance and Remission o● Sins Luk. 24.47 Clove● Tongues because they were to divide the Word ar●●●t that every one in all Nations and Languages might have his Portion They were as of Fire to shew the Zeal Light Efficacy and Success of their Endeavours and therefore was this strange Miracle usher'd in with such a rushing mighty Wind because none should be able t● resist the Power by which they spoke Act 6.10 and 24. and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and then they spoke Apothegms serious Sayings and sacred Sentences And they might well be amazed vers 11. when near twenty Nations of several Languages affirmed they heard them speak in their own ●anguage the wonderful Works of the Lord every Man in his Tongue where they were born Indeed Christianity was to speak all Languages a● first because it was to be preached to all Nations the Gospel only is able to make all Nations wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 if they would