THou canſt not be ignorant, under this Noon-tide of the Goſpel, that all diſeaſes, aches and pains, that befall man in this life, are the proper Effects, and Fruits of mans own ſin, we may thanke our ſelves for any evils that befall us. Our breach of obedi­ence due from us to God, is the cauſe of all breaches made by God upon us, in our bodies or eſtates. He hath broken me with breach upon breach, ſaith Patient Job, Job 16.14. Sin brings ſuf­ferings and ſorrows upon us, Why then doth living man com­plain? Lam. 3.39. Thy breach is great like the Sea, who can heal thee? Lam. 2.13. Whereupon David prayes to God to heal the breaches, Pſal. 60.2. He alone is the repairer of our brea­ches.

Yet there be ſundry ſecond cauſes of theſe Ruptures or brea­ches in mans bodie, and divers things occaſioning them. They befall ſome in their very cradles, and infancie, ſometimes by their fierce crying and frowardneſs: Sometimes again they happen to ſome, through careleſneſſe in their dreſſing, ſwadling, and at­tendance. Sometimes they come through ſome extream cold and coughing. In ſome that are bigger and elder, they are oc­caſioned by vehement agitation or ſtirring of the body in ſome violent motion of Riding, running, leaping, ringing, lifting ſome great weight, or by ſome ſtroke or blow on the belly, or ſome­times by loud ſhouting with the voyce, ſtraining the body, and many ſuch like, whereby the inward rim of the belly, wherein the bowels lye wrapt up and encloſed, being diſtended, rent or broken, the bowels fall down at ſuch a breach, ſwell, and cauſe grievous pains, ſwellings, inflammations of, and torments in, thoſe tender parts within, as Phyſitians more largely and learned­ly tell us.

My way of Cure is gentle, and eaſe-full, not cauſing the leaſt pain or grief to to the body, or the affected part: 'Tis ſuch as the tendereſt child may endure without whinching, and therefore ap­plyable4 unto, and eaſie to be uſed on any other of riper yeers, and more diſcretion.

I launce not, cut not, pierce not the fleſh or skin with any in­ſtrument, as Chirurgions often doe, for the ſtone in the Bladder, and ſew the wound up again, and yet we know ſome that for hope of future health and recovery, endure all theſe torments (though the remedie oftentimes prove worſe then the diſeaſe) even willingly and patiently, and pay dearly for it too, in great ſums of monie. Whereas I put my Patients to no pain at all, but procure and bring them preſent eaſe, certain remedie, and relief, unfailing cure, through the help and bleſſing of my Lord God, who is the chief cloſer up of breaches for his people, and heals the ſtroke of their wound, whoſe helping and healing hand I have hitherto alwayes found graciouſly working with mee, and by me, to whom therefore be th•Glory.

I arrogate not to my ſelf any Apoſtolicall or miraculous way of healing, or giving ſoundneſs of body to the diſeaſed: I doe the cure by Chirurgicall and Phyſicall meanes, Medicines and Directions to be prepared, uſed and applyed by mine own hand, as I ſee need and find cauſe.

If thy ſelf or any of thy friends, ſon or daughter, ſtand in need of my skil, pains, or help, thou mayeſt find me, or hear of me at my Houſe in Peterburgh, at the entring into the Minſter-yard. I am often ſent for abroad, ſometimes unto places an hundred miles from my own dwelling. Thou mayeſt every week, ſend from London to Peterburgh by the Lincoln Carriers, who paſſe and repaſſe through our Citie, not far from my very door. And if it ſo fall out that I ſhould not then be at home, and therefore can­not come to thee at the inſtant of thy ſending, yet I will not fail to repair unto thee, and wait upon thee, at my firſt leaſure and opportunity, if it bee not too troubleſome or painfull for thy ſelf, or thine, to come home to mee.

I boaſt not of what (God hath wrought and done by mee already, though many would not have beleeved what they them­ſelves upon trial have found true, I tell thee not crackingly of any great undertakings, I hang out no falſe Titles, nor mountebank Ta­bles of lying wonders, or imaginary cures. Many, where I have bin imploied, can and wil bear me witneſſe of my real performances, towards them and theirs. And doe often with thankfull hearts5 bleſſe God for me; and are ſtill glad upon any occaſion to ſee mee, and acknowledge Gods goodneſſe towards them, for pro­ſpering my pains in their deſired recoverie, they bid me kind­ly welcome, give me (during the time I can ſtay) courteous en­tertainment. So that as Job 29.11. When the ear heard of me, then it bleſſed me, and when the eie ſaw me, it gave witneſs to mee.

My bodily preſence or perſon promiſeth not much, nor did it in S. Paul, 2 Cor. 10.10. no, nor yet in the Sacred Perſon of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, who went up and down healing every diſeaſe and ſickneſſe among the people. For Iſai. 52.14. His viſage was marred more then any mans, there was no form or comlineſs to move men to deſire even Him.

I rufle not in ſilk or ſattin, I flaunt not in Scarlet, or gorge­ous Apparel. I tell thee therefore before hand, ere thou ſee me, what a one thou ſhalt find me, leſt when thou ſeeſt me, thou through pre-conceipt and miſ-priſion be diſappointed, and fall ſhort of thy expectation: as Naaman, 2 Kin. 5.11. Was wroth and went away, and ſaid, Behold, I thought he will ſurely come out to me, and ſtand, and call on the Name of the Lord his God, and ſtrike his hand over the place, and recover the Leper.

To undeceive thee therefore, know that I am as Jacob, a plain man, Gen 25.27. and thou ſhalt find honeſt and plain dealing at my hands.

I am verily perſwaded, that there be a great many in this Nation, grievouſly troubled with this kind of infirmity of Rup­tures, and ſlipping down of their bowels, into the lower parts of their body, who for lack of timely help, do languiſh, droop, w•ar away, and their breach becommeth daily bigger and big­ger, for when the Caul or Filme that ſhould lap in the bowels, and bear them up from ſinking and ſetling downward, is rent and broken, how can the veſſels within but ever and anon ſlide down, and be with much pain, and difficultie lifted, or kept up?

Many ſuch I fear there be, who through too much modeſty and ſhame hide their weakneſs, or if ſome near friend know it, do yet utte•ly deſpair of cure or mends in this world, and ſo lead miſerable and uncomfortable lives.

For upon any more then ordinarie motion and agitation of6 their body, yea upon every ſmall diſtemper through cold or wind the parts above, fall down into the breach, fret and ſwell, and make the body very ſore and fall of cruell torment, yea it makes them ſtomack ſick and to vomit, and they are ſo diſ-abled here­by, that they grow liſtleſſe, unweldie, cannot, or care not to walk abroad, leaſt it ſhould fall down and put them to pain, much leſſe can they, or dare they, work at any bodily labour, ride a journey, or exerciſe themſelves, though it be even with moderate, and more gentle movings, and ſtirrings of the body.

Now by Gods bleſſing, I can and ſhall ſo help them, that even thoſe whoſe infirmities and grievances in any kind of theſe Rup­tures (whether Wind-rupture, Gut-rupture, or Fleſh rupture) be the greateſt, painfulleſt, and moſt tormenting, ſhall in very ſhort time be able to walke, ride, work, bear burdens, and cheer­fully go about any ſtirring imployment, And whereas ſome that undertake to help perſons diſeaſed in this kind, doe it by pain­full cures, and are a long while in doing it, and many times en­joyn their Patients to lie continually in bed for thirty or fortie dayes together, and apply Sear clothes, Plaiſters, &c. My way is more eaſie, more ſpeedie, and ſafe, and ſooner then thou thy ſelf haply couldſt expect or deſire.

Good things the more common, the better; Wells, the more drawn the ſweeter water; my candle ſhineth no worſe becauſe another is lighted by it, it now growes towards evening with me, I am ſixty yeers old and upwards, and therefore deſire before my Sun-ſet, and it be paſt working-time, to doe all the good I can, that my Candle may blaze a little in the ſ•cket before it go out, and be no more ſeen. Some of my good friends have ſeri­ouſly intreated me to make my skill more common, not to bury my talent which God hath given me for the good of others, and indeed I ſometimes check my ſelf, as thoſe hunger-ſtarved men, 2 Kin. 7.8. and thinke, I do not well to conceal my experienced skill, but ſhould draw out my ſelfe (who indeed am now alrea­dy on the tilt) that the beſt wine may be at laſt, for publike be­nefit in releiving the needfull, not reſerving it (as Miſers doe) for any private ends or gain to my ſelf.

Wherefore I have thus at laſt, thought good and reſolved to publiſh in Print, for the behoof of my Countrie, and to make known this particular diſeaſe of Ruptures, what I dare under­take7 and profeſſe to doe, or to profeſſe rather what God hath done, and I hope will yet doe, by me.

I doe verily thinke that ſome vain-glorious and vapouring Mountebank, ſome ſelf-ſeeking greedie Emperick would have raked together a great eſtate, gotten great ſummes of money, by leſſe skill, leſſe profitable, uſefull and eaſefull cures then I (by Gods bleſſing) have done and can doe.

For my part (though I be a man of mean eſtate and condition, yet) I ſeek no great things to my ſelf (not Balaams wages, Num. 24.13.) I deſire onely a competent viaticum to maintain my ſelf and family, in a comfortable ſufficiencie, and to eat the labour of my hands, as Solomon concerning the vertuous woman, bids, Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praiſe her in the gate, Prov. 31.31.

I have heard how that ſome learned and carefull Lawyers have had lands, and great Annuities given them during their life, in re­ward of their proſperous and ſucceſſefull pains, in carrying ſome one cauſe, in ſome one great ſuit of Law.

And yet health is more worth then wealth, Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life, Job 2.4. what would not ſome diſeaſed rich man give to be made ſound and whole, or find eaſe and remedie againſt ſome lingring ſickneſs or tormenting pain, which makes his life ſad and uncomfortable?

The Woman in the Goſpel, that had the iſſue of blood twelve yeers, ſpent her whole eſtate upon Phyſitians (ſo fain would ſhee have had health) againſt that languiſhing infirmity, and yet ſhee was ſo far from being bettered, or getting remedie, that ſhe be­came rather worſe, till ſhe happily touched the great Phyſitian of ſoul and body, and then was made preſently and perfectly whole, Mar. 5.26.

I boaſt not of things beyond my line, I onely tell thee what God hath done by me, I aſcribe nothing to my ſ•lf, mine own worth, or works, but (with that Divine Poet, Du Bartas Quadr. of Pibrach, Stanz. 5.)

8Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name be the praiſe, who doſt mightily manifeſt and magnifie thy wiſedome, power, and goodneſs, by imploying, and bleſſing the poor la­bours, parts and ſervices of thy meaneſt and moſt contemptible ſervants and inſtruments for the good of others. To whom there­fore be all the glory. In whom I ſhall ever be,