TO THE COVRTEOVS 



READER. 



Lt hough the ancient Heathens did appropriate the fir ft 

 inuention of the knowledge of Herbes, and fo confe- 

 fttently of phyjicke, fome -unto Chiron the Centaure, 

 and others vnto Apollo or ./Efculapius his fonne ; yet 

 wee that are Chriftians haue out of a better Schoole 

 learned, that God, the Creator of Heauen and Earth, 

 at the beginning when he created Adam, infpired him 

 with the knowledge of all naturall things (which fuc- 

 cefsiuely defcended to Noah afterwardes, and to his 

 Pofterity] : for, as he was able to giue names to all the liuing Creatures, according 

 to their feuerall natures ; Jo no doubt but hee had alfo the knowledge, both what 

 Herbes and Fruits were Jit, eyther for Meate or Medicine, for Vfe or for Delight. 

 And that Adam might exercije this knowledge, God planted a Garden for him to 

 hue in, (wherein euen in his innocency he was to labour and fpend his time) which 

 hee ftored with the heft and choyfeft Herbes and Fruits the earth could produce, 

 that he might haue not onely for necefsitie whereon to feede, but for pleafure alfo ; 

 the place or garden called Paradife importing as much, and more plainly the words 

 fet downe in Genefis the fecond, which are thefe ; Out of the ground the Lord 

 God made to grow euerie tree pleafant to the fight and good for meate ; 

 and in the 24. of Numbers, the Parable of Balaam, mentioning the Aloe trees 

 that God planted ; and in other places if there were neede to recite them. But my 

 purpofe is onely to flxw you, that Paradife was a place (whether you will call it a 

 Garden, or Orchard, or both, no doubt of fome large extent) wherein Adam was 

 Jirft placed to abide ; that God was the Planter thereof, hauing furnijhed it with 

 trees and herbes, as well pleafant to the Jight, as good for meate, and that hee being 

 to drejje and keepe this place, muft of necefsity know all the things that grew there- 

 in, and to what v/es they ferued, or elfe his labour about them, and knowledge in 

 them, had been in vaine. And although Adam lost the place for his tranfgrefsion, 

 yet he loft not the naturall knowledge, nor life of them : but that, as God made the 

 whole world, and all the Creatures therein for Man, fo hee may life all things as 

 well of pleafure as of necefsitie, to bee helpes vnto him to ferue his God. Let men 

 therefore, according to their Jirft injiitution, fo vfe their feruice, that they alfo in 

 them may remember their feruice to God, and not (like our Grand-mother Eve) 

 fet their affeStions fo Jtrongly on the pleafure in them, as to defer ue the lojje of them 

 in this Paradife, yea and of Heauen alfo. For truly from all forts of Herbes and 

 Flowers we may draw matter at all times not only to magnifie the Creator that hath 

 giuen them fuch diuerjities of formes, fents and colours, that the moft cunning 



Worke- 



