Sacred Therapy, Title page – Dedication
THERAPEUTICA SACRA, Shewing briefly The method of healing the diseases of the Conscience, concerning REGENERATION: Written first in Latine BY DAVID DICKSON, Professor of DIVINITY in the Colledge of Edinburgh, And thereafter Translated by him.
Matth. 9. 12. They that be whole need not a Physician, but they that are sick.
EDINBVRGH, Printed by Evan Tyler, Printer to the King's most Excellent Majesty, 1664.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND VERY NOBLE, The COUNTESSE Dowager of GLENCAIRN.
MADAM,
AFter the Author had written and published this Treatise in Latine, for the use of young Students in Theology; by the earnest and frequent entreaty of friends, he was induced and perswaded to translate it into our vulgar Tongue, for the benefit of these who understood not the Latine; and for preventing the labour of others, who, more forward then skilfull, were about the doing of it, and had once so far proceeded, as to offer it to the Press, without acquainting him therewith.
When he had finished the Translation, his purpose was to have dedicated it to your Ladyship, and to have sent it abroad into the world under your protection: but weakness and sickness, the ordinary companions of age, and after them, death (whereby God Almighty and Gracious, called him from his labours to enter into his Master's joy) seasing upon him, before he could write an Epistle Dedicatory, it was his will, that your honourable Name should be prefixed unto it. In pursuance whereof, it comes now, as an Orphan, to kiss your noble Hands, fraughted with hopes of favour and shelter for the Parent's sake, and of acceptance, as a testimony of the sincerity of the respects he carried to your Ladyships vertues.
It hath the stronger plea for a tender reception, that it is the child of his age, being his last labour, and being brought forth in his seventy and second year; and that it comes arrayed in a sute of Country-cloath, which himself put upon it, being published according to the Copy written with his own hand.
That it may be, as it was designed by him, usefull for the good of souls, and that God may comfort you under your present sad affliction, and make up the loss of your noble Husband, the late Lord high Chancellour of Scotland, is the prayer of,
MADAM, Your Ladyships most humbly devoted Servant, Alexander Dickson. Edinburg… ▪ 13. Iune, 1664.