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OPIUM is one of the chief stumbling stones of those which are Sectators of the pure Galenical Physick, and have ever avoided to set their foot in the sanctuary of Chymistry: which Aversion can only proceed of their want of knowledge in natural things, and a true experience of their Vertues: For ut ignoti nulla cupido, ita nec cura; and as nothing else but Nature it self and natural Philosophy, which is Chymistry, can have per∣swaded by diligent search and labour, and reiterated Experiments, that Opium is not ro be feared nor rejected from amongst Re∣medies, whether it be raw and crude as it is brought to us from the East, or prepared according to the Rules and Prescriptions of Chymistry: So is it not to be wondred at, if they that call themselves Christians, and yet have never been searchers of Na∣ture, do every day despise what they never knew, but by the Teaching and Reasoning of some Professor who has only read that Opium was unfit to be used, and that it was condemned by Pliny and by Galen; which is too sufficient an Authority (in their Judgements) to be condemned by such as openly profess and make it a scruple of Conscience, not to follow blindly their Masters; and swear as they say, in verba Magistri. But that which is yet much more to be wondred at, is, that they will by a soveraign and Magisterial Authority establish in their Hearers a Belief and Assent of their Doctrine, without being obliged to prove it by effects and real Demonstration; and the worst of all yet is, that they will treat injuriously such as are not willing to condescend to their Opinion: Though these last, either An∣cient or Modern Writers, are grounded upon the Basis of true and solid Reason, whose right foundation is Experience. For it is not enough for a Chymical Philosopher to say, that Opium may be prepared and corrected in such a manner, as it may in∣offensively be inwardly taken: Since this were no better then ta∣citely to confess, that it is naught and dangerous of its own nature; But a true Naturalist must search the reason of things in their