TO THE READER.

...which are outside of God, so inherent to our nature; so it is the highest prudence and wisdom to watch against them in time: and to cut off curious sciences curious sciences Dutch: curieuse wetenschappen. In the 17th century, "curiosity" could be a double-edged sword; while it drove scientific discovery, Swammerdam—influenced by the mystic Antoinette Bourignon—warns here against seeking knowledge for personal fame or idle interest rather than for the glory of God., along with greed and the love for all earthly and perishable things Dutch: verganckelijcke saacken. A recurring theme in Swammerdam’s later life was the transience of the physical world compared to the eternal nature of the soul.. This is so that we might keep our memory, understanding, and will occupied only with things that are everlasting and Divine.

For otherwise, the branches of vain glory and self-pleasing will continually sprout within us; these will grow stronger and stronger the more we give in to the corruption original: verdurventheyt. The author uses a botanical metaphor, suggesting that human nature is like a plant that requires constant pruning to prevent "corrupt" branches from taking over. of our nature and will. This nature has strayed so far from God and is so swallowed up in the darkness of ignorance Dutch: onwetentheydt. For Swammerdam, spiritual ignorance is a darker state than scientific or intellectual ignorance., that we can hardly stir or move without falling into sin on the right hand or on the left.

It is therefore wise and praiseworthy that we give back to God our freely-given will freely-given will Dutch: vrygeschoncken wil. Swammerdam posits that the human will is the only thing God leaves in a person's own power, making its voluntary surrender the ultimate act of devotion.—the only thing that God has been pleased to leave in our power—so that He may lead, steer, and govern it according to His pleasure. Through this, we shall easily obtain victory over our corruption original: bedurventheydt.; and our understanding, which is gradually weakened by the passing of time, shall be filled with eternally lasting goods,