Basil Valentine: Last Will & Testament (1671)

The Preface.

worths in the world, when there is no cause for it. Their intentions are set upon no other foundations but to live in great respect, to hunt after vain-glory with a seared conscience, and to deprive their fellow Christians of their money by cheating; all they look for is to be talked of and live in reputation. They are filled with diabolical pride and vanity up to the ears; these in the end, in great woe and misery, have their poor souls drowned most lamentably! Woe, woe to you, children of Satan! Here I intend not to use any wordiness, nor to bring in any such matters which are unrelated to my purpose. At the closing of my book, I will be more extensive in my expressions, as far as the heavenly Prince shall enable me to do, where, as for a final corollary to all my writings, I shall annex things with that proviso and entreaty, that all those who intend to be real and conscientious in their medicaments may aid and cure their oppressed fellow Christians and search and inquire into such things which God for such purposes has ordained and implanted into nature.

This present book of mine deserves to be called "A light unto darkness," for other things which in my former writings I have discoursed of by way of parables—which style I made use of the rather because it is proper to philosophers—are declared in this my last information, where I deal in plain and clear words, describing and naming the matter openly, showing the preparations from the beginning to the middle and end, demonstrating and setting before the eyes of men the matter in general and particular, confirming and justifying the truth thereof, and making a distinction betwixt the ground and no ground, in so plain terms that the very children may understand and feel it with their hands. And because this book affordeth another