This is not my private Opinion only, but the Judgment and Decision of the Legislature of our Land; for the _Present State of_ England tells us, That by the Law of _England_, if one who is no Physician or Surgeon, and not expresly allow'd to practise, shall take upon him a Cure, and his Patient die under his Hands, this is Felony in the Person presuming so to do. 'Tis not enough for you to say, If I can do no Good, I'll do no Hurt, (which you may as well invert, and say, If I do no Hurt I'll do no Good) no, you interlope, you injure the Faculty, you discourage Education, you keep out better Advice, you trifle with Mens Lives, you lose the golden Opportunity, you prolong the Case 'till it gets head, and grows incurable and mortal, or else extremely hazardous and almost helpless; and this is doing Hurt with a Vengeance. To bring this home to you, and make it more plain. If an House be on Fire, and you come and pretend to put it out your self, and absolutely keep off others, and then fling in Dust instead of Water, and so the Flame gets Mastery; in this Case, though you did not directly intend any positive Hurt, though you did not actually pour in Oil, nor stir and blow up the Coals; yet forasmuch as you would needs be an Undertaker, and could not extinguish it your self, and suffered not others, used to and skill'd in the Business, who coming with Water and proper Engines, might have done it, you are really and truly the Cause of it being burnt. Think not to excuse your self by pretending you did it out of Charity, and meant well, though it fell out ill; no, no, be it known to you, such a Charity as did not appertain to you, and proved murderous, was unpardonable Presumption, and therefore will not cover the multitude of Sins. If you are not sufficient for those Things, you'll do well and wisely to desist from this difficult and dangerous Practice, and fall into such a Trade of Life as you well understand and rightly can manage. And then like the Men who used curious Arts (_Acts_ xix. 19.) you may burn all your Receipt-Books; so shall you keep your Innocence, save your Conscience, secure your Quiet, and yet reserve Room enough to exercise your Charity. For if at any Time your Heart move you to pity and succour a poor sick Neighbour that can't pay for Advice, there will be no Necessity that you should try your Skill upon him, 'till you mischief or murder him by way of Charity. Do but you send him a Physician, Medicines and Necessaries without Hope of Requital; and trust me, that will be an handsome Assistance, most nobly becoming a generous Mind and a charitable Man. Now that not one of our Apothecaries, or indeed very few of our modern Traders in Physick, have these requisite Endowments, I shall leave it to any considerate Person to judge of; and how far they stretch beyond their Knowledge, we have a many miserable Objects in our daily View, woful Instances of their great Rashness, Folly and Ignorance.