" C *9 3 SECTION II. Of the Caufe of a Pejlilence, and a Con- tagion. o AS it is our Purpofe here to enquire into the Origin of the late Plague, and find out both its manifeft and hidden Caufes *, I cannot judge it necefTary to go into the ufual Length of Writers, in a par- ticular Recital of all thofe remote Regards which they diftinguiih by Supernatural, Pre- ternatural, and Natural ^ becaufe by fuch Means this Treatife would be drawn out into almoft infinite needlefs Diftinctions. THAT the Truth therefore may at once be brought into an open Light, and the Peftilence appear in its genuine Affe- ctions, I think it proper to premile this one Thing, becaufe the whole depends upon it, vh,. That the Peitilence is the moft noto- rious of all popular Difeafes,and depends upon fome Caufe equally common, and in every re- fpecf adequate to its extenfive Effects j which being granted, it naturally follows, that all particular Caufes, which may accidentally intervene, ( the Recital of which would be very tedious) are refolvable into this one. AMD
