a man's death, provided he accuftoms himself to a frugal way of living. There is no man, in what condition foever but may keep from over-eating; and thereby happily prevent thofe diftempers that are caufed by excess. They who have the charge of public affairs committed to their truft, are more obliged to it than any others where there is no glory to be got for their country, they ought not to facrifice themselves: they should preferve themselves to ferve it; and if they purfue my method, it is certain they would ward off the diftempers which heat and cold and fatigues might bring upon them; or fhould they be disturbed with them it would be but very lightly.

IT

It may likewise be objected, that if one who is well, is dieted like one that is fick, he will be

choice of his diet,

at a lofs about the when any diftemper comes upon him. To this I fay, that nature, ever attentive to the prefervation

of

of her children, teaches us how we ought to govern ourselves in fuch a cafe. She begins by depriving us fo entirely of out appetites, that we can eat little or nothing. At that time, whether the fick perfon has been fober or intemperate, no other food ought to be used, but fuch as is proper for his condition; fuch as broth, jellies, cordials, barley-water, &c. When his recovery will permit him to use a more solid nourishment, he must take less than he was used to before his fickness; and notwithstanding the eagernefs of his appetite, he must take care of his ftomach, till he is perfectly cured. Should he do otherwife, he would overburden nature, and infallibly relapse into the danger he had efcaped. But notwithstanding this, I dare aver, that he who leads a fober and regular life, will hardly ever be fick; or but seldom, and for a fhort time. This way of living preferves us from thofe bad humors

which occafion our infirmities, and by confequence heals us of all thofe diftempers which they occafion. I do not pretend to say that every body must eat exactly as little as I do, or abstain from fruit, fish, and other things from which I abstain, because such dishes difagree with me. They who are not difordered by fuch dishes, are under no obligation to abstain from them. But they are under the greatest obligations to feed moderately, even on the most innocent food, fince an overloaded ftomach cannot digest.

IT fignifies nothing to tell me that there are feveral, who, though they live very irregularly, yet enjoy excellent health and spirits, and to as advanced an age, as those who live ever fo foberly. For this argument is founded on such uncertainty and hazard, and occurs fo feldom, as to look more like a miracle than the regular work of nature. And thofe,

D

thofe, who, on the credit of their youth and conftitution, will pay any regard to fo idle an objection, may depend on it, that they are the betrayers and ruiners of their own health.

AND I can confidently and truly affirm, that an old man, even of a bad conftitution, who leads a regular and fober life, is furer of a longer one, than a young man of the beft conftitution who lives diforderly. All therefore who have a mind to live long and healthy, and die without ficknefs of body or mind, must immediately begin to live temperately, for fuch a regularity keeps the humours of the body mild and sweet, and fuffers no grofs fiery vapours to afcend from the ftomach to the head; hence the brain of him who lives in that manner enjoys fuch a conftant ferenity, that he is always perfectly master of himself. Happily freed from the tyranny of bodily appetites and paffions, he

eafily foars above, to the exalted and delightful contemplation of heavenly objects; by this means his mind becomes gradually enlightened with divine truth, and expands itself to the glorious enrapturing view of the Power, Wifdom, and Goodnefs of the Almighty. -He then defcends to nature, and acknowledges her for the fair daughter of GOD, and views her varied charms with fentiments of admiration, joy, and gratitude, becoming the most favoured of all fublunary beings. He then clearly difcerns, and generoufly laments the wretched fate of those who will not give themselves the trouble to fubdue their paffions; and those three most ensnaring lufts, the luft of the flesh, the luft of honours, and the luft of riches, which all wife and good men have firmly oppofed and conquered, when they paffed through this mortal state; for knowing fuch paffions to be inconfiftent with rea

fon