is some help to reason to discern when it is prepared for food.

Secondly, it is certain also, that the present feeling of ease or sickness, is no certain rule to judge of your digestion, or your measure by: for though some tender, relaxed, windy stomachs, are sick or troubled when they are overcharged, or exceed their measure, yet with the most it is not so; unless they exceed to very swinishness, they are not sick upon it, nor feel any hurt at present by less excesses, but only the imperfection of concoction doth vitiate the humours, and prepare for sicknesses by degrees (as is aforesaid): and one feeleth it a month after in some diseased evacuations; and another a twelvemonth after; and another not of many years till it have turned to some uncurable disease; (for the diseases that are bred by so long preparations are ordinarily much more uncurable, than those that come but from sudden accidents and alterations, in a cleaner body.) Therefore to say, I feel it do me no harm, and therefore it is no excess, is the saying of an idiot, that hath no foreseeing reason, and resisteth not an enemy while he is garrisoning, fortifying and arming himself, but only when it comes to blows: or like him that would go into a pesthouse, and say, I feel it do me no harm: but within few days or weeks he will feel it. As if the beginning of a consumption were no hurt to them, because they feel it not! Thus living like a beast, will at last make men judge like beasts; and brutify their brains as well as their bellies.

Thirdly, it is certain also, that the common custom and opinion is no certain rule: nay, certainly it is an erring rule for judging by appetite hath brought men ordinarily to take excess to be but temperance. All these then are false measures.

If I should here presume to give you any rules for judging of a right measure, physicians would think I went beyond my calling, and some of them might be offended at à design that tendeth so much to their impoverishing, and those that serve the greedy worm would be more offended. Therefore I shall only give you these general intimations. 1. Nature is content with a little; but appetite is never

content till it have drowned nature. 2. It is the perfection of concoction, and goodness of the nutriment that is more conducible to health, than the quantity. 3. Nature will more easily overcome twice the quantity of some light and passable nourishment, than half so much of gross and heavy meats. (Therefore those that prescribe just twelve ounces a day, without differencing meats that so much differ, do much mistake.) 4. A healthful, strong body must have more than the weak and sickly. 5. Middle-aged persons must have more than old folks or children". 6. Hard labourers must have more than easy labourers; and these more than the idle, or students, or any that stir but little. 7. A body of close pores, that evacuateth little by sweat or transpiration, must have less, especially of moisture, than another. 8. So must a cold and phlegmatic constitution. 9. So must a stomach that corrupteth its food, and casteth it forth by periodical bilious evacuations. 10. That which troubleth the stomach in the digestion is too much, or too bad, unless with very weak, sickly persons. 11. So is that too much or bad which maketh you more dull for study, or more heavy and unfit for labour (unless some disease be the principal cause). 12. A body that by excess is already filled with crudities, should take less than another, that nature may have time to digest and waste them. 13. Every one should labour to know the temperature of their own bodies, and what diseases they are most inclined to, and so have the judgment of their physician or some skilful person, to give them such directions as are suitable to their own particular temperature and diseases. 14. Hard labourers err more in the quality than the quantity, partly through poverty, partly through ignorance, and partly through appetite, while they refuse that which is more wholesome (as mere bread and beer) if it be less pleasing to them. 15. If I may presume to conjecture, ordinarily very hard labourers exceed in quantity about a fourth part: shopkeepers and persons of easier trades do ordinarily exceed about a third part: voluptuous gentlemen and their serving men, and other servants of theirs that have no hard labour, do usually

P Venter parvo contentus est, si das illi quod debes, non quod potes. Senec. 4 Juvenum virtus est, nihil nimis. Socrat.

exceed about half in half (but still I except persons that are extraordinarily temperate through weakness, or through wisdom): and the same gentlemen usually exceed in variety, costliness, curiosity and time, much more than they do in quantity (so that they are gluttons of the first magnitude). The children of those that govern not their appetites, but let them eat and drink as much and as often as they desire it, do usually exceed above half in half, and lay the foundation of the diseases and miseries of all their lives. All this is about the truth, though the belly believe it not.

When you are once grown wise enough what in measure, and time, and quality, is fittest for your health, go not beyond that upon any importunity of appetite, or of friends: for all that is beyond that, is gluttony and sensuality, in its degree.

Direct. vIII. If you can lawfully avoid it, make not your table a snare of temptation to yourselves or others.' I know a greedy appetite will make any table that hath but necessaries, a snare to itself; but do not you unnecessarily become devils, or tempters to yourselves or others'. 1. For quality, study not deliciousness too much: unless for some weak distempered stomachs, the best meat is that which leaveth behind it in the mouth, neither a troublesome loathing, nor an eager appetite after more, for the taste's sake: but such as bread is, that leaveth the palate in an indifferent moderation. The curious inventions of new and delicious dishes, merely to please the appetite, is gluttony inviting to greater gluttony: excess in quality to invite to excess in quantity.

Object. But, you will say, I shall be thought niggardly or sordid, and reproached behind my back, if my table be so fitted to the temperate and abstinent.'

Answ. This is the pleading of pride for gluttony: rather than you will be talked against by belly-gods, or ignorant, fleshly people, you will sin against God, and prepare a feast or sacrifice for Bacchus or Venus: the ancient Christians

r Venter præcepta non audit. Senec.

If you will not take this counsel, at least use after meat to set before your guests a bason and a feather or a provang to vomit it up again, that you may shew some mercy to their bodies, if you will shew none to their souls.

were torn with beasts, because they would not cast a little frankincense into the fire, on the altar of an idol and will you feed so many idol bellies so liberally, to avoid their censure? Did not I tell you, that gulosity is an irrational vice? Good and temperate persons, will speak well of you for it: and do you more regard the judgment and esteem of belly-gods 1?

Object. But it is not only riotous, luxurious persons that I mean: I have no such at my table: but it will be the matter of obloquy even to good people, and those that are sober.'

Answ. I told you some measure of gluttony is become a common sin and many are tainted with it through custom, that otherwise are good and sober: But shall they therefore be left as uncurable? or shall they make all others as bad as they? And must we all commit that sin, which some sober people are grown to favour? You bear their censures about different opinions in religion, and other matters of difference; and why not here? The deluded Quakers may be witnesses against you, that while they run into the contrary extreme, can bear the deepest censures of all the world about them. And cannot you for honest temperance and sobriety, bear the censures of some distempered or guilty persons that are of another mind: certainly in this they are no temperate persons, when they plead for excess, and the baits of sensuality and intemperance.

2. For variety also, make not your table unnecessarily a snare: have no greater variety, than the weakness of stomachs, or variety of appetites doth require. Unnecessary variety and pleasantness of meats, are the devil's great instruments to draw men to gluttony: (and I would wish no good people to be his cooks or caterers :) when the very brutish appetite itself begins to say of one dish, 'I have enough,' then comes another to tempt it unto more excess, and another after that to more: all this that I have said, I have the concurrent judgment of physicians in, who condemn fulness and variety, as the great enemies of health, and nurseries of diseases. And is not the concurrent judgment of physicians more valuable about matters of health, than your private

A sensualist craving to be admitted of Cato among his familiars, Cato answered him, I cannot live with one whose palate is wiser than his brain. Eras.

opinions, or appetites? yet when sickness requireth variety, it is necessary.

3. Sit not too long at meat: for beside the sin of wasting time, it is but the way to tice down a little and a little more: and he that would be temperate, if he sat but a quarter of an hour (which is ordinarily enough) will exceed when he hath the temptation of half an hour, (which is enough for the entertainment of strangers :) much more when you must sit out an hour, (which is too much of all conscience :) though greedy eating is not good, yet sober feeding may satisfy nature in a little time.

4. See that your provisions be not more costly than is necessary though I know there must be a difference allowed for persons and times, yet see that no cost be bestowed unnecessarily and let sober reason, and not pride and gluttony judge of the necessity: we commonly call him the rich glutton, Luke xvi. that fared sumptuously every day: it is not said that he did eat any more than other men, but that he fared sumptuously". You cannot answer it comfortably to God, to lay that out upon the belly, which might do more good another way: it is a horrid sin to spend such store of wealth unnecessarily upon the belly, as is ordinarily done. The cheapest diet (cæteris paribus) must be preferred.

Object. But the scandal of covetousness must be avoided as well as gluttony. Folks will say, that all this is done merely from a miserable worldly mind.'

Answ. 1. It is easier to bear that censure than the displeasure of God. 2. No scandal must be avoided by sin; it is a scandal taken and not given. 3. With temperate persons your excess is much more scandalous. 4. I will teach you a cure for this in the next Direction.

Object.' But what if I set variety and plenty on my table? May not men choose whether they will eat too much? Do you think men are swine, that know not when they have enough?'

Answ. Yes, we see by certain experience, that most men know not when they have enough, and do exceed when they think they do not. There is not one of many, but is much

"The old fashion in countrymen's houses was not amiss, where the story of this rich glutton and Lazarus, was wont to be painted over their tables on their walls.