be guilty of gluttony, if he ftuck to these few obvious and eafy rules. In the first cafe there would be no variety of tastes to follicite his palate, and occafion excess; nor in the fecond any artificial provocatives to relieve fatiety, and create a falfe appetite. Were I to prefcribe a rule for drinking, it should be form'd upon a faying quoted by Sir William Temple; The first glass for my felf, the fecond for my friends, the third for good humour, and the fourth for mine enemies. But because it is impoffible for one who lives in the world to diet himself always in fo philofophical a manner, I think every man fhould have his days of abftinence, according as his conftitution will permit. Thefe are great reliefs to nature, as they qualify her for ftruggling with hunger and thirst, whenever any diftemper or duty of life may put her upon fuch difficulties; and at the fame time give her an opportunity of extricating herself from her oppreffions, and recovering the feveral tones and fprings of her diftended veffels. Befides that abftinence well timed often kills a fickness in embryo, and deftroys the firft feeds of an indifpofition. It is obferved by two or three ancient authors, that Socrates, notwithstanding he lived in Athens during the great plague, which has made. so much a noise through all ages, and has been celebrated at different times by fuch eminent hands; I fay, notwithstanding that he lived in the time of this devouring peftilence, he never caught the leaft infection, which thofe writers unanimoufly afcribe to that uninterrupted temperance which he always obferved. And here I cannot but mention an obfervation which I have often made, upon reading the lives of the philofophers, and comparing them with any feries of kings or great men of the fame number. If we confider these ancient fages, a great part of whose philosophy confifted in a temperate and abftemious courfe of life, one would think the life of a philofopher, and the life of a man, were of two different dates. For we find that the generality of these wife men were nearer an hundred than fixty years of age at the time of their respective deaths. But the moft remarkable inftance of the efficacy of temperance towards the procuring of long life, is what we meet with in a little book publifhed by Lewis Cornaro the Venetian; which I the rather mention, because it is of undoubted credit, as the late Venetian ambaffador, who was of the fame family, attefted more than once in conversation, when he refided in Eng land. land. Cornaro, who was the author of the little treatise I am mentioning, was of an infirm conftitution, till about forty, when by obftinately perfifting in an exact course of temperance, he recovered a perfect state of health; infomuch that at fourscore he publifhed his book, which has been translated into English under the title of Sure and certain methods of attaining a long and healthy life. He lived to give a third or fourth edition of it, and after having paf fed his hundredth year, died without pain or agony, and like one who falls afleep. The learned are of opinion, that if men lived according to nature, and duly obferved the Regimen of Health, they might live to a long duration; for man is naturally immortal, that is to fay, he hath a Poffe non mori, as appears both before the fall, and fhall be evident after the refurrection; yea, after his fall he could live near a thoufand years; though by degrees the length of life was abbreviated, yet that abbreviation of life was accidental, and confequently may be repaired in whole or in part; and upon fearch we fhall find the accidental caufe of this abbreviation, was not from the heavens, or any other than the defect of a true regimen of health. HYMN HYMN XXIV. The Beatific Sight of CHRIST. By Dr.Watts. To Canterbury Tune. F Rom thee, my God, my joys fhall rife, Beyond the limits of the skies, And all created bounds. 2 The holy triumphs of my foul 3 There where my bleffed Jefus reigns In pleasure and in praise. 4 Millions of years my wond'ring eyes, The glories of thy love. [5 Sweet Jefus, ev'ry smile of thine 6 Hafte, my beloved, fetch my foul Fly, for my fpirit longs to fee HYMN HYMN XXV. "Angels miniftring to Chrift and Saints. T To Sion Tune. HE majefty of Solomon! The fervants waiting round his throne, 2 But, mighty God, thy palace shines Thine angel-guards are swift as winds, [3 Soon as thine only Son had made A fhining army downward fled 4 And when oppreft with pains and fears 5 Now to the hands of Chrift our King Are all their legions giv❜n; They wait upon his faints, and bring 6 Pleasure and praise run thro' their host To see a finner turn; Then Satan has a captive loft, |