The rule and exercises of holy living. In which are described the means and instruments of obtaining every vertue, and the remedies against every vice, and considerations serving to the resisting all temptations. Together with prayers containing the whole duty of a Christian, and the parts of devotion fitted to all occasions, and furnish'd for all necessities.

Rules for obtaining Temperance.

1. Be not often present at feasts, nor at all in dissolute company, when it may be avoyded; for variety of pleasing objects steals away the heart of man: and company is either violent or enticing; and we are weak or complying, or perhaps desirous enough to be abused. But if you be unavoidably or in∣discreetly ingaged, let not mistaken civilitie or good nature engage thee, either to the temptation of staying (if thou understandest thy weaknesse) or the sin of drinking inor∣dinately.

2. Be severe in your judgement concerning your proportions, and let no occasion make you enlarge far beyond your ordinary. For a man is surprized by parts; and while he thinks one glass more will not make him drunk, that one glasse hath disabled him from well discerning his present condition and neigh∣bour danger: while men think themselves wise they become fools: they think they shall tast the aconite and not dye, or crown their heads with juice of poppy and not be drowsie; and if they drink off the whole vintage, still they think they can swallow another gobler. But remember this, when ever you begin to con∣sider whether you may safely take one draught more, it is then high time to give over: let that be accounted a signe late enough to break off: for every reason to doubt, is a sufficient reason to part the company.

3. Come not to table but when thy need in∣vites thee: and if thou beest in health leave something of thy Appetite unfilled, some∣thing of thy natural heat unimployed, that it may secure thy digestion, and serve other needs of nature or the spirit.

4. Propound to thy self (if thou beest in a capacity) a constant rule of living, of eating and drinking; which though it may not be fit to observe scrupulously, lest it become a snare to thy conscience, or indanger thy health upon every accidental violence: yet let not thy rule be broken often nor much, but upon great ne∣cessity and in small degrees.

5. Never urge any man to eat or drink beyond his own limits, and his own desires. He that does otherwise is drunke with his brothers surfet, and reeles and falls with

his intemperance, that is, the sin of drunkennes is upon both their scores, they both lye wallow∣ing in the guilt.

6. Use S. Pauls instruments of Sobriety. Let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the brestplate of faith and love, and for an hel∣met the hope of Saluation. Faith, Hope, and Charity are the best weapons in the world to fight against intemperance. The faith of the Mahometans forbids them to drink wine, and they abstain religiously, as the sons of Rechab: and the faith of Christ forbids drunkennesse to us; and therefore is infinitely more power∣ful to suppresse this vice, when we remember that we are Christians, and to abstain from drun∣kennesse and gluttony is part of the Faith and Discipline of Jesus, and that with these vices, neither our love to God, nor our hopes of hea∣ven can possibly consist; and therefore when these enter the heart, the other goes out at the mouth: for this is the Devil that is cast out by fasting and prayer, which are the proper actions of these graces.

7. As a pursuance of this rule, it is a good advice, that as we begin and end all our times of eating with prayer and thanks∣giving: so at the meal we remove and carry up our minde and Spirit to the Coelestiall table, often thinking of it, and often de∣siring it; that by enkindling thy desire to heavenly banquets, thou mayest be indif∣ferent and lesse passionate for the Earth∣lie.

8. Mingle discourses pious, or in some sence profitable, and in all sences charitable and innocent, with thy meal, as occasion is mi∣nistred.

9. Let your drink so serve your meat, as your meat doth your health; that it be apt to convey and digest it, and re••resh the spirits; but let it never go beyond such a refreshment as may a little lighten the present load of a sad or troubled spirit; never to inconveni∣ence, lightnesse, sottishnesse, vanity, or in∣temperance: and know that the loosing the bands of the tongue; and the very first dis∣solution of its duty, is one degree of the in∣temperance.

10. In all cases be carefull that you bee not brought under the power of such things which otherwise are lawful enough in the use. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any thing, said Saint Paul. And to be perpetually longing, and impatiently desirous of any thing, so that a man cannot abstaine from it, is to lose a mans liberty, and to become a ser∣vant of meat and drink, or smoke: And I wish this last instance were more considered by persons who little suspect themselves guil∣ty of intemperance, though their desires are strong and impatient, and the use of it perpe∣tual and unreasonable to all purposes, but that they have made it habitual, and neces∣sary as intemperance it self is made to some men.

11. Use those advices which are prescribed as instruments to suppresse voluptuousnesse in the foregoing Section.

Notes

• Senec. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Chi hi•• bev••••o turto il mare 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bere 〈…〉〈…〉
• Nil inter∣est favea•• s••eler••, an illud faci∣a••. Sen••••.