The practice of piety directing a Christian how to walk, that he may please…

Meditations before Dinner and Supper.

1. Meditate that Hunger is like the sickness called a Wolf, which if thou dost not •eed, will devour thee, and eat thee up; and that meat and drink, are but as^* physic, or means which God hath ordained, to relieve and cure this natural infirmity, and necessity of Man. Use therefore to eat and to drink, rather to sustain and refresh the weakness of nature, than to satisfy the sensuality and delights of the flesh. Eat therefore to live, but live not to eat. A Scavenger whose living is to empty, is to be preferred before him that liveth but to fill Privies. There is no service so^† base, as for a man to be a slave to his belly. The Apostle termeth such, Belly-Gods, Phil. 3. 19. Therefore we may boldly term them, as the Scriptures do other idols,^* Gillulim, Dungy gods, Hab. 2. 18, 19. 2 King. 17. 12. And as no one action (God's ordinances excepted) makes a man more to resemble a beast, than eating and drinking: so the abuse of eating and drinking to surfeiting, drunkenness and spewing, makes a man more vile than a beast.

1. MEditate that Hunger is like the sickness called a Wolf, which if thou dost not •eed, will devour thee, and eat thee up; and that meat and drink, are but as^* physick, or means which God hath ordained, to relieve and cure this natural infirmity, and necessity of Man. Use therefore to eat and to drink, rather to sustain and refresh the weakness of nature, than to satisfie the sensuality and delights of the flesh. Eat therefore to live, but live not to eat. A Scavenger whose living is to empty, is to be preferred before him that liveth but to fill Privies. There is no service so