Thirdly, Seeing pains and sicknesses are such sad afflictions; be wise and careful for the preservation of your health; do not throw away your health upon a lust, do not expose your selves to lasting pains and pining sicknesses, for the satisfying of a wanton sensual appetite. The health and strength of this frail body, are of more value then ten thousand of those vanishing delights. Yet how many are there, who run themselves to the graves mouth, and into the thickest throngs of those destroyers, for the taking up of such pitiful and perishing delights? who to please their flesh for a few moments in surfeiting, drunkenness, and wantonness, bring many days, yea months and years of pain and torment upon their flesh? yea, and not only shorten (I mean as to what they might probably have had by the course of nature) the number of their days, but suddenly end & extinguish them. It hath been said of old, Gluttony kills more men then the sword; that is, it casts ••em into killing diseases. 'Tis a maxim in war; Starve your enemy if you can rather then fight him; cut his throat without a knife, destroy him without drawing a sword; that is, with hunger. Some are indeed destroyed with hunger, and hunger, if not relieved, will destroy any man! Yet surfeiting destroyeth more then hunger, and 'tis a more quick and speedy destroyer. We have known many who have cut their own throats, by cutting too much and too fast for their bellies; Pampering the Body destroyeth more bodies then starving. Many while they draw nigh to their Tables, their souls (as Elihu here saith) are drawing near to the grave, and their life to the destroyers. Therefore, remember and consider, O ye that are men given to appetite, (as Solomon calleth such, Pro: 23:2.) or rather as the Hebrew elegance there hath it, ye that are Masters of appetite, studying your Bellies, till indeed ye are mastered by appetite, to you, I say, remember and consider, Health is more then meat, and life then dainty fair. All the content that intemperance can give you, cannot recompense you for the pains that sickness will give you; ⟨p. 368⟩you may have pleasure for an hour or two, and sickness for a month or two, for a year or two.
Thirdly, Seeing paines and sicknesses are such sad afflictions; be wise and carefull for the preservation of your health; doe not throw away your health upon a lust, doe not expose your selves to lasting paines and pining sicknesses, for the satisfying of a wanton sensuall appetite. The health and strength of this frayle body, are of more value then ten thousand of those vanishing delights. Yet how many are there, who run themselves to the graves mouth, and into the thickest throngs of those destroyers, for the taking up of such pitifull and perishing delights? who to please their flesh for a few moments in surfeiting, drunkenness, and wantonness, bring many dayes, yea moneths and yeares of paine and torment upon their flesh? yea, and not only shorten (I meane as to what they might probably have had by the course of nature) the number of their dayes, but suddenly end & extinguish them. It hath been sayd of old, Gluttony kills more men then the sword; that is, it casts ••em into killing diseases. 'Tis a maxime in warre; Starve your enemy if you can rather then fight him; cut his throat without a knife, destroy him without drawing a sword; that is, with hunger. Some are indeed destroyed with hunger, and hunger, if not relieved, will destroy any man! Yet surfeiting destroyeth more then hunger, and 'tis a more quicke and speedy destroyer. We have knowne many who have cut their owne throats, by cutting too much and too fast for their bellyes; Pampering the Body destroyeth more bodies then starving. Many while they draw nigh to their Tables, their soules (as Elihu here saith) are drawing neere to the grave, and their life to the destroyers. Therefore, remember and consider, O ye that are men given to appetite, (as Solomon calleth such, Pro: 23:2.) or rather as the Hebrew elegancy there hath it, ye that are Masters of appetite, studying your Bellyes, till indeed ye are mastered by appetite, to you, I say, remember and consider, Health is more then meate, and life then dainty faire. All the content that intemperance can give you, cannot recompence you for the paines that sickness will give you; ⟨p. 368⟩you may have pleasure for an houre or two, and sickness for a moneth or two, for a yeare or two.
