The vanity of the worldThe vanity of the vvorld

Fifthly, consider, The longer we enjoy any worldly thing, the more flat and insipid doth it grow: We are soon at the bottom, and find nothing but dregs there. In all the pleasures of life, either our Spirits sink and fall under the continuance of them, as not able to bear a constant tension and emotion; or the delight consists merely in the novelty and variety of the objects, which when we are made more familiar with are but dull, because ordinary: And so they either tire our appetites, or deceive our hopes. And therefore the most artificial Voluptuaries have always allowed themselves an intermission in their ⟨p. 44⟩pleasures, to recruit nature, and sharpen their sensual desires, without which they would but cloy and surfeit, and instead of pleasures, prove only a wast and oppression to the spirits. ^cEpicurus himself, the great Master and Servant of pleasure, who made it the highest good and chiefest happiness of man, set himself certain days of abstinence in course, wherein he would but niggardly satisfy his stomach; well knowing that the pleasure of gluttony, could never be so much chanc'd as by an interval of hunger.

Fifthly, consider, The longer we enjoy any worldly thing, the more flat and insipid doth it grow: We are soon at the bottom, and find nothing but dregs there. In all the pleasures of life, either our Spirits sink and fall under the continuance of them, as not able to bear a constant tension and emotion; or the delight consists merely in the novelty and variety of the objects, which when we are made more familiar with are but dull, because ordinary: And so they either tire our appetites, or deceive our hopes. And therefore the most artificial Voluptuaries have always allowed themselves an intermission in their ⟨p. 44⟩pleasures, to recruit nature, and sharpen their sensual desires, without which they would but cloy and surfet, and instead of pleasures, prove onely a wast and oppression to the spirits. ^cEpicurus himself, the great Master and Servant of pleasure, who made it the highest good and chiefest happiness of man, set himself certain dayes of abstinence in course, wherein he would but niggardly satisfie his stomach; well knowing that the pleasure of gluttony, could never be so much chanc'd as by an intervall of hunger.