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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	body_n	live_v	soul_n	1,528	5	5.4031	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05367	Hygiasticon: Or, The right course of preserving life and health unto extream old age together with soundnesse and integritie of the senses, judgement, and memorie. Written in Latine by Leonardus Lessius, and now done into English.; Hygiasticon. English	Lessius, Leonardus, 1554-1623.; Cornaro, Luigi, 1475-1566. Discorsi della vita sobria. English.; Herbert, George, 1593-1633.; Ferrar, Nicholas, 1592-1637, attributed name.; Sheppard, Thomas, attributed name.; Landi, Ortensio, ca. 1512-ca. 1553. Esser miglior la vita parca della splendida & sontuosa. English.	1634 (1634)	STC 15520; ESTC S113348	68,762	319

force of Nature and of the spirits is as it were enthralled in them to the Concoction and Digestion of meats from which if they be violently withdrawen by means of Contemplation the Concoction must needs prove vicious and many crudities necessarily follow As also in regard that the head hereby becomes full fraught with vapours which do overcloud the minde and if a man intend his thoughts much cause pain and grief Lastly these men are forced to use much exercise of bodie or often to take medicines for the purging thereof so that in truth however they may seem to live long in the bodie yet as much as belongs to the minde and the understanding they live but a while in regard that it is but a little and short time that they are fit for the functions affairs of the minde being forced to spend the greatest part of their time upon the care of their bodies which is in very truth to make the Soul become the servant of the Flesh that is a Slave to its own Vassal Such a life suits not with Mans nature much lesse with Christianitie whose good and happinesse is altogether spirituall and is not to be otherwise purchased then by mortification of the Senses and employment and exercise both of Minde and Bodie 39. Adde further to that which hath been said That they who are of weakly Constitutions if so be they live temperately are much more secure touching their health and the prolonging of their lives then those who are of the strongest Constitution that may be in case they live intemperately For these of the former sort know that they have no ill juices or moistures in their bodies or at least not in any such quantitie as to breed diseases But those other after some few yeares must of necessitie have their bodies cloyed with evil humours which by little and little putrifying do at last break out into grievous and deadly sicknesses Aristotle in his Problemes testifies That there was in his time a certain Philosopher named Herodicus who albeit in all mens judgement he was of a most weakly Constitution and fallen into a Consumption neverthelesse by the Art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is That which prescribes the course of Diet he lived till he was 100. yeares old Plato mentions the same man in his third book De Republ. Galen in his book de Ma●asmo and in his book of the preservation of Health reports that there was in his time a certain Philosopher who had set forth a Book wherein he took upon him to teach the way how a man might conserve himself free from old Age. Galen doth indeed worthily deride this as matter of vanitie yet neverthelesse the Philosopher by his own example gave proof That his Art was not altogether vain but very available to the prolonging of mans life For when he came to his 80 yeare and was so utterly consumed as there seemed nothing but skin and bones remaining yet neverthelesse by his Art and the singular moderation and temper of his diet he brought to passe that he died not but after a great while lingring in a gentle Consumption And the same Galen in his 5. Book of the preservation of Health sayes They who come forth weakly complexioned from their mothers wombe may by help of that Art which prescribes the course of Diet attain to extream old Age without any diminution in their Senses or interruption of health by pains sicknesses And further addes touching himself As for my part although I neither had a healthfull Constitution of bodie from my very birth nor did alway leade a life free from disorder yet using this self same Art after the 28 yeare of my life I never fell into the least sicknesse except perchance now and then for one day into a Fever and that gotten through overmuch wearinesse 40. Nor do these followers of Temperance onely come to extream old Age without feeling the pains and diseases belonging thereunto but in their very dying passe away without sense of grief inasmuch as the bond that knits together their foul and bodie is unloosed not by any violence used to Nature but by a simple Resolution and Consumption of their Radicall Humour And it fares with them as with a Lamp that when the Oyl is spent goes out of it self without any ado or businesse For as a burning Lamp may be three wayes extinguished First by outward violence as when it is blowen out Secondly by pouring in much water whereby the good Liquour of the Oyl is drowned and corrupted and Thirdly by the waste and spending of the Oyl it self So likewise a mans Life which in truth resembles much the nature of a Lamp is extinguished by three wayes and means First by externall force to wit of the sword fire strangling and the like Secondly through the abundance of ill Humours or the malignant qua ●itie of them whereby the Radicall Humour is opprest and overthrowen Thirdly when the Radicall Humour is in long space of time quite consumed by the Naturall Heat and blowen out into the aire which is done after the same manner that boyling water or oyl is wasted by the heat of the fire Now in the first and second kindes of death there is a great disturbance of Nature and so consequently much grief must needs ensue as long as that continues in regard that the Temper is overthrowen by the violence of that which is contrarie to it and the bond of Nature is forcibly broken But in the third there is either none at all or very little grief in regard that the Temper is inwardly dissolved by little and little and the Originall Humiditie in which Life chiefly consists is wasted together with the inbred heat For whilest the Humiditie or moisture wasteth the heat founded therein doth equally abate and the moisture being spent the heat is joyntly extinguished as we see it comes to passe in Lamps After this manner do most of them die who have observed an exact Rule of diet unlesse perchance they die by means of outward violence For having prevented evill Humours by their good diet there is no inward cause in them whereby their Temper should be violently overthrowen nor their Naturall Heat oppressed And therefore it will needs follow that they must live till the Originall Moisture together with the Heat that is founded thereupon be so consumed as it is not sufficient to retain the soul any longer in the bodie And in the like manner would a mans death be if God should withdraw his conservation of the Naturall Heat although the Radicall Humour should remain or on the other side if the Radicall Humour should by divine operation be in an instant consumed 41. The fifth Commoditie of a sober Diet is That it makes the bodie Lightsome Agil Fresh and Expedite to all the motions appertaining thereunto For Heavinesse Oppression of Nature and Dulnesse proceed from the abundance of Humours which do stoppe up

measure thereof I have annexed a Treatise tending to the same purpose of a Venetian Gentleman Lodowick Cornaro a man of great eminencie and of a sharp judgement who having learned by experience of many yeares the great vertue and power that is in Sobrietie did at last by writing notably make declaration thereof Both these Treatises my Reverend L. I have thought fit to dedicate unto your name and to send fo●th into the world under your patronage For to whom can a Treatise of Sobrietie be more fitly dedicated then to such a one as hath so stoutly and constantly followed Sobrietie as by the help thereof to preserve himself vigorous and cheerfull unto neare upon seventie yeares of his age You are he that can sit a hūgry in the midst of daily feasts enjoyned to be made unto the Gentrie that passe by solitarie Campinia and whilest others fill their bellies and satisfie their appetites you contract both into narrow bounds and limits Besides this there are sundrie other causes which deserve this testimonie of my venerable respect towards your Lordship to wit that zeal wherewith you do so industriously promote the cause of your Religion which is so exceedingly beneficiall to the whole Church and to our Belgia and together herewith that singular wisdome of yours in Government through means whereof you have for so many yeares space safely conserved your noble Hospitall in that desert where it stands in the midst of many tumults of wars and shocks of armies in great licencio●snesse of militarie discipline and almost daily inrodes of both sides unto it by means whereof you have further not onely recovered it out of those great debts wherewith it was formerly burthened but have moreover adorned it with beautifull structures and a high Tower for the settling of a Monasterie therein And that I may passe over your other vertues whereof Sobrietie the mother of all vertues is the true cause in you this dedication seems due to you in particular in regard of that ancient friendship which for above fourtie yeares space I have had with your brother Father George Colibrant a learned man and of noted holinesse exceedingly addicted to sobrietie prayer mortification of the flesh and zeal touching the soul by whose example wholesome admonitions many Centuries of excellent young men have in sundrie places given themselves unto holy Religion The conjunction that we likewise have with your other brother John Colibrant a man of great uprightnesse whose every where approved integritie farre excells rich patrimonies makes this work belong to you I could relate many other things appertaining to your own and your friends commendation but I make spare of them that I may not offend your modestie which doth not willingly heare such matters Receive therefore Right Reverend Lord this small gift a testimonie of our affec●ion towards you and yours and be not wanting to the recommendation of that excellencie of holy Sobrietie which you have made proof of in your self and we make declaration of in this Treatise to all men but especially to Gods servants that they may by this means come to serve God more perfectly and sweetly in this life and obtain greater glory in heaven Now I beseech the Divine Goodnesse to prosper all your holy designes to its own glorie the salvation of men and after that you shall have been adorned with all manner of vertue to renew your long and happie Old age with the blessed youth of Eternitie From Lovain Cal. Iul. 1613. Your Reverend Fatherships servant in Christ LEONARD LESSIUS ¶ The Approbation of JOHN VIRINGUS Doctour of Physick and Professour THe Hygiasticon of the Reverend Father Leonard Lessius a Divine of the Societie of Jesus is learned pious and profitable For it is squared out according to the Physicians rules and is entire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It whets the vigour of the minde and leads to old age Out of his love to the Commonwealth and publick good he was desirous to make that common which he had learned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regno I hold th●● Work to be most worthy of praise and so will every sober man that without spight and envie reads it think and will he nill he judge of it as I do So I censure Joannes Walterius Viringus Doctour and Professour of Physick ¶ The Approbation of GERARD de VILEERS Doctour of Physick and Ordinarie Professour I Have diligently read and weighed the most learned book of the Reverend Father Leonard Lessius and I judge the doctrine contained therein agreeable to the Physicians rules and most convenient to that end for which it was written by the Authour and therefore most profitable for Religious persons and for all those that are given to the employments of the minde Gerard de Vileers Doctour of Physick and Ordinarie Professour ¶ The Approbation of FRANCIS SASSEN Doctour of Physick INasmuch as all diseases except distempers without matter some instrumentari● and those which arise from emptinesse which are but few are caused either from abundance of humours or from ill nourishment and it is Galens determination in his 4. book and 4. chapter concerning the preservation of health that all they who have thick and slimie humours in the prime veins as most part of the Europeans and especially those that are more Northernly have do exceedingly well com●●●t a spare diet And thirdly inasmuch as by ●e stimonie of the self same Galen the conditions of the soul follow the temper of the bodie and so consequently the bodie being cleare from all superfluous excrements the operations of the minde are more vigorous These precepts will not onely be available for the preservation of them that be in health and for the recoverie of them that be sickly but which is the learned Authours main intent exceedingly conduce to the maintenance of the Senses Judgement and Memorie in their soundnesse untill extream old age FRAN. SASSEN Doctour of Physick HYGIASTICON OR The right course of preserving Health CHAP. 1. The occasion and scope of this work 1_MAny Authours have written largely and verie learnedly touching the preservation of Health but they charge men with so many rules and exact so much observation and caution about the qualitie and quantitie of meats and drinks about aire sleep exercise seasons of the yeare purgations bloud-letting and the like and over and above prescribe such a number of Compound Opiate and other kindes of exquisite remedies as they bring men into a Labyrinth of care in the observation and unto perfect slaverie in the endeavouring to perform what they do in this matter enjoyn And when all is done the issue proves commonly much short oft times clean contrarie to that which was expected in regard perhaps that some smaller matter in appearance yet wherein the chief of the businesse indeed lay was not observed and practised as it ought For men forsooth will have their own mindes eat every thing that likes them and to their fill they will shape their diet

bloud there cannot be made good nourishment in the bodie but of necessitie the whole temper of the bodie is corrupted and so becomes subject to diseases For the third concoction which is made in the small pores of the bodie where the bloud is assimilated to every part which it is to nourish and lastly disposed to the receiving of the form thereof cannot mend the second By this means the temper of the bodie through these Crudities is by little and little altered and marred and made subject to many inconveniences Again the cruditie of the Chylus is a cause that the veins through the whole bodie are replenished with impure and foule bloud and such as is mingled with many evill humours which in tract of time do by little and little putrifie and at last upon occasion of Labour Heat Cold Windes and the like are set on fire breaking out into great and perilous diseases whereby an innumerable companie of men do perish even in the flower of their age These inconveniences a sober course of Diet prevents by taking away the Crudities which are the cause of all For when there is no more taken in then the stomack can well concoct and afterwards sufficient space of time is allowed thereunto Crudities cannot arise but the Chylus is made good and agreeable to Nature And from good Chylus good bloud is bred And from good bloud there followeth good nourishment and good temper in and throughout the whole bodie By this means also the putrefaction of the humours in the veins is avoyded as likewise obstructions in the inward parts and those superfluous excrements which do so often vex and molest the head and inward parts and joynts of the bodie So that a good constitution of the bodie and health is hereby preserved For they consist in these two things to wit in the due proportion and symmetrie of the humours both in respect of their quantitie and qualitie and in a certain spongie kinde of disposition throughout the whole bodie having no let nor impediment by obstructions so that the spirits and bloud have their free passage and recourse through all parts Nor doth Sobrietie onely prevent the Cruditie of humours and the evill consequences arising thereupon but it doth also consume the superfluous humours and that much more safely and effectually then bodily exercise doth as the famous Doctour Viringus doth learnedly shew in his 5. Book concerning Fasting chap. 3 4 5. For Labour doth confusedly stirre the bodie and alwayes exerciseth some parts more then other and most commonly onely some few parts alone and that oft times with a great perturbation in the humours with much heat and hazard of sicknesse especially of Feavers Pleurisies and severall kindes of Distillations upon sundry parts which breed much grief and pain But Abstinence peirceth farre more inwardly even unto the very entralls and to all the joynts and knittings in the bodie and doth with ease and equalitie make a generall evacuation For it extenuates that which is overthickened it opens that which is closed it consumes those things that are superfluous it unlocks the passages of the spirtis and makes the spirits themselves the more cleare and that without disturbance of the humours without fluxes and pains without heating the bodie and without hazard of diseases without expense of time or losse and neglect of better employments Notwithstanding it must needs be granted That Exercise if it be used in due time and do not exceed measure is very profitable and to many necessarie Yet ordinarily to such as leade temperate and sober lives and follow their studies being much given to the employments of the minde there is no great need of long walks or other long-continued exercises whereby much time is wasted and lost but it is sufficient if onely for the space of a quarter or half an houre before meals they use to swing or to tosse a Barre Stoole or some such like heavy thing or taking in each hand a weight of 2 or 3 pounds they strike and swing their arms about them the one after the other as if they fought with a shadow These are Exercises which many grave and worthy men even Cardinalls themselves do use and that not undecently in their Chambers And there is no other which I know that doth more stirre all the muscles of the breast and of the back nor more rid the joynts of superfluous humours then these forenamed Exercises do CHAP. VI. Of two other Commodities which it brings to the Bodie 33. THe second Commoditie is That a sober Diet doth not onely preserve from those diseases which are bred by crudities and inward corruptions of the humours but it doth also arm and fortifie against outward causes For they who have their bodies free and untainted and the humours well tempered are not so easily hurt by Heat Cold Labour and the like inconveniences as other men are who are full of ill humours and if at any time they be prejudiced by these outward inconveniences they are much sooner and easilyer cured The self same comes to passe in wounds bruises puttings out of joynt and breaking of bones in regard that there is either no flux at all of ill humours or at least very little to that part that is affected Now the flux of humours doth very much hinder the cure and causeth pain and inflammations Our Authour doth confirm this by a notable proof in himself num 11. Furthermore a sober Diet doth arm and fortifie against the Plague for the venime thereof is much better resisted if the bodie be cleare free Whereupon Socrates by his Frugalitie and Temperance brought to passe that he himself was never sick of the Plague which oft times greatly wasted the citie of Athens where he lived as Laertius writeth libro 2. de vitis Philosophorum 34 The third Commoditie of a sober Diet is That although it do not cure such diseases as are incurable in their own nature yet it doth so much mitigate and allay them as they are easily born and do not much hinder the functions of the minde This is seen by daily experience for many there be who have ulcers in their Lungs hardnesse of the Liver or Splene the Stone in the reins or in the bladder old drie Itches and inveterate distempers in their Bowells swellings in the Guts waterish Ruptures divers other kindes of Burstnesses who yet notwithstanding by the help of good Diet onely prolong their lives a great while and are alwayes cheerfull and expedite to the affairs and businesses of the minde For as these diseases are very much exasperated by over-eating so that they do very much afflict Nature and in a short space overthrow it so by a sober course of life they are maruellously allayed and mitigated insomuch as very little inconvenience is felt by them nor do they much shorten the ordinarie race of mens lives CHAP. VII That it makes men to live long and

the way of the spirits and cloy the joynts and fill them too full of moisture so that the excesse of Humours being taken away by means of Diet the cause of that Heavinesse Sloth and Dulnesse is taken away and the passages of the spirits are made free And moreover by means of the self same Diet it comes to passe that the Concoction is perfect and so good blo●d is bred out of which abundance of pure spirits are made in which all the vigour and agilitie of the bodie mainly consisteth CHAP. VIII That it maintains the Se●s●s in their integritie and vigour 42. WE have found five Commodities which Sobrietie brings to the Bodie Let us now see the Benefits which it affords to the Minde they may likewise be well reduced to five The first is That it ministreth soundnesse and vigour to the outward Senses For the Sense of Seeing is chiefly deaded in old men by reason that the Optick Nerves are cloyed with super●luous humours and vapours whereby it comes to passe that the Animall spirits which serve to the sight are either darkened or not afforded in such abundance as is needfull for quick and cleare discerning of things This impediment is taken away or much diminished by the Sobrietie of meat and drink and by abstinence from those things which replenish the head with fumes such as are all fat things and especially Butter if it be taken in a good quantitie strong wines and thick beer or such as are compounded with those herbs that flie up into the Head 43. The Sense of Hearing is likewise hindered by the ●lux of crude and superfluous humours out of the Brain into the Organ of hearing or into the Nerve that serves unto it for by this means it comes to passe that a man grows deaf or thick of hearing in that part where this flux of humours is Now this flux is very easily prevented and driven away by the Sobrietie of diet And as it may be taken away by help of Physick after it hath befallen a man in case it be not let go on too long so as it take root so likewise it may be taken away by means of Diet especially if together therewith some Topicall Medicines be used 44. The Sense of Tasting is chiefly marred by ill humours that infect the Organ thereof As if cholerick tart or salt humours possesse the tongue and throat whether it be that they come out of the Head or out of the Stomack whose inward tunicle is continued with these Organs all things will relish bitter tart and salt This indisposition is taken away by good Diet by means whereof it is further brought about that the most ordinarie meats yea and drie bread it self do better taste and relish a sober man and yeeld him greater pleasure then the greatest dainties that can be do to those who are given to Gluttonie For the evil juices that did infect the stomack and the Organ of the Taste and which bred a loathing and offence being removed and cleared the Appetite returneth of it self and the pure relish and naturall delight in meats is felt In like manner good Diet conserveth the Senses of Smelling and Touching 45. Neverthelesse I grant that by long age the vigour of the Senses and especially of the Eyes and Eares is much abated and almost extinct in regard that the Temper of the Organs as also of the other parts is by little little dissolved the Radicall Humour and the Native Heat being by degrees consumed and dried up whereupon the Temper becomes more drie then is proportionable to the operations of the Senses and all the passages and pores are stopped up with cold Phlegme which is most of all other things contrarie to the functions of the minde For as old men by the inward temper of their bodies grow drie and cold in excesse so likewise they become full of moisture by reason of excrementitiall humours so that old Age is nothing else but a cold drie temper proceeding from the consumption of the Radicall Humour the Native Heat to which there must needs be conjoyned great store of cold Phlegme dispersed through the whole bodie CHAP. IX That it mitigates the Passions and Affections 46. THe second Commoditie which a sober Diet brings to the Soul of a man is That it doth very much abate and diminish the Affections and Passions and especially those of Anger and Melancholie taking away from them their excesse inordinate violence The self same it works upon those Affections which are conversant about the taste touch of delectable things so that in this regard it ought to be highly prized For it is in truth a shamefull thing not to be able to master Choler to be subject to Melancholie and to sowre cares of the Fancie to be enthralled to Gluttonie and Slave to the Belly to be hurried on with violence to eating and drinking and poured out as it were to the exercise of lust and concupis●ence Nor is it onely shamefull and contrarie to Vertue to be thus disposed but also very prejudiciall in regard of Health and full of opprobrie in respect of good men But Sobrietie with much ease remedies all these mischiefs partly subtracting and partly correcting the Humours of the bodie which are the causes of them For that the Humours are the causes of such Passions is both a received ground amongst all Physicians and Philosophers and manifest by experience 47. Inasmuch as we see those who are full of Cholerick Humours to be very Angrie Rash and those who abound with Melancholie to be alwayes troubled with griefs and fears and if these Humours be set on fire in the Brain they cause Frenzies and Madnesse If a tart Humour replenish the tunicles of the Stomack it breeds a continuall Hunger and Ravening If there be store of boyling bloud in the bodie it incites continually to Lust especially if together with it there be any flatulent or windie matter The reason is Because the Affections of the minde follow as is well known in Philosophie the apprehensions of the Fancie Now the apprehension of the Fancie is conformable to the disposition of the Bodie and to the Humours that are predominant therein And hence it comes to passe that Cholerick persons dream of fires burning warres slaughter Melancholie men of darknesse funeralls sepulchres ●o●goblins runnings away pits and such sad and dolefull matters The Phlegmatick dream of rains lakes rivers inundations drownings shipwracks The Sanguine of flyings courses banquets songs and love-matters Now Dreams are nothing else but the apprehensions of the Fancie when the Senses are asleep Whereupon it follows that as in sleep so also in waking the Phantasie doth for the most part apprehend things answerable to the Humour and Qualitie then prevalent and especially upon the first presentment of the object till it be corrected and otherwise directed by reason So then the excesse of these Humours doth pervert the naturall condition and

which looks what and how much is proportionable for the conservation of the Bodie and the performance of the duties and services belonging to the Minde 59. Now there is a double Reason why the Appetite becomes a deceitfull Measurer in this kinde The first is Because the Appetite doth not onely desire that which is nece●sarie to the conservation of the Bodie but also that which may serve for the use of Procreation For the appetite of eating and drinking is both in men and beasts ordained to both these ends to wit to the conservation of the Individuall and to the propagation of the whole Kinde And therefore Reason chargeth them who desire to live chastly and not to be molested by the sting of Lust that they should not obey their Appetite to the full but give it satisfaction onely to the half that is onely asmuch as is needfull for the sustenance of the Bodie which thing if they carefully observe there will be little store of Seed bred in their Bodies and very few incitements to Lust. For Seed is bred of that superfluitie of the nourishment which was more then requisite for the sustentation of the bodie So that where there is no more sustenance taken in then is sufficient for the nourishment of the bodie there remains either nothing at all or very little to be distributed for the increase of Seed 60. The other cause why the Appetite is deceitfull is Because it oftentimes longs after more then is any way proportionable to either of these fore-mentioned ends that is to say more then is fitting either for the nourishment of the Bodie or for the matter of Propagation And that is caused either through the ill disposition of the stomack as it comes to passe in that ravening kinde of appetite which is called Dogs-hunger Ox-hunger and when the Melancholick Humour is soaked into the tunicles of the stomack or else by reason of the condiments and Lickorish cooking of the meats themselves which by their varietie and new relishes do go on continually provoking the Appetite and stirring up Gluttonie In which regard this varietie and curious dressing of meats is as Physicians teach especially to be eschewed by all them that are followers of Sobrietie and Chastitie and in very truth by all those who have care of their health concerning which thing we have discoursed more largely before By all this it appeares That there is farre greater vertue and power for the quenching of Lust in Sobrietie and Abstinence then in other corporall mortifications such as are hair-cloths whippings lying upon the ground and bodily labours for these do onely afflict the bodie outwardly and but rase the skin as it were but come not at all to the ground of the evil which lies hidden within But Abstinence plucks up the cause of all by the roots in the inward veins reducing the naturall temper to a just mediocritie This remedie then is to be used by all those who are vexed with this disease 61. And thus much touching the benefits and singular fruits of Sobrietie all which might well be confirmed by the testimonies of the ancient holy Fathers but for brevities sake I omit them contenting my self with one passage onely out of S. Chrysostome who in his first Homily concerning Fasting writes thus Fasting is asmuch as lies in us an imitation of the Angels a contemning of things present a school of prayer a nourishing of the soul a bridle of the mouth an abatement of concupiscence as they that use to fast do well know and prove in themselves It mollifies rage it appeaseth anger it calms the tempests of Nature it excites reason it cleares the minde it disburdens the flesh it chaseth away night-pollutions it frees from head-ach and it breeds cleare and well-coloured visages By fasting a man gets composed behaviour free utterance of his tongue right apprehensions of his minde c. See him likewise in his first Homilie on Genesis And agreeabl● to this we finde many things in S. Basil in his Oration concerning Fasting In Ambrose in his book of Elias and Fasting and in Cyprian in his Oration concerning Fasting and in many others CHAP. XIII That a Sober Diet is not of any grief or trouble and that Intemperance bringeth many great and grievous maladies 62. BUt some will object that this straitnesse of Diet is troublesome in regard it leaves a man alwayes tormented as it were with hunger and therefore it were better to die sooner then to prolong a wretched life by such a painfull medicine accordingly as it was once said by a certain diseased person whose Thigh was to be cut off that The preservation of life would be too deer bought at the price of so much pain To which I answer At first indeed this sparenesse of Diet is somewhat troublesome in regard of the contrarie usage formerly and also in regard of the enlargement of the stomack but by little and little that trouble is removed For we must not suddenly passe from a great quantitie to a small but every day by degrees subtracting a little till we come to the just measure as F●ippocrates doth oftentimes warn for by this means the stomack is contracted by little and little without any great trouble and the greedinesse which was formerly felt is taken way Now when the stomack comes to be contracted to the right measure that it ought there is no more trouble remaining by means of a Sober Diet inasmuch as that small quantitie doth justly agree and answer the capacitie and strength of the stomack In proof whereof we see that it is very grievous to most men to forbear their usuall Break-fast at the beginning of Lent but by little and little that offence is diminished and divers do in the end finde such benefit by Abstinence as that they choose willingly ever after to forbear Break-fast The self same do many prove in forbearing of Suppers And in like manner after that men have a while forced themselves they finde no pain in abstaining from divers kindes of meats to which their appetites did formerly leade them with great violence It is therefore altogether ●ntrue which is commonly objected That a sober Diet doth torment a man with continuall hunger 63. Secondly I answer Suppose there were some trouble in such kinde of diet and that it should d●re long which yet in truth is not so yet ought we to consider the many profits and benefits which it brings in recompence of this small trouble to wit That a sober Diet expells diseases preserves the bodie agil healthfull pure and clean from noysomnesse and filthinesse causeth long life breeds quiet sleep makes ordinarie fare equall in sweetnesse to the greatest dainties and moreover keeps the Senses sound and the Memorie fresh and addes perspica●iti● to the Wit and clearenesse and aptnesse for the receiving of divine Illuminations And further quiets the Passions drives away Wrath and Melancholie and breaks the furie of Lust In