and to enjoy all the felicities thereof both earthly 〈◊〉 heavenly Let us therefore by all meanes seeke to preserve the welfare of our bodies since the same is so great a furtherance to the felicity of the mind And the rather because otherwise if the body be unhealthy and distempered the same will bee a burthen to the mind whose Instrument it is and so hinder it in the performance of all excellent matters and in the possession and enjoyance of all delights and happinesses both earthly and heavenly and instead thereof cause therein much distemper perturbation discontent evill and misery Because this matter is of great consequence I shall briefely endeavour to shew how the body thus worketh upon the mind That the humours of the body are an occasion of Passions and perturbations of the mind is a received ground among all Physitians and Philosophers It is well knowne in Philosophy that the affections of the mind doe follow the apprehensions of the phansie And Physitians doe well know that the apprehensions of the Phansie are conformable to the dispositions of the body and the humours that are predominate therein They tell us and Experience also teacheth us that the Cholericke humours if excessive being fiery and impetuous make the â—pprehension to bee swift and violent exciting to Anger and Rashnesse The Melancholy being cold and dry bring feare sorrow and darke thoughts Phlegme being cold and moyst maketh the apprehension to become dull slow and without vigour And too much bloud being hot and moyst excites to sensuall Lusts Prodigality Riot and the like A mixture of excessive inflamed and corrupted Choller Melancholy and other humours causeth the Phansie to apprehend things as having enmity excites to hatred Revenge Frowardnesse and to desperate mischiefes and miseries So that it is apparant the body workes upon the Mind and the excessive distempered humours thereof doe also annoy and distemper the Mind But how Not by depriving it of any power or faculty given it of GOD as some say which remaines without diminishing but by corrupting the next instrument whereby the mind worketh and consequently the action it selfe which commeth to passe by reason that the evill humours of the body do send up grosse and maligne fumes into the braine annoying the animall Spirits which are most thinne and subtill vapours proceeding from the bloud and the Instruments whereby the mind worketh and performeth the actions thereof Those Spirits are a medium betwixt the mind and the body as some say Others that they participate of both and being refined enlivened and quickned by the reasonable and divine Soule they become of a middle nature betweene Ayre and Flame being pure and undistempered they cause in the mind Tranquility Joy and good desires The Ayrie part raising quicke pleasing and delicate conceits in the Phansie and the Flame inciting noble and active desires in the soule But these Spirits being distempered dulled and corrupted by the maligne fumes proceeding from ill humours The dispositions and actions of the mind also by reason thereof will become corrupt and evill for these animall Spirits being the medium betwixt the body and the mind participating of both and the next instrument whereby the mind and body worke upon each other being corrupted and distempered the mind therefore grieveth and distempereth it selfe at the distemper of these Spirits and so of the body And therefore cannot please it selfe or effect any excellent matter having such distempered corrupted Instruments to worke withall So that although the Spirit be willing yet the Corruptions and weakenesse of the flesh will pervert the actions thereof and the dull distempered body cannot bee capable to effect or know the good dictates operations and Inducements of the soule But both being annoyed by evill humours and those distempered Spirits become out of Temper and Corrupted It being apparant that the body thus workes upon the mind it is of very great Consequence that we take diligent care of the good temper health and welfare of our bodies The usuall directions prescribed to mainetaine our bodies in good health and due temper are a convenient proportion and moderation in these which Physitians call the sixe non-naturall Things according to Galen's Division Which are 1 Ayre 2 Meate and Drinke 3 Sleepe and watch 4 Labour and rest 5 Emptinesse and Repletion 6 The affections and passions of the mind All which are by divers Authors at large treated of and described But for asmuch as neither the matter of Diet nor the quantity thereof nor the use and observation of those other non-naturall things ought to be the same in all sorts of people but very different according to the diversity of Ages Complexions Constitutions and the like It is therefore good that every man be well skilled in the Temperament of his body and mind that he may be a Rule unto himselfe in that which is best for him Hence that Proverbe hath its probability Every man is eyther a Foole or a Physitian Let therefore every man survey himselfe and if he find the plight and state of his body to be in equability and of a perfect Temper Let him cherish and preserve himselfe in this good estate which is to be done by a due order apt proportion and convenient moderation of these things before mentioned Namely with little alteration according to that in Hippocrates Aphorisme Ayre Meat Drinke Exercise Sleepe Venus and affections of the Mind But if our bodies doe any way decline from a good Temper and Disposition Then had we need to recure the same by all good endeavours and Remedies To rectify therefore and remedy the ill Temperament of our bodies Let us observe these directions First to forbeare and disuse such things as are an occasion of the distemper or any way hurtfull Secondly to enjoyne our selves to a contrary order of Usage and Diet. Thirdly to evacuate and empty the body of ill humours and of such things as are an occasion of the distemper Of all which I intend briefly to discourse in the ensuing Divisions in a mixt way according to the foure severall Complexions together with directions concerning the divers passions and affections of the mind incident to each Complexion or humour abounding tending to the eschewing of the infelicity or misery of the mind and to encrease the felicity thereof But in the observation of the following Physicall directions we are to observe this Caution That seeing the many and severall Rules and observations therein though briefly prescribed we doe not too scrupulously and precisely tye our selves to such a multitude of particulars nor perplexe our selves in the observation therof for why those good effects for which they are severally prescribed may be happily effected if we doe but observe some part of those directions so much onely as wee may with conveniency And J have the rather collected and mentioned so many and divers particulars and many such as are very common and easie to be attained and observed to the intent we may
thinne waterish humours and of superfluous corrupted Choller and Melancholly The best time of purging is in the Spring or Autumne and it were good for such as live very intemperately to purge once at the least or twice every yeare And for the manner of an exact purge Physitians say it is not amisse that the body be first opened with a Clister And if much bloud and sanguine humours abound and be corrupted to begin with Phlebotomy if age weakenesse or other occasion hinder not opening the Cephalica veine in the Arme and then the humours to bee made plyable to nature This being done now to expell concoct and purge the humours soundly which molest the body with such apt medicines as are appropriated to evacuate and purge such severall humours as doe abound therein If the stomacke and body bee very much stuft foule and corrupted it will not be amisse to use a vomit and after the same presently to take such things as will strengthen the weakned parts comfort the braine Heart Liver Splene and disperse the Reliques such as are Triacle Methridate and divers others If Intemperance and disorder have beene long used or if the disease be old it is not amisse to purge three or foure times gently because ill humours which have remained long in the body cannot so well be expelled by a suddaine purgation at once as by degrees It is good also for such as abound with Phlegme to purge the same by degrees at three or foure severall times rather then suddainly at once because clammy Phlegme will not easily and presently follow a suddaine Purgation But choller being more thinne and moveable is more easily purged But forasmuch as there are many and divers matters to bee observed herein as the humour which aboundeth The nature of the Disease The strength age and Complexion of the person The operation and force of the Purgation and the particulars thereof aptly to be sorted and appropriated to the nature of the disease and humours abounding Also how much how often to purge how farre to proceed and by what wayes and passages all which requiring a large discourse I referre the same and such as have occasion to use them to the advice of some honest skilfull practicall Physitian whose directions and assistance is most convenient and ought to bee had concerning these matters So may these Cures and Remedies be happily effected they being carefull that universals be in right manner sorted with particulars and the body and mind reduced to its naturall good Temper and disposition Concerning other Evacuations and particular Cures and Remedies of the many and divers severall Diseases incident to man Since they are too large to be treated of in this briefe and Compendious Discourse And are amply dilated and treated of by divers in great volumes and lesse necessary to be vulgarly knowne then the former prescriptions I omit The rather because I conceive That if the body be well purged of such ill humours as abound therein and afterwards a good and apt diet be observed it is sufficient for the cure of almost all Diseases especially such as are bred by Repletion which are the most common maladies of our age unlesse they be inveterate and uncureable However such directions and remedies may doe us much good and make the Temper of our bodies and minds much better then otherwise All these Rules and prescriptions are very good to be known and observed aswell by the healthy as the diseased and in their due use and observation may cause much benefit and happinesse Neither doe we want Remedies though the body be incureable we may remedy the miseries thereof by the mind which is its Governour and ought as much as it may to comfort the same for as the body workes upon the mind as hath bin shew'd So much more doth the mind worke upon the body For the reasonable soule being Immortall and Divine doth guide and governe the Animall Spirits which are the organs thereof as the fabricke of the parts of the body is the organ of these animall Spirits And these spirits like a quick light flame doe continually worke on the body as the soule doth on them they make the body lively and lighter partly by refining the moisture thereof and converting the same into themselves and also by infusing themselves into all the parts thereof enliving lightning quickning and spiritualizing the same The Divine and reasonable soule therefore ought as much as it may to spiritualize quicken and comfort the living Spirits in such sort that the body being guided by these spirits these wholly dependant on the reasonable soule and the soule being guided by divine grace which is as it were the life thereof and by faith having its Conversation in heaven with God viewing and enjoying thereby in some measure already his heavenly glory and felicities expecting the same hereafter to be revealed infinitely and to enjoy the same in perfection eternally even forgetteth the griefe of the body or rather doth convert even the senses and spirits thereof into the purer parts of the soule which in faithfull contemplation being possest with heavenly Joy in God the whole man is as it were spiritualiz'd and transported with divine pleasures However if by reason of our frailties and weakenesse we cannot attaine to such Divine extasies and transportations yet we may know that our Corruption shall put on Incorruption and our Mortality shall inherit Immortality 1 Cor. 15. That our fraile bodies shall be changed and made spirituall bodies like the glorious body of the Sonne of God Phil. 3 21 With whom we shall enjoy infinite happinesse for ever How may such faithfull Contemplations comfort vs in greatest maladies and distempers yea even in death it selfe since the same is a passage to heaven when ceasing to be as men wee shall begin to live the life of Angels with God himselfe in heavenly glory and happinesse But to Returne Now to remedy such passions of the mind as are most incident to these mixt distempers of the body which being compos'd as in a medley of all the superfluous humours adust corrupted and distempered doe cause the mind in a mixt distemper also to apprehend all things in a bad manner as having Enmity and so doth edge and eneager malice and provoke Revenge and Cruelty For remedies hereof Let vs consider that these evill dispositions of Envie hatred malice Revenge and Cruelty being seldome one without the other are Compounded of many other vices and are the occasions of many evils and even of destroying all humanity and goodnesse Envie and malice are strange passions Gnawing the heart and turning the good of another to the envious mans hurt Good and prosperous men as also their good deeds goods and prosperity are eye sores to envious malitious Spirits causing in them despight griefe and even gnashing of teeth While the envious mischievous man looketh obliquely upon the goods of another he looseth that which is good in himselfe or at least takes
use such and onely such of them as we can with most conveniency attaine unto and thinke most-necessary Besides Physitians say that sometimes to digresse herein is not amisse So as the same be but seldom and so as we usually apply our selves to a temperate and convenient Diet otherwise by a continuall and constant too precise and strict though good diet and custome the stomacke will not be able to endure occasionall errours And sometimes Changes and Varieties though in some respects inconvenient doe whet and provoke the stomacke to good digestion Yet certainely it is very good to know even precisely what is most fit and convenient for us And as at a marke most usually to direct our minds thereunto And also as neare as wee may conveniently without too much nicenesse to observe the same and to apply our selves most willingly thereunto knowing the good effects thereof which are many and of great consequence both to the welfare of the body and happinesse of the Mind For by such a due convenient order and diet many Diseases and Infirmities may bee prevented And such as have already seised upon us may by this meanes be cured or at least mittigated Thereby also the body becomes in good state and temper and is made healthy agill and apt to performe all the motions and offices belonging thereunto Sound and quiet sleepe is thereby also caused and likewise a good stomacke so as meat and drinke becomes most pleasant to us also well digested and good bloud humours and spirits ingendred Life it selfe is thereby prolonged And by reason thereof usually ensues a quiet and happy dissolution The Sences and Memory are thereby also made sound and cleere The affections and passions well tempered and the whole mind made free cheerefull and apt to performe the exercises and functions thereof And during life to enjoy all good pleasures both Terrestriall and heavenly He then who would this happy mind enjoy Should keepe his body well without annoy So may his mind become prepared well For vertues happinesse therein to dwell The sweetest joyes hee 's fit and apt to gaine A Paradice of pleasures to obtaine THE IV. DIVISION Directions concerning Phlegmaticke Complexions such as are of Slow Dull Idle heavie minds exciting to Quicknesse Livelinesse and Cheerefulnesse FOrasmuch therefore as the disposition welfare and felicity of the mind doth very much agree to and in some sort depend upon the Temperature of the body as hath beene declared I shall in the following Divisions briefly discourse of the principall passions and affections of the Mind observing a method therin according as the same are most incidēt to the foure severall humours and complexions prescribing some mixt directions both Physically and Philosophically and sometimes perchance also Divinely for Divinity doth likewise much encrease the Morall happinesse of the Mind First concerning such in whom the humour of Phlegme doth abound which is a cold and moyst humour These men if they adict themselves to vertue and goodnesse are commonly gentle quiet free from choller and anger civill honest and harmelesse people But if to vicious Courses they become Carelesse Inconsiderate lazy Drones Dull Sottish Heauy Ignorant Forgetfull Low-spirited and of weake apprehension full of base sordid lusts and affections Hating the most excellent vertues and also vertuous men because their Sottish Lazy dulnesse and Carelessenesse makes them uncapable or unfit to conceive or equall the others vertues and worth Wherefore such as are of a Phlegmaticke Complexion To keepe themselves in as good temper of body mind as they may to prevent or mitigate cold and moist distempers as Rheums Distillations Catarrhes and a multitude of maladies proceding from thence to which they are most subject also To rectifie refine and reduce to a better temper their over-cold moyst and grosse humours and spirits and to quicken revive elevate and cheere their slow dull heavie minds making the same apt to enjoy all happiness Let them observe such directions as follow First Physically Let them if it be requisite in the Spring and Autumne purge out those over-cold and tough humours in the body by such meanes as are appropriated for this purpose and as the learned Physitian shall advise them and also diminish and consume the same by avertors and Correctors of such Phlegmaticke humours and extenuating and digesting the same by the distilled waters of such Hearbs as heate and dry but especially by avoyding such a cold and moist kind of diet as is hurtfull to this Complexion and using a contrary good and Temperate diet and Custome Let them therefore as much as they may in a convenient manner without too much nicenesse and perplexity eschew such cold and moist things as are hurtfull Such as are cold water and hearbs which are moist and cold in operation as Lettuce Sorrell Endive Succory Cucumers and the like also Fish cold raw milke and all kinds of crude raw over-moist cold dyet Let them also avoid vnusuall cold and moist Aire much sleepe Idlenesse sottishnesse and lumpishnesse Also they are to apply themselves to a contrary order of Diet and custome such especially as is moderately hot and dry Let them sometimes especially in winter use spices as Nutmegs Cloves Macis Ginger especially greene Ginger and condite in honey Cassia Cinamon and the like stamped into Powder reduced into Syrrups or otherwise Raisens also and Currans doe moderately humect and calefie as also Honey likewise Almonds Nuts and Filberds so as they be eaten sparingly are good for them Anacardus is very good to dissolve Phlegme that is cold moist and viscous Insomuch as it is said It restoreth them that are stricken with an Appoplexy and that the same effect may be brought to passe with Oximell Scillet and Aquavitae wherein a few graines of Rocket may be steeped Embrocations and brothes profit much if they be made of the flowers of Meliot and Camomill also Marjoram Origan Bettony Sage Lawrell-leaves Fennell Parcelly and such like Confection made with Baulme Hyssope Savory Stychas also Bettony Cowslips Marjoram Penny Royall young Cresses Germander Angelico Vervin Setwell Mirrhe Pepper-wort Basill-rootes and all such hearbs and rootes as are hot and dry in operation are good for this purpose Also it is good to eate such Diet as is easie of digestion dry and warme not too fat and foggy Meat roasted rather then sod Bread white and well baked To use commonly such Beere as is cleere somwhat stale and well hopt their Wine to be pure thin and piercing as white-Wine and old Sacke It is good for them to eate bur sparingly especially at Supper and to eate a Crust or some other hard and dry morsell at the end of a Meale after Drinke It is also good for them to use commonly in a warm and cleere Ayre Not to sleepe too much To rise early especially in the Spring and Summer To stretch the Body every morning often to use exercise and moving of the Body Especially such exercises as quicken and recreate
dejected and sorrowfull Therefore to maintaine themselves in good Temper both of body and mind to prevent and mittigate such diseases a vsually arise from this melancholly heavy cold dry thick humour of the splene which if excessive and corrupted takes away the stomacke colour and sleepe thickens the bloud and causes divers Maladies both of body and mind Let them therefore and also to bring and mainetaine their bodies and minds in good temper and disposition fit and apt to enjoy all true happinesse observe such and the like directions as follow Let them in due season purge out of their bodies the excessive Melancholly humours let them avoyd such things as encrease the same such as are an over-ful stomacke by Intemperance causing Crudities Also such meats as breed grosse and thick bloud as doth Beefe Bacon Venison Hare Salt pickled Raw Fishes and all grosse meates to tender stomacks and idle persons Also to Students and such as usually live a sedentary life Let them also eschew Idlenesse too much solitarinesse feares unsatiable desires sadnesse and sorrow as much as they may But let them usually eat such Diet as is easie of digestion warme sod young moyst and of good nourishment Let their Drinke be well sod hop't and brew'd indifferent in strength and age Let them sleepe somewhat more then ordinary Let them as much as they may keep their bodies laxative and often avoyd excrements It is good to keepe themselves cleanly and decent their hands and faces washed head combed To weare cleane Linnen comely Apparell and to bee neately drest for slovenlinesse dejects a man but decency and cleanlinesse doth revive and quicken his Spirits Borrage Buglosse Baulme Burnet Succory Endive in Brothes or otherwise are very good to revive and comfort the Spirits As also Roses Violets and their leaves Syrrup of Lemmans and Oranges Iuice of Apples Sanders Camphire Saffron Wood of Aloes Cittron Barke Baulm mint Orange flowers Rosemary Mint Betony Blessed thistle And Cordialls of all sorts are good for them Sometimes two or three cups of pure Wine is good against this heauy and sad kind of Melancholly but excesse overwhelmeth the Spirits and causeth a multitude of vapors â—o ascend into the braine as it cannot well concoct but onely doth refrigerate the same which then remaine raw and crude postering the braine so as from thence by reason thereof distills much cold raw unconcocted humours into the stomacke distempering the body â—nd mind and encreasig Meâ—ancholly discontent and sadnesse As for example A man that is Potshot at night looke â—pon him next morning after â—â—e vapours of the wine or â—â—rong liquor are pestred and â—ooled in his braine and distilâ—d you shall see him like the â—icture of ill Fortune sad sullen â—â—mpish quarrelsome and Melacholly And perchance ready â—o goe to the Taverne againe to drive it away But indeed this is the way to encrease the same and in tract of time by much excesse to make a man become excessive and even habitually Melancholly and discontented But so much as the braine can well digest the vapours thereof without any remaining raw and crude which may bee about three or foure usuall Cups of wine or strong liquor is an excellent cordiall against this ferall melancholly and sadnesse and doth much quicken and revive their dejected sad heauy cold and melancholly Spirits Let them also use moderate exercises and stirring be always busie about some good and if it may bee pleasing imployments either of body or mind Let them also use good and temperate Recreations Pastimes Musicke Melody Mirth Banqueting good company and all lawfull and good pleasures in good sort and at convenient times to sollace cheere and revive their sad and Melancholly Spirits Now concerning the dispositions and passions of the mind most incident to this Melancholly humour And first of Covetousnesse which is commonly noted to be most resident in such as are of Melancholly cold and dry Complexions as appeares in old men who are naturally of a cold dry Melancholly Temper Let us therefore consider briefly Covetousnesse is esteemed the most unworthy low and sordid vice of all other insomuch as many covetous men to gaine a small value of Riches voluntarily plunge themselves into any base offices and actions It is the roote of evill St. Paul saith From thence often proceedeth deceipt Contentions Lying Swearing Perjury Oppression Injustice Symony Usury Thefts and sometimes hatefell Murders and Villanies This low and greedy vice banisheth out of the mind the most excellent high and generous desires and vertues and dejecteth the same to a low and dunghill disposition to become even a slave to Riches It is an vnsatiable desire and causeth a multitude of vnnecessary discontents Cares Paines Plots Ravenous desires much envy grudging Pinching Pining many feares of losses and Crosses and extreame griefes to part with their Riches and desires So as these evill effects of Coveteousnesse doe almost continually perplexe such asare possessed therewith and hinder them in all true pleasure and happinesse Let us also consider that hee indeed is most truely rich and truly happy who is most vertuous most moderate in desires and most contented Hee possesses and enjoyes even all the world within himselfe there are no men live so happily on Earth as Contented vertuous men Feare also being a Principall Passion most incident to this melancholly humour for this passion commonly most resides in such as are of Melancholly cold and dry constitutions as in old men c. Let us consider briefely the evils and miseries thereof But first let me tell I doe not meane herein that modest and good feare of doing evill which keepeth vs from Rashnesse Impudency and all manner of vices nor that filiall and loving feare which we owe to God our Parents and superiours which doth or should proceed principally from love and excites to all manner of goodnesse But herein I meane onely against that vnnecessary Melancholly sad cowardly slavish foolish and vitious feare This evill melancholy passion of feare is a perturbation and sorrow of the mind arising from the apprehension or doubt of evils to come perchance of that which never shall bee It often draweth from Imaginary evils Reall and bitter sorrowes and is overgreedy by thought and opinion to overtake nay out run theÌ„ So that indeed it is a strange prodigious Indiscretion an Inconsiderate passion filling the mind with griefe many times onely by appearances It makes a man to become a base Coward and to be trampled vpon by every insulting Companion yea to shrinke at every idle Reproach of base dissolute fellowes Insomuch that a fearefull man rather then he will endure the common silly jeeres Impious Reproaches of some deboist and idle Companions which a good vertuous couragious minded man can exceedingly contemne he will basely and weakely be lead by them to any vice Impiety and dissolute Courses The thoughts of dangers difficulties losses Crosses sickenesse and death doe almost continually distemper and perplexe fearefull
PARADISE WITHIN US OR The happie Mind By Robert Crofts LONDON Printed by B. Alsop and T. Fawcet 1640. To the Readers FOrmerly having studied out of many good Authors divers notes concerning this Subject of Mans Happinesse And since for private use written the same together in a Booke Entituled VIA FOELIX The happy Way in three generall Partitions The first of Terrestriall The second of Morall And the third of Divine happinesse on Earth And further devided the same in divers particular Sections I have new lately for some Reasons abstracted and new studied out of the same but in a different manner and method and with divers alterations and additions Three little Generall Treatises The first of Earthly happinesse Entituled The Terrestriall Paradice The second this of Morall happinesse Entituled Paradice within vs. And the third of Divine happinesse on Earth Entituled Heaven within vs. The first and the third I have lately publish't This having Relation to both the other I thought not amisse to be impressed last of the three Having beene encouraged in the former I doe intend hereafter to Review new study and publish the Rest Being a farre more particular and large discourse of this Subject Happinesse on Earth and Physically Philosophically Historically and Divinely digested But not entertaine you with a Prolix Preamble Forasmuch as the Preface to the Readers In the Terrestriall Paradice may in divers respects bee applyed to this Booke also without any further Introduction I proceed THE CONTENTS OF the Booke DIVIS I. THE felicity of a vertuous Mind II. How to gaine the same III. How the body worketh upon the Mind And how we may and ought thereby to mainetaine and encrease the Felicitie thereof IV. Directions concerning Phlegmaticke Complexions and such as are of slow dull lazie heavie minds exciting to Quicknesse Livelinesse and cheerefulnesse V. Concerning Sanguine Complexions And such as are of Intemperate voluptuous minds Also of conceited and vaine-glorious Exciting to Meeknesse and Humility also to moderate delectation VI. Of Chollericke Complexions and such as are of haughty Ambitious Angry Rash violent furious minds exciting to Mildnesse Meeknesse Moderation and Tranquility to affable sweet and pleasing conditions VII Of Melancholly Complexions Of Covetous fearefull Sad sorrowfull Minds exciting to moderate desires and contentment to fortitude cheerfulnesse Ioy and happinesse VIII Of mixt Complexions and various minds of such as are of Envious malicious Revengefull Cruell obstinate froward sullen desperate minds exciting to love kindnesse Clemency humanity and to all vertue pleasantnesse delights and felicities IX That by vertue the mind becomes apt and well prepared to enjoy the choycest and sweetest felicities on Earth X. That by vertue also the Mind becomes apt and well disposed to know attaine and enjoy as farre as the same is capable the felicities of Heaven on Earth PARADICE WITHIN US OR The happie Mind THE I. DIVISION Shewing briefly The felicitie of a vertuous Mind THE happie Mind which in this compendious Treatise J intend to discourse of is That true Joy and Tranquillity of spirit which is said to be the fruit and Crowne of vertue or wisdome and by some Philosophers The soveraigne Good of Man It is an equall firme amiable pleasant and joyfull estate of the soule whereby the same becomes free from Sloth from intemperate desires and from all ill passions and perturbations And possest with true wisdome lightsomnesse tranquillity affability pleasantnesse and well prepared to enjoy either in contemplation or action the most delightfull felicities both Terrestriall and Heavenly So that while wee can maintaine our minds in this estate wee may sweetly enjoy even a Paradice of happinesse within us Who traceth right in Vertues wayes most certainely shall find A Paradice of sweetest joyes within his happie Mind But let us view the same more plainely The fountaine and object of this happinesse in the Mind which we now seeke for is Vertue or true Wisdome the Compound light and directresse thereof is Reason Vertue in generall is described to be A laudable pleasant and constant habit in the Mind which being wrought in us by divine Reason impresseth in our understanding a perfect knowledge of the true good according whereunto as it is requisite and expedient we must Love or hate take or leave The same being the never erring directrix of our affections and actions and alwayes rewarding us with internall Tranquillity Ioy and happinesse More particularly Vertue is usually devided into foure principall Parts namely Prudence Temperance Fortitude and Justice To which all other vertues are subordinate and may be reduced And from which as from the maine branches thereof they as lesser boughes doe spring and proceed All which with their peculiar definitions descriptions differences and kinds are at large described in the Ethicks and are the subject of Morall Philosophy A million of good and happy effects doth vertue produce in such as doe conforme themselves thereunto The same instructeth us to over-sway and command all the Inclinations and Actions of the mindes irrationall parts bridling and cutting off all both the excesses and defects of passions and affections keepeth them within the circle of mediocrity directly betweene too much and too little Expelleth out of the mind all vices as Covetousnesse Ambition Intemperate desires Choller Sloth Melancholy all base feare of danger and of death and armeth with resolution and comfort even against all manner of Tribulations The same also accomplisheth us with true and habituall Wisdome Verity Sobriety Magnanimity Confidence Patience Perseverāce Honesty Gratitude Humanity Liberality Clemency Courtesie Affability Cheerefulnesse Pleasantnesse and all good and amiable conditions It is a light unto our life shewing us that which is good and comely and teaching us how to performe all good and laudable Actions It giueth us also a will to all manner of goodnesse and to declare the same by a sweet and loving Conversation Vertue also advanceth the mind and infuseth thereinto a generous desire of aspiring even to the highest part of that which is most excellent most profitable and most honourable exciting the same to goe on constantly freely fearelessely and cheerefully though through many dangers and difficulties to all good and worthy Actions Maketh a man truely worthy of honour alwaies filleth the mind with good and high resolutions and with inward delectation and happinesse Soe as there is nothing Terrestriall that merits to bee in equipage with Divine vertue The same is a daughter of Heaven If wee could truely know the excellency thereof we should presently commit our selves to her perfect guidance we should incontinently embrace the same with deerest affections And know that the Incirculing Armes of the whole world embraceth nothing that is nigh so excellent as Divine vertue The same being a divine and Immortall quality in us alwaies excites our minds to some good Action or other by an earnest desire to make the same agreeable unto God himselfe and to obtain an Eternal guerdon given by him in the world
the Spirits aswell as the Body Dancing Shooting Riding Bowling Tennis Stoole-ball Running and all stirring Exercises It is good for them to endeavour by all meanes to be of a quicke and stirring disposition of Body and Mind and often to sollace the same with active and pleasant Sports Recreations and Contemplations These or some of these Directions if but observed in a convenient manner without perplexity or much nicenesse may doe them much good for by these meanes the superfluous humidity and moysture of the Braine and the Cold Raw Crude Phlegme in the stomack will be dissolved and consumed and consequently the obstructions and distempers caused therby will be removed The passages of the Spirits made free and the Spirits themselves rarified and brought to their right quality Also the memory and understanding cleered In summe The whole Body and Mind made free cleere quickned reduced to and maintained in a good temper and disposition and so apt and well prepared to enjoy all true happinesse Secondly Philosophically For Remedies against those Slow Dull Carelesse Sottish lazy Humours and Dispositions Let us first consider the miseries thereof briefly The same are the fountaines of Poverty of base-mindednesse and contemptible conditions If wee could truely consider how much happinesse we may attaine unto in a life time by being Diligent Carefull Active Considerate and industrious and how much misery we may bring upon our selves by Sloth Sottishnesse and Carelessenesse The same would plainely appeare to be a very great hinderance of happinesse and a very great mischiefe and misery Idlenesse and Sloth doe very much annoy both the Body and Mind for want reason thereof the Body for want of exercise commonly becomes filled with putrified and grosse humours with Crudities Obstructiōs Rheumes and very subject to all the Diseases springing from thence The same dulleth the spirits causing Melancholly Sadnesse Peevishnesse sullen fits and a multitude of evill thoughts feares and perplexities all which are familiar to idle slothfull persons Sloth and Idlenesse is the bane of all goodnesse profit and worthy actions causing griefe irkesomnesse and hindering all true joy and pleasure in all good wayes Let us therefore detest the same let us scorne to live in the world like heavie lumpish carelesse slow lazy sotts and blocks as if wee were borne to no other end but to come into the world stay there a while eate drinke sleepe grow sicke and dye And let us endeavour by all meanes to stirre up our minds to the Contemplation of high and notable things To have variety of noble and excellent thoughts within us To apply our selves to the acquisition of all heroicall vertues especially those of Prudence and Fortitude to scorne and despise low unworthy matters and to dedicate our selves to worthy difficult and notable actions To esteeme our selves free and at will To endeavour on good grounds to bee resolute wilfull magnanimous and to stand upon our owne bottomes To arme our selves against the worst of fortune To endeavour to imitate the best and worthiest men in their most sublime and excellent actions Greatly to desire and endeavour to be quicke and high spirited Me thinks such Considerations and endeavours should presently rouze up our dull carelesse grosse sluggish Minds and make them quicke active lively and sprightfull Thirdly to these I might adde some Divine remedies and directions To instance briefly This Sacred Science of Divinity teacheth us That if we will exalt our selves wee must first be meeke and humble Let us then deny our selves like King DAVID as Wormes and no men as miserable wretches deserving the miseries of Earth and Hell But let this denyall of our selves make us looke to our Saviour and as he councels Rev. 3. Buy of him fine Gold white Rayment Eye salve c. All divine and heavenly Graces So then being reconciled to GOD in CHRIST our Saviour trusting and relying on him and endeavouring to goe on in his divine Pathes though wee be in our selves like the Laodiceans poore blind wretched and miserable yet in him wee way and ought to thinke our selves Rich free happie blessed creatures little lower then the Angels Psal 8. Partakers of the divine Nature 1 Pet. 1.3 That wee are the Sonnes of God himselfe heyres of a most bright glorious eternall heavenly Kingdome That wee are the worlds Masters and that the Devils are our Slaves and vassailes That our Bodies shall shine eternally in heaven and be made Spirituall and glorious bodies like to that of the Sonne of God Phil. 3.20 That our Soules shall bee united to God made one with him as members of himselfe Like him as St. Iohn signifieth 1 Ioh. 3.2 and with him shall raigne eternally in Heaven tryumphing and enjoying infinite pleasures and happinesse for ever How may such thoughts raise our Minds and even strike quickning flashes of Heaven in us before-hand if wee could truly thinke of their excellency and make us of a sprightfull Angel-like Divine and heavenly temper on Earth So let 's advance our Minds to high desires To sprightfull quicknesse to Coelestiall fires Divinest Raptures Let such thoughts possesse Vs with a Paradice of happinesse THE V. DIVISION Concerning Sanguine Complexions and such as are of conceited vaine glorious and of Intemperate voluptuous Minds exciting to Meekenesse humility and to moderate delectation SUch men as are of a Sanguine Complexion which humour is hot and moyst if they accustome and betake themselves to good courses they are commonly cheerfull merry and pleasant therein And so if they use thir naturall good parts well adicting themselves to vertue and goodnesse They usually become most excellent therein and gaine to themselves much worth and happinesse But if they neglecting vertue give themselves to vice they commonly become very phantasticke selfe-conceited bragging and vaine-glorious also very Luxurious Intemperate profuse Prodigals and lewdly voluptuous Wherefore to keepe themselves in good temper both of body and mind to prevent and mittigate such diseases as usually arise from superabundant corrupt or inflamed bloud also to allay excessive and extravagant passions and affections incident thereunto and to bring both their bodies minds to a good temper and disposition and so to maintaine the same therein let them observe such Directions as ensue It is good therefore especially for men of this Complexion if their bloud abound or bee corrupted and if Age weaknesse or other cause hinder not especially in the Spring or Autumne to be let blood and to keepe a good Dyet after the same for hereby the old corrupted moysture of the body being evacuated in stead thereof new and purer is introduced and bred Let them commonly use a temperate coole and loose dyet oftentimes forbearing such as nourishes plentifully or if they doe eate such as Flesh Milke and Egges let them eate good store of Bread therewith Also let them eschew too much Sack Ale and such like too sweet and too strong Wine and liquors which heate and nourish much Let their Exercise be not too
Flouters Gibers and adding to other mens miseries very rash haire-brain'd and violent often throwing themselves unadvisedly upon evill actions and as suddainly againe wish they had not Variable Unstable unconstant unquiet seditious testy quarrelsome notable maintained of vice and wickednesse Cursers Swearers Roarers Tyrants angry and furious Let such ment heretore as are of this Chollericke humour and Complexion To maintaine their bodyes and minds in good temper to prevent or mittigate hote and dry maladies and distempers which are most subject to men of this Complexion Such as are inflamations of the Heart Liver Humours and Spirits and divers Diseases and distempers which usually spring from thence and to allay the unruly violent rash Chollerick passions and perturbations of the mind most subject to men of this humour to reduce the same to or mainetaine the same in a good and laudable temper and disposition And so to make the same fit and apt to perform all good offices and actions and to enjoy all good pleasures and happinesse observe such directions as follow Let them in a fit season purge out those evill excessive Cholericke humours of the body by such medicines as are usually appropriated for the same purpose and let them allay the heate thereof as much as they may conveniently by all coole and moyst things So let them also eschew such things as are hote and dry such Spices hearbs and diet as is before prescribed to bee used by cold and moyst complexions Also hot waters and strong hot Wine and Drinkes long watching excessive exercise and sweating Also anger and all perturbations of the Minde which doe much heate and distemper their bodies are also as much as may bee to be avoided by them But on the contrary let them commonly use a cold and moist kind of Diet Meates of good digestion Solid meats which are not too hot and salt are not amisse for them Fishes are cooling and good for them especially fresh fish It is said that in the Spring or Autumne sometimes to dip their bread in cold water is good to coole the heat of their stomacke liver and humours Reasonable small Beere fresh and coole is best for them to use as ordinary drinke And sometimes especially in the Spring it is good to allay the heat of their Wine with water borrage and the like Vinegar is very coole in operation therefore sometimes although tart is not amisse for them Julip of Roses and their Conserves two or three houres before meales especially in the Spring time are good to be used by men of this Complexion as also Syrrup of the infusion of Roses of Water-lillies and water of Borrage and Sychory All coole Hearbes are good for them as Endive Sorrell Lettuce Succory Buglosse Borrage Fumitory Violets Roses Strawberry-leaves Primrose Burnet Germander Orage Mallowes Spinage the hearbe Patience Purslane Water lillies Dragon-woort and the like Also Straw-berries Cherries Goose-berries Sanders Camphire Mellons or Citrons Cucumers the juyce of Apples especially bak't or roasted after the same is cooled stewed Prunes and the syrrup thereof also Whay especially clarified and in the Spring-time and so likewise all coole distilled Waters Syrrups Julips c. They may allow themselves a larger quantity both of meate and drinke then the Phlegmaticke so as their diet be not too strong hot hard and dry but rather coole moist and soluble for a plentiful diet doth allay their too light wandring Phantasticke passionate and vnstable Spirits and provoketh them to sleepe rest and quietnesse So also to rest and sleepe as much as they may and quietly is very good to coole and allay their hot and turbulent Spirits for sleep doth moisten and coole the body and consequently thicken and allay the extravagant lightnesse wandring and heate or the Spirits Therefore to make them rest-and sleepe well Violets sod Lettuce Syrrup of Roses Saffron Baulme Nitre Watergruell Apples eat before going to bed and as some say a good draught of cold water in the Spring and Summer sometimes are good to make young folkes and such as have strong hote Chollericke stomacks to sleepe well and soundly Voluntary extasies and fixed profound meditations joyned with a quiet mind doe thicken and allay the Spirits So as by these or some of these remedies observed onely with conveniency and without too much nicenesse and perplexity the excessive heate of the Heart Liver Choller Bloud and other humours will bee allayd and qualified And consequently the Stomacke Braine Spirits and in summe the whole body and mind become of a good temper and well disposed to performe all goodnesse to enjoy all happinesse Thus much concerning Physicall Remedies Now further concerning the dispositions of the Mind most incident to this Chollericke humour and to direct and rectifie the same First inasmuch as the spirits issuing from this hot and impetuous humour of Choller which in vertues wayes excite to Resolution fortitude to active speedy worthy desires and actions being corrupted by vice excites the mind to that haughty top-lesse and towring vice of Ambition which is most commonly resident in great and fiery spirits let us endeavour to rectifie our minds herein by such considerations as follow Let us first thinke of the vanity of this vice of Ambition which maketh a man plunge himselfe into a multitude of restlesse cares paines and perplexities to gaine only the windy praises and aiery estimation of men whose minds are most unconstant and wavering But the miseries of this vice are many Ambition hath beene the cause of much Sedition Warres Strife Murder Ruine and Destruction of Empires Kingdomes Cities and Multitudes of Families and persons The same is the fountaine of Pride Ingratitude Insolency perfidiousnesse Enuy Mutiny Contention Sedition and Treason A multitude of vaine plots purposes Cares Jealousies Envies Perplexities Immoderate and unsatiable desires feares griefes and discontents spring from this Founiaine It often brings men to a great and miserable downe-fall Let us also consider That there are no men who live more pleasantly and happily on Earth then such who are free frō such vaine Empty Haughty unsatiable and perplexfull desires such as are meeke and moderate therein Contented and pleased in all estates and conditions Such vertuous men are indeed truly honourable truly happy But now concerning such dispositions of the mind as are more properly incident to this Chollerick humour such as are Anger Rashnesse fury and the rest which spring from thence Let us consider the miseries and evill effects thereof But in this ensuing discourse against Chollericke angry passions I doe not meane a moderate necessary Anger which is used onely with reason and discretion for some good purpose and presently extinct againe according to that divine Councell Bee angry but finne not Let not the Sonne goe downe vpon your wrath c. But J meane in this following discourse onely vitious as vnnecessary customary Immoderate passions in this kind and such as proceeds from envie malice revenge and the like Let us know that a multitude
of evils and miseries proceeds from such vitious Chollericke passions First to the body for as Choller heated stirres vp anger and fury so these Cholerick passions againe by reason of the neere relation betweene passions and humours doe stirre up and so increase the Cholerick humors in the body inflaming the same as also the Blood Liver Heart and vitall Spirits hinders also rest and sleepe spoyles the stomacke and distempers the whole body Swolne veines imperfect loud and distractive speeches fiery eyes deformed and furious lookes are the outward Symptomes of these Chollericke passions To looke in a glasse when a man is throughly angry and Chollericke is enough to make him ashamed of himselfe hee should see himselfe like a Mad-man And also to the Mind These Chollericke passions hinder the divine vertues of Patience Meekenesse Affability Courtesie Contentednesse and all pleasing quiet amiable conditions all vertue true pleasure and happinesse The same are most pernitious both to our selves and others A chollericke man is like one that burneth himselfe in his neighbours house He fireth his owne Mind with trouble and vexation while he endeavoureth to trouble and vexe another And in this mad fury he will admit of no reason no admonition He then careth not to loose friends or procure Enemies These Inconsiderate Rash Chollericke passions doe blind the mind and prepare the same ready to runne and throw it selfe into all vices evill actions and consequently Miseries As into Riot Prodigality excessive Gaming ill rash Bargaines Swift revenge Into Cursing swearing quarrelling fighting stabbing and the like Wee often see and heere Histories are replenished with Examples of the evill and miserable effects of these passions As of quarrels Contentions Hatred Strife Murder And Ruine of whole Townes Cities Common-wealths and Kingdomes by reason thereof These Chollericke passionate men are commonly all in extreames which are commonly very hurtfull When the kind fit takes them they are often so overkind as they wrong themselves And in a fit or anger or quarrelling they are usually so extreame as they are sometimes beaten often anger and loose their friends and also many times doe or suffer some rash and suddaine Mischiefes These kind of passions also deprive men of justice and patience Yea of reason it selfe which usually comes in the Rere and is joyned with Repentance Their repentance also is somtimes a Rage against themselves even to desperation rather then mixt with good Resolutions and thereupon joyfull hopes as the same ought to bee Yea these passions prepare the Mind to a wild madnesse and fury destroying Wit Reason Art and all goodnesse There is little or no difference betweene a Mad man and a Chollericke man in his fits And if these chollericke angry passions by often use and reiteration grow from a disposition to a habit the same becomes Madnesse Further let us avoyd the occasions and causes of these Rash angry violent Chollericke passions Such as are too much selfe-love Pride and Presumption bereaving us of humility and of reason which ought to bridle and moderate the fury of these bedlam passions Let us also by a manly and stay'd mind eschew nicenesse Curiosity and Impotency which most commonly possesse Women Children some old men and hasty fooles Those who will fret bee angry and take pepper in the nose at every trifle Also let us avoid all Immoderate doting on Earthly things The losses whereof or crosses wherein extreamely frets and vexes such as love them too much and sets their passions on fire And on the contrary let us endeavour by reasons light to resist and withstand the beginnings of these passions and to quench them as we would a fire kindling within us Let us watch over our Dispositions Give Reason leave to interpose resolve Divert our thoughts to some other businesse or occasion And let us by all meanes endeavour to bee of a sweete pleasant amiable meeke courteous mild unpassionate Temper They are much deceived who thinke that Meeke Courteous and mild dispositions are contrary to Fortitude Meeknesse as one faith is a vertue that belongeth to the couragious Part of the Soule whereby wee become contrary to the weakenesse in fearefull women and old men hardly moved to Anger and Choller for these passions most commonly reside in frailest weakest most fearefull and worst Spirits In fraile Women weake Old men in Covetous Ambitious vaine-glorious Cowardly dissolute vitious men There is no heart more worthy and couragious then such a one as can represse these furies No worthier Trophies then those which may bee procured from within our selves No triumphs more glorious then when our Reason can leade our conquered affections as slavish servants and servile Captives which otherwise will insult over us like bloody Tyrants and violently take away the peacefull Tranquility and pleasures of our Soules That Paradice within us which we seeke for Let us further consider that all accidents whereby these passions are provoked proceed from divine Prudence which may move us to be patient and contented Let us also endeavour as neere as wee may to resemble the divine Nature in all meeknesse goodnesse Learne of mee sayth our Saviour for I am Meeke Also the heavenly glory and rewards which hee hath prepared for us should make us scorne to bee of so weake so fraile so unworthy a temper as to bee furious passionate and too much perplex our selves for mundane Trifles Let us then in opposition to these Cholericke passions by all meanes endeavour to bee of quiet peaceable courteous mild affable meeke and of all sweet and pleasing conditions which like the Adamant attract the love of all good men by their amiable and pleasing Graces This mild affable unpassionate pleasing peacefull temper as one sayth resembles the highest Region of the Ayre wherein are no Clouds no Tempest but all fairenesse Serenety and Peace The same is the Character of a pleasant and happie Mind Who doth this Peacefull pleasing Mind possesse Is fit to enjoy the sweetest Happinesse His life resembles a faire lightsome day In which hee rides to Heaven all the way As in a Paradice His mind enjoyes Most pleasing sweetnesse in these happie wayes THE VII DIVISION Of Melancholy Complexions of Covetous Fearefull Sad Sorrowfull minds Exciting to Moderate desires and contentment to Fortitude Cheerefulnesse Ioy and pleasantnesse THe humor of Melancholly though it bee cold and dry of it selfe yet commonly retaineth in it some heat and moisture of the other humours Men of this Complexion if they adict themselves to seeke and follow Vertue and Piety especially if their Melancholly bee with bloud and other good humours moderately humected and allay'd commonly become of excellent wisedome Sharp Iudgements and seeme to doe many things so notably as if they were furthered by some divine Jnstinct or motion Insomuch as oft-times even their Solitarinesse and melancholly dispositions become most profitable sweet and pleasant to them But otherwise if vice possesse them they commonly become very Covetous nigardly fearefull sad lumpish
sorrowfull dispositions There are abundance and variety of delights and pleasures within this vast pallace of the universe to recreate and please all our sences and spirits Even a Terrestriall Paradice of happinesse of which J have taken a briefe view in a former Booke And also wee may by faithfull and heavenly Contemplations enjoy even a Paradice of heavenly delights on Earth within us of which more hereafter Let us then endeavour by enjoying so many and such excellent delights and felicities both earthly and heavenly within us to possesse our minds with true Peace Ioy Lightsomenesse Mirth and Pleasure Then which nothing is more excellent wherein consisteth this happinesse of the Mind This Paradice within us which we seeke for So if wee could this joyfull lightsomenesse This mirth and pleasure in our minds possesse A pleasing Paradice then should wee find Within vs in this happy pleasant Mind THE VIII DIVISION Of mixt Complexions and various minds of such as are of envious malicious revengeful cruel obstinate froward sullen desperate minds exciting to love kindnesse clemency humanity cheerefulnesse and in generall to all vertue joy pleasure and happinesse SUch men as are of mixt Complexions if they bee of a perfect good temper That is of an equall mixture a convenient agreement and proportion of the quality and quantity of each clement and of pure humours and spirits wherein no excesse no disorder or disagreement is to bee found faulty or blame-worthy such men if they give themselves to good and vertuous Courses are most fit and well disposed for all vertue and goodnesse to undertake and accomplish all worthy and excellent matters To attaine and enjoy all true pleasure and happinesse Let such men therefore by a good diet and due observation of a convenient proportion and moderation or these sixe Non-naturall things before mentioned in the third Division cherish and mainetaine themselves in this good Temper both of body and mind And by all good endeavours still goe on in this happy way of vertue which leadeth us to the Paradice of joy and felicity But if such men shall give themselves to vice and wickednesse especially if to Intemperance and Prodigall dissolute courses They doe oftentimes in tract of time notwithstanding their excellent temper become most unhealthy and distempered in body and their minds most prone and forward to all the worst and most pernitious vices and misecries for as one well observeth That notable wickednes commonly proceeds not so much from a weak fraile dull lumpish and distempered nature as from an excellent nature that is corrupted by evill company evill manners Intemperance and custome in dissolute and vicious courses And wee may observe that many men by Intemperate Luxurious dissolute Courses from perfect well tempered men doe become of body fat grosse lazy dull lubbers stuft with corrupted phlegme and evill melancholly humors And yet notwithstanding inflamed with hot bloud and very Chollericke Also the conditions of the mind very various and vicious But most properly disposed to and possest with Envie Malice Hatred Revenge And such vices and evils as proceed from thence Also commonly very froward sad surly sullen testy quarrelsome obstinate and strangely Melancholly and discontented Yet sometimes indeed though seldome when the Sanguine humour is predominate or heated by Wine or suddaine pleasing objects they become very merry loud familiar pleasant and joviall But this humour lasteth not and as soone as the heate or the liquor and the vapours thereof are refrigerated and pestered in the braine and the former pleasant objects either removed or after a little while thought upon being past they become worse then before more Sullen Sad Surly froward malitious obstinate and discontented Insomuch as in processe of time by long use and custome in vitious Courses even among their Cups Lasses and Joviall Companions they oftentimes become extreamely vext sad sullen froward quarrelsome and discontented Yea insomuch as sometimes even in laughter their harts are sorrowfull as King Salomon speaketh and the end of their vitious dissolute pleasures becomes as bitter as Worme-wood and sometimes turned even to desperate griefe and misery These mixt distempers of body and mind are by some Physitians called unnaturall Melancholy arising from a mixture of excessive corrupted distempered humours as either from Choller Melancholly and bloud adult and Corrupted or else from abundance of unnaturall and unnecessary humours in the body caused contracted corrupted inflamed and distempered by intemperance and disorderly courses insomuch as a Medley of diseases and perturbations are oftentimes thereby occasioned For Remedies whereof First concerning Diet we can safely prescribe neither a hote cold moist nor indeed any kind of diet or usage therein to doe such men good without some hurt to some of their infirmities and ill humours onely we are to tell them That there is nothing better for them then a spare obstemious Diet for much Diet of what kind soever doth nourish and encrease some of the ill humours of their bodies But a very spare diet both of meate and drinke as one temperate meale or two in a day at the most and those of such kind of diet as is wholesome and not too much nourishing is most good for them for by this meanes if observed commonly though perchance not alwaies but onely with conveniency and without too much nicenesse the Crudities Rheumes and superfluous ill humours in the body will in good time by little and little be consumed or at least well mittigated drayned and cleered obstructions opened and the passages of the spirits also made cleere and free So as the mind likewise will be lesse clogged with the grosse vapours proceeding from fulnesse and repletion and from those multitude of Corrupted humours in the body and so made free and expedite to performe all the functions thereof so as not onely the passions and affections will be molified and better tempered but the whole soule made more free and cheerefull in the performance of all the Actions and exercises thereof In summe by this most excellent medicine of a spare diet A most corrupted body and mind full fraught with evill humours and dispositions may be cured cleered and reduced to a good temper and disposition at least in a good measure And indeed it were very good for such men also speedily to purge and evacuate those ill humors out of their bodies which doe so annoy and distemper them for purging is especially to be used by such as have distempered their bodies by intemperance and ill Courses for all excesse doth adde to the ill humours in the body which disperse through the same And after in time encreasing and contracting doe fill and corrupt the body causing therein many infirmities and diseases So as such distempers of the body as have their beginning from repletion which are indeed almost all the diseases of our times are to be remedied by evacuation and principally by purging medicines emptying the body of unnecessary phlegme and seriosity or