felves blameless in the Sight of God; and all the Riches we covet, are thofe which never fade away, the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghoft. Tender-conf.] But I fuppofe you have some par ticular Laws and Rules, to which you are obliged to conform yourselves, which I fhould be glad to know. Piety. Yes, we have fo, and I will acquaint you with them, in the best Manner I can. 1. We are obliged to rife every Morning before the Sun, and then we jo all together in Prayer and Praifes to the great God of Heaven, thanking him for his paft Bieffings, and imploring his Favour and Protection over 2. Then every one goes to their proper Bufinefs as belongs to their Office, till the Time of Refreshment, and fo again till Din ner. 3. We are obliged to entertain all Pilgrims that are travelling towards the Heavenly Coun try; provided they fhew their Pafs, or give fuch an Account of themfelves, as may be thought' equivalent. 4. At the Clofe of the Day, we are obliged to join all again in Prayer and Praifes, as in the Morning, dok sam Alb 5. We are obliged to keep and maintain the King's Armoury, and to furnifh all Pilgrims with Weapons ane Amour of Proof against all Dangers and Difafters whatsoever. Thefe Thefe are the general and most important Lawson of our Society; but befides thefe, we have many particular Ruies of lefs Note, tho' very good, and in a Manner neceflary to our Well-being: All which it would be too tedious to renearfe. Temp. Only give me Leave to infift upon the Statute of Moderation in Eating and Drinking, which we are strictly charged to keep under fevere Penalties, which I fuppofe you have forget. Piery. It is true indeed, I had forgot to men tion it, and am very glad of that Forgetfulness, fince I have thereby given you an Opportunity of difcourfing more at large upon that Subject, who are beft able to do it, as being appointed the particular Interpreter of this Statute; therefore pray inform the Pilgrim about it. Temperance.] This Statute of Moderation in Eating and Drinking, is grounded on this Confi deration: That Adam fell by eating the forbidden Fruit ; the fift Sin that was committed in the World by Mankind was by Eating. Now, though it be not certain whether it proceeded from fome. natural Contagion in the Fruit which Adam did eat, or from the venomous Breath of the Serpent, that recommended it to Eve, or from fure that any other hidden Caute; yet we are whereas Adamn was before in the full Perfec tion of human Nature, being the lively Image of the glorious God; his Sout being very full of the Beams of Eternal Light, tis Understanding clear and ferene as the Morning, his Will regular and obedient to his Realon, His Body in perfect Vigour and Health, Beauty and Proportion, impaffible and immortal; no fooner had he tafted the fatal Morfel, but a ftrange Alteration befel him: The Image of God was immediately defaced and fullied, his Soul grew: dark and cloudy, his Understanding and Reafon became dull and unact.ve, and his Will went retrograde; in fhort, all the Faculties of his Soul were dislocated and disjointed. As for his Body, it became weak and unhealthful, fubject to divers Cafualties, Sickneffes, and Intrmities, and at laft to Death itfelf. This was the Effect of irregular Eating. Nor did the Mifchief reft here, but he tranfmitted it to his Pofterity, conveying all thefe ill Qualities of Body and Soul to his Children, whereby all the Generations of Men in the World are under the fame Misfortunes, corrupted both in Body and Soul, conceived in S.n, and brought forth in Inquity. But as if we were not unhappy enough in this Original Depravation of our Nature, the greateft Part of Mankind endea vour to increate the Mifery, by their own actual R petition, and continual Practice of the fane Crime; Gluttony and Drunkenness reigning over the greatest art of the World. This is the Realon why the Statute of Moderation in Eating and Drinking is fo ftrictly enjoined to Society and well it were if ali ne World would obferve it, then would there be found Minds in found Bodies. Tender-conf. Wherein does this Moderation.in Eating and Drinking confift? Temp. Temp. It confifts in bridling and regulating the Appetite, as to the Quantity and Quality of Meats and Drinks. Tender-conf, Pray fhew me how it confifts in bridling the Appetite as to Quantity. Temp. It teaches us to eat and drink no more at a Time, nor no oftner in a Day, than is requifite to preferve the Boy in Health, to fuffice Nature, and refresh the Spirit. It is a taming of the Body, and bringing it into Subjection to the Sou, fo that the inferior Faculties may be fubAfervient to the fuperior. Tender-conf. But how fhall a Man know how much will exactly ferve to keep the Body in Health, to fuffice Nature, and refrefh the Spirit, fince there are as many different Conftitutions in the World as there are Fancies? per Temp. The Way to know this, is for every one to obferve his own Temper, and then they will quickly find out the true Measure, and proTime for Eating and Drinking. But take this for a general Rule: That it is by all Means convenient to rife from Table with an Appetite, and hto have a Mind, after a Meal, as well difpofed for Labour, for Exercife, or for Prayer, as it was before. He that Eats and Drinks beyond this, breaks the Rule of Moderation; for the End of Eating and Drinking is to reiresh Nature, and make it more vigorous and active, and not to render it dull and heavy. Tender-conf. Pray tell me what good Effects this Moderation produces in the Soul, and how it worke there?. Temp. Temp.] Great certainly, and inanifold are the Benefits which redound to the Soul, from the conftant Practice of this Moderation in Eating and Drinking: For tho' the Soul be of itfelf an immortal and impaffable Effence, yet while it is joined with our mortal Body, it partakes of all its Conveniencies and Inconveniencies: If the Body be in Pain, the Soul fuffers with it, if the Body feels. Pleafure, the Soul enjoys it likewife. Nay, rather 'as the Soul alone that is fenfible of every Thing that happens to the Body; for the Body of itself is but dead and unactive Matter, uncapable of Senfe or Motion in itself; 'tis the Soul which gives Life, Motion, and Senfe to it. Now therefore as the Body is maintained in Health and Vigour, fo does the Soul flourish and triumph within herfelf; on the contrary, when the Body is fickly and weak, the Soul languishes by Sympathy. He therefore that eats and drinks to Excels, and thereby cloys. his Stomach, fills his Body full of contagious Humours, and lows the Seed of many Difeafes in his own Bowels: This Man is no Friend to his Soul, for the by this Means grows dull and fluggish, dark and cloudy, dull and melancholy, and void of all Pleasure and Comfort; whereas, on the contrary, he that bridles his Appetites, and eats and drinks no more, nor ofner tan fuffices Nature, and refreshes his Spirit, his Soul is alwayi lively and vigorous, fprightly as Youth, and ferene as the Morning, full of Light and Comfort; and, in a holy Friumph, the oiten fasf, and basks in the Rays of eternal Bright.efs, de piling the World, and all that is in it, excepting own Taber |