A PERSUASIVE to 



It may be obje&ed, that fome who daily 

 exceed all bounds in eating and drink- 

 ing, feeding themfelves (as the Apoitle 

 faith) without fear, do yet live to an ex- 

 treme old Age. 



I anfwer, That there are but very few of 

 thefe, and thofe of exceeding firm ftrength 

 of Parts and temperament of Body ; who 

 yet if they live temperately, might holdout 

 much longer, and would be more fit for all 

 the Aftions of the Mind and Underftand- 

 ing : For (faith Riveriw) Thofe who live 

 intemperately, muft needs be fill'd with ma- 

 ny noxious Humours, and often troubled 

 with Sicknefs ; neither can they, without 

 prejudice to their Health, be long intent 

 on the difficult Functions of the Mind ; 

 both becauie in them the whole force of 

 Nature, and of the Spirits is Ipent in the 

 concoftion of Meats ; from which, if by 

 any contention of mind, they be violent- 

 ly withdrawn , concoftion will be depra- 

 ved, and many crudities enfue; and alfo 

 becaufe they have need of frequent Bodily 

 Exercife to diffipate, or Medicaments to 

 purge out their ill Humours they daily ac- 

 cumulate. So that though fuch men feem 

 to live long in the Body, yet in effedt they 

 live but little to their mind, and to thofe 



ends 



