great Impediments of our Health. Nothing is more evident, than that there are feveral Vices which have a phyfical Efficacy in the producing of Diseases, as all kind of Intemperance of Body, all inordinate Paffions of Mind; to one of which, the greatest Part of the Sickness amongst Men may be afcribed and confequently the Virtues oppofite to thefe, Temperance, Sobriety, Moderation, muft needs have a natural Caufality for the hindring of these Diseases. 'Tis by Religion that Men are inabled to prevent all fuch Exceffes as are prejudicial to Nature, to reprefs all fuch violent Transports of Paffion, Hatred, Anger, Fear, Sorrow Envy, &c. as are in themselves very pernicious to our Bo dily Health, and by that violent Commotion which they are apt to put the Humours into, do sometimes caufe prefent Sickness, and always lay in us the Seeds of future Diseases.

2. It doth promovere adjuvans, promote all fuch things as may most effectually conduce to the improving of our Health; by obliging us upon the Account of Duty and Confcience, to a careful Obfervance of the most proper Means to this End; keeping us within due Bounds in our Eating, Drinking, Exercife; preferving our Minds in an equal Frame of Serenity and Calmnefs; fupporting our Spirits with Contentation and Chearfulness under every State of Life; fo

that

that nothing can be more true than that of Solomon, That a chearful mind doth good Prov. 17. like a medicine, and makes a healthy countenance; whereas heaviness and cares will break a man's spirit, and make it stoop.

I know there are other Means to be made use of, in order to the procuring of Health, various kind of Medicaments to be applied by the Art of Phyfick, according as the Nature of feveral Difeafes fhall require, which Religion doth oblige a Man not to neglect: But yet this I think may be truly faid, that those who are most expert in the Profeffion of Phyfick, are not able to prescribe any Ca tholicon, which fhall more effectually ope rate, both by way of Prevention and Cure, than the Observance of thofe Duties which Religion and Virtue do oblige us unto.

—15.13. -12, 25,

Nor is this true only in Theory and Spe culation, but it may appear to be fo upon common Experience, to which I fhall appeal for the further Confirmation of it. What kind of Persons are those who enjoy the best State of Health and the longest Lives? Are they not such generally who are most sober and regular in their Converfacions, most temperate as to their Bodies, moft free from all kind of inordinate Paffions, Fierceness, Anxiety, Cares, as to their Minds? 'Tis faid of Mofes, that though he were exceeding old, Deut. 14. yet bis eye was not dim, nor was his natural”. force abated. Which (amongst other Cau

Τ

T 4

fes)

fes) may be afcrib'd to thofe eminent Virtues he was endowed with, the Temperance of his Body, and Meeknefs of his Spirit. That beloved difciple, whofe Thoughts and Writings feem to be wholly taken up with the divine Virtue of Love, is upon Account of this Temper of his Mind, thought to have enjoyed a more vigorous old Age than any of the rest: Such a Power is their in Religion,tho' not wholly to prevent the Infirmities of old Age, yet in a great measure to alleviate and abate them.

.. And on the other fide, if we confult Experience; Who are the Men most obnoxious to Diseases? are they not fuch generally as are most vicious in their Lives? most given to Surfeits, Debaucheries, and Leudnefs; whereby they do fo far inflame their Blood and wast their Spirits, as not to live out half their Days: Infomuch that no Man of ordinary Prudence, who is to take a Leafe for Lives, will be content (if he can well avoid it) to chufe fuch a one whom he knows to be vicious and intemperate.

But these things are fo obvious to common Experience, that I need not enlarge upon them: Only I would not be mistaken. I do not say that none of thofe are religious, who are liable to Difeafes, and are taken away in their younger Years; or that all fuch are religious, who are free from Diseases, and live to old Age. Some may be naturally of

fo

fo tender and brittle a Make, that every little Blow will break them; others of fo tough. and strong a Conftitution, as to hold out against many Batteries and Affaults; and yet neither of thefe to be afcrib'd, either to the Vices of the one, or the Virtues of the other, but do rather belong to their Condition and Temper, which being Natural, and not falling under the Choice of our Wills, is not therefore capable of any moral Good or Evil.

Befides, there ought Allowance to be made (as I faid before) for fuch exempt Cafes, as shall seem good to the Providence of God in the Government of Human Affairs. Some good Men may be taken away from the evil to come, others may be exercised with Di-> feafes in their Bodies for the Cure of their. Minds, or to make their Patience and Courage exemplary to others. And fome that are good Men for the Main, may yet by their own Careleffness in using the fittest Means for the Prefervation of their Health, expose themfelves to Sicknefs; none of which can be any Prejudice to the Thing I have been proving. This being that which I affirm, that fo far as the Infirmities of our natural Tem-, pers are capable of Remedy by any thing in our Power, it is the Obfervance of the Duties of Religion, that doth for the most part and generally prove the most effectual Means

to

to this purpose. Which is all I fhall fay to the first thing I propofed to speak to, concerning the Health of our Bodies.

CHA P. III

How Religion conduces to the Happinefs of the Outward-man, in refpect of Liberty, Safety, and Quiet.

SEC

Econdly, Religion is the most proper Means to procure our external Safety, Liberty, Quiet.

By Safety, I mean a Freedom from those common Dangers and Mischiefs which others are exposed to.

By Liberty, the being at our own Dispofal, and not under Bondage, Restraint, Imprisonment.

By Quiet, an Exemption from those many Moleftations and Troubles by Reason of Difappointments, Enmity, Contentions, whereby the Conditions of most Men are render'd very burthenfome and uncomfortable.

I put these things together, because of their near Affinity to one another. Now Religion is both the Moral and the Natural Caufe of these Things. 1. 'Tis