itAfd. 7dXvt.3 TtaYLt 1tANCE, 86e, 44t shall eat or drink, we ought to determine not merely by pleasure and appetite, nor feed till we are unfit for ser- vice. Ifwe know, or have a good guess before hand, that this cup, or this dish, will render us unfit for the proper business of the day, or incapable of the several duties we are called to; yet if, for the sake of mere sen- suality, we venture upon it, God will number it among our sins against the light ofnature. Those ends there- fore for which God bath ordained our various food, both in his creation and in his providence, 'namely, the sup- port of nature, and its refreshment ; let these be our de- signs in eating, and give rules for our determination what food we should partake of. It must be granted indeed, that a sickly person may be indulged in more solicitude about food, and maymake it a matter of more distinguishing choice than persons vi- gorous andhealthy. But then the great end must stilt be kept in the eye, that is, the recovery of strength for future service, where they are much cut off from present work : For neither the sick nor the healthy should live for the sake of eating, but both should eat for the sake of living and working. Now if the light of nature requires suchpurity and tem- perance, how much more doth the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ oblige us to it ? I. It is the command of our Redeemer, " that we take heed ofsurfeiting and drunkenness, lest our hearts at any time be overcharged with them," Luke xxi. 3-t. And what charge doth the holy apostle give, Eph. v. 18. " Be not drunken with wine, wherein is excess, but be ye filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs." Do not be so indulgent to your palate and your glass, as to let excess of wine overtake you, Iest you Christians should do as heathens have done, and break out into irregular songs, and licentious or profane mirth; but seek rather the largest influencesof the blessed Spirit, and give a sacred loose to a devout frame: Break out into divine psalms or songs; comfort yourselves, and edify your neigh- bours thereby, In Rom. xiii. l , 14. St. Paul advises us howwe should behave ourselves irr this point : " Let us walk honestly, as in the clay, not in rioting and drunken- Aess;---but put ye o-n the Lord Jesus Christ, and make
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