and violent death must be
prevented.

And there is no doubt, that temperance has the virtue and efficacy
to remove such causes; for since health and sickness, life and
death, depend on the good or bad quality of the humours, temperance
corrects their vicious tendencies, and renders them perfect, being
possessed of the natural power of making them unite and hold
together, so as to render them inseperable, and incapable of
alteration and fermenting; circumstances, which engender cruel
fevers, and end in death. It is true, indeed, and it would be a
folly to deny it, that, let our humours be originally ever so good,
time, which consumes every thing, cannot fail to consume and exhaust
them; and that man, as soon as that happens, must die of a natural
death; but yet without sickness, as will be my case, who shall die
at my appointed time, when these humours shall be consumed, which
they are not at present. Nay, they are still perfect; nor is it
possible they should be otherwise in my present condition, when I
find myself hearty and content, eating with a good appetite, and
sleeping soundly. Moreover, all my faculties are as good as ever,
and in the highest perfection; my understanding clearer and brighter
than ever; my judgment sound; my memory tenacious; my spirits good;
and my voice, the first thing which is apt to fail in others, grown
so strong and sonorous, that I cannot help chanting out loud my
prayers morning and night, instead of whispering and muttering them
to myself, as was formerly my custom.

And these are all so many true and sure signs and tokens, that
my humours are good, and cannot waste but with time, as all those,
who converse with me, conclude. O, how glorious this life of mine
is like to be, replete with all the felicities which man can enjoy
on this side of the grave; and even exempt from that sensual
brutality which age has enabled my better reason to banish; because
where reason resides, there is no room for sensuality, nor for its
bitter fruits, the passions, and perturbations of the mind, with a
train of disagreeable apprehensions. Nor yet can the thoughts of
death find room in my mind, as I have no sensuality to nourish such
thoughts. Neither can the death of grandchildren and other relations
and friends make any impression on me, but for a moment or two; and
then it is over. Sill less am I liable to be cast down by losses in
point of fortune (as many have seen to their no small surprise.