of seventy-four years, when thousands in the meantime, who delighted only in drinking strong beer, wine, and brandy, have not lived half so long: which makes good that saying in the Scriptures, that _Wine is a mocker, and strong drink is raging, and he who is deceived thereby is not wise_, Prov. xx. 1., since it noway contributes to long life; for it is certain, that thousands in the world live as long who drink no strong drink, as any drinkers of it do. Some indeed, from an extraordinary strength of nature, have been hard drinkers, and yet die old; but for one who does this, perhaps an hundred are destroyed by it before they come to half the time of life: and generally we shall find, that very strong and healthy constitutions, at the long-run, are ruined by riot and excess, there being no certain safety in any way of living, but that of temperance and moderation. Nature in some may, a long time, withstand the abuses offered to it, but at last it will yield to its enemies; and those who live the longest in an intemperate course, might, from the strength of their constitution, have lived much longer, had they ate less, and used themselves to drink more water; which drink, as it is most friendly, and longest will preserve the life of a strong constitution, so it is absolutely necessary for those that are weak and sickly, and are naturally subject to the gout, the stone, shortness of breath, wind, ill digestion, and such like. [Sidenote: _Useful in Vomiting._] But the chief use of water, in preserving of health, is by using of it as a vomit, as before was shewn, which is an infallible and the most speedy remedy that was ever found out for any stomach sickness, or pain there; for to vomit with warm water, will effectually remove it in one hour, and be a means to prevent great fits of sickness, and preserve the lives of many thousands to old age, by cleansing the stomach from that tough, slimy, or corrupt matter that offends, and is the cause of all mortal diseases, especially of an apoplexy, which, tho’ counted a disease of the head, yet hath its original from a foul stomach, which nothing doth so effectually cleanse as vomits; according to Dr. Curtis, who saith, that vomiting with warm water, or carduus-tea, is very beneficial to bring up that which fluctuates in the stomach, and that tough, ropy phlegm, which sticks fast to the wrinkles and folds of that bowel, and which purges do often pass over, and cannot remove. Which way of vomiting with warm water, is ten times more easy and pleasant than that which is effected by the use of nauseous tea made of carduus, which physicians sometimes advise; and it is also such as can do no harm by violence, as other vomits made from antimony sometimes do, for want of drinking after each vomit a pint or more of water-gruel, or warm water, when you vomit with water.