in the Law and more will to do Justice and Judge according to Equity in all Causes than his Father saying thus 2 Reg. 15. v. 4. Quis me constituat judicem c. O that some Body would make me Judge over the Land that all might come to me me that have any Law-business and I might to do them Justice seeing there is none appointed by the King to do it Thus he insinuated himself into the affections of the People and by little and little stole away their hearts from his Father insomuch that afterwards he openly rebelled raising an Army against his own Father and to make himself irreconcileably odious abusing his Fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel Chap. 16. 2. This was his Sin but he prospered not long in it For in the first Battle that he Fought against his Father his Army was overthrown and himself in great confusion flying from his Pursuers was in a Woody Place caught by the Hair of his Head in the thick Boughs of a Tree and his Mule going from under him was there hang'd alive between Heaven and Earth by the Bushy Hair of his Head till Joab the General of the King His Fathers Army finding him thrust him with three Arrows to the Heart and so he perished Thus Genes 39. 19. we read of the Sons of Jacob how they envied and bore ill-will to their Brother Joseph because his Father loved him and because that he happened upon a time innocently and without intending any harm or offence to them in his Fathers hearing to tell them certain Dreams he had had whereof they making an ill construction conceived so much hatred and ill will against him that they resolved to kill him outright saying to themselves at the sight of him Behold the Dreamer comes yonder let us put him to Death and then it will appear what his Dreams profit him But being prevented of this evil purpose Almighty God having otherwise decreed concerning him they finally sold him to the Ishmaelites who carried him down into Egypt But for this their wickedness and unkind usage of their Brother many afflictions came upon them with sorrows and distresses to their Families which forced them after some years through extremity and great want of necessaries to go themselves down into Egypt to buy Corn where necessity constrain'd them to humble themselves with all submission before their Brother Joseph though they knew it not and to adore him in the Person of the Governour of that Land until he was pleased to make himself known to them and to forgive them the injury that they had done him All which may be read more at large Genes chap. 37. 42 43 44 c. So true it is that to despise or be unnaturally unkind to those of our own Blood or near Relation is a cursed thing and ever attended first or last with due vengeance from God Sect. 3. Malediction upon those that Contemn their Kings and Princes Kings are the Common Fathers of their Countries and of the People that live under their Dominion and therefore even by the Law of Nature and Common Humanity deserve that their Persons should be had in all due Regard and Honour and their Commands Obeyed how much more when the Law of God seconds the Law of Nature and imposes a further Obligation upon us as it doth in very express manner Fear God and Honour the King saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. v. 17. My Son Fear God and the King saith Solomot Prov. 24. v. 21. cum detractoribus non commiscearis Meddle not with those that detract from him that speak irreverently and undutifully of him we must have nothing to do with such Do I say we must not speak evil of them that we must refrain our Tongues and not vilifie them with unseemly and contumelious Words That 's not all We must not so much as think ill of them In cogitatione tua ne detrahas regi We must not detract from him no not in our thought and if we do we do it at our Peril God who is the Great Guardian of Kings and solicitous for their Honour no less than his own will find a means to bring thy ill thoughts to light and thy self to condign punishment Aves coeli portabunt vocem tuam c. rather than fail The Birds of Heaven shall betray thy wicked mind and that which hath wings shall tell what thou sayest And yet notwithstanding that the wisdom of God doth take such order and provides so well for the Honour of his Vicegerents Deputies and Lieutenants upon Earth such as all Kings are yet how great is the number of Detractors how frequent and bold are they that dare despise Kings and detract from them not in thoughts only and the secret imaginations of their evil hearts but in open words proclaiming as it were their contempt and disaffection at once yea even their own Domestiques oft-times are found most injurious and blameable in this kind Witness the practice of that petulant Michol Wife to King David but a Daughter of Saul of whom in the Book of Kings Chap. 6. the Scripture makes mention that when King David her Husband with all the People of Israel brought up thâ— Ark of the Lord to Hierusalem with Shouting and Sound of Trompet in great Solemnity and that the King out of Devotion and Joy Danced before it girded with a Linnen Ephod she looking thorow a Window and seeing him despised him in her heart for so doing and when he was returning home to his own House she had the boldness to meet him and profess her contempt and despising of him in these scornful words Quam gloriosus fuit hodie Rex Israel c. Oh how Glorious was the King of Israel to day how well did he behave himself being uncovered and as it were naked in the eyes or before so many Handmaids of his Servants even as some Ribauld or Vain Fellow would uncover himself For which the King rebuked her in such manner as was most meet saying unto her Ante Dominum qui me elegit c. It was before the Lord and in honour to him that I thus appeared who chose me before thy Father to be King and to Rule over the Lords People and for this reason I will not forbear to Dance before the Lord and if this be to be vile I will be more vile in my own Eyes and of the Handmaids of which you speak I shall be had in more Honour And though the Kings reproof went no farther than this yet God was so displeased at what she had done that he permitted not that any Children should be born of her to her dying day She both liv'd and dyed under the Malediction of a Barren Womb esteem'd not without cause by all the People of the Jews a great infelicity Another Example of disrespect shewn to Kings in the Person of this good King David we read in the First Book of Kings Chap. 5. where it is
is worst of all is that â—aving thus tasted the inordinate â—ensualities and Delights of the World they come by degrees to be â—isaffected and to take no pleasure in â—hings Celestial For as Saint Paul â—ith 1 Cor. 2 v. 14. Animalis hoâ—o non percipit ea quae sunt Spiritus â—ei The sensual Man petceiveth not â—hose things that are of the Spirit of â—od It is therefore a certain Truth â—â—at the more a Man approaches by â—elight and pleasure to worldly things he less his affections are to things of â—eaven and the more backward he â—oes daily from them Ah would â— God Men were as well rooted and â—xed in the Love of God as they are â—â— the Love of the World How â—ould the Pleasures and Possessions of â—e World seem tedious to them and â—ther a perpetual torment than a peretual delight joy c. For so Saint â—ugustine judgeth Lib. 13. of his â—onfessions saying The effects of â—â—ue Love that is the Love of God is sweetness but the effects of Self-loâ—â— is bitterness This is also manifest and furthâ—â— confirmed in the Gospel by the Eâ—ample of the Rich Man who as â—â— read in St. Luke Chap. 12. v. 1â— trusted so much to his wealth and the abundance which he had gather together that he said thus to â—â— Soul O anima mea quid timeâ— habes multa bona posita in annos â—â—rimos ' requiesce comede bibe â—â— lare O my Soul what fearest thâ—â— thou hast much Goods laid up for mâ— Years take thine Ease Eat Drâ—â—â— and make good Chear Eat good Mâ— Drink good Liquor Banquet â—â— fill nothing shall be wanting to thâ— See how this unhappy Man altoâ—â—ther destitute of the Comforts whâ— come from God resolves to have â—â— to take his Humane Consolation his Riches and in the Wealth he â—â— gathered but to his eternal grief â— sorrow he sound that he propt him up and rested upon a broken Stâ—â— â—r the next night that followed â—ade him see how much he was deâ—ived the Devil his and Mankinds â—eat Enemy coming and taking his â—â—ul from him Alas What good â—hat benefit did this miserable wretch â—â—ceive of all the Wealth and Goods â— had laid up he only heaped up â—â—series and eternal damnation upon â—â—mself while he put more confiâ—â—nce in the Creature that is in his â—ods Riches and Wealth than he did â—â— the Creator and relied more secure â—â—on his treasures than in God for â—hich cause at length the enemy of â—â—uls was permitted to take possession him SECT 2. By taking Delight in all manner of Sensualities of the Flesh In the second place it is no less cerâ—â—n hat man exposeth himself to most â—â—ident and great danger of his Soul in running headlong into all mannâ—â— of Fleshly Concupiscences and Lustâ— and permitting himself to sink into tâ—â— deepest abyss of sin through thâ—â— filthy kind of Self-love it being in oâ— Vice the most absolute defiance thâ— can be given to Vertue and Honestâ— and in one kind of sin the greatest prâ—varication and contempt that can â—â— declared against Gods Commanâ—ments which require Holiness in â—â— and Sanctification both of the Spiâ— and Flesh whereas through the prâ—valency of this Vice we see even â—â— daily experience many worldly mâ— loving themselves their ease and pleâ—sures over much in effect to renounâ—â— their very Baptism and all the Hoâ— Vows and Promises which eithâ—â— there or at any other time they evâ—â— made to God and his Saints and â— to enjoy their present pleasure aâ—â— to have their carnal affections and vâ—luptuousness satisfied yea for â—â— part I cannot but profess to belieâ—â— concerning many men that withâ—â— â—heir hearts they would become Aâ—heists Epicures Turks and Infidels â—r what you will any thing or noâ—hing in point of Religion proâ—ided they could be morally and well â—ssured of the Fruition of their temâ—oral pleasures and that notwithâ—â—anding they should have all their deâ—â—res in that kind accomplished in â—is world as that unfortunate Aâ—â—ila is said to have done who beâ—â—g born and educated in Christianity â—nd taken for the most Learned Man â—f his time having translated both â—e Old and New Testament also â—ritten and Composed several good â—orks or Books full of Sound and â—hristian Doctrine yet unhappy man â— length he forsook Christianity reâ—ounced his Baptism and declared himâ—â—lf a Jew for no other reason but â—â—ly to marry a Wife that was one of â—â—at profession Alas How many are to be seen eâ—ery day that do the same or like thing â—on the same or like account namely for to live at liberty in the commoâ— road of the most notorious sinners Especially if they be such persons aâ— stand in danger of being corrected and rebuked for their faults either by Bishop Superiour or Prelate of the Church SECT 3. By their Glorying and Boasting themselves in Malice and Iniquities Having in the two fore-going Paragraphs made evidently appear botâ— by Scripture Reason and sad Examples the general Ruin of Mankind by Self-love I shall not doubt in thâ— which follows in like manner to makâ— evident the dangers and manifold inconveniencies that men expose them selves unto by glorying in their siâ— and iniquities as some do and by justifying themselves when they have doâ— amiss as others Saint John the bâ— loved Disciple of Jesus Christ hath this â—einous crime in so great detestation â—hat he will not have the Faithful to â—ray for them who take delight in â—in and remain obstinately and impeâ—itently therein avouching the same â—o be a sin unto death Est peccaâ—um ad mortem non dico ut pro eo â—â—uis rogit 1 Joan. 5. v. 16. There â—s a sin saith he unto death I do â—ot say that any should pray for that â—in And verily it is no wonder that â—o great a sin to wit as the gloryâ—ng in and boasting of sin is should be greatly detested seeing the same hath been abhorred in all Ages both under the Ancient Law and the New The Prophet David enveyeth very much against those that were addicted to this sin saying unto them in â— way of correction and reproof Quid gloriaris in malitia c. Psal â—1 v. 3. Sinner why doest thou glory in thy Malice why doest thou boast â—hy self thou which art mighty in iniâ—uity As if he had said Why dareest thou be so bold so presumptuous so impudent as not only to transgress Gods Holy Commandments and thereby to offend him but to persevere obstinately therein and so far from true repentance and an humble acknowledgement of thy fault that thou takest a vain glory therein and boastest thy self for having committed so many sins so great and grievous wickedness Verily if it be as 't is commonly said humanum quid a humane thing or infirmity to fail sometimes iâ— our duty and to offend God and dâ— abolicum quid a devilish thing to persevere and continue in sin how much more devilish and detestable must it be to
glory and boast theâ— selves in sin are absolutely uncapâ—ble of doing any good work pleasâ—â—â— to God or meritorious of eternal â—ward The reason is because theâ— take pleasure they delight and spoâ— themselves in sin then which nâ—thing can be more sinful No maâ— can make himself sport with thâ— which he really hates If thereforâ— we can play with sin whether â—â— our selves or others 't is certain wâ— do not hate it as we ought I adâ— moreover that though we shoulâ— grant that some good in order tâ— God might be done by these Self-lovers Self-praisers and Self-pleasers yet certain it is little or none would be done for the reason above-mentioned to wit because they place their chiefest pleasure in wickâ—d actions and all their endeavours â—re so bent and fixed upon their Vaniâ—ies and in taking complacency in â—heir own doings be they good or â—ad that oft times they do violence â—o themselves meerly for the augâ—enting the follies of their wickedâ—ess that is in striving to be more â—oolish and wicked Sect. 4. How Self-love is prejudicial to God and Men. Sect. 1. Self-love causeth Blasphemy Vndervaluing of God therefore prejudicial to him 2. Self-love looks always at his own interests in treating with neighbours therefore prejudicial to them 3. By Self-love we Seek all sorts of Vanities therefore prejudicial to our selves Sect. 1. Self-love causeth Blasphemy and an Undervaluing â—â— God therefore prejudicial â—â— him SInce it is the Divine Precept Tâ—â—â— we should love Almighty Goâ— above all things with all oâ— hearts that is to say by all oâ— Understanding without any erroâ— contrary to Faith and with all oâ— Soul that is to say with all our Wiâ— without any opposition or contraâ—â—ction to the Will of God with all oâ— Mind that is to say with our Mâ—mory not yielding to any oblivioâ—â— or voluntary forgetfulness of him and finally with all our Strengtâ— that is to say with all our endeavours and power not using aâ— slightiness or negligence in doinâ— his Service seeing I say thâ— we ought thus to love God it foâ—lows of necessity that if we do noâ— but the contrary being found negâ—igent in the performance of any the â—ore-mentioned particularities we â—o prejudice God and rob him of his â—ues and Rights For man cannot â—e cornival with God so as to give â—im no more than heâ— thinks meet â—ut must give all that is required and â—o all that is commanded and in such 〈◊〉 as it is commanded nor may â—e yield to any other love which iâ—â—ot in order to the supreme love of â—od And with most just reason it is that â—od doth thus claim all to himself â—ll Love all Service all Honour â—nd acounts himself in jur'd when aâ—y Love Honour or Service but â—hat he allows is performed to any â—hings else for he made all he 〈◊〉 â—â—d all Creatures even the whole â—niverse He gave us all the Being â—â—at we have all our Powers Faâ—ulties Parts We have nothing â—ut of his Gift and could do noâ—â—â—ing but for his help Therefore it is most due to him that we should love him as above-said with alâ— our Hearts with all our Souls with all our Mind and Strength This is Gods due by that great and universal Title of Creation to which that more Special Title of Redemption adds much right Bâ—â— alas how little sensible are we â—â— either how often do we trangâ—gress and leap over the limits of oâ— bound duty and how much negleâ—â— our oblâ—gation through the vehemeâ—cy of Self-love and the affection wâ— bear to our selves the world anâ— the things contained in it the richeâ— the honours the pleasures and vâ—nities of the world not to speak oâ— divers more unlawful objects thâ—â— to be found and too frequently stumbled upon which cause much disâ—â—nour to God and great prejudice â—â— our Souls through the innumerabâ—â— disorders and distempers which happen in Chistianity by occasion oâ— them blinding the understandingâ— and shutting up the eyes as it were of all Mankind through the preâ—alency of their mischievous efâ—ects One of the chiefest and greatest whereof is pride and ambition of which intending to speak more at â—arge in an other Treatise for the â—resent I will only say and desire it may be observed that through this â—xcessive pride and ambition God is â—ighly dishonoured and the rights of his absolute and sole Sovereignty â—resumptuously trampled upon and â—espised no less than by open Blaspheâ—y while through the pride of their â—earts men refuse to acknowlege him â—he only God the Creator of all â—hings and that his providence ruâ—eth the world and while out of the â—ame affection of pride disdaining to â—e under his power or command â—hey forbear not to speak evil of his Deity and either to deny or dispute â—is Supream Authority Divine Omnipotency c. Verities ever acknowledged from the beginning of the world continued in all the ancient Law and renued in the Gospel at the very birth of Christ and by the Publick Confession of all Chrians preserved to his present So that there seems nothing to be added to the pride of too many now adays but with Domitian the Emperor having thrust God out of his Throne to place themselves in it as if you please to consult ancient Histories you will find that Emperor to have done who through the exorbitancy of many other precedent Vices arrived at last to such a stupendious height of Pride Self-estimation and sottish Ambition as to require to be called and proclaimed God not enduring to hear of any other and as Eusebius Caesariensis relates of him Lib. 3. Hist Eccles cap. 19. 20. putting to death all those of the Tribe of David among the Jews that himself might be acknowledg'd the onely King and God of the whole World as Jesus Christ the son of David was by Christans confessed to be A great excess of pride and Self-love this was certainly in a mortal man to affect the honour and esteem of being accounted God yet it was no greater than what some others had attempted before him as for example Nabuchodonosor of whom according as holy Scripture reports Judith 6. v. 3. his servants were wont to speak thus Ostendam â—ibi quia non est Deus nisi Nabucodonosor I will shew you that there â—s no other God but Nabucodonosor and of Herod Acts 12. 22. who accepted of the Title of God though to his cost given him by the publick acclamation of the people And as these through pride think themselves to be Gods and require others to have the like opinion of them So there are that altogether deny God and either through pride or some other distemper of mind think there is no God at all to be acknowledged of whom the Prophet David coâ—plains Psal 13. v. 1. calling theâ— Fools though none think themselveâ— wiser men Dixit insipiens in corâ—â— suo Non est Deus The Fool haâ— said in his heart there is no God Câ—â—rupt they are and become
said that the Servants of King David being sent by the express Order of their Master and in His Name to salute Nabal and in a peaceable manner to request some Victuals of him the proud Churl answer'd the Kings Servants with this contemptuous Language v. 10. Quis est David quis est filius Isay c. Who is David and who is the Sonne of Isay There be many servants nowadayes that runne away from their Masters Shall I then take my Bread and my Water and the Flesh of my Cattle that I have killed for my Sheerers and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be and thus scornfully dismissed the servants with empty hands But his churlishness had cost him dear if his Wife Abigail had not been wiser than himself For David for his proud contempt had resolved to destroy him and all his houshold but that was prevented by the prudence and more kind respect of his Wife Abigail so that no harm came to him from thence Howbeit Divine Justice would not suffer his contemptuous Fact to pass unpunished For after the space often daies strucken partly with terrour of mind for having so highly and unworthily offended the King and partly by the hand of God he died For which cause David blessed God who had taken vengence for him and judged the cause of his reproch at the hand of Nabal keeping him from doing evill that is from taking revenge himself and returning the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head v. 37 38 39. Sect. 4. Malediction upon those that contemn their Neighbour The most just and equal rule of the Gospel is Dilivered by Saint Luke chap. 6 v. 31. As you would that men should do to you do ye also to them likewise we must do as we would be done by Now seeing that naturally and ordinarily speaking no man desires to be contemn'd or despised by his Neighbour if we do despise or contemn our Neighbours it cannot be but that we make our selves Transgressors and become guilty before God in further proof whereof the New Testament will not leave us unfurnished of many Signal Instances and Texts whereby it clearly appears how much offenders in this kind that is contemners and despisers of their Neighbours are rejected by God and remain lyable to severe punishment In Saint Matthew's Gospel we read chap. 5. v. 22. That whosoever shall say to his Brother Raca shall be in danger of the Council and whosoever shall say unto him Thou Fool speaking out of contempt and despite shall be guilty of Hell Fire Oh how many doth this Sentence of Christ send to Eternal Flames and yet few or none lay it to heart Why will you judge so meanly of your Brother Why will you despise and set at naught your Brother saith Saint Paul Rom. 14. v. 10. Is this to do as you would be done by We must all stand before the Tribunal of Christ and every one must give account of himself to God and particularly how he hath behaved himself towards his Neighbour Therefore take heed and be admonished in time How greatly was that proud Pharisee to be blamed upon this account of whom mention is made Luke 18. 11 12 c. who made no scruple to contemn all in comparison of himself and to prefer himself before all in point of Sanctity and Holiness of Life beginning his Prayer thus God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers c. By which expressions instead of making humble Prayer and Supplication to God he vaunts in his own praise as being Just seeking his own more than Gods Glory In saying he was not as other Men Extortioners c. He says in effect All besides my self are Sinners great and grievous Sinners wherein the rashness of his Judgment contends with the height of his Pride which though it made him point at the poor Publican by name for a notorious Sinner and to brag of his own Merits I Fast twice in the Week I give Tythes of all that I possess Yet it could not hinder the humble and penitent Publican whom he so much despised from going home more justified before God than himself nor that himself should not be involved in that just sentence which our Saviour pronounceth upon this occasion v. 14. Omnis qui se exaltat humiliabitur Whosoever exalts himself shall be humbled or brought low Sect. 5. Remedies against the con The best Remedy that I can prescribe against this Malignant Disease is to have a good Opinion of every one be his quality and condition outwardly to the World what it will laying all rash Judgments and uncharitable Censurings aside and considering our Neighbours Actions always in the best sense and condemning none but our Selves the World and the Evil that belongs to it Put case that perhaps you see or discover some Person or some People to be in Errour or to do Amiss yea worse than your self and that you take your self to be altogether free of subh Transgressions yet examine things well and be sure that you are not addicted to any other kind of Faults Infirmities Sins which may render you worse than those you have in contempt For if it be thus with you your contemning others upon the account of Sin will be found no small Sin in your self And if nothing occur to you of that nature that is if your Conscience well examined shews you nothing that â—s much amiss in your self thank God for his Grace and in relation to your Neighbour call to mind and practice that which Saint Paul Gal. 6. v. 1. requires in these words Fratres si praeoccupatus fuerit homo in aliquo delicto c. Brethren if a Man be overtaken in a fault you that are Spiritual instruct such a one in the Spirit of Lenity considering thine own self least you also be tempted Bear ye one anothers burthens In Charity and Meekness we may admonish those that offend when we see it convenient and do prudently hope that good Counsel may take some place with them but we may never revile them with opprobious Language nor treat them contemtuously in this work especially we must leave off all bitterness anger indignation clamour and evil speaking with all malice or envy as the same Apostle speaks Ephes 4. 32. We must carry our selves gently in all chings that we may edifie our Neighbour and as tender-hearted towards him being so far as it lies in us always ready to pardon him as God in Christ hath pardoned us v. 32. If examining your Conscience you find your self guilty of the like Offences what have you more presently to do than to repent and amend your own fault first before you think of admonishing reproving or correcting your Neighbour and in doing otherwise you do but incur that great and just reproof which our Saiviour useth in the Gospel Luc. 6. v. 41. against those busie ill-sighted Hypocrites that could easily espy and take notice of small
Eating or Drinking He makes himself but a Laughing-stock now that either in fear of God scruple of Conscience or other just and lawful Cause forbears his Cups being in company and call'd upon his singularity and that he will not drink till drunk with the rest is matter of great derision and scorn to the Bachanalian Crew who account it an heroick act and cry it up for a point of Valour in their Tavern-contests to exceed others in drinking for which reason also every one of these Sons of Bacchus and the Devil study and strive to exceed each other what they can and he that remains Victor over the rest is so much applauded in his wicked Conquest that nothing pleases him more than to see his Companions lye spewing senseless or dead-drunk before him And which adds to his iniquity and the shame of these times his Devillish Trophies are so divulged and publish'd with such applause amongst all Pot-companions that more than a few are incourag'd to emulate him and to make trial of their strength in overcoming him or some other in the like manner Sect. 2. Drunkenness of Nobility and Gentry This evil Disease is so rife among great Persons both of Nobility and Gentry that I know not whether many of them can be excepted To the great shame and prejudice of Christianity it is doubtless But who can withstand the torrent Evil custom carries all before it and the pleasure of sin takes away the shame of sinning The wise Solomon foresaw the inconvenience of this long since and forewarn'd the world of it once and again as namely Prov. 31. 4. in these words Noli Regibus O Lemuel Noli Regibus c. Give not Wine unto Kings O Lemuel nor to Princes strong drink least they drink and forget the Law c. and Eccles 10. v. 16 17. in these Vae tibi terra cujus Rexpuer est Wo to thee O land when thy King is a child and thy Princes eat in the morning that is are too much given to their gluttonous appetite of meat and drink But Blessed is the Land whose King is the Son of Nobles and whose Princes eat in due season for Strength and not for Drunkenness That 's a thing most unbeseeming Princes and all persons pretending to authority or honour Both which oblige them to Temperance and to carry themselves so as that their good example may be instruction and doctrine to others and also procure authority to their persons for the better and more effectual reproving or correcting such as are addicted to these Vices How much therefore are they to be blam'd who being persons of great Honour and no less Authority in the Publique Government do every day almost by their intemperance put themselves as it were into the rank of Drunkards and Good Fellows as foolish custome calls them greatly undervaluing themselves and little dreaming of the great prejudice that will come upon them and others by this means through the practice of their Mortal and Immortal Enemies I say their Mortal Enemies and by that term understand men like themselves who bearing enmity towards them and watching fit opportunity to execute that Violence which Hell and their wicked hearts prompt them to cannot long want it towards those that are given to Drunkenness A man overcome with Drink is but in bad case to encounter an enemy when it were but to betray himself so much as to face him or be seen of him Did not the Prince Absalon take this advantage to murther his Brother Amnon Intending to kill him in revenge of the injury he had done to his Sister Tamar he first invites him to a Feast or a great Banquet where he would be sure to fill him with Wine and then the business was as good as done having charged his Servants to watch and observe when Amnon should be elevated in Drink and then to fall on him and kill him Mark saith he to his Servants 2 Reg. 13. 28. Cum temulentus fuerit Amnon vino c. As soon as you perceive Amnon to be overcome with Wine and that I say to you strike then fail ye not to strike and kill him and so they did The like occasion will our Enemies take to be reveng'd on us when they find us in like case that is to be deep in Drink for then they know Men are uncapable to resist or make defence either for Body or Soul Sect. 3. Drunkenness of the Richer sort of People Great Persons offend herein Nobility Gentry But are the meaner sort free Is there no excess of Meat or Drink to be observed amongst them Are they temperate and abstemious in all things 1 Cor. 9. 25. as the good Souldier and Servant of Christ should be Nothing less Frequent that I say not daily experience shews the contrary and what great excess there is in this sort of People What supersluity and costliness in Diet What abundance of Wine goes down their Throats What variety of Strong Drinks How do they strive to surpass and out-do each other in the Sumptuousness and even Prodigality of their Feasts and Banquets emulating those of higher Rank and despising them which come short of their Measure Insomuch that what the Prophet spake long since concerning the People of Israel is a very just reproof and ought to be a warning to these present times Vae qui opulenti estis in Sion c. Wo unto you that are Rich saith he Amos 6. v. 1 2 3 c. that live at your ease in Sion Wo to you that approach the Throne of Iniquity you that eat the best Lambs of the Flock and fatted Calves out of the Stall that drink Wine in Bowls and anoint your selves with the chiefest Oyntments Wo unto you for you are not grieved at the affliction of Joseph You pamper your selves you feed your selves to the full with all manner of Dainties but you let the poor starve you have no tenderness nor compassion for them May not all this be said of Christians Are we a whit better in this kind than the Jews notwithstanding that we have been anointed with the Sacred Oyls of Baptism and Confirmation the best Unctions in the World Saint Ambrose gives us a particular account of the Prodigality and Excess of such People in his time and describes the manner of it saying These Men in sitting down to the Table seem to marshal themselves for a Fight encountering one another with their Cups and Glasses as with so many shots of Arrows in a Fought Battel Drinking and taking down all that 's presented to their Hands nevertheless using great Art and Care not to be overtaken with Drink all on the sudden Therefore at first small Draughts serve the turn they begin for the most part with lesser Cups and advance by little and little spinning up their miseries by degrees till being warm'd in their Work and the Fight growing hot they call for greater till at length the largest Bowls are taken off and Long Flats
Sons of Israel who although in the multitude of that Nation there wanted not some that gave themselves too much to Drunkenness and Excess yet as to the generallity of that People Abstinence and Sobriety was held in great esteem amongst them for both Men and Woman would oft-times by solemn Vow unto God bind themselves to observe it which Vow was so acceptable to God that he was pleased to prescribe unto them some particular Laws to be observed by them during the time of their Vow To which end our Lord thus speaketh unto Moyses saying Num. 6. v. 2 3 4 c. Loquere ad filios Israel c. Speak saith he unto the Children of Israel and say unto them When either Man or Woman shall make a Vow to be sanctified and will consecrate themselves to our Lord they shall deprive themselves of the priviledge or liberty of drinking Wine and Strong Drink neither shall they drink any Liquor of Grapes nor eat Grapes moist or dried all the days that he is by Vow Consecrated unto our Lord he shall eat nothing that cometh or is made of the Vine Kernels nor Husk And all such Persons as did voluntarily Consecrate themselves unto God by making and observing this Vow were called Nazarites that is separated and set a-part to the special service of God To mention any more may seem tedious and truly should I undertake to mention all or to give a full and perfect report of all the Sobrieties Fastings Temperancies and Abstinencies which both the Prophets and all Ancient Fathers of the Old Testament used the very nameing of them might swell my Book into a great Volume However for the Honour of so great a Saint of whom the Saviour of the World said Inter natos mulierum c. Matth. 11. 11. Among those that are born of Women there is not one greater than he I must not forget in the conclusion of this Paragraph to remember though but in few words the great Sobriety of Saint John the Baptist the last Prophet of the Old Testament and the first of the New being the Fore-runner of our Lord Jesus Christ I will only give you the Testimony of the Evangelist concerning him Ipse autem Joannes habebat vistimentum de pilis came lorum zonam pelliceam circa lumbos suos esca autem ejus erat Locustae mel sylvestre saith Saint Matth. 3. v. 4. Saint John had his Raiment of Camels Hair and a Leathern Girdle about his Loins and his Meat was Locosts and Wild Hony His Cloathing mean and his Diet neither rich nor costly but in respect of both a perfect Ascetique and the prime Pattern of such The same Evangelist Saint Matthew speaking of Saint Johns Temperance saith Matt. 11. v. 18. that he came neither Eating nor Drinking to wit after the ordinary manner of Men but living an austere Life abstracted from the common and vain Conversation of the World for which reason the wicked Jews thinking perhaps he had been an ill-natur'd Man and done it out of hatred to Mankind said he had a Devil Our Saviour Christ came both Eating and Drinking that is in a more familiar and sociable manner of Life conversing more with Men and Eating and Drinking with them and they call him a Glutton a Wine-bibber a Friend of Publicans and Sinners Thus neither of both how innocent soever they were could gain a good word from them or escape their malicious censures So little marvel it is and so much the less ought it to trouble us that wicked Men do also now a-days so easily misconstrue the Lives and Actions of Good Men who if they be great Fasters or lead a more strict and severe Life than others commonly do then they are traduc'd and accounted Hypocrites if their Manners be more condescending and that they converse with Men in an ordinary way then they are dissolute then they are cry'd down censur'd and condemn'd for Libertins and Loose Persons The Servants must not expect to be above their Masters if this were our Saviours Lot they that will be his Disciples must be content when they meet with the like Sect. 2. Sobriety of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ The second Motive to with-draw Christians from excess in Meats and Drinks may be the Consideration of that Temperance and Sobriety which was in the Apostles and Disciples of Christ who as good Souldiers under their Captain and Chief-Leader Christ Fought the good Fight of Faith and overcame their Ghostly Enemies by this Vertue of Abstinence chastizing their Bodies by Fasting and subduing all their sensual Appetites and Inclinations of Concupiscence to the obedience of the Spirit knowing full well there was no other way leading to the Celestial Court and Kingdom of God but the way of Temperance and Sobriety witness that of St. Paul 2 Cor. 6. 27. In jejuniis saepe They fasted often and Rom. 14. v. 17. Non enim est regnum dei c. The Kingdom of God meaning his Spiritual Kingdom whereby he reigns in the Heart of his true and faithful Servants doth not consist in Meat and Drink but on the contrary in Holiness in Purity in Piety in Abstinence and the like For which cause if you peruse the Saints Lives you will find that all the Apostles and Disciples generally speaking were great Followers of their Masters Examples in this Vertue of Abstinence Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles as Holy Fathers often stile him after his Conversation according to the report of Saint Gregory Nazianzen never eat Flesh understand it of his ordinary Diet or any other Meat but Pulse all his Life long though Willyam Gazet affirms that his Diet was Bread some few Olives Figs and Herbs and his Drink pure Water However it were this is certain that he hath left good Counsel and given express Warning both to his Successors and all those of his Flock to love Sobriety and Temperance saying thus unto them 1 Pet. 5. v. 8. Sobrii estote vigilate c. Be ye sober and watch because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion goeth about seeking whom he may devour The danger they were in should admonish them to be always upon their Guard and in a posture not to close with their Enemy but to resist him To Which end in another place 1 Pet. 1. 13. he exhorts us To gird up the loins of our mind and to be sober hoping to the utmost or with most perfect hope for the Grace that is offered or promised to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ Saint Paul follows the same Tract with Saint Peter and both by his good Example and good Counsel encourages the Faithful to be Abstemious and to restrain their Natural Appetites of Meat and Drink so that they run into no excess For his Example we may take notice of what he says of himself 1 Cor. 9. v. 27. Castigo corpus meum in servitutem redigo c. I chastize my Body saith he meaning by
that which should save their Souls as well as their Bodies but if they die perish in their Sin and shame with the eternal loss of their poor Souls which the Wise Solomon desiring to prevent forewarneth us of the danger in those words of his Prov. 23. 31 32. which we shall do well often and very often to have in minn Ne intuearis vinum quando flavescit cum splenduerit in vitro color ejus c. Look not upon the Wine when it is well colour'd when the colour thereof shall shine in the Glass for though it goes down pleasantly yet at the later end it will bite like a Serpent and as the Basilisk diffuse and spead its Venome to the Corruption of your Soul Sect. 3. Drunkenness or the Excess of Meat and Drink the Corruption of the Body Thus it appears in some part that Drunkenness is the Corruption of the Soul and how the Soul is said to be Câ—â—rupted I am now to shew that it is likewise the Corruption of the Body and that in a more absolute sense because the Body is absolutely and intirely Corruptible which the Soul is not The very Substance Nature and Essence of the Body may be Corrupted and is Corrupted by Drunkenness but the Substance Nature and Essence of the Soul cannot be Corrupted as we have shewn above Well then we are next to shew that the Vice we speak of Excessive Drinking is the Corruption of the Body And what can be more evident and manifest than this even from daily experience Doth not Experience tell us that it is the original cause of innumerable Distempers and Diseases to Mans Body and by which the greater part of Manknd first or last do perish or find the end of their days in this World Doth not the Wise Man give us a necessary caution concerning this in those words of his Ecclus 37. 32. Noli â—vidus esse in omni epulatione c. In all Feasting be not you greedy nor let loose your appetite to every thing that is set before you For through many Meats come many infirmities and overmuch Feeding encreases Choler By means of Surfeiting by Meat or Drink many have come to their ends People addicted to good Fellowship as they call it when after some excessive Drinking they find themselves not well how many shifts do they use to hide their over-sight and hinder the effect from being charg'd upon the True Cause Their Distemper must not be imputed to the quantity that is to say their Drinking overmuch but to the quality their Drink was not good it was not well brewed it was raw and windy or the Mault was not well made and many such vain pretences do they use adding a lie to their former sin of Drunkenness and all that it may not be thought to be their Drinking so much should cause their Malady Certain it is a moderate quantity of Drink and also of Meat hurteth not but is necessary to satisfie and sustain Nature neither is it the use but the abuse of Meat and Drink to wit when we observe no measure which causeth Diseases when the Golden Mean is observed all goes well but when it is neglected great inconveniencies follow according as Apuleius seems not unhandsomely to express it The first Cup saith he is drunk to the Health of Nature the second causes Cheerfulness Mirth and harmless Pleasure the third relishes somewhat of Sensuality and invites to Disorder and Voluptuousness but the fourth breeds Infirmities and Indisposition of Body and especially if you add the fifth Madness Excess herein makes Man Created to the Image and Likeness of God and Reasonable above all other Creatures of this World to become wholly difform and unlike to God losing his Reason and Understanding The Traveller that wants Wisdom being Thirsty in the heat of Summer as soon as he meets with a Ditch full of Water in his Journey he presently runs to it for to Drink minding only to quench his Thirst and not at all considering whether the Water be good pure clear and wholesom or whether it be not corrupted impure and muddy nor whether it be cold as Water to Drink should be or whether it be not heated with the Sun-beams and made unfit to Drink The unwise Traveller considers none of these things nor what inconveniences may follow but sets himself to Drink as much as he can and so Drinks oft-times his own Death or manifold Diseases and Infirmities But the Wise Pilgrim though he feels as much Thirst as the other yet he moderates his Appetite and will not Drink till he comes at a clear Fountain of Running Water and of this he will Drink with moderation not to overcharge Nature but to extinguish his Thirst In the same manner it is with many that dwell at home and seldom travels farther than the Tavern or Ale-House that they haunt They rush into these Common Drinking Places far more corrupt and dangerous to the Soul by reason of the many Transgressions committed in them than any standing Pool or muddy Water can be to the Body and there fall to Tipple and Drink with as much Discretion and Consideration of what they do as the Beast useth that goes from the Stall to Watering Thus do many run daily to Drink and by their enticements carry others along with them and provoke them to Drink not so much many times as well considering whether the Drink be good or bad Whereas those that are Vertuous and Wise will rather have in scorn such Places and would never with their good will be seen in them Drinking always moderately either at home in their own or abroad at some Friends Houses only to content Nature preserve Health and comply with the devoirs of honest Friendship Sect. 4. Sad Examples upon great Drinkers Gabriel Prateolus in his second Tome of Chronicles at the year 1580 the 24th of July mentions a very sad accident which happened to two great Health-drinkers at a Town called Mackerhoven in Germany These two unfortunate Men came into a Tavern and called for Wine which seeming to them to be weak and little pleasing to their Pallats they insisted for better So having tasted of all sorts they pitch'd at length upon that they found to be strongest and fell smartly to it drinking to the Health of every one they could think of or call to mind upon that occasion Beginning to be elevated the one said to the other To whom shall we now Drink The other replied Drink to the Health of God and you shall see how it shall be answered but he being unwilling and making difficulty at it the wretch that made the motion suddenly snatches the Glass out of his Companions hand and in these words provoketh Divine Wrath upon himself saying O God hear me I will Drink to thee in a full Glass and if you do not pledge me you do me injury His Companion had first ask'd him of which Wine he would drink Fill me of the New replied the wicked