divell hath purchased for himselfe a large patrimony of unquenchable fire Though few men will confesse their sinnes yet many mens sins will confesse their master To beget a president of vice is like the setting a mans own house on fire it burnes many of his neighbours and he shal answer for al the ruines Alas while I live I sinne too much let me not continue longer in wickednesse then life Sin hath an ubiquity one sinners example infects others and they spread it abroad to more like a man that dyes of the Plague and leaves the infection to a whole City so that hee must give an account even for the sinnes of a thousand yea they have so much to answer for that have thus occasioned so much ill that it had beene happy for them if they had never beene at all then being to be laden with the sinnes of so many O what infinite torments doth Mahomet endure when every Turke that perisheth by his jugling doth daily adde to the pile of his unspeakable horrors And so each sinner according to his proportion and the number of soules which miscarry through the contagion of his evill example for they shall speed at last like him that betrayed a City to a Tyrant who when he had conquered it first hanged up the party that help'd him to it Yea perhaps God will even in this life make them an example of his just vengeance and provoked indignation as he did Pharaoh and Iulian as their sinne hath perverted many so their fall and ruine may perchance convert many the life of Iulian made many Infidels the death of Iulian made many Christians God will teach men to feare him even by their ruine that taught them not to feare him Yea the Dâ—vell who now is their good master will in the end reward these his subjects as that Emperor which Plutarch speakes of did by one that kild a great man who first crowned him for his valour and then caused him to bee executed for the murther or as the Wolf does by the Ewe who sucks her while she is a little one and devours her when she is growne a great one Nutritus per me sed tandem saeviet in me So that it were happy for all seducing drunkards whors c. if they were prevented of doing this great mischiefe and in their non-age throwne alive into the Sea as the Citizens of Rome threw Heleogabalus into the river of Tiber with his mother Semea to bear him company for that she bear and brought forth such a gulfe of mischiefes as Lampridius reports yea the whole State should fare the better for such riddance for so they should become though not profitable yet infinitely lesse hurtfull to such as should remaine § 131. THe eight circumstance which aggravates thy sinne is the object or party which is offended and in this respect 8. They abuse and persecute not the evill but the good who are to God as the Apple of his eye thou art liable to the greater condemnation in that thou injurest those whom God tenderly loves which is farre more displeasing unto him then if the same were done unto others they are as the signet upon his right hand yea as the Apple of his owne eye he that toucheth you saith God meaning the Iewes his chosen and beloved people toucheth the Apple of mine owne eye Zach. 2.8 And who are they which thou scoffest at traducest nicknamest revilest and persecutest but the best of men such as are most religious and conscionable such as wil not sweare nor be drunke nor commit such wickednesse as thou doest Now he which doth these things to evill men who are Gods enemies grievously offend him for what saith the Scripture him will I destroy that privily slandereth his neighbour Psa 101.5 and the word neighbour includes very heathens How heinously then doe they offend which doe the same and worse to his children 2 Cor. 6.18 Galat. 3.26 Iohn 1.12 who partake of the Divine nature 2 Peter 1.4 and are like God in holinesse 1 Pet. 1.15 members of Christs body 1 Corinth 12.27 bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ep. 5.30 and being Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 If the Goates at the great day shall bee bid depart into everlasting torment for not feeding cloathing visiting Matt. 25.41 to 46. what shall bee done to those that persecute Christ in his members But let as many as have eares heare what God hath threatned in his word against such I will produce but a few of many the Holy Ghost affirmes that hee will destroy them for ever and root them out of the land of the living whose tongues imagine mischiefe and are like a sharpe Razor that cutteth deceitfully loving to speakee vill more then good Ps 5.22 to 5. that hee will confound such as persecute his children and destroy them with a double destruction Ier. 17.18 yea that he will render unto their enemies sevenfold into their bosome their reproach wherewith they have reproached the Lord Psal 79.12 O consider this yee that forget God least he teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliver you In fine that hee will raine upon them snares of fire and brimstone with stormes and tempests Psal 11.6 and after all cast them into a furnace of fire where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth for evermore when the just whom they now despise shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Matthew 13.42.43 Men may dip their tongues in venome and their pens in poyson to speak against the righteous but the Lord will once revenge the cause of his poore ones he will not alwayes hold his peace nor hide his face well may the vengeance of this sin sleepe but it can never dye yea as truly as God hath threatned to curse all them that curse his children Gen. 27.29 so as truly will he performe it in one kind or other either cursing them in their bodies by sending some foule disease or in their estates by suddenly consuming them or in their names by blemishing and blasting them or in their seed by not prospeing them or in their minds by darkening them or in their hearts by hardening them or in their consciences by terrifying them or in their wits by distracting them or in their soules by damning them It were endlesse for the Sea of examples hath no bottome to recite all which Scripture and Ecclesiasticall history makes mention of with the variety of fearefull and incredible judgements both spirituall and corporall which God hath executed upon them even in this life though I count it a mercy to smart here if they dye penitent rather then bee reserved to those flames which are easelesse and endlesse that fearefull damnation made up of an extremity universality and eternity of torments Yea if God caused two and forty little children to bee devoured of wild Beares for calling Elisha bald-head 2 Kings 2.24 how can these aged persecutors hope to
Asse that feares he is not loved unlesse he be lose and scattering that strives so to be like a god in bounty that he throwes himselfe into the lowest estate of man He that gives to and spends upon all abundantly which is for none to doe but him that hath all he that had rather keepe company with the dregs of men then not be the best man he that ravells out a spacious fortune upon flatterers he that out of vaine glory will be worship't and kneed to the spending of a faire inheritance and then ends his dayes in lewdnesse and contempt as what is it that ambition will not practise rather then let her port decline he is a foolish Steward that thus showers away in one yeare what his ancestors have beene gathering twenty yea he is a mad man that makes his kindnesse to others prove cruelty to himselfe and all his posterity Ob. Againe others are all for mirth they keepe company at the Taverne with none but curious and quaint wits eloquent Poets and Orators now aske them as Manoah did Sampson Is there never a companion for thee among thy Brethren the people of God that thou must associate thy selfe with these of uncircumcised hearts and tongues They will answer Give me only these for my companions for they please me Answ Can none please thee but such as displease God dost thou not know that who so will be a friend to such makes himselfe the enemy of God Iames 4.4 or art thou ignorant that pleasant wits viciated in accustomed lewdnesse with sweete tunes entise men to destruction as is morald in that fiction of the Sirens they delight the sense but slay the soule and will any man poyson his body to please his taste or goe into an infected house to fetch out a rich suite or put his finger into a firie Crusible to take out gold It 's true like Iugglers and such as play trickes of Legerdimaine they will deceive us with a kinde of pleasure and delight but is it any priviledge for a man to be tickled to death that so he may dye laughing Their discourse may be resembled to the fruite that undid us all which was faire in sight smooth in handling sweet in taste but deadly in effect or to the Clarian water which made men eloquent but withall short liv'd or the gifts which those Elfes called Lamiae used to present unto children which made so many as accepted of them loose their comlinesse for ever after And he that much affects their company being an honest man is just like that free Citizen that so doted on a female slave that he would needs marry her though by that match he were sure by the Law to become a slave with her He overvalues the drunken and reeling love of these men that buyes it with the ruine of himselfe his estate and family Wherfore as in Meates we doe not only stand upon pleasantnesse but wholesomenesse so let us regard wholesomenesse as well as pleasantnesse in our discourse and company A good man can lend nothing to the increase of mirth in wicked company and he that will not lend let him take heede of borrowing And so much for defence against what they doe which may be avoided If you would have as much against what they say which must be endured Reade a late Treatise called THE VICTORY OF PATIENCE In the meane time thinke what account you shall give of that you have read FINIS THE TABLE A ADmonition admonitions and corrections the chiefe offices of friendship 826. no admonishing a drunkard 52. he is incapable of good counsell 106. drunkards and swearers contemne it 98. admonition to sellers of drinke Officers c. 711. Adultery looke drunkennesse Agents some for Christ some for Sathan 714. Sathans agents have many advantages above Gods servants in winning soules 714. and keeping 727. and improving them 734. Aggravation the drunkards sin aggravated by eleven circumstances 465. Atheisme drunkards and al vicious men Atheists in heart 229. 558. 590. B BElieve drunkards will believe nothing except their senses say Amen to it 623. they have no faith in the Scriptures 229. few men believe the whole written Word 590. they seeme to believe the promises but really and indeed believe no part 558. Bitter why so bitter and tart 9. Blessings no blessings without God blesse them to us 658. C CEnsure 347. of it foure reasons 349. Chide them sharply when they pray for them heartily 848. Children wel born children are touched to the quick with the injuries of their parents 824. wicked men children of the divel and partake of his nature 407. those whom they hate traduce c. children of God and partake of his nature 407. each must do the works of their father 402. Combine wicked men combine against the godly 391. and lay divellish plots to destroy them ibid. Company evill a maine cause of drunkennesse 286. exhortation to avoid evill company 856. and keepe good company 858. that it is lawful to shun their company and how 776. five reasons why 781. 1 that they may look into themselves 782. 2 that we may not be infected by them 787. 3 that we may not be infeoffed in their punishments 805. 4 because their company wil bereave us of much comfort 811. 5 that we may be at peace 821 many objections about leaving their society answered 796. excuses for keeping company taken away 860. drunkards would have our company in sinne 382. and likewise in torment 436. they think it will be some ease to have company 448. but it will prove contrary 449 Confident why worldlings are so jocund and confident 109. Consideration want of it the cause of all impiety 490. Consciences of wicked men will be awakned when perhaps the gate of mercy will be shut 488. Constancy and inconstancy 840. change in the vicious as rare a vertue as constancy in the vertuous ibid. Contempt of religion the greatest rub in the way to heaven 532 Corruption will mix with our purest devotions 574. Covenant that we will forsake the divel and all his works constantly believe c. one part of the covenant of grace â—64 Covetousnesse a cause of drunkennesse 275. covetous men fooles 613. in 6. main particulars made good 621 Cowardlinesse one speciall cause of drunkennesse 282. it will not suffer a man to doe well 749. but this is base blood 753. a coward pot-valiant will kill and slay 48. Counsell we should go to counsell and advise with others 668. wicked men give divellish counsell to others against the godly 392. Custome of sin takes away the sense of sin 427. D DEath as men live so commonly they dye 236. defering repentance til death 579. death may be sudden and give a man no leave to be sicke 580. or if it be not repentance is no easie work 581. and late repentance is seldome true ibid. death in a good cause shall pleasure not hurt us 769. which hath made many preferre it before profit pleasure
this way makes a Devill and admit man hath some advantage above beasts it is a miserable advantage that onely makes us apt to evill yea the worst of evills and capable of an hell small cause have we to brag of those powers which so distinguish us from beasts that they make us worse then the worst of beasts But of their acting the Devills part and their severall slights in seducing and enforcing others to sinne in drawing others to perdition expect more Section the 75. c. Onely this for the present let the Drunkard know that except he doe repent and amend there is not the most lothsome and despicable creature that crawles upon the earth which he shall not once enuy and wish to have beene rather then what he is which should have been my next theame but of this when I come to the punishment of Drunkards Swearers and Seducers Section 30. to 34. and 44. and 119. to 143. And so much of the person in generall and a part now take a generall view of the sinne before I come to particulars and see how the Learned in all ages both Christians and Heathens have censured this vice and judged of this sinne though indeed the odiousnesse of it is beyond all expression neither have I dehortation answerable to my detestation of it onely what cannot be spoken your meditation supplying the defect of my speech may be implyed as under a curtaine which was the Painters shift in deliniating the picture of Venus and the wont of Timanthes who in each picture hee drew occasioned more to be understood then was painted § 11. THe Learned of all ages have concluded What the learned say of this sin yea drunkennesse it selfe if it could speake as it can take away speech would confesse that it is a flattering Devill a sweet poyson a voluntary madnesse an invited enemy the author of outrages quarrells debates murthers the nurse of fury the mistris of pride the fountaine of all vice the originall of all diseases and bane of the soule that it is a fire whose flame is lust whose sparkes are oathes and evill words whose smoake is pride and infamy whose ashes are diseases and poverty and whose end is hell That it is a sinne which cracks mens credits consumes their estates distempers their constitutions dulls their spirits infatuates their senses intoxicateth their braines stupefies and besots their understandings perverteth their wills troubleth reason overthroweth the judgment infeebleth the memory corrupteth all the affections excludeth counsell and without Gods infinite mercy and their sound repentance damnes the soule That it is a bewitching sweete in the mouth which turnes to deadly poyson in the heart the revealer of secrets the shipwrack of chastity the shame of honesty the ruine of good manners the thiefe of time the disgrace of mankind a sinne which makes man an abomination to the Lord odious to the Angells scorned of men abandoned of all good society and above all makes men subjects and vassalls to Sathan a sinne of all others the most spreading most infectious most incurable most inexcusable a sinne which makes no difference of times places persons c. A sinne which is against the lawes of God of grace of nature and of all nations against sense and reason a sinne which brings wrath and judgment upon the whole land a sinne which is a griefe to friends a ruine to families which separates from the society and company of Gods Saints on earth excludes and shuts them out of the Kingdome of Heaven as Plutarch Solon Pittacus Boetius St. Austin St. Ierom St. Chrysostome and others stile and define it That it is of sinnes the queene as the goute is of diseases even the most prodigall wastfull unthrifty unprofitable unnaturall unseemely insatiable unreasonable sinne the most base brutish beastly foule filthy odious execrable detestable horrible abominable state disturbing heathenish infernall prodigious damnable gracelesse and shamefull sinne of all others as some of our Moderne writers render it In fine it is a sinne odious and lothsome in any but in us who have so much light so many lawes of God and man against it most unsufferable but as it was once observed that Philosophy was taught in Athens but practised in Sparta so now temperance and sobriety is taught in England but practised in Spaine and Turky § 12. ANd as it is a most grievous and matchlesse sinne in it selfe Drunkennesse both a matchlesse sin in it selfe and the cause of all other sine so it is the cause of all other sinnes a monster with many heads the roote of all evill the incendiary of all vice the Magazine of all misery the mother and metropolis of all mischiefe As tell mee was there ever any sinne committed which wine hath not beene an occasion of for notwithstanding wine doth first serve and obey the drinker yet by little and little mixing it selfe with the blood in the veynes it doth rule over him and like Saules evill and controlling spirit makes him it 's vassall whereby like the Centurions servant he no sooner heares the word from Sathan doe this but instantly hee doth it whether it be to the committing of adultery with Holofernes incest with Lot murther with Alexander Cambyses and Philopater one of which in his drinke slew his deare and faithfull friend Clytus who was his chiefe Captaine in all his exployts though it so troubled him being sober that he would have made away himselfe the second his onely Sonne the third his deare father and mother or treason with him that confest to King Pyrrhus upon his arraignment all this wee did and spake against thee and much more should have done had not the wine failed us or blasphemy with Belshazzar and his Princes Dan. 5.23 and what not for even to rehearse the severall examples which history affords and experience hath made knowne were endlesse Some examples I have given you and he is a very young man and unobservant that cannot adde forty out of his owne experience And doe not our reverend Judges in their severall circuits finde by experience that few brawles murthers manslaughters rapes c. are committed which arise not from this roote of drunkennesse And indeed as in Justice all vertues are couched together summarily as Aristottle affirmes so in drunkennesse all vices are lapt up together as it were in a bundle for it is a confluence or collection of all the rest and as he said of old prove a man to be ingratefull and you prove him naught all over so prove one to bee a Drunkard and you prove him guilty of every thing that is evill reprobate to all that is good for what sinne is it which a drunken man will sticke to commit when wee reade that Cyrillus his Sonne being drunke slew his Father and his Mother great with child hurt his two Sisters and defloured one of them as St. Austin affirmes when another being tempted by the Devill as Philip Lonicer witnesseth to commit
swolne and inflamed Face beset with goodly Chowles and Rubies as if it were both rost and sod swimming running glaring gogle Eyes bleared rowling and red a Mouth nasty with offensive fumes alwayes foaming or driveling a fevorish Body a sicke and giddy Braine a Mind dispearst a boyling stomacke rotten Teeth a stinking Breath a drumming Eare a palsied Hand gouty staggering Legs that faine would goe but cannot a drawling stammering temulentive Tongue clambd to the roofe and gumms in fine not to speake of his odious gestures lothsome nastinesse or beastly behaviour his belching hickups vomittings his ridiculous postures and how easily he is knockt downe whose hamstrings Bacchus hath already cut in two nor of the unmeasurable grosenesse of such whose onely element is Ale especially your Ale-wives who like the Germane Froas are all cheekes to the belly and all belly to the knees whose dugs and chins meete without any forceing of either because you may dayly see such fustilugs walking in the streets like so many Tunnes each moving upon two pottle pots his essentiall parts are so obscured his Sense so dulled his Eyes so dazeled his Face so distorted his Countenance so deformed his Ioynts so infeebled and his whole body and minde so transformed that hee is become the child of folly and derision of the world a laughing stock to fooles a lothing stock to the Godly ridiculous to all Yea questionlesse had they a glasse presented them they could hardly be brought againe to love their owne faces much more should they reade a true character of their conditions would they runne besides their wits if they had any to lose or goe and dispatch themselves as Bupalus did at the sight of Hipponax his letter or as Hocstratus did upon view of a booke which Reuchlin writ against him oras Brotheus did who being mocked for his deformity threw himselfe into the fire and there died for Thersites like many are their bodily deformities but far more and worse are those of their soules Whence it was that the Lacedaemonians used to shew their slaves in the time of their drunkennesse unto their children thinking that their ugly deformity both in body and minde would be an effectuall argument to make them loath this vice which even at the first view seemed so horrid And indeed how should the Drunkard be other then ugly and deformed when experience shewes that intemperance is a great decayer of beauty and that wine burnes up the radicall moysture and hastens old age exceedingly § 16 2 NEither are his diseases and infirmities fewer then his deformities His inward infirmities for see but his body opened and it will appeare like a stinking and rotten sepulcher for excessive and intemperate drinking hath brought upon him a world of diseases and infirmities because this sinne by little and little quencheth the naturall heate and drownes the vitall spirits whereby above all it impaires the health debilitateth all the members turning strength into weakenesse health into irrecoverable sicknesse it being the seminary of incurable diseases which shorten the life the procurer of all infirmities and acceleration of death which is the reason that men are ordinarily now so short lived in respect of that they have beene heretofore Neither can there be any other cause alleaged why men in this our age are so weake diseased and short lived but our excessive drunkennesse and intemperance It is true indeed that the world now waxing old and as it were hoareheaded cannot generate children of such strength and vigour as it did in time of youth and full strength and therefore wee must needs decline as the world declineth it is true also that the mother earth is infeebled with much bearing and hath her strength much abated with so innumerable childbirths and being now come to her cold melancholy age cannot bring forth her fruits so full of vertue and strength and so fit for the nourishment of our bodies as shee did in former times but that there should be such a change so suddaine and extraordinary in the great difference of our health strength and long life betwixt this our age and that which went next before it can be imputed unto nothing more then that now drunkennesse and intemperance is after an extraordinary manner increased whereby the naturall and vitall heate of men is drowned and extinguished before it be neare spent like a candle cast into the water before it be halfe burned Indeed drunkards pretend they drinke healthes and for health Yea doubtlesse they thinke wine another kinde of Panace which is good for all diseases or some Moly good against all sorcery and mischiefe But to whom saith Salomon are all kinde of diseases infirmities deformities if not to Drunkards Who can recount the hurts that by this meanes come to the whole body especially the head stomack liver and the more noble parts Who can recite the Crudities Rhumes Gowts Dropsies Aches Imposthums Apoplexes Inflammations Pluresies Consumptions for though he devours much yet hee is the leaner every way with the Falling-sicknesse and innumerable other distempers hence ensuing which Drunkards know better by experience then I how to reckon up To whom are pearle faces Palsies Headakes if not to Drunkards What so soone brings suddaine old age What so much as swilling blowes up the cheekes with wind fills the nose and eyes with fier loads the hands and legs with water and in short plagueth the whole man with diseases of a Horse the belly of a Cowe the head of an Asse c. almost turning him into a very walking dunghill Believe a man in his owne Art The distempered body the more it is filled the more it is spilled saith Hippocrates and to this the Prophet sets his seale Hosea 7.5 And indeed but for the throats indulgence Paracelsus for all his Mercury had dyed a begger which made Callisthenes tell Alexander that hee had rather feede upon graines with Diogenes in his dish then carrouse the juyce of grapes with him in this standing cup for of all the gods said hee I love not Aesculapius In a word though wine being moderately taken is physicall yet if it be taken immoderately there is nothing more banefull saith St. Austin for by it the body is weakened strength decayed the members dissolved the whole body distempered and out of order so that the Drunkard drawes death out of that which preserves other mens lives That many have perished by this meanes we read Eccl. 37.30.31 if many then surely many millions now for in former ages it was as rare as now it is common For wee read that the Locrians would not permit their Magistrates to drinke wine whereas now with us the meanest by their good wills will drinke nothing els We read also that the ancient Romans would not suffer their women to drinke wine whereas many of ours are like Cleio who was so practised in drinking that shee durst challeng all men whatsoever to trye masteries who could drinke most and overcome
goes in Now no marvaile that Starchaterus did exceed other men in strength and savagenesse when he fed onely upon Beares flesh and frequently drank their blood Secondly another reason is when the drink is in the wit is out and so having lost the stern of reason hee is apt to say or doe any thing hee can stand to execute except vertue a meere stranger to him And it shall go hard but he will either give offence or take it for having once fallen out with his owne wits and members that one goes one way and another another way he can agree with no body but becomes raging mad as a heathen hath it in Salomons words A drunken man you know will make a fray with his own shadow suppose he but nods against some post or table for they will even fall a sleepe as they sit he is so stupified that in revenge he will strike his opposite for the wrong and then call for drinke to make himselfe friends againe which friendly cup gives occasion of a second quarrel for whether he laughs or chafes he is a like apt to quarrell or let but a friend admonish him hee were as good take a Beare by the tooth When Cambyses being drunk was admonished thereof by Prexaspes No admonishâ—ng a drunkard who was one of his councell what followed Cambyses commandes his admonishers sonne to be sent for and bound to a post while he shot at him and then having pierst his heart vauntingly cryes out now judge whether I am drunk or no. This sinne scornes reproofe admonition to it were like goads to them that are mad already or like powring Oyle down the chimney which may set the house on fire but never abate the heate Neither can the rest better brooke what he speaks then he what they speak for these Pompeian spirits think it a foule disgrace either to put up the least wrong from another or acknowledge to have overslipt themselves in wronging of another whereby thousands have been murthered in their drink it faring with them as it did with that Pope whom the Divel is said to have slaine in the very instant of his adultery and carry him quick to hell For this is the case of drunkards as of Souldiers and Marriners the more need the lesse devotion I am loth to trouble you with the multitude of examples which are recorded of those that having made up the measure of their wickednes have Ammon like dyed and beene slaine in drink God sometimes practising martiall law and doing present execution upon them least fooles should say in their hearte there is no God though he connives at and deferres the most that men might expect a Judge comming and a solemne day of judgement to follow And what can be more fearefull then when their hearts are merry and their wits drowned with wine to be suddenly strucken with death as if the execution were no lesse intended to the soule then to the body or what can bee more just then that they which in many yeares impunity will find no leisure of repentance should at last receive a punishment without possibility of repentance I know speed of death is not alwayes a judgement yet as suddennes is ever justly suspicable so it then certainly argues anger when it findes us in an act of sinne Leisure of repentance is an argument of favour when God gives a man law it implies that hee would not have judgement surprise him § 20. NOw as drunkennesse is the cause of murther Drunkennesse the cause of adultery so it is no lesse the cause of adultery yea as this sinne is most shamefull in it selfe so it maketh a man shamelesse in committing any other sin whereof lust is none of the last nor none of the least Yea saith Ambrose the first evill of drunkennesse is danger of chastity for Bacchus is but a pander to Venus hereupon Romulus made a law that if any woman were found drunke shee should dye for it taking it for granted that when once drunke it was an easie matter to make her a whore The stomach is a Limbeck wherein the spirit of lust is distilled meates are the ingredients and wine the onely fire that extracts it For as the flame of mount Aetna is fed onely by the vapours of the adjacent sea so this fire of lust is both kindled and maintained by surfeiting and drunkennesse When the belly is filled with drinke then is the heart inflamed with lust and the eyes so filled with adultery that they cannot but gaze upon strange women as Salomon shewes Prov. 23.33 whereas love saith Crates is cured with hunger You know when the Iron is hot the Smith can fashion it to his pleasure and wine tempers the heart like wax for the divels impression when a man is drunk Sathan may stamp in his heart the foulest sinne but lust will admit no denyall Yea drunkennesse inflames the soule and fills that with lusts as hot as hell high diet is adulteries nurse They rose up in the morning like fed Horses saith the Prophet and what followes every man neighed after his neighbours wife Ier. 5.8 which is more then true with us for drunkards like the Horse and Mule which have no understanding no shame no conscience c. especially your brazen brain'd and flinty foreheaded clownes can no sooner spie a woman or maide chast or unchast even in the open streets but they will fall to imbraceing and tempting her with ribaldry scurrility turning every vvord she speakes to some lascivious obscene sense vvhereof they are not a little proud though it vvould make a vvise and modest man even spue to heare them But to goe on When Lot is drunke hee is easily drawne to commit incest with his owne daughters not once perceiving when they lay downe nor when they rose up Gen. 19.32 to 36. Rarò vidi continentem quem non vidi abstinentem saith St. Austin you shall rarely see a man continent that is not abstinent and it 's a true rule for that heate which is taken at the Taverne must be alaid at the brothelnouse the blood which is fired with Bacchus must be cooled with Venus and soe Sathan takes two Pigeons with one beane And the Divell should forget both his office and malice if hee did not play the pander to Concupiscence this way for idlenesse makes way for loose company loose company makes way for wine wine makes way for lust and lust makes worke for the Devill Venus comes out of the froth of this Sea I will never believe that chastity ever slept in the Drunkards bed for although I cannot say that every whormonger is given to drunkennesse yet I may truely say that there are no Drunkards but are either given over or greatly inclined to whoredome This sinne fills the heart and eye both eyes if not the whole life with horrible filthinesse naturall unnaturall any this is so cleare a truth that darknesse it selfe saw and confest it even a
became an Apostate As Iohn groweth in the spirit so Ioash decayeth in the spirit 2 Chro. 24.17 c. As Zacheus turneth from the world so Demas turneth to the world and God is no lesse the permitter of the one then the cause of the other if we consider him as a righteous Iudge punishing one sinne with another by way of retaliation Hereupon when Christ meets with good Nathaniell a true Israelite in whom there was no guile he saith unto him beleevest thou because I saw thee under the Figg-tree thou shalt see greater things then these Iohn 1.50 whereas to the obstinate Iewes he saith by hearing ye shall heare and shall not understand and seeing yee shall see and not perceive Math. 13.14 Even like Hagar that had the Well before her but could not see the water Gen. 21.19 make the heart of this people fat make their eares heavy and shut their eyes least c. Isaiah 6.10 which words with the former examples are written for our learning and warning for was the Talent thinke we onely taken from him in the Gospell Did none lose the spirit but Saul Have none their hearts hardened for their obstinacy but Pharaoh Doe none grow out of favour with him but Haman Doe none become Infidels besides the Iewes None prove Apostates but Iudas Have none their eyes darkened and their hearts hardened for their sinnes but the Gentiles O yes the idle servant was but a type of many that should have their Talents taken away Saul was but a type of many that should Iose the spirit Sampson was but a type of many that should lose their strength the Gentiles were but a type of many Christians which should have their minds darkened and their hearts hardened whom God should give up to a reprobate minde c. It 's true this is not meant of naturall or speculative knowledge wherein the wicked have as large a share as the godly but of spirituall experimentall and saving knowledg which is supernaturall and descendeth from above Iames 3.17 And keepeth a man from every evill way Pro. 2.12 Wherein the wicked have no part with the Godly the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2 14. Now God esteemes none wise that are not so in this latter sense yea naturall and worldly wisdome without this is meere foolishnesse in Gods account 1 Cor. 1.20 and 3.19 and no lesse then twelve times infatuated by the wisdome of God in one Chapter 1 Corinthians 1.2 Whence it is that the Scribes and Pharisies who were matchlesse for their knowledge and learning and that in the Scriptures Gods Oracles which will make a man wise or nothing are called by our Saviour who could not be deceived foure times in one Chapter blind and twice fooles Math. 23. and Baalam who had such a propheticall knowledge that scarce ever any of the holyest Prophets had so cleare a Revelation of the Messiah to come is called by the Holy Ghost foole 2 Peter 2.16 and good reason for though he was a Seer hee could not see the way to Heaven and the same may be said of Iudas who knew asmuch as the wisest naturall man for if he had beene wise he would not have taught others the way to Heaven and gon himselfe the direct way to Hell Alasse the greatest Clarkes and they that know most are not always the wisest men many of the wise and the ancient and the learned with Nicodemus are to learne this lesson that except they be borne againe they cannot enter into the kingdome of Heaven Iohn 3.4 9. and they that give themselves to be so bookish are often times so blockish that they forget God who made them Now as our Saviour said to him which thought he had done all One thing is behind Luk. 18.22 so may I say to these who thinke they know all one thing is behinde and that is the true knowledge of God of Christ of themselves and how they may be saved and hee which knowes not thus much although I cannot say he is a starke foole yet I may truely say hee is halfe a foole and halfe a wise man as Ona-Centaure was halfe a man and halfe an Asse for all learning and knowledge without this is but as a wodden Diamond in a Lattin ring and others who know lesse and are lesse learned may be more wise It was a true and just reprehension wherewith the High Priest snib'd the Councell as they were set to condemne Christ and a great deale better then hee meant it Ye know nothing at al Iohn 11.49 hee spake right for if wee know not the Lord Iesus we know nothing at all our knowledge is either nothing or nothing worth What saith Aristotle no more then the knowledge of goodnesse maketh one to be named a good man no more doth the knowledge of wisdome onely cause any person properly to bee called a wise man saving knowledge of the trueth workes a love of the trueth knowne yea it is an uniforme consent of knowledge and action hee onely is wise that is wise for his owne soule he whose conscience pulleth all hee heares and reades to his heart and his heart to God who turneth his knowledg to faith his faith to feeling and all to walke worthy of his Redeemer he that subdues his sensuall desires and appetites to the more noble faculties of reason and understanding and makes that understanding of his serve him by whom it is and doth understand he that subdues his lusts to his will submits his will to reason his reason to faith his faith his reason his will himselfe to the will of God this is practicall experimentall and saving knowledge to which the other is but a bare name or title for what is the notionall sweetnesse of honey to the experimentall tast of it It is one thing to know what riches are and where they be and another thing to be master of them it is not the knowing but the possessing of them that makes rich Faith and Holinesse are the nerves and sinewes yea the soule of saving knowledge the best knowledge is about the best things and the perfection of all knowledge to know God and our selves as being the marrow pith or kernell of Christianity and it is much to know a little in this kinde What said Aristippus to one that boasted how much hee had learned learning consisteth not in the quantity but in the quality not in the greatnesse but in the goodnesse of it Wee know a little gold is of more worth then much drosseâ—a precious stone is a very little thing yet it is preferred before many other stones of greater bulke yea a little Diamond is more worth then a rockie mountaine so one drop of wisdome guided by the feare of God is more worth then all humane learning one sparke of spiritual experimental and saving knowledge is worth a whole flame of secular wisdome and learning one scruple of holinesse one drame of faith one
his pride marke whether all his discourse tends not either to the praise of himselfe or the dispraise of others unlesse his praysing of another may redound also to his owne praise But wherein doth his vaine lye and the excellency of his braine consist The Beane of all his honour lyes in scoffes and jeeres for take from these Aspes but their poyson and sting you undoe them they have nothing left of any use all their worth lyes in witcrackers as some in the Netherlands have their wealth in Squibs and fire-workes others in Mouse traps and Tinderboxes Now in case he hath broken a jest well he sits him downe and sings plaudits to his own braine and not onely falls in love with all as Pygmalion fell in love with his Ivory Image but if others doe not commend and admire it for rare and excellent as though it were found in the Phoenix nest he thinkes he hath great wrong It is not enough that he thinkes himselfe wise but we also must thinke him so though he knowes in his conscience wee thinke wrong as once a Souldier to have his friends in England thinke him somebody gave it out that he was Captaine of a hundred when his conscience told him and one of the company was able to reply that they were not men but Vermine which were under his conduct Indeed it were happy for him if he wanted the wit he hath herein and Sathan should doe him a greater pleasure if he did not so prompt him in scoffes for like Absalom's haire it proves but an ornament to hange himselfe withall the best office his wit doth him is either to spit out friends with his tongue or laugh them into enemies When one brake a bitter jest upon his friend he requited him with his Dagger saying I cannot breake a jest but I can breake your head Now he payes deere for a jest who spends his time and mony and sells his honesty for it but most unhappy is that wit which stirres up enemies against the owner and proves a snare to it selfe well may such an one have a good wit but sure I am a foole hath the keeping of it And so much of the fift cause for I feare to be tedious § 68. SIxtly 6 Is sottish feare and base cowardise sottish feare and base cowardlinesse is another maine cause both of this and almost all other sinnes men dare not refuse to goe to the Taverne when the motion is made and they seldome meete one another but they make the motion nor refuse when they come there to doe as the rest that is to drinke drunke be it to the wounding of conscience hazard of health life soule c. for feare of seeming singular Oh how hard a thing is it for a coward to shew his dislike of this sinne in some companies where he shall be scoft at and call'd Puritane if he will not revell it with them in a shorelesse excesse And indeed better be possest with any Devill almost then this bashfull Devill for it will give a man no respite But like as Agrippa his Dog had a Devill tied to his coller and Paracelsus another confined to his Sword pommell so the Coward hath a Devill alwayes at his elbow to divert him from good actions or to provok him to evill How many men out of a proud ignorant and timerous bashfulnesse miserably wrong their owne soules lest the standers by should censure them much like that Lacedaemonian child who suffered his belly and guts to be torne out by a Cub or young Fox which he had stolne and kept close under his garment rather then he would discover his theft or like Eurydamas the wrestler who vvhen his Teeth vvere dasht out by his adversary dissembled the paine and swallowed downe his Teeth blood and all to the end he which gave the blow might not perceive the mischiefe or rather like Herod who at the request of his Minion cut off Iohn Baptists head and why forsooth for he was very sory she made that her demand and had rather she should have required halfe his kingdome but because they which sate at table with him should finde him as good as his word Marke 6.26.27 O vaine and wicked Herod not God not his conscience came into any regard with him but the people as what will the world say if I should not yeeld to it every man vvill laugh at me c. Oh the foolish aymes of ambition even the misconceits of the points of honour have cost millions of soules this is one notable meanes to fill Hell lothnesse to displease and certainly there must needs be something in it that the fearefull are placed by the Holy Ghost in the fore-front of the damned crue vvhich shall have their part in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Revel 21.8 wherefore think of it it is a damnable plausibility so to regard the vaine approbation or censure of the beholders as in the meane time to neglect the allowance or judgment of God A good heart will rather fall out with all the world then with his maker then with his conscience It is an ill modesty that hinders a man in the way to blisse or that suffers another to outgoe him like some travelling Jade that hearing another Horse come after stands still till he overtakes him True love to and knowledge of Christ will think him worth following through fire and water but goe thy way and save thy selfe to thy losse gaine the worlds fauour and loose God's escape derision and meet w th confusion and I wil tell thee whom thou art like thou art like some decayed Gentlemen who because descended from an ancient house will not so disparage themselves as to serve or work but which is more for their honour forsooth take a purse and so while they seek to shun disrepute among fooles purchase infamy and loose their lives and how it will fare with thee in the end Christ Iesus will bee ashamed of thee at the latter day who art now ashamed for his sake to beare a few scoffs and reproaches from the world Mat. 10 32 33 39. For in this case whosoever shall seek to save his credit yea his life shall loose it and his soule too but whosoever shall loose his credit life and all for goodnesse and conscience sake hee shall save it as our Saviour witnesseth Luk. 17.33 Lastly The last cause is evill company touching evill company expect to heare more in the reasons of breaking off society with our vicious consorts § 69. THus what hathbeene spoken The drunkards chief delight is to infect others A digression proving that all wicked men resemble the divell in tempting to sinn drawing to perdition proves them much worse then beasts but this is a small evill with them this is but to worke out their owne damnations their chiefe delight is to infect others the Serpents speciall venome wherewith these his elves be intoxicated is to make others
against David and the Priests became as unmercifull to himselfe by wreaking his teene on his owne bowells and Iudas that was so cruell against the innocent blood of his Master became as cruell against the nocent blood of himselfe and I wonder how the murtherer can expect any other doome that either heares how many have done the like or reades Gen. 9. where God saith who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the Image of God hath he made man vers the 6. The meditation whereof if it did throughly sincke into mens hearts would make them more cautious how much more if they did read and understand Gen. 4.10 where God inditeing Cain for murthering his Brother saith What hast thou done the voice of thy Brothers blood cryeth unto me from the earth In which place the Originall hath it in the plurall number bloods and so signifieth the voice of the blood shed and of all the blood which might have come of that blood if it had not beene shed which being so implyes that a man may kill a thousand in killing of one Secondly that their deeds of darkenesse might not come to light 2 That their deeds of darknes may not come to light Vriah must be put to death least Davids Adultery be discovered and himselfe disgraced a living Curre you know will doe more harme then a dead Lyon The Genealogies of the Iewes must be burnt that Herod may be taken for a Iew and one of the blood royall and it 's a sure rule that of eggs fryed in the pan come no ill Chickens 3 Thirdly 3 otherwise they cannot follow their sinnes so freely nor so quietly the wicked through malice would seeke by all meanes to cut off the godly because their wicked and sinfull lives are reproved by their godly conversation neither can they follow their sinnes so freely as they would nor so quietly without detection or check now if Abel's good workes reprove Cain's evill deeds 4 VVhat they cannot make good by arguments of reason they would by arguments of steele and iron let Cain but take away the cause kill Abel and the effect shall not follow 4 Fourthly whereas the Godly are too hard for them in disputing take Steven for an instance they would be even with them by casting of stones stop their mouthes with brickbats fetch Arguments from the Shambles and this they are sure would doe when all other hopes and healps faile they would not stand to argue the case with us for let the accused plead what he could for his owne innocency the Wolfe would answer the Lamb indeed Thy cause is better then mine but my teeth are better then thine I will devoure thee so they would put off the Fox and put on the Lyon and make their party good if not with Arguments of reason yet with Arguments of steele and Iron but this is a very hard way of confuting 5 Fiftly and lastly 5 Their glory and câ—edit is eclipsed their glory and credit with the world is eclipsed by suffering those which excell in vertue We know the Moone hath so much the lesse light by how much it is nearer the Sunne yea so long as the Sunne shines above the Horizon the Moone is scarcely â—â—eâ—e which made Adrian and Nero to kill all such as eclipsed their glory by any demerit and for this cause Mercine was murthered of her fellowes because she did excell the rest in beauty Yea this hath made wicked men in all ages to deale with the godly as Iulian the Apostate did by our Saviour Christ who tooke downe his Image in contempt that he might set up his owne in the same place and have the people worship it which he knew they would never doe so long as the other was reverenced You know Herod thought he could not be King if Christ should raigne yea as though he had beene of the race of the Ottomans he thought he could not raigne except the first thing he did he killed all the Males in Bethlem from two yeares old and under and the Pharisees that they should be despised if Christ were regarded and hereupon they put the old Carinthians Law in execution that hang'd a man in the fore-noone and sate in judgement on him in the afternoone § 106. ANd so I have showne how Drunkards doe intise The ground of all their tempting and enforceing to sinne how they would enforce to sinne what they doe with their tongues what they would doe with their bands if they were not manacled by the Law and prooved that the cause of all is they cannot have our company in sin But one thing of no lesse consequence is behind namely the cause of this cause which followes for before I speake of their drawing to perdition and desire of community in the burning Lake I will make the way cleare by giving you the Originall ground of all The maine ground or reason why drunkards and indeed all naturall men hate and persecute the Religious Drunkards children of the Devill and partake of his nature and none else is the one are the seede of the Serpent children of the Devill and partake of his nature 1 Iohn 3.8.10.12.14 Acts 13.10 Iohn 6.70 and 8.44 and 14.30 and 16.11 Math. 13.38.39 2 Cor. 4.4 2 Tim. 2.26 Gen. 3.15 and 5.3 Eph. 2.1 to the end and 5.14 1 Cor. 15.22 Rom. 5.12.18 Titus 33. to 8.1 Peter 2.9.10.25 Iohn 3.3.5.6 And the other children of God Those whom they hate and persecute the children of God and partake of the Dâ—vine nature and members of Christ and partake of the divine nature 2 Cor. 6.18 Gal. 3.26 Iohn 1.12.13 and 3.5 c. 2 Pet. 1.4 Iames 1.18 1 Pet. 1.15 Rom. 8.9.16.17.29 1 Cor. 6.19 and 12.27 Ephsians 5.30 This is the cause upon which indeede all the former reasons and causes doe depend as the lesser wheeles in a clocke depend on the great one or as the branches of a Tree depend on the stock and roote and spring from it as the Arteries of mans body do from the Heart and Veynes from the Liver for in reason if it be so they must needs be very contrary and if contrary no marvell they should so ill agree for there can be no amity where there is no sympathy no reconciling of Turkes and Christians no neighbourhood no alliance no conjunction is able to make the cursed seed of the Serpent and the blessed seede of the Woman ever agree since God and the Devill are everlastingly falne out one blood one belly one house one education could never make Cain and Abel accord Iacob and Esau Isaac and Ishmael at one yea though they be Man and Wife Parent and Child yet if they be not like they will not like and indeed what is the Father or Mother or Brother of our flesh to the Father c. of of our spirits Can there be such a parrity betweene the Parent and the Child the Husband and Wife
as ther is a disparity betweene God and Sathan no certainely the corporall sympathy is nothing in comparison of the spirituall antipathy which is between the two natures Divilish and Divine If Athens and Sparta could never agree Vertue and vice can never accord for that the one was addicted to serve Minerva the other Mars being each of them Heathens there must needs bee a greater enmity betweene a regenerate man and him that is wholly carnall for what fellowship as the Apostle speaks can there be betweene righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse what communion betweene light and darknesse and what concord betweene Christ and Beliall and what peace between the Believer and the Infidel 2 Cor. 6.14.15 and wherein doe these godlesse persons drunkards though they live in our Church differ from infidels onely in name An enemy may be reconciled enmity cannot A vicious person may bee made vertuous but vice and vertue can never accord these are so diametrically opposite that the two Poles shall sooner meet then these be reconciled A wicked man saith Salomon is abomination to the just and he that is upright in his way is abomination to the wicked Prov. 29.27 and S. Iames witnesseth that the amity of the world is the enmity of God and that whosoever will bee a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemy of God Iames 4.4 Michael and the Dragon cannot agree in one heaven nor Nehemiah and Sanballat in one City nor the cleane and the Leprous in one Campe nor the Arke and Dagon in one house nor God and Idols in one Temple nor Iohn and Cerinthus in one Bath nor Isaac and Ishmael in one family nor Iacob and Esau in one wombe In vaine then shall any man attempt to make an agreement betwixt a wicked and a godly man except the one of wicked becomes godly or the other of godly becomes wicked for there is such an enmity or mutuall malevolence between person and person That as the fish Lexus is poyson to man and man to him so these can no way brooke one another Yea that cannot properly bee said to ridd this enmity out of them which rids them out of the world death it selfe for what wee reade of those two Birds Aegithalus and Achanthus namely that they so hate one another living that being dead their bloods will not mix but presently separates and that which is recorded of Florus and Anthus Polynices and Etheocles viz. that the two former being killed their bloods would not bee mixed the two latter being burnt together their ashes instantly parted is truly verified in this enmity and antipathy which is in the seed of the Serpent against the seed of the Woman for it is so deadly and mortall that dureing life it is altogether irreconcileable and after death they part and separate as farre asunder as is hell from heaven Mat. 25.32.41 and 10.16 § 107. A Wicked man can agree with all that are wicked be they Papists or Turks They can brooke all conditions of men save practisers of piety or Athiests prophane and loose persons for all these agree with him in blindnesse and darknesse yea they are all haile fellow well met but with sincere Christians and practisers of piety he cannot agree the Religious shall be sure of opposition because their light is contrary to his darknesse grace in the one is a secret disgrace to the other Yea let wicked men bee at never so much odds one with another But the Religious shall be sure of opposition yet they wil concurre and joyne against the godly As for example Edom and Ishmael Moab and the Hagarins Gebal and Ammon Amaleck and the Philistims the men of Tyre and Ashur each had severall gods yet all conspire against the true God Psalm 83.5 to 9. Manasses against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses but both against Iudah Herod and Pilat two enemies will agree so it bee against Christ they will fall in one with another to fall out with God The Sadduces Pharisies and Herodians were Sectaries of diverse and adverse factions all differing one from another and yet all these joyne together against our Saviour Matth. 22. the Libertines Cyrenians Alexandrians Cilicians and Asians differ they never so much will joyne in dispute against Steven Act 6.9 Herod neither loved the Iews nor the Iewes Herod yet both are agreed to vex the Church Thus wicked men like Sampsons Foxes though they be tyed taile to taile yet they joyntly set on fire and burn up the Barley field of Gods Church I cannot think of a fitter Emblem of a naturall man then Lyme which agreeth well with all things that are dry and of it's owne nature but meeting with water a thing directly opposite it breaks burns swels smoaks crackles skips and scatters so nature will give a man leave to be any thing save a sound Christian and agree well with all others bee their conditions never so contrary provided they agree in the maine are all seed of the same Serpent but let the naturall man meet with one that is spirituall they agree like heat and cold if the one stayes the other flies or if both stay they agree like two poysons in one stomack the one being ever sick of the other bee they never so neere allied And no marvaile for though they dwell in the same house yet they belong to two severall Kingdomes and albeit they both remaine on earth yet they are governed by two severall Laws the ones Burgueship being in Heaven Phil. 3.20 and the other being a Denison belonging to Hell as Irishmen are dwellers in Ireland but Denisons of England and governed by the Statutes of this Kingdome Neither is it strange that wicked men should agree one with another Not strange that wicked men should agâ—â—ess well for even savage beasts agree with themselves else the wildernes would soone be unpeopled of her foure footed inhabitants we know the Lion is not cruell to the Lion nor the Leopard to the Leopard nor one Tiger to another nor the Dragon to the Dragon saith Aristotle but every one will fight with and against the Lambe one Crow never puls out another Crows eyes one Wolfe will not make warwith another but every Wolfe will make war with a Sheepe yea the Snakes of Syria the Serpents of Tyrinthia and the Scorpions of Arcadia are gentle and sparing to them of their naturall soyle though cruell to others as Plinie reports Yea even Divels themselves while they so mortally hate and violently oppose God and his Image in all the sonnes of Adam are not at enmity with themselves but accord in wickednesse and Iudas the very worst of men he that would be false to his owne Lord and Master would yet be true to his chapmen the high Priests even evill Spirits and the worst of men keepe touch one with another § 108. THis also is the sole cause They strive to be supar lative in sinne why they strive so after perfection of evill
ruine of our first Parents and their off-spring and how could they doe so if they did not partake of the divells nature yea if they were not quite changed from men into divels § 116. BUt see other two reasons Other reasons why they would have our company in the burning lake 1 Being out of hope themselves the yare loth others should fare better then they why they desire community in the burning lake and why they make no bones of soule-murther the first is this they know themselves irrecoverably lost and therefore they are desperate because they cannot rise themselves they would ruine all they know they have so grievously offended God and so despited the Spirit of grace so sinned against knowledg and conscience and so often reiterated theirabominations that they are become so incurable and past hope of remedy that no medicine can helpe them as God speaks touching the sorrowes of the Iewes by Ieremiah Chap. 30.12.13.15 as sometimes it fares with a sicke patient who while he hath hope of cure is willing to abstaine from such meats as are dangerous and hurtfull for him but knowing his disease incurable forbeareth nothing that he likes and likes onely those things which are most forbidden him so the Proverb is verified in them Over Shoes over Bootes yea which is desperate over shoulders As a man sinking into the deeepe water catcheth hold of him that is next him so men diving into the bottome of iniquity pull downe their adherents and how can they more lively prove themselves the Divells children whose ayme it hath ever beene seeing hee must of necessity bee wretched not to bee wretched alone It is little content to them to bee reprobates except they have company Wherefore as falling Lucifer drew numerous Angells with him so all his agents and adherents as firebrands in burning themselves burne others the Divell out of malice misleades them and they others what wretched companions then are these men the Lord grant wee may know no more of them then by hearesay § 117 SEcondly 2 They thinke it will be some ease and comfâ—rt in misery to have companions there is another winning reason why they strive so after community for you must know the Devill propounds to them and they to themselves some appearance of good in every thing they doe They thinke it some ease and comfort in misery to have companions yea the more the merrier thinke they as sorrowes devided among many are borne more easily it is some kinde of ease to sorrow to have partners as a burthen is lightned by many shoulders divers backs will carry a greater burthen with lesse paine or as clouds scattered into many drops easily vent their moysture into ayre many small brookes meeting and concurring in one channell will carry great vessells yea our griefes are lessened our joyes enlarged our cares lightned by one friendly associate In all heates of anguish good assistance and society breathes some coole ayre of comfort when Paul must answer before Nero he complaines that no man stood with him but all men forsooke him 2 Tim. 4.16 And certainely it was a plague upon a plague to the Leper that he was condemned to live alone it cannot but aggravate their sicknesse which are now pent up by reason of this visitation and compelled to be sicke without any visitant either to ease or pity them The comfort of fugitives is that there be many fugitives we know nothing seemes to fall where every thing falls a generall disease is a particular health whereupon the Curt taild Fox in the Fable endeavoured to have all Foxes cuttaild They have a whimsie in their braines much like that of Amurath who at the taking of Isthmus sacrificed six hundred young Grecians to his Fathers soule to the end their blood might serve as a propitiation to expiate the sinnes of the deceased Wherein they imitate the Dragon which is very desirous of the Elephants blood for the coldnesse of it wherewith she desires to be cooled or the great Cham who whensoever he dyeth takes order that ten or twelve thousand Tartars be slaine to accompany his death But alasse poore soules they are much mistaken But this will ad to the pile of their torments in thinking it will either comfort or ease them to have fellowship in torment for though by the multitude of participants the joyes of Heaven are enlarged yet hereby the sorrowes of Hell are much increased for know this thou Tempter that thou dost not more increase other mens wickednesse on earth whether by perswasion or provocation or example then their wickednesse shall increase thy damnation in Hell as is plainely seene in the case of Dives for what made that damned churle move for his brethren seeing there is no charity in Hell but that he felt every step they followed of his leading to increase the pile of his torments Luk. 16. Non fratres dilexit sed seipsum respexit he desired not their salvation but his owne lesse damnation Againe this is made good Gen. 3. where the Serpent is cursed for makeing Eve transgresse and Eve for makeing her husband sinne Yet such is the implacable enmity and unchangeable malice of the Serpent and his seede of the Prince of darkenesse and these his adherents against the children of light that they will enhance their owne damnations to procure other mens rather make their owne fire hotter then not labour to bring others to the participation of their owne torments yea though their consciences tell them that such a bitter roote shall answer for it selfe and for all the corrupt branches yet they will endure more grievous misery to have a more numerous society And so much of the warre which God proclaimed betweene Sathan and Christ and their Reigiments the wicked and the Godly If you would know the originall and meritorious cause of this proclamation it was Adam's sinne in eating the forbidden fruit and Sathan's malice in moving and seduceing him thereunto the Originall of this discord is from originall sinne § 118. The Devil beholding to whores but farre more to drunkards for none helpe to people his infernall kingdome like them VVEe have got through the greatest part and are past by the principall stages of the drunkards progresse there is but one mile further of about eight short furlongs to goe and we have overcome it yea to speake truth I am now at the top of the hill and shall after a short pause goe downe faster then I went up But let us make a stand here and looke backe upon what we have past since Section the 75. from which stage hitherto I have shown how drunkards imitate that old Serpent the Devill In Tempting Enforceing to sinne and in drawing to perdition After a review taken let any stander-by for being no wayes a party I referre it to him say whether Sathan be so much beholding to any men alive as to them whether he hath any servants that doe him such faithfull
between a godly wise man and a deluded worldling Want of consideration the cause of all impiety neglect of obedience that which the one doth now judge to be vaine the other shall hereafter finde to be so when it is too late O the want of consideration what is spoken and who speaks is the cause of all impiety and neglect of obedience The reason why Samuel returned to his sleepe one time after another when God called him was he ignorantly thought it was only mans voyce and for the same reason thou wilt not listen to what justice and truth speakes in this behalfe otherwise thou wouldest search the Scriptures and try whether my doctrine and allegations be of God or no Acts 17.11 and being of God and agreeing with the pensell of the Holy Ghost for otherwise thou art free entertaine these lines as if they were an Epistle sent unto thee from heaven and writ by God himselfe to invite and call thee to repentance and though thou canst not imitate Zacheas who was called but once and came quickly to Christ yet thou wouldest imitate Peter and at this last crowing of the Cocke remember the words of Iesus which saith take heed to your selves least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkennesse and cares of this life least that day come on you at unawares Luke 21.34 and againe whatsoever ye doe unto the least of mine ye do it unto me and weighing them with thy selfe goe out of thy sinnes by repentance as he went out of the high Priests Hall And so doing it should bee unto thee as Ionathans three Arrowes were to David which occasioned his escape from Saul's fury or as David's Harpe was to Saul which frighted away the evill spirit from him 1 Samuel 16.23 yea as the Angels was to Peter that opened the Iron gates loosed his bands brought him out of Prison and delivered him from the thraldome of his enemies yea if thou beest thine owne friend it shall serve thee as a Buoy to keep thy the ship of soule from splitting upon the Shelf of presumption which is my prayer and hope and should bee my joy to see it these things have I said that ye might be saved You know the good counsell of Sauls servant ledd him in a doubt to the man of God but his owne curiosity ledd him to the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 9.6 And that little which Craesus King of Lydia learn'd of Solon saved his life and if Pilate would have taken that faire warning which his wife gave him as hee sate to judge Christ it might have saved his soule Matth. 27.19 and so may this thine if thou wilt be warned by it But if this nor no other warning wil serve thee if neither present blessings nor hope of eternall reward will doe any good if neither the Preachers of God in exhorting nor the goodnesse of God in calling nor the will of God in commanding nor the Spirit of God in moving can prevaile with thee tremble to think what a fearefull doome will follow for they shall tremble at the voyce of his condemnation that have shut their eares at the voyce of his exhortation Prov. 1.24 to 33. And so much of the sixth aggravation § 130. SEventhly 7. He not onely commits foule crimes but drawes others into the same sinnes this will above measure aggravate thy doome and adde to thy torment that thou seducest yea enforcest others to sinne and drawest them to perdition with thee for the infection of sinne is much worse than the act and misleades into evill sinne more and shall suffer more then the actors and although to commit such things as thou doest single and alone were enough yea too much to condemn thee yet because thou drawest others with thee to the same sins thy damnation shall be farre greater For they whom thou hast taught to doe ill increase thy sinne as fast as they increase their owne Now if their reward in heaven be so great that save one soule from death Dan. 12.3 how great shall their torment bee in Hell that pervert many soules to destrustion Matth. 5.19 they shall bee maximi in inferno greatest in the kingdome of hell he that can damn many soules besides his owne supererogates of Sathan and hee shall give him a double fee a double portion of hell fire for his paines Who then without a shower of teares can think on thy deplorable state or without mourning meditate thy fad condition Yea if Ely was punished with such fearefull temporall judgements onely for not admonishing and not correcting others which sinned what mayest thou expect that doest intise others yea enforce them though to intise others were wicked enough Let me say to the horror of their consciences that make merchandize of soules that it is a question when such an one comes to hel whether Iudas himself would change torments with him How fearefully think you do the seducer and seduced greet one another in hell me thinks I heare the Dialogue between them wher the best speaks first and saith Thou hast beene the occasion of my sinne and the other thou art the occasion of my more grievous torment c. Evill men delights to make others so one sinner maketh another as Eve did Adam but little doe they thinke how they advance their owne damnations when the blood of so many soules as they have seduced will be required at their hands and little doe sinners know their wickednesse when their evill deeds infect by their example and their evill words infect by their perwasion and their looks infect by their allure ments when they breath nothing but infection much lesse do they know their wretchednesse till they receive the wages of their unrighteousnesse which shall not be paid till their work be done and that will not be done in many yeares after their death For let them dye they sinne still For as if we sowe good works succession shal reape them and we shall be happy in making them so so on the contrary wicked men leave their inventions and evill practises to posterity and though dead are still tempting unto sinne and still they sin in that temptation they sinne as long as they cause sinne This was Ieroboam's case in making Israel to sinne for let him bee dead yet so long as any worship his Calves Ieroboam sinned neither was his sinne soone forgotten Nadab his sonne and Basha his successor Zimry and Omry and Ahab and Ahaziah and Iehoram all these walked in the wayes of Ieroboam which made Israel to sinne and not they alone but the people with them It is easie for a mans sinne to live when himselfe is dead and to leade that exemplary way to hell which by the number of his followers shall continually aggravate his torments The imitaters of evill deserve punishment the abetters more but there is no hell deepe enough for the leaders of publike wickednesse he that invents a new way of serving the
escape yea what vengeance shall bee prepared or is enough for them If God will come in flames of fire to render vengeance unto them which knowe him not how terrible will hee appeare to these his profest enemies who wittingly willingly and maliciously oppose him and his image all they can § 132. OBjection That the use their tongues only a frivolous excuse But thou hast only used thy tongue against them whereas some have shed the blood of the Saints Well suppose it bee so yet what should they suffer from thee if they were at thy mercy It is not so materiall what thou doest as what thou desirest the very purpose of treason though the fact bee hindered is treason not the outward action but the inward affection is all in all with God who measures the work by the will as men measure the will by the worke But to take only what is confest the persecution of the tongue is a greater evill then thou art aware of Wee reade that Chams scoffing only brought his Fathers curse and God's upon that And that their sinne which brought a scandall upon the holy Land and made all the people to murmure against Moses dyed by a plague from the Lord and was the cause that they never entered into it they found it was no jesting matter Numbers 14.37 Now wee may judge of their sin by their punishment yet their sinne was not halfe so bad as theirs is who amongst us cause the way of truth to be evill spoken of for this is either atheisme or frenzie or blasphemy or rather all these and thou shalt one day wish with Hecebolus that thy tongue had been rivetted to the roof of thy mouth from thy conception rather then thou haddest sinned so against the brethren wounded their weake consciences and so risen up against Christ 1 Cor. 8.12 yea to be a scoffer is the depth of sinne such an one is upon the very threshold of hell as being set downe in a resolute contempt of all goodnesse Besides some men will better abide a stake Some can better abide ast ake then others ascoffe then some others can a mock Zedechiah could happily have found in his heart to have harkened to the Prophets counsell but that this lay in his way I am afraid of the Iewes least they deliver me unto the Chaldeans hands and they mocke me Ier. 38.19 It was death to him to be mocked A generous nature is more wounded with the tongue then with the hand yea above hell there is not a greater punishment then to become a Sannio a subject of scorne Sampson bore with more patience the boring out of his eyes then the ludibrious scoffes of the Philistims they made a feast to their gods no Musitian would serve but Sampson he must now be their sport that was once their terror every wit every hand playes upon him who is not ready to cast his bone and his jest at such a captive so as doublesse he wished himselfe no lesse deafe then blind and that his soule might have gone out with his eyes oppression is able to make a wise man mad Eccl. 7.9 and the greater the courage is the more painefull the insultation Alcibiades did professe that neither the proscription of his goods nor his banishment nor the wounds received in his body were so grievous to him as one scornefull word of his enemy Clestiphon Yea O Saviour thine eare was more painefully pierced then thy browes or hands or feete it could not but goe deepe into thy soule to heare those bitter and girding reproaches from them Thou camest to save And hereupon good Queene Esther in her prayers to God for her people doth humbly deprecate this height of infelicity O let them not laugh at our ruines And David acknowledg'd it for a singular token of Gods favour that his enemies did not triumph over him Psal 41.11 Thou thinkest not tongue-taunts to be persecution but thou shalt one day heare it so pronounc't in thy bill of inditement Ishmael did but flout Isaac yet St. Paul saith he persecuted him Gal. 4.29 God calls the scorning of his servants by no better a name then persecution and whatsoever thou conceivest of it let this fault be as farre from my soule as my soule from Hell Alasse this is no petty sinne for one malicious scoffe made Foelix nothing day and night but vomit blood till his unhappy soule was fetcht from his wretched Carkasse And Pherecydes did no more but give religion a nick-name a small matter if thou mayst be made judge yet for that small fault he was consumed by Wormes alive And Lucian for barking like a dog against Religion was by a just judgment of God devoured of Dogs Yea suppose the best that can come namely that God gives thee an heart to repent of it before thou goe hence and that thy soule hath her pardon sued out in the blood of Christ as it fared with St. Paul that chosen vessell yet know that thy body and mind shall smart for this sinne above all doe but heare the Apostles owne testimony of himselfe 2 Corinthians 11.23 to 34 did he make havocke of the Church the world made havocke of him for it did he hale men and women to prison himselfe was often imprisoned did he helpe to stone Steven himselfe was also stoned did he afflict his owne countrimen his owne countrimen no lesse afflicted him did he lay stripes upon the Saints the Iewes layd stripes upon him was he very painefull and diligent to beate downe the Gospell he was in wearinesse and painefulnesse frequent watchings and fastings in hunger and thirst cold and nakednesse to defend the Gospell c. Thus he endured when he was Paul what he inflicted as he was Saul and yet he did it out of ignorance 1 Tim. 1.13 from whence we may argue by way of concession thus If he that found mercy felt the rod which scourged him so smart what shall their plagues be in whose righteous confusion God insulteth Pro. 1.26 Isay 1.24 If he who had his booke felt so much paine what shall they feele that are sentenced to eternall death If he that did it of ignorance and out of zeale was lasht with so many stripes what will become of them that doe the same knowingly and maliciously If Christ will be ashamed of them when he comes to judge that onely were ashamed to confesse him when he came to suffer how will he reject those with indignation that rejected him with derision If the wretched Gergasites who repelled Christ for feare are sent into the fire what doe they deserve who drive him away with scorne § 133. NOw the reason why God punisheth this sinne so severely VVhat is done to the godly Christ takes as done to himselfe And well h◠may for their hatred is against God and Christ is this What wrongs and contumelies are done to his children he accounts as done to himselfe as we may plainely perceive by Psal
removing of judgements which now have beene and daily hang over our heads through the many and grievous sinnes which wicked men daily commit and which cry in the eares of God for vengeance yes undoubtedly for if there were not some Abrahams and Lots and Ezraes and Ioshuas Isaiahs Ioels and Ieremiahs amongst us powring out there soules before God in cryes and lamentations for our iniquities what should become of us Eze. 9.4.8 Nothing wil do it but prayer and fasting and repenting and the fasting and prayers of faithlesse people God regardeth not Ier. 14 12 yea the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord only the prayers of the righteous is acceptable unto him Prov. 15.8 And this they will confesse in their affliction wherefore when Godlesse persons are in any distresse they over pray the people of God to pray for them and commonly those too whom they have most hated and abused for the oppressor is in no mans mercy but his whom he hath trampled upon and injuries done us on earth give us power in heaven Hereupon Ieroboam's hand being dryed up Of which many examples for stretching it out against the Prophet he sueth to the man of God saying I beseech thee pray unto the Lord thy God and make intercession for me that my hand may be restored unto me and the man of God besought the Lord and the Kings hand was restored 1 Kings 13.4.6 Thus the Israelites pray Samuel to pray for them 1 Sam. 12.19 and againe cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us that he may save us out of the hands of the Philistims 1 Sam. 7.8 and he did so and the Lord heard him delivered them and slew their enemies verse 9.10 Thus Mirriam though shee grudges at and contests with Moses was forest to be beholding to Moses for his prayer before shee could bee cured of her Leprosie Numb 12.13 Thus when the Lord's wrath was kindled against Eliphaz and his two friends nothing would appease the same but the prayer of Iob whom they had so contemned as the Lord himselfe witnesseth Iob 42.7.8 Thus Elimas the Sorcerer prayes Peter to pray for him Yea of whom did Dives being tormented in the flames of hell expect and seeke for ease but from Lazarus whom lately before hee despised Luk. 16.24 For though the wicked scorne and despise the godly in their prosperity VVho count it a sin to cease praying for their greatest enemies yet in their distresse they only are set by to pray unto God for them who are more ready to solicit God for their mortallest enemies and persecutors then they to desire it be it at the time when they wrong them most witnesse Steeven who when the Iewes were stoning him to death kneeled down and cryed with a lowd voyce Lord lay not this sin to their charge Acts 7.60 And our Saviour Christ who when hee was scoff'd at scornd scourged beaten with Rodds crowned with Thornes pierced with Nailes nailed to the Crosse fild with reproaches as unmindfull of all his owne griefes prayeth for his persecutors and that earnestly Father forgive them they cry out crucifie him he out cries Father pardon them yea they account it a sinne to cease praying for their worst enemies 1 Sam. 12.23 § 138. NEither in time of calamity do they thinke it enough to bee freed themselves as they are sure Wicked mens thoughts touching the religious not the some in distresse as â—n prosperity a judgement shall be no judgement unto them as we see in Moses who fared well himselfe what ever the rest suffered what needed he to have afflicted himselfe with the affliction of others himselfe was at ease and pleasure in the Court of Pharaoh but a good heart can not abide to bee happy alone and must needs unbidden share with others in their miseries and at severall times after for when God threatens to consume the Israelites with the same breath hee promiseth to make of Moses a greater Nation and mightier then they Exod. 32.10.11 and againe Numbers 14.12.13 All which when their enemies have the wit to discerne forceth them to confesse their owne folly wickednesse unthankfulnesse the godlies superlative goodnesse c. As once Laban to Iacob Gen. 30.27 and Pharaoh to Moses Exodus 9.27.28 and againe Chapter 10.16.17 saying I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you forgive mee my sins only this once and pray unto the Lord your God that hee may take away from mee this death only And Saul to David saying I have sinned I have done foolishly and have erred exceedingly thou art more righteous then I for thou hastrendered me good and I have rendered thee evill c. 1 Sam. 24.18 and 26.21 Though afterward when the rod is off their backes they are apt to harden againe and returne to their old byas as did the same Pharaoh and Saul For no longer then they smart no longer can they see and unlesse affliction opens their eyes there is no perswading them but the righteous man is worse then his neighbour yea none so vile no such enemies to the State as the religious What though it were but Haman's pretence yet it was Ahab's very case who peremptorily thought Eliah the cause of all his misery when it was himselfe his sinne brought the famine Eliah's prayer brought the raine yet Ahab tells Eliah and speakes as he thinkes thou troublest Israel And nothing more usuall then for wicked men to hate persecute and complaine most of those to whom they are most bound and beholding Saul received more benefit from David then from any one man in his Kingdome besides both in frighting away the evill spirit from him killing Goliah and many the like yet none was so hated persecuted and evill spoken of by him as hee was Thus Laban and Potiphar were most angry with Iacob and Ioseph for whose sakes only they prospered § 139. ANd thus you see Their ingratitude and great folly that the righteous man keepeth off judgements and procureth blessings not only to himselfe but others his family friends enemies to the whole City and Nation wherein he lives yea his posterity for many ages fare the better for him as God promiseth to establish David's house for his sake and blesse it for ever 2 Sam. 7.12.13.15.16 And promiseth to Phineas the sonne of Eleazar who turned away the Lords anger from the children of Israel and saved them from being consumed that hee would give unto him his covenant of peace and to his seede after him together with the Priests office for ever Numb 25.11.12.13 Thus Israel from time to time were blest and fared the better for Abraham Isaac and Iacob's sake even many yeares after they were dead De. 4.37 1 Kin. 11.12 as Abraham Isaack and Iacob yea all the posterity of Adam are blessed for Iesus sake for else all even the best should have perished all were apostates Adam did forfeit his Patent and none but a Saviour could renew
but hee onely findes helpe in adversity that sought it in prosperity and ther can be no great hope of repentance at the houre of death where there was no regard of honesty in the time of life God useth not to give his heavenly and spirituall graces at the houre of death to those who have contemned them all their life yea it is sensles to think that God should accept of our dry bones when Sathan hath suckt out all the marrow that he should accept of the lees when we have given to his enemy all the good Wine But heare what himselfe saith by the Prophet Malachy c. 1.8 and S. Ierome upon the place it is a most base and unworthy thing to present God with that which man would disdaine and think scorne to accept of Wherefore Admonition not to deferre repentance as you tender your owne soule even to day heare his voyce set upon the work presently he that begins to day hath the lesse work for to morrow And proroge not your good purposes least ye saying unto God in this life with those wicked ones in Iob depart thou from mee for a time God say unto you in the life to come depart from me ye cursed and that for ever Hee hath spared thee long and given thee already a large time of repentance but he will not alwayes wait for denyals his patience at length wil turn into wrath Time was when hee stayed for the old world an hundred and twenty yeares he stayed for a rebellious Nation forty yeares he stayed for a dissolute City forty dayes but when that would not serve his patience was turned into fury and so many as repented not were cast into hell If in any reasonable time wee pray hee heares us if we repent he pardons us if we amend our lives he faves us but after the houre prefixt in his secret purpose there is no time for petition no place for Conversion no meanes for pacification The Lord hath made a promise to repentance not of repentance if thou convertest to morrow thou art sure of grace but thou art not sure of to morrowes conversion so that a fit and timely consideration is the onely thing in every thing for for want of this Dives prayed but was not heard Esau wept but was not pitied the foolish Virgins knockt but were denied and how many at the houre of death have offered their prayers supplications and services unto God as Iudas offered his money to the Priests and could not have acceptance but they died as they lived and went from despaire unto destruction § 154. BUt thou wilt say unto me Objection that must men are of a contrary judgement and practice if this be so that all the promises are conditionall that mercy is entayled onely to such as love God and keepe his Commandements that none are reall Christians but such as imitate Christ and square their lives according to the rule of Gods word that of necessity we must leave sinne before sinne leaves us and that God will not heare us another day when we call to him for mercy if we will not heare him now when he calls to us for repentance how is it that so few are reformed that most men minde nothing but their profits and pleasures yea count them fooles that doe otherwise I answer VVhereof a double reason there be two maine reasons of it though one be the cause of the other 1 Ignorance 2 Vnbeleife First First few men beleeve the whole written word few men beleive what is written of God in the Scripture especially touching his justice and severity in punishing sinne with eternall destruction of body and soule for did they really and indeed beleeve God when he saith that his curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer Zack 5. they durst not sweare as they doe Did they beleive that neither Fornicâ—tors nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Theeves nor Murtherers nor Drunkards nor Swearers nor Raylers nor Lyers nor Covetous persons nor Extortioners nor Vnbeleivers nor no Vnrighteous men shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven but shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6.9.10 Rev. 21.8 they durst not continue in the practise of these sinnes without feare or remorse or care of amendment Did they beleive that except their righteousnesse doe exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5.20 and that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 with many the like it were impossible they should live as they doe Yea if they did in good earnest believe that there is either God or Devill Heaven or Hell or that they have immortall soules which shall everlastingly live in blisse or woe and receive according to that they have done in their bodies whether it be good or evill 2 Cor. 5.10 they could not but live thereafter and make it their principall care how to be saved But alas they are so farre from beleiving what God threateneth in his Word against their sinnes that they blesse themselves in their heart saying we shall have peace we shall speede as well as the best although we walke according to the stubbornnesse of our owne wills so adding drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 yea they preferre their condition before other mens who are so abstemious and make conscience of their wayes even thinking that their God deceiveth them with needlesse feares and scruples as once Rabshekah would have perswaded the Iewes touching their trust and confidence 2 King 18.22.25.30.32.33.35 They beleive what they see and feele and know they beleeve the lawes of the Land that there be places and kinds of punishment here below and that they have bodies to suffer temporall smart if they transgresse and this makes them abstaine from Murther Fellony and the like but they beleeve not things invisible and to come for if they did they would as well yea much more feare him that hath power to cast both body and soule into Hell as they doe the temporall Magistrate that hath onely power to kill the body they would thinke it a very hard bargaine to winne the whole world and lose their owne soules Luk. 9.25 but enough of this having proved the Drunkard an Atheist Sect. the 146. § 155. SEcondly 2 Ignorance is the cause of all sinne another maine reason is ignorance yea ignorance if we rightly consider it is the cause of all sinne sinne indeed at first was the cause of ignorance but now ignorance is the cause of sinne Swearing and lying and killing and stealeing and whoring I may well adde drunkennesse abound saith the Prophet because there is no knowledge of God in the Land Hosea 4.1.2 It is a people that doe erre in their hearts saith God why because they have not knowne my wayes Psal 95.10 yee are deceived saith our Saviour because ye know not the
dispute and discourse as boyes go into the water to play and paddle there not to wash and be cleane as many with Eue doe highly esteeme the tree of Knowledge but regard not the tree of Life they may heape up knowledge upon knowledge bee ever powring into their brains as the fifty daughters of King Danaus who killed their husbands are faigned to bâ—e alwayes filling of a Tunn with water that is bored full of holes but labour they never so much about it yet they can never bring it to passe for whensoever they dye they are undone that houre like Penelope's night will undoe all that ever the day of their life did weave wherein they resemble Albertus Magnus who bestowed thirty yeares studie and paines upon an Image or Statua till with engines and wheeles within he had made it able to speake divers words very distinctly the which Thomas Aquinas utterly spoyled in one minute But to make it more plaine I would faine know what it is or what it profits a man to have the Etymology and derivation of wisdome and knowledge without being affected with that which is true wisdome indeed to be able to decline vertue yet not love it to have the theory and be able to prattle of wisdome by roate yet not know what it is by effect and experience to have as expert a tongue and as quicke a memory as Pertius who never forgat any thing that hee had once read A perfect understanding great science profound eloquence a sweet stile to have the force of Demosthenes the depth of Theseus the perswasive art of Tully c. if withall he live a wicked life with the Astronomer to observe the motions of the Heavens while his heart is buried in the earth with the Naturalist to search out the cause of many effects and let passe the consideration of the principall and most necessary Viz. 1. Sinne the cause of all Misery and wretchednesse 2. Grace the cause of all Good and happines 3. God's will of all other causes the cause 4. God's glory of all other causes the effect With the Historian to know what others have done and how they have sped while hee neglects the imitation of such as are gone the right way with the Law-maker to set downe many Lawes in particular and not to remember the common law of nature or law generall that al must dye or lastly with Adam to know the nature of all the creatures as appeared in his naming of them and with Solomon to be able to dispute of every thing even from the Cedar to the Hysope or Pellitory when in the meane time hee lives like Dives dies like Nabal and after all goes to his owne place with Iudas alasse many a foole goes to hell with lesse cost lesse paines and more quiet That is true knowledge The religious man wifer than the humanist which makes the knower blessed to be wise and happy are reciprocall termes saith Aristotle in his Ethicks and mans happinesse saith another consists in believing the Gospell and obeying Gods commands which is sure to be crowned with everlasting felicity yea Socrates could say that learning pleaseth me but a little which nothing profits the owner of it to vertue and being demanded who was the wisest man he answered he that offends least Hee is the best scholer that learnes of Christ obedience humility c. he is the best Arithmetician that can adde grace to grace he is the best learned that knowes how to be saved yea all the Arts in the world are artlesse Arts to this But few are thus wise and learned because they thinke that to bee wisdome Several misprâ—sions of wisdome which is not like Eve who thought it wisdome to eat the forbidden fruit or Absalom who thought it wisdome to lye with his Fathers Concubines in the sight of all the people or the idle servant who thought it wisdome to hide his Talent or the false Steward who thought it wisdom to deceive his Master for if a man take his marke amisse hee may shoot long enough ere he hit the White and these men are as one that is gone a good part of his journey but must come backe againe because he hath mistaken his way for however these mens knowledge may seeme wisdome as a Bristow stone may seeme a Diamond yet it only seemes so it is not so for if they were wise saith Saint Bernard they would foresee the torments of hell and prevent them yea Epaminondas could say that of all men he was the wisest that lived well and died well for quoth hee the art of dying well is the science of all sciences and the way to learne this art is to live well We only praise that Mariner which brings the Ship safe to the Haven Againe if thou wert a wise man thou wouldest know what wisdome is and not mistake one thing for an other as Iacob in the dark mistooke Leah for Rachel and then chose the best as a traveller for his provision convenience in his journey carrieth his money in Gold thou wouldest like a wise Merchant fraight thy felfe with that commodity or coyne which for mettall and stamp will passe for currant both in this world and in heaven wheras thy lip-learning and tongue wisdome and braine-knowledge is perishing and wil stands thee in no stead in the next life nor any way further thee in the way to blisse For thou art but like a Powder-master who hath provision against an enemy but is ever in danger of being blown up or some covetous churle who though hee have lights good store yet is content to sit in the dark or an irregular Physitian who prescribes a wholsome diet to others when himselfe feeds foully and surfets with intemperance which in reason is to play the foole and to imitate the Miletians who as Aristotle writeth were not fooles but did the selfe same things that fooles were accustomed to doe wherein this is all the difference a man shall be the rather punished and the more because he hath knowne good and done evill for knowledge without grace will but sinke men lower in Hell And great reason shall all such have who either know and believe not or believe and repent not or repent and amend not or amend and persevere not in well doing to cry out upon their death-beds as Tully did in his latter age would God I had never known what wisdome meant Again as themselves are never the better for their great wisdome and learning so no more are others for commonly they resemble dark Lanthornes which have light but so shut up and reserved as if it were not and what is the difference betwixt concealed skill and ignorance It is the nature and praise of good to be communicative whereas if their hidden knowledge do ever looke out it casts so sparing a light that it onely argues it self to have an unprofitable being Wee know the Unicorne hath but one horne but hee doth more
out in thy good purposes 5 Shame not to confesse thy dislike of it in thy selfe and others and meanest to bring thy thoughts to the birth thou must not be ashamed to confesse with that honest theife upon the crosse even before thy companions and fellow drunkards that thou art not now the same man thou wast both thy mind and judgement is changed and so shall thy practise God assisting thee nay thou wilt not only forsake thy sin but their company too except they will forsake their old customes of drinking and scoffing and jeering at sobriety and goodnesse And so doing thou mayst perchance winne thy Brother even as that penitent wanton in St. Ambrosse did his old love who when she courted him according to her accustomed manner and wondred at his overmuch strangnesse saying why doe you not know who I am answered yes I know you are still the same woman but I am become another man I am not I now neither would You be You any longer if yee knew so much as I doe 4 But if yet they persist 6 Fly evill company and seeme incorrigible flye their company for feare of infection least it happen with thee as once it did with a chast person among Penelopes suters who went so often with his friend till in the end he was caught himselfe for if thou keepest them company there is no possibility of thy holding out to the end though thou shouldest for a time as a man may make some progresse in a good way and yet returne before he is halfe at his journeys end as Saul kept himselfe well for two yeares Iudas for three yeares and as it is storied Nero for five yeares yet all fell into damnable wickednesse scarce three worse in the world But of this more in it's proper place Besides how hard a thing is it for thee a coward to shew thy dislike of this sin in some companies where thou shalt be scoff't at thy selfe if thou dislike their drinking and scoffing at others Fiftly 7 Take heede of delayes another thing which I had need to advise thee of is to take heede of delayes for to leave sinne when sin leaves us will never passe for true repentance besides if the evill spirit can but perswade thee to deferre it untill hereafter he knowes it is all one as if thou hadst never purposed to leave thy sinne at all as you have it largely proved Sections 151.152.153 Sixtly 8 Omit not to pray for divine assistance omit not to pray for the assistance of God's spirit to strengthen thee in thy resolution of leaving this sinne St. Ambrosse calls prayer the key of Heaven yet prayer without answerable endeavour is but as if a wounded man did desire helpe yet refuseth to have the sword puld out of his wound Sevently be diligent in hearing God's Word which is the sword of the Spirit 9 Be diligent in hearing that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable cannon-shot which battereth and beateth downe the strong holds of sinne Eighthly 10 frequent in the use of the Lords-Supper be frequent in the use of the Lord's Supper wherein we dayly renew our covenant with God that we will forsake the Devill and all his workes of darkenesse Ninthly 11 Meditaâ—e what God hoth done for thee ponder and med tate on Gods inestimable love towards us who hath not spared to give his Sonne to death for us and the innumerable benefits which together with him he hath plentifully bestowed upon us both in temporall and spirituall things say unto the Lord what shall I render unto thee for all thy benefits but love my Creator and become a new creature Tenthly meditate on that union 12 Meditate on that union we have with Christ c which is betweene Christ and us whereby wee become members of his glorious body and so shall we stand upon our spirituall reputation and be ashamed to dishonour our Head by drawing him as much as in us lyeth into the communication of this swinish sinne consider that our bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost the which we shall exceedingly dishonour if by drinking and swilling we make them to become like wine vessells Eleventhly 13 Consider that the Lord beholdeth thee whersoever thou art consider that the Lord beholdeth thee in all places and in every thing thou doest as the eyes of a well drawne picture are fastned on thee which way soever thou turnest much more while in a brutish manner thou liest wallowing in this sinne and consider him as a just judge who will not let such grosse vices goe unpunished Twelftly be ever or at least often thinking of the last and terrible day of Iudgment when we shall all be called to a reckoning 14 Often thinke of the day of judgment not only for this sinne but for all other our sinnes which this shall occasion to our very words and thoughts And lastly if thou receivest any power against this great evill forget not to be thankfull and when God hath the fruite of his mercies he will not spare to sow much where he reapes much § 176. MOre especially 15 Morcespecially consider the heinousnesse of thiâ— sin and the evills which accompany it that thou maist master and subdue this abominable sin doe but set before thee in a generall view the heinousnesse thereof and the manifold evills and mischiefes which doe accompany it of which I have already spoken as that it is a vice condemned by God and men Christians and infidells that thereby we grievoussy offend God by making our bellies our god by unfiting and disabling our selves for his service by abusing his good creatures which with a plentifull hand he hath bestowed upon us the necessary use whereof many better then we want that thereby we sinne in a high degree against our neighbours generally and particularly against the whole Church and common wealth strangers and familiar acquaintance and most of all against our owne family that hereby we most grievously sinne against our selves by making us unfit for our callings and for the performance of all good duties by disgracing our profession and bringing our selves into contempt by making our selves the voluntary slaves of this vice by impoverishing our estate and bringing upon us want and beggery by infatuating our understandings and corrupting our wills and affections by deforming disabling weakning and destroying our bodies and bringing our selves to untimely death by excluding our selves out of the number of Christs members by quenching the gifts of the Spirit and strengthening the flesh and lusts thereof by causing our soules to be possessed with finall impenitency which is inseparably accompanied with eternall damnation Also remember that as in it selfe it is most sinfull so it is also the cause of almost all other sinnes as of the manifold and horrible abuses of the tongue of many wicked and outragious actions and particularly of those fearefull sinnes of murther and adultery Also call to
mind that as it is the cause of sinne so also of many heauy and grievous punishments as making a man lyable to a fearefull woe and Gods heauy curse subjecting his name to infamy his state to beggery his body to diseases infirmities deformities and immature death his soule to senselesse sottishnesse and depriving the whole man of the joyes of Heaven entereth him into the possession of eternall hellish torments and this will be a good meanes to make thee moderate thy greedy desires mortifie thy carnall affections and curbe thy unruly appetite by putting a knife to thy throate as Salomon adviseth saying I could but I will not take more then is good or fit Yea the consideration of these things and of the wofull condition that drunkards are in will provoke thee to hate their opinions to strive against their practise to pity their misguiding to neglect their censures to labour their recovery and to pray for their salvation For O how ugly doth this monster appeare to the eye of that soule which hath forsaken it how doth she hate her selfe for loving so foule so filthy a fiend for to an understanding rectified The Drunkard is a strange Chimaera more prodigious then any Monster being in Visage a man but a Brotheus Heart a Swine Head a Cephalus Tongue an Aspe Belly a Lumpe Appetite a Leech Sloth an Ignavus a Ierffe for Excessive devouring Goate for Lust Siren. for Flattery Hyaena for Subtilty Panther for Cruelty in Envying a Basiliske Antipathy to all good a Lexus Hâ—ndering others from good a Remora Life a Salamander Conscience an Ostrich Spirit a Devil 1 in surpassing others in Sinne. 2 in tempting others to Sinne. 3 in drawing others to Perdition even the most despicable peece of all humanity and not worthy to be reckoned among the Creatures which God made § 177. SEcondly 16 Abstaire from oâ—unken company for all depends upon this if thou vvouldst reclaime thy selfe from this vice have a speciall care to refraine the company of this drunken Route Pro. 23.20 1 Cor. 5 11. who not only make a sport of drunkennesse but delight also to make others drunke I say as Christ said beware of men Matth. 10.17 for he that goes into wicked company will come wicked out at least worse then he went in It is rare if wee denie not Christ with Peter in Caiaphas his house with Salomon it is hard having the Egyptian without her Idolls whereupon the Fuller in the Fable would not have the Colliar to live in his house least what he had made white the other should smut and collow yea be as wary and as wise as a Serpent to keepe out and get out of their company but as innocent as a Dove if it be possible while thou art in it and canst not choose remembring alwayes that they are but the Devills deputies yea humane Devills as once our Saviour called Peter being instrumentall to Sathan Sathan himselfe get thee behind me Sathan Matth. 16.23 they that will have his trade must have his name too Now by thy observing or not observing this Rule it will appeare whether there be any hope of thy reclaiming for all depends upon this yea could the most habituated incorrigible cauterized drunkard that is even dead in this sinne but forsake his ill company I should not once doubt of his recovery for doe but drive away these uncleane birds from the carkasse a million to a mite the Lord hath breathed into his nosthrills againe the breath of life and he is become a living soule Thirdly and lastly 17 abstaine from drunken places abstaine from drunken places which are even the nurseries of all ryot excesse and idlenesse making our land another Sodom and furnishing yearely our Jayles and Gallouses farre be it from me to blame a good calling to accuse the innocent in that calling I know the Lord hath many in the world in these houses but sure I am too many of them are even the dens and shops yea thrones of Sathan very sinkes of sinne which like so many common-shores or receptacles refuse not to welcome and encourage any in the most lothsome pollutions they are able to invent and put in practise Admonition to sellers of drâ—nke Church-wardens Constables c. who if there were any hope of prevailing would be minded of their wickednesse in entertaining into their houses encouraging and complying with these traitors against God and of their danger in suffering so much impiety to rest within their gates for if one sinne of theft or of perjury is enough to rot the rafters to grind the stones to levell the walls and roof of any house with the ground Zac. 5.4 what are the oathes the lyes the thefts the whoredomes the murthers the numberlesse and namelesse abominations that are committed there But should I speake to these I should but speed as Paul at Ephesus I should be cryed downe with great is Diana after some one Demetrius had told the rest of this occupation Sirs ye know that by this craft we have our wealth surely if feare of having their Signes pulled downe their Licences called in c. cannot prevaile it little booâ—es me to speake Only to you Church-wardens Constables and other Officers that love the Lord the Church the State your selves and people helpe the Lord the King and his lawes against this mighty sinne Present it indite it smite it every one shoote at it as a common enemy doe what you can to suppresse and prevent it Tell me not he is a friend a Gentleman such an ones kinsman that offends for he is better and greater and nearer to you that is offended learn to feare to love and obey your Maker and Saviour your gracious Protector yea learne this Normane distinction when William the first censured one that was both Bishop of Baieux and Earle of Kent his Apologie to the plaintife popeling was that he did not meddle with the Bishop but the Earle doe you the like let the Gentleman escape but stocke the drunkard meddle not with your friend and kinsman but for all that pay the drunkard or if you doe not to your power you shall have Ahab's wages his faults shall be beaten upon your backes 1 King 20.42 But most of all are they to be desired who are within the commission of peace in God's name whose servants they professe themselves to be to remember him themselves their countrey their oathes to bend their strength power against this many headed monster that they will purge the country much more their own houses of this pernicious and viperous brood yea if there be any love of God any hatred of sin any zeale any courage any conscience of an oath away with drunkennesse out of your houses Towns Liberties balk none beare with none that offend say they be poore in whose houses the sinne is practised it is better one or two should loose their gaine than Towns of men should loose their wits their wealths their
medicine saith St. Austin yea admit thou wert put to this extremity that thou must either drinke excessively against thy stomacke and conscience or else thou must die for it as sometimes it falls out either drinke or I 'le stab thee it is farre better saith the same Augustine that thy sober and temperate flesh should bee slaine by a sword then that thy soule should be evercome by this sinne of drunkennesse And indeed the magnanimous Christian will lose his life rather then the peace of a good conscience like Iohn Baptist he will hold his integrity though he lose his head for it And indeed Death in a good cause shall pleasure not hurt us let a man but keepe a good corespondence with God and his owne conscience and then he may answer all as he did when the Tyrant threatned him I will take away thy house yet thou canst not take away my peace I will breake up thy schoole yet shall I keepe whole my peace I will confiscate all thy goods yet there is no Premunire against my peace I will banish thee thy countrey yet I shall carry my peace with mee so mayst thou say take away my riches yet I have Christ take away friends liberty wife and children life and all yet I have Christ that is to me both in life and death advantage Suppose thou beest kild for obeying God rather then man what greater honor can be done thee Queene Anne Bolane the Mother of blessed Queene Elizabeth when she was to be beheaded in the Tower thus remembred her thankes to the King Of a private Gentlewoman said she he made me a Marquesse of a Marquesse a Queene and now having left no higher degree of earthly honour for mee he hath made me a Martyr And what said Iustine Martyr to his murtherers in behalfe of himselfe and his fellow Martyrs you may kill us but you can never hurt us And Francisco Soyit to his adversaries you deprive me of this life and promote me to a better which is as if you should rob me of counters and furnish me with gold The sooner I die quoth another the sooner I shall be happy and even in the very act of suffering God gives courage with the one hand and holds out a crowne with the other 2 Cor. 1.5 and 12.10 When Pyrrhus tempted Fabricius VVhich hath made many preferre it before the greatest pleasure profit or honour the first day with an Elephant so huge and monstrous a beast as before he had not seene the next day with money and promises of honour he answered I feare not thy force and I am too wise for thy fraud He will never feare to be killed who by killing is sure to be crowned His resolution is like that of Consalvo who protested to his souldiers shewing them Naples that he had rather die one foote forwards then to have his life secured for long by one foote of retrait And good reason for doth not our Saviour say whosoever shall seeke to save his life in this case shall lose it I more he shall lose both body and soule eternally for so the words imply but whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospells he shall save it Mat. 10.39 Luke 17.11.33 This priviledge hath God given to those that feare him that they need not to feare any thing else Yea though every paine they suffer were a death and every crosse an Hell they know they have amends enough when they heare the Holy Ghost say Apoc. 2.10 be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the crown of life And indeed this promise which is added should me thinkes be a notable spurre to our perseverance should exceedingly sharpen the commandement and drive it more deepely into our minds making us to say with Pompey being to cary corne to Rome in time of dearth and the Sea tempestuous it is necessary that I goe on not that I live Many have thought health worthy to be purchased with the price of Cauthers and Incisions how painefull soever but alasse eternall life is a precious pearle which a wise Merchant will purchase though it cost him his life yea had he a thousand lives and all that he hath Mat. 13. The women told Naomy that Ruth was better unto her then seven Sonnes Ruth 4. but Christ is better then seventy times seven lives for what is life together with a perpetuated fame from Adam till doomes day in respect of salvation for eternity or what are they that can only kill the body to Him that after he hath kild the body can cast both body and soule into Hell But as warme cloathes to a dead man But others preferre the worlds favour before Gods so are the motions of valour to a fearefull heart say what can be said cleare mens judgements cure their prejudice many will yet feare the worlds opinion more then Gods displeasure which is to runne into the fire to avoid the smoake and more dread the mockes and flouts of men on earth then they doe the grinning mockes of the Devills in Hell which makes them cease to be good Christians that they may be thought good companions wherein they put downe Aesop's foolish fishes that leapt out of the warme water into the burning fire for ease or Timocrates who as Thucydides relates kil'd himself for feare least he should be drowned Wherefore seeing all men cannot receive this gift of fortitude save they to whom it is given I will yet shew you if not a more excellent yet a more safe way to avoid this danger and all other their allurements § 194. IF thou wouldest neither bee intised nor enforced to pledge them VVe must refraine their company and not dispute with them o◠we shall not hold out in any of their wicked customes divorce thy selfe from all acquaintance and society with the vicious yea entertaine no parly with them There are some vices of that nature that they cannot be vanquished but by avoiding such is fornication fly fornication saith the Apostle 1 Corinth 6.18 that is flee the company of fornicators for to be in a lewd womans company saith Salomon and depart innocent and to take fire in a mans bosome and not singe his cloaths or go upon live coles and his feet not be burnt are equally possible Prov. 6.27 28. such is the frailty of mans nature that if the eye but see or the eare heare or the hand but touch a whorish woman the heart will goe nigh to catch and take fire verse 29. And thus is fares with this sinne bid a man consort a while with drunkards and depart from them innocent you may as well put a match to dry powder and forbid it to take fire except he be very well stayed and of better governd affections then ordinary It is not safe to commit a little Wherry to the Seas violence A sticke that hath once been in the fire much more a Torch newly extinguisht being forth with
if they have forsaken all honesty and good conscience it is time for us to forsake them if they depart from us in the foundation of faith and good workes let us as justly wee may depart from them in the building of brotherly fellowship they build on the sand let us build on the rock yea if they forsake the right way wee must forsake them or Christ will forsake us § 196. BUt least this should not suffice Five reasons of breaking off society with our vicious consorts see some reasons to enforce thee thereunto which all Gods people propound to themselves when they bid adue to their old associates in the broad way and purpose to pledge them no more in their wicked customes The reasons are principally 5. and they are weighty 1. That They may come to the sight of their errors 2. That We may not be Jnfected by them nor partake of their sinnes 3. That We may not be Jnfeoffed in their punishments 4. So farre as is possible we may be at peace with all men 5. Because their company would bereave us of comfort which otherwise we should enjoy being alone First First that they may looke into themselves that thereby they may come to the sight of their errors and consequently be reclaimed S. Paul when hee commands the Corinthians to shut the incestuous person out of their society and fellowship gives this reason that his Spirit might bee saved in the day of the Lord 1 Corinth 5.5 Againe when he writ to Timothy that he had done the same touching Hymeneus and Alexander he yeeldeth this to be the reason that they might learn not to blaspheme 1 Timothy 1.20 And in another place If any man obey not our saying note-him by a letter and have no company with him that hee may bee ashamed 2 Thes 3.14 It was the practise of the primitive Church in her first love that shee might shine in beauty and fairenes above alother Synagogues not to admit any scandalous person or open offender into the Communion of Saints untill their foule spots were carefully washt off and taken away by the teares of repentance The bread of the children was not given unto dogs neither by an equall bounty to the godly and the wicked was there an equall encouragement to godlinesse and iniquity but a separation was made betweene the sick and the whole and this separation had no other intent but edification even an edification of the spirit by the destruction of the flesh so that men could find no fault with the dispensers of this power having nothing to complaine of but that their lives thereby were sought to be amended and their soules to be saved I confesse that was a separation of a higher nature the power of the keyes being added they were delivered up to Sathan shut out of heaven herein it is not so but this serves to the same end and is done only in cases of like fact The cause was weighty for which the gates of heaven were to be locked great in the thing done or great in the wilfulnesse of the doer and this not without reason for the doome was heavie and fit for the back of a strong and mighty evil it was a short damnation a temporall hell a shutting out of heaven upon earth yea heaven in heaven even the joyes and comforts of the spirit of consolation Neither could it be but an excellent remedy for besides that it was Gods institution the remedy was fitted to the disease a degree of presumption was encountered with a degree of despaire the Scorpion was made a medicine against the sting of the Scorpion Sathan was set on worke to take him downe by terror unto salvation whom before hee animated and puffed up to destruction he that said at first sin boldly for ye shall not dye at all now hee changeth his voyce and saith thy sinne is greater then can be forgiven thee But the wisdom of dispensation suffered this roring Lion no longer to terrifie but untill his terror did mollifie hee aimed indeed at despaire and destruction but the Church aimed at humiliation and conversion yea at consolation and salvation And indeed humiliation for sinne is the only way to conversion from sinne conversion from sin the only way to the consolations of the Spirit and the comfortable spirit is both the guide and the way to life eternall therefore when the man is humbled Sathan is casheired the horse-leech is taken away when he hath sufficiently abated the vicious and superfluous blood Thus were men healed by wounding exalted by humbling O admirable use and command of Sathan hee is an enemy to God and yet doth him service he is an adversary to man and yet helpes him A strange thing that Sathan should help the incestuous Corinthian to the destruction of his flesh his concupiscence and the edification of his soule A strange thing that Sathan should teach Hymeneus and Alexander not to blaspheme he is the author of blasphemies and yet he teacheth not to blaspheme But is Sathan contrary to himselfe and is his kingdome divided in it selfe no surely dut one that is stronger then hee both in wisdome and power manageth both his craft and malice to ends which himselfe intendeth not The divell is one and the same still even purely malicious but God suffers him to go on in his temptations just so farre as temptation is profitable and no further therefore while Sathan is driving the offender to despaire God stops his course when the sinner is come to due humiliation and then as it was with Christ in the wildernesse so is it with the humbled sinner Sathan is dismissed and the Angels come and minister unto him This was the nature manner and end of publike excommunication private hath relation to it both touching cause and end First publike had respect to the cause that it was to be used only in case of scandalous open and notorious impiety so hath the private wee do not breake off society with any for weaknesses and sinnes of infirmity Secondly that did only aime at their amendment conversion and salvation so doth this we desire only to have them looke into themselves where the fault lyes and seeke to amend their course and certainly nothing will sooner make the adulteresse or drunkard bethink themselves then when they see all that are honest and sober even their neighbours and old associates shun their company and despise them as if they were not worthy of humane society and if they have the least desire to be reputed honest and sober againe and admitted their familiar converse without which they are as it were banished into exile they will do what possibly lyes in them to redeeme their credit and merit their good opinion by a more fober honest and holy demeanour the disparity lyeth only in the power and severity of the agents we cannot we doe not we desire not to deliver them up to Sathan but heartily pray that they may bee delivered
bee sinners that in the meane time we forget them to bee men and brethren I answer Answ This were to dash the first Table against the second whereas they are conscious of both alike A charitable heart even where it hates there it wisheth that it might have cause to love his anger and indignation against sinne is alwayes joyned with love and commiseration towards the sinner as is lively set out Mark 3.5 and Philippians 3.18 where S. Paul tells us of them weeping that are enemies to the crosse of Christ and Mar. 3.5 That our Saviour while he looked upon the Pharisies angerly mourned for the hardnesse of their hearts Zeale is a compounded affection of love and anger When Moses was angry with the Israelites and chid them sharply at the same time he prayed for them heartily And Ionathan when he was angry with his Father for vowing David's death did still retaine the duty and love both of a Sonne to his Father and of a subject to his Soveraign A good man cannot speake of them without passion and compassion yea they weepe not so much for their own sinnes as we doe according to S. Chrysostome's example O that our prayers and teares could but recover them Those that are truly gracious know how to receive the blessings of God without contempt of them who want and have learned to be thankful without over lines knowing themselves have beene or may be as wretched and undeserving as S. Augustine speaks A true Christian can distinguish betweene persons and vices offenders and offences and have no peace with the one while hee hath true peace with the other love them as men hate them as evil men love what they are not what they doe as God made them not as they have made themselves not so hate as to be a foe to goodnesse nor so love as to foster iniquity It is a question whether is worst of the two to be vices friend or vertues enemy Now saith Augustine He is not angry with his brother that is angry with the sinne of his brother yea if we hate the vices of a wicked man and love his person as the Physitian hateth the disease but loveth the person of the diseased there is nothing more praise worthy as saith the same Father And another It is the honest mans commendation to contemne a vile person And another I know no greater argument of goodnesse then the hatred of wickednesse in whomsoever it resides yea David makes it a note of his integrity Psal 31.6 and 139.21.22 and 26.4.5 and in Psal 15. He is bold to ask the Lord this question Who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall rest in thy holy mountaine the answer he receives is this 1. He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesse 2. And speaketh the truth from his heart 3. Hee that slandereth not with his tongue nor doth evill to his neighbour nor receiveth a false report against his neighbour But the fourth is Hee in whose eyes a vile person it contemned while hee honoureth them that feare the Lord and he cannot be sincere who doth not honour vertue in raggs and loath vice though in a robe of State So that as the Prophet asked Iehosophat 2 Chron. 19.2 wouldest thou help the wicked and love them that hate the Lord it may bee demaunded should Christians be friends with them who are enemies to the Crosse of Christ no no. And yet to the men separate from their manners we have no quarrell but wish them better then they either wish to us or to themselves Indeed if we should contemn them as they think we doe it were but a just recompence of their folly and wickednesse for as one speaking of the poverty of the purse saith that poverty is justly contemptible which is purchased by following of vice so may I of the poverty of the mind that poverty of wit and grace is justly contemptible which is purchased by a wilfull rebellion against God and the great meanes of knowledge and grace which we enjoy To conclude this point we think it 's better to leave them and be thought proud wrongfully then stay with them and be knowne bad certainly § 206. AGaine Object some will alledge we give offence to them that are without Another objection answered which is contrary to the Apostles precept who saith Give none offence neither to the Iews nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10.32 as they will make a crooked staffe serve to beat a Dog when a streight one cannot be found Nothing but ignorance is guilty of this scruple Answ for the offence is only taken not given and herein they pervert the Apostles words touching offences as Pharaoh's servants did the same word when they said unto their Master concerning Moses How long shall he be an offence unto us Exodus 10.7 for he meaneth in that place only such offences as are contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell as he hath expounded his own meaning Rom. 16.17 And if nothing might bee done whereat vvicked men are offended then the vvord of God must not be preacht nor his holy and divine precepts walked in yea Christ must not have come into the vvorld to redeem it for he was to the Iews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishnes 1 Cor. 1.2 3 But all vvhich God hath commanded must be done and all vvhich he hath left indifferent may be done and none may or ought to censure the doing of it The precept is plaine one believeth that he may eate of all things and another which is weak eateth hearbs saith the Apostle and vvhat followes let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not condemn him that eateth for God hath received him Rom 14.2.3 If I know the thing to be good and that I doe it to a good end what care I for their idle misconstruction morally good actions must not be suspended upon danger of causelesse scandall in things indifferent and arbitrary it is fit to be over-ruled by feare of offence but if men will stumble in the plain ground of good let them fal without our regard not without their owne perill Now that the Cuckoe may acknowledg this for her owne egg notwithstanding she hath laid it in the Doves nest let the men of the world know that it is not an offence given by us but taken by them yea they first give an offence to us by their ungodlinesse and after take the just reward of the same namely to be excluded our society for an offence wherein they imitate Athanagoras who as Tully reporteth would alwayes complaine of his punishment but of his fault he would say nothing or Adam who was ashamed of his nakednesse but not of his sin wicked men are neither sensible of doing injury nor patient in suffering for it It 's a rule of justice that what men deserve they should suffer yea in this particular case Gods rule is if
c. 770. Degrees Sathan workes men by degrees to the heigth of impiety and not all at once 423. Drunkennesse seven causes of it 259. the transcendency of the sin 694. it is the root of all evill 27. the rot of all good 33. it disables and indisposeth a man to all good 32. the cause of adultery 54. and of murther 50. brings poverty 62. deformes a man 66. debilitates the body 40. beastiates the soule 59. findes men fooles or makes them so 124 examples of drinke besotting men 129 discovers all secrets 82. makes dry and they cure sinne with sinne 78 no dispossessing of a drunken divel 231. wee ought not bee drunk to save our lives 768. Drunkards not to be reckoned among men 2. for they are beasts and wherein 7. yea they exceed beasts in beastlinesse 5. are inferiour to them in five particulars 10. they shame their creation 14. the drunkards outward deformities 37. his inward infirmities 40. he is his own executioner 19.47 one drunkard tongue enough for twenty men 80. his vaine babling 85. scurrilous jesting 86. wicked talking 87. impious swearing 89. his discourse and behaviour on the Ale-bench 115. to drink is all his exercise 144. all his labour is to satisfie his lusts 74. they drink not for the love of drink if you will believe them 272. which being so doubles their sin 274. they drink more spirits in a night then their flesh and brains be worth 145. Drunkards transform themselves into the condition of evill Angels 25. and practise nothing but the art of debauching men 307. how they intise 319. what they thinke of him they cannot seduce 521. but in time of their distresse they think otherwise ibid. how they will enforce men to pledg their healths 320. how impatieut of deniall 321. an unpardonable crime not to drinke as they doe 137. to damne their own soules the least part of their mischiefe 331. one true drunkard makes a multitude 332. if the divel would surrender his place it should be to some good fellow or other 334. the divell speakes in and workes by them as once he did by the Serpent 299. how drunkards smarme in every corner 336. Sathan more men on earth to fight for him then the Trinity which made us 301. Drunkards like Iulian who never did a man a good turn but it was to damn his soule 339. wher efore keepe out of their reach 714. see the danger and know their aime 714. refraine dispute with them or thou wilt not hold out 773. punishment of drunkards 147.456 they are reserved to the great day ibid. the drunkard hath beene too long sicke to bee recovered 690. they have a way to evade all Gods threatnings 542. E ENmity betweene the wicked and godly 341. proclaimed by God in Paradise 430. Envie if drunkards cannot seduce us they will envie and hate us 341. how their enuy vents it self at their mouths 1. by censuring the sober 347. whereof foure reasons 349. secondly by slandering them 358. whereof seven reasons 366. againe at their hands many wayes 391. of which five reasons 402. Evill we are more prone to then good 717. Example of the greatest Number 165. the greatest Men 169. the greatest Schollers 177. the best men 197. let Custome 162. Reason 202. Good intentions 206. bee added no safe rule to walk by without a precept 162. Excuses of drunkards taken away 154. F FAith 653. Drunkards would flout us out of our faith 381. Feare and cowardise a cause of drunkennesse 282. Fooles the greatest polititian the greatest foole 613. in five particulars made good 621. some wise in foolish things and foolish in wise things 638 bray them in a mortar they will not leave their sinnes 624. though the Divel makes fooles of them yet he makes them wise enough to make fooles of any that will trust them 636 the voluptuous fooles 643. the greatest bousers the greatest buzzards 121. the greatest humanist without grace little better 604. Forsake none but counterfeits will forsake Christ for all they can do 534. Friends wicked men wrong none so much as their best friends to whom they owe their very lives 515. love and friendship only among good men 843 G GOd his gifts numberlesse 481. Godly what is done to them Christ challengeth as done to himselfe 508. Goodnes alone the whetstone of a drunkards envie 386. Good and bad agree together like the Harp and Harrow 821. good men must be imitated only in good things 157. good intentions cannot justifie evill acts 206. good-fellowes who 820. reputation of goodfellowship 277. Guilty we may be of anothers sin divers wayes 825 H HAnds hatred and malice of drunkards would break out at their hands were they not manacled by the Law 391. Heart to get an humble heart 649. Hatred against the religious the most bitter and exorbitant 343. they hate none but the good 411. but they are sure of opposition 412. how their hatred vents it selfe 345. their hatred is against God and Christ 508. not to tell our neighbour of his faxlts is to hate him 826. to hate the vices of a wicked man but love his person 849. wee should hate evill in whomsoever 850. Hell a description of it and the last judgement 458.461 good men draw all they can to Heaven 440. wicked men all they can to Hell ibid. none helpe to people Hell like drunkards 451. they would have our company in Hell 436. and why 446. the covetous man can finde in his heart to go to Hell so his sonne may be left rich 629. Healths a shoinghorne to all excesse 309. they drinke others healths their owne deaths 323. of which many examples and of the just judgement of God upon drunkards 314. healths great in measure or many in number 310. if small the liquor is stronger or the number more 311. healths upon their knees 313. not more forward to drinke healths then zealous and carefull that other pledge the same 318. the rise and originall of health drinking 313. Honesty he the soberest and honestest man that resembles the drunkard least 691. good-fellowship the utmost of a drunkards honesty 139. Honour misprision of it and reputation 322 Hope easily blown into a wicked man and as soone blowne out of him 444. Hurt drunkards would hurt and maime us for being sober and conscionable if they durst 392. I IDlenesse a cause of drunkennesse and drunkennesse a cause of idlenesse 72. an idle person good for nothing but to propagate sin 73 Ignorance of drunkards 121.107 and all naturall men 177.600 the cause of all sin 593. drunkards in sensible of their sinne and danger because ignorant 107. Ingratitude and great folly of wicked men 526. Intention of soule-murther shall bee rew arded as if they did it 539. Ioy if true only enjoyed by good men 817. the joy of worldlings more talked of then felt 817. objections touching joy and good-fellowship answered 817. Iudge wicked men judge of things 757. and persons 759. by contraries 761. their judgement
and practise cleane contrary to Gods Word ibid. how the Divel deludes the fancy and judgement of a naturall man 721. Iudgements of God what use drunkards make thereof 111. the religious keep off judgements 516. first by their innocency 516. secondly by their prayers 517. K KIll drunkards and wicked men would kil the godly if they would not yeeld 392. of which their savage disposition five reasons 402. first they must do the workes of their father the Divell 402. secondly that their deeds of darknesse might not come to light 404. thirdly they cannot follow their sinnes so freely so quietly ibid. fourthly what they could not make good with reason they would with iron ibid. fifthly their glory and credit is eclipsed by the godly 405. but they cannot do as they would though their punishment shall bee all one 399. King Sathan their King and they must seek his wealth and honour and inlarge his Kingdome by winning all they can from Christ 431. Knowledge he that hath saving knowledge hath every other grace 597. six helpes to saving knowledge 646. L LAw and precept our-only rule 210. Looke Drunkards look to us not to themselves 356. Love wicked men think they love God but they doe hate him 512. Drunkards love their sinnes better then their soules 551. a Drunkard can never love thee being sober and religious 834. a wicked mans love mercenary and inconstant 835. nothing rivits hearts so close as religion 845. Lust provoked by drunkennesse 54. discard all filthy lusts and corrupt affections 646. M MEanes must be used 664. to sinne against mercy the abundance of meanes and many warnings mightily aggravates sinne 475. Melancholly Drunkards drink to drive it away 259. but this increaseth it 260. Memory Drunkards have shallow memories 132 Mercy God in mercy infinitely transcendent 550. but it makes nothing for such as will not part with their sins 551. his mercy is a just mercy 554. mercy rejoyceth against justice but destroyeth not Gods justice 553. if we forsake our sinnes God will for give them how many and how great soever 152. wicked men apply Christs passion and Gods mercy as a warrant for their licentiousnesse 542. they are altogether in extreames either God is so mercifull that they may live how they list or so just that he will not pardon them upon their repentance 546. Mocking some will better abide a stake then others a mock 504. Mourne in all ages the godly alone have mourned for the abominations of their time 255. Modesty in some a vice 842. Most obejection that most men are of another judgement answered 589. Multitude how Sathan guls the rude multitude 293. the multitude will do what they see others do 371. of which many examples 372. Murther caused by drunkennesse 50. N NAmes we should taint our names by keeping evill company 808. to defend our neighbours good name if we can a duty 828. Naturall men called beasts in Scripture 3. O OBedience God hath equally promised all blessings to the obedient and threatned all manner of judgements to the disobedient 554. Offences Objection against offences answered 742. P PAssions and affections make partiall 352. they must be discarded 646 Peace our case would be far worse if wee had the worlds peace 390. not strange that wicked men should agree so well 414. agreement of wicked men not worthy the name of peace 832. Persecute wicked men persecute not the evil but the good 499. Petitions God may grant them in anger 659 Plague be it never so hot drunkards are the same 137. it hath wrought little or no reformation 245. many the worse for it 247. Taverns fullest when the streets emptiest 248. Pledge the originall of the word 327. Practise how the godly and wicked differ in their practise 249. wee know no more then wee practise 595. Pray Gods people count it a sinne not to pray for their greatest enemies 523. pray not for knowledge without putting difference 658. when we cannot pray what 663. Presumptuously do drunkards sin 471. Prejudice makes many resolve against yeelding 724. Pride and reputation of good-fellowship a cause of drunkennesse 277 pride of wit 280. Promises entailed to believers and limited with the condition of faith and repentance 560. Profession of religion 382.532 look Scoffs Punishment wicked men complaine of their punishment but of their sin they speake not 539. R REason as it is clouded with the mistes of original corruption a blind guid 202. once debauched is worse then brutishnesse 693. Reckoning worldlings never think of the reckoning they are to give 621. Regeneration what and how we may know our selves to be regenerate 565. Repentance what and how we may know whether we have repented 570. not to deferre it 588. sicknesse no fit time for it 79. God wil not accept our dry bones when Sathan hath suck't out all the marrow 586. the several wayes whereby God cals to repentance 478. in a judgement so many as repent are singled out for mercy 257 if any would repent of and relinquish this sin of drunkennesse let them first lay to heart the things delivered 695. secondly refraine the causes ibid. thirdly believe their state dangerous and that there is no way to helpe but by a chang to the contrary 696. fourthly be peremptory in their resolution ibid. fifthâ—y shame not to confesse their dislike of it in themselves and others 700. sixthly fly evill company 701. seventhly take heed of delayes 702. eightly omit not to pray for divine assistance ibid ninthly be diligent in hearing 703. tenthly frequent in the use of the Lords Supper ibid. eleventhly meditate what God hath done for them ibid. twelfthly think on the union we have with Christ ibid. thirteenthly confider that God ever beholdsthem 704. 14ly often think of the day of judgement ibid. fifteenthly consider the bainousnesse of this sin and the cvills which accompany it 705. sixteenthly abstaine from drunken company 709. for all depends upon this seventeenthly abstaine from drinking-places 710. Report of necessity we must be evill spoken of by some 756 the evill report of evill men an honour 763 Reputation hee of most reputation that can drinke most 139. Reward of drunkards 146. and swearers 104. they shall have a double portion of vengeance to other men 464 Righteous the civilly righteous have hell for their portion 465. S SAthan hath all worldlings under his command 21.402.432 and they must do what he will have them 379. by degrees be works men to the heighth of impiety 423. Saints falls should make us beware not presume 157. Scoffes beate off many from their profession 532. the scoffer commonly worse then the scoffed 367. none but fooles will be scoffed out of their religion 754. yet few that will not offend God and their conscience rather then be scoft at 749. Scripture he must be studious therein and follow that rule who will know Christ savingly 664. Security the certaine usher of destruction 242. Separate Drunkards and swearers deserve like dirt
in the house of God to be throwne out 93. of which five reasons 94. happy if they were kept by themselves 230 Shame Drunkards would mitigate their owne shame by discrediting the good 374. Singularity a vertue when vice is in fashion 225. Sinnes against knowledge and conscience 467. open and scandalous sinnes how evill 472. to multiply the same sinnes often 473 to commit one sin on the neck of another 473. how one mans sin may extend it selfe to millions yea after ages 539. Drunkards not only sin but make others sin too 493. the Divell shewes the sweet of sin but hides the bitter of punishment untill afterward 734. custome of sinne takes away the sense of sinne 427. Slander Drunkards raise slanders of the godly 358. of which seaven reasons 366. how apt men are to believe slanders of the godly and to spread them 360. what delight wicked men take in hearing evill of the good 361. a slander once raised will scarce ever dye 377. how they mitigate their owne shame by slandering others 368. and often prevaile against the good hereby 370. the condition of a slanderer set out 363. his sinne and punishment 378. Smiting God will not leave smiting untill we smite that which smites at his honour 253. Soule Drunkards guilty of Soule-murther 443. 530. nothing but our Soules will satisfie the Serpent and his seed 436. covetous man cares more for his outward estate then for body or soule 626. Spirit saving knowledge not attain'd without the Spirits help 655. Straite what a straite the godly are in 383. Striking 392. Subtilty and wisdome two different things 641. Successe custom of it makes men confident 241 Suffer our Saviour suffered two and twenty wayes of his enemies 397. Suggestion evill more ready at hand then a good 717 Superlative some men strive to bee superlative in sinne 415. severall examples of superlative sinners 416. Suspition ignorance the cause of it 351. Swearing the most in excusable sin 100. of which 2. reasons 101. that of all others the swearer shall bee sure of plagues 104. three wayes to make men leave their swearing 112. T TAle-bearing the receiver as bad as the tale-bearer 380. Tempting Sathan the Tempter wicked men his Apprentises or Factors under him 298. the many wayes that Sathan hath to set upon us 297. aswell reckon up the motes in the Sunne as all sorts of Seducers 304. all wicked men resemble the Divell in Tempting 286. how politick they are in Tempting 288. Drunkards Sathans principle agents in this businesse 306. the Drunkards chiefe delight is to infect others 286. Temptations on the right hand the most dangerous 746. A wise man will suspect the smooth streame for deepnesse 747. they never wound so deadly as when they stroke us with a silken hand 745. to bee a Tempter the basest office 330. their seduceing of others will adde to the pile of their torments 450. how greedy most men are of temptation 295. Sathan needs but say the word 295. or suggest the thought 296. the minde of man not capeable of a violation either from man or Sathan 303. it will bee a poore plea an other day to pretend that such and such deceived us 743. he whom the Lord loves shall be delivered out of their snares and he whom the Lord hates shal fall into them 341. Sathan disturbes not his own 387. no greater temptation then not to be tempted 388. Theefe objection of the thiefe upon the crosse answered 548. Thoughts of wicked men touching the religious not the same in distresse as in prosperity 524. Time they drink to drive it away 267 if times be bad wee should be more carefull 223. Tongues that drunkards use their tongues only a frivolous excuse 503. a lewd tongue a lowd one and a lowd tongue a lewd one 86. Traduce us because they cannot otherwise hurt us 376. V VErtue and vice can never accord 409. Victory Drunkards in conquering are most overcome 329. Vice every vice hath a title given it and every vertue a disgrace 293. Violence when by gentle perswasions they cannot prevaile they use violence 726. W VVIcked nothing will doe good upon a wicked heart 691. whereof many examples ibid. a continual warre betweene the wicked and the godly in all ages 432. Watchfulnesse 740. we must be Watchfull Wise Valiant if we will not be overcome by their allurements 739. Whores the Divel much beholding to whores but farre more to drunkards 451. Wine the drunkards high esteeme of it about making wise 45. Wine lawfull if used lawfully Winne wee should be as zâ—aâ—ous and industrious to win soules to God as they are to Sathan 455. Wisdome no wicked man a wise man 189. how wise the drunkard is in his owne conceit 118. of which two reasons 119. drunkards purâ—lind to worldly wisdome starke blind to heavenly 133. they not alwayes the wisest which know most 604. the religious man wiser then the most profound humanist 608. or the cunningest Politician 613. severall misprisions of wisdome 609. worldly men account folly wisdome and wisdom folly 601. objection that the strictest livers are seldome the wisest men answered 600. Witnesse every invitation to repentance will bee a witnesse against us 484. Word to believers is all in all 213. Words he would never endure blowes that connot concoct evill words 767. wee should read their words backward 763. World begins with milke ends with an hammer 720. whereas Christ keeps back the good wine untill afterwards ibid. many prefer the worlds favour before Gods 772. Worldlings have more peace with 1. Sathan 731. 2. the world 731. 3. themselves 732. then Gods people they may satisfie their lusts to the full 727. have free scope and liberty to do or say what they please 729 whereas Gods people are restrained intheir very thoughts ibid. whence they thinke themselves morâ— happy in serving the Divell then others in serving oâ— God 733. they profit more in sinne then the godly iâ— grace 734. they are penny wise and pound foolish 63â— but it is otherwise with the godly ibid Wounds those prove deepe wounds to weake Christianâ—â— that would be balm and physick unto abler judgement 765 Z ZEale a compounded affection of love and anger 84â— we should be as zealous in good as they are in evâ—â— 455 FINIS