Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	day_n	lord_n	week_n	9,333	5	9.8928	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50664	Immorality, debauchery, and profaneness, exposed to the reproof of Scripture, and the censure of the law containing a compendium of the penal laws now in force against idleness, profaneness, and drunkenness, houses of unlawful games, profane swearing and cursing, speaking or acting in contempt of the Holy Sacrament, disturbing of ministers, profane jesting with the name of God, absenting form the church, profanation of the Lord's day, debauched incontinency, and bastard-getting : with several texts of Scripture prohibiting such vices : also a brief collection of several signal judgments of God against offenders in the said vices and debaucheries / published for the advancement of reformation of manners, so happily begun and carried on by several societies, by G. Meriton, Gent.	Meriton, George, 1634-1711.	1698 (1698)	Wing M1800; ESTC R16769	67,391	130

him so nimble Mr. Ameridith replied he doubted not but to dance about the May-Pole the next Lord's Day but before he moved out of that place he was smitten with such a Feebleness of Heart and Dissiness in his Head that desiring help to carry him to a House he died before the next Lord's Day came At Walton in Surrey upon the Thames there in a great Frost Anno 1634 Three young Men on the Lord's Day after they had been at the Church in the Forenoon where the Minister pressing the words of his Text out of 2 Cor. 5. 10. That we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ c. They the while whispered as they sate And in the Afternoon they went together over the Thames upon the Ice unto a disorderly House of Gameing c. where they spent the remainder of the Lord's Day and part of the Night also in Revelling one of them in a Tavern merrily discoursing the next Day of his Sabbath Deeds and of his Voyage over the Ice but on the Tusday after these three returning homewards and attempting to pass over the Ice again they all sunk down to the bottom like Stones whereof one only was miraculously preserved but the other two were drowned Anno 1598 the Town of Teverton in Devo●shire was often warned and advised and told by the Godly Pastor thereof that God would bring some heavy Judgment upon the Inhabitants of that place for their horrible Profanation of the Lord's Day occasioned chiefly by reason of their market-Market-day being on the Monday and accordingly not long after their Minister's death in the said Year God sent a terrible Fire which in less then half an Hour consumed the whole Town except the Church the Court-house Almes-houses and a few poor People's Dwellings and above 50 Persons were consumed and perished in the Flames Also Anno 1612 it was again wholly burnt down except a few poor Houses they not being warned by the former Judgment but continuing in the same Sin In the Year 1635 A Profane Company of young Men went as Mr. Faucnor relates on the Lord's Day early in the Morning to Clarendon-Park to cut down a May-Pole and having loaden the Cart with it at Miln●rs-Barn entring into Salisbury one of the Cart Wheels falling into a Rutt made the young Tree in the Cart which they had stoln for a Pole to give a great shugg on one side which struck one of the Company such a blow on the Head that it beat out his Brains so that he presently died in the place and there lay a fearful Spectacle of God's Wrath both against that idle Sport and wilful prosaning of the Sabbath whilst he makes the very thing they had chosen for their Sport and Pastime to be the Instrument of executing his Fury And Dr. Teate gives a second Example of this Nature in the Year 1626. We read that Mr. Abberley a Godly Minister in Burton upon Trent did often take occasion to reprove and threaten Sabbath-breakers especially such as sold and bought Meat upon the Sabbath-day Mornings a Practice too common it seems in that place nevertheless there was a Taylor in the Town a very nimble active Fellow dwelling at the upper end of the Town who would go through the long Street as it were in Bravado to the other end of the Town and fetch home Meat on the Lord's Day before Morning-Prayer But as he came back with both his Hands full in the midst of the Street he fell down stark dead which as it pleased God says the Doctor did work some Reformation both amongst the Butchers and others When I was in Cheshire says my Author there was one Sir T. S. a Papist and at that time in favour at the Court who coming into his Country was much feasted and followed by the Gentry and upon a Sabbath day was entertained and feasted at a Knight's House where many others were present towards Evening they went to Dancing and in the midst of their Sports there was one Sir J. D. that had a great Blow given him on his Leg by an invisible Hand which made him lame for a long time after Thomas Savage a young Man who was Executed at Ratcliff Octob. 28. 1668 for Murthering his Fellow-Servant whilst he was in Newgate cryed out thus to some that came to see him O Wretch said he that I was 〈◊〉 studied how I might spend the Lord's Day in the Devil's Work I thought I could never dishonour God enough and that time I should have served God in I did most for Satan in it on the Sabbaths I used to play my Prancks I sometimes went into the Church indeed but I may speak it to my Shame and deep Sorrow I never heard one whole Sermon all the while I was with my Master and indeed I laughed at those that spent the Sabbath in Hearing and Praying and looked upon them as the veriest Fools in the World I was glad when the Sabbath came that I might have time to run to my Vile Comrades I rejoiced that then I could go to satisfy my cursed Lusts with Wherish Women O tell young Men from me that the breaking of the Sabbath is a dangerous and costly Sin Also while he was in Newgate one Sabbath day his Fellow-Prisoners being at Cards asked him to join with them O said he you and I have something else to do with our Time than to play at Cards is it now a time for us to be sporting away the Sabbath when we have but one poor Sand left us to work for Eternity A Minister on a time preaching and pressing the Sanctification of the Sabbath had occasion in his Sermon to make mention of that Man that by the special Command of God was stoned to death for gathering Sticks upon the Sabbath day Whereupon one in the Congregation stood up and laughed and made all the haste that he could out of the Church and went to gathering of Sticks the he had no need of them but when the People came out from Sermon they found this Man stark dead with the bundle of Sticks in his Arms lying in the Church-Porch Gregory Tomonensis reports that an Husbandman who upon the Lord's Day went to plow his Field as he cleansed his Plow-share with an Iron the Iron stuck so fast into his Hand that for two Years he could not be delivered from it but carried it about continually to his exceeding great Pain and Shame Another Profane Fellow without any regard to God or his Service made no Conscience to lead his Corn out of the Field on the Lord's Day in Sermon time but he was well rewarded for his ungodly Covetousness for that Corn which with so much care he gathered together was consumed with Fire from Heaven with the Barn and all the Grain that was in it And a certain Noble-man every Lord's Day using to go a Hunting in the Sermon time the Lord punished his Impiety with this Judgment he caused his Lady to

bring forth a Child with a Head like a Dog that seeing he preserred his Dogs before the Service of God he might have one of his own getting to make much of At Kimstat a Town in France in the Year 1559 there lived a certain covetous Women that was so greedy of Gain that she would neither frequent the Church her self to hear the Word of God not suffer any of her Family to go but continually stay'd labouring and toyling about drying and pilling Flax and doing other domestick Businesses and could not be reclaimed by her Neighbours and one Sabbath day Fire seemed to run among the Flax without doing any harm the next Sabbath day it took Fire indeed but was quickly extinct all this would give her no warning but she continued obstinate in her Profaneness the third Sabbath day the Flax again taking Fire could not be quenched till it burnt her and two of her Children to death for tho they were taken out alive yet the next day they all three died and that which was most to be wondered at says the Reporter a young Infant in the Cradle was taken out of the mid'st of the Flames without any hurt thus God uses to exercise his Judgments upon the Contemners of his Commandments In the Year 1583 at London at the Bear-Garden a great number of People being gathered together on a Sabbath day to see the Sport the Lord that he might chasten them in some sort and show his dislike of the profaning the Sabbath caused the Scaffolds suddenly to break the Beholders to tumble down headlong so that eight Persons Men and Women were slain besides many others were sore hurt and bruifed to the shorthing of their Lives The like Judgment happened at a Town in Bedfordshire called Risley in the Year 1607 where the Floor of a Chamber wherein a great number were gathered together to see a Play on the Sabbath day fell down and many by the Fall thereof sore hurt and some killed In May 1629 one John Bow of Ely Coachman to one Mr. Batnum of Beenham a Fellow very vitious and exceeding in these two Evils of Profane Swearing and Drunkenness on the Sabbath day in the Sermon time drank himself drunk so that when he was to sit in the Coach-box to drive the Coach he fell from it under the Horses Feet and was trodden to death or so hurt at least that he died shortly after In November 1621 one Richard Burn Servant to Jasper Burch Gardiner of Ely accustomed to travel on the Lord's Day and making no reckoning of the Sabbath seldom or never coming to the Church on that day but went onwards to St. Ives Market and so spent the day and being drunk was at length overtaken by the just Judgment of God for going up the Stream in his Boat which he had loaden with Marketable Wares he fell into the River and was drowned Mr. Hugh Clark preaching about Oundle in Northamptonshire where the People were generally very ignorant and much addicted to the Profanation of the Lord's Day by Whitson-Ales Maurice-Dances c. which he much set himself against endeavouring to evince their and to draw them from the Evil and Danger o● the Sin denouncing God's Judgments in case of their obstinate Perseverance but they being train'd up in those Courses and hardned by custom persisted still in their Wickedness At last on a Lord's Day the Leader of the Dance a Lusty young Man in the mid'st of their Profane Pastimes fell down suddenly and died but they soon shaking off their Fear returned to their Vomit again the Lord's Day following Mr. Clark took occasion from this sad dispensation to quote that Text Jer. 17. 27. If thou wilt not hearken to me to hallow the Sabbath day c. then will I kindle a Fire in the Gates thereof c. The People still kick'd against these Admonitions and the Eve following returned to their Sports again among whom was a Smith that was a chief Ring-leader but it pleased God the very next day two Husbandmen coming to sharpen their Plow-shares at his Shop a spark from the red hot Iron as he was beating it upon the Anvil flew into the Thatch which both the Smith and the Neighbours saw but had no power to move towards it which presently burnt down the Shop House and all the Smith had This Mr. Clark pressed upon their Consciences but nothing would prevail till at last upon a Sabbath day at Night when they were return'd to their several Homes there was heard a great noise and ratling of Chains up and down the Town which was accompanied with such a smell and stink of Fire and Brimstone that many of their guilty Consciences suggested to them that the Devil was come to fetch them away quick into Hell and now and not till now they began to think in good earnest of a Reformation Edmond Kirke Vintner executed July 11. 1684 for murthering his Wife in his Confession acknowledged himself frequently guilty of profaning the Lord's Day upon which Holy Day saith he I committed the heinous Sin of murthering my Wife Thus Sin was punished with Sin a less with a greater and the greater with the Gallows and that greater committed near the same Gallows and himself confessed that he had to his Wife asking whilst she passed by what place that was told her it was Tyburn where John Gower was lately hang'd for killing his Wife O Lord how dear to me thy Counsels are but how just and terrible thy Judgments Mr. Smythies Curate of St. Giles's Cripple-gate in the Confession and Discovery of a condemned Prisoner executed for Theft May 25 1687 saith as Mr. Burton reports that it was his earnest desire that all young Men should take care not to mispend the Lord's Day And I do not know says Mr. Smythies that ever I observed any Repentance in a condemned Malefactor who did not bitterly lament his neglect of his duty to God on that day In a Convocation of the Clergy at Perth in Scotland Anno 1188 for the better Sanctification of the Sabbath day it was ordained as Arch-Bishop Spotswood tells us that every Saturday from twelve of the Clock should be set apart for preparation thereunto and that all People at the sound of the Bell should address themselves to hear Prayers and abstain from worldly Labours till Monday Morning If nothing that is here shewed can prevail or any ways induce the presumptuous obstinate Prosaners of the Lord's Day to forsake their sinful and provoking Wickedness then let him that is young observe what Solomon says Rejoice O young Man in thy Youth and let thy Heart chear thee in the days of thy Youth and walk in the ways of thy Heart and in the sight of thine Eyes But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into Judgment Eccles 11. 9. And he that is old let him know that death is at his Heels ready to trip them up and gives no warning of his coming

open particularly and pathetically This struck her to the Heart She falling presently into Frenzy and Despairing soon after died Which News came to the Gentleman before he reach'd Gravesend The Old Man afterwards inriched him with a great part of his Land which he enjoys saith my Author to this day Thomas Savage frequenting the House of Hannah Blan a noted Bawdy-House spending upon her such Money as he could get to satisfy his own Lust and her craving Appetite is tempted first to stealing and purloining from his Master and at length to the murthering of a Maid his Fellow-Servant for which he was afterwards brought to the Gallows and hang'd Mr. Robert Foulks of Stanton Lacy first an Adulterer and then a Murtherer of his Bastard Child ended his Days very Ignominiously at Tyburn tho Penitently John Allerion Bishop of Waterford in Ireland for unnatural Concupiscence came to a very disgraceful end being arraigned and executed at Dublin for the same Venery was the Destruction of Alexander the Great of Otho the Emperor call'd for his good parts otherwise Miraculum mundi of Pope Sixtus 4. who died of a Wicked Waste of Paul the 4th of whom it passed for a Proverb Enim per eandem partem animam profudisse per quam acceperat 'T is notoriously known how far this Sin prevailed in England amongst the lazy Monks and Nuns what Skulls of Infants were found near their Religious Houses before the dissolution of them in K. H. 8. days And much about the same time viz. at the beginning of the Reformation as I have read in a Letter writ by the Popes Notary to a Gentleman of Germany says my Author there was a Nunnery visited in the Outer Skirts of Italy and thirteen of the Nuns found with Child at the same time all by the Confessor for which cause by order of the Pope it was put down The Minister of Staunton Lacy Mr. Foulk aforementioned who was executed at Tyburn Jan. 31. 1678 for murdering his Bastard-Child being at the place of Execution he admonished the People to consider the Mischief of Uncleanness and what a Sin it was for a Member of Christ to make himself the Member of an Harlot that it was a Sin that seldom goes alone but is the Mother-Sin to a number more warning all to avoid the Snares of a Whorish Woman and to keep the Marriage-Bed undefiled and to remember his Ignominious Exit occasioned by his sinful defiling of the same Nathaniel Butler executed in Cheapside 1657 for killing his Fellow-Prentice being at the place of Execution he warned the People to beware of the Beginning of Sin saying When I was first enticed into Evil I was tender and fearful of it but not diligently hearkning to the Word of God nor the Voice and Checks of Conscience I went on so that by degrees I was emboldned in Sin and at last it became as familiar to me as my daily Food Therefore as you love your Souls take heed of the beginnings of Sin If I had so done I had escaped this Punishment and Shameful end O that I could prevail cry'd he with every young Person to cast away Sin betimes and check it in the first beginning and that I had taken the Counsel which I have now given c. Loathing my Beloved and Darling-Sin Vncleanness And admonishing all young People to watch and pray against it Hoping if he were to live as many Years as he had then but Moments to live he should through the Grace of God never commit it any more John Marketman executed in Essex for murdering his Wife April 17. 1680 confessed he had departed from his God in his Youth that he had neglected the Church and the publick Worship of God and choosing rather to spend his time in an Ale-house It brought me says he to Evil Company and so to Drunkenness which getting an habit made me a professed Enemy to God and to give my self over to Swearing and Cursing Lying Whoring and so from one Sin to another till I arrived at the height of all Impiety c. That formerly he loved to commit Sin but now hated the very thoughts of it and would not commit a Sin for a Kingdom exhorting the People to take heed of the beginnings of Sin telling them you will find if once you habituate your selves to the committing of Sin it will be very hard to root it out it must cost you many a Tear and much Bitterness in crucifying your Darling-Sins which Trouble and Expence might be sav'd if you would be careful to resist the first Temptation Bewailing his Drunkenness and Uncleanness Henry Parker Executed at Tyburn 1689 for Counterfeiting Guineas lamented much the mispending of his Time saying O the precious Time I have squandered away upon Trifles and Vanities upon my Lusts and Pleasures which I now want to make my Peace with God and purchase Eternal Life That it was not so easy to repent as he supposed It were endless to enumerate all the sad Examples of Divine Judgments that might be brought under this Head but I shall not multiply Examples but recommend these already set down to the perusal and serious Consideration of all profane lascivious incontinent debauched Persons and shall conclude and shut up all in St. Paul's Advise to them Rom. 13. 13 14. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envying But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof FINIS THE CONTENTS OF THE SEVERAL CHAPTERS   Page CHAP. I. A Summary Account of the Laws made against profuse idle customary and expensive Tipling and against sinful customary and profane Drunkenness and against keeping Places or Houses of unlawful Games 9 CHAP. II. An Account of some Texts of Scripture shewing the sad Consequences and Effects that attend the customary sinful and profane practise of profuse Quaffing and Drunkenness 22 CHAP. III. Of several exemplary Judgments both Ancient and Modern Foreign and Domestick of God's severe Justice inflicted upon customary presumptuous and profane sinful Drunkards 28 CHAP. IV. A Compendium of the Laws made against profane idle customary Swearing and Cursing 44 CHAP. V. Some Texts of Scripture shewing the Odiousness and Danger of profane customary Swearing and Cursing 50 CHAP. VI. Of several signal fearful and amasing Judgments of God's severe Justice inflicted upon customary profane and presumptuous Swearers and Cursers 55 CHAP. VII An Abstract of the Laws made against the Profanation of the Lord's Day commonly called Sunday about the Sacrament disturbing Ministers absenting from the Church c. 76 CHAP. VIII Of the several Places or Texts of Scripture relating to the due Observation and Sanctifying of the Sabbath 86 CHAP. IX An Account of several Instances of God's severe Justice and Punishments that have befaln presumptuous customary Profaners of the Lord's Day commonly called Sunday 91 CHAP. X. A brief Account of the

Drink and slain by Carts I says my Author forbear to mention because such Examples are so common and ordinary A Yeoman's Son in Northamtonshire being drunk at Wellingborough on a Market day would needs ride his Horse in bravery over the Ploughed Lands so fell from his Horse and broke his Neck A Knight notoriously given to drink carrying some Pales of Drink into the open Fields to make People drunk withal being upon a time drinking with Company a Woman comes in delivering him a Ring with this Posy in it Drink and Die saying to him this is for you which he took and wore and within a Week after came to his end by drinking One of Aylesham in Norfolk a notorious Drunkard was drowned in a shallow Brook of Water with his Horse And one to my own knowledg in Yorkshire being drunk as he was going home fell down upon his Face into a very small running Water and was drowned there though the back side of his Head was all dry and not covered with the Water Two examples says Mr. Ward have I known of Children that murdered their own Mothers in drink and one notorious Drunkard that attempted to kill his Father of which being prevented he fired his Barn and was afterwards executed A young Fellow of North-Allerton in Yorkshire being Drunk and having some reproof given him by his Mother he murdered her in her own House upon a Good-Friday she having received the Sacrament that day and being but come from the Church a little before At a Tavern in Breadstreet in London certain Gentlemen drinking Healths to their Lords on whom they had Dependance one desperate Wretch steps to the Tables end lays hold of a Pottle Pot of Canary Sack swears a deep Oath What! will none drink a Health to my noble Lord and Master and so setting the Pottle Pot to his head drank it off to the Bottom but was not able to rise up or to speak when he had done but fell into a deep snoaring Sleep and being removed laid aside and covered by one of the Servants in the House attending the time of his waking was within the space of two hours irrecoverably dead A man in Suffolk overtaken with Wine tho never in all his Life before as he himself said a little before his Death and others that knew him said the same vet going down a pair of Stairs against the perswasion of a Woman sitting by him in his Chamber he fell and was so dangerously hurt that he died soon after not being able to speak from the time of his Fall to his Death I forbear says my Author to name the parties thus punished for their Kindreds sakes yet living says he In Dengy Hundred near Maldon there fell out an extraordinary Judgment upon five or six that plotted a solemn Drinking at one of their Houses laid in Beer for the purpose drunk Healths in a strange manner and all died thereof within a few Weeks after some sooner and some later In August 1618 one Thomas Alred of Godmanchester in Huntingdonshire Butcher an accustomed Drunkard being entreated by a Neighbour to unpitch a load of Hay and being at that very time in drink leting his Pitchfork slip out of his hand and stooping to take it up again slipped from the Cart with his head downwards his Fork standing upright with the Tines he fell directly upon them which at once run him into the Breast and struck his Heart so that he died suddenly And in July 1628. one John Vintner of Godmanchester Gardiner a known Drunkard and one that would profanely especially in his drink scoff at Religion and abuse good men fell from the top of a Pear-Tree and brake his Neck and so died Manlius in his common Places gives a Relation of three abominable Drunkards who drank so long till one of them fell down stark dead and yet the other two nothing terrified with such a dreadful example of divine Vengeance proceeded on still in their vain presumptuous drinking and poured the dead mans part into him as he lay by them So that the Text in the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 5. ver 12. might well be applied to them They regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his Hands St. Ambrose tells of one Theotimus that being told by his Physicians that much Quaffing would make him blind Vale Lumen Amicum said he Farewel dear Eyes if ye can bear no Wine Then ye no Eyes shall henceforth be of mine So that he would rather lose his Sight than his Sin his Soul than his Lust And St. Austin brings in a Drunkard saying Malle se vitam quam vinum eripi he had rather lose his Life than his Wine We are told by a credible Author That about eight Persons that were Citizens and Citizens Sons in the Country of Swaben meeting together at a Tavern on a sabbath-Sabbath-day morning proceeded to that height that they drank themselves drunk and then began to blaspheme God and scoff at the Vintner who advised them to leave drinking and go to Church and hear the Word of God preached at which advice they did not only continue to mock but continued on their drinking but on a sudden the Devil coming in among them in a Gentlemans Habit and drinking to them set their Mouths in such a Fire that these Drunkards not only became amazed thereat but also after a miserable manner were all strangled to death A Soldier in Salisbury in the midst of his Health-drinking and Carousing in a Tavern drank a Health to the Devil saying that if the Devil would not come and pledg him he would not believe that there was either God or Devil whereupon his Companions being strucken with Horror hasted out of the Room and presently after hearing an hideous noise and smelling a stinking Savour the Vintner went up into the Chamber and coming in he missed his Guest and found the Window broken the Iron Bar in it bowed and all Blood but the man was never heard of afterwards A Vintner that accustomed himself to Swearing and Drunkenness as he was upon a Lords-day standing at his Door with a Pot in his Hand to invite in Guests there carne suddenly such a violent Whirlwind as carried him up into the Air after which he was never more seen Zeno the Emperor was such a Drunkard that he would often lie as one dead for many hours so that he grew not only odious to all People but even to his own Wife who upon a time finding him in that case caused him to be laid in a Tomb with a great Stone upon the top of it whereby he was miserably pined to death Maginus reports of Fliolmus King of Goths that he was by his drunken Servants thrown headlong into a Vessel of Ale and therein was drowned In Glocestershire an horrid Patricide was committed by an ungracious Son being drunk upon his Father whom he desperately slew The like unnatural Villany was committed by one Purchas an

Essex Monster upon the Body of his Mother whom he likewise slew In the Parish of Castle-Terra in the County of Cavan in Ireland a Gentleman when he met with jovial Company used to drink Healths and throw the Glasses against the Walls he delighted also to contradict what Ministers delivered in their Sermons and having heard one preach of the Benefits and Trial of a justifying Faith after Sermon he demanded of the Preacher whether he could remove Mountains if I could see you do that then said he I would believe you had Faith otherwise not for does not the Gospel say If a Man have Faith but as a Grain of Mustard seed he shall say to Mountains be removed hence and it shall be done But at length this Gentleman was strucken with the Small-pox which got into his Throat in such manner that he could not swallow nor let down a little Beer to cool his excessive internal Heat wherewith being sore tormented he broke out into these Expressions to an honest man that stood by O Thomas would I could now receive one of those Glass-fulls of Drink which formerly I have thrown against the Wall in a Frolick and afterwards when he saw there was no Remedy but die he must he said again O that I now had Faith like a Grain of Mustard-seed and a little after he deceased in the fifty seventh year of his Age. We read of a Drunkard says Mr. Clark who in the midst of his Cups sold his Soul to the Devil for a Tankard of Wine and the Devil forthwith had his Bargain A certain young man that had devoted himself to a pious and retired course of Life was much assaulted by the Devil by sundry Temptations and pressed to make choice of one of these three Sins once to be drunk or to lie with his Neighbours Wife or to kill his Neighbour and the Temptation so far prevailed that at last he chose the first viz. once to be drunk as deeming it the least Sin but when the Devil had drawn him to that at the same time both the other Sins were committed by him For as St. Bernard observes Ad universa vel crudelitatis vel turpitudinis facinora perpetranda facilis invenitur via cui nulla sobriae mentis ratio sed ebrietas dominatur When Drunkenness gets rule and dominion over a man he is then easily drawn to commit any sort of Villany so when the young man was gotten drunk he then did not scruple to lie with his Neighbour's Wife and to kill his Neighbour too A certain Drunkard whom I says a godly Minister knew very well when he was in drink quarrelled with his fellow-Servant and after a few words knock'd him down with his Flail and kill'd him at one blow yet when he came to his Trial by the help of his Friends he made a shift to escape the Halter and came home again and there he used to swear and curse and drink at as high a rate as ever but at last when he was in the same Yard where he committed the aforesaid Murder he fell down dead in a moment and I was saith the same Minister one of the first that saw him Mr. Baxter tells us a Story for a certain Truth There is in London saith he an understanding sober pious man oft one of my Hearers who hath an elder Brother a Gentleman of considerable Rank who having formerly seemed pious of late years doth oft fall into the Sin of Drunkenness he oft lodgeth long together here in this his Brothers House and whenever he is drunk and hath slept himself sober something knocks at his Bed-head as if one knocked on the Wainscot when they remove the Bed it followeth him besides loud noises in other parts where he is that all the House heareth They have oft watch'd and kept his Hands lest he should do it himself and his Brother has often told me and brought his Wife a discreet Woman to attest it who averreth moreover that she watching him has seen his Shoes under the Bed taken up and nothing touch them they brought to me the man himself and when we asked him how he dared to sin after such a warning he had no excuse but being a person of Quality for some special reason I says Mr. Baxter must not name him Nathaniel Butler was first addicted to Drunkenness Gaming Purloining and Fornication before he committed that murder upon his Friend John Knight in Milk-street London 1657. for which he was afterwards condemned to the Gallows and executed Mr. William Rogers an Apothecary in Crane-brook in Kent exceedingly much given to Drinking and Sabbath-breaking tho a young man of a pleasing sweet Temper was often admonished and perswaded by Mr. Robert Abbot Minister of the place to come to Church but had often promised and failed But one Lord's-day in the morning when he said he was ready to come he was taken sick and betook him to his Bed but it proving only an Ague next morning he betook him to his old course again next Week after the Messenger of Death came in earnest Mr. Abbot addressed himself to him in his Chamber with these words O how often have you deceived God your own Soul and me and what is now to be done I fear you will die and then what will become of you his Sickness prevailed and there was too great a Fire kindled in his Breast to be smothered it burned in his own Soul and it lightned from his Heart and Lips into the Ears and Hearts of those about him one while he cries out of his Sins saying I have been a fearful Drunkard pouring in one draught after another till one draught could not keep down another I now would be glad if I could take the least of God's Creatures which I have abused and have neglected my Patients which have put their Lives into my hands and how many Souls have I thus murdered I have wilfully neglected God's House Service and Worship and tho I purposed to go God strikes me thus before the day of my promise comes because I am unworthy to come amongst God's People Again another while he falls to wishing O that I might burn a long time in that Fire pointing to the Fire before him so I might not burn in Hell O that God would grant me but one year or a month that the World might see with what an Heart I have promised to God amendment O that God would try me a little but I am unworthy Another while to his Companions Beware by me to forsake your wicked ways lest you go to Hell as I must do calls his young Servant tells him that he had been a wicked Master to him But be warn'd by me says he you have a Friend that has an Iron Furnace which burns hot and long but if you give your self to my Sins you shall be burned in the furnace of Hell an hotter Furnace millions of millions of Ages The Minister propounding the Gospel-promises of the largest

three hours but if the Offender be under that Age and shall not forthwith pay the same sum of twelve Pence then he or she by such Warrant as aforesaid shall be whip'd by the Constable or by the Parent or Master in his presence And if such Offender shall commence any Suit at Law against any Officer or other for such distraining sale of Goods whipping or setting in the Stocks the Defendant or Defendants may plead the general Issue and give the special matter in evidence to the Jury at the Trial and if it be found against the Plaintiff or Plaintiffs or they are Nonsuited then the Defendant or Defendants shall be allowed good Costs to be taxed by the Court. The Offence shall be complained of and proved as abovesaid within twenty days after the Offence committed And it is Enacted That this Act shall be read in every parish-Parish-Church by the Minister thereof upon the Sunday after Evening-Prayer twice in the Year There being no Penalty inflicted upon Ministers by this Statute of the 21 Jac. 1. for the not reading thereof it was therefore in most Churches very seldom and in some Churches never read and it being a long time since the making of this Law and the Penalty appointed thereby to be paid by the Offenders very small and proof by two witnesses troublesom it was therefore very seldom put in execution So for the more effectual discouragement and restraining of this spreading and catching profane Vice another Act of Parliament has been made in the sixth and seventh years of his present Majesties reign King William the third something more severe as appears by the Tenure thereof hereafter following By the Statute of the 6 7 Gul. 3. Ch. 2. it is Enacted That if any Person or Persons shall profanely Swear or Curse in the presence and hearing of any Justice of Peace of the County Riding or Division or of the Mayor or other Head Officer or Justice of Peace for any City or Town-Corporate or by the Confession of the party offending before any such Magistrate where the said Offence shall be committed that then for every such Offence the party so offending if a Servant Day-labourer common Soldier or common Sea-man shall forfeit and pay to the use of the Poor of the Parish where such offence is committed one Shilling and every other Person two Shillings and in case any of the Persons aforesaid shall after Conviction offend a second time such Person shall forfeit and pay double and if a third time treble the sum respectively by him or her to be paid for the first Offence And upon neglect or refusal of paiment of the said Forfeiture any Justice of Peace of the County Riding or Division or Mayor or other Head Officer or Justice of Peace for any City or Town-Corporate where the Offence is committed shall have Authority and are required to send his Warrant to the Constable Tything-man Church-warden or Overseer of the Poor of the Parish where the Offence is committed or where the Offender shall inhabit thereby commanding them or some or one of them to levy by Distress and sale of the Goods of the Offender or Offenders the sum so forfeited for the use of the Poor of the Parish as aforesaid and for want of Distress then every such Offender being above the age of sixteen Years shall by such Warrant as aforesaid be publickly set in the Stocks for the space of one Hour for every single Offence and for any number of Offences whereof he shall be Convicted at one and the same time then two Hours and if the party offending be under the age of sixteen years and shall not forthwith pay the said Forfeiture then he or she shall by Warrant as aforesaid be whip'd by the Constable or by the Parent Guardian or Master of such Offender in the presence of the Constable And if any Justice of Peace or chief Magistrate shall wilfully or wittingly omit the performance of his Duty in the execution of this Act he shall forfeit the sum of five Pounds one moiety to the use of the Informer to be recovered by Action Suit Bill or Plaint in any of his Majesties Courts at Westminster wherein no Essoin Protection c. shall be allowed nor any more than one Imparlance And if any Action or Suit shall be commenc'd or brought against any Justice of Peace Constable or other Officer for any thing done in the pursuance of this Act concerning the said Offences the Defendant in such Action may plead the general Issue and give the special matter in Evidence and upon a Verdict for the Defendant or Non-suit of the Plaintiff or Discontinuance then the Defendant shall have treble Costs No Person to be prosecuted or troubled for any Offence against this Statute unless the same be proved and prosecuted within ten days next after the Offence committed This Act shall be publickly read four several times in the Year in all Parish Churches and publick Chappels by the Parson Vicar or Curate of the respective Parishes or Chappels immediately after Morning-Prayer on four several Sundays that is to say the Sunday next after the four and twentieth day of June the nine and twentieth day of September the five and twentieth day of December and the five and twentieth day of March under the pain of twenty Shillings for every such Omission or Neglect And the Justice of Peace Mayor or other Head Officer shall register in a Book to be kept for that purpose all the Convictions made before him upon this Act and the time of making thereof and for what Offence and shall certify the same to the next general Quarter-Sessions of the Peace for the said County or Place where the Offences are committed to be there kept upon Record by the respective Clerks of the Peace to be seen without Fee or Reward Altho some Persons accustomed to profane Swearing and Cursing in their ordinary discourse and communication may possibly evade the Punishments ordained and appointed by the aforementioned Laws for such abominable wickedness yet such daring presumptuous Sinners may be assured they cannot without serious and unfeigned Repentance and an absolute and total renouncing and forsaking of their Wickedness escape the punishments threatned by Almighty God against such provoking Sins and that they may not be ignorant thereof I shall in the next Chapter set down several proofs of Scripture to that purpose in hopes that upon the perusal and serious Consideration thereof their Consciences may be touched with the guilt of their profane debauched Wickedness CHAP. V. Some Texts of Scripture shewing the odiousness and danger of profane customary Swearing and Cursing THOV shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain Exod. 20. 7. Deut. 5. 11. He that Curseth his Father or Mother shall surely be put to death Exod. 21. 17. Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of thy

and a Kinswoman into a Garden he had and the Ministers coming to admonish him and exhort him to Repentance he was so far from being touched in Conscience or any ways moved with their godly Admonitions that he strove rather to harden himself more and more in his Wickedness And being one day swearing and denying God and giving himself to the Devil and calling for him with vehemency the Devil came and snatched him up presently and heaved him up into the Air his Wife and Kinswoman looking on and seeing him fly over their Heads he was never afterwards seen any more A Popish Priest on a time thundring out bitter Curses in the Pulpit against Luther wished if Luther's Doctrine was true that a Thunder-bolt might strike him to death three days after a mighty tempest of Thunder and Lightning arising the Priest ran to the Altar into the Church and fell to his Prayers but the Vengeance of God found him out and his Hypocrisy so that he was strucken in a manner dead with the Lightning but coming to Life again as they led him homewards through the Church-yard another flash so scorch'd him that he was burnt from the crown of his Head to the sole of the Foot as black as a Shoo so that he died with the manifest mark of God's Vengeance upon him Beza reports that he knew a man in France of good parts well instructed in Religion and a Master of a Family who in his anger Cursing and bidding the Devil take one of his Children had presently his wish for the Child was possessed immediately with a Spirit from which tho by the frequent and continual Prayers of the Church he was at length released yet before he came to his perfect Health he died The like hapned to a Woman whom her Husband in anger devoted to the Devil with bitter Curses whereupon Satan assaulted her presently and deprived her of her Wits so that she could never be recovered Another example saith the same Author hapned to a Perjurer that wittingly and wilfully forswore himself to the end to prejudice and deceive another but he had no sooner made an end of his false and wicked Oath but a grievous Apoplex seized him so that without speaking any one word afterwards he died within a few days A decrepit Romish Priest being by the help of others heaved and lift up into the Pulpit and choosing the Text out of 1 Cor. 11. concerning the Lord's Supper and taking occasion to defend the Papistical errors of the Mass he used these or the like blasphemous Speeches O. Paul Paul if this Doctrine touching the receiving the Sacrament in both kinds be true and if it be a wicked thing to receive it otherwise then I wish the Devil would come to take me and then turning himself to the People if the Pope's Doctrine concerning this point be not true then I am the Devil's bond-slave neither do I fear to pawn my Soul upon it These and many other blasphemous words he used till the Devil came indeed in the likeness of a tall man black and terrible sending before him such a fearful noise and such a wind that the People fearing the Church falling on their Heads were greatly amazed but he not able to hurt the rest took away the old lame Priest being his devoted Bond-slave and carried him so far that he was never after heard of In the year 1556. at St. Gallus in Helvetia a certain man that earned his living by making clean rough foul Linen against the Sun entring a Tavern tasted so plentifully of the juice of the Grape that he vomited out terrible Curses against himself and others amongst the rest he wished if ever he went into the Fields to his old Occupation that then the Devil might come and break his Neck yet notwithstanding his late words and this his profane and wicked Execration after sleep had conquer'd his drink and sobriety restored his Senses he went again to his Trade remembring his late words but little regarding them but however the Devil attended him at his appointed hour in the likeness of a big swarthy man and asked him if he remembred his promise the Vow which he made the day before and if it were not lawful for him to break his Neck and so struck the poor trembling man over the Shoulders that his Feet and his Hands presently dried up and there he lay not able to stir till by help of men he was carried home the Lord not giving the Devil so much power as he wished himself but yet permitting him to plague him on this sort for his Amendment and our Example Henry Earl of Schwartburgh through a corrupt custom used commonly to wish that he might be drowned in a Privy and as he wished so it hapned unto him for he was so served and murdered at St. Peter's Monastery in Erford in the year of our Lord 1148. The like befel a young Courtier at Mansfield whose custom was in any earnest Asseveration to say the Devil take me if it be not so so the Devil took him indeed whilst he slept and threw him out at a high Window where tho by the goodness of God he caught no great harm yet he learnt by experience to bridle his Tongue from all such cursed Speeches this being but a taste of God's Wrath that is to fall upon such wretches A Woman giving her self to the Devil both Body and Soul did use most horrible Cursing and Oaths both to her self and others usually at all times and in a more effectual manner at a certain Wedding and the People exhotting her to leave off her sinful course of Life yet she not regarding their advice continued in her profane wicked progress till all the People were set at Dinner and very merry and then the Devil came in Person and transported her into the Air before them all with most horrible outcries and roarings and in that manner carried her round about the Town so that the Inhabitants were very terribly afraid and then he tore her in four pieces leaving in several Highways a quarter that all that came by might be witnesses of the Punishment and then returning to the Marriage threw her Bowels on the Table before the Mayor of the Town with these words Behold these dishes of Meat belong to thee whom the like destruction awaiteth if thou dost not amend thy wicked Life There is mention made in Luther's Conferences that divers Noble-men being striving together at an Horse-race in their Course cried The Devil take the last and the last being a Horse that broke loose the Devil hoisted him up into the Air and took him clean away We read of a certain man that provided a sumptuous Supper and none of his invited Guests coming to it he in a great Passion and Heat said If none of them will come then let all the Devils in Hell come and presently came a number of those hellish Fiends whom he not discerning from men coming to welcom and

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