shall have their severall objects of wretchednesse and that without intermission or end or ease or patience to indure it § 45. NEither let drunkards ever hope to escape this punishment Yet if they can repent and leave their sin God is very ready to forgive except in due time they forsake this sinne for if every transgression without repentance deserves the wages of death eternall as a just recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 Rom. 6.23 how much more this accursed and damnable sinne of drunkennesse which both causeth and is attended upon by almost all other sinnes as hath beene shewed And yet if thou canst after all this but truly repent and lay hold upon Christ by a lively faith which ever manifesteth it selfe by the fruits of a godly life and conversation know withall that though thy sinnes have beene never so many for multitude never so great for magnitude God is very ready to forgive them and this I can assure thee of yea I can shew thee thy pardon from the great King of Heaven for all that is past the tenour whereof is Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous his owne imaginations and let him returne to the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isâ—â— 55.7 and againe Ezec. 18. â—f the wicked will turne from all his sinnes which he hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live and not die all his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not bee once mentioned unto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done hee shall live because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall save his soule alive ver 21.22.23.27.28 other the like places you have Ioel 2.12.13.14 Yea I can shew thee this very case in a president 1 Cor. 6.10.11 where we reade of certaine Corinthians that had bin given to this sinne of drunkennesse who upon their repentance were both washed sanctified and justified And St. Ambrose tells of one that being a spectacle of drunkennesse proved after his conversion a patterne of sobriety Yea know this that Gods mercy is greater than thy sin what ever it be thou canst not be so infinite in sinning as hee is infinite in pardoning if thou repent let us change our sins God will change his sentence God is more mercifull saith Nazianzen then man can be sinfull if hee bee sorrowfull none can bee so bad as God is good the Seed of the woman is able to bruse this Serpents head wherefore if you preferre not hell to heaven abandon this vice But withall know that if it shall come to passe that the drunkard when he heareth the words of this curse namely these threatnings before rehearsed shall Pharaoh like harden his heart and blesse himself in his wickednesse saying I shall have peace although I walk according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not be mercifull to that man but then his wrath and jealousie shall smoak against him and every curse that is written in his Law shall light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under heaven as himselfe speakes Deutero 29.19 20. which chapter together with the former I wish thee to read if thou wilt know thy selfe and foreknow thy judgement § 46 I But will some Titormus say being it may be 4. Excuses which drunkards usually make taken away stronger to drink and taler to tipple then Milo himself was to eat who devoured a whole Oxe at a meale I was never so gone yet but I knew the way home I could tell what I did what I said c. for if a drunkard can but put his finger just into the flame of the candle without playing hit I misse I which is their tryall of the victory If they can bare their drink they are no drunkards though hee spue whole fish-ponds he is held a sober man Yea no man ever saw mee so much as wheele in the streets I am therefore no drunkard neither doe these threatnings appertaine to me as desperate is the cause which admits no colour of defence but what answers the Prophet woe unto them that are mighty to drinke wine men of strength to mingle strong drinke Isa 5.22 and Salomon that divine Orator answers whose answer is also ours they that tarry long at the wine they that go to seek mixt wine they are the parties to whom this woe belongs they are to bee ranked with drunkards Yea the abuse may bee committed many wayes as vice is manifold vertue vniforme drink then is not only abused when it turnes up a mans heeles and makes the house runne round but when it steales away the affections so far that a man cannot make too much hast to it take too much paines for it spend too much time at it and money in it Believe it if a man drink too much for his purse too much for his calling and occasions too much for his health and quiet of body and mind Salomon cals him a drunkard A man hath no more reason nor warrant to drown his time his estate his liver his stomack c. then his wits and braines and in cases of this nature things are rather measured by the intention and affection of the doer then by the issue and event Why should not a man be deemed a drunkard for his inordinate affection to drinke as well as an adulterer for the like affection to his neighbours wife Sinne as sinne in it's owne colours and nature is neither desired nor desirable but onely as it is disguised and offers it selfe to the understanding and will in the likenesse and habit of goodnesse Alasse if none be drunke but such as have lost their leggs tongues senses that by tumbling in their owne vomit and sleeping in a guzell what should Salomon speake of quarrells bablings c. such bee as dead asso many withered plants and doe what you will to them they lye like Iupiters logg and neither answer nor stirre again it is your mannerly sober methodicall drunkard that drinkes by the hower and can tell the clock that drinkes by measure and by rule first so much Ale then such a quantity of Beere then of Sack then of Rhenish then back again from Wine to Ale to Beere till the reynes bee cleansed the liver cooled the stomack set upright and heat and moysture brought to a just and an even temper wherefore though it be somewhat to keep a mans senses yet it is not sufficient a man may not be drunk and yet not bee sober § 47. AGaine secondly for the drunkard doth nothing amisse 2. Their alleadging the examples of some holy men though the Divell himself would scarse wish him to do worse some will excuse themselves yea beare and bolster out themselves in their drunkennesse or at least lessen their sin by pleading
Beere good drinke But in the meane time how many thousands which are hard driven with poverty or by the exigents of warre might be relieved with that these men spend like beasts whiles that is throwne out of one swines nose and mouth and guts which would refresh a whole family O wofull calamity of mankind saith S. Augustine how many may we find that doe urge and compell those that be already satisfied to drinke more then becometh them and yet will deny even a cup of small drinke to the poore that beg it for Gods sake and for Christs sake they pinch the hungry to pamper the full withhold drinke from the thirsty to make others drunke with too great abundance § 44. BUt It is Gods unspeakable mercy that wee have not a fomine or that the land doth not spue out her inhabitants for this sin O how just a punishment were famine after such a satiety and pestilence after famine for such as turne the Sanctuary of life into the shambles of death O Lord it is thy unspeakeable mercy that our land which hath beene so long sicke of this drunken disease and so often surfitted of this sinne doth not spue us all out which are the inhabitants The Lord of most glorious Majesty and infinite purity sees all heares all knowes all and yet behold we live nay the Lord still causes Heaven Earth Sea Land all Creatures to waite upon us and bring us in all due provision nay he hath not long since abounded even in that blessing and graine which hath bene most abused to drunkennesse here is patience here is mercy here is bounty O that we could stay here and suffer our selves to lose our selves in the meditation and admiration of this wonderfullnesse But what 's the reason God will not punish the righteous with the wicked But Drun kards are reserved unto the great day Gen. 18.25 he knoweth how to deliver the godly and to reserve the wicked these brute beasts who walke after the flesh in the lusts of uncleannesse and count it pleasure to riot unto the great day to be punished 2 Peter 2.9.13 whose judgement is not farre off and whose damnation sleepeth not ver 3. For as surely as the word of God pronounceth many a woe unto them as woe to Drunkards saith Isaiah that are mighty to drinke wine and unto them that are strong to powre in stroâ—g drinke that continue drinking till the wine doth inflame them Woe saith Habakuk unto him that giveth his neighbour drinke till hee be drunken Woe saith Solomon to them that tarry long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine Woe to his body which is a temporall woe woe to his soule which is a spirituall woe woe to both body and soule which is an eternall woe howle ye Drunkards saith Ioel weepe yee saith St. Iames Isaiah 5.22 Habakuk 2.15 Ioel. 1.5 Iames 5.1.5 Yea which of Gods Servants hath not a woe in his mouth to throw at this sinne so every tittle of this word shall be accomplished God will one day hold the cup of vengance to their lips and bid them drinke their fills Yea The judgments of God spirituall temporall and eternall which in Scripture are threatned against Drunkards as Drunkards are Sathans eldest Sonnes so they shall have a double portion of vengance whereas riot in the forenoone hath beene merry in the afternoone drunke at night gone to bed starke mad in the morning of their resurrection it shall rise sober into everlasting sorrow they finde not the beginning and progresse so sweete as the farewell of it shall be bitter for as sure as God is in Heaven if they forsake not their swilling which they are no more able to doe then they are able to eate a rocke the Devill hath so besotted them they shall once pay deare for it even in a bed of unquenchable flames I speake not of the many temporall judgments which God brings upon them even in this life though to mention them alone were omni-sufficient if they thirsted not after their owne ruine as I could tell them from Levit. the 26. and Deut. the 28. that all curses threatned all temporall plagues and judgments which befall men in this life are inflicted upon them for sinne and disobedience But I speake of those torments which are both intollerable and interminable which can neither be indured nor avoided when once entred into If I say you persevere in this your brutish sensuallity and will needs Dives like drinke here without thirst you shall thirst hereafter without drinke yea though that fire be hot the thirst great and a drop of water be but a little yet in this hot fire and great thirst that little drop shall be denied you Luke 16. For know this that without repentance Paul will be found a true Prophet who saith that no Drunkard shall ever enter into the kingdome of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9.10 And Isaiah no lesse who saith that Hell enlargeth it selfe for Drunkards and openeth her mouth without measure that all those may descend into it who follow drunkennesse and preferre the pleasing of their palats before the saving of their soules Isaiah 5.11.14 for as they shall be excluded and shut out of Heaven so they shall be for evermore damned body and soule in Hell Christ shall say unto them at the great day of accounts depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Devill and his Angells Math. 25.41 As they make their belly their god and their shame their glory so damnation shall bee their end Phil. 3.19 yea their end is a damnation without end it is heauy and miserable that their end is damnation but it is worse and more miserable that their damnation is without end wickednesse hath but a time but the punishment of wickednesse is beyond all time Neither is the extremity of the paine inferiour to the perpetuity of it for the paines and sufferings of the damned are ten thousand times more then can be immagined by any heart as deepe as the Sea and can be rather indured then expressed it is a death never to be painted to the life no pen nor pencill nor art nor heart can comprehend it Yea if all the land were paper and all the water inke every plant a pen and every other creature a ready writer yet they could not set downe the least peece of the great paines of Hell fire For should we first burne off one hand then another after that each arme and so all the parts of the body it were intollerable yet it is nothing to the burning of body and soule in Hell should we indure ten thousand yeares torments in Hell it were much but nothing to eternity should we suffer one paine it were enough but if we come there our paines shall be even for number and kindes infinitely various as our pleasures have bene here every sense and member every power and faculty both of soule and body
83.2.5.6 Pro. 19.3 Psal 44.22 and 69.7 Rom. 1.30 and 9.20 Math. 10.22 and 25.45 Luk. 21.17 Zach. 2.8 1 Sam. 17.45 Isa 37.4.22.23.28 Psal 74.4.10.18.22.23 Psal 89.50.51 Acts 5.39 and 9.4.5 Psal 139.20 Isa 45.9 Iob. 9.4 Isa 54.17 1 The. 4.8 Io. 15.18.20.21.24.25.23 Num. 16.11 1 Sa. 8.7 And well he may for they that hate and revile the Godly because they are godly as these doe hate and revile God himselfe and they that fight against the grace of the Spirit fight against the Spirit whose grace it is and whatsoever wrong is done to one of Christ's little ones is done unto him Math. 25.45 It is an idle misprision to sever the sense of an injury done to any of the Members from the Head there is that straite conjunction betweene Christ and beleevers that the good or evill offered them redowndes to him Christ is both suffering and triumphing in his Saints in Abel he was slaine of his Brother he was scoft at by his Sonne in Noah he wandred to and fro in Abraham in Isaac he was offered sold in Ioseph driven away in Moses in the Prophets he was stoned in the Apostles tossed up and downe by Sea and Land What did Ioseph's brethren in going about to kill him but in effect and so farre as they could they kild their father in him Ioab smot Absalom's body but therein David's heart The Rebell saith he meanes no hurt to the person of the King but because he doth it to the Subjects he is therfore a Traytor thus when the proud Philistine defied the Army of Israel David said directly that he had blasphemed God himselfe 1 Sam. 17.45 and Rabsheka defying the Iewes is said by Hezekiah to have rayled on the living God Isa 37.4.23.24 as eager Wolves will houle against the Moone though they cannot reach it Saul Saul saith Christ seeing him make havocke of the Church why persecutest thou me I am Iesus whom thou persecutest Act. 9.4.5 and Iesus was then in Heaven but we know the head will say and that properly when the foote is trod upon why tread you upon me Wicked men are like that great Dragon that old Serpent called the Devill and Sathan Rev. 12. who when he could not prevaile against Michael himselfe nor pursue that man child Christ he being taken up to God and to his Throne waged spitefull and perpetuall warre with the Woman who had brought forth the man Child that is with the Church and the remnant of her seede which keepe the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ History reports how one being to fight with a Duke in a Duel or single combat that he might be more expert and doe it with the greater courage got his picture and every day thrust at it with his sword and onely to deface the picture of an enemy when we cannot come at his person hath a little eased the spleene of some It contents the Dog to gnaw the stone when he cannot reach the thrower It was well pleasing to Saul since he could not catch David that he might have the blood of Ahimelech who used him so friendly and relieved him in his great distresse 1 Sam. 21. so though these men cannot wreake their malice upon God he being out of their power and reach yet that they may doe him all the mischiefe they can have at his Image they will wreake it upon his children in whom his Spirit dwells as Mithridates kild his Sonne Siphares to be revenged of the mother or as Progne slew her Sonne Itys to spite her husband Tereus or as the Panther that will fiercely assault the picture for the inveterate and deadly hatred which he beareth to man or as Caligula caused a very faire house to be defaced for the pleasure his Mother had received in the same it being as true of malice as it is of love that it will creepe where it cannot goe Which being so shewes that this thy sinne is not small for if one revile or slander his equall it is an offence and may beare an Action of the case but if a Noble man it is Scandalum Magnatum deserving sharper punishment and if the King it is Treason and worthy of death then how foule must that sinne be which is a trespasse committed directly against God the King of Kings 1 Sam. 2.25 and how fearefull the punishment Wherefore take heede what thou dost for as verily as Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords so will he dash all those peeces of earth which rise up against him as a potters vessell § 134. TRue it is Though they are so blind that they think they love God they are so blind that though they doe hate God and his graces where ever they finde them and desperately fight against the most high yet they thinke they love God or at least doe not hate him yea what one is there of them not ready to call for a Bason with Pilate and to wash his hands from this foule evill with many faire pretences yea if they had no answer to frame no false plea to put in we might well say that Sathan were turned foole and that his schollers had no braines left but let the sacred truth of holy Scripture be judge and all the powers of their soules and bodies doe fight against him not a finew nor a veine of theirs but it wars against their Creator Iohn 15.23.24 which at last shall appeare for though they may dissemble it for a time yet when vengeance shall seize upon them then shall they openly and expressely blaspheme him to his face Revel 16.9.11 common eyes may be cheated with easie pretexes but he that lookes through the heart at the face will one day answer their Apologies with scourages yea if a man could but feele the very pulse of these mens soules he should find that the foundation of their hatred and enmity to us is their hatred against God and Christ the chiefe of the Womans seede even as when Sathan slew Iob's servants his malice was against Iob or as when Saul darted a Speare at Ionathan his spite was against David 1 Sam. 20.33 or as when Sampson burnt the corne vineyards and Olives of the Philistins his quarrell was against his Father in Law who was a Citizen of Timnah Iudg. 15. He that loves not the Members was never a friend to the Head he that wrongs the wife is no friend to the husband he loves neither that vilifies either lip-love is but lying love if thou lovedst God heartily thou wouldest love the things and persons that he loves vertue is the livery of the King of Heaven and who would dare to arrest one that weares his cloth if he were not an Arch-Traytor and Rebell if we loved him we would love one another When David could doe the Father Barzillay no good by reason of his old age he loved and honoured Chimham his Sonne 2 Sam. 19.38 And to require the love of Ionathan he shewed kindnesse
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
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
many who inquire not into the reason of ought but the practice and judge of truth not by weight or value of voices but by the number But what sayes the Proverbe of bad customes bad opinions and bad servants They are better to hang then to keepe I confesse where the Law written doth faile we ought to observe what is approved by manners and custome but though in this case custome be of great authority yet it never brings prejudice to a manifest verity and there are other cases wherein singularity is not lawfull only but laudable when vice groweth into fashion singularity is a vertue when sanctity is counted singularity happy is he that goeth alone and resolves to be an Example to others and when either evill is to be done or good to be neglected how much better is it to goe the right way alone then to erre with company Yea most happy is he that can stand upright when the world declines and can endeavour to repaire the common ruine with a constancy in goodnesse that can resolve with Ioshuah what ever the world doth yet I and my house will serve the Lord Iosh 24.15 It was Noah's happinesse in the old world that he followed not the worlds fashions he beleeved alone when all the world contested against him and he was saved alone when all the world perished without him It was Lot's happinesse that he followed not the fashions of Sodom It was Abraham's happinesse that he did not like the Chaldeans Daniel's happinesse that he did not like the Babylonians It was good for Iob that he was singular in the land of Vzz good for Tobias that he was singular in Ninive good for Annanias that he was singular in Damasco good for Nichodemus that he was singular among the Rulers as now they all finde to their great comfort and exceeding great reward Yea it was happy for Ruben that he was opposite to all his brethren happy for Caleb and Ioshua that they were opposite to the rest of the spyes happy for the Iewes that their customes were divers and contrary to all other people though Haman was pleased to make it their great and heynous crime Ester 3.8 happy for Luther that he was opposite to the rest of his country And no lesse happy shall wee bee if with the Deere we can feed against the winde of popular applause if with the Sturgion and Crab-fish we can swimme against the streame of custome and example if with Atticus we can cleave to the right though losing side or if we doe not we shall misse of the narrow way and consequently faile of entring in at the straite Gate for the greatest part shuts out God upon earth and is excluded from God elsewhere Math. 7.13 14. But the graciously prudent will in things not indifferent rather doe well alone then let it alone and thinke it no disparagement to be singular among the vicious yea they know if the cause be good the more stiffe and constant the mind is so much the better If Jesus Christ and his twelve Apostles be of their side they care not though Herod and Pontius Pilate and all the Rulers and the whole nation of the Iewes together with a world of the Roman faction be against them And indeed if thou wert not a foole thou wouldest thinke it better to be in the small number of Christs little flocke which are to be saved then in the numerous heards of those Goates which are destinated to destruction And so your excuses are taken away and all proved vaine coverings even no better then Fig-leaves which though they may seeme to cover thy nakednesse from such as thy selfe yet they will stand thee in no steede another day Wherfore drink not without thirst here that you may not thirst without drink herafter Lu. 16.24.25 Play not the foole as Lysimachus did who being in battell against the Scythians for the satisfying of his appetite onely and to procure a little drinke to quench his thirst gave himselfe over into his enemies hands and when he had drunke his fill and was haled and leading away captive into perpetuall misery while he saw his countrimen returne home with joy began to acknowledge his folly in these words O said he for how little pleasure what great liberty what sweet felicity have I lost and forgone Yea turne your laughter into sorrow your feasting into fasting be revenged of your selves of your lusts and meete your God and make your peace while now we call and you heare yea the Lord of his mercy awaken men out of the dead sleepe of this sinne that so seeing their danger they may be brought to confesse and forsake it that so they may be saved Pro. 28.13 § 56. BUt what doe I admonishing That drunkards have no faith in the Scriptures or speaking sence to a drunkard this is to make him turne the deafe eare and a stone is as capable of good counsell as hee besides they have no faith in the Scriptures they will not beleeve what is written therefore they shall feele what is written Wherefore politicall physicke the fittest for them In the meane time it were very fit if it pleased Authority they were debarred both of the blood of the Grape and the spirit of Barley a just punishment for consuming the countries fat for even cleere rocke water were good enough for such Gormundizers except we had the water of Clitorius a Well in the midst of Arcadia which causeth the drinker of it to loath wine for ever after I doe not wish them stoned to death as God commanded such ryoters and drunkards to be under the Law Deut. 21.20.21 nor banished the land as the Romans did all vicious and voluptuous persons that the rest might not be endangered and Lycurgus all inventers of new fashions least these things should effeminate all their young men for then I thinke the land would be much unpeopled Indeed I could wish there were Pest-houses provided for them in all places as there are for infected persons or that they were put by themselves in some City if any were big enough to receive them all as Philip King of Macedon built a city of purpose and peopled it with the most wicked gracelesse and irregular persons of all his subjects and having so done called it Poneropolis that is the City of wicked persons And certainely if it were considered how many Brokers of villany which live onely upon the spoyles of young hopes every populous place affords whose very acquaintance is destruction the like meanes of prevention would be thought profitable for our times Yea this were marvelously expedient considering the little good they doe being as so many loose teeth in the Mandible of the Common-wealth which were better out then in and the great hurt by their ill examples by devouring the good creatures of God which they never sweat for by disturbing the peace of the Church and Common-wealth by pulling downe heauy judgments upon the land and