God for it's Author and of all the visible Creation seems to be Gods Masterpiece if we take it in pieces and consider it in its parts you will find it an excellent piece of work every piece being so useful and exact nothing wanting nothing redundant the Heart the Liver the Brain the Brain the Muscles Sinews Nerves Arteries Veins and Ligaments and the several Members of the Body yea the whole is a beautiful piece dropt out of the hands of a choice Workman but this filthy vice doth so deform deface and defile it that it looks not like that which God Created it to be how doth it deform the Face the Nose the Eyes the Cheeks are red and pimpled the Face swoln like a Bladder the Countenance disturbed writhen and deformed How many beautiful comly Faces both of Men and Women are thus spoiled set on fire and bedecked with Pearls and Rubies Pimples Pushes and rough and rugged Skin To whom saith Solomon is redness of eyes c. to them that tarry long at the Wine to them that seek mixt Wine What meazil Faces what swoln Bellies Legs and Thighs and other parts usually have they and commonly their diseases and distempers within are not fewer than their deformities without for this filthy vice quenches the natural heat and drowns the vital spirits impairs the health weakens the Body and is the seminary of many diseases Gouts Dropsies Feavers and what not and disposes it for a dissolution and in a few years even in young men we may evidently see a wonderful change a strange Metamorphosis in those addicted to Drunkenness they become lothsom to others and burthensom to themselves that their Legs are not able to do their office to carry them as they would do nothing so now they can do nothing that is good they are unfit to live being good for nothing and most unfit to dye and as they are like Hogs always desiring their Swill so they are fit for no other society they are Swine and like Vlisses's men desire no other happiness they think there is no Heaven but in their filthy Swinish pleasure no good-fellowship but amidst their Pots no such delight on earth as to make each other Drunk and no love like to this and thus they live undesired and die unlamented except by those of their own fraternity who if their means be spent matter not to see each other hanged out of the way when they once come to be troublsome if therefore you would not be troubled with those deformities of Body and not only race out the Image of God but also the Image of a Man if you would not be pointed out in the Street for a Drunkard and known by the Buttry door Buttons upon your Nose and Face if you would not be filled with diseases and infirmities incident to this Vice such as you are never like to be freed from while you live if you would not make your self loathsom to God and Man and unfit your self for any calling occupation or business whatsoever if you would not disable your self to do any duty to God or Man take heed of this filthy Vice for this by the just Judgment of God oft-times follows upon these lewd courses t is not in vain the Holy Ghost pronounceth Wo to him that riseth early in the morning that he may follow Strong Drink and continue till night till wine enflame him Some part of their Wo is in this life but the greatest part is reserved for hereafter yet most men are insensible of it we may say of the Sword and Drunkenness as the Women did of Saul and David The Sword hath slain Thousands but Intemperance Ten thousands Consid 3. This filthy Swinish Sin of Drunkenness for I know not how to give it a fitter epithet doth not only take away the beauty of the Body and fill it full with diseases as before I proved but 't is also the Grave to bury the good name where it will for ever rot and stink in the Nostrils of God and good men and makes it go out in a stinking snuff A good name saith Solomon is rather to be chosen than great riches Prov. 22. 1. and indeed cannot be purchased with Gold many men that have purchased great Estates could not purchase a good Name Now the Drunkard a right Prodigal sells his name as cheap as Esau did his Birth-right for a little Drink as Lycimacus did his Kingdom for a draught of Water yea and that when he hath enough before and brings an Odium upon himself which he can never blot out for as a good Name may continue when Riches are gone so this blot lies upon him when his Drink is gone A good name is better than precious Ointment Eccl. 7. 1. It comforts the Heart with the Smell it holds up the Head and chears the Heart and leaves a good savour behind it 't is durable and preserves from putrifaction when the name of the wicked shall rot it smells sweet when the other goes out in a snuff the Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance but the other are either buried in Oblivion or remembred to their shame this filthy Vice rots the Name that 't is never remembred but with obloquie when mention is made of Heliogabalus Sardanapalus and such beastly Belly-gods with what contempt do we speak of them Tiberius was in scorn called Biberius for his excessive Drinking this one bad one drowns all other good parts in a Man is it not the constant language of Men when they see a Drunkard yonder goes a Toss-pot a Swill-bowl a Drunken Swine a Belly-god do you see how he reels how he vomits it would turn a mans Stomach to see him here lies the Cloak there the Hat there the Swine lies sleeping snorting wallowing in his Vomit more fit for the Dunghil than the House for the Company of Swine than Men and when he is dead this may be his Epitaph Here lies one that made his Gut his God and Drinking Healths was his greatest Devotion he was his own Executor he lived undesired and died unlamented and indeed no wise man will willingly be seen in his Company for as 't is a blemish to keep company with a Whore so 't is with a Drunkard He that keepeth company with a riotous person shameth his Father Prov. 28. 7. Yea they shame themselves and many get a Blot not easily removed these men are like the Locusts all belly from head to tail and make little use of the rest of their Body In the Fable where the Hands and the Feet and other parts that complained of the Belly for devouring all and doing nothing denyed it food whereupon the whole Body faints c. This shews their ignorance for there the Belly contributes to each part for their sustentation but if ever there be reason it is certainly the other parts has reason has here cause to complain of the Belly for it robs the Back and other parts and devours all and
you may find in three parables in Luke 15. of the lost Sheep the lost groat and the prodigal Son It was he that lost the Sheep and seeks till he finds it and then receiveth he is the Father of the prodigal Son and his prodigality was his trouble as may easily appear by his rejoycing at his return yea Christ tells us there is joy in the presence of the Angels when a sinner returneth and if there could be sorrow in Heaven sure it would be at their revolting back the resisting the motions of Gods Spirit is called a grieving of or a quenching of it and if each Saint have his Guardian Angel as some imagine and it may seem probable for they are guarded by the Angels we may imagine they rejoyce when we do well and as far as they are capable are troubled at our falls and slips and what sorrow and sadness also must this be to your relations put your self into their condition how sad would it be to you to have a Child the only hope of the Family to ruin himself and his posterity to have a young fellow take such extravagant courses to have a Brother or a Sister thus debaucht what grief is it to a Godly Minister that travelled in Birth till he thought Christ had been formed in you and then suddenly see all his hopes dasht all his exhortations admonitions reproofs prayers c. lost upon you how may it trouble and shame him that ever you were of his society your Christian Friends and those of your society how may it trouble them that you are gone from them and with Demas have chosen the World before Christ to think what will become of you and of your Family and of your poor Soul when death shall seperate it from your Body and where you will stop that are running down the hill so fast and whether of a professor you may not as others have done turn persecutor for those that forsake God no wonder if they forsake their Friends also and those that hate God will hate his Image also I wish this be no more than my own surmise and fears In a word There are none that carry the face of honest men but will be troubled at this your Apostacy and there are none but the Devil and his Instruments your Pot-Companions and Brethren in Iniquity that will rejoyce that you are brought back again into the Devils slavery These are the Dalilah's that hugg you in their bosome while they betray you these are the Syrens that by their Song intend to wrack and ruin you and if you think this is your only way to happiness ere long you will find your mistake and your judgment will alter Aggra 7. In this course of life you lead the loss of your precious time which is given you for an higher end is no small aggravation to your fall for though you meet with other considerable losses by this extravagant course of yours yet no temporal loss is comparable to this this cannot be redeemed with Silver nor Gold Jems nor Jewels nay if the World were sold to its worth it could not call back one day that is past and yet alass how prodigal are many of their time as if they knew not how to waste it fast enough they drink and play and rail it away nay go purposely to drive away time that did they but know the value of it would prize it at a higher rate but the time is coming you will know the worth of it by the want of it God hath placed you in his Vineyard given you work to do and sufficient time to do it in if you idle away this time and your work be undone what wages do you expect Amongst other Talents he hath given you this Talent of time if either you not use it or abuse it what can you expect but the doom of the unprofitable servant that hid his Talent in the Earth You have a little time in the World to spend and 't is but a little and one of these days they will say of you He is dead also for you see younger and stronger are gone before you and your turn may be next how as you spend this time so it will fare with you to eternity This is the Harvest of the Soul if you lay not in provision for the Winter with the Bee you are like to want with the Grasshopper this is the market day to lay in provision for the following week and to buy Oyl if this season be let slip the door will be shut against you and we know not how soon this day may be over which will never dawn again you have a great deal of work to do and work of great concernment if it be not finished in the time you are undone you are in a race and your Soul is the prize you run for and will you either stand still or run back you are in the field fighting with cruel blood-thirsty enemies who will make no truce with you but upon more unreasonable terms than Nahash the Ammonite offered to the men of Jabesh Gilead Which was to thrust out all their right eyes and lay it as a reproach on all Israel 1 Sam. 11. 2. But the Devil will make no truce but the everlasting destruction of Soul and Body And will you cast by your Armour and yield to his mercy and revolt from him that will warrant you the Victory if you will but keep the field you are in a journey on life and death and will you now turn back or run after Butterflies when the Sun grows low and you have far to go when you must be sure to tread these weary steps back again or lose your life Much of your time is already spent and your work undone and what you have done you are again plucking down and making your work every day more and harder Consider you will repent or not repent If you do not repent you are undone for no unrepenting sinner shall come to Heaven if you do repent it will cost you more pains dolour trouble and grief than ever the pleasure of your sin was worth you must vomit up all those sweet morsels which you have swallowed with so much delight Eternity lies before you and one of these days Death will open the door and let you in What apprehensions then will you have of these courses when you see an infinite Ocean of eternity before you and all your friends and pleasures departing from you and forsaking you Now what good will your merry company do you what comfort can they bring where are now your merry meetings and your drunken revels Will the thoughts of them chear up your hearts those that were your Councellors and Consorts in your Vanity now will be your Companions in your Misery Those for whose sakes you lost your Soul your God your Glory what will they what can they do for you if you miscarry together you will curse the time that ever
fills the Body with loathsom diseases 'T is Fabled the Giant Briareus had an hundred Hands and fifty Bellies but some men have one Belly would devour as much as an hundred Hands can get and commonly the greatest Bouzers are the greatest Buzzards and are fit for nothing but to Drink These not only shame but undo their Families Friends Children and Relations and are a shame to the place they are bred to the Church and Nation where they live they are as one saith the Devils eldest Sons and therefore when they come to their Inheritance in Hell they will be sure of a double Portion they bring much Grist to his Mill and have done their Father much Service and may expect good Wages some of them have been well educated received many Talents have Learning Parts Gifts and Endowments which they have not only lost but obliterated Reason it self and God hath deprived them of those Talents and bestowed them on others and will condemn them to utter darkness Mat. 25. 28 c. And whenever they die they shall leave a stink behind them for did you ever find a sweet savour proceed from a putrified member If therefore you would preserve a good name and merit a good report among the wisest soberest most serious persons take heed of this odious sin which certainly will brand you with Infamy and load you with obloquy and disgrace Consid 4. As this Sin doth deform the Body and blemish the Name so it also debauches the Soul and inclines it to all manner of wickedness for what Sin is so odious that a Drunkard in his cups will refuse to do when the Drink is in the Wit is out and when he is heated in his Drink he is Pot-valiant and will prove the Devils Champion and undertake any enterprize we have known or heard it at at least when in Drink some have killed their Fathers and Mothers ravished their Sisters murdered their best Friends and nearest Relations and do we not daily see though not Perhaps every individual Drunkard they are commonly great Swearers Blasphemers flying out in their Cups at the very Face of God are they not usually great Liars ribald filthy obscene speakers quarrellers fighters reproachers and what not what service soever the Devil hath for them to do they are prest to do it though he sets them about the most dangerous unreasonable work in the World and the basest drudgery the Taverns and Alehouses are the Devils Schools where his Language of Hell is taught and his Shop where men are trained up in his work and commonly out of Hell you shall scarce hear any speak his Language more naturally then there for here commonly are some old artists provided to instruct the rest in this Devilish art of Hellish Rhetorick and to discourse here of Religion Holiness and the Power of Godliness seems as unsutable and unsafe as to discourse of the Protestant Principles before the Spanish Inquisitors or the Conclave of Cardinals yea some are ready to quarrel that man that names God except in an Oath or vain speech as one that comes to torment them before the time and comes on purpose to spoil their sport Now what pleasure can a man take in such Company Solomon adviseth Prov. 22. 24 25. Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not go lest thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy Soul And the like reason holds here among debauched sinners where never good can be learned many temes evil he that toucheth Pitch shall be defiled and he that meddles with a wicked man gets himself a blot he that danceth among the Devils Lime-twigs is commonly snared in them The Drunkards are Leperous persons no clean person should associate himself with them they have a Plague-Sore upon them and we may well fear the Infection Man is an imitable Creature and like the Camelion apt to change with the Company and like Drink apt to smell of the Cask and this Sin is as Infectious as the Plague it self and more dangerous that only kils the the Body this Soul and Body their acts usually increase the habits and at last bring it to a Custom and Custom is a second Nature and after a while that Sin which at first men stumble at at last 't is as easy as Water to run down the Chanel 't is a sure signe of an ungracious Heart to delight in wicked Company Noscitur ex comite qui non dignoscitur ex se What Solomon speaks by way of caution concerning the Whorish Woman may be applied here Prov. 5. 8. Remove thy way far from her come not nigh to the door of her House this would be safe in this case he that would not be burnt must dread the Fire he that would not hear the Bell must not meddle with the Roap to venture upon the Temptation and then to Pray lead us not into Temptation is like him that puts his Fnger into the fire and Prayes that it may not be burnt or leaps into the Sea wilfully and prays against drowning custom in Sin boldens a man hardens his Heart and sears his Conscience at first a man deals by Sin as the Fox in the Fable with the Lion at first he is terrified the next time a little bolder afterward approaches nearer and discourses him the application is easy He that walks in the council of the Vngodly will e're long stand in the way of Sinners yea and sit in the seat of the Scornful Psal 1. 1. In those societies you can hardly choose but hear some mock or scorn blurted against the Power of Godliness which methinks should savour ill-with a Gracious Heart yea with an ingracious man and spoil all his mirth strict Holiness must needs be censured at least for needless scrupulosity or how can persons satisfy themselves in their debauched practices at first it may be such discourse may trouble them having drunk in other Principles but in time this will wear off and down well enough and at last become natural and the throat of your Conscience wide enough to swallow these Gudgeons without straining and in process of time a Camel will not choak you I have read of some and heard of one in our times that by little and little inured themselves to eat poison and at last Spiders Toads and such like would serve them for food some men at first feared an Oath but by little and little learnt to swear little Oaths or something like Oaths at first and afterwards the greatest would down without chewing till they come to this they scarce knew when they swore it was so usual as in some distempers the Excrements pass from them without their knowledg Joseph in Pharaoh's Court learnt to Swear By the life of Pharaoh probably he would have scrupled it when under his Fathers tuition And is it any wonder if men learn worse words in a worse School many men amongst us have taken such a cursed habit of Swearing
stewards to give them their meat in due season Mat. 24. 45 c. but these gormundizing wretches devour also their Childrens Portion even that which was left them by their Predecessors expose them to want and beggery how many poor Children had been better if they had never seen such Parents How many Wives and Children lie weeping and wailing and wringing their hands at home not having Bread to eat or Cloathing to put on when their Prodigal Husbands or Fathers are merry enough amidst their Cups and Queans devouring that which should sustain them but these will prove bitterness in the latter end and God will make them vomit up those sweet morsels they so greedily swallowed see the Doom of such Offenders Matth. 24. 49 c. Many a poor Labourer that hath but from hand to mouth and with his work can scarcely maintain his Children with Bread yet is so addicted to this bewitching Vice or so won upon by cursed company that oft-times he spends in a day what should maintain his Family a week and so expose them either to Begging Stealing or Starving and many spend that in youth should maintain them when they are old sell their Estates ruin themselves and if the Parish make not provision either Beg or Steal and oft end their dayes in Prison or on the Gallows There are many that fear poverty more than Hell and think that the greatest argument against Drunkenness which yet is to be feared are like to have the one in earnest of the other for neither Poverty nor Hell can make them leave this Beastly Sin God will give such something in hand and the Devil will pay them the rest of their wages and those that keep such men company get a blot to their own Souls Prov. 21. 17. Noah got nothing amongst the luxurious old World nor Lot in intemperat Sodom The Prodigal spent his Substance with riotous living Luk. 15. 13. and there are many Prodigals in our age there are many that like Livius are their own Executors and may boast as they did that left their Heirs nothing Praeter Coelum Coenum the Air to breath in and the Ground to tread upon Some drink the Cloth off their Backs the Money out of their Purses the Beds whereon they lie and the Houses wherein they live Oh the bottomless Gulf of a devouring Throat which like the Horseleech cries give give and can never be satisfied or like Hell that never saith it is enough these men fall oft-times from Luxury to Beggery from Beggery to Thievery and from thence to the Halter from the Tavern to Tyburn from the Alehouse to the Gallows I need not give you examples of this kind every place is full yea too full you cannot open your eyes but you must see them and in them foresee what is like to be your condition if you follow such courses like Sins will bring like Judgments Now therefore if you would avoid this certain mischief which unavoidably will follow this wicked Vice the ruin of your estate the undoing of your Wife and little Children exposing them to those Miseries that Want and Beggery are attended with if you would not undo your self and your Posterity and bury your Family in the ashes of ignominy If you would keep your your self out of Debt and Danger out of Prisons and Fetters if you would not procure the Wrath of God and force him to cut you off by some untimely death or the Curses of a ruined Family if you would not procure the grief of your Friends and the scorn of your Enemies leave off these courses betime and break off your sinful society which are the Cords of Vanity with which the Devil draws you on in his service and by Custom they will be Cart-ropes to ty you faster to him and lead you after him to Hell it self Consid 7. Drunkenness unfits a man for any Calling Place or Office in Church or Commonwealth for any imployment vocation or business whatsoever for any duty either to God or man either to our general or particular calling and consequently it renders a man an useless unserviceable unprofitable burthen of the Earth and like Salt that hath lost its savour thenceforth good for nothing but to be trodden under foot or to be cast off or like a rotten member to be cut off and not cherished lest it infect the other also The ancient Romans commanded such should be banished lest by their ill example they should infect those that were sound such as these have a Plague-sore running upon them and are not fit for human society they are Leperous persons and ought not to come into the Camp amongst the clean Whatever Calling whatever Place whatever Office they are in they are still bringing dishonour to God and grist to the Devils Mill when they are put into the Magistracy they do abundance of mischief Prov. 29. 2. When the righteous are in authority the People rejoyce but when the wicked bear rule the People mourn these men make sad the hearts of those whom the Lord would not have made sad and strengthen the hands of the wicked for how can they execute Judgment and Justice when they themselves are void of Reason or how can they punish Offenders when they themselves are chief in the transgression or how can they take Gods part when they themselves are his sworn Enemies or hinder the Devils work which they design to promote Prov. 31. 4. It is not for Kings O Lemuel to drink Wine nor Princes Strong Drink lest they drink and forget the Law and pervert the Judgment of the Afflicted Many crack their Brains with drinking as Swine do their Bellies and are thenceforth good for nothing But men are but so much the worse by how much the better they should be It was said of Bonosus the Emperour that he was born non ut Vivat sed ut Bibat Not to Live but to Drink and when he was overcome in Drinking by Probus he hanged himself and it was said of him There hangs a Tankard not a man Eph. 5. 18 Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be ye filled with the Spirit intimating all excessive Drinking is downright Drunkenness those that rule according to Law should live according to Law otherwise they throw down with the one hand what they build with the other and do more hurt by their Example than they do good by their Office Did you ever see a Swearer Drunkard or Debaucht Fellow Stockt Whipt or punished by a Drunken Magistrate If the Devil can get such into Office he need not fear but his Work will be done and as he is unfit for the Magistracy so for the Ministry and much more unfit If he be not a fit guide for the Body much less for the Soul they stray themselves and therefore are unfit to be others guides Isa 28. 7. They have erred through Wine and through Strong Drink are gone out of the way the Priests and the Prophets
talents lent to some five to some two and to others one and where much is given much will be required The great Housholder provides meat for all his Family but he keeps Stewards under him to see they shall not want and to give them their meat in due season and you are one of these If now you beat your fellow servants and eat and drink with the drunken your Lord will come when you are not aware and give you your portion with hypocrites Mat. 24. 49 c. The poor have a right to what you enjoy and can spare and though they cannot challenge it and take it yet God will vindicate their cause if it be denied or with-held How much might you promote Religion and Gods interest in your neighbourhood were your life and conversation exemplary But now you do more harm than good by your example and it had been better the Countrey had not known you and that you had never known your Estate if you thus proceed Aggrav 10. The Excessive wasting of your Estate is no doubt a great sin in you at any time but at this time of scarcity especially is a very great Aggravation When there is complaining in our streets and the Children cry for bread when there is none to break it and many poor Families are ready to perish for want and a supply can hardly be found When Corn hath been at such an excessive rate 8 and 9 Shillings the measure Eye the many poor Housholders that before made a handsome shift to live are now forced to beg with their Wives and Families and some 't is believed have perished for want of Bread Now at this time when the hand of God is so evidently stretcht out against us that you and such as you if you were unconcerned should thus waste and devour the good creatures wilfully which should keep poor Christians and one of you swallow down more in one day than would keep a considerable Family with Bread a week Will not the Lord visit for these things and will not his soul be avenged on such a people as this The great Housholder hath provided bread enough for all his Family but that some of them by Gluttony and Drunkenness devour what the others should eat Will he not call them to an account at last See how he likes of it Isa 22. 12 13. In that day did the Lord call for weeping and for mourning and to baldness and girding with sackcloth and behold joy and gladness slaying oxen and killing sheep c. and it was revealed in my ear by the Lord of hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die God also threatens those That they shall go captives with the first that go that drink wine in Bowles and annoint themselves with chief ointment and forget the afflictions of Joseph Amos 6. 6 7. And the blood of those which have perished for want of those creatures which you have wilfully wasted God will lay at your door In a word consider your pious Education your former holy Conversation the Convictions upon your spirit knowing and acknowledging your courses bad The profession of Religion you have made the incouragements which you gave the sading of the hearts of the Godly the strengthening the hands of the wicked the vows and covenants you have made to God and promises to men the grief you bring your friends and relations the hardning of your heart by custom the disabling your self to do good to soul or body and the wilful wasteing of the creatures in this time of need will all rise up in judgment against you Obj. 1. But it may be you will object and say You do not drink to Drunkenness you can carry it away well enough you stagger not over it neither do you vomit as others do And though I fear this excuse cannot always be pleaded yet if it were taken for granted 't is but a Fig-leaf to cover your nakedness and will prove too thin and short A Man may drink to excess that can carry it away as you say We read of Benhadad whom God himself tells us was drinking himself drunk with the thirty two Kings that were with him and yet could give directions to his Souldiers yea escaped away on Horse-back with his Army The trial of Drunkenness which we have amongst many is not the same with Gods many think that Man is not drunk that can crawl out of the Carts way or rise himself out of the Fire or hit Fingers with another but they are not competent Judges in that case that are themselves so nearly concerned 'T is not only Drunkenness that trips up a Mans heels that he cannot go nor stand but when a Man over-affects Drink or spends too much time or too much money or wastes the good creatures needlesly that drinks too much for his purse or too much for his health or too much for his reason For a Man hath no more reason to drown his time to drown his estate or his credit than he hath to drown his wit for all these are Talents for which he must be accountable But suppose you are stronger than others and can drink more is this therefore a Warrant so to do see whether God seals it or no Isaiah 5. 22. Wo unto them that are mighty to drink Wine and Men of strength to mingle Strong Drink Must God be dishonoured the Creature abused because thou hast a stronger brain 't is pity mercies should be so abused but besides this guilt are you not in the mean time guilty of the Drunkenness of others have you not forced them to it that you may laugh at their folly See then what the Lord saith to you Hab. 2. 15 16. Wo unto him that giveth his neighbour Drink that puttest thy Bottle to him and makest him drunken also that thou mayst look on their nakedness Thou art filled with shame for glory drink thou also and let thy fore-skin be uncovered the cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned unto thee and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory Now if you glory in your strength to drink and this too common consider this Text and see what will be the issue The Cup of Gods Indignation will be such as you cannot bear thy own sins are great enough you need not other mens Obj. 2. Perhaps you will say We have the Examples of many yea many great Men and many learned Men and of some good Men also for our imitations Yea this Disease is Epidemical and grown common both in Court and Country and when a fashion is become National 't is no discredit to wear it and 't is true the more is the pitty Examples of great ones are very prevalent and if bad infectious these are Stars of the first Magnitude and like the primum mobile carry all before them and they have oft times a hand in the transgression and leave an infectious air that few can escape that comes near them What a
I intend hereafter to repent and to reform Why may not I do as the Penitent Thief did And you may saith one as rationally conclude that the Sun shall stand still at your command because it did so at the Command of Josuah or that the Sea should divide to let you pass because it did so for Israel Or that you may spur your Ass and make him speak as Balaam did Or that you may take a journey and leave your money behind in hope to find a purse of Money in your way as some others have done Were not these think you mad conclusions and truly this is as reasonless One man in five thousand years was saved by late repentance therefore I shall be a second when five thousand men in one year miscarry upon the like account God doth seldom work such miracles where the means of grace is afforded perhaps it was the first Sermon that ever this Thief heard but you have heard thousands There are indeed many that like you send repentance and religion before them to sixty but such men seldom ever overtake it Do you really think that God will take up with the blind and the lame will he give us leave to sacrifice the prime and marrow of our time to the Devil and give him the dregs and the refuse Will he suffer you to do the Devils work all day and receive his wages at night No no most men deal by God as bad Debtors do by their Creditors beg more time and put it off from one week to another and then break and never pay So they break their time with God but never come to make good their promises More Objections might be answered but there is none that can stumble a rational unprejudiced man and I have already far exceeded my intended limits I shall therefore draw towards a conclusion Thus have I performed a Christian though perhaps an unwelcome duty in putting you in remembrance of what you knew before if you would not lose all your pains for Heaven and all the duties that ever you performed and have them all thrown back into your face as dung If you would not lose Gods Favour the benefit of Christs Merits your own Soul Heaven and Happiness Consider from whence you are fallen and return and do your first works If you have found out any nearer easier way to Heaven than ever any yet could do demonstrate it and convince us of it but before you venture your Soul upon it be sure it ends there the attempt of any such experiments will prove vain for if there be any but the path of Holiness that ends in Happiness then call me a false Prophet or if there be any other way into Gods Holy Hill than by a pure Heart and clean Hands then am I content to be called a deceiver but if I be deceived God himself hath deceived me who tells me Without Holiness no one shall see God without Faith no one can please God without repentance we shall all perish that no unrighteous person shall enjoy Heaven and no unregenerate man shall ever enter there that those that live after the flesh shall die that the ungodly shall go into everlasting punishment but the righteous into Life eternal Those that think otherwise will find that God speaks in earnest what they took in jest The time is comming that you will find it had been better for you that you had never known the way of life then having known it to depart from it If you give up the Reins to corruption it will mislead you and prove a treacherous guid if you decline the way of self-denial you will miss of Heaven for none ever come there any other way Loose licenciousness and carnal liberty is diametrically opposite to it wicked company if you forsake them not will be your bane and if repentance prevent it not you will curse the time that ever you saw each others face What ever Society or Party a man be what ever Religion or Opinion though in the most Reformed Church and in the Society of the strictest Christians yet without the power of Godliness and the practice of Holiness he shall never go to Heaven for no unclean thing shall ever enter there no dirty Dog shall tread upon that pavement Or what ever his Profession or seeming Holiness hath been yet if he backslide he shall die in his sins and his righteousness shall not be remembred The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways Prov. 13. 20. He that puts his hand to the plow and looks back he is not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven if any draw back Gods Soul shall have no pleasure in them Thus have I made bold perhaps you may think too bold to tell you my thoughts of your present condition perhaps you may dislike it because 't is not in the Language of your flatterers but to skin over a sore is not the way to cure it The rebukes of a friend are better than the kisses of an enemy Rebuke a Wiseman saith Solomon and he will love you Let the Righteous smite me saith David Psal 141. 5. it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oyl which shall not break my head What event it will have upon you I know not or what entertainment it will meet with I cannot tell though you will not receive it my reward will be with my God and my judgment with the most High whose Errand it is I am come upon and he that knows the secrets of all hearts knows whether it be in love or hatred that I have dealt so plainly with you Had I hated you I know no more effectual means to ruin you than to incourage you in this sinful course and if I meet with hatred for my love 't is no more than I am acquainted with Well if you neglect this warning and miscarry these lines will be a witness upon record against you and I my self shall stand up in my lot to bear witness for God that he sent you this warning by me but my end and design is next to Gods Glory your Reformation and Salvation which as it is my desire so it shall be the prayers of him who is EATON April 30. 1675. Your faithful Monitor EDWARD BVRY FINIS Books to be sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside SErmons upon the whole Epistle of Saint Paul to the Colossians by Mr. John Daille Translated into English by F. S. Thomas Taylor 's Works the First Volume fol. These two Treatises next following are written by Mr. George Swinnock The Door of Salvation Opened by the Key of Regeneration The Incomparableness of God in his Being Attributes Works and Word opened and applied An Antidote against Quakerism By Steven Scanderet An Exposition on the Five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful observations thereupon By Will. Greenhill 4to The Gospel-Covenant or the Covenant of Grace opened Preached in New-England by Peter Bulkely 4to God's Holy Mind touching Matters Moral which himself uttered in Ten Words or Ten Commandments also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer By Edward Elton B. D. 4to Fiery Jesuite Or an Historical Collection of the Rise Increase Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuites Exposed to view for the sake of London 4to Horologiographia Optica Dyalling Universal and Particular Speculative and Practical together with the Description of the Court of Arts by a new Method By Sylvanus Morgan 4to The Conversion of a Sinner Heart-Treasure or a Treatise tending to fill and furnish the head and heart of every Christian with soul-inriching Treasure of truths graces experiences and comforts The sure Mercies of David or a second part of the Hearts Treasure Closet Prayer a Christian Duty All three by O. Heywood Of Quenching the Spirit the evil of it in respect both of its Causes and Effects discovered By Theophilus Polwheile The greatest Loss upon Matth. 16 26. By James Livesey A Defence against the Fear of Death By Zach. Crofton Gods Soveraignty displayed By Will. Greering The Godly Mans Ark or City of Refuge in the day of his Distress in 5 Sermons with Mrs. Moor's Evidences for Heaven By Ed. Calamy The Almost Christian discovered or the False Professor tryed and cast Spiritual Wisdom improved against Temptation Both by M. Mead. The True Bounds of Christian Freedom or a Discourse shewing the Extents and Restraints of Christian Liberty wherein the Truth is setled many Errours confuted out of John 8. ver 36. The Lords day enlivened or a Treatise of the Sabbath By Philip Goodwin The Sinfulness of Sin and the Fulness of Christ two Sermons By Will. Bridge A Plain and Familiar Method of instructing the younger sort according to the lesser Catechism of the late Reverend Assembly of Divines By Tho. Lye FINIS