thing to tell a lye unto men but it is worse to lye unto God Ananias and Sapphira were both smitten with sudden death for lying unto God about the price of their Land So many vows and promises as we make to God to break off our sins so many lyes we tell him if we do not perform those promises And therefore they that have told God many lyes of this nature may wonder at God's patience that he suffers them to live and hath not long since cast them into hell when as he struck Ananias and Sapphira dead for telling but one lye and he hath said All lyars shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 § This sin is aggravated from the times when it is committed as if on Sabbath days before or after the Lords Supper when Gods Judgments are abroad VII Drunkenness is a vile sin at all times yet 't is worse if committed at some times than others As for instance 1. It is worse for a man to be drunk on a Sabbath day than on other days For the Sabbath day is to be employed in Holy and Religious Exercises Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy And 't is a double sin to be drunk on the Sabbath day for such to their drunkenness add prophanation of the Sabbath 2. It is worse to be drunk when a man comes to the Lord's Table to partake of the Lord's Supper or soon after a man hath been at this Holy Ordinance then it is to be overcome with wine at other times In the Church of Corinth there were some that did presume to come to the Lord's Table when they were little better than drunk 1 Cor. 11.21 But such as are drunken a little before or soon after they come to the Lord's Table eat and drink unworthyly of that Holy Ordinance And such as eat and drink unworthyly at the Lord's Table are guilty of a mighty great sin for they are guilty of the body and blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11.27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. That is 1. He shall be deemed guilty of abusing and trampling under foot the body and blood of Christ and God shall deal with him as an abuser of the body and blood of Christ 2. He shall be esteemed as a shedder of Christs Blood and Crucifier of his Body and God shall deal with him as with a Murderer of Christ It is a great Crime to be guilty of the blood of an innocent man but it is more to be guilty of the blood of Christ than to be guilty of the blood of all the men in the World And as drunkards commit a great sin so they bring great judgment on themselves by coming in their sins to the Lords Table for they eat and drink damnation to themselves ver 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself 3. It is worse to be drunk in a day of common calamity when Gods judgments hang over or are come on the places where we live than in a day of prosperity for they that do so despise the judgments of God The Lord expects when he sends his judgments upon us that we should break of our sins and learn Righteousness Isa 26.9 When thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness There is a wo denounced against those that are at ease and are jovial and give themselves to drinking and other pleasures when evil days are coming Amos 6.1 3 5 6. Wo to them that are at ease in Zion ye that put far away the evil day that chaunt to the sound of the Viol that drink wine in bowls Days of common calamity call for fasting and mourning and instead of fasting and mourning at such times for a man to give over himself to riotous courses is a most provoking sin as we may see Isa 22.5 12 13 14. It is a day of trouble and of treading down and of perplexity by the Lord of Hosts in the valley of vision And in that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning And behold joy and gladness Eating flesh and drinking wine let us eat and drink for to morrow we dye And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye dye saith the Lord God of Hosts It is a very dreadfull threatning which is here denounced against those that in a day of common calamity give up themselves to a voluptuous course of life and will not leave off their riotous and drunken courses Surely this iniquity shall not be purged till ye dye saith the Lord God of Hosts Here is God's word and his oath for that word surely is used to express God's Oath Heb. 6.13 14. to assure such contemners of God's word and his judgments that this iniquity shall not be purged till they dye That is 1. God will plague men all the days of their lives for this sin And 2. Without Repentance will punish them to Eternity for what sins are not pardoned before we dye shall never be forgiven § It aggravates this sin to be eager and greedy of it VIII The more eager and greedy men are of this sin of drunkenness or of any other sin the more heinous it is for it shews a man to be come to a great degree of sin when he commits it with greediness Eph. 4.19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to commit all uncleanness with greediness And they commit this sin with greediness 1. Who rise early to follow after strong drink and continue at it all day such are wofull drunkards that will set from Morning to Night drinking and tipling at Taverns and Ale-houses Isa 5.11 Wo to them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink and continue till night till wine inflame them 2. They are greedy drunkards that use incentives to provoke their thirst that when they have a design to meet their Companions at a Tavern will eat salt meats in the Morning that they may drink the more freely and largely contrary to that command of the Apostle Rom. 13.14 Make not provision for the flesh to fullfill the lusts thereof 3. They are greedy drunkards whose minds hanker after Taverns and Ale-houses when they are at their Callings and do frequently leave their Callings to go to the Ale-house without being called out by their idle Companions only as they are enticed by their own hearts lusts And such also as can 't walk the Streets or travel on the Road but they must call in and have a pot or two almost at every Ale-house especially if it have a name for vending good drink As they were notorious Idolaters who could not pass by a mountain or a grove where there was
are easily drawn to commit the worst sort of uncleanness Lot though a Righteous man being overtaken with drunkenness committed incest twice Eph. 5.18 Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Beza observeth omnis profusio eaque summâ cum turpitudine conjuncta All excess of riot even that which is joyned with the greatest filthiness No filthiness comes amiss to a drunken man who is shameless whilst he is overcome with strong drink The Jews who were much addicted to Drunkenness were greatly addicted to Whoredom also Hos 4.11.18 Whoredom and wine take away the heart Their drink is sour they have committed whoredom continually Their drink is sour some interpret of the sour belches drunkards have after their cups and another effect of immoderate drinking wine besides the souring of it in the stomach is that it provokes men to VVhoredom Hierom hath a smart passage to this effect Nunquam ego ebrium castum putabo I shall never think a drunkard can be a chast man 2. Drunkards are easily persuaded to be idolaters for they making their belly their God Phil. 3.19 will easily be perswaded to bow down their bodies to an Idol and comply with any Religion which will suit best with their interest Hos 3.1 The children of Israel who look to other Gods and love flagons of wine Dan. 5.4 They drunk wine and praised the Gods of Gold and of Silver of Brass of Iron of Wood and of Stone 3. Drunkenness is accompanied with abundance of vain bablings and foolish and idle talk which men have together when they are in their cups Prov. 23.29 30. VVho hath bablings They that tarry long at the wine And if any think there is no great hurt in those bablings and foolish talking that drunkards have when they sit together at Iuns or Ale-houses Let such consider 1. That vain bablings harden the heart and dispose a man to ungodly practises 2 Tim. 2.16 But shun prophane and vain bablings for they will encrease unto more ungodliness 2. Though foolish talking and jesting is made light of and accounted by many a matter of mirth yet it is a sin brings down Gods wrath Eph. 5.4 6. Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience 3. Men must give an account for every idle word at the day of judgment and without Repentance they shall be condemned for their idle words as well as their other sins Mat. 12.36 37. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned 4. There are fevv drunkards but they vvill mock and scoff and rail at the Ministers and Servants of Christ and sing Songs of them especially vvhen they are in their cups Prov. 20.1 Wine is a mocker that is it makes men mockers Mercer's note upon that Text is Vini potor derisor Dei hominumque esse solet P. drunkard is wont to be a derider of God and men It hath been usual with drunkards in former as well as these days to sing Songs of the people of God Psal 69.12 I am the song of drunkards Now this mocking the Ministers and people of God is a grievous sin it brings down wrath without remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 They mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and mis-used his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his People till there was no remedy Mockers bring upon themselves mighty and unavoidable judgments Isa 28.24 Now therefore be ye not mockers least your bands be made strong Forty and Two little Children were torn in peices by two Shee bares for mocking a Prophet and calling him baldhead 2 King 2.23 24. And if God was so offended with little children for this sin of mocking a Prophet that he sent two bears which rent in peices 42 Children how offensive is it to the Lord to hear those that are come to mans estate knowing and understanding men mock and scoff at his servants Though no judgment come upon them in this World for their sin yet without Repentance a worse thing will come unto them they shall be rent and torn that is they shall be tormented in the other World for ever by the Devil who is a roaring Lyon a far more dreadfull enemy than the Bears that tore the little children in peices 5. Drunkards are usually swearers and some of them will swear dreadfull Oaths such as would make a man tremble to hear them And swearing prophane swearing is an abominable sin and brings a man in danger of hell fire Jam. 5.12 But above all things my brethren swear not neither by Heaven neither by the Earth neither by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay be nay least ye fall into condemnation 6. Drunkards are oft times persecutors and smiters of their fellow-servants Matth. 24.48 49. If that evil servant shall say in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the drunken They are such as eat and drink with the drunken that smite their fellow-servants And smiteing and persecuting the servants of Christ is an heinous sin he takes it as ill when his servants are persecuted as if he himself were persecuted Act. 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Saul did not persecute Christ in his own person for he was in Heaven setting at his Fathers Right-hand but he persecuted Christs Servants and Christ was as much offended at the persecution of his Members as if he himself had been persecuted 7. Drunkenness casteth men into a deep sleep and maketh them dreadfully secure under those judgments that hang over their heads Prov. 23.34 Yea thou shalt be as one that lyeth down in the midst of the Sea or as he that lyeth on the top of the Mast. Solomon speaking of such as tarry long at the wine sets out their danger by one that lyeth sleeping upon the top of a Mast in the midst of the Sea who is in danger every moment to fall into the Sea and to be drowned yet fears nothing while he is a sleep Such is the case of drunkards they are in danger of falling into Hell every day and yet they fear nothing till God awakens their Consciences and shews them their sin and misery When the Prophet calls Awake ye drunkards Joel 2.5 It implyes that they are in a deep sleep and that it is no easy matter to awake them 8. Sometimes drunkards commit murder in their drunkenness and quarrel with and kill their best friends It is reported of Alexander that when he was drunk he killed his Beloved Friend Clytus Yea there is no sin so horrid but a drunkard may fall into
the Lord should find him idle had not such as spend away much precious time at ale-houses need desist from this course for fear that the Lord when he cometh should find them idle § The plea of such as go to Taverns is drive away their sorrows and cares answered Plea 16. I go to Taverns only at such times as I meet with crosses and am burdned with cares and oppressed with grief and sorrow and when I am there I drink freely to ease my heart of my grief and cares and I hope there is no great hurt in this though I now and then take a little more than is meet A. 1. It is true that wine and strong drink moderately taken are usefull for such as are of a sorrowfull spirit for they are of a cheering nature Psal 104.15 Wine that maketh glad the heart of man and are to be given chiefly to such as are of a sorrowfull spirit Prov. 31.6 7. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of an heavy heart Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his sorrow no more But this doth not give a liberty to any person to drink wine or strong drink to excess And if you make use of time to chear your hearts why not at your own houses rather than alehouses 2. Wine and strong drink taken immoderately instead of driving away sorrows bring much wo and sorrow Prov. 23.29 30. Who hath wo Who hath sorrow They that tarry long at the wine Drunkenness is wickedness and wickedness bringeth a multitude of sorrows along with it Psal 32.10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked And instead of easing a man of his burden and trouble it encreaseth his burdens and troubles For excess of wine burdens the soul with the guilt of sin It leaves a load upon the Conscience And the burden that ariseth from the guilt of sin is far greater than the burden of cares Psal 38. 4. Mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me 3. Wine and strong drink taken immoderately instead of making men merry do make them mad They swear and curse and rage and carry themselves like mad men Prov. 20.1 Strong drink is raging What Festus said to Paul Act. 26.24 Paul thou art beside thy self much learning hath made thee mad The like may be said to such a man as is overcome with wine and strong drink Thou art beside thy self much drinking hath made thee mad 4. The right way to get ease and comfort under our sorrows and cares is not to go to Taverns and Ale-houses to drown our cares and drive away our sorrows with wine and strong drink and merry company which will prove bitterness in the latter end and encrease our sorrows and burdens but the right and ready way to get ease and comfort when we are oppressed with sorrow and burdened with cares is 1. To betake our selves to Prayer Joh. 16.20 24. Ye shall weep and lament ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into joy Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full See here the way for such as weep and lament and are full of sorrow to have their sorrow turned into joy and that is to betake our selves unto Prayer for hereby we shall be filled with joy Hannah who was in great bitterness of spirit before she went to Prayer got so much comfort by Prayer that she went away and was no more sad 1 Sam. 1.13 She was in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore And the woman went away and did eat and her countenance was no more sad 2. The way to get ease under our burdens and sorrows is to cast our burdens and cares upon God for if we do so he will put under his everlasting arms and bear up our spirits Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustein thee § The plea of Young Drunkards answered Plea 17. I am a young man and young men must have their pastimes and recreations and this is that which pleaseth me above other delights to keep jovial company and to be merry with my companions at a Tavern and I hope this is allowable in a young man and if it be not I have time enough before me I will repent when I am old and then God will be gracious unto me A. 1. Drunkenness is an abominable sin in any men either young or old and therefore not to be allowed not to be pleaded for in any Psal 5.5 Thou hatest all workers of iniquity This will not exempt a man from the hatred of God that he is a young man if he be a worker of iniquity For all the Generation of evil doers are hatefull to God the young as well as the old It is an aggravation of sin to be an old sinner Isa 65.20 The sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed Yet this will not excuse a man from drunkenness or any other sin to say I am a young man I hope it is no great offence for me now and then to be overcome with wine or strong drink 2. Vain and lose young men that give themselves to their pleasures and will not be reclaimed by the advice and counsel of Parents Friends Relations or God's Ministers they may if they think good take their own course and do whatever their own hearts prompt them to and is pleasing to their corrupt natures but yet let them know that the Lord will call them to judgment for all their idle courses and sinfull pleasures and mispent time Eccl. 11.9 Rejoyce 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 call thee to judgment 3. It is very evil and dangerous for young men to allow themselves in drunkenness or other evil practises with a purpose to repent and to become new men when they are old in hope that God will be mercifull to them whensoever they repent of their sins And that on several accounts as 1. Our young time is our choicest time and our choicest is to be given to God and not to be spent in the service of sin Eccl. 12.1 Remember now thy creatour in the days of thy youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them The days of old age are evil days years wherein we have no pleasure and shall we spend our good days our comfortable days in the service of sin and spend our evil days only and the years wherein we have pleasure in the service of God 2. It is dangerous to spend your young time in riotous courses or other sins and think to repent when you are old because you do not know whether you shall live to be old God cuts