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
it if he hath an occasion and temptation to commit it § Drunkenness brings national judgments V. Drunkenness is such an abominable sin that it brings down National Judgments Whole Nations are punished for this sin of drunkenness The Earth is weary of bearing drunkards and often spueth out its inhabitants We read of the inhabitants of the Land of Canaan that their Land spued them out for their defiling it and the Israelites are warned not to defile their Land least they also be spued out Lev. 18.28 That the Land spue not you out also when ye defile it as it spued out the Nations that were before you And when the Israelites did defile their Land by drunkenness and other sins they were a burden to the Land it was weary with bearing them it spued them out and they were carryed captive into a strange Land Isa 5.11.13 Wo to them that rise up early to follow strong drink and continue untill night till wine enflame them Therefore my people are gone into captivity The Lord threatned to send a mighty adversary against Ephraim for their pride and drunkenness which came upon them as furiously as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm and as a mighty flood of waters that should overflow all places and bear down all before it Isa 28.1 2. Wo to the crown of pride the drunkards of Ephraim Behold the Lord hath a mighty and strong one which as a tempest of hail and a destroying sterm as a flood of mighty waters over-flowing shall cast down to the earth with the hand So that drunkards are the plague of a Nation that bring down Gods judgments on themselves and the places where they live And when an over-flowing scourge comes on a Nation usually drunkards have the speediest and deepest share in the judgments of God Amos 6.1 3 6 7. Wo to them that are at ease in Zion that put far away the evil day that drink wine in bowls Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive When the King of Assyria invaded the Land of Israel the drunkards were trod under feet like mire in the streets Isa 28.2 3. Behold the Lord hath a mighty and strong one c. The crown of pride the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trod under foot § Drunkards oft times dye in the act of sin VI. Drunkenness appears to be a great sin because oft times it is punished with sudden death and sometimes drunkards are cut off in the very act of sin They are very frequently cut off suddenly and unexpectedly Nah. 1.10 While they are drunken as drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry Stubble that is fully dry is consumed in a moment so are many drunkards cut off suddenly when they have no thoughts no expectations of death Luk. 12.45 46. If that servant shall begin to eat and drink and to be drunken The Lord of that Servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and at an hour when he is not aware and will cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers We see here the wofull condition of drunkards both in their death and after their death Their death is oft times sudden and unexpected they have not a day not an hours warning Their Lord comes in a day that they did not look for him and in an hour that they were not aware of and shall cut them in sunder that is seperate their souls from their bodies by death and after death give them their portion with unbelievers that is in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 21.8 Drunkards are ost times cut off in the very act of sin which is a dreadfull token of Gods displeasure when he will not vouchsafe a sinner space for Repentance but cuts him off in the very act of sin Elah a King a King in israel was cut off in the very act of sin while he was drinking himself drunk in his Stewards house 1 King 16.9 10. His servant Zimri conspired against him as he was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza Steward of his house in Tirzah And Zimri went in and smote him and killed him This is recorded to the terrors of all drunkards in all Ages to the end of the World As Christ said to deterr us from looking back remember Lots wife So may I say to deter you from drunkenness Remember Elah who was killed whilst he was drinking himself drunk And if God did not spare a King in Israel take heed least he do not spare you Besides Elah's example Amnon one of David's Sons was killed whilst his heart was merry with wine 2 Sam. 13.28 When Belshazzar had been drinking wine with a thousand of his Lords in the day time he was slain in the night Dan. 5.1 30. Belshazzar the King made a great feast to a Thousand of his Lords and drank wine before the Thousand In that night was Belshazzar the King of the Caldeans slain Besides these examples we have known or heard of several others some that have dyed dead drunk and never came to life again others that have fallen off their horses in their drunkenness and broke their necks others that have fallen into the water and been drowned and others cut off by other means § It unfits a man for the service of God and his Generation and for Death and Judgment VII Drunkenness makes a man unfit for any good work unfit for the service of God and Men unfit for Death and Judgment It makes a man unfit for Prayer and all other Religious Duties 1 Pet. 4.7 The end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto Prayer No men are fit for Prayer but sober men It is probable Nadab and Abihu had distempered themselves with wine or strong drink when they presumed to offer up strange fire and fire went out from the Lord and devoured them for immediately after the relation of their sin and punishment there is a strict charge given to Aaron and his Sons that they should not drink wine or strong drink when they went into the Tabernacle of the Congregation upon pain of death that they might be fit for their employment Lev. 10.8 9 10 11. It also unfits a man for the service of his Generation especially for a place of publick trust Many Armies have been ruined Towns and Kingdoms lost by the drunkenness of the Commanders A small Army of the Israelites not exceeding 7000 setting upon the Syrians when Benhadad their King was drinking himself drunk with his Confederates put the Syrians to flight and slew them with a great slaughter although besides his own great army he had Thirty and Two Kings that came to his assistance 1 King 20.16 17 20. And as this sin renders us unfit for the service of God and Men so also it makes us unfit for the day of death and judgment Luk. 21.34 And take heed to your selves least at any time your
hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares § It will exclude a man out of Heaven VIII Drunkenness is such an odious sin that the Lord hath told us expresly that he will not admit any drunkards into the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know y not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived Neither Fornicators nor Drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God If a man be a drunkard and think to go to Heaven when he dyeth he deceiveth his own Soul Drunkenness is a manifest work of the flesh and the Scripture tells us plainly that they that live in drunkenness and such like sins shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Gal. 5.19 20 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Drunkenness Revellings and such like of which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Drunkards may know their doom before they come to the judgment seat of Christ I tell you before that is before the day of judgment come before the sentence be past upon you that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God The Apostle knew drunkards were dull of hearing and slow of heart to believe and therefore he tells them over and over that they shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and what folly and madness is this to part with a Kingdom an Everlasting Kingdom the Kingdom of Heaven for a pot of drink or a cup of wine It was a foolish act in Esau and argued him to be a prophane man to sell his Birth-right for a morsel of meat Heb. 12.16 Least there be any fornicator or prophane person as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birth-right Drunkards are guilty of worse prophaneness than Esau for they part with a better blessing than a Birth-right namely with the Kingdom of Heaven for a pot of drink or a cup of wine which doth them no good but much hurt It is not drinking wine or strong drink but excess of drinking excludes us from the Kingdom of Heaven and excess of wine doth a man no good but much hurt § It is a damnable sin IX Drunkenness is a damnable sin a sin for which men shall be condemned to the torments of Hell for ever The drunkard shall be cut asunder and have his portion appointed with unbelievers Luk. 12.45 46. If that servant shall begin to eat and drink and be drunken the Lord of that servant will cut him asunder and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers But what is it to have our portion appointed with the unbelievers It is to be damned and to be cast into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Mark 16.16 He that believeth not shall be damned Rev. 21.8 The unbelieving shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone Hell is full of drunkards Isa 5.11 14. Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that continue untill night till wine enflame them Therefore Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it There is scarce any sin fills Hell like drunkenness following of wine and strong drink sends great multitudes to Hell The glory and pomp and jollity of drunkards shall be no security to drunkards to keep them from the bottomless pit The drunken Gentleman and drunken Prince notwithstanding all his bravery shall descend into Hell as well as the drunken beggar They that enflame themselves with wine and strong drink shall be tormented in flames of fire for ever And then they that drunk wine in bowls and filled themselves with strong drink shall not with all their entreaties get so much as one drop of water to cool their tongues § It is a bewitching sin very hardly left by those that are addicted to it X. Drunkenness is an enticing bewitching sin which is very hardly left by those that are addicted to it Neither the word nor rod of God prevaileth with men to leave this sin but they go on sinning against light sinning against the counsels and reproofs and tears of friends against the checks of their own Consciences though the Lord afflict them in their bodies estates good names yet still they persevere in this sin Though when upon sick beds they are under terrors of Conscience and feel as it were some flashes of Hell Fire and make great vows and solemn protestations that if God will spare their lives and raise them up again they will leave off their drunkenness yet when they are restored to health they return to their old courses again Prov. 23.35 They have stricken me shalt thou say and I was not sick they have beaten me and I felt it not VVhen shall I awake I will seek it yet again Solomon speaks here of drunkards who are not disheartned by all the difficulties and troubles and blows that they meet with in following after strong drink but resolve to seek yet again and to persist in their dissolute courses Drunkards are wont to encourage themselves and one another to persist in their drunken courses under all discouragements Isa 56.12 Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more aboundant In stead of desisting they grow more resolved in their way And the reason why this sin is hardly left and so few recovered from it may be partly from the strength this sinfull habit gets in the soul by the many repeated acts of this sin and also from the pleasingness of this sin to corrupt nature for the more pleasing any sin is the more hardly it is left and chiefly from the just and righteous judgment of God who giveth up men who go on sinning against light unto their own hearts lusts saying to them he that is filthy let him be filthy still Drunkenness is called by some vitium maximae adhaerentiae a sin that sticks closer and faster to a man than any other sin Sect. 5. Several aggravations of the sin of drunkenness We have seen the greatness of this sin of drunkenness now let us consider the aggravations of this sin It is worse in some men than others and worse at sometimes than others § It is worse in Magistrates than in other persons I. It is a great sin for any man to be overcome with drink but 't is worse for Magistrates than for other persons The greater and more eminent the person is that commits the offence the more heinous is the offence Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se Crimen habet quanto major qui peccat habetur The Scripture
he see how vain this excuse is in other sins If a Murderer should say I do not make it my common practice to kill men I do it but now and then when I meet with men to whom I have born a grudge a long time Or an adulterer should say I do not commit adultery every day it is but now and than when I have convenient opportunity Or a Thief should say I am no high-way man that maketh a trade of robbing I do steal only at some times when I can do it and no body take notice of it would not these excuses be vain in the case of murder adultery theft and such like sins and if so why not in the case of drunkenness also 3. Christians should be so carefull of scandalous sins as not to commit them so much as once Eph. 5.3 Fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints And particularly concerning drunkenness our Lord Jesus chargeth us to beware not only of being drunken often but least at any time our hearts are overcharged with drunkenness Luk. 21.34 And take heed least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness 4. Once being drunk is enough to shut a man out of the Kingdom of Heaven for ever without Repentance Gal. 5.21 Drunkenness revellings they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God It is not said they that do such things often but they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Adam did eat but once of the forbidden fruit and for that one offence he was cast out of Paradise and by that one offence judgment came upon himself and upon all men to condemnation Rom. 5.18 The Bethshemites looked but once into the Ark and for that one offence there dyed Fifty Thousand Threescore and Ten men 1 Sam. 6.19 David numbered the people but once yet for that one offence there came a Pestilence which killed Seventy Thousand men 2 Sam. 24.10 to the 16. 5. Though you are but beginning to be a company keeper and are overcome but seldom yet who knows that if at any time your heart be over-charged with drunkenness but that may be the time when God may call you out of the World Luk. 21.34 Take heed least at any time your hearts be overcharged with drunkenness and so that day come upon you unawares God cuts off some men when they do but begin to be company keepers and gives them their portion in eternal misery Mat. 24.48 49 50 51. If that evil Servant shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth .. 6. Though at present you are drunk but seldom yet unless you repent and break off this evil course of drinking you will by degrees fall into it more and more and may in a little time prove as common as notorious as sottish a drunkard as any other man For it is ordinary for impenitent sinners to grow more vile every day than other 2 Tim. 3.13 Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse § Privacy in the commission of this sin is no excuse for it Plea 5. If I were an open drunkard I should think my self to be in a sad condition but though I cannot deny but that I am sometime overtaken with the sin of drunkenness yet it is very privately and therefore I hope God will be mercifull to me A. 1. The more open and impudent men are in the commission of their sins the greater their punishment shall be Isa 3.9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them and they declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not wo unto their Soul Those impudent sinners as are not ashamed to sin openly and seek not to hide their sins are in a most wofull condition 2. Drunkenness is such a shamefull sin that in old times men sought for private times and private places for the commission of this sin They were ashamed to be drunk in the day time and took the opportunity of the dark night to keep their drunken meetings 1 Thes 5.7 They that be drunken be drunken in the night When some persons that heard the Apostles speaking with tongues supposed them to be drunk the Apostle refutes that supposition not from the piety of the men that abhorred that vice not from the rationality of their discourse but from the time of the day Act. 2.15 These are not drunken as ye suppose seeing it is but the third hour of the day It was such an unusual thing in those times to see a man drunk in the day that the Apostle thought it sufficient proof that they were not drunken because it was but the third hour of the day But alas it is otherwise in these times wherein we see men frequently reeling and staggering at high noon day 3. Although open drunkards are in a worse condition than such as are secretly given to drunkenness yet such as are secret drunkards shall not be excused by their secresie in their sins For 1. All our secret sins are committed in the sight of God Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our sins before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance David plotted Vriah's death and defiled Bathsheba with great secresie 2 Sam. 12.12 Thou didst it secretly Yet he confesseth these sins were committed in the sight of God Psal 51.4 Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight 2. What sins we commit in secret without Repentance shall be punished openly Eccl. 12.14 God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or bad As it is with secret duties they shall have an open reward Math. 6.4 Thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly So it is also with secret sins § The plea of such as say they are good natured and never go to ale-houses but when enticed answered Plea 6. I never go to Ale-houses but when I am enticed and I am so good natured that if any of my friends or acquaintance ask me to go with them to the Ale-house I can't deny them and when I am there I am overtaken before I am aware A. 1. What you call good nature is an evil nature to be so flexible and easie to yield to a temptation to sin God commands us when sinners entice us not to give our consent unto them Prov. 1.10 My son if sinners entice thee consent thou not A good nature will teach us to obey God and to refuse our consent to the enticings of sinners That is an evil nature that prompts us to disobey God to please and gratifie a friend or neighbour 2. If the
off some persons that are addicted to company keeping when they do but begin to follow after vain persons and to eat and drink with the drunken Mat. 24.48.49 50 51. If that evil servant shall begin to smite his sellow-servants and to eat and drink with the drunken the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 3. If you should live till you are old if you spend your young time in sin who can tell whether God will give you Repentance in your old age It is a rare thing to see a sinner converted in his old age It is as hard for one that hath been accustomed to do evil to do good as it is for a Blackamore to become white or a Leopard to change his spots Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil 4. If the Lord should give you Repentance the sins of youth will lye heavy upon you in your old age and will cause much bitterness in your soul Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth § The plea of such drunkards as make a profession of Religion answered Plea 18. If I were a prophane drunkard that would curse and swear I should look upon my self as in a very sad condition but though I am now and then overcome with drink I am a Religious person I hear and write Sermons I pray in my Family I will lay down my life for Christ I will rather burn than turn from the true Religion And therefore I hope God will not take any notice of my sin though I do sometimes drink to excess A. 1. To be a drunkard and yet to be a Religious person are inconsistent each with other as inconsistent as light and darkness as Heaven and Hell The grace of God teacheth a man to live soberly Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us the denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live righteously soberly and godly in this present World And therefore such as live intemperately and have not learned sobriety are destitute of the grace of God That man that maketh profession of Religion and yet is a drunkard his Religion is a vain Religion 2. Our making a profession of Religion and performing Holy duties will be so far from causing God to take no notice of our sins that he will visit us sooner and punish us more severely than other men if we live in drunkenness or such like sins Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Such of the Jews as made a profession of Religion and yet lived sinfull lives the Lord tells them he would punish them for their iniquities even for all of them 3. The prayers and other Religious services of drunkards are an abomination to God Prov 15.8 The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Sacrifice was part of God's worship under the Law and when offered up in a right manner was very acceptable to God yet when performed by a wicked man it was an abomination to the Lord. The services of impenitent sinners are a burden and a weariness to the Lord. Isa 1.13 14. Incense is an abomination to me the new Moons and Sabbaths and calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even the solemn meeting your new moons and your appointed feasts my Soul hateth they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them Incense did cast forth a sweet and delightful smell yet when offered by impenitent sinner it was an abomination to the Lord If impenitent sinners should have such gifts in prayer as that their prayers should be pleasing and delightfull to those that joyn with them yet their prayers are an abomination to the Lord. 4. Such as make a profession of Religion and yet live in drunkenness are worse and in a more woful condition than ignorant and prophane drunkards Isa 28.1 Wo to the drunkards of Ephraim Ephraim was a Tribe of Israel and a drunken Israelite is in a more wofull condition than a drunken Egyptian or a drunken Philistine The sins of such as make a profession of Religion do bring more dishonour to God and scandal to Religion then the sins of other men Rom. 2.17 23 24. Behold thou art called a Jew and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God For the name of God is blasphemed through you among the Gentiles 5. They deceive their own hearts that think they could lay down their lives for Christ who will not who cannot lay down a swinish and sottish lust for Christ which is prejudicial both to their Bodies and Souls § The plea of such as drink to excess to avoid envy and hatred of their neighbours and for fear of having ill offices done them answered Plea 19. I live in a drunken sottish place where my neighbours are generally given to drinking and if I should not do as my neighbours do I shall be envied and hated and they will put troublesome offices upon me or raise me in the rates or do me some ill turn and therefore though I approve not of drinking and tipling yet I am necessitated to do as they do else I should not live a quiet life amongst them I do this only to avoid trouble and therefore I hope I may be excused A. 1. If you will not live soberly and temperately and righteously in this present evil world for fear of hatred and envy and trouble then it is not possible that you should be a true Christian and lead a holy and righteous life or do any good works for no man can be a Christian indeed but wicked men will hate him Luk. 21.19 Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake No man can lead a Godly Life but he shall meet with trouble 2 Tim 3.12 Yea and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution No man can do any good work but some or other will envy him Eccl. 4.4 I considered all navel and every right work that for this a man is envied of his neighbour 2. If you live righteously and soberly God will love you Psal 146.8 The Lord loveth the righteous But if you be a worker of iniquity the Lord will hate you Psal 5.5 Thou hatest all workers of iniquity And if the Lord love you you need not be troubled though all your neighbours and all the men in the World hate you And if the Lord hate you it is not the love of your neighbours will comfort you
speaks of it as an odious sin in Kings and Princes that are Rulers over others to be addicted to this sin of drunkenness Prov. 31.4 It is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for Princes strong drink It is not the use but the excess of wine and strong drink that is forbidden to Kings and Princes And there may be several reasons why Magistrates should above others avoid this sin of drunkenness 1. They are God's Vicegerents on earth they are in the place and in the stead of God among men Exod. 4.10 Thou shalt be to him instead of God They that are Rulers and Judges do not or at least ought not to rule and judge for themselves but for the Lord. 2 Chron. 19.6 And he said to the Judges take heed what ye do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord. And what a dishonour is it to the Holy and Blessed God that his Vicegerents that they that rule and judge 〈…〉 stead on earth should be tainted and 〈…〉 with such a beastly sin as drunkenness 2. When Magistrates are pious prudent sober and temperate they are blessin◠〈◊〉 the places over which God hath set the 〈◊〉 but when they are like children and can't govern themselves but eat and drink unseasonably and excessively they bring wo and misery not only on themselves but on others also even on the whole Land where they live Eccl. 10.17 Wo to thee O Land when thy King is a child and thy Princes eat in the morning Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness 3. When Magistrates are given to excess of wine or strong drink it unfits them for their employments it makes them forget God and the duty of their places and to pervert judgment Prov. 31.4 5. It is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine nor Princes strong drink least they drink and forget the law and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted And those Magistrates do wickedly and are altogether unlike God that through carelesness or taking bribes or affection or any other account pervert judgment Job 34.12 Yea surely God will not do wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert judgment It is the opinion of all men that they deserve the curse of God who pervert judgment though in the cause of the meanest persons such as strangers widdows and fatherless Deut. 27.19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger fatherless and widdow and all the people shall say Amen 4. The Magistrates example hath a great influence on the people When Rulers are just and holy and temperate that will encline the people to the love and practice of Justice Temperance and Holiness When Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed many of the Corinthians embraced the faith of Christ Act. 18.8 And Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed on the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized While Joshua ruled Israel who was a pious person that served the Lord Israel served the Lord also Josh 24 15 31. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua Manassah's evil example made Judah and Jerusalem to sin at an high rate and to do worse than the Heathen 2 Chron. 33.2 5. 5. Magistrates dishonour themselves exceedingly in the sight of the people by excess of wine and render themselves contemptible by giving themselves over to vicious courses Hab. 2.15 16. Wo to him that giveth his neighbour drink and maketh him drunken that thou mayest look on his nakedness Thou art filled with shame for glory drink thou also and let thy foreskin be uncovered the cup of the Lords Right-hand shall be on thee and shamefull spewing shall be on thy glory The Babylonians were much addicted to the sin of drunkenness for which as well as for other sins the Lord denounceth Gods judgments against them because they were given to drinking themselves and would make others drunk also and among other punishments which they should receive from the Lord for this sin this was one that they should be filled with shame instead of Glory Thou art filled with shame for Glory and shamefull spewing shall be on thy glory They that understand this place Metaphorically grant that it may have a litteral sense to this effect Potest hoc ad Regem Babylonium referri quod vomet ipse cum magno dedecore quod ante intemperanter hauserat They are Calvin's words upon the place This may have reference to the King of Babylon that he should vomit with great shame what he had drunk in an excessive manner Though men be advanced to never such dignity and glory yet if they be given to excess of wine if they will drink till they spew if they will drink till they lose their understandings this stains their glory their drunkenness is a greater shame to them than their promotion to places of Government is a glory to them § It is worse in Ministers than in any other men II. Drunkenness is a worse sin in a Minister of the Gospel who should be a pattern as well as a preacher of Righteousness than in any other man Under the Mosaical Law the Priests were forbidden to drink wine or strong drink upon pain of death when they were to go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation Lev. 10.8 9. And the Lord spake unto Aaron saying do not drink wine nor strong drink thou nor thy Sons which thee when ye go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation least ye dye it shall be a statute for ever throughout your Generations And the reason of this strict prohibition of wine and strong drink to the Priests when they were to attend the service of the Lord is added ver 10.11 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy and between clean and unclean and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the Statutes which the Lord hath spoken to them by the hand of Moses The prohibition of the Priests drinking wine when they were to attend the service of the Lord is renewed by Ezekiel Ezek. 44.21 Neither shall any Priest drink wine when they enter into the Inner Court And as under the Law there was a strict charge given to the Priests not to drink wine or strong drink when they were to be employed in serving the Lord and teaching the people so it is required of all Ministers under the Gospel that they be sober and not given to wine 1 Tim. 3.2 3. A Bishop must be blameless vigilant sober not given to wine Tit. 1.5 For a Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God not given to wine What the Apostle saith in his Epistle to Timothy and Titus concerning the qualifications of a Bishop concerneth all the Ministers of the Gospel which
an Idol but they must bow themselves and shew respect to every Idol that came in their way Jer. 3.6 She is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree and there hath played the Harlot So they are notorious drunkards that can't pass by any Tavern or Ale-house but they must go in and tipple there 4. They are greedy drunkards that can never have enough but drink till they are dead drunk that they can't go nor speak but lye like dead men And if Friends send for them there is no getting them away or the Master of the house would perswade them to forbear drinking they fall into a rage and are like mad men of such it may be said what the Prophet speaks Isa 56.11 They are greedy dogs which cannot have enough 5. They are greedy drunkards who do not only go themselves frequently to Taverns but invite and entice others to go along with them Isa 56.11 12. They are greedy dogs that cannot have enough Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink § It is an aggravation of this sin to boast and glory of it IX It is an aggravation of the sin of drunkenness or any other sin when a man will glory and boast either of being drunk himself or making others drunk All sin is matter of shame and blushing Jer. 3.25 We lye down in our shame and our confusion doth cover us for we have sinned against the Lord our God Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased And therefore they are impudent sinners that will glory and boast of their sins God will confound those that boast of their sins Psal 97.7 Confounded be all they that boast themselves of Idols And as boasting of Idols so boasting of any other sin will bring confusion with it Such as glory in those evil courses whereof they have cause to be ashamed their end will be destruction not only in this life but in the other World for ever Phil. 3.19 VVhose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame § It is an aggravation of this sin to continue long in it X. The sin of drunkenness and all other sins are aggravated by long continuance in them Jerusalem's adultery was the greater and more heinous because of its long continuance Ezek. 23.43 I said unto her that was old in adulteries And the hatred of the Philistines against the Jews was the more displeasing to God because they had hated the Jews a long time Ezek. 25.15 16. Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge and have taken vengeance with a despitefull heart to destroy it for the old hatred Therefore thus saith the Lord God I will stretch out mine hand against the Philistines When a man hath been disobedient from his youth this makes his disobedience the greater sin Jer. 22.21 This hath been thy manner from thy youth that thou obeyest not my voice All impenitent sinners are under the curse of God but more especially the old sinner Isa 65.20 The sinner being an hundred years old is accursed Sect. 6. The pleas and excuses of drunkards whereby they would excuse their sin answered and removed As it was with those that were invited to the supper and did not go They all with one consent began to make excuse Luk. 14.18 So it is with this Generation of men they have all of them one excuse or other whereby they would excuse or at least extenuate and lessen this abominable sin of drunkenness I will instance in several excuses and shew how vain and frivolous they are § Though men of good fashion and great parts be addicted to this sin we must not follow their example Plea 1. The greatest wits the able'st Scholars and the best sort of Gentlemen are usually great drinkers they are only a company of dull souls pitifull sneaking fellows such as affect singularity that speak against drunkenness and will not go to Taverns and drink as freely as other men and therefore I can't believe this is such an odious and abominable sin as you would represent it to be A. 1. There never were wiser and better men in the World than the Prophets and the Apostles yet they all with one consent declaim against this sin of drunkenness as a most odious abominable sin yea our Lord Jesus Christ chargeth and commandeth us to take heed least at any time our hearts be overcharged with drunkenness Luk. 21.34 And take heed unto your selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness John the Baptist was an eminent person for wisdom and piety our Lord Jesus Christ gives this Character of him Mat. 11.11 Verily I say unto you among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist He was not only highly esteemed among men but he was great in the sight of God and converted many Souls and he never drunk any wine or strong drink Luk. 1.15 16. He shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his Mothers Womb and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God And therefore to say none but dull souls and sneaking fellows and such as affect singularity speak against drunkenness is a reproaching the Prophets and the Apostles and the best men that ever lived yea our Lord Jesus Christ himself for they all preached against and abhorred the sin of drunkenness 2. To say that all generous Spirited men and great wits are great drinkers and that they that are not so are a company of dull souls and pityfull sneaking fellows is to reproach and condemn the generation of the righteous as if they were the basest fort of men whereas they are the excellentest persons that are upon the face of the earth Psal 16.2 3. My goodness extendeth not unto thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight Prov. 12.20 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Those sober men whom drunkards call pityfull sneaking fellows shall lift up their heads with joy and boldness before Jesus Christ at the day of judgment when wine bibbers shall call to the Rocks and Mountains to fall on them and to hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 3. Though drunkards think themselves the only wise men and cry up their Companions as the only witty and brave men yet in truth and reality they are very fools and there is not one wise man amongst them Prov. 20.1 Wine is a mocker and strong drink is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wie If Solomon be to be believed who was one of the wisest men that ever lived yea if the Spirit of God
at peace with him And if God can encline the hearts of our enemies towards us then much more the hearts of our friends when we do those things that are pleasing in his sight However run the hazard rather adventure the displeasing your friends by obeying God than displease God by complying with the sinfull humours and ways of your friends 5. It is great folly to comply with friends or Relations in their evil ways in hope to get an Estate from them after their Death For 1. Who can tell but you may dye before your friends And what will your sinfull complyance do you good if you dye before your friends Or who can tell but they may take a disgust at you though you strive to humour mour them in that which is sinfull And what a sad case is that to lose the favour of God and your friends also 2. If you should obtain that estate you hope for your sinfull complyance will do your souls more hurt than ever your Estate will be able to do you good 3. Such an state as is gotten by a sinfull complyance hath not God's Blessing going with it And it is better being without an Estate than to have it without the Blessing of God For an estate without a blessing doth a man much hurt of such an estate it may be said as Solomon doth Eccl. 5.13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the Sun namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt § The excellency of wine or strong drink is no excuse for drunkenness Plea 9. I am not won't to be disguised with drinking except it be at such times as I light of excellent wine and very pleasant liquors and when I meet with pure and pleasant wine or other choice drink I can't refrain my self but I must drink to excess and I hope in such a case I may be excused A. 1. This is a vain frivolous foolish excuse If a thief should say I never rob a man but when I meet with a rich and tempting prize Or an adulterer should say I never commit adultery but when I meet with a fair and beautifull woman Would such pleas excuse the thief and adulterer No more will it excuse a drunkard to say I am never overcome with wine but when I meet with pure rich and generous wine 2. There is no purer clearer pleasanter water than Spring water yet the pleasantness and purity of the Spring water doth not tempt the wild asses or other beasts to drink more than will quench their thirst Psal 104.10 11. He sendeth the springs into the valleys which run among the hills they give drink to every beast of the field the wild asses quench their thirst And shall man who was made after the Image of God and who hath a more excellent Spirit than any of the beasts drink to excess because he meets with pure wine and excellent drink 3. The purest and most excellent wine when drunk to excess will prove the most deadly poyson for it destroyes Body and Soul whereas other poyson destroys the Body only That passage of Moses may be applyed Deut. 32.33 Their wine is the poyson of dragons and the cruel venom of asps And what wise man would drink the poyson of dragons and the cruel venom of asps though it should be made pleasant to the tast Or would drink the sweetest and richest wine under Heaven if he knew there were the poyson of dragons or the cruel venom of asps infused into it The guilt of drunkenness is more destructive to a man than the poyson of dragons or the cruel venom of asps for the one kills the Body only the other will destroy Body and Soul for ever 4. Whereas drunkards say they can't for their hearts refrain from drinking to excess when they meet with choice and excellent wine which is both pleasant to the eye and and tast they should consider with themselves that the briskest purest most pleasant wine if drunk to excess will bite like a serpent and sting like an adder Prov. 23.31 32. Look not thou upon the wine whâ—… 〈◊〉 is red when it giveth his colour in the cup when it moveth it self aright at the last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an adder There is scarce any drunkard so sottish that after he hath drunk a glass of wine should espy a serpent at the bottom of his second or third glass that would certainly bite him if he proceeded to drink any more and should discern an adder under the table that would surely sting him if he did not flee the room but would refrain drinking though he had a bottle of the best and pleasantest wine that ever was drunk standing before him What the Lord tells us in his holy word is as certainly true as what we see with our bodily eyes and therefore seeing the Lord tells us that such as are enticed by the pleasantness of the look or tast of the wine that is before them to drink to excess shall find their excess in drinking will bite them like a serpent and sting like an adder this should make us refrain immoderate drinking although we should meet with pure and pleasant wine If any say I have been often drunk but never found the wine that I drunk biting me like a serpent and stinging me like an adder if I had I would have broken off this course of drinking long ago A. Though you have not felt any biting or stinging from the sin of drunkenness for the present yet you may find it hereafter and shall assuredly find it without Repentance At the last it bitcth like a Serpent Though for a while this Serpent seems to be asleep yet at the last it will bite more dreadfully than any serpent and it will sting worse than any adder 1. It bites in this life many men with horrors of Conscience and sharp and painfull diseases in their bodies 2. It will sting terribly at the hour of death 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin When a drunkard comes to dye then his frequent drunkenness and all mad pranks that he committed when he was drunk will come to his mind and sting his Conscience when he lyes upon his death-bed And the sting that sin puts into death is worse than the sting of an adder or the biting of a serpent 3. At the day of judgment then drunkenness will bite and sting worse then at the day of death then drunkards will be stung with their sin that they will be desirous that the Rocks and Mountains should fall on them and cover them from the wrath of the Lord. Rev. 6.15 16 17. 4. In Hell torments when drunkards shall be cast to the old Serpent the devil then this sin of drunkenness will torment you worse than the biting of any serpent or the stinging of any adder § The plea of common tiplers and of such as are strong to drink wine answered Plea 10. I acknowledge that I go
and others to repent of and forsake this sin of drunkenness If some drunkards be cut of in the act of sin while you are spared you must not think that they were greater sinners than you are but by their example God calls you to Repentance Luk. 13.4 5. Those eighteen upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell and slew them think ye that they were sinners above all that dwell in Jerusalem I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish 5. Your prospering in a sinfull course and being free from trouble of Conscience and also your being free from the judgments of God is a sure token that God intends to destroy you for ever Psal 94.7 When the wicked spring as the grass and all the workers of iniquity do flourish it is that they may be destroyed for ever Some mens sins go before to judgment and some men they follow after 1 Tim. 5.24 The less you meet with here for your sins the more you have to come in the other World 6. If you be free from God's judgments on your outward man yet it may be he sends his plagues upon your heart Exod. 9.14 I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart If the Lord give a man up to his own hearts lusts or to an hard and impenitent heart this is a worse judgment than afflictions on the Body or Estate § The plea of such as fear reproaches if they should not drink to excess as others do answered Plea 13. I would leave off this sin of drunkenness were it not that I feared reproach and scorn my companions with whom I have used to frequent Taverns and Ale-houses will call me a precise fool and say I am turned Puritan if I should not do as they do and besides my occasions do oft times lead me into the company of Gentlemen that are great drinkers and if I should scruple drinking in their company they would reproach and scorn me now I stand much upon my honour and to avoid reproaches I am drawn to that which I am convinced is a great evil but I can't avoid it unless I should make my self a derision and scorn among my acquaintance A. 1. If you stand upon your honour then whatever scoffs are put upon you hold fast your Sobriety be not by any means drawn to excessive drinking for drunkenness is a great reproach to any man be he a great or a mean man Prov. 14.34 Sin is a reproach to any people To be reproached for our temperance or any other branch of Righteousness is a real honour 1 Pet 4.14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you Then we are reproached for the name of Christ when we are reproached for our obedience to any of the Commandments of Christ of which this is one Take heed to your own selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfitting and drunkenness Luk. 21.34 And therefore if any man reproach you because you will not overcharge your selves with drunkenness this is your happiness this is your glory for the Spirit of glory rests upon those that are reproached for the name of Christ 2. None but fools will mock at you for refusing to drink to excess Prov. 14.9 Fools make a mock at sin And who will regard what fools say As for all good men if you live in the fear of God they will honour you It is mentioned as a Character of a good man He honoureth them that fear the Lord. Psal 15.4 Yea if you abstain from drunkenness out of Conscience to the command of Christ the Lord himself will honour you Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me him will my Father honour 3. If you are ashamed to keep your sobrietp because of the scoffs and jears of sottish men the Lord Jesus Christ will disown you and be ashamed of you before the Holy Angels and before his Heavenly Father Mark 8.33 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this sinfull and adulterous Generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his father with the Holy Angels 4. If you will not turn from your sottish courses at the call and command of God the Lord himself will laugh at you and mock you in the day of your calamity Prov. 1.23 24 26. Turn ye at my reproof Because I have called and ye refused I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh And that is very dreadfull to have God instead of helping us in our distress mock and laugh at us in our calamity Yea the Devils also who tempted you to sin will laugh at you in Hell for your folly in parting with Heaven for such a poor matter as a pot of drink 5. You have slighty thoughts of sin and low thoughts of your immortal souls and of the joys of Heaven and the torments of Hell if you will commit such an horrible sin as drunkenness and cast away your immortal souls and deprive your selves of the joys of Heaven rather than bear the scoffs and jears of foolish and sottish men § The plea of rich men whereby they would excuse their drunkenness answered Plea 14. If I were a poor labouring man and should lye at the Ale-house and spend what I earned and my Family be in want I should be greatly to be blamed but I am a rich man and have a great Estate I can spend freely at Taverns and Ale-houses and not feel any want of what I spend there and therefore I hope I may be excused A. 1. It is indeed a very great crime for labouring men or any others to wast their Estates at Ale-houses whereby their Families are brought to want for such are worse than infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 If any provide not for his own and especially for those of his own house he hath denyed the Faith and is worse than an Infidel 2. The rich drunkard shall find no more favour with God than the poor man yea than the begger For the Lord is no respecter of persons but will render to every man according to his works Riches avail nothing to keep off the wrath of God Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath Job 36.19 Will he esteem thy riches No not Gold nor all the forces of strength Yea it will go worse with rich drunkards at the day of judgment than with poor men that have been addicted to this sin For they sin against greater mercy and abuse greater Talents than poor men What is said of the rust and canker which is on the Gold and Silver of rich men that are covetous and hoard up their Riches and do no good with them Jam. 5.3 Your Gold and your Silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ye have heaped treasure together
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
us 4. The World and the Flesh and the Devil will be as tempting hereafter as they are now and our hearts as ready and more ready to yield than they are now § The plea of such as say they would leave off their drunkenness but they cannot Helps against this sin of drunkenness If any say I am abundantly convinced that Drunkenness is an abominable sin and I would leave it but I cannot I find it hath got such power over me as that I can't withstand it What shall I do that I may be able to leave this sin A. It is no easie matter for a man that is accustomed to this sin to leave it it is of such an enticing bewitching nature and therefore having set out the greatness of this sin and answered the Pleas that are made use of to excuse this sin I shall now propose some helps against this sin § Prayer is a special help against Drunkenness and all other sins 1. Pray to God to give you his Holy Spirit to sanctify your hearts and to turn you from this and from all your other sins When the Apostle had cautioned the Ephesians against Drunkenness as a means and help against this sin he exhorts them to be filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18 Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit Now the way to get the Spirit of God is to pray for it Luk. 11.13 Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him By Prayer to God we may obtain help against all our sins such as are strongest and of longest continuance Psal 119 2 3. Blessed are they that seek him with the whole heart they do no iniquity Such sins as we are most inclined to that have dwelt in us a long time and are become natural to us may be overcome by the grace of God Jam. 4.5 6. The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy but he giveth more grace That is God's grace is sufficient for the subduing our strongest Corruptions and if we do seek to him with humble hearts he will give us more strength of grace than there is strength of sin in us whereby we shall overcome those sins that have dwelt longest in us and to which our Hearts and Spirits are most strongly enclined But here some may say by way of discouragement Obj. 1. It is true Prayer will do great things with God but it is said Joh. 9.31 We know that God heareth not sinners and therefore to what purpose should I that am a sinner pray to God to give me his grace to leave and forsake my sins seeing God will not hear me A. 1. When it is said God heareth not sinners it is to be understood of impenitent sinners of such as love and delight in their sins and hate to be reformed and turn a deaf Ear to the word of God Prov. 28.9 He that turneth away his Ear from hearing the Law even his Prayer shall be an abomination 2. As for such sinners as are desirous to leave and forsake their sins there is hope for them if they pray to God for his grace that he will hear them The VVoman of Samaria that discoursed with Christ at Jacob's VVell was a great sinner she lived with a man that was not her Husband and so was an Adultress Joh. 4.16 17 18. She was a Samaritan ver 4. and the Samaritans were Idolaters and did did not know what they worshipped ver 22. Ye worship ye know not what See also 2 King 17.24 28 29 41. The Samaritans were a people of ill fame among the Jews Joh. 8.48 Say we not well thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil This VVoman of Samaria had carried her self unkindly to Christ yet when he asked for a draught of water though she knew the VVell was deep and that he had nothing to draw with ver 11. She did not grant him his request but instead of giving him water she gave him a check ver 9. How is it that thou being a Jew asketh drink of me which am a Woman of Samaria for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans Yet our Lord Jesus Christ incourageth this VVoman to pray though a Samaritan though one that lived with a man as her Husband that was not her Husband though she had carryed her self unkindly to Christ he incourageth her to pray and tells her if she had asked he would have given her living water Joh. 4.10 Jesus said unto her if thou knowest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Oppressours and Unrighteous persons are great sinners yet they are exhorted to seek the Lord and have a promise that if they seek God they shall live Amos 5.6 7. Seek ye the Lord and ye shall live ye that turn judgment to Wormwood and leave off righteousness in the Earth Obj. 2. But I have such inclinations to drinking and have been so long addicted to this sin and am so enslaved to it that I think it is in vain to pray for help against it for I fear there is no hope that I should ever be made able to leave off this sin A. 1. There is nothing too hard for God Jer. 32.17 He that formed the Heavens and the Earth out of nothing that brought light out of darkness there is nothing too hard for him He can enlighten those that are under the greatest ignorance and blindness he can make those that have carnal and vile hearts to become Heavenly and Spiritual He can make the chief of sinners to become the greatest Saints There is a possibility yea a probability that God may give repentance to such as are the greatest Slaves to Sin and Satan that Satan leads them Captive at his pleasure and doth with them even what he will and oppose the means of their recovery yet such as these may be recovered out of the Devil's snare 2 Tim. 2.25 26. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will 2. We have examples of God's Mercy and Grace in recovering other sinners that have been as much enslaved to their sins as you are and their hearts have been as much glued to their sins as yours are and have continued as long in their evil courses as you have done The Apostle tells us of some that were Servants to their sins and served divers Lusts and Pleasures that were saved by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.3 5. The Israelites were exceedingly given and addicted to the sin of Idolatry Their hearts went after their Idols and were glued to them Ezek. 20.16 Their heart went after their Idols Hos 4.17 Ephraim is joyned to Idols Yet when they
hearing the word of God preached is a powerfull means to reclaim men from their sins and bringing them to Salvation 1 Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe Rom 10.17 So then Faith cometh by hearing Meditation also on what we read and hear out of God's Word is a special means to encline our hearts to shun those wayes that are forbidden and walk in those wayes that are commanded in God's Word Psal 119.15 I will meditate in thy Precepts and have respect unto thy wayes § The belief of the truth of those things which the Scriptures speak concerning this sin is an help to our forsaking it 4. Lay to heart and believe the truth of those things which the Scriptures speak concerning drunkards and drunkenness As namely that drunkenness is a manifest work of the flesh concerning which the Lord tells again and again that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Gal. 5.19 20.21 It will as certainly exclude a man out of Heaven as Murder and Adultery or any other sin We are told plainly in God's word that drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God And that Hell is prepared for drunkards and doth as it were open its mouth to receive them and that such as follow after strong drink and enflame themselves with wine though there be multitudes of them and some of them very jolly men and live in great pomp and splendor their pomp and their multitude and their glory shall descend into Hell Isa 5.11 14. The Scriptures tell us plainly that such as drink till they are drunken the Lord will cut them asunder and give them their portion with unbelievers Luk. 12.45 46. And where shall unbelievers have their portion In Hell fire Rev. 21.8 The unbelieving shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone So that it is evident from the Scriptures that drunkards shall most certainly be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven and be cast into Hell fire For nothing is more certainly true than what God hath revealed in the Scriptures And therefore let me reason a little with all those drunkards into whose hands this discourse shall come about the certainty of their damnation if they persist in their drunken and sottish courses Suppose all the Ministers that are this day upon the face of the earth and all the knowing and wise men in the World should come to thee and tell thee if thou dost not leave off thy drunkenness thou wilt certainly be shut out of Heaven and be cast into Hell would this startle thee That which the Lord tells us in his Holy Word is more certainly true than what is told us by all the men of the world For all men are fallible and subject to mistakes and may be overtaken with a lye but God is infallible and is a God that cannot lye Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and every man a lyar Suppose one of thy drunken companions that dyed in his sins and is now in Hell should be permitted to come from the dead and should tell thee Hell fire is an intolerable torment for I have been in it and I am sent by God to thee to tell thee except thou dost repent of thy sins and leave of thy drunkenness thou shalt as certainly go to Hell as I or any other sinner would this make thee leave thy sin Or suppose one of thy Godly Friends or Acquaintance that is now in Heaven should come to thee from Heaven and say I am sent from God to tell thee that except thou dost repent and leave off thy drunkenness thou shalt surely be cast into Hell would this startle thee wouldst thou believe this Message would this make thee repent God's word is more to be credited and a more forcible means to perswade men to repent than a message brought by a Saint or Sinner risen from the dead Luk. 16.30 31. If one went from the dead they will repent And he said unto him if they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Suppose an Angel should call to thee out of Heaven when thou art at a Tavern or an Alehouse and say O thou drunkard except thou dost repent thou shalt surely go to Hell Or suppose an Angel should bring thee a List of the names of those that shall be condemned at the day of judgment would this startle thee to see thy name in that List When the Scripture tells thee that no drunkard shall inherit the Kingdom of God but they shall all without Repentance be cast into Hell-fire that is more certain than if thou heardest a voice from Heaven telling thee thou art a damned creature or then if thou sawest thy name in the List of those that are to be damned for there is as great or a greater certainty in what we read in the Scriptures than in what we hear spoken by a voice from Heaven 2 Pet. 1.18.19 And this voice which came from Heaven we heard We have also a more sure word of Prophesy Suppose the Lord himself should come and speak to thee in a dream as he did to Abimelech Gen. 20.3 God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said unto him behold thou art but a dead man for the woman which thou hast taken for she is a mans wife Suppose I say the Lord himself should say to thee in a dream or a vision Behold thou art a damned creature for the evil courses that thou takest if thou dost not break off thy drunkenness I will cast thee into Hell-fire would not this make thee leave off thy drunkenness The Lord tells thee in his Word that drunkards shall not inherit his Kingdom but shall be cast into that Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone And what God saith to thee in the Scriptures is as much to be regarded is as true and certain as what he saith to us in a dream or vision or by an audible voice from Heaven What the Scripture saith God saith for the Scriptures are God's Word and therefore what the Scripiure saith shall be is as certain to come to pass as if it were already done What the Scripture saith is more sure and certain than what we see with our eyes or hear with our eares or feel with our hands for our senses are fallible When Isaac's eyes were dim he mistook Jacob for Esau though he heard him speak and felt him with his hands but what the Scripture saith is infallible For all Scripture was given by inspiration of God and God is an infallible God And therefore know O drunkard whosoever thou art that readest these lines that if thou dost not leave off thy drunkenness thy damnation is more certain than any thing that thou seest with thy eyes or hearest with thy eares or feelest
that caution consider diligently what is before thee There is another awakening expression Put a knife to thy Throat if thou be a man given to thine appetite that is 1. Stand in as much awe and be in as great fear of offending God by thine excess in eating or drinking as a man is in fear of offending that hath a knife put to his Throat 2. Look upon thy Soul to be in as great danger of perishing by intemperance when thou art at a great man's table as thy body is in danger of perishing when thou hast a knife at thy Throat Or 3. Put a knife to thy Throat that is use all means possible to mortifie and restrain thine inordinate appetite 't is like the expression Ps 39.1 I will keep my Mouth with a bridle that is I will force my self to be silent I will refrain from speaking I will keep in such words as are unseemly though they would be breaking out So put a knife to thy Throat that is restrain thine inordinate affections force thy self to be temperate in eating and drinking Many think that it is a desirable thing to be invited to feasts with great men to eat at a Rulers Table and they have a longing mind after such things but let them hear what Solomon saith in this case Prov. 23.3 Be not desirous of his dainties for they are deceitful meat The greater dainties are on the Table the greater is the danger The Daintier our Meat and Drink is the more deceitful For while dainties please the Palate if they allure us to intemperance they kill the Soul And is not that deceitful that comes with an appearance of pleasure and destroys both Body and Soul 2. You are under a temptation to this sin when sensual Lusts arise in your hearts or evil motions are put into your minds by Satan whereby you are enticed and enclined to go to Taverns and Ale-houses to be merry among your jovial Companions James 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his lust and enticed Now when such Lusts or inordinate desires after wine or strong drink arise in your hearts do not gratifie them do not make any provision for their satisfaction Rom. 13.14 Make no provision for the Flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof But withstand resist and deny their solicitations hearken not to their enticings but list your heart to God to subdue your evil inclinations and attend the the works of your callings When the lusts of our hearts solicit us to evil we may give a double reply to them Non licet How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God And Non vacat I am not at leisure We may reply as Nehemiah Neh. 6.3 When we are employed and diligent in our callings we have a great advantage against the lusts of our own heart and the temptations of Satan by not being at leisure to attend their motions When we are idle and out of employment our own sins and Satans temptations have a great advantage on us and will easily prevail over us 3. You are under a temptation to this sin when your drunken companions entice and call you to go to the Alehouse or when being there they urge and importune you to drink more than is meet In this case remember what the Lord saith Prov. 1.10 15 18. My Son if sinners entice thee consent not my son walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path They lay wait for their own blood they lurk privily for their own lives If one should entice you to an Alehouse to murder you when he comes there if you knew this before hand would you go with him They that entice you to Alehouses and make you drunk when you come there do a worse thing than murder your Bodies for they draw you to that sin which will damn your Body and Soul for ever and that is a worse hurt than murder What Solomon saith of such as yield to the enticing of an Harlot Prov. 7.21 22 23. With much fair speech she caused him to yield He goeth after her strait-way as an Ox goeth to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks till a Dart striketh through his Liver as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his Life The same is applicable to those that yield to the enticing of drunkards or other sins VVhen they yield to their enticings and go along with them they go as an Ox to the slaughter that they follow them to their own destruction as surely though they consider it as little as the Ox that goeth to the slaughter they go as a Fool to the correction of the stocks when once they are got in they can as hardly get out as a man can get his feet out of the Stocks Till a dart strike through his Liver that is till he be certainly ruined body and Soul If a dart go through the Arm or Thigh that wound may be cured but if it strike through the Liver it is certain death there is no cure for such a wound As a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life A snare taketh suddenly and holdeth surely Such is the case of those that follow the enticing of Sinners they as little consider that they are doing that which will destroy their Souls that their lives lie at stake as the bird doth that hastneth to the snare she looks for meat but looseth her life so doth the Drunkard that is taken in the snare of evil Company he looketh for pleasure but looseth his Soul 4. You are under a temptation to excess of drinking when you meet with brisk and pleasant Wine or other pleasant drink that which is pleasant to the Eye or pleasant to the Tast The most pleasing Wine or other drink it taken excessively will bite like a Serpent and sting like an Addar Prov. 23.31 32. § Inordinate affection to Wine and strong drink to be mortifyed by such as would avoid drunkenness 7. Let such as would avoid drunkenness mortifie their inordinate affection to Wine and strong Drink This is necessary because the inordinacy of the affections to VVine or strong Drink is is sinful and offensive to God as well as the act of Drunkenness It is evil to have the mind and heart hanging after Taverns and Ale-houses as well as to be a frequenter of those places He is a Drunkard in his heart that hath an inordinate Affection to Wine or strong Drink as well as he committeth Adultery with a Woman in his heart that lusteth after her in his heart Besides this inordinate affection to Wine or strong Drink is the root of this sin of drunkenness We do not lay the Ax to the root of Drunkenness if we only indeavour to forbear the actual Commission of this sin and do not endeavour to mortifie our inordinate affections A man may purpose and make vows and use other means
fulfil the lusts of the flesh Some might enquire what course shall we take that we may subdue the lusts of the flesh the Apostle directs to a ready way for getting power over all lusts and it is this that we get and walk in the spirit But some may say How shall we come to be filled with the spirit A. 1. By earnest longings and servent Prayers to God to give us yea to fill us with his Holy Spirit Luk. 11.13 Your Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth and I will fill it Psal 107.9 He satisfieth the longing soul and filleth the hungry with goodness 2. By acting Faith on God's Promises where he hath promised to give his spirit in an abundant and plentiful measure to us The more full we are of Faith the greater fulness we shall have of the spirit Act. 6 5. They choose Stephen a man full of Faith and of the Holy Ghost Now we have divers promises wherein the Lord hath promised to pour out his spirit richly and abundantly upon us Isa 44.3 I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground By water and floods we are to understand a plentiful effusion of the spirit as the words following shew us I will pour my spirit on thy seed See also Joh. 7.38 39. 3. Be careful you do not quench nor grieve the Holy Spirit after the Lord hath given any measure of it to you either by the Omission of known duties or the Commission of known sins For thereby you will hinder farther Communications of the spirit But some may say I am afraid God will not fill me with his Holy Spirit because I have been such a vile and sinful creature though I should seek unto him A. God through and for the sake of Jesus Christ will shed abroad his spirit abundantly on those that have been vile and great sinners if they turn to the Lord and make their supplication to him Prov. 1.23 Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my spirit unto you This promise is made to such as have been very great sinners to such as loved simplicity hated knowledge delighted in scorning as we may see in the fore-going verse yet even to these upon their turning God promiseth to pour out his spirit See also Tit. 3.5 6. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour These persons on whom God through Jesus Christ did shed abroad his spirit abundantly had been great sinners as we may see ver 3. They were sometime foolish disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another yet on them for Christ's sake the Lord did shed abroad his spirit abundantly § Putting on the Lord Jesus is a special help against drunkenness and all other sins How we are to put on Christ 10. If you would cast off this sin of drunkenness put on the Lord Jesus Christ for the puting on Christ will help you to put off your drunkenness and all your other sins Rom. 13.12 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ The Apostle doth not bid us put on temperance that we escape rioting and drunkenness or put on chastity as a remedy against wantonness or put on love and peace as a remedy against strife and envying but as a remedy against drunkenness and all the other sins he bids us put on the Lord Jesus Christ The putting on Christ will help us to put off drunkenness and all other vicious courses But some may say what is it to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and how and when may we be said to put on Christ Ans 1. We put on Christ by faith when we put on a garment we apply it to our bodies So we put on the Lord Jesus Christ when we make application of him and his saving benefits to our souls Christ is to be put on not only for justification from the guilt but also for sanctification from the filth and power of sin For he hath righteousness and holiness merit and spirit for sinners wherein all that believe in him do communicate with him This is absolutely necessary for the mortification of this and all other sins the power of sin can never be subdued but by the power of Christ Our old man must be crucified with him Rom. 6.6 and through the spirit we must mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8.13 To him therefore must we look and upon him we must rely by faith for grace and help to enable us to forsake and mortifie our sins It is through faith in Christ that we obtain victory over our corruption 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith By the world which is overcome by faith understand not onely th◠men of the world but the lusts and corruptions which we are liable to whilest we are in the world Now we have good encouragement to look to Christ and rely on him for grace to help us against our lusts For 1. Jesus Christ was sent into the world by the Father on purpose to bless us in turning us from our iniquities Act. 3.26 And we may warrantably rely on Christ for the giving us those blessings which his Father sent him to beslow upon us 2. Our Lord Jesus gave himself to death for us that he might redeem us from the guilt and power of all our sins Tit. 2.14 who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works And we may warrantably rely on Christ for that blessing which he hath purchased for us with his own blood 3. Trusting and hoping in Christ is the way to be redeemed from all our iniquities Psal 130.7 8. Let Israel hope in the Lord And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities 2. We put on Christ by imitation when we make him our pattern and example resolving and endeavouring by the help of his grace to walk as he walked while he was in the world 1 Joh. 2.6 It was one end of God's sending Christ into the world to set us an example even in our own humane nature Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son And it is our duty to be followers of Christ Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Joh. 13.15 I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ Now Christ did no sin 1 Pet. 2.21 22. Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps who did no sin The wicked Jewes indeed maliciously slandered him and said Math. 11.19 Behold a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber But they laid to his charge things that he knew not And Christ challenged any of them to prove their charge Joh. 8.46 Which of you convinceth me of sin If then we thus put on Jesus Christ by imitation and warrant our practise by his example we shall not make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof which is the last direction Now the Lord in whose hand the hearts of all men are turn the eyes of concerned sinners upon these lines convince the guilty of the evil aggravations and danger of this shameful woful destroying damning yet abounding sin stop the mouth of all pleas in excuse or extenuation thereof and effectually persuade to a serious compliance with the counsel of God by speedy repentance and thorow reformation that they may never-feel the dreadful execution of the wo denounced It appeareth by the Authors manuscript that he designed had not death prevented him to have added hereto a narrative of the remarkable judgments of God upon drunkards with the use that ought to be made thereof FINIS